Best Beer Keg Refrigerators
NSF Approved Beer Line 6 5 ft. of 5/16 in. Temp Range: Low 30's to Mid 40's; Easy conversion to a refrigerator; 5 lbs CO2 cylinder included (supplied empty).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Easy to put together although I did watch the youtube video because the CO2 stuff a bit confusing."
"My only complaint so far is the rack on top pops out all the time & the little rubber things it sits on are pretty much useless."
"We have had it working for over a full day now, but the entire thing was easy to set up and we got our first pony keg of blue moon!"
""Santa" bought this for my fiancès basement theater man-cave - and I kid you not, I swear I saw a tear (he'll deny it)."
"First of all, it came the next day!"
"My mother in law got this for her birthday and she is a craft beer guru."
"Only problem was that one of the shelves had a crack in it but still 5 stars because it's pretty amazing."
"Purchased for work and now trying to get one for home."
All the beer components are high-quality parts that include a Domestic "D" coupler, CO2 regulator, stainless steel draft tower with faucet, beer and gas line and a new aluminum CO2 tank (empty). Temp Range: Low 30's to Mid 40's; Easy conversion to a refrigerator; 5 lbs CO2 cylinder included (supplied empty).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Easy to put together although I did watch the youtube video because the CO2 stuff a bit confusing."
"My only complaint so far is the rack on top pops out all the time & the little rubber things it sits on are pretty much useless."
"We have had it working for over a full day now, but the entire thing was easy to set up and we got our first pony keg of blue moon!"
""Santa" bought this for my fiancès basement theater man-cave - and I kid you not, I swear I saw a tear (he'll deny it)."
"First of all, it came the next day!"
"My mother in law got this for her birthday and she is a craft beer guru."
"Only problem was that one of the shelves had a crack in it but still 5 stars because it's pretty amazing."
"Purchased for work and now trying to get one for home."
1 Stainless Steel Column Dual Faucet Tower. 2 Chrome Plated Brass Faucet (2). 3 Domestic “D” System Sankey Coupler (2). Stores up to a full sized half shell Sankey standard keg or two sixth kegs; does NOT support use of Coors, Miller rubberized or other oversized kegs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Would have been better if the C02 bottle could have been mounted inside so that the refrigerator could be pushed against the back wall."
"So far so good."
"Keeps the kegs cold and the beer flowing."
"Slim keg and Perrin Black IPA.. sixth keg) which are the only two beers we drink you cannot fit a slim and a sixth barrel in this."
"The only issue I had was my fault... when assembling I was playing around with the pieces & when I tapped the 1/2 barrel keg I didn't close the unused beer line & the CO2 continuously leaked out."
"I've found it keeps the beer ice cold and it's not at its highest setting."
"I have one tap for my home brew and 1 for a commercial keg of whatever I want."
"Had foaming issues, but it was because the temperature of the kegerrater inside was warmer then the keg."
Best Food Processors
Features a 14-cup work bowl, 4mm stainless steel medium slicing disc, stainless steel shredding disc, and chopping/mixing blade. Includes stainless-steel slicing disc, shredding disc, and new chopping blade.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Thinly slicing with a knife, I can work at a pace around 15 seconds per pepper (assuming that's the only task I need to worry about). This extends to pretty much any other product that'll fit in its chute (tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onion, cabbage, strawberries, potatoes, celery, you get the idea). Industrial standard processors (like Waring or Robot Coup) are prohibitively expensive. The 14 cup capacity is about as big as you can get before you need a much more expensive machine, and has been fine for our needs preparing food for hundreds of people per day. The plastic is prone to cracking especially from the high heats of industrial dishwashers and physical abuse (kitchen workers tend to be aggressive with their tools)."
"It is the most expensive thing I've ever bought for my kitchen (appliances not included), and I would buy it again in a heartbeat. The only thing is it's too tall to fit on my counter, beneath the upper cabinets. It now has a place of honor on my peninsula because 1) it's too heavy to move around all the time, and 2) it deserves it. Safety features- there's no way you're getting a body part anywhere near those blades while they're running, just use common sense when handling them."
"I just upgraded to this from a cheap (if you call $80 cheap) B&D model."
"MY DREAM 14 cup Cuisinart food processor....my 7 cup FINALLY died and I a was FREE to purchase a RED one for my very own!!"
"I had the older version of this classic food processor when it was made of white plastic. I finally received my new Cuisinart from Amazon which had the best price and am happy to be reunited with my old, favourite food processor but now in stainless steel."
Best Rice Cookers
Duo, the number 1 selling multi-cooker, combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Marker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"You can cook multiple items in it ( which you can also do in a regular stove top pressure cooker by stacking vessels- my mom used to do it all the time , so when ppl say you can cook multiple items in the IP as if it is a new thing - no it is just "re-inventing the Cycle". It cooks rice in less than 4 minutes( sometimes even in less amount of time) - yes it does but BUILDING UP THE PRESSURE takes some time around 8 to 10 minutes( sometimes even more than that for very big quantities of food). So total time is almost same(give or take) when compared to stove top pressure cooker. For stove top pressure cooking , you need to monitor continuosly for whistles, and turning off the stove - This you can avoid in Instant pot. Since it is electric pressure cooker with built in settings, it will automatically turn off the cooking for you , so you dont have to stand near by the. stove all the time. So many BUILT IN functions : There are so many functions you can use for multiple cooking , some of them are Yogurt mode to make yogurt , Rice mode for rice, Slow cook mode etc. Great for people who want to experiment in their cooking to find out the fastest times for. their cooking , which saves lot of time than to use preset functions. ONE POT COOKING ( multiple , if cooking multiple dishes by stacking) so less clean up. and so many more... SO PEOPLE who are looking for stainless steel cooking pot, cooking multiple items at once, dont want to stand in front of the stove baby sitting , busy parents, who wants fresh homemade food with less efforts, One pot cooking, Bulk cooking .... etc etc ... YOU MUST BUY THIS. It happens to everyone .. it takes time and some trial and error to get the exact recipe timings to your taste and texture. I do like to cook 2 things at a time and never tried 3 at a time as I am little afraid that some how they might get spilled while boiling and cooking. 3. Saves time, one pot to clean , so my cooking time on stove is greatly reduced."
"The pot visually lets you know when it's safe to open the pot, by the float valve (the little silver post that pops up when the pot is pressurized) dropping back down flush with the lid instead of being popped up. The sauté function has three temperature settings: 'Normal' heats to 320 degrees, 'More' heats to 338 degrees, and 'Less' heats to 221 degrees (all in Fahrenheit). For pressure cooking, you will probably use 'manual' nearly all the time (nearly every Instant Pot cookbook I've read relies on the manual setting almost exclusively). The preprogrammed settings each have their own timing, and *variable* pressure, which the pot manipulates by manipulating the temperature of the contents (the higher the temperature, the higher the pressure). After you hit 'manual' to start cooking, you then set the amount of time you want it to cook at pressure, after which you will have a 10-second grace period (for example to add more time, etc. So you need to take into account the time it will take to reach full pressure (which depends on many variables, including what is in the contents of the pot, what temperature they started at, and your altitude), *and* how long it will take for the pressure to be released and normalized (i.e. for the float valve to pop in, which of course is really "dropping in", but you get the point). All Instant Pot recipes will include (or *should* include) either one of these terms: natural pressure release (also known as NPR), or quick pressure release (QPR or QR). What these mean is simply either "let the pressure dissipate on its own" (natural pressure release), or "force the pressure to escape immediately by turning the steam release handle counter-clockwise to the open position (quick release). A really good example of a food needing quick release is poached eggs (which come out *perfectly* in the Instant Pot (see how to poach eggs in the Instant Pot below)). For example, for any recipe that includes sautéing in the pot first, then adding ingredients and then starting pressure cooking, you definitely want to have everything lined up before you start. I didn't fully appreciate, until several days in, just how amazing this aspect of the Instant Pot is: you can start something cooking in it, and then *walk away* - even leave the house, and it will finish cooking just like you instructed, and be *perfectly done*, and then it will *keep it warm for up to 10 hours*! (I think this is the thing that pressure cooker purists who try to talk people out of getting an Instant Pot, rather than a stovetop pressure cooker, fail to understand. You definitely will want this steamer basket for your Instant Pot (the Instant Pot comes with a little steaming trivet, but this steamer basket is *way* more useful - in fact it's how you make both poached eggs and baked potatoes). There are different reasons for doing this, ranging from "I only want to cook a small amount of something like oatmeal" to "I want to cook a cheesecake in my Instant Pot" to "I want to cook two different things at the same time in my Instant Pot (like cooking beans, and having a bowl of rice on a trivet (see why you want a good trivet?). Personally, I like to have a physical book when it comes to cookbooks, and so I like this one...you can't go wrong with America's Test Kitchen cookbooks, and their pressure cooker cookbook is no exception: Pressure Cooker Perfection. I also happen to be a strict vegetarian, and for vegetarian and vegan Instant Pot cooking, this book by J.L. Instant Pot Meals, Plant-Based & Oil-free. ..and this one: Vegan Under Pressure: Perfect Vegan Meals Made Quick and Easy in Your Pressure Cooker. And speaking of recipes - here is how to make those poached eggs, and baked potatoes. Put a cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot, put a steamer basket or trivet in the pot (making sure that the water doesn't come over the top), and set your Pyrex cups in the steamer basket or on the trivet. Just put water in the bottom of your Instant Pot, flip the legs down on your Oxo steamer, put the steamer in the pot and then dump your potatoes in on top of the steamer. Using the Manual setting, set the cooking time for 12 minutes, using high pressure."
Best Electric Skillets
Great for every meal--big 16-inch base and high sidewalls provide extra cooking and serving capacity. Fold down handles to detach skillet pan from base.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I use an electric skillet almost daily, instead of cooking on my stove top. It's just cleaner and easier that making a mess in skillets or pans, having to clean the stove and surrounding counter tops, pan, etc. That said, there is absolutely a ring that gets hotter directly over the heating element that you will notice when making sauces or gravy, etc. The base folds up and stores inside the pan. Put in the power cord, flip the lid upside down and it does not take up much cabinet space at all."
"If you are looking for a skillet that has fast, even heating, easy cleanup and a compact footprint in a cupboard, this is definitely one to consider!"
"We celebrated Reunion Dinner (i.e. the meal enjoyed by Chinese all over the world on the eve of the Lunar New Year) with this skillet. Furthermore, washing the skillet was a snap: just warm water, a little dish soap and a soft sponge (we prefer to wash most cooking utensils by hand)."
"The base of the skillet has a metal strip around it (see first picture) that when put inside the skillet to stow it away, rubs against the Teflon coating."
"After making the mistake of equating quality with a high-end and high-cost name brand (begins with "C", think food processors) I listened to recommendations from friends and reviews on Amazon, and bought the Presto."
"Because of the other reviews I do not store the base inside the cook top for fear of scratching."
"The non-stick coating makes cooking and clean up a breeze, and the compact design is great for easy storage."
"He likes that it's deep enough to make pasta sauce, and he can make scrambled eggs and saves a lot of money, not having to eat out."
Best Electric Griddles
Compact in size but big in features, Cuisinart's countertop Griddler offers five-in-one functionality as a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle and half grill/half griddle. Open the cover and customize the cooking surface with removable and reversible nonstick grill and griddle plates that snap in and out easily and drain grease to an integrated drip tray for healthier cooking. A hinged, floating cover and one set of removable and reversible cooking plates turn the Griddler into a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, or half grill/half griddle. Parts & Features Base and Cover: Solid construction with stainless steel self-adjusting cover Panini-Style Handle: Sturdy cast-metal handle adjusts cover to accommodate thickness of food Removable and Reversible Cooking Plates: Nonstick and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup Grill Side: Perfect for grilling steak, burgers, chicken and vegetables Griddle Side: Prepare flawless pancakes, eggs, bacon and seared scallops Controls: Indicator lights signal Power On and Ready to Cook Selector: Choose the Grill/Panini or Griddle function Grill/Panini: Adjust temperature from “warm” to “sear” Griddle: Adjust temperature form 200°F to 425°F Drip Tray: Collects grease and removes from base for easy cleanup (dishwasher safe) Cleaning/Scraping Tool: Helps clean grill and griddle plates after cooking Plate Release Buttons: Push in to release and remove cooking plates Hinge Release Lever: Allows the cover to extend back for cooking in the flat position. Contact Grill Use the Griddler as a contact grill to cook burgers, boneless pieces of meat and thin cuts of meat and vegetables. When cooked on the contact grill, food will cook quickly because you are grilling both sides of the food at the same time. The ribs on the grill side of the plates, combined with the grease spout at the rear of the plate, allow the grease to drip from the meat and drain off the plates. When the Griddler is used as a contact grill, the grill side of plates is recommended. When the Griddler is used as a panini press, the grill side of the plates is recommended. We recommend the grill side of the plates because traditional style panini sandwiches have grill marks on the bread. Full Grill Use the Griddler as a full grill to cook burgers, steak, poultry (we do not recommend cooking bone-in chicken, since it does not cook evenly on a full grill), fish and vegetables. When the Griddler is used as a full grill, the grill side of the plates should be used. You have the option of cooking different types of foods on separate plates without combining their flavors, or cooking large amounts of the same type of food. When using the Griddler as a half grill/half griddle, simply place the unit in the flat position and insert one plate with the grill side facing up and another plate with the griddle side facing up. Turn the Griddler around and insert the second plate on either its grill or griddle side into the upper housing as you did with the first plate. 5-in-1 countertop unit works as a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle and half grill/half griddle.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So far I have cooked eggs, bacon, pork chops, toast, a Philly steak sandwich, and waffles (with the waffle plates I purchased separately). Everything has turned out great except the first time I cooked eggs on it because I didn't use cooking spray on it beforehand. So keep in mind that you will need to lightly spray the plates with cooking spray or use butter before placing your items on it that may stick. The plates (including the waffle plates) are dishwasher safe but after owning the George Foreman for years I am choosing to hand wash my plates on this Cuisinart. The non-stick plates make it where I can just wipe the mess right up with little to no effort. I love that I can fold this unit flat and make bacon, eggs, and toast all at the same time."
"I figured we could just use it as a panini press but let me tell you, after we did delicious grilled cheese and how fast and easy it was, we decided to make burgers on it. It seared the beef right away, all liquids were pouring into the container, it was draining excess fat perfectly and it took probably 5-7 minutes to make the burger well-done. If food got dried so badly on the plates, soak them in hot water for a few minutes and that’s it. The one I bought is the one with dripping tray that goes inside under the Griddler and I have metal clips. And don’t freak out if it splatters a little when you put a piece of steak on it and then give it one star and say "Oh my God, I hate this product!" So just use your common sense and don’t rely on those reviews that say It’s “crap” or “doesn’t work”, and make sure you get the right model."
Best Waffle Irons
The Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Maker expertly bakes two 1-inch extra-deep, restaurant-style waffles at the same time. 6-setting browning control knob ensures each waffle is cooked to order.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My 40-year quest to find the perfect waffle maker ended when I purchased this double flip model. All suffered from the same problem of requiring more precise filling than I was capable of -- too much batter and it oozed out the sides and made a big mess, but too little and the waffles ended up with bald spots. And the thermometer/timer works very well -- I set it around 4 and when the beeper sounds I have perfectly golden brown waffles every time."
"The waffle maker has arrows to tell you which direction to turn it after pouring the batter which is very helpful. We use a family recipe for the batter, so I can not comment on how it works with pre-mixed options like Bisquick. 3 - The included measuring cup make it simple to pour consistent waffles. 4 - Cooking is even and quick. 5 - Waffles lift right out with no sticking. Cons: 1- None so far. Waffle recipe -. 2 eggs (separated). 1/2 cup vegetable oil. 2 cups milk. 2 cups flower. 4 teaspoons baking powder. 1 teaspoons salt. 2 tablespoons sugar. 1 - Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form."
"We keep batter in the fridge and just make a quick breakfast of fresh waffles each morning."
"The chicken and waffles photo is from a cooking class I took with a pretty sad waffle iron."
"Shipped well."
"In the meantime, changing the rating from 5 to 2 'cause it does make great waffles but this exploding hinge thing....... 5/31/17 Got the replacement waffle maker today. In order to get it I had to: 1- Pay Cuisinart $10 to ship the replacement. 2- Send the broken one back which at the USPS cheapest rate was $30.68. Will have to think about it before I purchase another Cuisinart product (we have several)."
"Look at the attached picture of the broken hing, and the way it is designed. I strongly recommend against purchasing this product."
Best Electric Woks
Size: 17 IN |. Color: None. Enter your model number to make sure this fits.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We had replaced all of our old Teflon non stick cookware awhile back for health reasons but not our Wok. But we weren't sure if we should do a ceramic one (which doesn't work well with high heat), a PFOE free non stick(which who knows how safe that is long term), or a stainless one. We use plenty of healthy fats when cooking in the Wok, so we haven't had sticking issues."
"As a side note, I'll just add that I broke the cardinal rule of buying this kitchen appliance for my wife for her birthday... And instead of being upset about that, she frequently says how much she loves it and it's one of her favorite things that I have bought her- so that should tell you something!"
"Get yourself some Barkeeps friend for cleaning if you burn things to it, or google how to clean stainless steel cookware."
"Description exactly as written!!!"
"Just great!"
"best purchase I've made in years."
"Large wok with plenty of room to stir fry a full quart of good without steaming in."
"Because it has stainless steel interior and not the non-stick coating, I don't have to be extra cautious to use metal cooking utensil. The base of the pot will have coating of over cooked sauce or starch residue, but after some soaking with water, it is easy to remove the solidly "caked up" sauce/food with Scote-brite sponge."
Best Juicers
BJE200XL: Juice Fountain Compact Key Feature. Die-cast juicer with soft fruit attachment and variable speed capability. 'Rolls Royce' of Juicers: die-cast metal matched wtih power. Variable speeds maximize yield across variety of fruits. Makes thicker juices and yields more juice for leafy greens and wheatgrass than non-masticating juicers. Great entry price point for Breville juicers. Compact design takes up less space, with all of the juicing capabilities of the other juicers. Type of Juicer. Centrifugal. Centrifugal. Centrifugal. Masticating/slow juicer. Centrifugal. Centrifugal. Motor. 1200 watt. 1000 watt. 900 watt. 240 watt. 850 watt. 700 watt. Speed. 5 speeds ranging from 6,500rpm to 13,000rpm. Low speed of 6,500rpm, high speed of 13,000rpm. 5 speeds ranging from 6,500rpm to 12,500rpm. 80rpm. Low speed of 6,500rpm, high speed of 12,000rpm. 14,000rpm. Materials Heavy grade die-cast metal body Titanium cutting disc Stainless steel micromesh filter Stainless steel puree disc. 3" circular feed tube processes whole fruit Centered dual knife blade asssembly Stabilizing knife Dual high/low speed switch for hard or softer fruits and vegetables. 3" circular feed tube processes whole fruit Centered dual knife blade asssembly Stabilizing knife Dual high/low speed switch for hard or softer fruits and vegetables. 700-watt motor operates at 14,000 RPM for maximum extraction ; Safety Locking Arm: Juicer will not operate without juicer cover in place and safely locking arm in place in the vertical operating position.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"One thing I would recommend is to spray all the parts out and spray/scrub the fine strainer IMMEDIATELY after use. Half the time I don't even use soap, just spray it all out over the sink (scoop the big chunks in the trash obviously), and then I just spray it all down with some food grade sanitizer. OH, also, if you want to, you can use all of the fibrous stuff that the juicer spits into the main compartment for healthy muffins!"
"I did some pretty good research and though this may not be considered the best juicer, it did seem to have very good reviews. Basically, spinach, celery, apples, oranges, limes, beets, cucumbers, pears, ginger and anything else that's laying around."
"Stack spinach leaves about 2-3" tall and place on a large kale leaf. Small spinach leaves won't fly out the food chute or end up whole in the pulp collection bin. The shredding disc and steel mesh were showing signs of staining and minor clogging. All the residue came off easily, opening all the clogged mesh holes and rejuvenating the shredding disc. Update Dec 2012 - The Breville Compact Juice Fountain works like new after 11 months of daily use! As with any centrifugal juicer, the pulp may not be "bone dry" due to the nature of the juicing process. The toughest veggie I've juiced is a quarter head of purple cabbage, no problem. Whole kale leaves, celery, carrots, broccoli, beets...juiced regularly without any trouble. *Quick and easy to clean because there are only 4 parts: the food pusher, feed chute / pulp collection lid, pulp collection container and steel micro mesh filter. * Compact size makes it easy to leave on the counter to encourage frequent, if not daily, use. * Juicer cover, pulp container, filter basket and pitcher are listed as dishwasher safe. Note that the inside of the juice collector (under the mesh filter basket) needs to be scrubbed well to prevent build-up. CONS of this unit. * One speed means you cannot slow the shredder basket down for tough or leafy greens. to the food chute while there is still some spinach at the bottom...no more broccoli florets all over the kitchen =). * Nest and roll big leaves like kale and collards."
"What wasn't mentioned is that the reason it does that is because the motor is so beefy that stuff will shoot straight up. When juicing soft stuff I immediately cover the top with my hand. Breville uses a combo of ingenious design and magnets to hold it in place! Carrot juice would make a great dye :-). The pulp on this juicer is a bit wetter than the Jack LaLanne. This juicer makes much smaller pieces of pulp though - and my experience so far has been that it gets just as much juice from a pound of carrots."
Best Household Mixers
Important safeguard: Remove Flat Beater, Wire Whip or Dough Hook from Stand Mixer before washing. Includes coated flat beater, coated dough hook, 6-wire whip and 1-piece pouring shield. Includes flat beater, dough hook, and wire whip.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Most of us have seen these mixers everywhere for what seems to be decades, but it was probably just me that didn't realize all kitchenmaid stand mixers aren't created equal. There is room for improvement though, the rubber spatula sided mixer attachment is sold separately which is what can scrape down the sides of your bowl without you having to angle a separate spatula into the mixer, I would have been open to forgoing some of the other attachments in order to have this one right off the bat, but they are cheaper and easy to find at TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc.. Also, the swing back mechanism for the top of the mixer via the hinge at the neck has no protection against it flipping up and down hard. Half star loss for the lack of slow-down mechanism for the head and the lack of spatula on the mixer attachment leaving you to clean up the walls of the bowl pretty frequently, but apart from that this machine is fantastic. CONS: No Cushion For Mixer Head When Lifting up/Down To Prevent Hard Slam, Spatula Mixer Attachment Not Included Requiring You to Scrape Down The Bowl Pretty Often, Expensive (but again, it's not bad for an investment piece-I can't see this thing breaking any time soon or ever maybe). TIPS: TJ Maxx and Marshalls have attachment for these mixers on sale regularly for 60% off the selling price so if you have one nearby go and check for that spatula attachment or even a pasta maker or meat grinder I've seen them all there!, If you are working with dough (or especially if a young one is learning) watch out for it coiling up your dough hook and into the gears-it can happen quickly if you're not careful. Last, I've found that a metal blemish extractor (bought and dedicated for mixer cleaning) is the best tool to get into the attachment holder and metal pieces in the head of the mixer in case they get dirty (or gunked up with aforementioned dough... )."
"The fact that there have been many posts in the past several years about grey residue does not speak well of KitchenAid's ability to resolve issues of quality control. I purchased this model KitchenAid (Aqua Sky) in the past week (in March 2016) and had the problem many have reported of grey residue around the bowl. After throwing away my ingredients, I re-washed twice with a Scotch-Brite scrubby sponge and hot water and detergent, and then twice more scrubbing extremely vigorously with Comet cleanser, then rinsing thoroughly."
"The purpose of this review is more to help with the color selection, in case anyone out there was like me and struggling to differentiate between Ice Blue and Aqua Sky. But I could not find Aqua Sky in person, and struggled with trying to figure out which online pictures were accurate. (for reference I have included a picture of it beside an actual Ball jar lol). In the other photo I have placed a baby blue cup and a light mint green plate, so you can see how the shade of Aqua Sky kind of falls in between the two."
Best Household Blenders
The Nutri Bullet NBR-12 12-Piece Hi-Speed Blender/Mixer System by Magic Bullet is portable, safe for kids, easy to use and effortlessly pulverizes fruits, vegetables, superfoods and protein shakes into a delicious, smooth texture. Eating extracted food is great for EVERYONE in any state of health – from top performing athlete to someone suffering from fibromyalgia – because extracted food is virtually predigested, so your body can effortlessly absorb and utilize all of the nutrition that food has to offer. When we prepare extracted foods with the NutriBullet, the foods are consumed in their most absorptive state, so we get the nutrition WITHOUT having to rely on proper chewing, effective stomach acids, digestive enzymes and the like to break down the food. Baby Bullet Features The SuperFood Nutrition Extractor. The SuperFood Nutrition Extractor with more power: 900 watts. Does any job in 10 seconds or less! Uses Breaks down food to its most absorbable state. Breaks down food to its most absorbable state. Everything from chopped onions and grated cheese to pasta sauces and snacks. Make fresh, healthy, all-natural desserts. Make fresh, healthy, all-natural baby food for every stage of baby's development. Lifestyle The health-conscious will enjoy nutritious beverages made from the natural ingredients they select. Athletes can rejuvenate quickly and efficiently with the powerful 900 watt motor and 2 extractor blades. Busy chefs can rely on its ability to create a wide variety of key ingredients. Hosts will delight in whipping up fresh desserts for dinner parties. New moms will appreciate time saved while creating wholesome foods for their babies. Includes power base, 1 tall cup, 2 short cups, 1 flat blade and 1 emulsifying blade, 2 re-sealable lids, pocket nutritionist and manual with recipes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Twice a day, I blend fresh kale/spinach, frozen banana, frozen strawberries, frozen apples, frozen blueberries and frozen raspberries. Once a week, I buy fresh fruit and then I put the combination in a ziplock and I freeze it so that my smoothie is slushy!! Long story short; I was recently diagnosed with diabetes and a few months later, I almost died from a severe pulmonary embolism."
"OK - so I read a lot of reviews - when it came right down to it - the only real gripe I saw that people were having was this "leak" issue. Leak Issue: OK - Here is the deal....for all you people who cannot read the instructions in the manual that comes with the unit. DO NOT OVERFILL - SCREW BASE ON SECURELY. Still don't understand - how about this - DO NOT FILL ABOVE THE LINE MARKED ON THE CONTAINER WHICH STATES - MAX FILL LINE. I don't know how much clearer I can be without demoralizing someone at this point. Follow the instructions, do not overfill and screw the base on securely and it will work beautifully. If while blending you keep an eye on the base where it meets the clear plastic container - you can see the leak working its way up through the threads of the base. Best practice is though to NOT OVERFILL - DO NOT FILL ABOUT MAX FILL LINE - TIGHTEN BASE SECURELY. Price: I purchased mine at Target for $99 as most customers were complaining about the leak issue and if I had to return it, better to do it at the store where I bought it. I then went to Target's online website, looked it up there and did a "Stock Check" for stores in my area - All were sold out except one which was about 30 miles away - so I made the trek up and go there to find ONE last unit on the shelf - MINE!!! You shouldn't need to return it because it doesn't leak if your remember to NOT FILL ABOVE MAX FILL LINE and TIGHTEN BASE SECURELY. Overall Opinion: Have had this unit about a week and have done several dozen drinks with it so far and have absolutely no complaints - works great, is powerful and does not leak if your remember to NOT OVERFILL and NOT FILL ABOVE MAX FILL LINE.....lol. I realize "common sense" has lost its way in many areas of our society these days and when people cannot read the instruction manual which clearly says "Read First Before Using" then I start to wonder if maybe "literacy" is more the issue than "common sense". Either way - if you are reading this and feel offended by my comments about you not being able to understand what it means to NOT FILL ABOVE MAX FILL LINE or TIGHTEN BASE SECURELY, then I am sorry.....for you. I contribute much of the success to the NB and all the good things I can put in there and the benefits of having all of the stuff back in my drink rather than tossing it from using my old Juiceman Juicer. - DH. [Update:}. Nov 21, 2013 - OK folks, time for me to chime in on this "rust and blade issue". I find it very hard to believe this is rust in these other pictures - are you all not drying your unit after you wash it and then just leaving it in the cabinet for 3 or 4 months before taking it to use again and then NOT washing it before you use it? This is the same original unit I bought and it is still working fabulously and I use it ....8-10 times a week and my wife also uses it. So bottom line on this update - I still love it, new base is best, make sure you get one with new base."
"Generally I stick to some combination of spinach, carrots, Greek yogurt, bananas, strawberries, mango, blueberries, apples, and papaya. I add crushed ice and have a delicious smoothie every day for breakfast and it keeps me going till lunch. Another benefit of the Nutribullet is that it will enhance your ability to preserve produce in season, which I get from relative ' s gardens or the farmer's market."
"This item is counterfeit."
"I ran to the kitchen sink to put the fire out and saw that the bottom of the blender had melted."
Best Soda Makers
Contents include; (1) Jet Sparkling Water Maker, (1) Mini CO2 Carbonator (makes up to 9L of sparkling water), (1) 1L BPA-Free Reusable Carbonating Bottle, and a 60 Liter CO2 Carbonator mail-in rebate. This kit includes: (1) Jet Sparkling Water Maker, (1) Mini CO2 Carbonator (makes up to 9L of sparkling water), (1) 1 Liter BPA-Free Reusable Jet Carbonating Bottle, (1) 60 Liter mail-in rebate.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"About 30 minutes makes enough of a difference so that you can conduct an impressive chug and belch session, should you desire. I've also read comments from several cheapskates and pennypinchers contending that they get more thrifty results from refilling paintball cartridges at Dicks, The Paintball Palace or somesuch sporting goods outlets. While cheap may be the name of the game, those of you dreading GMO's, artificial sweeteners, nasty chemicals leaching from old soda bottles, global warming and other horrors, Take Note: CO2 made for paintball guns needs to be only pure enough to launch a paintball downrange. so why drink trace amounts of some potentially nasty lube not intended for consumption?"
"If it filled 60 liters, each liter of soda water would cost 16 (the cost of the canister refill) divided by 60, or 27 cents a liter. :) in fact, we've gotten an average of about 40 liters per canister refill, or about 40 cents a liter of soda water."
"The only thing is that our doesn't make the same buzzing noise that has been advertised."
"I use it all the time (and it's great to be able to have fresh ginger ale in the middle of the night when you're sick), and the canister lasts a long time."
"I bought this because they were promising a mail in rebate and then a rebate on the first CO2 refill. It's a garbage way to run a business to offer rebates and look for technicalities to deny them. If they don't want to honor rebates then don't offer them, its a good enough product that people will likely buy them anyway."
"there is no way to know how long to hold button down for proper carbonation."
Best Microwave Ovens
The consistent delivery of microwave energy means delicate foods can simmer without the edges and surfaces overcooking. Inverter Technology for even cooking and delivering delicious flavor and Inverter Turbo Defrost for quick defrosting. 1200 Watts of High Power; One-Touch Genius Sensor Cook and Reheat for automatic cooking settings and even Keep Warm feature.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Put in a plate of cold food, press Sensor Reheat, and no matter the quantity of food it will heat it up the right amount of time to get the right temperature. Some other microwaves have a Reheat button, without a sensor, but just gives a set amount o time, which is useless. Reheat used to mean it had a sensor, but apparently now you have to look for the word Sensor. You have to press a number 1 through 12 after pressing the Sensor Cook button, for different kinds of food, as listed in the manual. I have gotten used over the years to press 11, 22, 33 seconds and so on, fine tuning the amount of time while minimizing the button presses."
"It was also well packaged and arrived pretty quickly. I also like that you can just press the buttons for the time that you want instead of having to hit a specific input time button or turn a dial or do some other form of annoying time wasting step."
"This microwave works fine, and is faster than most others I've used. Several people commented negatively that the coating on the number pad started bubbling right away. Overall, while it's not perfect it works well and is a good value."
"This is our first inverter microwave oven."
Best Slow Cookers
Its secure locking lid and rubber gasket create an airtight seal, helping to prevent spills on the road -- food stays inside, and you arrive at your destination without any worry or mess. If you own another slow cooker brand, please refer to your owner’s manual for specific crockery cooking medium tolerances.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've made casseroles, breakfast dishes, beans, roast, ribs, Mexican food dishes - all just great (including the chicken/rice recipe with the rice cooked in the Crock-Pot)! For someone who actually HATES to cook, I'm becoming a regular Betty Crocker, and even experimenting, because cooking is SO easy with this appliance. The programmable feature is really nice because you can set the cooking temperature on LOW or HIGH and set the cooking time in 30-minute increments all the way up to 20 hours. Once the programmed cooking time is finished, the Crock-Pot automatically turns to "warm." There was some extra browning around the edges so I probably need to adjust the cook time a bit ... and you'll have to do that with any slow cooker. Again, the appliance worked perfectly and the "warm" feature is great because the food finished cooking before I was ready to eat. Bottom line: the ability to truly program the cooking time/temp ... and the "warm" function ... make this my top kitchen appliance (right along side my George Foreman grill)."
"I had heard mixed reviews all around about the cooking temps on some of these being too high or too low or some models automatically shutting off before they are done cooking or even in some cases the electronics lock up to the point of having to unplug and leave unplugged for an hour...this doesn't do any of that. We've used it about 15 times since we bought it (often several times a week) and love throwing a whole meal in there in the morning and coming home after work to a prepared meal. The automatic feature of it switching to warm once the timer is done is really cool."
"This actually works out okay for me most of the time using the High setting and cooking for 5 hours or so while keeping an eye on things, but true slow-and-low cooking using the Low setting may overcook certain low moisture dishes if left alone for the day."
"Using the low setting for a tried and true recipe we had cooked in our old crockpot... our meat burned in this model. This crockpot burned every recipe that had cooked just fine in our older model."
"In speaking with his doctor and the Health Department about possible sources, I was *specifically* cautioned against crockpots and other ceramics made in Mexico and China."
Best Contact Grills
Add in the durable nonstick coating and the patented fat-removing slope, and you’ve got the power to create large, tasty portions of everyone’s favorites with simple cleanup, to boot. The electric heat has an adjustable range from low (for keeping food warm) to high (for searing steaks). The high domed and vented lid helps create a circular flow of hot air to ensure even cooking--particularly important for a large roast or whole chicken. The 240 square inches of circular grilling surface lets you make over 15 servings for large groups of people.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We had had a George Foreman counter top grilling machine in the past so we looked to see if there were any sort of electric grills and were so excited when we found this grill!"
"We store the electrical component/plug-in indoors immediately after use once the grill cools off and cover the body of the grill with a heavy duty grill cover. 11 months after we purchased it I noticed a strong plastic electrical burning odor coming from the grill while it was heating up and the component that plugs into the grill was super hot and I immediately unplugged it thinking it was close to catching fire. ——————————————————. Update 12/20/17: The grill has been terrific so far and is performing without any problems."
"I started off at turning the dial to "5" and that charred one side of the burgers so then turned it down to 3 and a half. It locks in the moisture and it made for the most juicy burgers you'd ever had- hold the grease! After cooking 8 burgers the grease tray looked pretty full. So i'd say maybe between batches for fatty foods like burgers that you would have to lift the plate up and drain the fat."
"I love this grill, I've cooked steak, burgers, hot dogs etc on it."
"Wish it was a $129 grill. The 2nd thing we'd add to the grilling surface besides the 1/2 inch?"
"I almost didn't buy it because reviewers said it dries meats out, they must be novice because I'm no expert and it was one of the juiciest steaks I've had."
Best Specialty Kitchen Appliances
Style Name: Without scissors |. Product Packaging: Frustration-Free Packaging. This can opener will easily open all standard-size cans and cans with pop-top lids.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd been using the same small dependable hand-held electric can opener for the past 25+ years until it finally gave up the ghost. After getting hand cramps from my old manual opener, though, I finally opted for this Hamilton Beach model. I'd never much cared for the side-cut openers before because liquids inside the can seemed to spill more easily with the lower edge, so this higher-cutting model is much better IMO. The top push-down lever depresses easily and the magnet on the opener holds the can securely in place while it's cutting. I found that this is important because if you allow it to continue making rotations, it cuts long narrow slivers of the can which are noticeable when you remove the top (looks like a tiny strand of steel wool)."
"This Hamilton Beach Can Opener had caught my eye from all the great 5 Star reviews it showed, and from Reviews as far back as year 2009 which shows Hamilton Beach knows they have a high quality well built very popular can opener. The can opener is what you would design in your mind as having every feature a High Quality Can Opener would have, well designed and solidly built."
"I'm 72 years young and this is the BEST can opener i've ever owned or operated.!!"
"Reviewers who said it has a short cord probably did not pull it all the way out."
"I have never seen or had an appliance sold with a cord that is basically 'useless' unless you have a connection with nothing in the way. Buy an extension cord, or maybe Ham Beach will correct this incredible design blunder."
"Given that, I doubt we've used this opener more than 30 or 40 times on a total of 150 - 200 cans. I've noticed the last few times that we used it that it was struggling with opening the cans and was creating metal slivers."
Best Small-Appliance Sets
Metal Construction - Rugged, durable, metal construction ensures years of reliable mixing; helps reduce mixer walk on your counter as well. Powers over 12 Optional Accessories - Turn your KitchenAid Stand Mixer into a culinary center with KitchenAid Stand Mixer Accessories.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Do you need a stand mixer? If you're set on a stand mixer, should you buy this one? What you do get for the extra cost of the Pro series is a better dough hook, a metal gearbox, more power, and a slightly larger bowl. If you go the other direction with the cheaper Classic Plus, you lose 1/2 QT of bowl capacity, a handle on the bowl, the splash guard, and color choices besides white. This particular model has a glass bowl relative to the more popular metal style. Likewise, for measuring, I have my metal bowl on top of a kitchen scale because doughs turn out more consistent if I go by ounces instead of volume. My take is that if you can find an old Hobart (e.g., K4SS, K5-A, K5SS with a metal 'Hobart' placard) and it runs well, it's likely to keep running well no matter what you throw at it. Here's the full list of KA mixers (updated December 2016): KSM3311X - Artisan Mini. * Tilt-head, 250W, 3.5QT metal, soft-start. K45SS - Classic. * Tilt-head, 250W, 4.5QT metal. KSM75 - Classic Plus. * Tilt-head, 275W, 4.5QT metal. KSM95 - Ultra Power. * Tilt-head, 300W, 4.5QT metal. KSM96 - Ultra Power Plus. * Tilt-head, 300W, 4.5QT metal handle, pouring shield. KSM150 - Artisan / Architect. * Tilt-head, 325W, 5QT metal handle, pouring shield. KSM153 - Artistan Flex. * Tilt-head, 325W, 5QT metal handle, pouring shield, flex beater. KSM155 - Artisan Design. * Tilt-head, 325W, 5QT glass handle. KSM160PS - Ultra Power. * Tilt-head, 325W, 5QT glass handle, 3QT metal, pouring shield. KSM160APS - Architect. * Tilt-head, 325W, 5QT metal handle, 3QT metal, pouring shield. KSM500 - Pro 500. * Bowl-lift, 325W, 5QT metal handle, pouring shield, metal gears, soft-start/auto shutoff. RKG25H0X - Heavy Duty. * Bowl-lift, 450W, 5QT metal handle, pouring shield, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto shutoff. KV25G0X - Pro 5. * Bowl-life, 450W, 5QT metal handle, pouring shield, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto shutoff. KP26M1X - Pro 600. * Bowl-lift, 575W, 6QT metal handle, pouring shield, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto shutoff. KF2622 - Pro 600 Design. * Bowl-lift, 575W, 6QT glass handle, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto shutoff. KSM6521X - Pro 6500. * Bowl-lift, 750W, 6QT glass handle, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto-shutoff. KSM7586P - Pro Line. * Bowl-lift, 975W, 7QT metal handle, pouring shield, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto-shutoff. KSM8990 - NSF Certified. * Bowl-lift, 975W, 8QT metal handle, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto-shutoff. KSMC895 - NSF Certified. * Bowl-lift, 975W, 8QT metal handle, bowl guard, spiral hook, metal gears, soft-start/auto-shutoff. If you'd rather have a more powerful bowl lift mixer, KitchenAid's refurbished store often has the Heavy Duty Series for as little as $175 (if you Google a coupon code). It's a doppelganger for the Pro 5 and includes the superior spiral dough hook."
"Got this mixer for Christmas after wanting one for many years, but just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much for something I anticipated a few times a year, and had a lack of counter space."
"The KitchenAid 5-Qt. My Candy Apple Red KitchenAid Artisan mixer is gorgeous to look at yet it allows me to cook delicious, memorable food for my family. I am very happy with my KitchenAid mixer!"
"After receiving two KA in antique copper here is why I think this: 1. The replacement is a completely different color antique gold than the first one I received. The replacement is also lacking the cool texture the first one I received had. Amazon is sending a third replacement. UPDATE: The third KA mixer I received made a horrible clicking noise as if something in the inside of the machine is loose!!!"