Showing posts with label grills teeth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grills teeth. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2014

Pancake Puffs Aebleskiver Pan

Pancake Puffs Aebleskiver PanOkay, so we had seen the Pancake Puff on TV and thought that it looked fun. I ended up getting one for Christmas. My thoughts:

1. It's a lot smaller than I expected. Each puff is about the size of a large marshmellow. When they kept showing them full of stuff I thought they were larger. Turns out they are perfect toddler size.

2. They cook really quickly, which is great.

3. It takes a little bit to get used to flipping with the little sticks, but it's easy to catch on.

Overall, a fun product.

This item works well with plain pancakes. However, the pan is much smaller than it looks on tv or in the ad. The puffs come out very small and it takes a very long time to cook them as you must keep the heat low with cast iron. I tried the brownie puff recipe that is included in the kit and they did not come out at all. The puffs are also very difficult to turn in the pan to cook the other side. They are fun and yummy once they are done, but somewhat difficult to make.

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I bought my wife the Pancake Puff for Christmas, and she was very happy to get it. The first thing we noticed as we started using it was that it is not non-stick as they claim. You have to keep using butter or some kind of non-stick spray with each batch, or they'll be impossible to turn over. Also, be mindful of how hot you turn it up, or they'll keep coming out bad. My last criticism has to do with the flipping sticks they're barely usable. They've got to come up with some sort of specialized flipping tool for these things. The sticks are really nothing more than kabob skewers.

All criticism aside, once you get used to some of the trickier aspects of it, making and eating pancake puffs is really fun. Kind of like most pancakes, the first few are not pretty, and barely edible. After that, they look good, they taste great, and they're just fun. Now my wife is looking forward to trying out cornbread puffs, brownie puffs, and lots of other puff craziness.

When making pancake puffs, we use butter to grease the pan (so no butter on the finished puffs) then we shake some powdered sugar on top and drizzle them with syrup. Mom, Dad, and the kids gobble them up very quickly. My only wish is that they were faster to make, so we could have more right away when we're done with the first batch.

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Pancake Puffs with Free Bonus Gifts

I purchased this at BB&B today. It was a surprise for my daughter who LOVES pancakes and has seen the infomercial. She was very excited. I was nervous but decided to try it out. We used Aunt Jemima Original pancake mix which requires egg, oil and milk (I used original almond milk to replace cows milk). I added about 1/2 cup of blueberries and about 1 tsp ground flax. I have a glass top stove and was careful when placing the pan down. I set temp to medium and let it heat up a bit before brushing with veg oil. I always cook regular pancakes over melted butter (smart balance). I used about 1 1/2 tsp total for the puff pan and reloaded with each batch. This does two things; keeps it from sticking and makes it have that yummy crispy shell. They were FANTASTIC!!!! My children didn't even ask for syrup and I didn't need to add butter since I did that at the beginning (the pancakes soak up the melted butter, yummy!). We used two of the flipping sticks when turning the puffs. It made for a smooth flip. My puffs came out completely round but I guess that might differ depending on the batter used. I am thinking that we will need 2 of these pans to speed things up when cooking for a larger crowd. One pan was fine for the 3 of us. Also, I noticed that the first batch did not get cold as fast as traditional pancakes do. This is nice because you can actually cook enough for the entire family and then sit down to eat with them instead of everyone eating separately to insure a warm meal. I am totally happy with this product for the reason I purchased it, pancakes. I am going to try other recipes soon. I am thinking that this might be a good egg cooker if the temp is just right. We will see.

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I am a dad at home with my kids during the day. I bought the set at a local outlet for 19.99. The first thing we made is the pancake puffs. I used bisquick pancake mix. they were great.

Now I think there is a trick to it soo I will lay out what I do.

First heat the pan. I use a medium heat on our flat top range. I actually set the dial to 4 so its just below medium.

I then mix the batter. I cut a small piece of butter and put it in the middle well and spread it with the included brush into the other wells. the butter should melt fast and make some hissing sounds. You know your pan is hot enough then. I use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to ladle the batter into the pan wells. I use another spoon to wipe the excess batter of my ladle spoon. I fill each well just a little more then half. After about 2 minutes, the batter rises and small bubbles start to set on the surface. I use the wooden sticks to turn them. I use 2, one in each hand. one stick pushes one side down and the other stick kind on gets under the other side and guides it to flip. Then in about 2 more minutes their done.

It works.

The trick is to preheat the pan and dont touch the heat. If you dont let it heat you migh turn it up to high and the first batch will be ok but the next might burn. Also butter the wells for each batch. I use the same heat setting for everything I make with this pan.

I also made the crab cakes but I used tuna instead of crab meat and a thomas english muffin instead of bread and it was vey good. and a great way to get my kids to eat tuna.

We also made blueberry muffin puffs from pillsberry blueberry muffin mix.

The only thing that did not work is brownies from a box mix. I think brownies take to long to cook that they burn on the outside before the center is done enough.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Brentwood 6" Non-Stick Electric Skillet Model SK-45

Brentwood 6' Non-Stick Electric Skillet Model SK-45I am on oxygen and can't use gas products. I purchased this skillet n use it everyday, it's wonderful. I add water to the pan n cook my hot dogs also. Easy clean up.

The temp control never raised the temperature high enough for frying. I could have returned it but it was too big a hassle but I did write the company to let them know. I did not have high expectations at the outset and should have known that the price was too low for the quality I expected. Problem is that few people carry items designed for small households and shopping on the internet is a crap shoot.

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very happy wiwth this purchase, it is greaat for college students and easy to use and easy to clean. Works really well in a small

space such as a dorm room.

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The electric cord gets in the way. It's clumsy. This 6" Non-Stick skillet (with glass cover) would be ideal if made for stove top use.

I have an 8" inch glass cover skillet which serves me better than the 6" electric cord skillet. However, being 95 and still doing my cooking, a 6" non-electric glass cover skillet would be easier for me to handle.

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Have prepared for long-term use many types of non-stick products. Don't remember any giving up so soon. Used this little, otherwise practical, handy and pleasant pan for frying a cutup slice of spam and then adding eggs ovaeasy mix. The third morning, the egg began sticking to the pan, and it takes awhile for my nylon spatula to gently scrape of the baked-on residue. Not at all what one would expect, but still in use.

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Friday, April 4, 2014

George Foreman GR10WSP1 36-Inch Grill, White

George Foreman GR10WSP1 36-Inch Grill, WhiteAs a diagnosed diabetic I finally caved in and got my first George Foreman grill to see if it could help with my meal planning. This model is tailor-made for single person useperfect for that bachelor pad or college dorm where space is a priority and you need to cook up something quick and easy. It comes with a plastic grease catcher, a plastic blunt tine spatula (which you might not need) and a cheap dual-sided scrubbing sponge.

It's small enough to fit on a corner of the counter or wherever you might want to place it, though the short power cord may inhibit your choice of location. I have a small place so mine sits on a corner of the kitchen table tapped into my universal power strip.

Like other GF grills there's no on/off switch, only an indicator light that lets you know both when the unit's properly heated to cook and when the food's done. Once plugged in it heats up pretty quicklyfive minutes or so. Teflon surface or nowhich I'm not a fan ofI suggest coating it with some cooking spray before putting the meat on. I've gone through turkey burgers, chicken breasts, tuna steaks, fish filletsyou name it; it all cooked up well-done without a hitch (if you're not into well-done you'll have to keep an eye on it). Depending upon whether you've marinated your meats or not, the grill doesn't get too messy but the grease catcher is always up to the task.

Cleaning up goes pretty easily, too. Your best bet is not to wait too long: unplug the unit, douse both surfaces with water after it's cooled off a little then scrub off the residue. The dual-sided sponge is pretty cheap and fell apart on me after too long so now I use a vegetable brush with a dab of liquid soap.

Overall, other than the short cord and cheap sponge I like my George. It does what it says, and definitely helps trim a lot of fat and oils out of my meals. Nice job.

I've had a several variations on the small George Foreman grills. I have literally worn most of them out, and they last when cared for! I use my GF a LOT. They are great when making a meal in the summer. It doesn't noticeably heat the room like the broiler in my oven and I think it uses much less power all year round. They are just the right size for one or two people.

I cooked steak, lamb, pork, chicken, salmon, tuna, cod, haddock, bluefish, trout, and a bunch of stuff that just isn't coming immediately to mind. It was all great. The biggest danger is over-cooking because it's so fast and cooks from both sides at once.

When cooking for one and there is space behind a steak or pork chop, I put slices of veggies like bell pepper and onions back there to cook with the steak. Behind the steak is a steamy spot on the grill and these veggies cook to perfection in the same time as the steak. Sometimes I rub them with olive oil for a nice taste.

The tilted design is great to get rid of grease and the hot plates sear the surface to seal in juices and flavor. With fish I like to use a very light coating of Mayo which seems to help make pink and white fish even more detectibly moist and tasty. With steak and meats the grill works great with rubs and spices. I really like the Paul Prudome "magic" line of spices. Yum! Even cooking a whole trout is great, albeit I needed to slice it in two at the ribs so it all fit at once. About 6 minutes between the plates and done to yummy perfection.

If you freeze steaks, a 6 oz 3/4" thick steak frozen solid and dropped on the hot plates will be done to medium in just about 10 minutes, in my experience steak cold out of the fridge of the same size/thickness is done to medium in about 5 to 6 minutes. The timing is just about second nature now.

The non-stick surface isn't perfect, though pretty good. Be careful with forks/knives and use a plastic spatula to remove fish as it has a greater tendency to stick than anything else.

Cleanup is oh so easy. While one must not put their little GF in the dishwasher or immerse it (I wish the plates were removable!) it's still pretty easy to clean.

First, just after the food comes off I give it a quick hot wipe with a paper towel to get the bulk off. Just takes a second to do this. After the meal I finish the clean-up by hanging the front of the GF over the sink and using a soapy wet sponge. I thoroughly wash the plates and clean the catch tray. Then I use the clean catch tray to rinse the plates of soap, then drain it and both air dry. Water all flows into the sink and it's really clean. It all takes a minute or two.

This white model is what I think of as the "classic" edition and I've owned and worn out 2 of this one. I think I can say it's my favorite!

This is a great tool. If it wasn't so great why would I keep buying them? :-) I even keep a spare on the shelf in case my current 4 year old one fails. I love my GF and its saved so much of my time while giving me great food to enjoy.

Update May 2013:

I've moved to a new GF Champ (the current one was bought 4 years ago) and the cooking times seem to be a little longer than my old one. Just a little reminder that while all the GF Champ variations are virtually identical (except for the plastic shell) there are small individual differences in how hot they get and cooking times may need small adjustments between units. I find the same thing is true in Microwave ovens. A small adjustment.

I still love my GF Champ and have given just about one of every champ model to friends or family members.

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i never cook raw meat in it, but i use it to reheat and grill food, make panini sandwiches, spread butter and sprinkle extra sugar on store bought pastries and cookie-mmmmm-grill burritos, and reheat almost everything! When the light is out anything you cook is done to perfection, making a lousy cook like me feel like a master chef.

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This George Foreman grill replaced one I had a number of years ago. It works as well as that one and makes prepping diner a breeze.

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Grill is great because when I cook foods all the fat comes out when I put the lid down. I would recommend this to anyone!

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Weber 6409 Salt and Pepper Shakers

Weber 6409 Salt and Pepper ShakersI grill a lot and like to have my tools by my grill so I really liked that weber made a salt and pepper shaker. Now I don't have to take the main salt shaker out to the grill and instead have my own dedicated salt and pepper shakers which is great.

These are built well, they are all plastic but for $6.99 you can't ask for more. The construction however does seem very solid. The only thing I wish these had that they don't is twist top to close the shakers. These always are "open". It's not a big issue, but one of those things that would have been nice. Imagine if weber put a metal closer on top that looks like the vents on their grills? That would look excellent!

Anyways, great product at a great price, Perfect for a stocking stuffer.

These are great for grilling as we do it ! We use the shaker with the larger holes ( which was probably intended for pepper ) for sea or kosher salt and it works perfectly the bigger holes pass the large crystal salt we like. We use a fairly fine pepper in the small hole shaker and that works well.

These are 'cute', attention getting, durable, easy to fill, and functional what more could you ask !

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This looks just like my Weber kettle. And it's less permanent than a tattoo.

Great shakers and conversation piece.

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I love these BUT why on earth can't I screw the tops off? I have to turn them upside down and hold the holes shut so my salt and pepper don't fall out while pouring it into the bottom. Please just make a new set with screw on tops so I can love these even more! They are wonderful but refilling them is inconvenient. SOMETIMES the holes get clogged... I use a toothpick to clear it out again.

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Although these are cute I could have/should have got a cheap $2.00 set from a local store. These are not anything special although they are larger than expected. It is up to you if it is something you really need LOL.

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Sunday, March 23, 2014

Rosle Hook Set for BBQ Grill - Set of 5

Rosle Hook Set for BBQ Grill - Set of 5These hooks were exactly what we needed for our grill tools. They hang perfectly on the edge of the grill, out of the way but at easy reach!

We have a grill that has a very large bar for hanging utensils. We could not find any hooks that would fit over it. These are exactly what we needed. The hook for the grill is quite large (maybe 2") to accommodate a larger grill. They're covered with rubber so that they don't scratch. This works well for us.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Ronco Inventions ST4000 Showtime Indoor Rotisserie and BBQ

Ronco Inventions ST4000 Showtime Indoor Rotisserie and BBQGreat product! I have to admit, I'm addicted to kitchen appliances. I love 'em! What separates the Ronco Rotisserie from the others is that I actually use it and use it often.

I purchased mine after seeing the infomercial. To my delight and surprise, it was presented accurately. This makes roasting a breeze, clean up a snap and the results are mouth watering.

For a while, I used it to only roast chicken. As a single, working mother, I'd roast two at a time, intending to use the cooked chicken for chicken salads, Cordon Bleu, curries, sandwiches, etc. throughout the week. Since then, I've cooked just about everything, my favorite now being roast beef. (Marinate the roast in beer overnight, then make a rub with seasoned salt and rosemary, apply liberally. Delicious!)

My included flavor injector doesn't work well, so I don't use it. I've tried injecting lime juice under my chicken's skins and the juice pours out of the injector before I have inserted it into the meat. This may be a defective injector, but I thought it worth mentioning to other consumers.

Also, I have attempted to use the "steamer" located on top of the Rotisserie. The "steamer", in actuality is just a pan which is warmed solely from the heat that the unit emits. Thus, I cannot control its heat and my vegetables have come out too soft for my preference.

Having mentioned heat, I must state that this unit gets HOT. PLEASE use with caution! Unlike the slogan repeated on the informercial, you really cannot "set it and forget it". You MUST monitor your Showtime Rotisserie. There is even a warning upon the window to this effect.

As pleased as I was with my Rotisserie, I recommended it to my sister. We'd both used ours to cook Thanksgiving turkeys. Apparently, she had not trimmed down or tied her wings tightly (you do not have to buy extra meat ties [over priced] from Ronco or inexpensively from your meat market. I use unwaxed, unflavored dental floss with wonderful results). This, combined with the fact that the fat really does copiously drip into the pan at the base of the unit, resulted in a grease fire. The unit and the turkey were salvaged however.

Finally, I share that one of our local news stations (Washington, D.C.) did an in depth investigation on infomercials. Its purpose was to report if products that the infomercials introduced were as easy, practical and effective as they claimed. Its findings were that the ONLY product that was tested and worked as introduced was the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie.

If you follow directions, monitor your unit and do not become careless because of the ease of its use, you will have excellent results.

After reading all the reviews, I decided to take the plunge. I have used my machine for chops, chicken, ham, roast, and vegetables. To make this an easy to clean appliance, you simply line the drip tray with foil, and spray the grate with non stick spray. I also add water to the drip tray and this eliminates all smoke and adds moisture to the meat. After I finish cooking, I just empty the water out, wipe off the foil lined tray and clean the grate which is very easy to do.The foil lasts through several cookings and cleans up in a snap. I have found this machine to be as easy to clean as a roaster from the conventional oven.As for the inside of the machine, I just wipe it down each time. I can completely clean the Showtime in about 5 minutes. If you like the taste of rotisserie cooked foods, this is certainly a good investment.

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I bought my Showtime a year ago on the recommendation of my sister, who loved hers. I had one of the little vertical Sunbeam rotisseries (about (dollar amount ...)) that I'd used for dozens of chickens. Being vertical, though, makes doing other meats (e.g. hamburgers, fish steaks) impossible.

I must say initially that the packaging and unit are a new hallmark for Ron Popeil and his line of flimsy products. In quality of construction it appears to match most small appliances.

I discovered that rounded or cylindrical meats indeed cook well in the oven, browning beautifully. However, these didn't seem to be superior in any way to the ones I've baked in a conventional oven. Just messier to clean up in this unit.

Using the flat rack was more problematic. If you imagine the rack rotating in the oven, and follow the rack through its motions, you'll see that the meat closer to the rotational axis isn't exposed to the same level of heat as cuts on the outside of the axis. I've had this happen with hamburgers repeatedly, along with salmon steaks. Plus, again I saw no improvement over my broiled experiences.

My biggest problem with the machine is the difficulty cleaning. Grease will tend to spatter and accumulate on the big cogged wheels that go in the machine. The metal interior is not removable in any way, and there really is no way to completely clean. Situated only an inch or so from many meats, the door needs cleaning virtually every time the machine is used; the part of the door where the writing is, is a real mess.

I'm not Howard Hughes, but I can't abide a machine that you can't really clean. My little Sunbeam rotisserie has a metal liner all around the inside that slides out. I live near Houston, the roach capital of the world, and I try to keep all appliances and utensils clean.

I ended up giving this appliance away to an out-of-town friend about a month ago, and haven't missed it at all. . .

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The first weeks after I got the showtime rotisserie, I cooked everything in it that I could think of. Turkey, ham, chickens, fish, pork chops, vegetables, burgers, steaks, hot dogs, etc. I kept thinking that it couldn't be as good as they say it is. But everytime, it exceeded my expectations. It makes the moistest, most flavorful meats, vegetables, fish and poulty that I have ever seen. I even took it to my office for our holiday potluck and cooked the ham right in the office. Everyone loved it. If you like great food that is super easy to cook, get this item. The only thing I had to adjust is on larger meats, I check it with a meat thermometer and have had to cook it a little longer but it still turns out great.

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My Mother ordered a Ronco Rotisserie for my wife and I for last Christmas. We had seen the infomercials but never had an intention of purchasing the ShowTime rotisserie.

To our amazement, every word Ron says is true. It's all true, from how easy it is to prepare a delicious meal in a very short period of time to how easy it is to clean and keep. We have used our ShowTime rotisserie many times to cook roast, prime rid, ribs, chicken pork tenderloin and hamburgers. Each and every meal was wonderfully delicious. The machine is very easy to clean and take care of, and it certainly is not one of the gifts we have received over the years which just sits in a closet waiting for a garage sale.

I have recommended the machine to several of our friends, however, they like we were are very skeptical until they taste the dishes we have prepared on the ShowTime Rotisserie.

It truely sells itself.

Monday, December 16, 2013

SG 800 Tokayaki

SG 800 TokayakiYes I don't cook but with this pot I can make my own tokayaki and teppanyaki.

only down side is don't have temp Control I have turn on and off the power too make sure thing don't go scorched =P

Just tried it have a question.

It took a very long time to cook. Am I supposed to remove the middle metal plate? No Instructions were in box.

Other than the cook time the Takayaki came out Yummy!

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

New Pourfect 27Pc Bowl And Measuring Set Break-Out Gull Wings Dripless Spout Bowl Pivot Channel

27Pc Bowl & Measuring SetPOURfect IS A MUST HAVE!

I purchased my POURfect set months ago from another website and just love it. I use it everyday and to the point that I just keep it on my counter. You'll find many, many other uses for these bowls, measuring spoons and measuring cups other than measuring.

I really like all the additional measuring sizes like the 2 cup or 1 1/2 cup or the pinch (1/16), drop (1/64), dash (1/8) and smidgen (1/32) included with the spoons. The measuring spoons and cups are even marked in braille! They all nest neatly together. I keep the measuring cups inside the bowls. The only downside to the measuring spoons is that there are sizes that don't fit inside my spice jars but that is not a big deal.

I also like how you have to pick up the bowls too. You palm the bowls with the "handle" over the top of your hand. It really gives you better control of the bowl and I would bet this feature would be helpful to someone with arthritis. No drips with the bowls either. I use them when making pancakes or pouring batter into cupcake pans. I did make the mistake of using my hand mixer with one of my bowls at it scratched the inside but I'm sure a wire whisk would be fine.

This set featured also has many more pieces than I got with mine and I'm jealous plus the price is terrific!

I really think the POURfect is a must in any kitchen and a great gift for a new bride (or groom).

You won't be sorry that you made this purchase!

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Sunday, September 8, 2013

BP3600 Range Oven Porcelain Broil Broiler Pan and Rack

BP3600 Range Oven Porcelain Broil Broiler Pan and RackThis is better than an original it replaces. The original was Stainless Steel top and Porcelain bottom, but the Porcelain on Porcelain is better.

I was looking for a broiler that would allow easy cleanup. This procelain broiler provides this. Would recommend this item. Response was fast and friendly.

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I purchased this online and i have been very pleased with it. It is nice and sturdy. Well made. I would tell anyone to purchase this item if they are looking for a broiler pan.

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This was bought as a replacement for the original broiler pan and rack that came with my built in ovens. The design is nearly the same, though the original sets were not porcelain. So far, the new sets have worked about the same as the original sets in cooking, but appear to be a little easier to clean, for now. A previous porcelain rack that I purchased was easy to clean in the beginning but became more difficult in time. I am hoping the same does not happen with these new ones. So far so good.

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Got it and it matched my brand new GE staove. Easy, cleans fast...LOVE IT. Company good and promt got it very quickly!BP3600 Range Oven Porcelain Broil Broiler Pan and Rack

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Cuisinart CTG-00-DTM Digital Meat Thermometer

Cuisinart CTG-00-DTM Digital Meat Thermometeri read every word of the product desciption. i have been looking for a constant read digital meat thermometer and thought i had found it.the product description neglects to say "instant read only" alas it is in the drawer with 2 others, unopened. i am hoping my grand daughter will be happy when she finds it in her xmas stocking. peg phlieger

We received our meat thermometer quickly and efficiently. The product worked as described. It is easy to use and comes with a case to protect the thermometer.

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Improved model over similar one I had for many years. I would recommend in a drop of a knife or fork or spoon!

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Hard to wash because not dishwasher safe. Knew this going in but was desperate for an accurate thermometer that will last. Hopefully it is husband safe, but we'll see! ;) It can be a few degrees off as well. My search for the perfect thermometer goes on.....

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It works wonderful for my needs as I do alot of smoking meat and I need to know temperature for doneness

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Sunday, July 7, 2013

Black & Decker CTO4300 Perfect Broil Countertop Oven

Black & Decker CTO4300W Perfect Broil Countertop Oven, WhiteThis is my first countertop oven. I've owned it for about 3 months and love it. So far I've used it to bake or broil muffins, potatoes, chicken legs, garlic bread, Totino's frozen pizza, enchilada casserole, pasta casserole.... not to mention toasted bread, bagels, and English muffins . This oven delivers.

The included drip pan/broil trays are only slightly thicker than disposable aluminum pans but are still useful for broiling. Good news is the size of this oven easily accommodates some of my smaller conventional bake ware such as an 8 X 8 inch Pyrex dish and a 6 cup muffin tin. I like the fact it has 4 heating elements, 2 top, 2 bottom which seems to promote more even heat distribution than the 2 element toaster I've used at the office. I like the 3 mechanical controls. One for temp, one to control the heating coils, and a countdown timer that actually turns the oven off when it dings. The control knobs have a solid feel. There is also a "stay warm" feature that works great for warming dinner plates. Yes, this oven will hold a stack of at least 4 dinner plates and will keep them warm while your regular oven cooks. I also like that the wire grill is offset to provide 4 different elevation levels by simply flipping it over and using either of the 2 side slides. The all glass door is easy to clean. So is the slide out crumb tray. The case gets hot so be sure to check the outside dimensions and give it at least an inch of side clearance. This unit is a little larger than most toaster ovens.

Does this countertop oven replace a conventional oven? Not exactly but it comes close. In a pinch, like a kitchen remodel, a small dorm room or other cramped quarters this oven is a great choice. You could bake, roast, broil, and toast for months using no other appliance. It most certainly replaces a regular oven for small oven jobs like baking two pot pies or 2 baked potatoes or a quick batch of 6 muffins from a mix. I have only used my regular oven twice since this oven arrived. I like having a second oven capacity in my small apartment kitchen. I am very pleased with this purchase.

I have owned B & D toaster ovens for over 10 year I brought this one as a replacement and it works fine for what I mainly use it for, toasting bread. First time I used this appliance, I had a difficult time using the "round" control knobs especially the timer function knob. The round knobs are hard to grip and slippery if your fingers have a some oil on them. To toast, you have to turn the timer knob clockwise past the "toaster" icon on the face and then turn counterclockwise to a point how dark you want your toast. Sounds easy, but this round timer knob mechanism was very stiff/resistant in turning clockwise and then counterclockwise. So the round knob made it hard to do this clockwise/counterclockwise action. The knob was slipping as I did this even with dry fingers. I like the knobs with a raised center grip. I am hoping this stiffness will loosen up as I use it more. Otherwise, the toaster oven is working fine.

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I am pretty happy with the toaster oven. It bakes perfectly. I haven't cooked a pizza in it, but I have reheated one and it heated through as if it just cam from the pizzeria. Toasting is a little less than perfect, it takes a VERY long time. There are a couple of things that could have been done better.

*The knobs are hard to turn, unless you have a strong grip with your fingertips, you have to use your whole hand to turn the knobs. They could have made that a little easier.

*When it's time to toast or bake, you have to set all three knobs, kinda tedious.

*To toast, you have to turn the knob to 20, then turn it back to 10 for toasting, it seems like they could have figured out something better.

Overall, decent toaster for the price. If this toaster was any more expensive, I would have rated it much worse.

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I just bought this toaster oven. My waffles and bread are toasted pretty evenly. A small drawback is that the timer knob is supposed to be turned to twenty and then to the desired time. It's attractive and I do love that four slices of bread or waffles fit easily. It makes feeding kids quicker in the morning. So far, I would recommend this product.

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Many "just purchased and love it" reviews tend to show up on Amazon (I've posted several myself), but it's always helpful to see a review where the reviewer has used the product for awhile and can truly speak to the pros and cons from experience. I've used this B&D toaster oven for several years and here's my review:

1. 3 stars solely because, for the cheap price, this toaster oven continued working for several years. That's really not bad for such a cheap oven.

2. I never use this B&D oven for toast you have to fiddle with several knobs just to toast, and the toasting takes too long and is uneven.

3. My unit has a hot spot in the left rear corner and had it from Day One. When baking any kind of bread product (such as biscuits), I have to remember to turn the tray around partway thru baking to get everything to bake evenly.

4. After several years the white housing now looks pretty bad, especially in the center front where the top has a distinct "burned" look from high heat.

5. The hooks on the door (designed to grab the rack and pull it out for you as you open the door) seemed nifty at first glance, but buyer beware. The hooks do pull out the rack, but they then push the rack back unevenly when you attempt to close the door and the rack often dislodges from the track inside. You then have to manually jimmy the rack back into its track. All the while the heat from the oven is escaping into the room and you're trying your darnedest to not get burned. SO FRUSTRATING.

Today I've reached my last nerve with this unit. For the money I was willing to spend several years ago, this little toaster oven was not a bad purchase. You have to endure a few frustrations. This time around I'm spending a bit more with the hope of getting better performance. You can be sure I'll be looking for a door design that does not have those infuriating hooks!

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