Swissmar KF-77055 Matterhorn Oval-Shaped 8-Person Raclette, Black

I purchased this Raclette Dec of 2001 and use it about 5 times a year. I bought it for my wife who spent 2 years in Germany. She says that it is very similar to the ones that she used and is very pleased with how it works. Many times when we invite guests over, we cook brautwurst and polish sausage (cut in 1/2 inch slices) on the top cooking surface. We then place choped veggies like squash, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and whatever else we want with the meal and cook them with the meat. A meal will usually take us 1-2 hours and you just keep eating and talking.

Below is a quick list of pros and cons:

Pros:

Cook top is hot enough to cook meats

A lot of room to cook on top

Nifty looking design

Very stable when placed on a table

The top surface is easy to clean (removes from the base)

8 trays if you have a crowd

Variable heat dial

Cons:

Trays can be tough to clean if food is overcooked

If food is spilled beneath the heating element it's tough to clean under it

Power cord not long enough (plan on an extention cord)

Angled trays make it a bit more work to scrape cheese out ( I think that a square tray would be easy-er).

Be sure to use the little scrapers that come with the Raclette or plastic utensils. Anything else will likely scratch the finish (we use tooth picks and wooden shish-ka-bob skewers).

I would reccomend this Raclette to anyone, it is an excelent product that I am sure will last many years. We have had much fun with it and all those that have used this Raclette have great things to say about it.

I bought this raclette maker for my boyfriend who was homesick for France. He's loving it. We sautee veggies and meats on the grill top, then add them to the small dishes with cheese and cooked potatoes and broil them under the coils(untraditional, but delicious).

The grill top is removeable, which makes it easy pop off and get into the sink, however I've noticed that some food stains the surface, and it can take a bit of scrubbing to remove.

The only real negative so far is the heating dial. You alter the heat of the coils by turning a dial, but it is impossible to tell by looking if the dial is set to low, medium or high. The only real way to know is by how loudly your food is sizzling. This one area truly needs to be redesigned.

Overall, it's a fine machine which will allow you to enjoy many warm, creative and delicious moments with friends and family. Now, if I could only find a decent raclette cheese!

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Being Swiss, I know how what normal wear and tear is on a racelette oven. The oven itself is great, and the little pans are made of good non stick material. The top grill however is of very very poor quality. The coating was starting to chip, in addition to bubbles forming on the surface just after a couple of uses. I do NOT recommend this grill if you want to be grilling on top.

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This is really a wonderful item. The grill heats evenly and to a very hot temperature so that food cooks quickly.

The pans are truly non-stick and the melted cheese slides out easily. A fun item for small dinner parties, as friends will quickly learn to use this item, even if they are not familiar with the tradition.

Only two flaws to this appliance: The electric cord is too short and requires an extention cord, and the non-stick cooking surface, while functional, is too thin and scratches easily, showing metal. Otherwise, you'll enjoy it.

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Was thrilled to discover Raclette cooking last new year. Purchased this in April 2006 but just used it for the first time this past weekend. I agree with previous reviewers that the clearance between the little slide-in trays and the heating element is quite poor. Pile the food too high, even just a small to moderate amount is too high, and it starts to immediately smoke and burn. The top grilling surface is hard to clean, be sure to have a little non-stick cooking spray or olive oil on hand ahead of time to help. After one use the grilling surface already looks a year old with the amount of stains it has.

I was also surprised that at full power, the 'broiling' effect on the cooking of the food in the slide-in trays wasn't that strong and that food took a long time to cook. Haven't noticed any frailty in the food trays, but I will definitely be taking it easy with the grilling top surface.

Kind of disappointed. For the money it should have been better all around.