7/31/2012

Primula Glass Stovetop Tea Pot with Infuser Review

Primula Glass Stovetop Tea Pot with Infuser
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
BE FOREWARNED: I bought this teapot for my wife as a little surprise gift little over three months ago as we're tea fans. I was impressed by the product descriptions of its 'laboratory-strength' thick glass; I had wanted to purchase a sturdy glass pot. And the fact that this was identified as dishwasher and microwave safe seemed additional testimony to its durability.
Please note: it's never been used in dishwasher OR microwave; it's been treated with great care simply because: that's how we are. And yet, just now: as the pot stood, filled on the counter: a roundish/tear-drop-shaped portion of the pot just popped OUT from the side. Untouched. It simply: broke. All by itself. A portion of the pot blew out, with attendant crack leading up to the top of the pot. And: she had made the tea about 1.5 hours previously; it wasn't even hot. But: of course, she and the counter were suddenly treated to a half-pot of tea.
VERY disappointed as well as extremely puzzled over how something like this could even happen. And it's clear there was no concussion from the outside: both the piece AND the pot show the glass blew OUTWARDS and that portion is fully intact.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Primula Glass Stovetop Tea Pot with Infuser



Buy NowGet 22% OFF

Click here for more information about Primula Glass Stovetop Tea Pot with Infuser

Read More...

8PC. MICROWAVEABLE MULTI-COLORED RAMEKINS SET (4 ASSORTED COLORED 7 OZ. RAMEKINS WITH 4 LIDS) Review

Read More...

Bosch 800 Series : HBL8750UC 30in Combination Oven - Stainless Steel Review

Bosch 800 Series : HBL8750UC 30in Combination Oven - Stainless Steel
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've just remodeled my kitchen and had this unit installed. I've been cooking with it for about a month. Overall, the quality of the oven/microwave is quite good:
* it preheats quickly
* the extra deep pull over rack is handy
* the convection microwave is quite useful for small cooking tasks
There are a few small things that seem a bit silly, but are driving me crazy:
1) The oven beeps are extremely loud, I had to turn them off as the entire house could hear me turning on the oven
2) Every *single* button press on the oven panel is delayed by 1/2 a second. You keep thinking the unit isn't turned on but it's just slow! You'd think a $3000 oven would be able to respond to button presses.
I even called the support department and asked about anything I could do to help the situation. A very nice woman that worked for Bosch explained that this is a common complaint, she unfortuantely had no suggestions. As the unit is already installed in my home and is basically working, it's a bit hard to return at this point so I'll just live with it but I wanted others to know about these unfortunate design flaws.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bosch 800 Series : HBL8750UC 30in Combination Oven - Stainless Steel



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Bosch 800 Series : HBL8750UC 30in Combination Oven - Stainless Steel

Read More...

Nordic Ware 12 Inch Universal See Thru Cover Review

Nordic Ware 12 Inch Universal See Thru Cover
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This thing doesn't last at all. The clear area is a nice idea, but the two pieces (clear plastic and metal) just pop apart. I tried silicone caulk to get them back together--no success. Just get a stainless steel cover for the same price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nordic Ware 12 Inch Universal See Thru Cover



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Nordic Ware 12 Inch Universal See Thru Cover

Read More...

7/30/2012

Paula Deen 4 Quart Stoneware Batter Bowl, Green Review

Paula Deen 4 Quart Stoneware Batter Bowl, Green
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I use my Paula Dean batter bowl almost daily. It is a cinch to pull out when mixing just about anything and the pour-spout side makes baking a joy. The size is larger than I expected, a definite plus. You could easily get several boxes of cake mix in with plenty of room to spare. This is a heavy and well-made piece, but the picture is somewhat misleading. The bowl has a VERY strong theme of green throughout- it is beautiful, but the picture does not really display it correctly. This is a great gift for the person who has "everything" and likes to cook. I am looking forward to collecting more pieces from Paula's line of cookwear.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Paula Deen 4 Quart Stoneware Batter Bowl, Green



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Paula Deen 4 Quart Stoneware Batter Bowl, Green

Read More...

Presto 04820 "Poplite" Hot Air Corn Popper, Pops with Hot Air Review

Presto 04820 Poplite Hot Air Corn Popper, Pops with Hot Air
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is the sixth air popper I've own. I've tried them from simple to cute and fancy, and the Presto Hot Air Popper is by far the best. Easy to use and clean, it is leaving only a couple of kernels unpopped each run. I am most pleased.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Presto 04820 "Poplite" Hot Air Corn Popper, Pops with Hot Air



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Presto 04820 "Poplite" Hot Air Corn Popper, Pops with Hot Air

Read More...

BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black Review

BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I owned two Bodum French presses and broke - and replaced - the glass
carafes for both of them. And then I broke them both again (always in the
sink, always trying to wash them quickly in the morning so I could just get
some caffeine into me!) So I thought I'd give this model a try because my
Bialetti is a pain first thing in the morning (but otherwise great for
impressing guests.) ;-)
Am I ever glad I got this! The BonJour is superior to my old presses in so
many ways:
First, obviously, it won't break when I wash it. I love the flat bottom -
none of that four-legged-metal-base tippiness in the sink or on the counter.
And the fat rubber ring on the bottom? It's removeable - it's just there to
insulate your pot and keep it stable on the table.
I was concerned when I read elsewhere that the filter on these models
couldn't be taken apart for cleaning. With my Bodum presses, grounds would
always get lodged between the screen and the metal frame that held it in
place - really icky if you didn't unscrew them and wash the plate, screen,
and stem each time (a major pain - probably why my dirty pot remained
unwashed until I needed it the next morning, and... well, you know where
that led.)
Well, on the BonJour, grounds never get into the screen - the plunger has a
rubber rim that keeps everything down below, where it belongs, and the edges
of the screen are sealed. A quick swish in soapy water and you're
finished... no reassambly required. (In reading the previous review, about
the plastic screen pins giving way, I'd just suggest using minimal pressure
when pushing the plunger down, and making sure the screen's rubber rim is
wet before inserting it into the pot, as the directions indicate - that'll
put less stress on those pins, I think.)
With my Bodums, the screen/plunger would remain about 1/2" above the base of
the pot when fully "plunged". Because of this, the grounds would all slosh
to the side of the spout when you were pouring, and a lot of coffee or tea
would remain in the base behind the dam of grounds. You'd have to roll the
pot from side to side to get the remaning coffee out, invariably spilling as
much as you gained. The BonJour's plunger goes all the way to the base, so
pouring is much easier - no dam of grounds to block the liquid.
The BonJour also has a fine sediment screen at the top of the pot (you can
bypass it if you'd like) which means NO floaties in your coffee or tea. And
I mean FINE - it's not like the silly, wide grate on the Bodum, which was no
help at all.
This is much lighter than the same-sized Bodum, and the handle is very wide
and comfortable to hold (it feels rubberized and won't slip in your hand).
And you can't beat the price.
If I ever DO break or otherwise damage this one (I have heard you can put
them in the microwave but I'm not taking any chances - similarly, I don't
put rolling-boiling water in, but add it just before it boils or wait for it
to cool a bit after, to avoid any melting problems), then for SURE I am
going to get another BonJour.
Of course, as with ALL French presses, when they say 8 "cups", they mean
espresso cups; this holds about 3 American mugs, or 32 oz. / 4 measuring
cups at the top of the black rim. Someday they'll get that standardized for
us!

Click Here to see more reviews about: BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

The BonJour Unbreakables... for those who are a little clumsy before their morning coffee!The Monet Unbreakable French Press is elegant and durable, perfect for patio, RV, boat or picnics.The carafe is made of polycarbonate that is unbreakable with normal use and care.The lid and frame are stainless steel as is the filter rod and assembly.Includes BonJour's filtering lid for less sediment in your coffee.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

Read More...

FLATWARE ORGANIZER Review

FLATWARE ORGANIZER
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Every time you open or close your silverware drawer, the tips of forks and knives will slide up and get caught in the chrome mesh, the gaps of which are too large. Extremely poor design for such a simple product.

Click Here to see more reviews about: FLATWARE ORGANIZER

Made of heavy duty steel, this Chrome Cutlery Storage Tray by Progressive? is sure to make your drawers sparkle. The ultimate storage for kitchen utensils office supplies and so much more. Wonderful for cabinets and drawers in nearly any environment inclu

Buy Now

Click here for more information about FLATWARE ORGANIZER

Read More...

7/29/2012

ASTONISH OVEN AND COOKWARE CLEANER 17.6 OZ. - AS SEEN ON TV Review

ASTONISH OVEN AND COOKWARE CLEANER 17.6 OZ. - AS SEEN ON TV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Silica Flour (i.e, finely-ground sand)
Water
Vegetable Soap
Sodium Silicate (similar to sand)
Glycerine (lubricant)
Perfume
Sodium Tetraborate (like Boraxo)
As with all abrasive cleaners, I would expect to clean exceptionally well at first -- and then gradually dull the finish of the item on repeated use. You don't want to apply sand to your silverware. The unusual thing of this cleaner is that the scratches will be unusually "fine" (tiny).
I bought it to try and take burned-on grease off of a shiny porcelain-white stovetop. But I want the stove to stay shiny, both now and in the long run, so I think I'm going to try something else. Points to the manufacturer ("The London Oil Refining Company, Ltd"), though, for being so straightforward about what's in it. (I wonder if the straightforwardness is a British requirement, or just British politeness.)

Click Here to see more reviews about: ASTONISH OVEN AND COOKWARE CLEANER 17.6 OZ. - AS SEEN ON TV



Buy Now

Click here for more information about ASTONISH OVEN AND COOKWARE CLEANER 17.6 OZ. - AS SEEN ON TV

Read More...

Johnson Brothers Blue Willow 20 Piece Set Review

Johnson Brothers Blue Willow 20 Piece Set
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I read the reviews and knew the risk going in. As mentioned by nearly every other reviewer this set of dishes is not packaged for shipping. I don't know why anyone would ship anything like this. Lucky for me only one saucer is broken.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Johnson Brothers Blue Willow 20 Piece Set

A beautiful blue and white pattern with touches of the orient, Willow Blue is both elegant and charismatic.Made of fine earthenware, the collection consists of a full range of dinnerware and accessories which are freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Johnson Brothers Blue Willow 20 Piece Set

Read More...

Pfaltzgraff Everyday Fleurette 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4 Review

Pfaltzgraff Everyday Fleurette 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I love these dishes! When they arrive, it was just how I pictured them. They are great for everyday use and even for more formal dinners. The bowls are my new favorite soup and cereal bowls and I love the mug for coffee. They are not too heavy and also very easy to wash. I've also received many compliments on them. I highly recommend them!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pfaltzgraff Everyday Fleurette 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

Pfaltzgraff's 16-piece dinnerware set with service for four is a great starter set or augmentation set for any home. The Everyday Fleurette pattern features curving solid and dashed vines punctuated with gradated 3-petaled flowers, all on a creamy background accented with chocolate brown. The set includes four each: 10-3/4-inch diameter dinner plate, 8-1/2-inch diameter salad plate, 6-inch diameter soup/cereal bowl, and 14-ounce coffee mug. Crafted from durable clay stoneware, the pieces are microwave and dishwasher safe. The set is beautiful enough for entertaining and strong enough for everyday use. It makes a great gift.
What's in the Box? Four of each: 10-3/4-inch diameter dinner plate, 8-1/2-inch diameter salad plate, 6-inch diameter soup/cereal bowl, and 14-ounce coffee mug.

Buy NowGet 61% OFF

Click here for more information about Pfaltzgraff Everyday Fleurette 16-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

Read More...

Dish Brush Review

Dish Brush
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Scrubs really well and you just drop it in the dishwasher. A great brush for scrubbing those stubborn clumps of food.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dish Brush



Buy NowGet 44% OFF

Click here for more information about Dish Brush

Read More...

7/28/2012

Lekue Silicone 9-Inch Springform Pan, White Ceramic Base Review

Lekue Silicone 9-Inch Springform Pan, White Ceramic Base
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've owned many springform pans in the past 22 years, and I am so excited to use this one, after receiving it earlier in the week. Now I have to buy one for my sister, who loves to cook almost as much as I do.
I was surprised to see that it didn't leak, it sealed well and the cleanup was easy. I encourage you to look past the price (which is somewhat higher than regular sprinform pans) and spring for this item. It won't rust, the coating won't "peel off" and the base can be put in the dishwasher without fear of rusting, warping or being scratched. I am so happy to have found this. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Lekue Silicone 9-Inch Springform Pan, White Ceramic Base



Buy NowGet 14% OFF

Click here for more information about Lekue Silicone 9-Inch Springform Pan, White Ceramic Base

Read More...

CorningWare Traditions 11 by 14-Inch Serving Platter, Boxed Review

CorningWare Traditions 11 by 14-Inch Serving Platter, Boxed
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I love this set - I'm not a dishes person usually, but this platter & set are beautiful!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: CorningWare Traditions 11 by 14-Inch Serving Platter, Boxed



Buy NowGet 14% OFF

Click here for more information about CorningWare Traditions 11 by 14-Inch Serving Platter, Boxed

Read More...

Nor Pro 7" Tall Walnut PEPPERMILL Review

Nor Pro 7 Tall Walnut PEPPERMILL
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
We bought this to grind sea salt. It works perfectly, is attractive and well made. A+

Click Here to see more reviews about: Nor Pro 7" Tall Walnut PEPPERMILL



Buy NowGet 16% OFF

Click here for more information about Nor Pro 7" Tall Walnut PEPPERMILL

Read More...

GE Profile : PHB925SPSS 30 Freestanding Induction Range, 5 Cooking Zones, Convection, Self Clean Review

GE Profile : PHB925SPSS 30 Freestanding Induction Range, 5 Cooking Zones, Convection, Self Clean
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Powerful and fast is the best way I can describe the cooktop on GE's new Induction Range. It is so incredible it even surpassed all my expectations. It boils water so fast you don't even have time to get the food ready to go in before the lids rattling off the pot. Yet it heats so low that you can melt a large bar of chocolate directly in a pan without having to use a double boiler! It will have it melted and ready to use in 15 minutes, and you can leave it on for hours without worrying about it scorching. Now that's versatility! And the temperature change response time is instant. You can take that pot of boiling water with the lid rattling and reduce the heat to simmer, and the water instantly stops boiling and goes to a gentle simmer in a second. I don't mean in a few seconds. I mean right now! This thing blows gas away so bad it's not even funny. I've used both gas and electric, and gas being the closest contender doesn't even hold a candle to the power and speed of this induction cooktop. Now I can already hear the nay sayers out there saying no way, gas is the best. But seeing is believing. And this thing is truly amazing. That's not all though. It has even more tricks.
I use both cast iron and tri-ply stainless steel cookware on it. The stainless cookware gets used directly on the glass cooktop, but I'm afraid to use the cast iron on it for fear of scratching it. So I place a paper towel between the cast iron and the cooktop. You read correctly. I'm cooking on paper towels! Since the cooktop doesn't generate any heat at all, and the only heat the cooktop receives is the heat reflected back to the cooktop from the cooking utensil itself it doesn't get hot enough to ignite the paper towel. Then when I'm done cooking I use the paper towel to clean up the cooktop. This is a cinch because the cooktop doesn't get hot enough to burn anything on it anyway. Just a simple wipe with a damp paper towel or sponge and a quick sprits of window cleaner and the thing looks brand new again. I've found that a good streak free window cleaner works the best at keeping it looking new
The induction elements will make your cookware perform at the highest level it can. Since the utensil itself is the actual heating element instead of a wire coil or a ring of flame, there are absolutely no hot spots in the cooking utensil. As long as the utensil fits close to the size of the element circle, it will heat perfectly uniformly from edge to edge. The electro-magnetic energy field extends ½" beyond and above the element, so my 12" cast iron or stainless steel skillet heats perfectly edge to edge on the 11" element. And my 10 X 20" reversible cast iron grill/griddle works too despite the fact that the rim holds it about ¼" above the cooktop. It still fits within the range that the electro-magnetic field will respond to. And yes, I cook with it on top of paper towels since it is cast iron. It cooks very well spanned across the two 8" elements on the left side as long as you give it at least 15 minutes to warm up so the heat can spread out across it. The utensil size does not have to perfectly match the size of the element circle as the electro-magnet will automatically adjust to various sizes within a given range. And none of the element outside that range gets hot. Only the utensil gets hot. Think of it in the same way that a microwave gets only the food hot, the induction element gets only the cooking utensil hot. Not the food in the utensil or the cooktop itself, just the utensil. And in turn the heat of the utensil cooks the food that's in it just like it does on any other cooktop. It's just a microwave for your pots and pans! You can read all about how it works at this website: [...]. The 11" element can be used on a utensil with a bottom diameter as small as 7". The two 8" elements can go as small as 5 ¾", and the 6" as small as 4 ¾". You can also use a utensil larger than the element as well. I use a 14" cast iron pizza pan as a griddle on the 11" element and all but about the outer 1 ½" of the pan are evenly heated. The heat tapers off somewhat around the outer perimeter.
This thing is really built too. Weighing in at 240 pounds, it outweighs the Samsung induction range by 32 pounds and the Kenmore induction range by a whopping 50 pounds! We're talking impressive build quality here. The stainless steel is a very nice quality and is easy to keep looking good.
The control panel is a one piece glass touch panel with no knobs. It responds very well to touch and is easy to use. There is a slight learning curve since you're cooking by number instead of turning a knob. But I adapted quickly to it and don't even think about it anymore. There are 19 steps from low to high for each element. All 4 induction elements are high power and have a "boost" cycle that makes them quite capable of boiling a pot of water very quickly. There is also a fifth element that is a warming burner. It's a 120 watt electric radiant burner (not induction) with three settings, hi, med, and low. It is not designed to heat anything up, just to keep already hot things warm.
I haven't had much of a chance to use the oven yet, but from what little I've used it, it seems to work well. It has three heavy enamel coated racks that you can leave in the oven during self cleaning. That's a big plus because those big racks don't fit in the sink, so your only other option would be to wash them in the bathtub or take them outside. I've done it both ways with our old stove and neither is fun. So I'm happy I don't have to do that anymore with these. They also slide very easily in the oven too and there are six positions for them. This oven uses what is called True European Convection. Meaning that there is a third element around the fan itself. During convection cooking only this element is used and the fan blows and circulates heated air into the oven cavity. This particular system also reverses itself every 70 seconds which is supposed to aid greatly in the evenness of the temperature throughout the oven cavity. I have read that it works quite well so I can only assume great results when I really get a chance to use it. It also comes with a temperature probe that will come in quite handy when cooking whole birds, hams, and roasts. The convection fan is fairly quiet too. Much quieter than the one on my convection microwave. There's also a small fan in the cooktop that cycles on and off occasionally to keep the electronics in there cool. That too is very quiet and goes unnoticed quickly if even noticed at all. The kitchen has to be pretty quiet to hear it.
I have only had it a few weeks but so far I love it. The only problem I have had, if you can call it a problem, was trying to figure out a particular feature it has. If you own one of these or are going to buy one this may be of interest to you. If not interested, you may want to skip this and move on to the next paragraph. So here goes. I asked three different people at GE, the local rep, the email tech support, and the phone tech support and nobody had an answer for me, so I had to just figure it out myself. You see, the convection oven has a feature called "Convection Conversion". The user manual is written for many different models, but doesn't cover "convection conversion". It does however talk about "Auto Recipe Conversion" which is basically the same thing. They differ though in how the end result is executed. Both features when set to "on" are designed to automatically reduce the convection cooking temperature by 25 degrees since convection cooking is more efficient than conventional baking. This way you can just follow the standard temperature in a recipe, cook with convection and the temperature reduction is automatically taken care of for you. Sounds easy enough right? Well, according to the manual under "auto recipe conversion", (remember, there is no mention of "convection conversion") when you set say 350 deg and press start, you are supposed to see it say on the display, CON, 325 (the -25 deg thing) and then go to pre-heat. When it reaches 325 deg it will signal it's ready. But mine doesn't do that. If I set 350, there is no CON, 325. It just goes to pre-heat and signals it's ready at 350. So where's -25 deg's I'm supposed to be seeing? One GE rep said it was broken and wanted to schedule to have it fixed. I said no, I'll do some further checking myself before fixing something that may not be broke. The one at the store wasn't plugged in, so I couldn't see how that one worked either. So I decided to test it with my infrared thermometer since I don't have an oven thermometer to see if the actual temperature was 25 deg lower than indicated when convection conversion was set to on. Sure enough, with it set to 350 deg (and showing 350 deg on the display) it was actually 325 deg in the oven according to the infrared thermometer. When I turned the convection conversion off, the temp in the oven went all the way to 350 deg. Problem solved. And I prevented a repair man from tearing my new stove apart only to discover that it did the same exact thing again when he was done. Amazing that nobody at GE had the answer for me though. I guess this is a "new" feature that hasn't made it into the books yet, or anywhere else for that matter. Anyway, hopefully this has answered the question for someone else reading this that may be wondering the same thing too.
I am very happy I got this range. I had my heart set on getting the GE Café model because I really like the up-front controls and the pro look. But then I read the article in Consumer Reports on ranges and read about the induction cooktop. This induction range was about the same price as the GE Café model too. I had never even heard of induction before so I decided to do some research on it. Turns out induction has been around for about 30 years! In Europe, it out...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: GE Profile : PHB925SPSS 30 Freestanding Induction Range, 5 Cooking Zones, Convection, Self Clean



Buy Now

Click here for more information about GE Profile : PHB925SPSS 30 Freestanding Induction Range, 5 Cooking Zones, Convection, Self Clean

Read More...