Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Campeon Ice Shaver Reviews

Campeon Ice Shaver
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $5.49
Sale Price: $4.25
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
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I was wary of the product based on the other review available, but having seen a colleague of mine use one, I decided to try it.

It's a very simple piece of equipment. Basically, a plane with a storage container and a flap inside which is supposed to push the ice out (and doesn't do so very well). The blade is removable and adjustable, so the first thing I did was take it out and notice the defects on the cutting edge and resharpen. When I put the blade back in, I adjusted the blade length so that it would shave fairly coarse ice. Washing with hot water and dish soap was enough to remove any industrial oils. This is not stainless steel, so it needs to be very dry before putting away or it will rust.

I found that it took a little big of scraping before it would shave ice reliably. It seems to like very slightly uneven ice, but not too bumpy and not too smooth, in order to scrape the most ice. It's a coarser end product than the stuff you get at fairs and from hand crank or electric machines, but it's a bit more satisfying, too.

I ended up ordering two additional ice shavers to take to a festival this summer so my campsite can be the envy of all other campsites with our cold treats.

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Have not used this product as yet but I have seen how to use it. I need a block of ice to use, but I can see the kids having fun with it.

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What can say i just love it. Is one of the best purchase i ever made. Am happy with i hope you like it.

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I like the ice shaver for make a piragua to many people do it in puerto rico. happy with them

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Ordered it and received it 3 days later. was exactly what I ordered and what I expected. Blade was a little dull, so would suggest sharpening before using. Other than that no complaints.

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Buy Wolfgang Puck Stainless Steel Cookware Set - 18 Pc

Wolfgang Puck Stainless Steel Cookware Set - 18 Pc
Customer Ratings: 3 stars
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I am not sure why the other reviews are complaining about this set. I have had the set for over a year and am very happy with it. Why waste your money at williams sanoma for ridiculously over-priced all clad cookware? This set is basically the generic version of the all clads, and the stainless steel is fine. I have never heard of butter turning steel black or rusting it, and "everything sticks"? Use some oil! Many of the complaints in reviews I have read are a result of user error.

These are decently heavy and have a nice thick bottom. The lips on the sauce pans allow for easy pouring. The lids are glass, so you can see inside while cooking. My friend is a professional chef and uses the same wolfgang puck cafe set in his own home, except his is the older set with the cheaper handles. The handles on this set are a drastic improvement and stay cool on the range.

My only complaint would be the rivets that hold the handle to the pot. They are not stainless and have dents and scratches on them (like I care). I have read other reviews that say they corrode when left overnight with acidic food in them. It seems pretty obvious that this is a bad idea no matter what kind of rivets the pan has. I have soaked these in the sink overnight with dish detergent and water and never had a problem.

Overall this is a great value for how much you get. These are not the top of the line pots and pans but they work perfectly fine for home cooking. The utensils that come with it are a little thin and bendable, but they are all stainless and I guess a nice little bonus. This set comes with a lot for the money. Just because a celebrity chef slaps their name on a product, or it comes from china, doesn't always mean its going to be poorly made.

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My wife and I bought Wolfgang Puck's Bistro series a few years ago and were very impressed. So impressed that we bought a smaller Bistro Elite set to round out our cookware inventory.

The Bistro series were made out of true 18/10 stainless steel and one piece, tri-ply bottom, blanks. They were also fairly heavy gauge steel.

Recently she bought this set for a house we are renting in FL. After reading the box I wasn't sure but for $100.00 I figured we could try them.

These are what he calls the Cafe series. They are not 18/10 stainless and will probably corrode without diligent care. They are a much thinner guage of metal. My biggest concern was the bottoms. They are not an integral part of the piece but tack welded on to the finished pot. Also the aluminum disk inside has been reduced to a scant 4mm.

After using them for a month I will say they perform better than expected. They do heat up quickly and evenly so cooking with them is a pleasant experience. They are NOT non-stick but no stainless is. On the down side because they are so thin the handles do get hot very quickly. It's not a big deal as long as you remember to test the handle before grabbing it or use a pot holder. I have had no trouble cleaning them and haven't experienced the staining others have mentioned.

When you consider a similar set from All-Clad would be around $1500.00 I guess they're not a bad deal. Just realize you are not going to get All-Clad quality and durability and you should be happy. I would recommend them for someone who absolutely cannot spend more than $100.00 for a decent assortment of cookware. It you're looking for top quality performance and lifetime durability then look elsewhere.

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When I first read reviews for this product I thought I would never own it. I pictured the set being just plan junk. My wife and I were not in the market for replacing our old Lynn's stainless steal set until we came upon them in one of the retail stores here in Reno. I picked them up and found myself just plan surprised with how heavy duty they seemed. I decided to buy the 10 qt stock, the 8 qt stock, the 6 qt stock, a 10 inch skillet and the 1.5, 2 and 3 qt sauce pans. After using them for a month I now have purchased a full set, including wok, two mini casserole pans and a Pizza serving plate. I really love this cookware.

I would say while it does not compare to my fathers American Made Emeril-ware set it is spot on when comparing it to the Emeril-ware now made in China. It is put together very well and the only problem I have is finding a good spot to store all the glass lids. The pots, pans and skillets I have hanging on the wall off of a pot rack but the lids just take up a ton of space for items I do not use too often. I wish the lids were more of universal sizes so that I could get rid of half of them.

I have cooked many different dishes over the last 3-4 months as I have a cooking website called . We have made red wine sauces, soups, pasta, stir fried, roasted a chicken and made many other things without any of the defects I saw people complain of. I use a little olive oil and preheat my pans just as I have always with any stainless set with out a problem. The lids hold up well and the rivets hold tight! I can not see going wrong with this set if you like to cook and do not want to fork out a few grand for a professional set.

I hope you enjoy these pots and pans as much as we have! And if you figure out a better way to store the lids give me a heads up!

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I have had my set since 2005 and the set works great. The wok pan is a little thin but works fine, but overall, it is a great set that I love to use. You can't complain about the price either.

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Excellent value for an 18 piece set of stainless steel(copper lined) pots, pans and cooking utensils. i'm purchasing a 2nd set.

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Buy Black Hard Plastic Cookware Replacement Pan Pot Kettle Lid Cover

Black Hard Plastic Cookware Replacement Pan Pot Kettle Lid Cover Knob
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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the knob of my pot lid broken and it was very cumbersome to use. Checked online and find this one. Placed the order. Arrived on time and fits perfectly. Now the lid back to work again without replacing a new one!

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Buy American Metalcraft TSH1 S/S 1 or 2 Compartment Taco Holder

American Metalcraft TSH1 S/S 1 or 2 Compartment Taco Holder
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
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My dream has come true without my tacos falling apart in my plate anymore. Great idea and durable product if you eat lots of tacos which I do often!

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no spilling and they pop right in the dishwasher. I saw these at a local mexican restaurant and knew I had to have them.

Review of Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer

Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer
Customer Ratings: 5 stars
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $388.45
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Dual disc juicer when compared to 800JEXL is superior in features in many ways. Just to list a few

1) Motor is 1200 watts against 1000 watts in 800JEXL

2) Rotary speed dial with speeds 1 to 5Higher for harder fruits & vegetables compared to flip switch achieving two speeds in 800JEXL

3) Ability to make soft fruit smoothies in dual disc in addition to juicing anything

4) 3.5" dia feeder compared to 3" in 800JEXL.

I use it daily for vegetable juice on week days and fruit smoothies on weekends.

I use those vegetables in juicing which otherwise I generally donot eat.

For example

One large tomato, two stems of celery, one large carrot, half lime or lemon and a small piece of ginger

With lime, I donot need to add salt. With this pure juice, I have stopped taking V8 juice.

For week end, I use smoothies made from banana & seasonal fruits like berries and non fat milk and if needed, I add mango pulp.

Very fast in juicing and very easy to clean even during week day before work.

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My wife and I are "first time juicers"Why didn't I try this years ago? :)

I wanted a well-made, high quality juicer that was easy to clean and did the job well. I didn't want a marginal unit I'd have to trade up from. (Hint from others: Buy a good one the first time.)

This model Breville works VERY well. Thorough clean-up and drying takes five minutes max and assembly and dis-assembly is cake: Pop the big chrome bail arm 90 degrees and the top shroud comes off, revealing the cutter assembly and stainless juicer shroud. All pop loose and wash easily. After rinsing, I wipe the parts down with a dish towel and leave them sitting on a Sham-wow to dry while I enjoy my juice. My wife finds it easy to use and juicing up a huge mound of veggies and fruits takes maybe a minute once the items are ready to go. My wife thinks it's actually fun to use this machine. Me too.

The motor hardly sags under even the hardest fruits (green apple seems to be the tougher of the fruits we have tried) but, when it does, the speed sensing circuitry adds power to the motor to keep it at the set speed. The speed control knob is an infinitely variable type. Most of what we do works very well on low speed. The motor assembly is nicely heavy and this adds considerable stability when juicing harder fruits and veggies. (The last small piece of an item may slide under the juicer shroud and into the basket which momentarily puts the basket out of balance. That is normal.) The weight of the machine never makes the unit "wobbly" or unstable. Yet, the machine is not too heavy for my wife to move around the counter easily. (Comments about the gap between the chute and basket edge are not exactly correct. You have to have a space between the chute and the basket/grinder to allow ground material to exit the grinding process and pass into the basket where the juice is extracted. We have found the number of large pieces in the waste bucket few and far between.)

The plastic parts are extremely well made and heavy duty. The clear lid is thick and strong. The waste bucket fits nicely under the lid, holding it in place so you never get "veggie parts" flying around your kitchen. This model comes with a nice clear juice pitcher (not pictured in the web pic) that nestles under the angled juice spout (tube).

As one rater above recommended, "Just buy this one and you will love it." I did and I sure do. Haven't tried the other cutter head for smoothies yet but it's so easy to change heads.

Again, if you can swing this model, buy in confidence. This thing is heirloom quality and will work for decades. The quality work on the stainless juicing shroud alone is a work of art (for techno geeks).

(I am a tech and tool guy who appreciates the quality of a nicely designed and manufactured tool. I have been a wood worker for 40 years, using all types of power tools and machinery. But, even if you aren't, you'll find this device easy and fun to use. My wife enjoys using it and finds it easy to operate and clean.)

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This is one of the best purchases I've made at Amazon. The Breville BJE820XL Dual Disc Juice Processor is an upgraded Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite which doubles as both a premium quality juicer and juice processor.

I decided to get into juicing again after a multi-year hiatus due to having a baby girl and wanting to wean her off formula. Note that in 2003 I owned the ever-popular Jack Lalanne Power Juicer which ultimately was a disappointment and took me away from juicing for several years. I spent over two weeks researching different brands, makes and models of juicers before deciding on this product. Although it is somewhat more expensive than many of the centrifugal juicers on the market, if you intend to make good use of your juicer, you will not be disappointed.

When I unpacked the product from the box, I was immediately impressed. The Breville BJE820XL assembles and disassembles easily in 5 steps that are clearly explained in the owner's manual. The juicer base (which houses its powerful 1200-watt motor) is a heavy, brushed metallic stainless steel construction. The juicer can be assembled to operate as a centrifugal juicer, which will separate the fibers contained in fruits and vegetables from the juice, or as a juice processor, which liquifies soft fruits without separating the fibers. My father has always said that to maintain your health you should "eat your fruit and drink your vegetables." With this appliance, you can stay true to this saying but have the convenience of drinking both!

The Jack Lalanne Power Juicer doesn't hold a candle to the Breville BJE820XL. The Breville's rock solid construction, stainless steel material, powerful motor, ultra-wide feed tube and easy assembly / disassembly make it worth every penny. This juicer has five speed settings -although Breville only recommends using the lowest setting with the puree assembly. It is fairly quiet at the lowest setting, used for soft fruits like grapes and citrus; but at its highest setting, it sounds like an industrial strength power drill. This isn't a problem in my book as I'll take the power over quiet any day. With such a solid product, my only real complaint is that I wish it came with a longer warranty. Unless you buy an extended service plan, you are only covered under Breville's one-year limited warranty.

If there is one thing I'd like to highlight about this product is how easy it is to CLEAN. Each part separates from the base easily and cleanly, and you can clean the entire thing by rinsing, EXCEPT for the juicing disc which requires soap and the included brush to ensure it stays free of lingering fiber. In the mornings, it takes me a grand total of fifteen minutes to prep the fruit, juice it using the Breville BJE820XL, and clean up after myself. With fifteen minutes, my 14-month old daughter has FRESH FRUIT JUICE ALL DAY!

Can't recommend it any higher! Five stars!

Adam

Orlando, FL

UPDATE 3/17/12: After almost a year, this device is still going strong with heavy use. I now also have a 2-month old baby boy who isn't enjoying juice quite yet, but in about six months I will let him try!

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program In today's world, the term "commercial grade" is tossed around very casually. Often it's just a marketing tool to make you think an item is built to a higher standard than it acutally is. However, in this case, even though Breville does not use the words, I could think of no better term to describe this beast.

You know you have a real product here when you take it out of the box. It's HEAVY. Not ridiculously heavy, not too heavy to move, just sturdy and well made. When you turn it on, you can hear and almost feel the power this device is going to bring to the task at hand.

The juice this makes is great, you can control the pulp that you get, or don't get.

We have owned cheaper juicers in the past, but honestly that is like comparing apple juice and orange juice (pun intended) there is simply no comparison.

You will not regret for one moment making this purchase! I recommend this juicer without hesitation or reservation.

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I had high hopes when I ordered this juicer but I can state here that I am not impressed by the performance once I received it. I bought mine "refurbished" or should I say 'returned'? from geekdeal, one of the Breville authorized dealers, on ebaY. It came with one year manufacturers warranty and frankly does not look like the previous owner used it at all. There was a note pasted under the motor housing that says "tested and Cleaned".

Now I know what you might be thinking: gee if it was refurbished it must have been defective. But no this machine works just like similar Breville machines I have seen.

The Positives:

This machine is thoughtfully designed and everything assembles and fits perfectly. It can win an award in the aesthetic category. The stainless steel finish makes cleaning a snap. It even comes with a brush that also doubles as a spatula but I prefer to clean the screen with OXO Good Grips Soap Squirting Dish Brush. Juice container cover has a built in froth separator. The wide feed chute make juicing less of a hassle as you can juice a whole fruit without cutting it to smaller pieces. It has 1200 watts motor with variable speed which makes it a very fast juicer. The puree disc works as it is supposed to even though I doubt most people would ever use it.

The Negatives:

This juicer is less efficient than my 12 yrs old Juiceman JR which cost considerably less when I purchased it. The Breville leaves much of carrot, celery and greens unprocessed. The main reason for it I believe is that this machine and indeed much of the Breville elite lines (at least the ones I have checked out) has a wide gap clearance between the end of the feed tube and the juice disc. This is a fundamental design flaw. This is excerbated by the high revolution rate of the juice disc which invariably throws much of the fruits and veges into the pulp basket unprocessed (See some of the images I uploaded in the customers image section). There is also a loud slapping sound towards the end of the juicing cycle whenever you push the last fruit all the way through. It produces a lot of foam and hence the need for the froth separator.

Another negative which may be inherent in the power of this machine is that it is very loud when processing at the full speed. I thought my Vitamix Super 5000 is loud but boy this Breville is definitely louder at full speed.

Final Thought:

If I had paid full price for this juicer I would have returned it for full refund. I am sure the reason there is a lot of refurbished Breville juicers for sale is because a lot of buyers are dissatisfied with their performance overall. In my opinion they are not worth the full price but if you can buy them used or refurbished then go for it so long as you are aware of the aforementioned limitations. Better still buy the less expensive Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor

What I have done to improve on the performance is by selecting one speed less than the recommended setting and to not push the pusher all the way through till the last batch of fruits and veges are inserted into the feed tube. This later maneuver greatly reduces and postpones that annoying slapping sound till the end of the juicing cycle.

I will keep this Machine but will eventually upgrade to Super Angel 5500 Stainless Steel Living Juice Extractor Machine Super Heavy Duty Juicer: Juices Fruits, Vegetables, Leafy Greens, Wheatgrass

If I am in the market right now for a new stainless steel centrifugal juicer I would purchase the less expensive 1000 watts Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor instead.

I posted some pictures on the product main page.

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Reviews of Napoleon Terrace Se325 Propane Gas Grill On Cart

Napoleon Terrace Se325 Propane Gas Grill On Cart
Customer Ratings: 4.5 stars
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Previously spent $1000 on a grill that rusted through in 3 years (with a cover). Just recently purchsed this Napoleon model and very pleased. Small footprint but enough cooking surface for 12 burgers. Was not looking for a grill the length of my patio!Heats extremely quickly with the two burners and smaller space. Heats to 800 degrees for quick searing. Wheels better than other models.Only complaint had to do with assembly. Plenty of bolts but inexplicably no nuts. No reference to nuts in the assembly instuctions. No nuts in the plastic packaging material. Weird. Had to go to Home Depot to get nuts to complete assembly. But very pleased with unit. Cover fits securely as well. Easy to recommend.

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I have really enjoyed my Napoleon Grill. Very well built and sturdy and has a "closed" back, which a lot of smaller size grills don't. I previously had a Weber Genesis Stainless Steel Grill. Thought it was the last grill I would purchase. However, I found it was too large for 2 people or even for a small dinner party. Also, the 3 burners on the Weber were front to back, which I never got used to or liked. Weber has updated the Genesis to have the burners left to right now, and I am sure more people will like it that way. But, my Napoleon is just the right size, and amazingly, I do not burn food on it like It constantly did on my Weber. It is still large enough to grill 8 or so steaks, so plenty big for me. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the grates, while very heavy duty, are "rough", so trying to oil them tears up the pre-oiled package cloths and oiled paper towels also tear. I thought it would have smoother grates. However, the rough grates give a great char to meat much better than the Weber. All-in-all, I am very happy with it. The only thing I would change, besides the rough grates, is the ignitors. I would have preferred electronic ignitors vs. the rotary style, as I have read the electronic ones last longer, but I have not had any trouble with the rotary ones yet.

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Mirro Polished Aluminum Dishwasher Safe Pressure Cooker Cookware Review

Mirro 92116 Polished Aluminum Dishwasher Safe 16-Quart Pressure Cooker Canner Cookware, Silver
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $79.99
Sale Price: $52.90
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After reviewing many options, I decided on this model because it has the weighted pressure control rather than the pressure gauge, which seemed to have a higher incidence of issues and failures.

The 22 Qt. comes with complete canning instructions, but the recipes are for "pressure cooking" rather than being "canning recipes. There are a number of great books out there for good recipes, including the one I use for all my canning Ball Blue Book of Preserving

I am impressed by both the "small footprint" of the base of this cooker as well as the numerous safety systems in place to prevent problems, an issue which several elderly friends who used some of the older pressure cookers assured me was VERY important some carrying scars to prove it.

In addition to the vent tube, the safety systems include safety locks, an overpressure plug, an over pressure window (which blows the gasket and allows steam to escape in case of the vent & plug being blocked. There is a spring safety device that prevents the pressure from building unless the lid is correctly placed on the cooker.

The 22 Qt comes with two cooking racks to allow jars to be stacked. Since there is some question concerning quantities, I obtained this information directly from the manufacturers guidelines for BOTH the 12 & 22 Quart, in case you are trying to decide:

Mirro 12qt. Pressure Cooker/Canner, Aluminum 12 qt holds 10 half-pints, 8 reg pints, 7 wide mouth pints, 5 quarts.

The product I ordered on this page the Mirro 22 qt holds 30 half-pints, 16 reg pints, 14 wide mouth pints, and 5 quarts. (The description on Amazon is incorrect on this for the quarts)

You will notice that both the 22 quart holds double of everything except the quarts. This is because of the stacking capability in the 22 quart. Both are identical in width, the major difference is in height. If you are only interested in how many quarts it holds, the smaller canner will hold the same number as the larger one. If I had been certain of the quantities it held, I would likely have chosen the smaller one, but will take advantage of this one since I have it.

Hope this answers some questions for you canners looking for your first pressure canner and who are unsure about the sizes!

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I know about canners. I can A LOT, and run two canners at one time. It is really getting hard to find a canner like this with a "jiggler" on top rather than a pressure gauge. I cannot stress enough that a weight system like this is just SO MUCH BETTER than a gauge if you are doing any volume of canning. If you are canning meats, you need to monitor your canner for 90 minutes, and if you have to babysit a gauge, you will get sick of it really fast. With a jiggler like this canner has, you can just listen, and know the pressure is correct. As long as the weight on top is just gently jiggling, everything is a.o.k. and you can read, or go the the restroom, or whatever you need to do. Plus, as years go by, I find it really hard to trust a gauge. You know the weight on this one will stay constant. I have one of this model of canner, and I'm buying another one today, to replace a perfectly good machine with a gauge.

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OK. I read several other reviews AFTER reading the instruction manual but BEFORE using the canner. I thought, "Come on people! How hard can it be?" Then I used the canner and momentarily feared for my life!

The directions clearly state that you should put your canning jars in, seal the lid, put your burner on high to heat the cooker WITHOUT the weight, and wait for steam to come out the pressure vent tube. Once steam comes out of the vent tube, you should set a timer for 10 minutes to allow the cooker to come up to pressure before applying the weight. Once the the weight has been added, you should reduce heat until the weight jiggles. Easy, right? Keep in mind that the directions are also very clear that if you see the red reusable overpressure plug pop or steam come out of the safety window, you should protect your face, turn off the heat, and allow the cooker to cool.

So, imagine my surprise when while bringing the cooker up to pressure, steam started to spill out from around the handle and a red button on the handle popped. I hit the deck and slunk toward my cooker like I was entering enemy territory. With a racing heart (this is the fearing for my life part) I quickly turned down the heat. I readjusted the gasket and tried again only to have the same thing happen. I was about to take the stupid thing back until I did an internet search and found that the button on the handle is the PRESSURE MONITORING GAGE. It pops up when the cooker is up to pressure! The overpressure plug is on the lid. The pressure monitoring button is called out on the box but IT IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE DIRECTIONS. After I acquired this jewel of information, the thing was a breeze to use. You don't even have to worry about the jiggling (which I also found out from my internet search is more a hissing), because as long as the pressure button is up, you are good to go! Another thing the directions do not tell you is how much water to add. I have the book "Preserving the Harvest" and it states to add 2-3 inches. So, after a little trial and error, I have found the cooker to be extremely reliable and easy to use. The directions? Not so much!

Hopefully, this little bit of information about the pressure monitoring button will spare someone else the terror of thinking their kitchen is going to be blown to pieces:)

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After two months of searching for the perfect canner and stewing over the decision of size and type, I finally settled on the 22 qt Mirro. There were a couple of reasons I chose this model. First, there seems to be a lot of debate over the perks of a pressure guage vs the weighted toggle. I found that most people considered the pressure gauge to be some what unreliable. More important, I live in a very rural area where I can't take the guage to the county to have it tested every year as recommended. I wanted to can veggies and tuna, so I wanted something reliable from year to year. Second, Tuna has to be processed for 90 minutes and I didn't want to have to stare at a pressure guage the entire time to monitor the pressure. I like being able to clean the kitchen, or run to the bathroom quickly with out the overwhelming fear that the canner will explode without my ever present eye. Third, I wanted a canner that had some back up pressure releases. I read a few accounts of pressure cookers blowing up in people's faces, and I would rather not mess with explosions in my house.

This pot does this and MORE!! I have canned a couple batches of peaches and apricots. The apricots I cold packed and didn't like the results, the fruit floated to the top. The peaches I hot packed and they came out better than I could have dreamed. During the end of the Razor Clam season, we collected several pounds of clams and canned several. They came out GREAT! Since then, we have also canned tuna. I have to say, it is a bit loud to can the tuna, but our jars were pretty and the tuna was fantastic.

One batch of tuna had a problem. My boyfriend was on his first solo canning experience after helping me several times. Once the canner was up to pressure and toggling, he did not turn down the stove. The burner was too hot and blew out all the water. We both noticed a different sound from the toggle. We turned the burner off and gently moved the canner to the center of the stove off the burner. None of the cans were broken because we were being vigilant.

So here is what impresses me. There are not just two, but three safety mechanisms on the pot. Two on the top and a side valve that actually releases the gasket at the lid. I don't consider this pot exceptionally heavy when full. After hearing stories of how heavy a full 22 qt pressure canner can be, I was very worried. I was able to move this pot without huge effort. I'm not saying that it is light as a feather, but I felt comfortable moving it. This canner has the weighted toggle and comes with 3 weights (5, 10, and 15). This allows me to use the same canner for fruits and vegetables while also allowing me to can meats. What more? When you move up in elevation, you have to pressure cook at a higher pressure. All three of these weights cover your base from sea level to 5000 feet.

What I would like to see? I had to rely on the internet to describe how to process the foods I wanted to can. The instruction book is great on how to use the canner, but it does not describe processing times, and is skimpy on the info as to how much water to add to the canner. Also, I am canning tuna and clams (and can't use a quart or even a pint all at once), and my loads are pretty small because you need to put a rack to seperate the cans. This package comes with 2 racks. I have found parts and can buy additional racks for 11-15 dollars. I bought mine from Crazydavestoolshed. It took far longer to arrive than I had hoped (2.5 weeks from the time I ordered it). It was due on July 3 and didn't come until July 7. I am sure the holiday played into it a bit, but shipping for me was nearly 17 dollars and I expected it on time for the cost of shipping.

Honestly, I can't imagine using another type of canner. This one is great, particularly for a novice that is concerned with safety.

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I use this canner approximately twice a month. I bought it about 6 months ago and it is a wonderful product. It's nice that there are no moving parts to replace. I don't need to worry about the dial guage being calibrated. The canner comes with an EXCELLENT recipe book! The shrimp creole and beef stroganoff are absolutely delicious and easy to make. My husband was really impressed.

I highly recommend this canner, along with the 12-quart from the same company. They are both excellent and should last a lifetime. This canner is an excellent value as well.

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