Showing posts with label barbecue grill reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barbecue grill reviews. Show all posts

Friday, June 6, 2014

Ronco Showtime Digital Rotisserie and BBQ - Platinum Edition

Ronco Showtime Digital Rotisserie and BBQ - Platinum EditionMy father gifted us with this rotisserie a couple years ago. We love it. I lined the back guard with tin foil (behind the heating elements) and each time I cook, I line the catch tray with foil, as well as the piece that goes on top of it, taking time to cut slits in the same places as the tray so the drippings will still run off into the drip pan. Cleanup is a snap. I just toss the foil from the trays in the trash and use a little hot water and soap to clean off the rest. I don't replace the foil on the back guard every time, just wipe it down along with the rest of the oven inside and door, and it comes clean.

We have used this rotisserie a lot and it still performs as well as the day we got it. No squeaking that I'd read about in some reviews. The kabobs are a little tricky to get the hang of (I have a hard time getting them all connected without one or another popping out, but once all are in place, they stay put). The basket accessory is really nice for fish, burgers, and steak pieces too small to fit on the large skewers. We like this oven so much, we've even entrusted it with the holiday roasts for our family gatherings.

I bought a used Ronco Rotisserie on Craigslist 2 years ago. I wish I had splurged 20 years ago!! This is the best kitchen accoutrement there is. I have roasted a gamut of meats. It is super easy to thread a chicken on the skewers and if you put the heaviest end of whatever you are roasting toward the attached or "Bottom" wheel then load it on the left side (as you face the oven), with the wheel you attach supporting the smaller end of the meat on the right side of the contraption, after impaling your chicken, turkey breast, prime rib, or pork roast you will find the weight distribution fine if you pay attention! There will be no squeaking. Just a few hints I recommend.

1. When your roaster is brand new start using cooking spray on the removable parts. Wash after each use and re-spray. Don't forget the curved guard behind the heating element! It could be that covering this smoothly with foil will do the trick as another reviewer suggested. Otherwise this is an easy oven to clean. (No pun intended!) The "broiler tray" underneath washes off easily after a couple minutes in hot water in the sink during normal cleanup, I would NEVER bother with covering in foil, don't bother! Do NOT scratch it, or foil it!!!... too much work!! I remove the door and put it in the dishwasher for crystal clean glass. I suggest you wipe out the walls each time you roast, there is a bit of splatter. Also remember to give your roaster the respect it deserves.. ROOM from flammable items. Don't tuck it under the cabinet to "Superheat" I keep mine on a cutting board and pull it out a bit so the heat will not effect it's little storage space on the counter under my cabinet.

2. Completely thaw before roasting, in water is best for a fast thaw. If you cook with the inside of the chicken is still stiff, you will not get an optimum roast it could show pink near the cavity bone.

3. Think outside the box! First dry your meat! Then enjoy coating outside and inside of bird or your meat with olive oil, and spices... Our thanksgiving with 18 people was a super success, I roasted a HUGE bone in turkey breast to augment the 22 Lb turkey, as there are so many who prefer white meat.... I never even thought that my Rotisserie would become entertainment, but everyone wanted to watch it and the aroma was heavenly!

Buy Ronco Showtime Digital Rotisserie and BBQ - Platinum Edition Now

I researched this Set and Forget It rotisserie before ordering it. There were many "con" reviews, but I decided they would be the ones to be most vocal anyway. I got the digital model since most of the bad reviews concerned the dials on the other models. So far I've done two chickens and a turkey for Thanksgiving and have been very pleased with the way the food has turned out. I'm looking forward to trying it with other things.

Read Best Reviews of Ronco Showtime Digital Rotisserie and BBQ - Platinum Edition Here

Real nice product for the money, this is my 2nd one. First one lasted over seven years and only died because I had it pushed up to close to the electric outlet and melted the cord... my bad... If you like prime rib you will just love this product, great for cooking whole chickens or chicken parts also. You can't go wrong with this product.

Want Ronco Showtime Digital Rotisserie and BBQ - Platinum Edition Discount?

The product appears well made and I've so far been quite successful with cooking a pork loin roast, a beef rib roast, a hamburger steak, a flounder filet, and a 9# turkey breast, and all have turned out great. I think I've learned enough now to risk a good steak next! The owner's manual could be a bit more detailed , but I figured it out OK.

Biggest complaint is that the one way clip on the left side door pin slot should not be there, and I may perform a little surgery there. Then you could, after allowing door to cool down, easily remove it and take it to the sink to more easily clean it.

Save 13% Off

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8016 Stainless-Steel Beer-Can Chicken Rack with Drip Pan

Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8016 Stainless-Steel Beer-Can Chicken Rack with Drip Pan"Beer can chicken" has become quite popular in recent years because (1) the steam and vapors flavor the chicken from the inside cavity out and help keep it moist, (2) upright roasting has been popular with chefs because it's the optimal position to roast a chicken (fat drips away, heat surrounds the chicken 360 degrees, skin crisps up better).

This pan is a truly well made and well thought out solution to a problem. Using a beer can to roast chicken has several drawbacks and complications. The chicken is unstable and can easily tip over. A pan is still required to catch drippings and fat (even in an outdoor grill). You also might not like the idea of an aluminum beer can being inserted into your food and exposed to high heat. Recent studies have linked aluminum consumption to Alzheimer's Disease, for example, and who knows what chemicals or fumes are entering your chicken from the dyes and the can itself as your meal cooks?

With this pan, all those issues are no longer issues. A sturdy stainless steel construction ensures that your bird is held upright and sturdy with less risk of ruining your meal. The rack holds the can and bird in place very nicely. I was surprised just how heftily this pan was built. You can tell where your money went, as the pan is not at all cheap or flimsy as you might fear.

The pan comes with a stainless steel (non-reactive) canister to replace that questionable beer can you were thinking of shoving up your chicken's rear. Another bonus of using the canister is that you don't need to have a beer can handy just to make dinner (although I'm sure that isn't a problem for many people, but for those that don't drink or don't drink on a regular basis, it's a nice plus). Not to mention you can use any liquid you like: including wine, which is very nice indeed. Acids like wine or citrus actually react with aluminum to produce funky flavors (and also help leach out aluminum from the metal), but stainless steel is non-reactive and gives you peace of mind that your food will taste great and that you wont develop some strange disease.

There's also a heavy gauge drip pan to catch all that rendered fat and drippings. This is nice if you plan to make gravy, but equally nice to avoid needing a cookie sheet and preventing flare ups. The pan is very small, which is great for small grills and less clean up, but it's just the right size for most chickens. If you're cooking in an oven, you might wish you might still wish to place a small sheet of foil or a cookie sheet underneath the chicken, just in case your bird is a little on the large side and any drippings miss the pan. I've had no problems so far, though. The pan has two nice sturdy handles for easy insertion and retrieval. It even has a little pour spout designed to make emptying the drippings easier.

Clean up is also very easy. In fact, it is much, much easier than traditional chicken roasting pans (the kind with the slits that let the dripping run off into the bottom and the grease bakes right on). The small size limits evaporation of the juices (they pool up more, so less surface area) so they don't burn onto the pan and make clean up a real pain (not to mention ruin your gravy-making fodder). It's also much easier to fit in my sink to soak. As long as you soak it right after you cook, it's easy to clean and is dishwasher safe anyway.

The only complaint I have is that there were no recipes included in the box. Normally I would just ignore these anyway, but since the manufacturer is a BBQ guru, you'd think he'd at least throw in a couple of recipes for rubs and some suggestions. Eh, no big loss, though. Recipes are freely available online. I just used my pan for tonight's dinner and it came out fantastic. I prepared "Saint Nino's Chicken" (a Georgian recipe in honor of the current crisis) that I printed off Food Network's website. It was one of the moistest chickens I've ever had and the flavors were incredible and proliferated throughout the meat. It reminded me of the results of using a flavor injector (another new toy I recently acquired).

I highly recommend this pan, as I checked out all the other offerings and they all either seemed flimsy, unstable, cheap, or (in the case of the Weber) used a nonstick coating. I'm quite happy with my decision to buy this pan, and I'm sure you'll be satisfied too.

I'm not disappointed. It's pretty much as it is described. I like that it is stainless-steel. It's well made. It's easy to clean. The rack that holds the can and sits in the tray is very sturdy and stable (won't tip over during cooking). And it disassembles and stores back into the small box that it came in.

The only negative thing I can say is that it IS so small. I would have preferred a larger/deeper tray for the chicken to sit on. A few more inches in either direction and at least 2 inches in height for the base tray. If you think that little tray will hold all of the juices that come off of the chicken, you are in for a sad little mess at the bottom of your oven. To be fair, I probably used a large (4 pound) chicken BUT, I could COOK a 4 pound chicken. I was smart enough to put the whole assembly into a larger casserole dish. Next time, I will omit the bottom tray all together and just use the can, the rack and a casserole dish or roasting pan. That way, I can have enough room to put potatoes and vegetables around the base while it is cooking (like another poster suggested). Plus, I'll know that it will contain all of those wonderful juices that come off of the bird.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

Buy Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8016 Stainless-Steel Beer-Can Chicken Rack with Drip Pan Now

This product is great for the following reasons:

1 Stability (your chicken won't fall over during the cooking process as with just a standard can)

2 Quality is wonderful (not flimsy and cheap)

3 Dishwasher safe (easy to clean)

4 Not too big (so that it takes up the whole grill)

5 Priced well compared to other similiar products

6 No worries where the can has been and what inks might come off

Read Best Reviews of Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8016 Stainless-Steel Beer-Can Chicken Rack with Drip Pan Here

Once you cook beer-can style chicken, you will never go back to your old ways of cooking chicken. This has to be the most MAINTENANCE-FREE method of cooking chicken ever.

As you may already be aware, cooking chicken on a BBQ grill is a task in that you constantly have to monitor the chicken to make sure it is not flaming up. You also have to consistently flip the chicken so it will cook evenly on each side.

With this beer-can method, you just place the chicken on the can and let the BBQ grill do the rest.

Best results for me are as follows:

1. Season chicken with Lawry's or other favorite seasoning (I also throw some thyme in the inside of the chicken)

2. Let sit for an hour

3. Set up beer-can unit inside grill; fill can to 1/2-way mark w/your favorite beer

3. Place whole chicken inside and fire up the grill to 450F for about 10 minutes. (This is to sear the skin to keep the moisture inside.)

4. Drop grill temperature to about 350F for 1hr and 20 minutes.

5. When finished (1.5hr cooktime total) you will have the most juicy chicken you have ever tasted.

On a side note, this device will easily pay for itself in both time and money. You save precious time that you can now spend w/family and friends (still monitor the chicken but not as much in frequency). You save money because now I will buy a whole chicken which costs $0.88/lb rather than individual portions, breast or other that is in excess of $1.5/lb.

If you don't have one, buy one. They also make a great gift as well.

Want Steven Raichlen Best of Barbecue SR8016 Stainless-Steel Beer-Can Chicken Rack with Drip Pan Discount?

I've always felt it's probably a little unsanitary to use an aluminum beer can with inked labeling on a hot grill. Maybe not, but it gives me pause. This device works as a more stable and possibly more healthy alternative to a can of Bud. It is also perfect if you want to use other liquids such as wine, juice or whatever. The only downside is the clean-up. It consists of four parts, each of which get coated with chicken drippings and need some serious scrubbing to get off the cooked-on residue. I've found a dishwasher alone doesn't really remove all of it. A little scrubbing is necessary to really get the device clean.

This is certainly a useful item for us backyard cooks. It's a little inconvenient compared to using a beer can that can be tossed in the trash after using.

Save 29% Off

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, 4 Speeds

Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, 4 SpeedsI live in a medium sized 1 bedroom apartment. I wanted a small fan. I originally bought a smaller, $40 Vornado fan and found that I had to turn it all the way up to circulate air in the room, which meant the fan made a lot of noise. I did some comparison research on the Vornado web site, and found that this fan (the 660 series) has the lowest "power consumed to air moved" ratio of any other Vornado fan, meaning this is the most energy efficient fan that Vornado makes, so I returned the small fan and traded up for this fan.

This fan is much larger than what I thought I needed (and twice the price of the $40 fan I was looking at). This fan has better air circulation on the lowest setting than the smaller fan did on the highest setting. Since I'm using a lower fan setting, this fan is very quiet. Plus I have the option of turning it up all the way if I really want to move some air.

The directional focus of the fan works as advertised. I put the fan in one corner of the room, and can literally feel a column of air at the opposite corner of the room.

The circulation of the fan works as advertised. I can feel the fan drawing air in from the sides when I stand to one side of the fan. When I first turned the fan on, it was on a high shelf, and it drew up dust bunnies from the floor and spat them out. The temperature in the room feels more balanced. The AC doesn't seem to run as often (I'm writing this in the middle of the July 2010 heat wave in DC). There are no hot spots or cool spots in the room. I feel cooler, having a constant, subtle flow of air around me.

I'm very happy with this fan. This is one product that works as advertised and so far it has been worth every penny. I move it between the living room and the bedroom every day, and I will likely buy another one of these fans soon.

As the proud owner of several Vornado fans that I've purchased and used over the past 15 years, the Vornado 660B is especially interesting. First, as most (if not all) Vornado fans are currently made in China with lower quality and satisfaction than the American made Vornado's of past, the 660B also shares China as it's birthplace. Luckily, Vornado has done something really right in the design and manufacturing this time simply put, the 660B is easily the highest quality Vornado I've ever used. There is essentially no vibration or mechanical noise. On the lower speeds, plenty of air is moved with a very gentle sound (quieter and more airflow than the Dyson fan it was sitting next to on the shelf). On the higher speeds, there is a wind noise with lots of airflow. Compared to the rotary switch of old, the new push buttons on top of the fan housing are much easier to use and there is a gentle beep with each press.

Negatives? Being really picky, you could possibly be unhappy grabbing the chrome angle adjustment to use as a handle for moving the fan? Or possibly that you have to remove one phillips screw before pressing the three latches to remove the grill for cleaning of the blades? Realistically, my biggest complaint is that it takes a bit of wiggling and pressure to put the front grill back on.

I like this fan so much that I wrote to Vornado to let them know and to ask them if they would make additional sizes with the same excellent qualities. Their response was that the wish would be passed to their marketing department. If you think you will like this fan, buy it. That the Vornado 660B is also their most efficient is a nice bonus that makes it easier to leave the fan running for comfort.

Buy Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, 4 Speeds Now

This is my first Vornado fan, and I'm already planning to buy a second one for elsewhere in the house. This unit doesn't take up much room at all, but moves an amazing amount of air. It's so quiet when it's on the first couple of speeds that you can barely hear it. I've found that on hot summer nights, this fan works great in the bedroom. I have an older house, and the A/C doesn't reach the bedrooms very well. If I turn this fan on the lowest setting, or the second lowest, I'm comfortable all night long. I can keep my house a few degrees warmer, save electricity, and use this fan to stay comfortable. It really does what the manufacturer says, by circulating all of the air in the room! It has electronic button controls on the top of the housing which are easy to access when it's sitting on the floor. The friction tilt allows the fan to be positioned at infinite increments from up to down. I've been using this fan pretty much non-stop for several months, and am very happy with it.

Read Best Reviews of Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, 4 Speeds Here

Like all Vornado fans, this one is of extreme high quality, both in construction and durability. However, this particular model is my new favorite. Among my personal highlights:

Four speeds, instead of the normal three.

Push-button controls on the top of the fan, instead of the normal twist-dial. Goes directly to a specific speed instead of trial and error with dial.

Very quite almost can't hear the lowest speed. High speed is louder, but quite tolerable, especially given the large volume of air moved.

Air is driven in a tight column exactly where you want it to go.

I really like the curved metal rail on which the fan pivots up and down. Just the right amount of resistance, and always stays exactly where I want it.

Want Vornado 660 Whole Room Air Circulator, 4 Speeds Discount?

Vornado has a long reputation for making efficient, effective fans. The 660 Circulator is probably their most efficient, most effective and quietest fan. I cannot prove that, but I can testify that it is significantly more effective and quieter than their smaller fans, many of which I've owned. (The smaller fans don't move much air unless you turn them way up, and then they're really loud.)

Would I buy one again? I already have. I now have two 660s and they do their jobs well.

However, they are not perfect. The marketing claims the unit "fluidly tilts"—that's nonsense. It's easy enough to adjust (with two hands), and importantly, it stays put at whatever angle you choose. (That's a good thing.)

The major design blunder is the "intuitive push-button controls". These controls are five little buttons spread out over the top of the housing. They are hard to find in the dark, impossible to read in the dark, and even hard to read in the light. They emit a BEEP when pushed—the kind of beep that's likely to disturb anybody sleeping in the room. Moreover, when you power on the fan (BEEP!), it immediately launches at its fastest, loudest setting, producing a loud whoosh noise, until you find a lower setting (BEEP!). Whoever designed this "intuitive" button scheme is a fool. Well, at least they didn't add any glowing LEDs!

Save 29% Off

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Nordic Ware 13 Inch Crispy Dry Splatter Cover

Nordic Ware 13 Inch Crispy Dry Splatter CoverThis screen is a little lighter weight than the one it replaced, but it covers my largest skillet and helps keep the stove clean. Be careful how you store it or it may get bent. A reasonable product for the price. UPDATE After 3 months the screen has started to come loose from the frame and probably won't last much longer. It may warrant 3 stars rather than 4 for the short service life.

The previous splatter screen I had was one with the long handle which worked okay although I had to put a paper towel on top of it because the grease still came through the screen. After several years the screen finally gave out so I bought this one because it was on sale.

I still had to place a paper towel on this one since it is also a screen. With the handle being in the center one must be careful when lifting this as the oil CAN still splatter through and so can the steam. I normally used long tongs to lift the cover. In order to wash all the grease off, I had to place the screen on a flat surface (sink bottom). When washing the underside, I had to place the handle knob in the drain so that the screen was laying flat. After about the third use, I noticed that some of the edge was coming out of the circular rim. By the 5-6 washing, I couldn't really do a very good job because about half of the screen had come out of the circlar rim, making the raw screen edges stick out.

Just tossed in the the trash and bought a OXO Good Grips which is much sturdier.

Buy Nordic Ware 13 Inch Crispy Dry Splatter Cover Now

My roommate had a splatter guard with a long handle. I didn't like the long handle so I got this. The screen is quite flimsy and after one use had tears along the edge. That makes me not particularly happy. The other model I've had experience with had no give on the screen portion. More like a highly perforated thin but sturdy metal plate whereas this is just like window screen wrapped with a rim and a handle tossed on. I don't expect it to last long. But it does keep the grease in and allows the steam out.

Read Best Reviews of Nordic Ware 13 Inch Crispy Dry Splatter Cover Here

Actually, I like this so much better than those with that long handle sticking out the side. However, this one seems like it might be a little flimsy around the outside edge. I still prefer it to the old kind with the handle. It is big so covers my biggest frying pans.

Want Nordic Ware 13 Inch Crispy Dry Splatter Cover Discount?

I barely used this and within several months the knob started cutting through the screen because the screen is too thin for the weight of the knob. Too bad because it's impossible to find a black metal splatter guard (which is the sensible color for these things since the silver colored ones get stained brown over time and never come clean no matter how much you wash them...)

Save 27% Off

Friday, December 13, 2013

Weber 6655 Original Pincers

Weber 6655 Original Pincerswhat can i say they're just a different shaped tong for grilling and they're weber brand. they work fine, and they match the others (by weber) i have. they're made in china but so isn't most things no-a-days.

For this tool to work properly, the points need to meet. The the play built into the hinge allows the points to miss each other when closing. when handling small items, this is useless.

Buy Weber 6655 Original Pincers Now

Better than regular tongs for working with delicate foods. Best thing on the market. But what should you expect it's made by Webber

Read Best Reviews of Weber 6655 Original Pincers Here

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

T-fal Signature Nonstick 3-Quart Sauce Pan with Glass Lid Cookware

T-fal C1192474 Signature Nonstick Expert Interior Dishwasher Safe 3-Quart Sauce Pan with Glass Lid Cookware, BlackThis pot is great -heats evenly, cooks evenly and cleans up like a dream. I liked it so much I bought the matching frying pan and love that as well. I am changing away from my heavy stainless steel cookware the older I get since it's becoming too heavy for me to handle. This pan is heavy enough for even cooking, yet light enough to work with. You can't go wrong with this pot!

I got this pan as a gift for a friend and he loves it. the non-stick coating on the outside is a nice touch and he especially likes that the coating is resistant to scratches from utensils.

Buy T-fal Signature Nonstick 3-Quart Sauce Pan with Glass Lid Cookware Now

These pot and pans are great we love them would buy again and recommend to any one looking for a new set

Read Best Reviews of T-fal Signature Nonstick 3-Quart Sauce Pan with Glass Lid Cookware Here

It's T-fal, so it's a great product! I have owned T-fal pots and pans for years because they are highe quality that lasts at a good price! Easy to clean, dishwasher safe, heats evenly and lasts. I have only had to replace pots and pans maybe twice in 13 years and for the price you can not complain or beat that. Love my T-fal!

Want T-fal Signature Nonstick 3-Quart Sauce Pan with Glass Lid Cookware Discount?

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Porcelain Bbq Grid Large

Porcelain Bbq Grid LargeI am very pleased with thie BBQ grill. It was easy to adjust and install. I followed the directions and oiled it before use. Cleans up very nicely and leaves no "crunchy" residue behind. Of all the BBQ's I have owned, it is by far, the best for even heating and no sticking.

Save 86% Off

Saturday, August 24, 2013

BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set

BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware SetThis cookware was stated to be great for glass top stoves and " would never warp " ...unfortunately mine came slightly warped right out of the box. I called customer service and they were polite, and when asked if they were supposed to be perfectly flat he said yes and to return them if they werent. I opted for a refund and not a replacement. The sides of the stock pot are very thin as well as the other pans walls. They did boil water fairly quickly. Also, one reason I chose this set is because BergHoff is a Belgium company and I was under the impression that these were made in Belgium. When asked, the customer service representative could only say that they had plants all over the world and had no way of knowing where they were made. I'm trying not to buy stuff made in China and he said that it was possible they could have been made there. There was no indication where they were made either on the pans themselves or the box. The bottom of the pan did say BergHoff Belgium, but not made in Belgium. They were not packaged very well and I could hear pans rattling, although none were damaged. Being this is the first review of this set I feel bad giving such a negative impression, but its my honest assessment of this product and I feel that one of the strengths of amazon is the reviews, I find them to be very helpful.

Okay so a little background on me... I learned to cook in a steakhouse kitchen and I am accustomed to putting my cookware through absolute hell in order to get food turned out quickly. I've been extremely disappointed in a number of prominent brands because of their ability to stand up to high-heat, multi-condition cooking. I spend at least 20 hours a week in the kitchen at my house so I can be somewhat picky about my cookware.

I received this pan set as part of the Amazon Vine program and after seeing some of the initial reviews, I was ready to be disappointed. I can tell you after almost a month of using this set in every condition I could think of, this is a 5-star product. I have broiled with it, sautéed, cooked down tomato stock, deep fried, pan fried, and straight up baked with it. I've been nothing but thoroughly impressed. This is not "non-stick" cookware but I have yet to burn anything to it. Clean up has been amazing and as long as you follow the maintenance instructions included in the package you won't have any problems. Again though this is not a "non-stick" set; in all honesty, this set couldn't perform half as well as it does if it were. We have not yet had to soak any of the pans to get food off and we clean them with a nylon bristle brush (I have had more issues cleaning residue out of Teflon coated pans).

I really love the stock pan that it comes with and I had no problems with warping or staining after using to cook down several bushels of tomatoes over the course of two days (the pot was on heat for over 8 hours each time). I love being able to through the pans cover and all into the broiler to finish what I'm cooking or to hold it warm (again no problems with warping even in using the pans to broil in). I love being able to use my metal utensils instead of having to use flimsy nylon spatulas, etc. I've yet to scratch or mar any of my pans yet.

In my opinion this is an intermediate set of cookware for people used to cooking on stainless steel. If you rely heavily on non-stick cookware, it's going to take some getting used to. My only issue with using the pans (and this was more of a learning curve on my part) is that the pans hold heat really well. It takes some forethought when removing the pan from heat as it has a tendency to still cook for a few minutes after turning the burner off. If you want something that can hold up to heat and that will allow you to maintain a large degree of versatility in how you cook, go with this set. I have been shamelessly touting it to all my friends since I got it.

Buy BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set Now

Once upon a time, I was a very serious cook. There was nothing I wouldn't tackle in my home kitchen. Over the years, my cooking has become more utilitarian, with only occasional flights of creative fantasy. And with limited disposable income, I have to admit that I never have the best culinary tools on hand. I recently upgraded my pots and pans to the BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set, and I have to tell you, it's been a real eye-opener!

Here is what I mean by that: just by having better cooking implements, I get a noticeably improved end product. This is especially evident with, for instance, the sauté pans. These pans conduct heat better and more evenly than my old, cheap pans. Fish fillets and potstickers come out with a pleasing crispness that had been lacking or difficult to achieve in the past, and more evenly browned. This sort of difference is more difficult to quantify with a pasta pot, but who's to say the water isn't coming to a boil faster? I should really do an experiment to test this.)

These are not non-stick pans, so you'll have to use a little fat or Pam while cooking certain foods, but I have not had notable difficulty with foods sticking when they shouldn't.

My final comment is the most superficial, but it's worth noting how nice these pots and pans look in my kitchen! It's lovely to have a full matching set, and they're attractive enough that I feel I can serve in them. The ten pieces that make up this set are well-chosen. They may not fill every single culinary need that I have, but they're good for the vast majority of them. I have to admit that I've never cooked with the very finest/most expensive pots and pans on the market, so I can't compare, but the Earthchef set is such a radical improvement over what I had been using that I could not be more delighted!

Read Best Reviews of BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set Here

If you read Amazon's description, you'd think that this is a sort of organic or green non-stick cookware. But I think it's inadvertantly misleading because as I understand it, the description for this cookware covers a number of different products in BergHoff's "EarthChef" line, some of which have non-stick coatings. In fact, you can see the non-stick coating in the photos, but these appear to me to be regular stainless cookware and not non-stick cookware.

I sent an e-mail to BergHoff over a week ago to ask where these pans are made and I also asked what the thickness of the stainless was. To date I have not received a reply. Not good.

So what's the quality of the pans like? Frankly, I think it's just so-so. Most of my pans are All-Clad, Calphalon or Meyer. Generally, I think these pans are much lower quality. Obviously, you'd expect them to be inferior to All-Clad and the like, but even if you can get it out of your head that I even mentioned All-Clad, I think these are just ok pans and pots. Not great, not bad.

The material used seems thin. Also, I experienced more discoloration than what I was used to after only my first use. There was also a clear sticker over the copper disc on the bottom and I didn't see this. So it melted all over my burner and then baked on, making for a messy clean up.

This cookware is "copper clad" and while it took longer to heat than I might have expected, it did retain heat well. Not sure what make this cookware so Earthy, as they seem like regular old stainless pots and pans to me.

The cookware arrived packaged well and I did not notice any warping, as did another reviewer.

As of this writing, this set is a somewhere under $200 with free shipping. So that strikes me as being a reasonable deal for someone looking for a cookware set. So I suppose that I would generally recommend it, but you get what you pay for. It's a decent set, but not a great one, in my view. I'm disappointed that BergHoff doesn't promptly respond to their e-mails too. Hopefully, my experience was the exception and not the rule.

Want BergHOFF Earthchef Premium Copper Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set Discount?

I've been using these pans for about 3 months. The stainless steel is naturally non-stick. Although not to the same degree as Teflon, food washes off with minor elbow grease and a little warm soap. Which is okay with me since I'm trying to remove carcinogens from the kitchen. I've had to adjust my cooking due to the fact that the copper core heats up quickly and retains heat well. These pans are so good, I've realized just how crappy the stove is. Handles stay cool, and the classic design is a definite plus. I was also looking specifically for a set with a saucier (deep skillet), which is difficult to come by. Try a roux in this and you'll never go back to a saucepan. My killer mac and cheese sauce cooks up in 20 minutes now, versus the former hour! And the two-handle design and stove-friendly construction means this set is highly flexible. Can't recommend these any higher, looking forward to having these for years to come.

Save 25% Off

Monday, July 29, 2013

NCAA Duke Blue Devils Fiero 5-Piece BBQ Tool Set With Case

NCAA Duke Blue Devils Fiero 5-Piece BBQ Tool Set With CaseGot the BBQ set for my husband.. and we love it! The only thing I would change is that the case does not open all the way flat. Other than that, it's beautiful, and makes a wonderful gift.

Save 11% Off

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Lodge Logic Round Grill Press w/ Cool Grip Handle

Lodge Logic Round Grill Press w/ Cool Grip HandleThis is well made and the only negative aspect is its size. It is only 7 inches. I've been looking for at least a 9 inch bacon press and thought the ad said this was 9 inches, but I was mistaken.

The pros of this item is it has a flat bottom making it easy to clean. Also, you can remove the handle if you wish to ad to clean up the screw holes easier. I wonder if anyone will ever make one of these with a "flat" bottom that is larger than 7 inches.

Save 29% Off

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Weber Style 3 pc. Tool Set

Weber Style 3 pc. Tool SetMy husband and I both love grilling, so I wanted to get him a quality set of grilling utensils for our anniversary. I wasn't disappointed! These are stylish and very sturdy. I couldn't be happier! I think we'll probably have this set for years and years. I also purchased the matching fish turner, and I'm thinking about getting the vegetable basket too. Great line of products.

Best Father's Day gift we gave in a while! These are sturdy, well made grilling tools. Perfect starter set. Additional tools that match this set are available to expand your collection.

Buy Weber Style 3 pc. Tool Set Now