I have been happily surprised with the ease of cleaning and performance of these products. I cook lots of eggs in the microwave and dread soaking and cleaning the dishes. NordicWare is the easiest clean -no soaking or scrubbing necessary. Great dishes!
Really good microwave cookware bought a second set to give as a gift and a third set to keep for myself if the first set ever breaks 2 years first set is still going strong.
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This was an impule purchase that I am still happy I did. Everything is very easy to use and quick to clean.
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I did a LOT of research on microwave ware before buying this set (don't ask me why for a $20 item.. just my nature I guess) I ended up buying the set rather than just the popper/lid and griddle and cover simply because the cost was about the same to go for the set.
I have considered this review for some time. I use an old (1990 and was a "close out" unit at the time 1.25KW GE microwave.. hehe). Consider that in my opinion if you like.
The bacon rack, though perhaps a bit small, work great. My sister had one of these 20 years ago and it was, next to the microwave, probably her most used kitchen item. It WILL discolor with use, though it seems akin to the seasoning that develops on an iron skillet rather than "dirt"... ie its harmless other than maybe it doesn't look so good.
The "spattershield" basically works. It WILL break, but it's pretty tough (the first one I received had to be returned due to a broken spattershield in shipping). It IS a bit shallow and perhaps a bit small, but it serves its purpose in a variety of situations and does it well unless it gets broken.
The popcorn popper bowl is of the same "granite ware" as the bacon rack and serves well. it heats up so be careful of your fingers when you take it out. It works very well in my opinion. It will leave unpopped kernals, but this is more related to the age, humidity etc of the popcorn than the bowl.. {Wikipedia has a decent article on popcorn}. I used to use a fair amount of "microwave popcorn" but it is probably not very healthy and very expensive.. about 25-60 cents an ounce (and that's total oil, salt and all not just popcorn) while one can easily buy bulk popcorn for 1.5-3 cents an ounce.. so who cares if a few don't pop! The top (made of the same material as the spattershield) indeed "fits poorly". Truth is its not fitted at all! It simply sets in a groove.. all it does basically is keep popcorn in the bowl while letting steam out. The popcorn made this way IS dry (though not as bad as "air popped" corn) I add olive oil (or one could use "butter oil" instead. [I recommend Misto Gourmet Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer as it gives a very fine mist and you can use as little as you like.. and add salt of course if you like.] It's GREAT for HEALTHY SNACKS. This item is clearly the best microwave unit on the market I believe.. The bowl will also discolor a bit over time, expecially if you decide to pop in oil. If you want OIL IN THE CORN while popping I strongly recommend you use a stovetop Whirley-Pop Stovetop Popcorn Popper or electric popper type unit Back to Basics PC17589 Electric Stir-Crazy Popcorn Popper instead of microwave. I'll add another point.. this is a GREAT kitchen bowl! I find myself using it often.. it is sturdy, holds a fair amount and POURS GREAT with NO DRIPS.. :) .. just thought I'd mention it.. :)
The egg poacher works ok. It does as mentioned take some care in finding the "right method" for your microwave and whether you do 1 or 2 eggs at a time. It makes a decent egg when directions are followed and cleanup is absolutely amazing.. much better than any non-stick pan. An egg will "explode".. that is pop out and make a bit of a mess if you don't take some care to get this right. Of course the old stovetop "float it in simmering water" works fine too but is more hassle and more prep work. The hinges as also others mentioned are absolutely HORRIBLY DESIGNED. They hang, snap, pop when you don't expect throwing stuff around, etc.. if you hold your mouth right, put your finger just in the right place pushing the hinge hook around the hinge post to keep them tight and use the other hand to open/close it, it CAN be made to work OK. It becomes an art.
The omelet device works fine (how can they make THIS one work right with the hinge but make the poacher soooo bad???). I never use this as I just make omelets in a skillet, but for those who want it, it works fine and quickly if you follow the directions.
In summary, I think this is the best microwave set of its type on the market, but they are far from perfect. Also these are basically the same items they made and sold 20 years ago. With all the feedback (which has a great deal of aggreement from end users/customer) and improvements in materials science, I don't understand why over these many years they can't iron out the little points that make this set so frustrating.. its soooo close, BUT....
At any rate I'd say BUY IT and ENJOY IT but approach it with muted expectations. :) Hopefully we'll see better units emerge on the market.. perhaps even from Nordic Ware
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I am extremely pleased with these products. I purchased this set primarily for the popcorn popper and the omelet pan although I have used the bacon/meat rack as well.
The popcorn popper works great. I just put in the popcorn, let it pop and use a butter spray later to give the popcorn a buttery flavor. The instructions suggest not using any oil (it may stain the popper) but I called Nordic Ware and was told a little would be okay.
I use the omelet pan for scrambled eggs. I have moved away from Teflon pans because they scratch and I don't want to ingest Teflon. Stainless steel pans require butter or oil or the eggs stick and can be a problem to clean.
All you do is put the eggs in the pan, microwave a little, scramble the eggs again and then put the microwave on one more time. The eggs come off the pan without a problem and taste great. You can add topping when making an omelet or just plain eggs.
The bacon/meat rack with splatter cover is easy to clean. You can use both sides of the platter so you can cook on a flat surface or a ribbed surface.
I have yet to use the egg poacher. I will try it some day.
The use and care instructions say the cook set can be cleaned in the top rack of the dishwasher but I double checked this with customer service and I was told while I could do this it would be better to wash the products by hand. Since the products are easy to clean I just wash them in the sink.
Calling customer service at Nordic Ware was a pleasant surprise. I called twice and both times I got a knowledgeable agent who actually used the product. The company is based in Minneapolis and I am guessing that they actually have people at that location answering phones.
It is a rare pleasure to talk to customer service people who actually use the product you are calling about and can answer all your questions about the product. The customer service people at Nordic Ware like the products their company makes and are willing to give you tips on how best to use them. They are knowledgeable, friendly and very nice.
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I have owned 3 of these brushes in the past month. I wash all wood by hand, dry immediately and never allow the wood to sit in water. Still, the wood is a cheap brittle wood which soaks up water, expands and contracts and cracks--then the bristles fall out. One came cracked and the other two cracked after just a few uses. I went back to using my Rubbermaid brush designed similarly but with a plastic handle. I have owned other Rubbermaid brushes which have lasted 10 years so far. I have contacted the Lodge company about this brush. Lodge is a great company with EXCELLENT products. This product could lead some to a negative impression if they are not familiar with the usual outstanding quality of Lodge. I'm just surprised--almost stunned by how awful this brush is!
