Wusthof Gourmet 6-1/2-Inch Offset Slotted Spatula

While this spatula is shaped and traditionally used to turn fish filets, I've found it to be a good general purpose spatula including for folding omelets. The metal has just the right balance of flex but yet is stiff enough to hold up to heavy meats without bending. The angled and wide shape of the tip plus the length of the spatula all works to make this a better metal spatula than many of the other spatulas I own including the Rosle 12.6" Perforated Angled Spatula.

So far I've used it for cooking omelets, chicken breasts, scallops, and even salmon fillets and this spatula handled every task well with no problems.

PROS:

About the right balance and feel in one's hands making it comfortable to use.

The angled and thin metal blade has the right amount of stiffness and flex to get underneath whatever food you need to turn. The wider tip provides more area for supporting your food item.

CONS:

The plastic handle is not heat resistant (will melt slightly if left on a hot pan).

The spatula does not have a full tang which could add slightly better balance and justify the cost.

Yeah, it is expensive. But I got mine when the Amazon price was about what Cooks Illustrated listed as the cost.

It is designed for a right-handed cook because of the angle of the blade makes it awkward for left-handed cooks. So if you are left handed you may want to consider the Rosle spatula Rosle 12.6" Perforated Angled Spatula.

We bought this based upon Cooks Illustrated's recommendation as the best fish spatula, and were not disappointed. It is wonderfully thin yet sturdy, and has a sharp leading edge for getting under fish, cookies, whatever. A great addition worth the space in the gadgets drawer. Be aware, though, that the sharpness makes it inappropriate for use with non-stick pans, which it will scratch.

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I just received this item. But if you are used to the quality of Wusthof knives be prepared for a let down. This is the Gourmet line not the Classic.

Metal portion is a metal stamping with only the front/back surfaces polished. The outside edges and the edges in the slots are still rough. A good place for bacteria to grow.

However, I suspect it will work well.

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I originally purchased this slotted spatula as a "fish spatula", but it has worked well as a general purpose spatula (except for non-stick surfaces). My only small gripe is that the black surface on the handle is a plastic with a relatively low melting point I leaned it against a hot pan and it melted slightly after a few minutes.

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I have used this spatula for pancakes, toast, and omelets. It has served me well in all three scenarios. The handle is not heatproof, and for the price, it really should be, thus the four stars.

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Griddle/ Hotplate for CIG 22.5

Because craycort doesnt sell all their products on amazon I will review the inserts I have on this review. My first suggestion is since there is really no benefit of buying any of craycorts items on amazon itself, I would just buy directly off their website. Its almost exactly the same price (only shipping cost will vary). I have put my review of the 22.5 inch grate already. This will be just for the inserts.

The Griddle/Hotplate: Ill start with the Griddle side. On the griddle side it works exactly like a grill pan. I find I like to use this side for burgers as opposed to the grate because they dont dry out quite as fast and the griddle protects it from flare ups when cooking bacon next to them. I also use this side for paninis which works perfectly i might add. Works great for toasting buns or bread. Pretty much anything you want hot but not singed from the direct heat.

Hotplate: When you flip the Griddle side over you will see a completely flat side. The hotplate. This works just like a pancake griddle. Its perfectly flat with raised edges to keep food on the griddle. I use it to make pancakes, saute vegetables, and even cook eggs. I own four griddle/hotplates and the only thing you need to keep in mind that is if you do place all four griddle/hotplates on the grill you will severly reduce the amount of air that gets to your coals. So in hind site i probably would have only bought three at most. Also as a 411 the griddle/hotplate has raised edges on both sides of the insert so you cant say cook a pizza on the grill using these because its not completely flat. The raised edges are also thicker towards the font than the back causing a slight slope to the back of each inserts. It is designed that way so the grease,fat, oil etc will go down the draining hole which is the same place you put the lifter.

The Vegetable Wok: I have two of their vegetable woks. They have about half inch sized holes bored throughout it. It is a pocketed insert. It doesnt serve a function on the opposite side like the griddle/hotplate. Youll notice on craycorts website it says that it is ribbed on the other side. That is wrong. There would be no place to put the ribbing first of all and 2ndly everything would just slide off of it anyway. It serves as a deep pocket, I actually use this to smoke my vegetables. I fill the pocket with homefries, dump some olive oil on them which when the oil leaks thru causes a flare up and smokes the homefries. Anything vegetable cooked over direct heat with this insert will achieve a smokey flavor. It is the insert I use least often. In hindsight I probably would have only bought one of these since i prefer to saute most vegetables on the hotplate.

The only other insert for the craycort ring is the pizza stone. I do not own any of these. I bought a 14 inch cast iron pizza pan from Lodge Logic which I will be reviewing later. The pizza pan was a much cheaper option over the granite inserts. I love the idea but I really do prefer just cooking on cast iron. Maybe I will pick up the granite stones one day.

Panasonic NN-CD989S Genius "Prestige" 1.5 cuft 1100-Watt Sensor Convection Microwave with Inverter

This new Panasonic Convection Microwave machine is hands down the best appliance in my kitchen and worth every penny. Here's why:

Positives:

1. Extremely well built Solid precision latches make it sound like a Mercedes car door when you close it.

2. Intuitive Very user friendly. Easy to figure things out without having to pour over the owner's manual, unlike a lot of other microwaves. The time knob lets you quickly dial in 10 second increments of time, or you can let the machine autosense when it's hot using the reheat mode. It has a digital readout which tells you the next step in the process on certain options and provides status of where you are at in the cooking cycle as well.

3. New Technology The Inverter Technology provides much more even heat, with very few hot spots. When I warm hard refrigerated quarters of butter in the morning so I can spread it on my toast, it softens evenly, unlike my previous micro that melted a big hole in the middle and left the rest hard. In the defrost mode, the food is thawed evenly, unlike the cooked edges that some micro's leave.

4. Performance This machine cooks quickly and evenly and when you combine the micro and convection its extremely fast. In the combination mode the micro power is dropped to 30% and then combined with full convection heat to cook quickly and evenly. Lots of other features...the keep warm option, the broil and bake options, the easy to use dials, digital temperature guage, great recipe book, cooking recommendations, and owners manual.

5. The Look Very sleek and very professional. Easy to clean and a kitchen show piece. You'll gets lots of compliments on it.

Negatives:

1. Size As with all of my appliances I wish it was a bit larger, but it WILL allow a 9X13 rectangular glass casserole to rotate.

2. Trim Kit Mine is also a built in, so I had to buy a separate trim kit which was not included in the price.

3. Customer Support Panasonics only big mistake with this product, as they appear to have outsourced customer support to an overseas group. I had inquired about use of the wire rack when doing straight microwaving. Conflicting answers. Agents hard to understand and not very knowledgeable. Not sure my first contact even knew what a microwave convection oven was. All she could do was read a script. I know Panasonic feels that have to do this to remain price competitive (like many other companies out there) but it's certainly the weakest part of their product. Lets hope congress takes away the incentives and starts penalizing companies that ship jobs overseas.

All in all, it's a great second oven for baking, cooking, reheating, defrosting, letting bread rise, keep food warm during meal prep, etc. Great purchase. Highly recommended if you're looking for the best.

This is a very user friendly microwave. If you only use the microwave function, I am sure you'd be happy with it. But it's also a handy little oven. I have made pizzas, cookies, and even a pork loin roast in it! I cooked the pork loin using the combo cooking function (microwave plus convection) just to test it out. The results were very good; a nice moist roast. A 14-in round pizza pan or stone fits in it and also (just barely!) a 9x13 baking dish. And yes, you CAN put metal pans in it when in oven mode. When we first got it we set it up on the counter in our main kitchen for a couple weeks and played around with it. Then we moved it to our newly renovated "bar" in the basement which truthfully is a small, very functional kitchen. This oven is a great solution as we can use it for popcorn, etc. in microwave mode, but also bake pizzas. Another idea I haven't actually done yet is to use it to bake or warm a casserole for a big holiday dinner when my main oven is busy cooking a turkey or something. In fact I like this oven so much I've decided that when we renovate the main kitchen I am NOT going to opt for the double wall ovens but instead get a regular range plus another one of these and then I will have 2 ovens plus a microwave, basically! I think it's a wise investment and a very excellent product.

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I purchased and installed this microwave for a family member. We looked all over for a high quality built-in (above the oven, aka cabinet mount) convection microwave. The GE Profile and Advantium lines were very poorly rated online and did have a very good repair history. It's tough if you want a large microwave (capable of spinning a 9x13 dish) that is convection and has a good repair rating. After seeing that the selection available in the marketplace is poor (We looked at Sears, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, and at a "Factory Direct Appliance" store). All basically sold very few cabinet mount microwave and those that they did have were either a.) small and very cheap or b.) GE Advantium and very expensive ($1200). Since the Advantium has a very low customer rating all over the web, we decided it wasn't worth the money.

After reading online we noticed that approval ratings of Panasonic Microwaves were very high. They use a different style of microwave element that they call an inverter. This means that, when using lower power levels, the microwave doesn't turn on and off the element. For example power level 5 on almost every microwave means the element turns on for 2 seconds, then off for 2, then on again. This means that delicate foods come out screaming hot in places and cold in others. The Panasonic has a proprietary element that actually has adjustable amounts of power it can output. This is something that sounds like marketing but in this case it is truly unique and directly beneficial to the customer.

The "sensor" cook option works really well. We followed the directions to bake a potato. The microwave instructs you what to do on the display. The result was a large perfectly well baked potato in about 90 seconds all managed by the sensor. I was shocked at how well it worked and how fast it was.

Be purchased the mount kit (the unit is for countertop use out of the box). The kit, while expensive, is very high quality and well designed. It was easy to install and looks great. It matches the Samsung fridge perfectly and is neither cheap looking nor "showy". It, like the microwave, is very austere and modern looking without being too "high tech" looking.

I'm VERY pleased about this microwave and think that its a good value for its price. It comes with racks and ceramic turn table. The interior is all stainless steel. Overall I can't find a place that Panasonic cut a corner in the microwave, accessories, or the trim kit. For the price (less than half the price of an Advantium) the build quality is perfect.

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I purchased this convection microwave because my Sharp gave out after no less than twenty years of faithful service. Thanksgiving is two days away and my family has always used the convection microwave to heat or re-heat casseroles, appetizers, etc. I was thrilled by Amazon's fast shipping! It came right on time, but sadly the product just isn't what I need it to be.

The first thing I did (after set-up, of course) was test the convection temperature using a regular oven thermometer. I set it to 400 degrees, but it beeped to tell me it was preheated at 350 degrees. The family joined me in consulting the microwave's directions again, and finding no error there we considered a problem with the thermometer. After several shuffles between our oven and the new microwave we decided the thermometer was fine (even after it's tragic fall from the counter days earlier), but bought a new one just to be sure. Again, with a brand new oven thermometer, we had the same result. The bottom line is the oven heats 25-50 degrees lower than it says it can.

While this may not be a problem for many, it certainly is for me. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I am trying to decide if I should call out for repair service, or if I should send it back and find another product. I'll update if a call to the repair service fixes the problem.

**********UPDATE**********

First, I'd just like to say that Amazon is great! They took the defective product back with no problem, and shipped another one immediately! Thanks, Amazon!

I got it on Friday, and it has been doing great! The first must have been defective, so make sure you give yours a test run with a thermometer!

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Had it for 3 weeks now and it is great! Much quieter than the Viking we had before, and microwaves and defrosts a lot more evenly. The convection oven heats up quickly and does a great job. Easy to use, too, and looks great. Couldn't be any happier.

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Char-Broil 3584810 Sure Fire Electric Charcoal Starter

There is no easier, more hassle-free way to start a charcoal fire than by using one of these. As long as you have access to an electric outlet somewhere in the vicinity of your grill, you'd be foolish to use any other method.

You place the heating element on the grate, with the plastic handle resting on the barbecue's edge. Cover the element with your briquettes, plug it in, wait 12 minutes, and then remove it. By that time, any charcoals that were in contact with the red-hot element will have started. Mound up the coals, wait a few more minutes, and you're good to go. No smelly, dangerous lighter fluids, no chimneys, no newspapers. What could be more simple?

The electric cord is quite short, so if your outlet isn't close by you'll have to use an extension cord. Just make sure it is a heavy duty one like the kind used for power tools.

It's quite durable if used correctly. I bought the one I have now 6 or 7 years ago and I use it at least 30 or so times a year. The heating element is beginning to crack now, so it will fail soon, but 200+ uses for this inexpensive item is pretty respectable, I think.

I can't understand why everyone doesn't use one of these. If you like to barbecue in your backyard or on your patio or deck, this is indispensable equipment.

This starter is wonderful. But don't get lazy and leave it under the charcoal, like I did. You need to remove it after the fire starts. The plastic near the cord melts and the thing is ruined. I am ordering another one because I find I don't want to start charcoal without one.

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this is the best charcoal starter we have ever used. the last one purchased is still working but is over ten years old and is used regularly every summer. I just purchased a new one as a back-up, but may not need it for a long time. Very reliable and very easy and safe to use.

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I have a Big Green Egg. And these are recommended to start the charcoal in them.

It does the job, flat out. I have only had it a few weeks, but it does indeed start the charcoal.

Quickly too! About 5-10 mins get the coals read hot!

I gave it 5 stars because this thing does exactly what it's supposed to do, start coal.

Now, for my commentary.

This thing makes me NERVOUS AS HELL.

I have kids, and they are goofy. This is basically every toaster/counter-top oven heating element in the world, with a plastic handle. Haha

So when you take this thing out of the coals, it is this red hot heating element. Where do you put it? It has to cool off for a few mins. On the table? Patio? Where out of the way, that someone isnt going to touch it?

I am not knocking the product, it is what it is, but think about this stuff before you buy it. I wouldnt want to see someone get hurt from this thing.

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In my area this is alot of wind(since i live close to the windy city chi) so everytime i get some kind of fire going the charcoal wont light. I tried the charcoal chimney and paid 15 bucks for it and it did nothing for me. So after trying for 2 hours to light using that dumb chimney I borrowed one of these wands from my mother and in 5 minutes the charcoal started smoking. This the best starter for a barbeque hands down.

Texas Irons Double-Barrel Chicken Cooker

This cooker works great! Easy to use and clean up is not to bad, either. I like that I can pour the liquid right into the cups instead of putting a can under the chicken.

I put this inside of a larger pan so the juices don't leak (had to bend the handles to make it fit). 400'F gas oven for 2 2 1/2 hours (depending on the chicken sizes). I fill up the "cups" with beer & citrus or cran juice & citrus and put the chickens over it, season the chicken skins, dump 2 bags of baby carrots in water in the pan and leave it be. Then we have a delicious, juicy chicken and carrot dinner. I hope to make some other variations later. Right now, I use it once a week. It's a little difficult to clean, and you definitely have to put it in a pan so it doesn't leak while cooking. Also, the 4 stars I gave it was because after pulling it out of the box (from TX, supposedly made in USA), I found a sticker saying "made in Taiwan" stuck to the stainless steel. Now, I don't know if it means the steel if from Taiwan or maybe the steel is American but the pan is made in Taiwan??? Anyway, it is great to be able to put a fulfilling dinner in the oven, go outside and work in the yard for a couple hours, and come back in to a delicious cooked dinner.

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Smart Planet BM-1 Brownie Bar Maker

I love kitchen toys, and when I saw this on a Groupon deal for $19.99, couldn't resist getting it. I make home made baked good which I sent to troops, and having something like this in addition to my regular two oven stove makes the work go a lot faster...at least, that was my rationale for buying it! :o)

I first tried it with a brownie mix, and filled the wells about 1/4" from the top that gave me about 12 brownies (2 batches in the machine). As far as timing goes, I see someone wrote a review in which she said that she baked her cake for as long as was indicated on the box from the mix; common sense should tell you that a smaller size produce will require less baking time...but some people just don't think. I looked at the recipes in the included booklet, even though I wasn't making them at the time, to get a rough idea of baking time, and started to check my brownies at the minimum recommended time. As you get more familiar with the machine, you'll learn how much time is needed for various different things.

The first time I used my brownie bar maker it was a little tricky to get them out of the pan, but then had an idea: I now turn the machine upside down (with the lid closed) and lift the bottom (which is now on top); the perfectly intact bars can then be easily removed with a non-metal spatula, and the machine is ready to go again right away.

I use a butter flavored spray in the wells for each batch; a damp paper towel is really all you need for clean-up.

This is a fun little gadget well worth the price. I'm thinking it's a nice item to use to introduce a little girl to the joys of baking.

Enjoy the size of bars. Is not quicker than oven baking (17 min) but saves

heating the oven. Enjoyable way to have fresh baked goods in hot weather. Per my infared temp gun, this bakes at 350 degrees. Made excellent johnny cake bars with precooked ground sausage. Plan to make snack sized cake bars and freeze for later. Works very well.

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Works really slick, biggest complaint I have is getting the brownies out of the maker without breaking them because the bottom is more narrow than the top. I ended up turning it over and they fell right out, which worked the best.

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So far I have only tried the "Brownie Bar Maker" for oatmeal muffins, but they came out great!

The bars are the a nice portion size, slightly smaller than a regular (not jumbo) muffin and rectangular, of course...about 4 bites worth. Works as described. My 22-minute oven recipe took 13 minutes in this machine. Muffins came out uniform, tender, and perfectly baked all the way through.

A few notes: You can overfill the slots a little bit. I like my baked goods a little brown on the top, but don't overfill too much or it will drip out the sides. There is no timer on this (use a kitchen timer and check the brownies/muffins a few minutes ahead of time with a toothpick). Also, grease with Baker's Joy between every use, I didn't and had a hard time digging the crispy remnants out of the corners.

Easy clean up, super easy to use. I am not a baker so this is perfect for me.

Also recommended for someone who lives alone. This way you can enjoy baked goods without all the effort. I plan on doing mini breads, brownies, and energy bars in it and freezing them for later.

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This is great and works like it should but it should have a shut off timer, other than that it makes great corn cakes (got it for my Mom who recently starting makin corn bread muffins.

So you don't have to limit yourself to brownies.

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Speaker Grill Cloth Gray Yard 70" Wide

Bought this material for my JBL L150A's. Color was accurate as compared to the picture, and the material was easy to cut and work with. I used a fabric adhesive that recommended letting it dry and get tacky before fastening the fabric down, and I can recommend this method as it worked well. The only thing I wasn't ready for is that the material is not only acoustically transparent, but is also visually transparent. The drivers in the JBL's have silver-colored frames, and the woofers have white cones, and both the housings and cones show through this material. Perhaps the black or brown material is not visually transparent, but this gray color allows the drivers to be visible.

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Eastman Outdoors 19-Inch Gauntlet Cooking Gloves

Great Product and are certainly classified in the heavy duty category. I run a large smoker up to 12 times a year and these have not dissapointed. I like these, but some users might think they are a bit too long.

Nice gloves. Keeps heat off the hands as advertised. Should last me 70 or 80 years.

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Cover Only for 5 Roller Commercial Hot Dog Machine

There were absolutely no instructions shipped with the product. Took me a few tries to figure out the puzzle. In the end, the curved top cover is not flush with the two side panels leaving a gap. This ruins the aesthetics but it should serve its purpose.

Item also does not look as pictured (at least not the one I received). What I got was 3 glass pieces (the two side panels are glass and not the plastic/metal ones pictured) and four legs. An additional metal band holds the curved panel and ends together at the apex. The legs are attached with the self tapping screws already on the Roller and can be installed with just a Phillips-head screwdriver.

The glass is tempered. I accidentally dropped all three panels (glass is slippery) on the floor with a loud clang but no breaks.

Overall the cover is heavy duty, just don't expect it to also cook your dogs.

I was excited when I received this item. It was neatly packed and not broken upon opening it. The item was heavy glass, which I expected it to be plastic. The unfortunate part of this was it had 0/ none / absolutely no assembly instructions. the item was different than all the pictures of the productg so I couldnt use that as help. It was a total guessing game. I think I might have put it together properly but it appears that you have to drill holes in your hot dog cooker to attach it?? the item in the picture appears to have metal sides. the item I reveived has glass sides. it's nice but definately need instructions.

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his is just a splatter shield and it works fine. I can now place the cooker on almost any surface without worrying about damage to surfaces.

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Cuisinart Simply Grilling Nonstick Grilling Wok

This product is unfit for its intended use. The first time I used it -to grill vegetables on a gas grill at lower than medium heat (two burners on medium, the third off) -the synthetic part of the "heat resistant" handle melted! Some of the melting "plastic" got all over the food. Even worse, when the entire mess cooled, it was virtually impossible to remove the small globs that had stuck to the body of grilling pan. There are very good products that serve this function. Stay away from this one.

We love to cook vegetables on the grill and this works great.We've used this a few times and had no probems at all. Cleans up easy as well!

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I bought this wok for my husband, and he loves it, he uses it at least once a week on the barbecue, he has tried different receipes and they all turn out really good, the price was right and it cleans up very well.

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The wok worked great until the handle melted and actually dripped on the grill. Look for a wok with a metal handle.

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Anolon Advanced Hard Anodized Nonstick 18-by-10-Inch Double Burner Griddle

It's so nice when a simple cooking device is done well. The heating is uniform, the pan is light (read: easy to hold while rinsing) but lies very flat (no runoff of liquids), and nothing sticks (we add butter for the flavor). I like the feel of the soft grip handles but it does get too warm to handle because our gas rangetop shoots heat across and around the edges of the griddle. It was a great way to get my husband to cook for me since there is next to no cleanup involved for his quesadillas and eggs. Lots of space for bacon too although the low rim will permit more splatter than a deeper pan. Enjoy!

Bottom line, you buy one of these mainly to make pancakes. The Anolon Double Burner Griddle is better than a traditional frying pan for pancakes because you can fit more on it at one time, which means less time in the kitchen and more time eating those tasty little crumpets while they're still hot. The kids also get less whiny when you can serve them all at once instead of doling out a few pancakes here and there or worse, serving them all at once when they've gone cold.

Turns out, it's also good at French toast, eggs, bacon, quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches. Added bonus: you only have to add butter or oil if you like the flavor, because after owning and using this thing for two months, I have to admit, it truly deserves to be called nonstick (unlike so many "nonsticks" that have disappointed me after the first few uses).

Some might point out that at 10 inches wide, this griddle is too narrow to fit all their breakfast items at once. Well get two, they're a slim profile and lightweight and at about fifteen bucks less than the Circulon, you can probably afford it.

My 22-year-old recipe for Frickin' Fantastic Pancakes:

1 cup Buttermilk, 1 cup flour, 1 egg, 2 Tablespoons oil, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. salt.

Heat your griddle to med-low. Mix ingredients in a large bowl with a balloon whisk until just a few lumps remain (no overworking allowed). Pour on the griddle (you know what size you like) and watch for the bubbles in the center of your pancakes to signal it's time to turn. Flip, cook a few more minutes, serve, and notice how much better this is than that mix stuff.

-Andrea, aka Merribelle

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Works perfectly. We have a Wolf ceramic cooktop and so a decent griddle must be perfectly flat. This is. We've had it for months. It wipes clean in hot water with a once-over with a soapy dishcloth. Nothing sticks. Of course, we take care of it. We don't overheat it and we don't immerse directly into water when it is hot. Our stove has a bridge element between the two round elements and we get perfectly even heat across the griddle within degrees when tested with an infrared thermometer. The handles have silicone or something to insulate them so you can position or move the griddle without grabbing for a hot pad. There is a pour spout at one end for draining bacon or sausage grease. Cook breakfast for a crowd in nothing flat. You can manage 6 hearty pancakes at once or 6 fried eggs can be done to a perfect over-easy without overlapping or crowding. Suddenly I look like a seasoned short-order cook for a house full of company. Solid value. Easily worth more in my opinion.

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This gridle is great looking and I leave it out on my 5 burner gas stove.

I use it all the time for everything I can think of. I can keep one side hotter than the other for cooking different types of foods. It responds quickly to heat increase or decrease. This is definitely a good nonstick finish. I haven't found anything that sticks to it yet. The handles make it easy to pick up and it has a pour spount that I haven't had to use yet. The handles don't stick up too high and interfere with cooking or washing. They are one reason I chose this skillet. It is very easy to clean also. I wouldn't advise using this skillet on a glass top. I had one of those and hated it for cooking everything. This is perfect for gas. The price is exceptional for the quality provided!!!

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I have owned two of these pans. The first wore out after several years of daily use. Note that the package says "non-stick" and not "non-stick forever". Eventually, all non-stick pans wear out. Out of the box, this pan is magic. Nothing will stick and it cleans up beautifully. The pan is also nice and thick. I have never had a problem with warping, however heating this pan really hot and then rinsing it in the sink could cause warping. To maximize the life of the pan, be sure to NEVER use aerosol oils such as PAM on the pan. The propellant in the can burns at a lower temperature than the oil, and ends up burning in the pores of the pan surface. It will not take long to destroy the non-stick finish. Also, allow the pan to cool COMPLETELY before washing it to prevent any warpage. No gritty cleaners either. The pan should last for many years and then you can buy another one.

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Smart Planet BBM-1 Brownie Bite Maker

You REALLY need to coat the mini brownie cups with butter, flour, or SOMETHING when using this; if you don't, the brownie's will begin to crumble when you take them out. I find that using a fork to lift them out (from the sides) works best, and preserves the integrity of the brownie!

The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because it does not make enough at one time. I have to keep refilling it too many times. Other than that it bakes well. Stores well. Cleans up very nicely.

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Gourmet Classics Pig Junior Chef Apron

I love this gift it was perfect for my friend, but didn't wash well. Not the most practice apron, but it was fuN!

My daughter loved this apron. She uses it every night to help me cook dinner. She is a pig fan!

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Got this for my niece for her birthday. She loves pigs and LOVED the apron. Seems to be decent quality and fits an 8 year old (though a wee bit big). Would likely fit a small adult but is perfect for the average kid. I'm happy with this purchase.

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My grand-daughter likes pigs so a pig apron was just what she wanted. She likes it a lot.

It seems well made.

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CDN Digital Programmable Probe Thermometer

Having burned out, drenched, accidentally kinked, and destroyed enough Polder probes to fill an oven, I finally threw in the towel and went elsewhere for a digital probe thermometer. CDN's Proaccurate may finally be the end of my search for a worthy successor.

Digital probe thermometers are a godsend for cooks who like to set it and forget it when cooking. You want that steak done to exactly 145 degrees? The probe thermometer will tell you. Just stick it in the meat, set the finished temp, and let the beep tell you when it's exactly medium rare. When it works, this kind of thermometer is indispensable.

Therein lies the rub, though. "When it works...." Most of the digital probe thermometers on the market suffer from the same chink in the armor--their probes are flimsy. Not only are the wires inside the probe itself thin when compared with the braided metal housing that holds them, but they can't take the heat, either. Most probes top out at a little over 380 degrees. You run the risk of burning it out when checking oil temperatures, something every probe should be able to do. And if your oven cycles its heat on and off, you could have it set for 350 but it may vary between 300 and 400 while cooking for twenty minutes or more. The result is a cooked probe.

But not with the CDN Proaccurate. The probe cord itself is significantly thicker (fifty percent or more, from my guess) and the temperature tops out almost a hundred degrees higher than the other guys at 482. Plus, unlike the other guys, this unit carries a full five year warranty--including the probe. You can't find that in any other digital probe thermometer I've seen.

Pros:

* Probe withstands highest heat I've seen offered--482 degrees F--and is far more hefty than competitors

* Meat selector settings (Chicken, Beef, Lamb, Turkey, Pork, Veal) with doneness levels

* Accurate. Approved for Food Service Industry usage

* Twenty-four hour count down and up timer

* Large display

* Includes wall mount, magnetic attachment to metal surfaces, and is free-standing

* Good price point

* Five year warranty

* CDN was swift in answering e-mailed questions I had about the unit

Cons:

* No seconds displayed on timer

* Design won't be confused with anything coming out of Europe :-)

* Non-intuitive operation on a couple functions

* Plastic case is not heat-resistant

* Tiny indicator makes it hard to tell if the unit is running when using timer

* Alarm is not as loud as other units out there

* Probe still prone to water damage (no dishwasher)

* Hard to read times less than ten minutes due to shadow of case on digits near the right side

Overall, as a new user my review is positive. Time will tell concerning ruggedness, but I am hopeful given the clear difference in probes between the CDN and other units out there. This CDN model is almost worthy of five stars, but the lack of seconds on the timer is a bad design decision from my point of view. I know from experience with other units that watching those seconds roll by gave me some assurance from a distance that the timer was running.

So for all you Polder and Taylor users who are exasperated with probe failures on your thermometers, this CDN may be what you've been looking for.

I am a big fan of probe thermometers, and I have owned and ruined several of them; each a different brand. The CDN is the most accurate and can withstand high heat best on the market in this price range. I have owned this thermometer for over a year now, and in this time it has:

1. Been rained on at least 5 times.

2. Dropped in our pool.

3. Been hidden in our sandbox.

4. Been dropped on hot coals and backing partially melted.

Each time this thermometer has miraculously come back to life and worked perfectly! The original battery is still going.

If I had to purchase a new one, it would be this thermometer!

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After much research into these devices, I decided to purchase the CDN brand for my husband as a gift. I chose this brand since it had a higher temperature range than that of the other brands available. This one goes up to 482degrees. So far he seems to love this thermometer. It seems very accurate in reading the internal temp of the meats. He loves that it allows him to program what type of meat and for beef the taste(rare,m.rare,med,well). The cable connecting the device to the probe seems to be pretty strong--braided wire. I have seen other devices by other brands that the cables "burn out". This was one of the deciding factors in purchasing the CDN brand. My husband loves the magnetic feature that allows him to stick it to the side of the oven! I am also excited to see the thermometer comes with a clip for candy making and frying. I havent had a chance to use it for this purpose yet, but it makes the device much more versatile & useful. The temperature display is quite large and easy to read...so it will work good for someone who cant read small print. I would actually give this product 4 &1/2 stars. The only reasons I would deduct half a star are: 1)the casing is plastic (cannot use on BBQ)and 2)the timer beeper isnt that loud (you cant hear it if upstairs or more than a room away, so you need to stay in earshot to hear the timer go off). All in all its a great product. I would recommend it. Buy it and you will never have dried out or undercooked meat again. Its well worth it! The chef in your life will thank you!

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I found myself doing quite a bit of research before buying a digital probe thermometer... it seems that each brand and model has it's 'gotchas,' so unless you spend several hundred bucks on a laboratory grade thermometer, you're gonna have to deal with one or more disadvantages... unreliable probes, inaccurate readings, inconvenient menus, inadequate range, flimsy construction, etc. The questions I ended up asking myself were, what are the most desirable qualities, and what are the disadvantages I could live with?

First and foremost, I wanted one that was reliable. Unfortunately, every single model contained reviews from folks whose thermometers didn't make it a month let alone a year. So the next step was to look at the frequency of problems, and perhaps more important, the warranty. CDN was the only one with a five year warranty (one that they seem to cheerfully honor, judging by feedback), so that went a very long way toward making my decision.

Next was temperature range... most digital probe thermometers peak out at under 392 degrees. I didn't feel that was enough so there was another point in favor of the CDN, which is one of the very few that tops out at 482 degrees.

Finally, it came with a metal clip for use on the rim of saucepans, stockpots and so forth... why this cheap but useful little accessory is an optional extra purchase with many other models is a testament to the idiocy and greed of companies who want to get the product out there for the cheapest possible price and then hit you up later for things they should have provided in the first place.

Now that I've lived with the CDN Proaccurate a month or so, I have to say I'm pleased. Tested against two other thermometers the CDN seems accurate, and though it's response seems a bit slow, it's not really meant for instant readings anyway. Other minor gripes? Well, it's not very intuitive when it comes to setting some of the functions... but once you use it a few times you get used to that. Probably my major disappointment is that the timer counts only hours and minutes, no seconds... this coupled with the very small blinking indicator means that it's difficult to tell when it's running. As I said, these are minor gripes... overall I'm extremely pleased with this purchase.

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The thermometer looks really good at first. Great range for candy making (unlike one of the more inexpensive models that Amazon sells) and reasonable wire length. For the past two months its been great. Then it suddenly gave poor measurements (based on salt free ice water, fully equilibrated, and salt free boiling water). It is approx 25 degrees below what it should read. So I'm sending it back. The unit comes with a 5 year warranty. We'll see what type of response I get.

Update: ended up getting a warranty replacement. This too worked for a while and then failed. Stay away

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ROSHCO SMORES MAKER, INDOOR OR OUTDOOR

A coworker bought this fugly Hershey's one from Sam's Club and it was huge and very cartoonish. I wanted something fun for the kids that also looked nice enough to set out with adults. This smores maker works great, the whole thing is on a lazy susan which adds to its appeal. I'm very happy with it and so are my kids! We had Thanksgiving smores and they were a hit : ) I set out long bamboo skewers for kebabs instead of using the metal forks, then more people could use it without having to wash the forks between each person.

Music City Metals 90081 Stainless Steel Heat Plate Replacement for Select Jenn-Air and Vermont Cast

very pleased with the product and the service. Exact fit to my Vermont Grill. Great Price also. I will be back if I need anything else for this grill in the future.

I have a Vermont Castings grill I bought about six years ago at Home Depot. This is the first time I am replacing heat plates. I just wanted to say that although I think $50 is expensive for threee of these, they do make the grill hotter faster.

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Product was exactly what I was looking for, and at a reasonable price compared to other sites I researched. Very well made and fit my Vermont Castings gril perfectly.

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They fit and work well. Pricy to me. But that's everywhere not just here. Much cheaper then buying a new grill of this quality.

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I ordered these to replace heat plates on our bbq grill that had rusted through, hoping that stainless steel would NOT rust! FALSE advertising from this seller! What a waste of money on my part ... after only one year, they are rusted through, flaking and flimsy. Now I'll be searching for REAL stainless steel plates and definitely from a different seller!

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Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro-S 4-Piece Steak Set

Oh, dear God, I love these knives. Their weight in your hand is hefty without being tiring. The blades are sharp, precise, and easy to handle. And do they slice? I mean -and do they SLICE!!!

After each meal, I hand-wash these instruments and give them a quick touch of the sharpening stone. I then gently, very gently, place them back into their case for safekeeping. Is it any wonder my fiancé is jealous?

I do have one complaint -I only have four of these knives. I'm going to need at least eight more for the grilling I plan to do next summer. I mean, it's going to take a big patio party to properly show off these fine blades.

The bogus MSRP price in this listing aside, the $99 is the typical street price for this set and it's not cheap but so worth it. Very good quality in blade and handle. The knives make eating steak a special event ... well, almost. But it's a serious step up from the Eversharp knives, where the serration is great but rips the meat rather than cut (as the smooth edged Pro-S). Would buy again, even if the price is a bit high.

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I've had these knives for a month now and like them very much. They cut very nicely and feel good in your hand. I've swiped them on my steel a few times and they keep their sharpness. I think anyone would be happy with these knives.

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Splurged three years ago and got 2 sets. Love em. They are still sharp and can draw a thin slice off the end of a New York Strip with ease. Guests love them too. That's why I need 8 more. Our backyard grilling events are getting more popular and I really hate to give some guests the second string knives. I am sitting here pondering the expense. Some things are worth the extra money though and this is probably one of them!

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Last year I bought these knifes for 149.00 I would love at least 4 more sets ,but have to wait for a sale. Great quality.No other compare.

Swissmar 8 Person Red Classic Raclette Party Grill with Granite Stone

I only had raclette once before ordering this, so I don't have a connoisseur's understanding of it all, but I can say that this grill does a great job for my family and I. I like the idea of the granite top better than a metal one. It just seems cleaner and maybe healthier for you. The pans and scrapers are fine and it actually heated up for cooking in less time than the other raclette I had before. The granite seemed to stain a little and was somewhat difficult to clean, but I really don't mind. You only see the stains when it's heating up and before any food goes on it. After that, it's covered in meats and vegetables, and that's all that really matters!

My wife and I had dinner with friends who had a Raclette. We cooked steak, shrimp, melted cheese and had a great time.

So, we ordered one. This Swissmar Raclette is great. Has a nice stone top that looks great and functions great.

We've had friends over to cook on it and everything turned out wonderful. Can melt cheese in the bottom trays and we've put mushrooms and potatoes in the trays. I nuke the potatoes first.

A very nice product.

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Love the Swissmar Raclette. I purchased the stone party grill. To my surprise you can make a variety of things on this grill. We have done Raclette; fajita night, pizza night, quesodilla night and traditional meat and potatoes. This also makes wonderful breakfast. Omelet toppings, crepes and pancakes. Lekker!!!

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Really great material, works perfectly. We enjoy the meals everytime we use it. You only need to choose the right meat(diced cut, swiss cheese (sliced)and some veggies(medley potatoes boiled, roasted peppers, whatever you like)on the side. Easy to clean. Excellent buy. Delivery was super fast.

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This grill heats up quickly and does a great job cooking vegetables and melting cheese. We used this twice for different family dinners, and the experience of sitting around the table together (which is less and less common among families these days, it seems) and "cooking" our meal was wonderful. We chatted and laughed. Food as social and familial bond. Wonderful. The stone is relatively easy to clean, but I would recommend the scraper that is sold by Swissmar since you aren't supposed to use anything abrasive when cleaning up. Quality product that provides lots of enjoyment!

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Cadco PCR-1S Professional Cast Iron Range, Stainless

I love this single burner range...I serially bought one of several different models (of single burner ranges) locally, tested them, and returned them all. I was disgusted. Then I got this one. It was considerably more expensive, but its rock-solid and has been in use about 18 hours a day, 24 in some cases, for several months.

Its a great size for pans and regular pots, but a bit too large for the smaller pots, like 1-1.5 qt (or even a 2.5 qt, if the latter's got a windsor bottom).

It warms up very quickly, and cools off more gently. If you're used to cooking with gas, this will be a shock because it's cast iron and holds the heat. If you're experienced in cooking with cast iron (pots, pans, ranges :), you'll find it utterly predictable, or at least I do. Sometimes you just have to remove the pan for a few seconds and turn OFF (not down) the heat.

I consider it easy to clean. I've never done more than blow a few crumbs off on the cast iron burner, but I imagine it IS a sponge eater if you scrub it with one (as noted by another reviewer). The burner has a rough surface, but that's all good in my book. It keeps pots and pans from too easily or inadvertantly sliding off the range prevents potential disaster! The part of the range that I'm really concerned about keeping clean is what all surrounds the burner. That part is all brushed steel, with no seams or holes or "gingerbread", very sturdy, very professional, and a real breeze to keep clean.

Did I mention that I totally love this range, despite the hefty price? It was designed for working cooks, imho. If I ever need yet another burner, I won't bat an eyelash at getting this same model, or at recommending it to a friend.

Apr '09 ---->2 years after original review

Still in near constant use, still working perfectly, still loving it...

Jun '12 ---Still the most used tool in our kitchen, still find it a joy to own.

I was worried about ordering online and not being able to see the product in person. I was so surprised that it was so much better than I expected. I used it for canning and had a giant pressure cooker sitting on it. It performed perfectly and because it is so well made I expect that it will last me for years. Due to the fact the top area around the burner is metal you do not have to worry about a large pot extending out over the side of the burner and melting any plastic like other models on the internet. Well worth the price.

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THIS PRODUCT IS A GOOD BUY. I BOUGHT NEW CERAMIC TOP STOVE & BOUGHT THIS FOR MY PRESSURE COOKERS.I USE A PRESSURE COOKER OFTEN & I CAN WITH BIG COOKER EVERY YEAR.WELL WORTH ITS MONEY ,WORKS GREAT.JUDY IN TN.

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We bought this item as an addtional burner durign canning season, and it works great. Hits quickly, high heat too, not the run of the mill hot plate. Cast iron and stainless steel makes it a breeze to clean.

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This is a quality, substantial, well-built hotplate which is made in Germany. It is not a range. Ranges consist of several hotplates and at least one oven.

The cast iron surface is very well-finished, providing good friction to hold pots in place. The "slow-reacting" nature of cast iron burners renders them superb for many uses where constant even heat is required though less suitable for use where quick temperature adjustments are required. There is fine control of the heat output and it works superbly with cast iron dutch ovens. It also makes an excellent extra burner for those few times they are needed, and its portability makes it a good warming plate for use on or near the table.

This is NOT an inexpensive Wallymarket special. It is solidly built of stainless steel and is substantial enough to support and heat a full 14" diameter 30 qt. pot. though at 120v 1500w, it does take quite a long time to reach a boil. Great for an outdoor cookout (provided the long heat-up time is accommodated).

I am prepared to pay extra for quality products that are not made in China. This is well-worth the extra cost. I shall revisit this review if there is a problem with its longevity.

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Rome's #128 11 Inch x 16 Inch Pioneer Camp Grill, Chrome Plated Steel

it fits on the backpack no problem, it is a little heavy which for me is a big plus , feels heavy duty and not overly heavy, perfect for backpacking , wilderness camping etc.Good product.

Just so you know, a hot dog wont fall through this (I was wondering that when I bought it). Not much to say about it otherwise, but sturdy enough & it helped me cook my burgers while camping & not on the nasty outdoor grills provided by the campsite.

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Just great to carry in the motor home. Takes up little space, cleans easily, and we don't have to use 'public' grills. Legs are easily adjustible to different size fire rings.

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i went camping over two nights/three days last weekend, and this was the one thing we did not have. found it, liked the reviews here, so i took a chance. IT WAS GREAT, with a few buts....we camped with about 10 people, so EVERYONE used this thing. we cooked probably 20 burgers, steak tips, hot dogs, everything. it held up like a champ. it's good quality AND no hot dogs fell through the grates which are a good size! it's a little wobbly, so you gotta make sure there's room in your fire for this. also, for this price don't expect the best quality of metal. by the end of this trip it was pretty unstable and the legs were not as confident as they were when we arrived (but we did beat the heck out if it!).

so yeah, for this price you really can't go wrong. if it's just a family trip you may get more than one trip out of it. we ended up leaving this one at the site for the next person to give a shot. will definitely buy another for next trip!

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I am a huge fan of this grill compared to most of the other heavier duty ones. It folds flat and takes up little space in our camping gear. The legs are long enough to give sufficient room underneath so that you aren't completely charring your food. And there is enough surface area to cook meat and veggies all at once. It's lightweight enough to carry in a backpack without effort. Not great if you are only backpack camping because of the size, but it's great for car camping.