Monday, August 18, 2014
DeLonghi BQ100 12-1/2-by-9-Inch Nonstick Griddle Plate
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Cuisinart EPM-7 Electric Nonstick Griddle, Stainless Steel
I purchased a CUISINART glass lid lid and my steaks and loins are unbeatable.
Why it is no longer offered by CUISINART, I do not know.
Get one while they are still available.
Buy Cuisinart EPM-7 Electric Nonstick Griddle, Stainless Steel Now
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Outset A902, Replacement bristles for QT40, QB40 & QB45
So now, I am left without any brush. Basically, I can buy the cheapy ones that get nasty after a while and I have to throw away, or I can continue to use my tongs or a spatula edge to scrape of the debris. Maybe that is the right way to address grill debris anyway...a brush will always wear out.
I took pictures of it, I will attach to the review later.I bought one of these for my husband for father's day almost 3 years ago and am just now replacing the bristles. We grill regularly both summer and winter, and like a clean grate :). This brush did an excellent job of eliminating the gook, and has (obviously) held up extremely well. We have had no issues with bristles coming out and a previous reviewer reported, personally.
Buy Outset A902, Replacement bristles for QT40, QB40 & QB45 Now
Seems to work great as long as you scrub twice across your grill, and don't keep scrubbing for over a minute over a hot grill until the plastic base melts.Read Best Reviews of Outset A902, Replacement bristles for QT40, QB40 & QB45 Here
Friday, June 20, 2014
Maverick ET-7 Remote-Check Wireless Thermometer With 2 Probes
Buy Maverick ET-7 Remote-Check Wireless Thermometer With 2 Probes Now
This thing is very handy. I am just getting the hang of a new smoker, and bought this so I did not have to be chained to the smoker on hot summer days.I put one probe in the smoker to measure heat temp, and the other in a pork shoulder. It alternates back and forth between the two, constantly keeping me update. the convenience is awesome. Allows me to work on my computer and take care of customers while I smoke my meat.
This is the first time I've used it, so I don't know about battery life, but regardless, it is great. The radio reception works great through an outside and one interior wall.
UPDATE (June 30, 2012): In the years since I wrote this review, I've bought another one just like it so I can monitor up to 3 pieces of meat while monitoring the smoker temp. I've cooked a lot with these, and have never regretted buying them. Seriously cannot imagine life without it. BUY. IT. NOW.
Read Best Reviews of Maverick ET-7 Remote-Check Wireless Thermometer With 2 Probes Here
This transmitter works flawlessly. The dual-probes let you track two meats or if you are like me and like to cook things at low (200-250 degree) temperatures it is invaluable to free you from having to sit next to the grill the whole time.You can set your own custom temperature you want it to alert you at if none of the presets work (in my case I just set one of them up to beep if it goes above 275 so I know it is getting too hot...)
Unlike other wireless transmitters this one is rated up to 500 degrees... and if it gets out of range it will display "HHH" instead of just frying itself like other brands probes. If a probe should ever go bad Maverick will replace it for free (instructions in the box tell you where to mail it to)
The only reason this thermometer doesn't get 5 stars is because the interface is not completely intuitive... You really do have to read the manual to figure out how to do basic things like reset the countdown timer, or set the clock. The other thing keeping it from being a 5-star unit is the lack of setting a "temperature floor" that you want it to beep if it gets "below" which would be useful for when I'm using it as a gril thermometer.
The few drawbacks aside: this is an excellent unit that works wonderfully well. Heck it even comes with batteries! Buy it today and you wont regret it.
UPDATE: 2010 -
This thing died on me after about a year of using it. For most things now I use a thermapen, and for wireless stuff I use a stoker connected to wifi so I haven't missed this very much.
I would no longer recommend this unless you are looking for a cheap thermometer that might not last that long.
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I was hesitant to buy given some of the reviews, but it seems to work well. Temps from the two probes are within 1-2 degrees of each other, and the signal gets through to the receiver which is about 40 feet away inside the kitchen. I thought at first it wasn't working, but it seems as if the unit only transmits when the temperature changes. So if you are testing it and it's just sitting outside and the temperature is stable, it looks like it's not working. It does occasionally miss a transmission, so the receiver might be a few degrees off from the transmitter, but then it seems to catch up on the next transmission ten or twenty seconds later. This is not the best way to design this, but it seems to work well enough. The controls are a little clunky, hence the 4 stars, but it does seem to work for me. Also, you can customize the settings for doneness, despite reviews to the contrary, but you have to read the instructions and realize that there are two temperature tables -actually it's quite flexible. It does lose all the settings including the time of day if you turn it off, but there's a standby mode that only runs the clock. Again, not the best design, and they could probably have made it more robust for another $5, but it works well as a basic temperature monitor, and is sure beats running in and outside all day to monitor the smoker temperature.Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Continental Electricss CP43529 Stainless Steel Panini Grill
It gets the meat and cheese nice and hot without burning the bread.I got this for my mom as a Christmas gift. She was using a model that must have been 40 years old, but still worked. However, it looked like hell and the worn out cord was not encouraging either. I took the chance and got this one from one of the sellers outside of Amazon. It was shipped on time and the quality of the product is very good. This thing makes priceless toasted sandwiches, just like at the stores. Highly recommended. She loves it.
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Me and my boyfriend love paninis and this press does the trick. It doesn't get really hot and you have to really press down to get the panini effect, but for the price I think it's perfect.Read Best Reviews of Continental Electricss CP43529 Stainless Steel Panini Grill Here
I only rated this product a 3 because the heat is not evenly distributed. For the price its alright.....but I wish that I would have invested in something better. The Panini maker heats up quickly and is very easy to clean but overall you have to flip the sandwiches to get a fully even cook.Want Continental Electricss CP43529 Stainless Steel Panini Grill Discount?
After reading several reviews I bought this item, and glad I did. It is very easy to use, the sandwiches are toasty and warm. It's a keeper!Sunday, March 16, 2014
Weber 6405 All-Purpose Kabob Set
My son used wooden skewers, which burnt, shriveled, hard to remove, etc.
Found this product...very good, mainly because of the metal skewers and stand, which keeps the food off the grill. Also, the skewers are not round, but retangular, which keeps food from rotating when you turn them over. The skewers have a nice round circle at the end, easy for rotating.
Also, when you bring them in, they cool quickly, so we were able to pick them up without gloves, napkins, etc. Good product, good price, go for it!
Buy Weber 6405 All-Purpose Kabob Set Now
I really like making vegetable kabobs on the grill to accompany my summer meals, but I really don't like trying to pinch hold of and rotate round skewers to grill foods evenly, especially when the maneuver makes some of the more tender ones (cherry tomatoes, for example) fall right off. Although wooden skewers are relatively inexpensive, it also feels wasteful to throw away charred skewers after every use. The Weber Kabob Set made it onto my wish list pretty quickly, and made it onto my grill not long after that.The skewers are rectangular instead of round, so any combination of foods stays on easily and can be turned readily. The big, round ends are easy to grasp with a grill mitt or tongs. The skewers are thicker than typical wooden ones, so you have to give some thought to how small you cut your vegetables, but their size and sturdiness makes them ideal for meats. The rack is handy not only for grilling (although the skewers can be laid directly on the grate, if you like), but also for holding the kabobs when they come off the grill.
I have several of the Weber grill accessories, but the kabob set is the one that stays in heaviest rotation all summer long. Well...on second thought, maybe the char baskets Weber-Stephen 7403 Char-Basket Charcoal Fuel Holders, but when it comes to the food, itself, the kabob set is definitely the front runner!
Read Best Reviews of Weber 6405 All-Purpose Kabob Set Here
Good quality, nice weight but be sure to clean the skewers thoroughly with soap and water and also a scouring pad before using. There was some grease on them perhaps from being "machined". It fits perfectly on my Weber Q100 grill.Want Weber 6405 All-Purpose Kabob Set Discount?
Based on the reviews I had hoped this would work well on my Weber gas grill. Unfortunately, it doesn't. Although well made, when loaded with meat and vegetables, the rack isn't wide or high enough to prevent contact with adjacent skewers or the grill surface.Unless you load very small pieces of food the lack of clearance is a big problem. The solution of course is to jettison the rack and lay the skewers directly on the grill. Works much better but I could have accomplished this more cheaply.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Secura Halogen Infrared Turbo Convection Countertop Oven, Deluxe Package W/extender Ring;tong;cook
It's easier to clean than I thought it would be it really does just rinse out with a quick swish. I got this model because I wanted the manual control knobs rather than the digital and I have no problems with them at all. It is quiet, only the timer and fan make noise and they are both really quiet.
I was most surprised at how quickly and perfectly that golden brown crust formed on the chicken and the pork. I also cooked some steak fries and they browned quickly and cooked quickly as well.
I plan to get one of these for each of my kids to use as well.A friend of mine has a Flavorwave Oven and he loves it. He uses it daily. After seeing it in action myself on several occasions and eating the beef, chicken and fish cooked in it I decided to get one of my own. I searched Amazon.com and found this Secura Infrared Tabletop Turbo Oven Pro S-777MH. It looks very close to Flavorwave Oven but costs only 2/3 and with a free Extender Ring. It has a five star review, though only two reviews. I decided to give it a try.
I have made beef, chicken, pork loin, sausage rings, chicken thighs and fish in here, as well as some veggies. The meat/fish/chicken is so juicy, flavorful with no fat or oil when it comes out of the cooker the first time. Re-heated in the cooker still yields a moist piece of meat, not like what happens when reheated in a microwave or regular oven. Processed foods like pizza rolls and breaded butterfly shrimp turned out perfect in about 10 minutes.
The glass bottom cleans easily in hot soapy water when needed; many times, a wipe-down with a wet paper towel is all that is needed to clean the inside sides. I keep a foil on the bottom, so that's easily removed and replaced. If you're cooking something really splatters, you can line the entire bottom with foil, up to within an inch of the brim.
The free expander ring adds a couple of inches to the height of this unit and makes it look very decent.
All in all, I am very glad I got it. It is an awesome, stylish and healthy appliance.Received the oven approx. 8 weeks ago.
Shipping was OK, whole handling of order was w/o any problems.
I was impressed: nice glass bowl, whole setup of good quality.
One small problem I noticed initially : Cooking recommendation were in Degrees Celsius, but oven top showed Degree Fahrenheit. I would recommend that the manufactures changes that ( should be easily done).
First time use : cooked some chicken : cooking was o.k, meat came out juicy, nice browning.
So far so good , oven seemed to be as promised.
But then at second time use : .... nothing the lamp was not working/ no heat.
Contacted Lafraise , they responded immediately and addressed the problem. After review I received without any problems a brand new replacement unit. I am impressed and this unit now works works fine.
Some tips for convection oven cooking in general you need lower temperature settings.
I would recommend as a general guidelines to start with 325 F , then play around with time features and settings ( high or low rack) . It also helps to get a convection oven cookbook (if you never cooked with this type of oven before)
As a conclusion : the oven gets 4-5 stars as I use it as a second unit for smaller meals -
but Lafraise gets 5 stars for their customer service and this is for me the most important factor. There can always be a glitch in a manufactured product but this was easily solved as the company stood behind their product.I bought this oven in July 2010 and loved it. We use it probably 2-3 times per week, sometimes more. I had a NuWave turbo oven for 3-1/2 years prior to the Secura and the plastic cover cracked. Since it couldn't be replaced we searched for one with a glass cover. I did a lot of research and found good reviews on this oven so I got it. Last night, I put in burgers to cook and when I turned the unit on it started making funny noises. I was still standing there but by the time I could reach out to turn it off it started sparking and caught fire. By the time I reached over to unplug it I had flames and smoke(at least the glass contained the fire). I called Secura today to notify them and see if it was covered under the manufacturer's warranty and they said "nope". That is all they would say!! I'm out $100 bucks for something that didn't work for even 1 year and the company won't stand behind their product. Even though the NuWave has a plastic cover I'm going back to it. At least it lasted over 3 years! This may have been a fluke but beware. It caught on fire so fast! I am so thankful that I was standing right there.I had a Thane Flavorwave that finally wore out, and I bought one of these. It cuts the Thane to pieces.
This is the best turbo oven I've ever used. The only drawback is that the cooking area is a little smaller than the Thane's -but the construction and the results are so superior that it's a great trade.
One word of advice: you have to plug the power cord into the back of the heating unit. IT CAN WIGGLE JUST A TINY BIT LOOSE and the oven dies. If your oven stops working, just push the cord in a little harder, and it should be as good as new.
A really good product.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Music City Metals 11602 Stainless Steel Burner Head Replacement for Gas Grill Models Turco 52050 an
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Nordic Ware 365 Indoor/Outdoor Grill-Steam-Bake Multi Cooker
Buy Nordic Ware 365 Indoor/Outdoor Grill-Steam-Bake Multi Cooker Now
Non-stick coating is as durable as tissue paper.I only used this once, to grill some salmon. I didn't use any metal utensils, and was gentle about placing it on the grill. When I washed it and looked at it later, it had 3-4 scratches. They weren't deep, but they were enough that they pulled the coating right off. I prefer not to have non-stick coating in my food so I had to return it.
As far as how it performed, it did really well. My fish came out perfect. You can also use this to bake in the oven and poach. Very useful little cooker. I was really bummed about the durability, it's such a great idea, just uses poor quality materials.
Read Best Reviews of Nordic Ware 365 Indoor/Outdoor Grill-Steam-Bake Multi Cooker Here
Vic Firth Border Grill 8-Inch Pepper Mill
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Charcoal Companion Explorer Stainless-Steel Grilling Tongs with Folding Rosewood Handles
The reason I wanted to buy these tongs was to be able to take them with me when I go backpacking on overnight trips because of how the design allows you to fold up the tongs into a compact fashion. I really liked the wooden design on the handle and the sturdy metal material they were reinforced with.
Pros:
Great overall design
Durable and sturdy
Compact yet not too "heavy" --> for backpacking
Cons:
When I opened up the package today in the mail, I immediately noticed scratch marks on the wooded handle and on the metal part of the tongs as well. The thing that really upset me was that the tongs didn't even work!! The release pins that lock the folding parts of the tongs were both broken and not only could I not open them easily without jimmying them but when I did, the tongs didn't stay open and were loose and when I tried to close them, they got stuck again and I had to use a flat head screw driver to release the release pins by prying them open. I'm not a picky consumer and don't like giving anyone a hard time when buying things and wouldn't have wrote this review for no reason but when I buy something, I expect them to work; not to mention that I bought them brand new! At the same time, even if I had bought used or blemished tongs or any item for that matter, I expect them to work correctly, the scratches were the least of my concern and would've let that slide if that were the only thing wrong with them (even though I bought them new).
In closing, I went to Bass Pro Shops here in Mesa, Arizona and looked at these same tongs in the store, they were a million times better in quality. Needless to say, I made up a story and was actually able to exchange them for store credit and ended up saving money since they were $15 more at BPS. It all worked out for me but a little word to the wise DO NOT buy these tongs from this company and find another one that is more reliable. I understand sometimes people have bad experiences with companies but I think this "exception" is inexcusable. In addition, there was no phone number to call on my order form they sent me with the tongs in the package so I didn't bother even trying to but in any effort to call them because if they're going to send someone a product like the one I received, I don't see why they'd be of any more help anyways; which is why I just went to BPS instead to try my luck there, fortunately it worked out for me.
I wrote this review for you, the consumer, to help and I wouldn't have taken the time to do this otherwise but I don't want anyone else to have to go through the same issues as I did. If you have comments or questions about other places to buy this product cheaply and reliably, just message me on the review and I'd be more than happy to help you out.
Thanks and I hope this helps,
Greg Boston, MassachusettsThese were a gift to my husband for Father's Day. I was looking for a fun set of grilling tools and scored with these tongs! (I also purchased the spatula and fork) I originally purchased them for the "fun factor" of being able to fold them up like a pocket knife and put them in a drawer; when I received them I found I got more than I bargained for. The rosewood handles are very nice and the stainless steel is very sturdy, they are very well made and easy to open and close.
However, if you have small or weak hands these will not work very well; you need a large, strong grip in order to wield these.
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Looked better than it even showed on the pictures. It works very well. good drip. I would recommend this product.I bought his along with the folding spatula and fork that are sold by the same company because I wanted something compact to keep with my gear. We do a lot of camping out of the trunk of our cars and don't have a lot of space for storage at home so I thought they would do the trick for us. They only take up 1/2 the amount of space that the old ones did.They are a very well made item made with good quality wood and metal. I like that the fold in half and lock in place relatively easily. This also holds true for closing them as well. The curve in the handle makes them feel just right in your hand. About the only complaint that I have is that they feel a little springy. What I mean is that it doesn't feel like it really has enough torque so that you could pick up a really heavy piece of meat. They have done the job nicely with sausage and steaks which is about all I would use them for but I am definitely conscious not to drop the steak when I take it from the fire to the serving board.
I would definitely buy these again.Purchased this as a gift for an avid Griller and Smoker ... he was very happy with the tongs -they worked very well for him and could fold down for easier storage when not in use.

