Showing posts with label large charcoal grills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label large charcoal grills. Show all posts

Friday, May 9, 2014

GrillPro Premium Quality Grill Cover

GrillPro 50152 Premium Quality 51-Inch Grill CoverNice cover for the first year, but after sitting out for a Winter the plastic cracked, split and left the inside insulation showing. Certainly not a "premium" product except for the cost. Looks just like the less expensive covers now. Sure seemed high quality when it came out of the wrapper. Very disappointing.

I've had this grill cover for over a year now and it still rocks. It sits outside year round (east coast) under a cover and shows no signs of weather wear. It fits the grill perfectly.

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I was impressed that this cover was fleece lined and the cover seems very durable. I just put it on my grill the other day, so we'll see how it fairs. At the price, I'm very impressed so far!

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I purchased a new BBQ and this cover, paying more for the premium cover knowing that we occasionally get snow and I wanted to protect my new BBQ as well as possible. After just 2 months the cover started to tear at each of the 4 corners. Unfortunately the return period is only 30 days so I am stuck with a horrible product, out the cost, and now have to go purchase a different product. I am a regular Amazon shopper and this is the only product I have ever been extremely disappointed in.

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Excellent product, very durable (thick) for the money. Arrived on time without issue. I would recommend to anyone! No thought required.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Kitchen Essentials from Calphalon Aspire Nonstick 11" Square Grill

Kitchen Essentials from Calphalon Aspire Nonstick 11' Square GrillI LIKE IT ALOT. I COOK WITH IT ALOT. IT IS VERY EASY TO CLEAN. AND WHEN I COOK A STEAK IT HAS GRILL MARKS ON

THEM...I RECOMMENDED ALL THE WAY....

Friday, February 28, 2014

Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Maker

Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle MakerI love this waffle maker! It's like the ones our mom used, not those cheesy seeming plastic things they're making now. It's also got a lot of excellent features that make my life easier.

I'll mention right now that this is a VERY hot waffle maker. They make the plastic ones to be "cool touch". I'll trade the cool touch feature for the sturdier design of this versatile machine. I'm being careful and haven't burned myself yet. But it's something to consider if you'd like your children making waffles. My ten year old could be careful enough, but I keep my five and eight year olds away.

The waffles this machine makes are great! They freeze well too. The family is very happy. When the light goes of the unit is ready to make waffles. Pour in the batter and the light comes on again--wait for it to go off and the waffle is done (however, I usually go on instinct and sometimes pull out the waffle before the light goes off.)

The open grill feature makes wonderful pancakes and fried eggs. I have a big family and it's nice to have two pancakes cook at a shot without taking up all my stovetop! I can have bacon and eggs on the stove and the pancakes on the waffle maker. (I can also have a heart attack if I keep eating all these bacon and eggs!)

The sandwich feature is nice. I can cook two grilled cheese sandwiches at one time getting me out of the kitchen quicker. Some advice--cheese might drip out the side of the sandwich. Just keep the sandwich away from the back of the unit where the cables run in and the mess just wipes off--no problem. The sandwiches cook far more uniformly than they do in a pan on the stove. They taste great.

This unit cleans up easily and changing the grills from waffle to flat is easy. I recommend it over a lot of more costly models if you want more value for your money. This is the most versatile waffle maker I've found and all the features actually work!

I got this one after unsuccessfully trying the Cuisinart waffle maker. It is wonderful! None of the batters, not even gluten-free ones would stick. All waffles came out great, crisp outside and moist inside. The grill feature was a plus and makes great grill cheese or other types or grilled sandwishes in a jiffy.

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Back in the 60's I loved the Sundays my Dad made waffles on a toastmaster Waffle/grill. He would add cinnamon, fruit, all kinds of things. Never stuck always light and fluffy. When I went to college my odyssey began. I have gone through 4! different brands and here is why you want this machine Ok Betty Crocker and others may have a beeper but the waffle that comes out could have come out of a toaster, B&D lets you choose on a dark to light waffle 'zone' with a light that goes out when it reaches that temp. Even with a thick from the box batter out came the most fluffy waffle with a Belgium like crust. Take a close look at this baby it's CROME and yes it will get hot, (kids don't touch) but unlike others it CLEANS UP. Overflows are no problem. Just as good a George Forman. And grilled sandwiches were wonderful but I use old world bakery bread with brie and dry salami, again adjust for light and dark. Favorite recipe? Coco for a chocolate waffle and chocolate chip ice cream to make a sandwich. This is an 'open and closed' case and really is space saver 3 in 1 product for our family.

Read Best Reviews of Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Maker Here

This is a great waffle maker!! Every time we make waffles, they flip right out just like they're supposed to. We haven't had any of them get stuck or had any of the disasters/frustrations that we've had with other waffle irons. It's actually easy to make a waffle again. Can you imagine!? I think the reason why is that the Teflon is good and it gets hot, evenly.

After you get it, my recommendation would be to FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS that comes with it. Just before preheating, brush on some vegetable oil like it says to do. (I guess you can use spray but we've found the oil at first works best.) After that, you won't need anything at all for the other batches. Also, be sure not to mess up the Teflon coating by washing it while it's still hot (let it cool off completely) or by using utensils that will scratch it up, like metal forks and scrubbers. If you take care of this sensitive Teflon, it will take care of you. I think it says not to put it in the dishwasher so you probably don't want to. Both plates, top and bottom, are completely removable and they're really easy to clean with a basic sponge...don't use the scrubby side of the sponge though...you won't need to anyway.

We've made waffles several times already and they've been perfect every time. It DOES get really hot but that's a good thing. We've also flipped it over to the grill side and that's great too. We've made quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, and burgers. For burgers, it has a trench like thing around the border of the grill that the fat collects in. You'll need a little cup or something to catch it where it supposed to drip out.

If you really want it to "drain the fat away" fast like a Forman type grill, just put something under the back left leg to tilt it a bit. Don't put something under the leg that could catch fire though....again, say it with me, "It gets really hot!" We've been placing it on our stove top when we use it...if you have sensitive counter tops, do that too.

If you make a sandwich, keep the grill open and flip the sandwich as needed. Otherwise, your sandwich will get really flat. I think that's it -It really is one of our better purchases lately and so we take good care of it. Oh, and adding a nice amount of vanilla extract to your waffle batter makes them delicious!! (wife said to throw that in) Happy Waffle'n!

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Those people who say they are looking for an "old fashioned waffle iron", and have actually _used_ an "old fashioned waffle iron", will enjoy this iron. I was searching for a real waffle iron, the kind that makes crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside waffles. This waffle iron is just the thing. It really is old-fashioned: It does get very hot on the outside, which is to be _expected_ with a chrome waffle iron whoever is surprised by that isn't old enough to use this appliance. The non-stick plates work as well as any other non-stick pan. They still require some oiling, and the waffle recipe has to include oil as well. I keep the iron closed while it heats up; it takes about 5 minutes to reach full-heat. That's just enough time for me to mix my waffle mix and let it rest before baking. I found that if I time the waffle baking for exactly 3 minutes, the waffles come out perfect every time. This is not your child's Easy Bake Waffle Iron if you want that, go buy one of those plastic things. For adult use only.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Babycakes Cake Pop Maker: CP-94LV - Purple

Babycakes Cake Pop Maker: CP-94LV - PurpleThere is still some work to be done on this pop maker before I could rate it higher. George Foreman found out pretty early that people purchasing equipment such as his hamburger grill want pop off cooking surfaces so they can be washed in the dishwasher and the same applies here. This also cooks unevenly and you have to be sure to close it between removing the cooked pops and adding new batter because the top unit cools a bit and the cakes do not rise as much as they should. I do appreciate the uniform size of the bottom of the pops and it saves the expense of heating up your kitchen with your oven while baking. I found my pops cooked on the average of 6 minutes a dozen. The utensil that comes with this set is a wonderful tool for removing the pops without tearing them.

I really hesitated mainly because it just looked too easy. I imagined that the "pops" would be flat on one side and overdone on the other. Or just the opposite: too big for the cups and running between, making a mess.

I could not have been more wrong. My very first time, I filled the cups as instructed. I was just sure that the bottom would be overdone on the ones I filled first. The great news is that every one was perfectly round and done on all sides and in the middle! The couple that got a little too full, flattened out a nice little rim that was easy to knock off so they were perfectly round as well.

I have tried several cake mixes and even bread/muffin mixes that work just great. I really am surprised at what a good job the inexpensive little machine does.

Hint: you will need more than the one stand provided, so keep the packing styrofoam wedge from your next box and make holes with an ice pick. You'll have all the cake pop holders you need to dip and ice.

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I think the product is a great idea...I could not get the pops to look like the picture shown of this product. I tried several cake mixes and different recipies from the Internet and could not get the cake to rise to a pop shape. It is in the closet in a plastic bag waiting for the next garage sale.

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Instead of cake mix, I use brownie mix (I've tried a lot of different, and now just get whatever is on sale, they all work fine) One box of mix makes 4 dozen balls. Grandkids go nuts for them, co-workers go nuts for them, and I haven't had to worry about what to bring to a potluck since I baught this. Oh, I don't worry about sticks or frosting, just put them in a bowl and they will dissappear every time.

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I was looking at purchasing something like this as a birthday present. However, I noticed that there are two model numbers for seemingly the same product. The price difference is also almost doubled (except that it is currently on sale). Model #CP-12 is regularly priced at $50 and the over 70 reviews give it an above average rating, though there were some major overheating issues. Model #CP-94LV is $100 with only 12 reviews, however most of those are excellent reviews.

I get that maybe the manufacturer updated the product and the number changed, updating it maybe have even cost a little bit more so I can also see the price jump. However, ANY other site that I search for the CP-94LV lists it at/around $30, so why is it supposed to be regularly priced at $100 on Amazon from Prestige Depot?? Not even the Babycakes website has the #CP-94LV model.

I'll just go to Target instead.

Edit: Just noticed that the CP-94LV model includes a filling injector, so I can see charging an extra $50 for that (NOT).

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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

GrillPro 91652 Non-Stick Aluminum Grill Griddle, 19-Inch by 10-3/4-Inch

GrillPro 91652 Non-Stick Aluminum Grill Griddle, 19-Inch by 10-3/4-InchGreat product does what it was designed for. Fairly easy cleanup -Remember to ONLY use non-stick cooking tools with it to preserve its life. Purchased this because of value and price. Lightweight and easy to toss into sink and wash. Also serves as a stove-top defrosting pan for frozen meats. Usage tips -1) When running 2 burners under it in high heat, it Will get plenty hot for grilling steaks, burgers, etc. -you may have to shorten your cooking time; 2) Of course, produces plenty of smoke Should be used with a vented, high-powered range hood; 3) Be prepared for grease spatter around the cooking area; and 4)It Will bake grease onto the stove top surface clean off with "Easy-Off" Oven spray. Bought this to use in place of an electric grill, which I found was heating too unevenly and with insufficient heat to grill steaks, etc.

this is cast aluminum, not cast iron. The weight therefor is significantly reduced. it weighs only 3lbs! very light. other cast aluminum i saw weighed 6lbs. Unfortunately i have to return this because it's a bit short for my grate. My grate is 20 inches, this is 19.5. The description says 19 but it's actually closer to 19.5; i measured it. i need one at least 20 inches to encompass my grate. Aside from that i would recommend this product. It's not as good as cast iron when it comes to heat conduction and non-stickiness but just google how to coat cast aluminum correctly and this should do the job. also remember this is much cheaper and way lighter.

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I would never use this pan to actually grill with. First, I don't like aluminum, and second, I'm sure the non-stick coating would wear out in no time as I do grill nearly everything I eat, especially vegetables. I found something I had been looking for a long time. Burner covers for my gas range. Each pan fits perfectly side by side and covers all 4 burners, which if you have a white gas range you know how impossible it is to clean. Love the gas when I'm cooking but electric ranges clean up so easily, just wipe 'em when they're still hot. They look very attractive covering the burners and I don't have to scrub them with all my might every time I cook. Now I clean them once a week instead of every day. Sounds weird to most of you I'm sure, but if you do have a white gas range like me then you should understand perfectly. What can I say, I'm a creative guy.

Read Best Reviews of GrillPro 91652 Non-Stick Aluminum Grill Griddle, 19-Inch by 10-3/4-Inch Here

Friday, September 27, 2013

Rome's #42 Supertong Grilling Combo, Chrome Plated And Stainless Steel, 16 Inch Length

Rome's #42 Supertong Grilling Combo, Chrome Plated And Stainless Steel, 16 Inch LengthSimilar to what we've used for years, but ... the turner part isn't long enough. Like the mostly-stainless construction (all our previous units eventually rusted), but it's still not what we're looking for. Usable, but just not right.

My husband cannot grill without this. I am buying two for my sons-in-law and an extra for hubby. This is a great tool for grilling and barbque.

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Bought these to replace a 20 year old pair of similar tongs I use when grilling. Can't believe how cheaply made they are. The spatula portion is extremely thin and my guess is if you dropped them it would dent or bend. It does what I want, but my guess is they won't last very long.

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My boyfriend has an old pair of these BBQ Tongs that were rusting and he needed a new set. These were ok, but the spatula side is a bit small. They will do for a while...but I will probably order one that has a larger spatula. The price was right...

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Spatula portion was very flimsy. It bent the first time i tried to scrape under a burger. Love the concept but you should buy a better quality tong.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Weber Wood Chunks

Weber 17005 Apple Wood Chunks, 5-PoundI used the Cherry Chunks on a ECB for a boston butt yesterday. The wood smelled great as soon as I opened the package. The only reason I give this 4 stars instead of 5 was because this is not actually a 5 pound bag. Its 3.75 pounds. Once I noticed that, I felt I had overpaid. While this wood is nice, I'm not convinced I need to shell out more for this than 10 pounds of charcoal.

Very disappointed in this product. I had ordered 2 bags and both of them were more like chips. It was a good thing that I had ordered 2 bags because of the size I had to use much more to get that good thick smoke going. I expected much more from something that Weber puts their name on. I have been looking around and seen that others have had similar issues. It was very good, clean wood, don't get me wrong, but if you think that you are getting chunks don't plan on it. You may get 3 good 3 inch chunks.

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I was very excited to get this, since it was to complement my WSM. I love pecan wood, but the wood I received is not of great quality. There are maybe 2-3 large chunks and the rest are chips. Also, the large chunks have bark on them, so that will have to be taken off before they go into my WSM. Also, the bag weighs 4 lbs 7 oz, NOT 5 lbs! I purchased some apple wood from Home Depot made by Charbroil. The price is around $6-7 and actually weighs 5 lbs. There are more chunks that are larger, though they still have bark on them. But they are cheaper and you get more. I strongly, strongly recommend to get your wood elsewhere and try to avoid Weber's wood. I can't believe this Weber product. I usually have great experience with Weber and love their products. Come to think of it, I have never had a problem with a Weber product until now. Again, I strongly recommend going elsewhere for your wood needs! Stay away from this Weber product!

Read Best Reviews of Weber Wood Chunks Here

I used these chunks last weekend for both baby back ribs and pulled pork. It works well and the chunks were large. I only needed 2 chunks; they were soaked one hour & gave an hours worth of smoke. Not too much smoke and flavored the meat well. I'm ordering more.

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The Amazon description states weight is 5 lbs. Actual weight is much less. I am disappointed. I can't give a rating on the actual product performance yet.

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Monday, August 26, 2013

West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with Tote

West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with ToteI've been slow-cooking since the first CrockPots (in the 1950's? -time flies). I've used a couple of dozen or more during that time. Settings were all Low-High-Off, later adding Warm. No bells and whistles. Most of these cookers were very unreliable on temperature control. Except for programming capability, little else has changed in 50 years.

The West Bend Versatility series is a quantum leap forward: non-stick metal pot that can be used to brown meat (any experienced slow-cooker knows what a convenience that is!); converts to a griddle if you don't have one handy; and has an infinite heating control from barely warm to just-short-of-boiling.

Because I'm a gadget geek, I made some tests. (First, please be aware that most slow-cookers typically peak at around the same point --somewhere between 180-210 degrees F, regardless of the heat setting. The main difference between Low, Medium, and High is how quickly the peak temperature is reached. Some of the more sophisticated cookers (the Versatility is one) have lower or higher peaks related to the setting. For the serious cook, these types are preferable).

My tests started with the pot 2/3 full of room-temperature water. I used a calibrated thermometer probe in the center of the pot. I put the cover on, but it wasn't seated where the probe wire exited.

TEMPERATURE SETTING #3 (LOW) HOURS MEASURED TEMPERATURE

1:00 157

2:00 176

3:00 180

4:00 182

5:00 183

6:00 183

7:00 188 (Flatlined)

TEMPERATURE SETTING #4 (MEDIUM)

1:00 170

2:00 188

3:00 194 (Flatlined)

TEMPERATURE SETTING #5 (HIGH)

1:00 155

2:00 198

2:45 209 (Flatlined)

I didn't do a time series on the #1 and #2 settings, but they topped out at 149 and 160 degrees respectively.

Remember that the Versatility setting is infinitely variable, so in-between heating speeds can be used. Also, bear in mind that these temperatures were measuring water only -cooking food may be different.

These ranges were relatively the same on both the 5-quart and 6-quart cookers.

Speaking of quarts, be aware that the "5-quart" has an actual maximum capacity of 4.3 quarts at overflowing. West Bend Customer Service still maintains that it's 5 quarts. The "6-quart" model is an actual 6-quart capacity. Practical capacity for cooking is, of course, less.

As other reviews have noted, there's no "off" setting, so you havee to unplug. However, the cooker end of the cored is unpluggable, so no big deal.

Other reviews have complained about the non-stick coating deteriorating. I refer them to the instructions in the manual, under the heading "Using Your Slow Cooker--First Use" wherein it describes how to avoid damage to the coating. I won't repeat it here -it's in the book. Also, note that while the coating is dishwasher-safe, it will last longer with hand-washing --a breeze due to the non-stick finish. Because so few users actually read directions, West Bend does not cover the non-stick under warranty.

All this said, the Versatiltiy is an incredible value for its price. It's a good example of how excellent design, engineering, and production can result in a quality product at very low cost. It's far and above any cooker I've used before.

4 stars only because it lacks an "off" switch, and the "5-quart" capacity is inaccurate and misleading.

Outstanding product and value!

This is my third West Bend Slow Cooker in 20 years. I got rid of my oldest one and now have two I use regularly. I ordered this one because it had a carrier tote; I take my slow cooker with me to covered-dish dinners and church socials. This is a nice extra feature, but I would have bought a West Bend anyway; I like the adjustable heat-not just high, medium and low. I use my slow cookers to thaw and reheat frozen foods,cook turkey breasts, and make soups.You can put ingredients in the cooker in the morning and come home to a hot dinner. This is a good product, easy to clean and can be used on the stove top or even in the freezer. I highly recommend it.

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I got this because of a friend's recommendation about a year and a half ago. I was expecting more of a Rival Crockpot type of device and when I first opened it I thought this just is not going to work well.

I am really surprised. It cooks well on the range top, the griddle part also works well as a griddle, and when you put the two together it also works just fine.

I made a pot roast a couple of weeks ago. I first browned onions, garlic and carrots on the stove top. Then I browned the meat an all sides as well. Took that out and tossed a little wine in to mix it all up and then put the meat, the onions, garlic and carrots and bay leaves, rosemary and thyme in the pot. Added beef stock half way up the roast, set it on the griddle base, turned it to low and let it go for about 6 hours. It came out just right. Everything done in the one pot and just the way I like it.

Way better than the old type of crock pot in my opinion. Lots of uses in one device and easy to clean up as well. Could not do better and it was not expensive.

Read Best Reviews of West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with Tote Here

The only reason I can't give this product a 5-star rating is the color. (The picture on Amazon appeared white, the product box used for shipping definitely showed white, but the product is a matte-finish grey. I'm dubious about how it will hold up over time.)

I ordered this product to replace the same thing, received over 30 years ago for a wedding gift. And the only reason I needed a replacement was because the lower portion (element/grill) was lost in a move! All of the original item still worked when last used. I can't say that for any other electrical item that old in my house.

This product has been so reliable and convenient over the years for me that I love to give it for wedding gifts! It's the best way I've found to both brown a roast stove-top, forget it while cooking low on the grill with veggies or beans, and still take the dish to another location. The additional tote I now have with the new cooker will just make transport that much easier. And I frequently refrigerate the leftovers in the pan with lid. Reheating on stove-top is so easy.

Great product!

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I have two and I love them...It gets used 2-3 times a week....Easy to clean. Put your meal on in the morning and walaa, its done for dinner..

The best slow cooker, I like the oblong the best...

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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

NEW 6 Ft. Electrical Appliance Cord -- Fits Farberware Open Hearth Broiler Rotisserie

NEW 6 Ft. Electrical Appliance Cord -- Fits Farberware Open Hearth Broiler Rotisserie
  • 2 conductor
  • 16/2 HPN
  • 15A/125V/1875W
  • 16 guage medium duty
  • polarized

I was thrilled to discover this cord for my ancient Farberware Grill. I hadn't used the grill since the cord became separated from the appliance during one of my several moves. I'm happy to be able to use the grill once more. The cord fits! Yay!

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I have an old Farberware open hearth that was my mom's. I love it and have been having problems getting a cord that works for it. I have been buying cords at my local Ace Hardware store for $10.99 and they keep burning out. When I found this one on Amazon and read the customer reviews I was so happy so I purchased it. I paid more than $10.99 and paid for shipping but I was happy that I was going to get a cord that worked and maybe last.

To my surprise....THIS IS THE SAME CORD that I have been buying at Ace!!! Uuugghhh:(

I did use it the other night and it worked but I don't know for how long. I really hope it will work longer than all the other ones did!

Read Best Reviews of NEW 6 Ft. Electrical Appliance Cord -- Fits Farberware Open Hearth Broiler Rotisserie Here

I was hesitant about ordering this item online, worried it would not fit. But, I was wrong! It fits, it works and I can now use my wonderful Farberware grill again. Several months ago my power cord shorted out, I could not find a replacement, so I stored the grill and thought I was done, Then I thought about Amazon having almost everything! Yep, found it, the product description and buyer reviews convinced me to give it a try. It works great and is longer than the original cord, so it is a lot more convenient.

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Needed a new cord because old one was beginning to heat during use.....no cord from Farberware that I found so tried this one and it has worked fine the four times we have used the grill since purchasing the new cord. ..I did think it was a bit expensive but it works!

I gave this product a five star rating because I got exactly what I needed and it works great. The grill was my mothers and i did'nt want to throw it away. I searched several stores and could not find a cord for it. Someone told me to look on Amazon.com and thats where i found it. I'm extremely happy with this product!