Showing posts with label grilled peaches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grilled peaches. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Amana 4.8 cu. ft. Self-Cleaning Electric Range, AER5830VAW, White

Amana 4.8 cu. ft. Self-Cleaning Electric Range, AER5830VAW, White
  • Adjustable Self-Cleaning Oven
  • Extra Large Oven Window
  • Glass Ceramic SpillSaver Upswept Cooktop with Ribbon Radiant Elements
  • Delay Bake Oven Control
  • Easy Touch Electronic Oven Controls

The Amana AER5830VAW Self-Cleaning Electric Range has been an excellent appliance so far. This is the first time I've owned an Amana, but I've owned/used several Whirlpool, Maytag, and GE ranges. Of course, these days many are all manufactured by one or two companies. The AER5830VAW has a good combination of aesthetic design and useful features.

I consider the look and design of this range to have a bit of a modern feel with classic details. The glass ceramic cooktop is sleek and inviting. The top of the range with the knobs and control center is a bit more classic. It does have an easy touch digital control center for timers, oven temperature, etc. The front of the unit is fairly standard, but I really like the extra-large oven window. That combined with a bright interior light gives you a great view of what is cooking without having to open the door.

The glass ceramic cooktop is great. So far, it's been easy to maintain and clean. The heating elements heat up very quickly. The AER5830VAW includes two 6" and two 10" elements with a good amount of spacing in-between them. If you are used to the standard heating coil ranges it will take a little getting used to, but I've really been enjoying the quick heating elements of the Amana and more even cooking.

The oven itself seems spacious and includes two racks. It has 4.8 cubic feet, which is standard or a little larger I believe, but it feels like it has plenty of room. While the self-cleaning feature isn't really anything new, it is nice to have and is adjustable based on how much cleaning needs to be done. Again, the large viewing window is definitely a nice addition. I felt like the oven was a little slow to preheat, but that could have just been my excitement (guess I should remember that a watched pot never boils). It has timed bake, as well as the ability to do a delay bake. The custom broil option is also nice, allowing you to broil delicate items at a lower heat. The oven door is nice and sturdy as well.

One downside is the storage drawer on the bottom. I've noticed that just about every manufacturer has started to neglect the storage drawer, using just a small flimsy system. Storage compared to my older range was probably cut in half, or at least it feels that way. Upon opening the drawer it doesn't stay on track as well and isn't really smooth at all. Again, this seems to be a trend with ranges today and not just this Amana model.

Overall, the Amana AER5830VAW is a nice looking unit that provides some great features. I'd give the unit five stars on the most important features: the oven and cooking surface. I really hesitated on whether to give it four stars or five stars overall. While the storage drawer isn't vital to the operation of the range, it did give it a bit of a cheap feel. Had the drawer been sturdier and the design a bit more modern I would have gone five stars all the way. But overall, I don't think you could go wrong with this range for its features and cooking ability.

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I am a fan of this stove (the Amana AER5830VAW). First off, the measurements were spot on, and the 30" width was exactly right for the snug space it was fitted into between two cabinets, which is always a concern.

The glass cooking surface heats up VERY quickly, especially compared to my old Kenmore unit, which is pretty great. I've also found the surface very easy to clean all the way to the raised edges, and I haven't had any problem or concerns around chipping or scratching yet, and find the dark surface (i) contrasts nicely with the white body, and (ii) makes little splashes of spaghetti sauce or whatever much less noticeable than on some white surfaces. Plus, the surface really does look good.

While I haven't done this yet, the oven space itself is spacious enough to put a roasting pan with a turkey into it without feer that it is too tight. It has (possibly standard?!) 5 tray racks for raising/lowering the racks, so nothing too unusual there. It came with 2 racks. I like the big'ish window to be able to see your food cooking, which is vastly better than my old unit's, which would always force me to open the door (thus letting the heat out) to see how things were progressing.

The controls are fairly straightforward, with digital controls for some features like oven temperature and times, and the digital clock, and old-school knobs to control the burners. All of these seem to work without any real hassle, as they should. One minor grips is that I find the white knobs a little cheap looking compared to the rest of the unit but not enough to warrant a big strike against this stove; I just thought this was a little place where Amana could improve upon the product.

Below the oven is a small-medium sized drawer where you can store pots, pans, or whatever. I wasn't too impressed by this, as it seemed a bit light / flimsy compared to the rest of the unit. I'll be using it to store some flat pans and similar items which I don't use often, as I don't want to have to open/close the thing every time I want to get at any of my regular-use items.

Overall, I am very pleased with this product. It has performed very well, is stylish but not gaudy,has a good cooktop (which is what I use the most), and fairly straightforward functionality. I would recommend this product.

Read Best Reviews of Amana 4.8 cu. ft. Self-Cleaning Electric Range, AER5830VAW, White Here

First of all let me say that Amazon's appliance program is a hit with me. The JB Hunt delivery service was flawless, and the installation folks were very professional and communicated well. I have had installation services from Sears and Home Depot, this program from Amazon was just as good if not better. I would have all the confidence in the world purchasing again.

On the the range:

The range itself is nice and simple in many of its features, except the actual stove top. Which is fantastic. The electric flat surface is really nice and is a bit of a "wow" thing when you first see it.

I personally had this unit installed in a rental property and the appearance is very "upscale" without being too much so.

The cooking surface is flat with a raised lip to catch liquids that spill and is super easy to keep clean, compared to traditional cooking surfaces.

Because the old range was hauled away, I couldn't do a completely unbiased "speed test" for boiling water (or other tests), but this range does seem to heat just as fast. The oven seems great and the larger window is nice. Although the claim on the extra large window seems a bit misleading ... or at least exaggerated a little .... most ovens now have a larger window compared to the much older units. But not so much compared to most newer units. So take that selling point with a grain of salt. I would not let that be your big buying point on this range.

What I would contemplate, is the super slick flat cooking area, coupled with some newer digital features and you have a quality oven that (seems so far) to work great and is also up to date with modern oven technology.

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We're not professional chefs, but we are home cooks, and we have been using this range daily.

The Amana dimensions are: H:47" W:30" D:25" which must be a standard width and depth since it fit exactly where our old range used to be. It's a completely electric range with a digital clock/timer and different levels of self cleaning depending on how much you dirtied your oven (i.e. it basically just has different heat levels to burn off whatever food residue may have spilled). There are 5 rack positions and a "hot surface" indicator. I can't imagine using the delay bake function very often except maybe with bread, but it's still a nice added feature. The (2) 6 inch and (2) 10 inch burners give ample room on the range so there's no overcrowding of pots/pans.

Keep in mind that although a gas range is preferable for serious cooks, it's not the best idea when you have kids who may accidentally turn on the gas. The coil range is the cheapeast, but a smooth cooktop is so much easier to clean. This is a conventional oven (not convection).

I found that the overall satisfaction of the Amana brand was ranked low by JD Power, but keep in mind rankings were based on brand satisfaction and NOT by model/appliance. We actually have an Amana washer/dryer set which has lasted us 15 years without any sort of repair to date.

Very satisfied so far with this range but will update if any concerns arise.

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I've been using this range for almost a month now and I've yet to find any problems. I had a convection Kenmore range for almost ten years prior to this one and both the oven and the cooktop are much better with the new range. The cooking surface heats up astonishing fast compared to any other range I've used and the oven cooks more evenly and I'm able to follow the instructions on most packages without burning whatever I'm making. I also like how the black stove top hides the burn marks much better than the white tops do. All controls are well placed and easy to understand and seeing the food in the oven is easy with the big window and bright light. So I would highly recommend this range to anyone that asked.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Epicurean BBQ Salver, Red with Natural Cutting Board

Epicurean BBQ Salver, Red with Natural Cutting BoardThis product is everything it s advertised as. It great being able to bring everything out to the grill at one time. And "flippable" cutting board is great because I don't have to run in and get a clean plate to put the cooked meat on! The "nob" underneath is great for holding on to the trey with one hand. But here is my one complaint, it is actually a little too big. Even with one hand free it is difficult to get through the door. But other than that I love it!

If you spend a lot of time in front of a grill or over an open pit and consider yourself the King of BBQ then this is a must have item for you.

Every aspect of this cutting board is a great value. A great advantage is the ability to hold the board with one hand from the bottom because it makes it easy to get in and out of the house will all of your favorite BBQ items.

The only slight negative (which really is a necessity) is that the cutting board fits tightly into the designated slot and that makes it difficult to flip over.

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I love the Epicurean boards, and at the gold box price, it was a deal just for the board alone. The BBQ Salver part is enormousI can't fit it in any cabinet. That said, it balanced nicely on the side table by my grill, and came in handy so that I could flip the board for a clean surface.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Grill Daddy Replacement Brush

Grill Daddy Replacement BrushI've been using the grill daddy for about a year now and I absolutely love this tool! It makes cleaning my grill so much easier than using a standard dry grill brush. The simple yet effective design of having a little water drip out to create steam which cleans the grill is brilliant. My original brush lasted about 9 months, and then it was time to replace due to the bristles wearing flat. The replacement head fits the body of the brush perfectly. Even comes with replacement wingnut and screws which is nice since the original ones have rusted out a bit. I'm being more careful to put a little less pressure on the brush when cleaning my grill so that my bristles last a little longer...basically letting the steam do all the work. This technique is working fine, but when it's time to replace the brush again, I will be ordering this product again.

This is my second Grill Daddy. It was purchased as a gift to a dear friend that admired mine.Grill Daddy GD12952S Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush Be sure to get the one that steam cleans, the only way to clean a dirty grill.

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Unless you have a ridiculously large grill this thing is WAY OVERSIZED! We have the regular Grill Daddy and the hole for filling with water is quite small, but the product itself works brilliantly. I chose this one for my dad since the opening appeared larger and therefore easier to fill. Upon opening the product we have died laughing as this is HUGE and designed to be used with two hands to use across the grill. Stick with the regular one and just be patient while filling it with water. I'm honestly too embarrassed to give this as a gift, but my husband insists it will be worth the look on my dad's face and the additional laughter that follows!

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I just bought this and it is amazing. We have an electric Bistro infrared grill (apt. complex does not allow charcoal or propane) :(

This cleans even the most baked on stuff like chicken skin that burns on the grill. I let the grill continue to heat for 5 to 10 minutes and then used the grill daddy. Where has this been all my life. You will not be disappointed, trust me.

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Works great! Can't believe how easy it makes cleaning the grill. Naturally, you should crank the temp up and let the grill super cook the residue before you use the Grill Daddy.

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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Porcelain Coated Stainless Steel Wire Cooking Grid for Charbroil, Kenmore and Thermos Grills

Porcelain Coated Stainless Steel Wire Cooking Grid for Charbroil, Kenmore and Thermos GrillsOverall these grates work reasonably well. The spacing between the bars could be smaller, I've had a few pieces of fish want to slip through. Also, the fit to the grill is not very tight. When I brush the grates they move out of place a bit. The porcelain coating does seem to be holding up well. I'd rate them a 3 out of 5.

I did notice that while the online ad clearly calls these stainless steel, the packaging did not. Actually, the packaging is generic and states they could be made from "chrome steel wire", :steel wire" or "cast iron".

Overall, a cheap choice for replacement grates that seem to do a reasonable job.

This is the best value out there for your Charbroil professional series grill.

A lot less money than from Charbroil

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So I was debating between getting these or the OEM ones direct from Charbroil (which are 3 times the price) and I decided to give these a try. They fit the grill perfectly and even if I get a few years out of them and have to buy them again, it will still wind up being cheaper than buying the originals. I find that if I keep them Olive Oiled up before and after grilling, they tend to never need a major cleaning.

Read Best Reviews of Porcelain Coated Stainless Steel Wire Cooking Grid for Charbroil, Kenmore and Thermos Grills Here

These grates are pretty good, but definitely not as nice as the cast iron type, so I still kept my old grates, just in case I want to really sear meat. These grates are definitely easier to clean than the cast iron grates, though. At least I didn't have to spend $100 and I was still able to get some decent grates to cook on.

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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Fire Wire Stainless Steel Flexible Grilling Skewer, Set of 4

Fire Wire Stainless Steel Flexible Grilling Skewer, Set of 4Ordered these skewers as a gift for my boyfriend's parents who are very into grilling. First time I'd seen these was on Woot.com and since then all over the place. We used them for dinner over the weekend. They are very long, easy to thread food onto, very easy to work with on the grill and unloading food once cooked. Fun and versatile, very practical for snaking around a small space or around other food. Overall, easy to work with: food flipped easily and did not move around on the skewer. Quick clean-up. Recommended product!

Allow me to start by telling you that, by 2012, the technology in skewers should be top notch and beyond improvement. These Firewire Grilling Skewers represent that penultimate achievement. With that said, I'll try and give these a fair review.

I'm going to make a handful of assumptions. At least one of these probably applies to you.

1. You like to grill out and have a pretty good foundation regarding how to put grill marks on meat and vegetables.

2. You like kabobs.

3. You have have or have had a problem with one or more of the following:

a. burned yourself on old metal skewers

b. burned up cheap wooden skewers

c. freezer burned a kabob because the skewer broke through the freezer bag

d. can't close your grill because your skewers are too long, etc.

If these describe you, please continue reading.

Pros:

1. It holds a LOT of food. A single skewer holds two full, marinated kabobs from Whole Foods with room to spare. I could probably cook 10 to 12 kabobs worth of food on a set of 4.

2. The tip of the skewer is rigid, but not sharp. Which means, you can use it to poke through the food, but it won't poke through the freezer bag. No leaks. No freezer burn.

3. They're flexible. So you're not limited to having your grilled items in a straight line. In practice, this means lots more food over the same fire.

4. You can leave the ends outside of the grill. Leaving the ends cool enough to handle.

5. The parts of the wire inside the grill don't burn up.

6. They're dishwasher safe. C'mon, half the reason you're cooking outside is because you don't want to clean the kitchen.

Cons:

1. Amazon Prime Shipping took two days.

2. I didn't find them sooner.

These are amazing. If you don't own them, you should. =)

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I cook mostly for one so I have a really small Weber propane grill. These Fire Wires make it easy to make the most of the space because I can make any shape with them; they also help the food to cook more evenly because I can snake them from hotter to cooler parts of the grill as needed.

They are a little thick for certain seafood; unless you're doing jumbo shrimp they may not work as well; smaller shrimp is a little harder to to load and harder to get off the skewer line without breaking them. I find that deveining but leaving the shrimp in the shell helps.

I like that they are reusable, no more burnt sticks either. They clean up easily with a good soak or coil them up in the silverware basket in the dishwasher.

Pleased with this purchase and highly recommended.

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We grill often, (4 times a week), and these get used probably every other cook. Ideal for small potatoes and veggies.

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I gave these skewers as a gift to my son-in-law. He is the family chef. Now he makes all kinds of grilled combination kabobs on these neat wire skewers. They really work well.

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Emile Henry Flame Chicken Roaster

Emile Henry Flame Chicken Roaster, RedMy first piece of Emile Henry Flame Ceramics was the 2.6-Quart Tagine. I loved it so much that I couldn't wait to get another dish that was made with this great material. Since I prepare a lot of chickens, ducks and roasts for my family and guests, the Chicken Roaster was a natural choice.

I really like the design of this roaster. It holds the chicken upright and out of the fat and juices. It also has plenty of room in the tray for potatoes and veggies. The spout allows me to transfer the liquid into another container. Emile Henry's Flame Top Ceramic really holds the heat so I can set the dish on the table (for everyone to admire) for a while without worrying that it will get cold.

I always like to see a product in action before I buy it, so I thought that I would make this short video review. I hope that it is helpful.

Note: I shoot my video reviews in segments. In this video I accidentally repeated a point that I had just made in the previous segment and didn't notice it until I was done. Sorry about that.

Tim

I purchased this to replace my old aluminum vertical roaster and I love this Emile Henry roaster. In fact I went out and bought several other Emile Henry products.

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

V Rib Rack for Big Green Egg, Primo, Kamado Ceramic Grills

V Rib Rack for Big Green Egg, Primo, Kamado Ceramic GrillsWorth the $$. I have bought other racks in the past, but of poor quality and the finishes dont last. This one should last a very long time.

I have the type of friends who seem to have everything so they are very difficult to shop for. One of the anniversary gifts I gave them was this v-rack for their green egg and they love it! It fits perfectly in the egg and they recently had me over to sample the tasty offerings. The ribs were fall-of-the-bone good! Unlike the rack they were previously using, this one enabled the lid to be closed completely because it's custom fit for it and the meat cooks more evenly when elevated. If you have someone who doesn't have accessories to accompany their Green Egg, I highly recommend this product. Just make sure you get the right size.

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Works as described. Shipped timely and pricing was very fair. Fits perfect in Large Green Egg This is a must have for all who own an egg

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The sides on this rack aren't high enough for anything but baby back ribs. If this is what you cook, go for it, but if you like a meatier rib, such as country... this won't work well, doesn't hold the ribs up.

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On the positive side, you can use it for both.

On the negative, the sharp geometry of the rack does not give the same support as one rounded at the edges and you can get a roasting rack for less money.

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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Jamie Oliver Basting Brush

Jamie Oliver Basting BrushThis is a great brush, especially for basting meat on the grill. It holds a good amount of basting liquid and doesn't drip. Best of all, it cleans up perfectly by just dropping it in the dishwasher.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Air King 6-Inch 2-Speed Circulating Fan #9146

Air King 6-Inch 2-Speed Circulating Fan #9146This is a very well made little fan. I run it on low speed, and it makes no sound whatsoever, but gives a gentle cooling breeze in my overheated office (it's always 76-77o). If there were anything to change about it, it would be to put the controls on the front (where I can reach them) rather than the rear, but this is a minor issue.

I loved this fan when I first bought it. I was looking for something to make just enough noise to fall asleep to and this thing was perfect. I left it on low speed at night it was quiet, but made just enough noise (a few feet from my head) to help drown out any other noises that normally wake me up. After about 9 months, the inner mount of the fan blades (around which the blades rotate) came loose and the fan started wobbling a little and making off-beat noises, which were worse in low speed and not conducive to sleeping. At first putting it in high speed fixed the problem. Then it started happening in high speed too, unless the fan was titled at a certain angle. I've had this fan for almost two years now and at this point the fan only runs smoothly (without unusual noise) when I put it on its side on high speed. There's no way to fix the fan you'd have to break it in order to get at the problematic piece.

Aside from its size, the main reason I bought this fan was that it was supposed to be made in USA. However, I thoroughly searched the packaging and fan but there's no "Made in USA" marking anywhere. In fact, there's no marking indicating where it was made.

The fan does not oscillate side to side and has a limited up-and-down range (adjusted by loosening and tightening a piece of plastic).

I can't say I recommend this fan. There's got to be something better on the market. I have old Sanyo fans that are more than 20 years old and still work perfectly. Any decent appliance should last more than 2 years.

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As most of the other reviewers mentioned, this fan is exceptionally quiet, at least on the low setting, which is what I use. It is a simple fan and seems fairly well built. The base is very light, but the fan is stable and does not vibrate none-the-less. The price is fairly high for a simple, 6" fan, but better to pay it than to buy a piece of junk for half the price. By the way, this fan does not oscillate.

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The fan is quiet and ideal to circulate air in any small area. It is perfect on the kitchen table or even a shelf area. It has two speeds located on the back dial of the unit. The cord is grounded for safety. It is UL coded and tested.

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I have owned the clip-on type of this Air King 6" fan for awhile and decided I could also use a table type to put on top of my computer tower. Don't know how I got along without this fan. It is quieter than a whisper and performs well with two speeds of airflow. One negligable drawback is that it takes two hands to turn it on and off; the unit could use a push-button switch. Over all a very good deal for the comfort it provides. The price was right and the item was shipped to my door, no lengthy shopping trip needed. Prepare for a grounded three-prong plug, OK?

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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Wilton Recipe Right 10 Inch Round Non-Stick Cooling Grid

Wilton Recipe Right 10 Inch Round Non-Stick Cooling GridI use this cooling rack in my water bath canner. My cousin purchased a large stainless steel pot for me to use when canning. It's an odd size and the usual canning racks are too large. She gave me another rack that wasn't non-stick and it rusted immediately. I've used this one for the past year without a problem. It's great.

This was one of the cheapest cooling racks I found. Canning racks labeled as such are about 14$, this was much cheaper and it serves the purpose just as well, plus you can use it for cakes too.

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This rack is great for use in a dutch oven when camping when you need to keep the food or pan off the bottom of the oven.

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To be fair, this product doesn't say it will work submerged. However, you should be aware that it WILL rust through its "non-stick" coating in short order if it is kept submerged. While I haven't washed it in the dishwasher, I would expect it would rust there also.

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After getting into canning I found that the equipment needed an upgrade to the device to keep my jars off the bottom of the pot. This cooking rack worked like a charm, I am so glad I got it because this years crop was canned much easier.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

kora K1-064 Insulated Fashion Lunch Tote, Blue with White Dot

kora K1-064 Insulated Fashion Lunch Tote, Blue with White DotMy 11 yr old loves this lunch tote. It fits all her food items and keeps them cool until lunchtime. She loves the polka dots!

This bag looks like a good size, but the base is so small that containers have to be placed on their side and I end up with a squashed sandwich. Also, one of my containers leaked and the bag didn't seem to hold in a drop made a huge mess! I'll be looking for a different way to carry my lunch to work.

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This tote is just the right size. Very cute. There is also a nice shoulder strap that is included. Very roomy.

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