OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Barbecue Fork

I have come to like and trust OXO products as they are generally a cut above in terms of quality and design. This fork is true to my expectation. The handle is comfortable, the balance is good, the actual prongs are both flat (a plus for just holding meat in place when slicing without piercing or for gently rolling hot dogs) while the points are sharp for all the times you need the stabbing function of a fork! It's also a good length for working over a large outdoor grill. For my purposes this product is a five star winner.

Good quality BBQ fork. I bought this for the boyfriend at the time and he was impressed. He's history, but I am glad I got it for him.

Buy OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Barbecue Fork Now

A little thin and light but great handle makes up for that. Good length and sharp tines. I like it but don't love, good for price.

Read Best Reviews of OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Barbecue Fork Here

Couldn't be happierthe weight of the product is perfect, the fact that it is dishwasher safe just seals the deal!

Want OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Barbecue Fork Discount?

I've used these now for three weeks with my new BBQ and really like the high quality SS and great grip. Good length too, so you don't get burned reaching to the back of the grill.

Sportula Products 7010755 Camo Buck Sportula

This is a great gift for any friends that hunt and also have a grill. It's very high quality and nice looking.

While the sportula looked like I wanted the quality wasn't up to my standards or expectation. Before I even had a chance to wrap it as a gift one of the screws in the handle fell out. I put it back in but it wasn't as tight as it should be. Hoping it doesn't fall apart when my brother in law uses it grilling!!

Buy Sportula Products 7010755 Camo Buck Sportula Now

Bought this for older guys in my family who like to cook and hunt. Received it quickly and they all loved it!!! Nice quality... they love the bottle opener too. Great bonus!

Read Best Reviews of Sportula Products 7010755 Camo Buck Sportula Here

NuWave PIC - Precision Induction Cooktop

I purchased mine from the Nuwave website. It was the BoGo offer with the cookware. As written in many other places the S&H for the cookware and second cook top negate any "get one free" benefit. That should be a considration of "how/where" you purchase.

I immediately unpacked my 2 PIC to test boiling water. First thing I found out was my Calphalon cookware from Target is annodized aluminum...not magnetic and not induction compatible. That should be a considration about buying the PIC if you want to use current metal cookware...BE SURE IT'S Magnetic.

Ok, now for the review of actual functionality. I used both the "free" stainless steel cookpot and a castiron fry pan. Both PIC's that I received only had a functioning induction coil in the very center of the cooktop. If you see a picture without the pot or pan on the PIC it's the size of the center red circle that is intersected by the NuWave logo. This will affect the eveness of heat distribution and cooking...especially frying.

The button for "Med" indicates a temperature of 275. I just wanted to boil water for my first use(that's 212 degrees farenheight, actually slightly less here in Colorado Springs). After 5 minutes there were bubbles forming on the bottom of the pan in a 3-4 inch circle in the center. This is the location of the inner induction coil. According to the NuWave response on their facebook page the induction coils are supposed to be out to the OUTER red cirlce on the PIC cooktop so this indicated to me that the coils were not working properly.

To get the water to actually boil, and this is on the included DvD also, you need to select the SEAR/HIGH button and adjust down once you get to a boil.

I don't see this product being nearly as "precise" as the NuWave website indicates. There is definitely as much lag in heating pots as with a standard electric range. It may truly be more efficient overall because the heat is generated within the cooking pot by exciting the atoms and not transferred from the heating element to the pot...but speedwise I definitly saw zero improvment over conventional electric or gas. I have a GE Profile gas range and the small burner did a better/faster job boiling water, again probaly not as efficient since the flames must heat the pot.

Safety-wise there are indeed no open flames or electric burners but the glass cooktop does absorb heat from the cookware so there is a chance to burn yourself after extended cooking times with the PIC.

I think this may work fine as a hotplate for parties or for serving fondues...but for active cooking I feel it's quite a let down from what is shown on their site or in the informercials.

*** Updating to a 3 star rating after testing the green pans that came with the product. The heat convection in the "Perfect Green" 9" Duralon pan is very good and the non-stick surface is excellent(not sure about durability as this is day two with the product). I'm not sure why the sauce/steamer/fondue pan seems to work poorly but the Perfect Green fry pans work very well. I can't push this beyond 3 stars as it still seems as slow when using anything other than the fry pans. I bought this with the idea of having solid, precise control for frying chicken I will be trying that this weekend and hopefully reporting back here afterward.

### For those of you who wondered about chicken frying, it seems to hold temperature(once you get there !!!) much better than a standard electric skillet, and since it seems to cycle off when it reaches temp...unlike standard cooktops that keep adding heat unless you adjust them...it was a better final product. I was able to fry 12 chicken thighs in 3 batches of 4 without stopping or messing with the controls.

Still only a 3 because it definitly doesn't live up to the infomercials.

MARCH 10, 2013.

Our review from December published below originally gave this PIC a five star review. I have changed to only ONE star now. SO, if you happen to read any comments by other folks which might not make sence, that is why...

I also have added at the bottom of this review an email from The Induction Cooking website expert, addressing small induction burner elements and the cooking powers of these smaller Induction cooktops.

The Induction cooking method is a good choice.

THIS product has a defect which makes it cook at much higher temperature than the temperature you set.

I used a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of water and soup. THe temperature/thermostat was defective.

When the unit was set and 160, the thermometer measured 200 and a rolling boil occurred.

I returned the unit, exchanging it for another PIC.

THe same defect occurred.

I will be returning the second one now, and get my money back.

I hope that this update will serve to protect others from putting their money into a product which does not function properly.

ALSo, for reader's information. THe induction burner within this unit only measures 5 1/2 inches, so can't be used with larger pots.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My question to Eric:

I've been looking at the listings on your site.What I am looking for is the

> ACTUAL size of the burner element in each of the countertop cooktops.

>

> I thought that the individual companies would have this information readily

> available, yet cannot seem to find it on amazon and your site. Do I need to

> call or write the individual companies to get this information.

Eric's answer to my question:

You could, but the answer will be pretty much the same (if you can get an

answer at al)--around the 5" to 6" that you have discovered by yourself. The

only exceptions would be in some units expressly designed for commercial use

(and priced accordingly).

One must remember that countertop units were not and are not intended as the

main station for cooking--they are improvements on the old "hot plate", which

is for lightweight supplementary cooking, from heating up a small pot of some

canned goods in a college dorm to at-the-table cooking of those few dishes

that need to go from pan to plate in a blink. They were never meant for 12"

skillets or huge, many-quart pots of soup or the like.

If one has to cook on them with anything much larger than 6" to 8" in

diameter, the material of the cookware and the natire of what's being cooked

come into play. Cast iron is a poor heat conductor, and so is quite slow to

carry heat from the center to its periphery; on the other hand, given enough

pre-heat, it will eventually get at least moderattely hot at the perimeter and

will tend to hold that heta. "Clad" stainless steel, on the other hand, is

designed to conduct heat well, and so will heat up more quickly; but it will

also cool down more quickly. Neither material on a small, countertop unit

will be really satisfactory in heating the outer annular area of any pot or

skillet, but whether that is critical depends on what one is cooking: if one

is making pancakes, or cooking anything that needs even heat throughout, it

will never be a real success; on the other hand, something like heating a

liquid will work tolerably well because the liquid itself will very rapidly

even out the temperatures.

There is always, though, the power limitation: 13,000 BTU/hour, which is the

equivalent of what a 1.8-kW tabletop can deliver, is a lof heat energy, and

will do well for most household tasks. But even that cannot boil several

quart of water in a flash. In a build-in unit, a 1.8-kW element would be one

of the small ones.

Buy NuWave PIC - Precision Induction Cooktop Now

I purchased through the TV Add BOGO. I couldn't wait to get my new induction cooktops because I want to replace my regular smooth cooktop with induction. Felt this would be an excellent way to try it out. Since I have ALL CLAD stainless steel cookware, I knew my cookware would not be a problem.

When the units showed up, I opened the first unit, filled up one of my All Clad pots with about 3 inches of water and put it to the test! Unfortunately, only the very center of my pan tried to boil. I NEVER got a full boil going with the unit. It didn't even get the center of the pot of water boiling. Since that didn't work, I pulled out a smaller pot and tried again. Same result. To top off the poor performance, the fan is incredibily loud.

I emailed with customer service (Hearthware.Com) and their answer was "sorry". I was told if I wanted to send it back, I had to pay the shipping and handling. Now, that means I have to pay shipping and handling both ways for a poor product. So, I figured it was just the one unit so I opened up the 2nd unit and tried the same thing. This unit was worse than the first one since after 10 minutes I couldn't get anything to boil. Temperature of the "boiling" water never got over 140 degrees. Fan was just as loud on this unit as the first unit.

So, back to customer service (email) I went. Again, no assistance in saying "let's replace that for you". Same answer send them back at MY cost.

Needless to say, I will never purchase a product through HEARTHWARE again. I will NEVER purchase a NU WAVE product again. It cost me over $75 for shipping and handling for a product that did not work and I don't have. MAJOR disappointment.

Read Best Reviews of NuWave PIC - Precision Induction Cooktop Here

I purchased the NuWave cooktop and the "free" induction compatible cookware. Per the instructions I seasoned the smaller, 9" fry pan; "...using vegetable oil and allow to heat on MED for 1-3 minutes". Ok, set temp to MED, place oiled pan on cooktop, set timer for three minutes. Before the three minutes was up I began to smell hot oil. I went to the kitchen and the oil had turned black, BURNT! I used my infrared thermometer and the fry pan surface was 515 degrees at it's coolest point, almost 550 in two other spots! My thought was how can indicated 275 degrees produce 550 degrees! By the way, I have been unable to remove the burned on oil from the pan, without using some sort of scouring steel wool, which I have NOT done. So, the pan is no longer non-stick. I used another induction compatible small sauce pot to make a gravy; once again, the temperature with an indicated 275 degrees was hot enough to burn the flour to the bottom of the sauce pot, the drippings I was using were that hot and nothing short of a steel wool soap pad would clean the sauce pot after that. Needless to say, the gravy was ruined. I did manage to steam some fresh vegetables without incident using the cooktop. I have put the cooktop away and I do not know when I will use it again. I have better temperature control with an electric range than I do with the NuWave cooktop.

In my opinion induction cooktops may be overrated. They don't heat up the kitchen like conventional appliances and they may save on energy costs; but, to give up the quality of my cooking does not justify the savings. I would rather pay more in energy costs than have my cooking suffer.

There are many induction cooktops on the market ranging from stand alone "hot plates" such as this, to full major appliance induction cooktop surfaces. I was considering the purchase of an induction/infrared/convection cooker of the same or like manufacture; but, since I am not fully satisfied with this "hot plate" I think I will stick to my microwave and standard electric oven, I know these two work as advertised.

I did not purchase this through Amazon but I did follow the link and subsequently went directly to nuwave.com to make the purchase.

I thought I would give my NuWave PIC one more try. I attempted to make fish and chips. The oil needs to be 370 to 380 degrees and I set the unit to "SEAR" to get the oil hot. Using a cast iron dutch oven, which is what I typically use when frying fish, I used two thermometers in the oil. When they reached 400 degrees I put the fish pieces in the oil and set the unit to 375 degrees, only to watch the temperature begin to drop before finally bottoming out at around 290 degrees; WITH THE UNIT TEMPERATURE CONTROL DISPLAYING 375 DEGREES, this "cooling off" took less than five minutes. Needless to say the fish was underdone and the breading soaked up so much oil I almost had to toss the whole mess! (A good Malt Vinegar does wonders!)

As I stated previously I firmly believe this product is far over "hyped". I have watched the infomercials since my purchase of this PIC and I focused on the two major selling points: 1) The kitchen does not heat up and, 2) The only part of the induction cooker that gets hot is directly under the cookware being used. This latter point seems to be repeated more than anything else, thus driving home the safety of the surface temperature, a major point particularly if there are children in the home.

I have, for the last time, put my NuWave PIC back in its box and have put it in a closet. It just does not seem to work as advertised for me; at least, mine doesn't! It will make a nice birthday or Christmas present I suppose.

Want NuWave PIC - Precision Induction Cooktop Discount?

I ordered on the internet assuming I would also get pans and the BOGO...beware buyers. You do not get any pans on the tv offer and the extra cooktop is $30. for shipping. If you want the pans, the shipping is almost $80. Buy through Amazon. They are honest and you can get two cooktops for less.

Save 30% Off

Kuhn Rikon Cool Gripper

Grips tightly. Might be a little difficult for older people who struggle to grip. But works wonderfully if you still have strength in your hands.

I bought the Kuhn Rikon scissors and they are Great, but this gripper is just ok. First saw it on a shopping channel you had to buy 2 for even more and also pay shipping. So is a bargain here...and to be able to just buy one. Does not lock once engagedyou have to keep squeezing. So not so great if you have arthritis. Like others have said I would not use them for anything heavy like a full pot on the stove, but ok for taking a cookie sheet out. They have their place.

Buy Kuhn Rikon Cool Gripper Now

I've had my Kuhn Rikon Cool Gripper for a few weeks now and I've found it a big help when pulling some of my baking pans out of a hot oven. If the pan had no lip or handle, this little helper really is great. I only wish I had bought two...one for each hand. I recommend them for anyone who has an oven in their wall (like I do). I miss my old stove/oven. Things were easier to pull out than they are now. But this gripper really helps.

Read Best Reviews of Kuhn Rikon Cool Gripper Here

This is such a great little device, I've ordered more for gifts. While it may not work in all situations, it is perfect for many and saved me a huge mess today. I have a slide in range with the oven below and have to bend and reach to get hot things out. I have several kinds of potholders and have used towels as well, but still have burned myself more than I care to say. For the price of this gripper I was willing to give it a try in hopes it would be the answer to my problem--and is it ever.

It pulls out the oven shelves and pushes them back in. It has grabbed every pan I've needed it to including a big cookie sheet full of cookies. I wouldn't try it with something like a roasting pan with a turkey in it, but it's worked perfectly on cake pans and the like. It even handled a roasted chicken in a square cake pan. Although I bought two grippers since the description suggested two for heavy things, I haven't needed to use both yet and am happy with just the one. I think I'd rather use my other hand with a glove for extra security with heavy or awkward things.

Today was a true test of this gadget and frankly, I don't know how I could have managed the situation without it. Here's what happened. My microwave is also a convection oven. I use it mostly as a microwave and use a plastic dome cover over food I'm reheating. Well tonight I was cooking some onion soup using the convection function, but I forgot myself and put the plastic cover over the soup crock. Later I smelled something bad, and in a flash realized I shouldn't have put the plastic dome in there when using the convection function. Sure enough the cover was melted into a pool in and all around the soup and crock. Dear. Dear. What a mess--and how was I going to get it all out of the hot oven.

Well, thanks to this great little gripper, I was able to grip the turntable in the oven and transport it with the whole mess to the sink. Everything was super hot, but with the help of the gripper I was able to empty out the rest of the soup and get the crock and the fast cooling plastic bonded to it to the trash. Luckily I had lined the turntable with a silicone sheet and the melted plastic peeled right off of it. I rinsed off the turntable and the silicone sheet and put them back in the microwave and started a fresh bowl of soup in a different crock. I'm out a soup crock and a plastic microwave shield, but thanks to this wonderful gripper I was able to clean up the mess efficiently and quickly and never once got the tiniest burn. I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Highly recommended.

Want Kuhn Rikon Cool Gripper Discount?

I wasn't sure just how much use I'd have for this until I was trying to remove a blistering hot bowl of soup from my microwave not an easy task when using mitts or a towel. Then I thought of the gripper Wow! the only easy way to get that hot bowl out without spilling it or burning myself.

It's also the best tool everz for removing cookie sheets and sheet pans from the oven.

Now I'm sold and I keep it near the micro in a tool caddy.

Save 28% Off

Professional Cross Wire Cooling Rack Full Sheet Pan Size

I received the cooling rack in good condition as promised. The main reason for purchasing the rack was to use it for cooking in rimmed half sheet pans. It fits perfectly and I am very satisfied with its appearance and quality.

Husband wanted something to bake homemade veggie chips. Works and looks exactly like we thought it was exactly what we wanted.

Buy Professional Cross Wire Cooling Rack Full Sheet Pan Size Now

This rack fits perfectly in my oven on top of the rack guides. I use it for drying sliced fruit in the oven. Also great on the grill for small veggies. Tough to clean since the wire spacing is tight. Great for pizza once it is out of the oven and sliced. A great general purpose large rack.

Read Best Reviews of Professional Cross Wire Cooling Rack Full Sheet Pan Size Here

Grillmark BBQ-467408 Venturi Flexible Tube Cleaner Nylon Brush Wood Handle 9.5" L

It appears flexible in the picture but it is not very. A lot of venturi tubes take right angles and this brush does not do a very good job of following the angles. There are better products us use but this is not one of them. Save your money and don't buy it.

I thought I needed a new grill. After a few swipes in the venturi tubes with the flexible brush the burners worked like new.

Buy Grillmark BBQ-467408 Venturi Flexible Tube Cleaner Nylon Brush Wood Handle 9.5" L Now

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 10 1/4 Inch Skillets

Like others, I bought this pan after the New York Times review came out on alternatives to teflon (the review said that this pan was terrific). My husband and I eat omelets for dinner several nights a week and our teflon pans were starting to lose their nonstick properties. This pan can work well for cooking eggs. The trick, as others have noted, is to preheat the pan on low to medium heat and then to give it a light coat of oil before adding anything to it. The day I received the pan I made a 5-egg omelet and it came out well -I was easily able to flip the whole thing without it breaking. I've also made over-easy eggs and they have come out well too. I like this pan better than my old teflon ones because it's less delicate, it's dishwasher-safe, and I don't need to worry about the coating losing its effectiveness. Plus, it produces food with a nice surface, which teflon has a hard time doing. It is not quite as nonstick as a teflon pan, but it gets the job done (and is much more nonstick than stainless). I'm pleased with the purchase.

I have ordered the 10-1/4" skillet, but because of the reviews about sticking/seasoning, etc. I was concerned. So I emailed LeCreuset Customer Relations with my questions and here is what they said (they were very prompt and helpful):

"You are welcome. The change was made [to the satin finish] to allow consumers to use higher heat with the skillets. Seasoning is not necessary since the pan self-seasons as the oil is build up on the surface. Some consumers just choose to do so as a means to help build up the surface. You do not have to use a lot of oil, just coat as you normally would. The more you use the pan and oil it eventually the oil will develop a surface on the finish which then makes the pan act like a naturally nonstick pan. To season, you lightly coat the interior of the pan with vegetable oil and bake in the oven at 200 degrees on a baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes. Afterwards, allow the pan to cool then wipe off excess oil. Your pan can be stored in this manner until ready for your next use."

So the first thing I'm going to do when I receive my skillet is season it (a couple times) before I even use it! Hope this helps!

Buy Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 10 1/4 Inch Skillets Now

I cook exclusively with Le Creuset, and I love this skillet as I do all my other pieces. They cook food beautifully and are easy to clean. The only time I had something to really stick, I was able to get it out by putting a little detergent and water in the pan and heating it up a bit. The stuck-on bits floated right up to the top.

Read Best Reviews of Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 10 1/4 Inch Skillets Here

I've been replacing some of my purple Paula Deen porcelian non-stick pots and pans with LeCreuset pieces in cassis. Why? For me, the Deen pieces (not even a year old) haven't been holding up as the non-stick surface seems to scratch when I just look at it funny never mind when I'm stirring with a wooden spoon.

Yes, LeCreuset vessels are heavy and expensive but I've been lucky to find the pieces I want not only on sale but also with free shipping. So far, I've been very happy with the four LeCreuset pieces I own and really like the option of their going from stove top to oven. (Just watch your oven temperature if you haven't switched to SS knobs.)

I replaced one Paula Deen skillet only to be disappointed in the second as well and then had another one of those "just one more LeCreuset" moments. The LeCreuset cast iron skillet arrived earlier this month and has proved to be a learning experience after reading other reviews.

To season or not to season? My care and instruction booklet clearly states that seasoning is not necessary, so I didn't season. My first omelette attempt started with some butter, I heated the skillet for less than 10 minutes, used room temperature eggs, and ended with a sticky mess. Not enough butter? Was the skillet not hot enough? Was it a combination? I don't know. I can say that after soaking the skillet, clean up wasn't an issue.

I found more to read at other sites and decided to season my skillet because 1) it didn't seem like I would do it any harm and 2) while most say cast iron skillets season themselves naturally over time, I don't use a skillet on a regular basis. My second egg attempt, over easy, started with a spritz of cooking spray (olive oil for me), I heated the skillet for 15 minutes at 3 on my gas stove, used room temperature eggs, and ended perfectly even though I used a wood spatula to flip the eggs. After the skillet cooled, I let some water sit, and cleaned up without a problem. When the skillet was dry, I added a drop of olive oil, and used a clean paper towel to coat the bottom.

Why 4 stars vs 5? While this skillet passed the over easy test, give me a week or so to try another omelette, and I'll update.

*Added a 5th star today.

Sprayed the bottom of the skillet with some nonstick stuff, set my gas stove to 4, let the skillet heat up for 10 minutes, tossed in eggs, some spices, kept an eye on the pan as one edge cooked quicker than the other, used a wooden spatula to fold my omelette, and slipped it onto my plate.

No more teflon for me.

Want Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron 10 1/4 Inch Skillets Discount?

I have seen several reviews here expressing disappointment with le Creuset's less-than-fully nonstick enamel surface. After having had le Creuset skillets for several months, I now suspect the problem is that people are expecting the enamel surface to compare to Teflon. Teflon truly is non-stick, but it has come under fire in recent years for releasing toxic elements when overheated (and ALL skillets will get overheated from time to time, that's what they're for). Same issue with many of the newer "non Teflon" alternate non-stick surfaces.

The fair comparison here is to cast-iron. You can make cast-iron pans just about non-stick, if you properly season the pan right when you get it, pour in a little oil each time before heating the pan, and re-oil and wipe the pan after use while it is still warm. Same thing with Le Creuset enamel within a few weeks of proper use, and oiling, you can get a surface that is very similar in non-stickiness to a cast-iron pan.

Of course, if you want to fry an egg with a brand-new pan and no oil, you are going to be disappointed. And if you want to do "no oil" cooking at high temperatures, this will not be the pan for you. But for those who appreciate cast iron cookware, know how to season and take care of pans, this is just about the best non-iron pan you are likely to come across.

Save 21% Off

Weber 6423 12-Inch T-Brush

Great Item. The key is to know which one you need for your particular BBQ Grill. You DON"T want to use the steel brush on a cast Iron grill that has been coated to protect it from rust, like the Weber "Q" Series. You will ruin that coating in no time at all. The Brass works Great and the steel works great. I would Buy again.

This is a great grill brush -well made and reasonably priced. I've used mine for a full season of grilling and it doesn't show any signs of wear. Just a quick brush while the grill is still hot makes cleanup a breeze, and your BBQ is nice and clean when you're ready to use it again.

Buy Weber 6423 12-Inch T-Brush Now

I had a brush like this one in days gone by, NOT FROM WEBER tho, and it was somewhat better than the average but I have to say........This one from WEBER really is the best I've used............Weber has put the quality into this brush just as they do into their Grills (and the Restaurant) Thanks, Weber and Amazon. You'll have to try this to see the quality.

Read Best Reviews of Weber 6423 12-Inch T-Brush Here

I bought this brush because of the brass bristles and hoped that it wouldn't scrape my porcelain coated grill and thus far I don't see any scrape marks. However, I haven't been scraping too hard because it is a new grill and the gunk comes off pretty easily. One thing I have noticed is that, at least on my grill, the bristles don't work their way in-between the grates as advertised unless you press hard, which I haven't really done. It could be because my grates are pretty fat. So instead I have just turned it sideways to get in-between the grates. That seems to work fine.

Also, the brush I got in the mail is not the one in the picture. The brush I got, although 12 inches long, is the similar looking one on Amazon that looks shorter and fatter. It is the one titled " Grill T-brush" or the similarly looking "ACE D703-3046 "GRILL LIFE" GRILL BRUSH 6.5'' WIDE STAINLESS STEEL". I just noticed this while writing this review and feel somewhat ripped off although still satisfied with the brush so far. Any future purchasers might want to look into this before buying.

Want Weber 6423 12-Inch T-Brush Discount?

This was purchased as a gift for a friend with a portable grill. My husband purchased the longer-handled version locally last summer, and he's been telling everyone that it's the best grill brush he's ever had! It does a great job of getting into all those hard to reach areas, and it is very durable.

Save 8% Off

Vornado 530B Compact Whole Room Air Circulator

Is the new model 530 as good as older Vornados that established the company as a quality innovator? In this review, I compare the new 530 to two older compact models that I own. These are the excellent model 180 compact fan(infinite speed, no longer available) and the very good 510 compact (3-speed and in very short supply watch out for merchants who substitute the current model 530 for the 510). These (and the larger, venerable model 280) have great features, quietness, quality, and durability. My comments should apply to the model 530 regardless of the color of the plastic case, since color has no bearing on performance in this product.

FEATURES

The 3-speed compact design is similar to that of the older models (note that some slightly more expensive Vornado models have infinite speed control instead of 3-speed but are otherwise the same). But the 530 has one major disadvantage that you're likely to miss in the promo copy. The fan head doesn't tilt as much as those in the older models. This model tilts only about 50 degrees, while the older fans tilt about 80 degrees. The older design is much better at getting air from the floor to the ceiling.

QUIETNESS

The whirring fan blades make as little noise as the older models (whisper quiet on low, moderate amount on medium, a lot of "whoosh" on high), but the 530 has an irritating low-pitched motor noise the older models don't have. Because it's low frequency sound, it will even go through walls.

QUALITY

Personally, I think the motor, because of the noise, must not be up to the quality of previous models. One of the fan blades on my 530 still had plastic from the molding process that hadn't been removed. Definitely a quality-control problem. My older models were all manufactured in the US; this one in China (judging from a recent visit to a store that had a number of Vornado models, the company's moved manufacturing of most, if not all, of their consumer market fans offshore).

DURABILITY

We'll have to see. Comes with a limited 5 year warranty (you must get an RMA and ship to Vornado in Kansas and other reviewers have complained about shipping and handling costs nearly equaling the cost of a new fan).

BOTTOM LINE

In my view, this fan departs from the Vornado tradition of quality and quietness. I don't recommend using the model 530 in a bedroom or other place where you need quiet due to the low-pitched motor noise. Note that the user manual pictures both the model 530 and the R2D2 looking model 630.

The quality on this Vornado product is not as good as in the past. The product is no longer made in the USA but is instead made in China. Whether or not this is the reason for lower quality I don't know. Like a couple of other reviewers this unit is not not near silent on low speed and unless aimed directly upright has an irritating rhythmic "burmpt, burmpt" to it. On higher speeds this noise goes away but the air noise increases significantly as reported by others. $40 is a high price for a less than perfectly executed small "air circulator."

Buy Vornado 530B Compact Whole Room Air Circulator Now

This is the third Vornado fan I have purchased. I also own a 783B "whole house" fan that I use to push cool air upstairs during the summer and a 733B "whole room" fan that I use to circulate air in our living/dining room areas. I have been very pleased with these fans since purchasing them two years ago. I don't know whether they have had a discernible impact on our energy consumption, but they certainly make the house more comfortable by evening out the hot and cool spots, just as they are designed to do.

I hesitated before purchasing this fan for my 3 y/o daughter's room based on some of the critical reviews. However I have been very happy with this fan. Despite its compact size, it circulates air very effectively throughout a large bedroom with very little noise on its medium setting. The High setting sounds like a typical fan's high setting, meaning you could have a phone conversation sitting next to one but might find it distracting. Medium, however, is barely audible (soft white noise), and low is truly whisper quiet.

Perhaps I could find flaws with the 530B if I put it under a microscope like some of the more harsh reviewers have, but it fits my needs perfectly and exceeded my high expectations.

Read Best Reviews of Vornado 530B Compact Whole Room Air Circulator Here

I own two other Vornadosa "mid-sized" model (6xx), and large (7xx). The small continues in the Vornado tradition of excellence, and I'm very pleased with it. It moves air like no other fan of it's size, and appears to be very well made. It's perfect for a small room.

Vornados are not particularly comfortable to have pointed directly at you due to the speed and concentration of the air stream... it's more like an air gun. You are supposed to point them across the room, and they project a beam of air to the opposite end, creating a mild breeze throughout the entire room.

However, this small fan does have a "low" speed setting that is tolerable for direct use, and is very quiet on low. The noise it makes is pleasant... it's worth noting that fan collectors prize each fan's distinctive sound above almost anything else, and Vornado's HQ is home to a museum of vintage fans. They clearly design their fans to create an attractive sound.

However, I will say that the high speed setting is somewhat loud, and a bit more intrusive than the sound of the larger models. The fan blades are spinning quite a bit faster in order to achieve such a massive air movement for such a small unit. However, I don't run mine on highvery oftenit works best in a small room on medium or low. It's perfect for our young daughter's bedroom.

About price: in addition to the quality of the construction and design, it's worth mentioning that Vornado actually manufactures in the US... you can be sure these things aren't being built by children in a sweat shop. This certainly makes the more expensive, but I certainly feel better about buying them.

-R

Want Vornado 530B Compact Whole Room Air Circulator Discount?

No offense, but the previous review is a bit shortsighted. I had a similar, skeptical initial reaction when I saw a Vornado. At first glance, it looked very similar to other low-cost, plastic department store fans. Upon closer inspection, there is no comparison.

The 530B, due to its unique blade and housing design, and superior motor (see their site for details), blows WAY more air for its size than any other fan. Take a close look at how shallow the average fan blade is. Then look at Vornado's deep, sculpted blades. It blows as much or more air on the low, quiet setting than competing fans do on their high setting. It's pretty amazing, actually.

The 530B blows enough air for my bedroom, whereas competing fans this size I have to aim directly at me. As advertised, the fan is well used as a room circulator, in that you feel the gentle breeze throughout the room, rather than sticking it on a table and pointing at you.

People often gripe about "paying for the name" when it comes to consumer products. This is usually an unfair assertion with most products. You are not paying for the name, like you are in designer jeans, where only the name counts. Instead, you are paying for the superior quality and design of the manufacturer whose name is stamped on the housing. Simple market princples here -if there was nothing to back up the name, the name wouldn't be valuable. They sell at the higher price because you get what you pay for.

NEW, 12-Inch Long Stainless Steel Skewers, Barbecue Skewers, BBQ Skewers, Shish Kebab Kabob Skewers

These skewers are wonderful exactly what I was looking for!! They're dishwasher safe (always a plus) and long enough that I can leave the ends off the grill, so they'll stay cool enough to handle and turn. The skewers are a little less than 1/4 inch wide and relatively thin, which keeps food from sliding around and rotating on the skewers, giving better control for cooking. Also, they're thin enough to fit between fork tines, and food doesn't stick at all, so it's easy to slide food off onto a plate.

As another reviewer has mentioned, these are most definitely not stainless steel. They are a chrome-plated alloy and the plating had already started to chip when delivered. I'm rarely disappointed by well-reviewed products on Amazon, but the strong rating on this is a miss.

Buy NEW, 12-Inch Long Stainless Steel Skewers, Barbecue Skewers, BBQ Skewers, Shish Kebab Kabob Skewers Now

These are just what you would expect from the product description. Metal is good quality, I've used them a few times and just put them in the dish washer and they come out great every time.

Read Best Reviews of NEW, 12-Inch Long Stainless Steel Skewers, Barbecue Skewers, BBQ Skewers, Shish Kebab Kabob Skewers Here

These are nice, shiny chrome plated skewers. I'm sure they will work but I hate being miss-led. I work with stainless steel every day and I'm certain these will not last as long as stainless would. One star for miss-representation.

Want NEW, 12-Inch Long Stainless Steel Skewers, Barbecue Skewers, BBQ Skewers, Shish Kebab Kabob Skewers Discount?

They hold stuff, are flat (to hold the food in place when you turn them) and a good length so you can close the lid. You will need a glove because they do get hot. If that bothers you, buy the longer ones that have wood handles and let them hang over the edge of the grill. Good value. Unless you really need 12 you can give half to your neighbor. Maybe they will invite you over for dinner.

KitchenAid Aluminum Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet, Red

We thought this was going to be the perfect pan, and even liked it better than the one we had previously because it was lighter in weight, but it has since warped and now does not sit securely on the stove top.

KitchenAid Porcelain Enamel Nonstick 12-Inch Open Skillet, Red

A couple months earlier I had purchased a Kitchen Aid cookwear set and when I realized a needed to replace an old 12" fry pan I found this one that appeared to match. The color and finish are a perfect match, but it has a much skinnier handle and is made of a lighter weight metal. Not a huge disappointment, but sadly, it's not quite up to the quality of my other Kitchen Aid frying pans.

Buy KitchenAid Aluminum Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet, Red Now

Bought it for my uncle for Christmas, the eggs and bacon he made for me the next morning were delicious!

Read Best Reviews of KitchenAid Aluminum Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet, Red Here

This is different from previous pan. It doesn't have a handle opposite the long handle. Shaped differently. Not as big.

Want KitchenAid Aluminum Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet, Red Discount?

I love the kitchenaid brand and fell in love with this frying pan the second I saw it, and the price. The handle is a little thin feeling, but the handle has remained cool to the touch. I use this pan once or twice a day and it appears to be holding up rather nicely. If any problem do arise, I will update this review.

Save 25% Off

Nordic Ware 2 Burner Griddle 10-1/4-Inch by 17-1/2-Inch

First of all I take the blame for trying to get a very inexpensive griddle. This griddle is appropriate for camping only & is not suitable for big weekend breakfasts at home. The griddle is quite lightweight (again, great for camping) but slides all over the top of my stove while maneuvering food. Flipping a pancake becomes a tricky activity especially because this griddle doesn't have a true handle to steady it.

The reviewer that said this gridle is "big" must be cooking for one person because I don't find that I can fit much more on it than I did with my 11x11" griddle pan that I was trying to replace. My plan was to be able to fix a breakfast for 2 adults and a toddler all at one time so we could all have a HOT breakfast together. Instead I find that I am still eating last because I still can't fit more than 5 small pancakes on the griddle at one time, let alone bacon or eggs.

I recommend this only if you're looking for a small and portable griddle for camping/RVing. If you are cooking at home for 2 or more people then invest a few more dollars for higher quality and a larger griddle size.

Bought this double griddle for our double burner coleman camp stove. It is a perfect fit. Large enough to cook sausage and eggs or pancakes at the sametime. Heats evenly,non stick,and light weight. We did however use non-stick cooking spray with it, I have learned from experience that nothing is completely non-stick. Clean up was a breeze. And store very well with our camping gear.

Buy Nordic Ware 2 Burner Griddle 10-1/4-Inch by 17-1/2-Inch Now

I really like this griddle. I bought one at a thrift store back in the early 90's and used it until this past year (2008) when it started to look scratched finally and the nonstick wasn't working as well. I think these products from NordicWare are still made in the USA which is very cool. I use this on the stovetop but most of the time I use it to bake everything you can imagine in the oven. Cookies too. I love it and hope this one lasts me another ten years!

Read Best Reviews of Nordic Ware 2 Burner Griddle 10-1/4-Inch by 17-1/2-Inch Here

This griddle is huge! I can make an entire enormous breakfast on it at once. One of my favorite things is making giant pancakes on it, two at a time. It's just plain big.

Want Nordic Ware 2 Burner Griddle 10-1/4-Inch by 17-1/2-Inch Discount?

This griddle is light weight and will barely cover 2 burners on a stove top. The previous reviewer who identified this as a camping griddle is accurate.

The heat was even and the food was cooked well. However, after the very first use the non-stick coating has begun to peel off at the edges of the pan. I will probably get another two-dozen or so uses out of it before it has to be recycled. Will shell out for a more expensive grill next time.

Grill King 16-Piece BBQ Set

This set was really poorly made. The tongs were truly unusable, as they weren't even strong enough to hold a hot dog. They are probably worth about what you're paying, but it's very much worth it to buy a slightly more expensive set than this.