Showing posts with label portable gas grills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label portable gas grills. Show all posts

Friday, August 1, 2014

Chefscape PRGR1000 Grill, VersaGrill

Chefscape PRGR1000 Grill, VersaGrillI purchased this grill just over a week ago and I think I have made a very smart purchase. I bought the Chefscape Versagrill for $69.99 at a local discounter, Tuesday Morning. It is solidly built and comes with two grease cups and a cup to attach to the grill to warm sauces, butter, syrup, etc., as well as a tool to facilitate cleanup of the grill plate ridges. The Versagrill's short cord (3-prong) stores in the base of the unit. The heating element is imbedded in each of the two cooking plates. There is a 99 minute timer on the unit. I particularly like that the Versagrill's cooking plates are reversible, including a smooth griddle side for cooking pancakes, grilled sandwiches, veggies, meats, fish and the other side is ribbed and gives meat, shrimp, paninis and other foods beautiful grill marks. You can easily change the surfaces to have grill marks on top and smooth surface on the bottom, vice-versa, grill marks on both sides or both sides smooth. What sold me on this machine were the facts that the unit opens up to a full 180 degrees to give you a 12" x 20" surface to cook on and the range of temperatures from "Warm" which is 175 degrees to "Sear" which is 475 degrees. The Versagrill will beep three times to let you know when it has heated to the temperature you have selected. I cooked a New York strip steak in 2 minutes at 325 degrees (Medium) to medium-rare by closing the top down, thus cooking two sides at once. Shrimp takes a minute or less. Tip: make sure ingredients and proteins are dry by patting with a paper towel before seasoning, to get great browning. The hinge design allows you to "float" the top over delicate items. You can even use the unit to keep a pot of something warm, as on a buffet, by opening the unit up 180 degrees and placing the heat-safe pot on top of it. I've already used the unit 3 times and can see that this will get a lot of use in my house. It is simple to operate and easy to clean---the cooking plates can be removed and dunked in hot soapy water to clean. The non-stick surface seems heavy duty and the Versagrill comes with a 3 year warranty. I will be giving my Cuisinart panini grill away.

I consider this grill one of the best in the market place, after using Chefscape for about month. At my time of purchase their were only two reviews which convinced me to purchase. Nothing mention about wattage, which is 1500 watt. It does have a short power cord of 36 inches. With the lift out cooking grills, its makes for easy cleaning and choice of smooth or grill marks. Would I purchase this unit again, YES, Absolutely.........

H G Lutz Missouri

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I love this grill!! I have been using it at work for lunches. It is very easy to clean. I have cooked hamburgers, chicken breasts, eggs, and sandwiches. I would recommend it to anyone.

Read Best Reviews of Chefscape PRGR1000 Grill, VersaGrill Here

I think this is the best out there. This is my 3rd one and I would be lost without it

You will love it

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Use it almost every day, find it easy to use and maintain. The only problem is with the lettering disappearing. You would think for this price they would make lettering that is permanent.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Chasseur Cast Iron 3290FB French Bistrot Grill/Griddle, French Blue

Chasseur Cast Iron 3290FB French Bistrot Grill/Griddle, French BlueSmaller than claimed. actual cooking surface is 13.5 by 9.5 inches by .75 inch deep. Overall length is 16.5 including the handles and overall height is 1.5 inches. Claimed Product Dimensions: 17 x 10 x 2 inches. For those thinking this would cover their cooktop's bridged double burners based on the claimed dimensions, it will likely fall short.

What makes it unusable is that the bottom is not flat; one fourth of it is lower than other areas so it teeters and clanks back and forth on a flat cooktop. It will be returned and I'll just pony up for the Le Cruset double burner grill not available on Amazon.com.

Excellent quality, love it. Very heavy. A little smaller than expected but worked out fine. Would recommend to anyone looking for a quality griddle!

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Thursday, July 3, 2014

National TV Products Countertop Multi-Grill with Removable Grill Trays, 9-Piece

National TV Products Countertop Multi-Grill with Removable Grill Trays, 9-PieceThis piece of junk broke after using 1 time. The second time it completely shut off in the middle of using it. There is no trouble shooting in the owner's manual. There is no "800" number to call for help. There is no website for help. It is a simple and easy piece of junk; just doesn't last.

I just received this grill in the mail and have not used it yet. I ordered it instead of a George Foreman grill because it has removable plates. However, I just read in the owner's manual that IT IS NOT SUITABLE TO COOK RAW MEAT! This information was not clear to me before I purchased it. I assumed that since it was a grill I would be able to cook meat. I may be returning this product as cooking meat was the main reason that I bought it.

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As a long time customer that has spent many dollars over the years I am truly disgusted with the customer service department -its been over a month and I still have not received either the warranty of instructions for use even when I have made many requests for samePlease advise thankyou Doreen

Read Best Reviews of National TV Products Countertop Multi-Grill with Removable Grill Trays, 9-Piece Here

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Skinny Grills

Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 9-1/2-Inch Square Skinny Grill Pan, CherryIt says this is a 2 burner grill pan but that is so wrong. It does not cover 2 burners it sits in the middle of each burner causing the handles to be right ove both burners. Very dissapointing, I love the le creuset normally and was really looking forward to having a grill pan made by them. Unfortuanatelly due to the shape it will not work for just one burner either. Hopefully they will come out with an updated one, until then my search for a good 2 burner grill pan continues.

We love this product. If you are like us and don't want a thousand single-use products in your home, you may really like this grill. We use it in the winter to grill steaks and get those beautiful lines. We use it to grill veggies. (My favorite: asparagus with some olive oil. Then sprinkle with sea salt and garlic powder). But our most recent use, paninis!!! I made a cheese and ham sandwich on italian pugliese bread or chiabatta, sprayed with a little grapeseed oil and put it down on the grill, put a cast iron pan on top of it as a press, then flipped it over and did the same. Our paninis looked beautiful and tasted out of this world!

Update in Nov 09. It isn't always easy to keep clean. Still love it.

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While some don't like the size of this grill pan, I find it easy to work with. Just position the middle of the grill pan over the burner and heat slowly for even temperature throughout. The fact that 3 other burners are free while I grill meat on this grill is helpful in cooking other dishes for the meal. The patina does take a while to build but now I use very little (if any) grease to make it nonstick. I found that cleaning works best with a quick soak after the grill cools. Just some dish soap and enough water to soak the grill for 20 min or so was enough for easy cleanup with a plastic brush. Before the patina develops, there is a bit more careful cleanup but this diminishes over time. I've enjoyed this grill for over a year and it is a staple part of my kitchen.

Read Best Reviews of Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Skinny Grills Here

I just purchased a glass top stove and bought this because of the protective bottom. However, after using it several times, I would choose a different grill because of the following reasons:

#1 The spatter mess there is virutally no way to prevent splatter when using this pan creating an unneccessary amount of post-cooking clean-up.

#2 There is no option of purchasing a lid

#3 The pan itself has an odd rectangular shape that does not fit on one burner or two for that matter. Thus, somewhere while cooking you have a cool spot.

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Great idea, and easy to store for those of us with limited space. But if you're an amateur griller like me, it's too easy to push the grill pan off the burner while you're trying to flip food, especially if the food sticks. The handles are so close to the flame that it's hot on your fingers, and you have to hold the handles with the ends of your fingers with a potholder, so it's hard to get a good grip. I'm returning mine in favor of one with a nice big honkin' handle to hold it really well, at least until I'm better at grilling. Great idea though.

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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Toastmaster 288 4-Section Sandwich Maker

Toastmaster 288 4-Section Sandwich MakerThis product is the same price as the average sandwich maker, but a lot better value! You can heat-up to 1-4 sandwiches at a time and make a hot meal in under 6 minutes. The instruction guide also gives you recipes for flavored butter, hot pockets, using cake mix and pancake batter! Also use their recipes to make hot appetizers such as Crab Rangoon and Crab Cakes! I recommend this product to anyone who wants to feed their family a HOT meal in minutes!

I had my sandwich maker for almost 5 years now and I love it. I have the larger and the small version. I even take cake mix and make little cakes with it . After the cakes come out of the sandwich maker I top them with fruit and cream YUMMMMM!!

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Got this item for Christmas and have tried it several times. I get better results by using an iron. The sandwiches usually come out well overdone and smashed up. Doesn't actually cut the sandwiches as it appears, and good luck buying bread small enough to fit unit. Better to spend your money on a real sandwich press or better yet, just use a pan and save the money.

Read Best Reviews of Toastmaster 288 4-Section Sandwich Maker Here

Friday, May 16, 2014

Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill

Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal GrillI used a Weber charcoal grill for years. I used it to grill and smoke. I loved the taste of charcoal, but finally got tired of the hassle. When I saw the duo, I thought my prayers had been answered. They were....but not really.

This is definitely the most versatile grill on the market (I added the smoker box) but they could have done so much more to make it a 'great' grill. When I saw the price tag, I was worried about the craftmanship. My worries were justified.

First, the materials that the grill is made out of are pretty good. The steel is heavy, the grills are solid, and the frame is rigid. The problem is the design and craftsmanship. A previous reviewer complained about the wheels being cheap plastic. Chargriller must have taken the advice, because the wheels that I have are fairly solid. It took about 2 hours to put the grill together by myself. While putting it together, I noticed the charcoal side and smoker are far from air-tight, not good for charcoal and smoking. You want a very tight charcoal grill so temperature can be controlled precisely by the dampers (the Weber I had was as tight as a drum). This grill is far from air-tight. The area around the lid has about a 1/4 inch gap and the smoker has many many areas where the pieces don't fit together perfectly. There are also a few holes in the smoker where screws for the feet would have gone (the smoker can also be a standalone grill). All these gaps and cracks make it nearly impossible to control the heat. With all the dampers closed, I should be able to smother the fire/coals/wood, but the grill burns at 400+ degrees even with all the dampers closed!!!

Other Cons:

When the lids are open, the warming racks go up/back right over the lid. Anything that drips off the warming rack goes right down the lid and onto the ground behind the grill. I found this out the hard way after an afternoon of cooking burgers. What a mess!

There are no bumpers around the grilling perimeter. One bad spatula or tong move and your meat will slide right off in any direction! They should have at least put a bumper in the back!

The joints aren't tight. Any grease that drips down on the propane side in the corners between the bottom and side pieces of the grill goes right between the two pieces of metal and drips on the propane tank.

No natural gas option

Pros:

Propane, charcoal, smoker, side stove. Nuff said

Cover that was ordered separately covers everything, including smoker box.

Lots of grilling surface

Grill plates are nice, solid, iron.

All in all, I would have paid $500 for this grill if it were of better quality. I'm not to upset, because I feel I got what I paid for, a substandard grill at a low price.

Ok, so this is for the grill, NOT the price. Amazon's price on this item is WAY too high but that isn't what the review is for... I got mine at a sporting goods store for under $250 so shop around.

This is a fantastic grill, it is really versitile.

Pros:

Allows you to cook with charcoal, gas, or smoke (with the optional side firebox)

The 3 burners on the gas side are close to the cooking surface which makes it really easy to control the cooking temperature.

The side firebox somes with cooking grates for grilling 1-2 steaks

Cons:

The grease pan is difficult to clean

The ash tray can be cumbersome to remove

It could really use some better wheels, this is a HEAVY grill if you have the firebox attached and moving it around is tough.

No option for using natural gas as a fuel source

The Cons are all relatively minor in my opinion. This is a great grill, I'd buy another one for sure.

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My husband and I searched and searched for a grill that could do both charcoal and gas. I found this one on Amazon. I love the fact that it offers a smoking option. The burners on the gas side fire up easily and on the charcoal side you can raise and lower the rack you put the charcoal on. It's heavy enough that it hasn't once tipped over from strong winds.(I've had that problem with other grills I've had.) I also like the fact that the gas and the charcoal are completely separate. You can smoke meat on the charcoal side while you are cooking on the gas side. I've had the grill for almost a year and it still works great!

On the con side...

-It rusts easily, even with putting vegetable oil on the surfaces like it directs you too. You have to clean out the charcoal ashes after every use and it's not the easiest to clean. The rack that holds the charcoal doesn't come off the rack that catches the ashes, so rust is bound to form. You will definitely need the cover, unless you plan on storing it inside out of the elements when not in use. A heads up on the cover...although it fits the grill perfectly, it doesn't have elastic on the bottom to stop it from coming off in the wind. We used a couple bungee cords to hold the cover on and that is working great.

-The grease drip pan on the gas side doesn't fully come off making that difficult to clean as well.

Even despite it's cons, I would recommend this grill. It serves it's purpose for the quickness of gas, but also the flavor of charcoal.

Read Best Reviews of Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill Here

My dad bought me this grill as a house warming present when I moved to Texas in October of 2010. At this point it is less than 10 months old. Originally it worked great. I have used the gas side, the charcoal side and have smoked ribs and chicken using the attached fire (smoke) box.

A few comments about the assembly. Lots of parts but it goes together easily enough.

1)The smoke box just kind of hangs on the side with no real support built in. Pretty flimsy.

2)The tabs that hold the charcoal grill rack are very weak and I actually broke one off during installation.

3)The stainless indirect food racks are flimsy and are held in place by screwing a nut onto a screw. The nut is not fixed and the screw and nut assemblies continue to loosen and come undone through use.

5) The unit is rusting out terribly in the side burner side wall of the gas chamber. .

6) (The Biggy). This unit must have some kind of design flaw. Three times now, the unit has completely caught on fire. The first time it happened I was cooking burgers for the family. Eight to ten burgers. The side walls, bottom, and grease tray completely became engulfed in flames. I was able to put the fire out with a hose but thought I was going to have to call the fire department. I completely cleaned the unit thinking that I had overused it. It happened again two uses later and then again when I was out of town and my wife and sons had to deal with it. I won't let them use it when I am not around now and am going to call Lowe's to see if it can be replaced or returned.

I know a thing or two about grills and was in the barbeque restaurant business for 9 years. I have never seen anything like this. Please post if you have had the same problems.

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I bought this grill with high hopes (but not enough knowledge.) It had exactly what I needed, gas for convenience and charcoal/smoke for cooking low and slow. For the first 6 months I loved it! I smoked brisket, ribs, pork shoulder and other BBQ treats (I am a Texan, so I have a legacy to uphold) every other weekend and had good success. I bought the manufacturers custom cover. Sadly, within the first year the outside was covered with rust, even with regular use of the cover. Within 18 months the metal ledge inside the gas side of the grill that hold the grates up had rusted though, making the grill unusable. I called Chargriller and found that they warranty the charcoal side of the grill body for 5 years, but the gas only 1. Both sides are made of the same material. Obviously they were aware that the materials used on the gas side were not up to snuff.

I have spoken with their service department and they are nice, friendly and ultimately of no help. After they pointed out I had no warranty i said "So, I guess I am out of luck." The rep said "well, that doesnt sound very good." I said "But it does describe my situation, right?" She couldnt help but agree.

Sometimes a great seeming product at a great seeming price is just too good to be true.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Rome's Roaster Toaster Marshmallow Fork, Set of 4

Rome's Roaster Toaster Marshmallow Fork, Set of 4These were just perfect for marshmallows and hot dogs for the kids, the fire cant be too hot and the arms cant be too short or you wil end up doing the kids toating and roasting. They are fine for what we use them for.

these are no nonsense forks. great priceget a couple sets. they clean up easy too. we've used them for spider dogs and smores. they will fit 2 marshmallows easyyou could actually cram 2 on each side for a total of 4 but I like mine toasty on all sides so i squished one marshmallow over both prongs at once-keeps them from spinning around too. great value. and if you lose one out camping no big deal they aren't real expensive. would be a great gift basket item when packaged with all the smore ingredients!!

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Got it for a friend as a housewarming gift. She (and her grand children) are very happy with it.

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For what it is, it is very nice. I do wish they were a little longer, but you know what they are hen you buy them. Over all definitely worth it. it worked for our bonfire cookout with the family perfectly.

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

George Foreman SK1403P 16-Inch by 12-Inch SkilLite Searing Skillet with Intelli-Probe Digital Contr

George Foreman SK1403P 16-Inch by 12-Inch SkilLite Searing Skillet with Intelli-Probe Digital ControlsWe had dinner last night courtesy of the George Foreman skillet. This skillet has a lot to offer but it also has some shortcomings.

Pros:

Large nonstick cooking surface

Clean lines and sleek styling makes it look good on the table

Grease channel helps drain the fat away from what you're cooking

Steam vent helps reduce condensation which prevents your sauces from getting watered down

Heats up super fast (I'm talking just a few minutes)

Skillet doubles as a steamer

Sear setting helps brown meat/vegetables quickly

Easy to use controls

Cons:

Serious hot spots (all electric skillets have them) combined with the super fast heating makes for easily burnt food (I quickly placed 9 chicken thighs in the skillet and by the time the last one hit the surface, 4 placed on hot spots were already burned)

Recipe booklet only contains 4 recipes, none using the steam rack

No instructions for how to use the reversible meat/steam rack-How much water do you add for steaming? What temperature is used for steaming? How long should stuff be steamed? How do you use the meat rack? Do you brown the meat first? Again, what temp is recommended?

The skillet is well made except for an aluminum cover over the heating element on the bottom. It serves no purpose that I can see other than making cleaning more difficult. All electric skillets cannot be submerged in water (you can't get water in the probe receptacle) so you have to wash and rinse them carefully but this aluminum cover allows water to seep under it where you can't reach it to dry it off.

Better info and more recipes would do a lot to elevate the Skillite Searing Skillet to the status of indispensible kitchen gadget.

All this is really is is an electronic frying pan. If you run out of burners on your stove or frequently need to cook in odd spaces without stoves, I can see this being handy. There is a "fat channel" that is supposed to collect run off fat if you are cooking fatty meats but this will be very irritating fast if you're using this to make a sauce or to poach something. You'll need enough extra liquid to fill the channel and then for your dish.

As a "healthy alternative to a traditional frying pan", it's not quite the case.

The lining is non-stick. I'm not going to go on record for or against using nonstick on high heats but you do hear it's not a good idea to use it at high.

The nicest thing is the quick heat response. I wasn't prepared for that and it's a real plus.

It looks fine. Not very sleek but not ugly.

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The skilLite skillet is a nice fairly large lightweight cooking device that cooks evenly, is easy to clean, and comfortably holds 10 pounds of chicken. These are the reasons to buy it. If you are persuaded to purchase the skillet because of its special features you will be disappointed.

The skillet isn't 12" x 16". It is square, about 13.5 to 14 inches, depending on where you measure. It comes with a 3 foot cord, but that includes the controller box at one end. The cord is much too short. I had to rearrange my kitchen to get the large pan within two feet of an electrical outlet. The writing on the controller is such that it is readable if the electrical outlet is in front or to the right of the skillet. Otherwise the writing is upside down.

The Lite in the name is because of a channel along one side of the skillet's bottom. It is suppose to hold the fat draining from the cooking food. It is too small. Maybe there should be a fat channel on all 4 sides.

The temperature control has 5 settings. Those who are better cooks than I would probably want more options for adjusting the heat. The high setting is a 500 degree searing setting which is supposed to lock the juices (fat?) into the meat making it more favourable and tender. When I used the searing option all it did was burn the fats in the bottom of the pan giving the food a rancid taste.

There is a plastic steam vent in the glass top. As far as I can tell it does nothing. The lid does not fit tight and there's plenty of room for steam to escape along the sides. All the vent does is make the top hard to clean.

For some reason the skillet was designed to snap into a plastic base. There are little legs on the bottom of the skillet so the the whole skillet can be removed from the base and brought to the table. The plastic base does get warm when cooking but so do the skillet's legs. To unsnap the skillet from the base, the skillet needs to be tilted, and in doing so there is a risk of spilling it's contents. A very poor design.

If you want a lightweight skillet,(I have fry pans half the size that weigh more), that cooks evenly and has a nice coating on its cooking surface that makes it easy to clean, this skillet is a good choice.

Read Best Reviews of George Foreman SK1403P 16-Inch by 12-Inch SkilLite Searing Skillet with Intelli-Probe Digital Contr Here

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM) Oh, this is a good product. I want to first mention the `searing' feature. If you want to cook steaks, pork chops or the like, set the temperature to the cooking time, then press the SEAR button. When the light becomes constant, place the meat on for 1.5 minutes and then flip for another 1.5 minutes. After that, it automatically returns to the lower cooking temperature. It's the best and easiest way to cook a choice piece of meat. In fact, you can use the searing method for fish, vegetables and fruit! I've cooked several filet mignons already.

George Foreman grills are noted for removing excess fat. On one side of the frying pan there is a ½" deep fat collector. If you were cooking even a half-chicken, there would be a lot of grease buildup, so you have to use a bulb baster to remove it all frequently. Less fatty meats are easier. But the grease and oils allow you to keep them off to the side for later basting.

You can easily steam vegetables while cooking meat. The reversible meat/steam rack is great for steaming or even deep frying if you really want to fry some vegetables, tempura or potatoes (anything). I can see where I will use this in the future for stir-fry meals. There is an adjustable steam vent for controlling steam cooking. The heat is controlled from 180 degrees to 500 degrees depending on what you are cooking.

Of course, multiple meat and vegetable dishes are the best use for the "Skillite", but it's usable for singles or families. One word of caution is that you should only use non-metal utensils with the "Skillite". It can scratch the surface. Also, you can only put the lid and the steam rack in the dishwasher. The pan is only hand washable. It's an easy and healthy way to cook with little fuss or mess.

For some great ideas on George Foreman recipes, check out this link:

Great for fried/breaded zuchini, eggplant and more and great for small frozen pizzas!

Want George Foreman SK1403P 16-Inch by 12-Inch SkilLite Searing Skillet with Intelli-Probe Digital Contr Discount?

First off----the reason I rated it as 4 stars instead of 5 is because apparently, it's not meant to be used like my Mom's old electric frying pan----in other words, you don't pour in a high level of oil and throw your floured chicken pieces in. I would have loved that nostalgia----but the good news is that this skillet does just about everything else, and it does it well. The non-stick surface, like all things Foreman, is excellent. Use your plastic utensils to keep it perfect----but note that I've accidently/absent-mindedly used metal, and it didn't scratch the durable non-stick Foreman uses. You can indeed cook healthier as food doesn't need to cook in oil to avoid sticking----and that grease channel does in fact do its job. This is becoming a workhorse for me----excellent for frying fish, minute steaks, REAL steaks, burgers, chicken breasts---heats up very quickly and the controls help you keep things at the right cooking temps. Buy some frozen Chinese dumplings from your supermarket. Steam them----then throw them on this surface (with a tiny bit of oil) to get authenic pan-fried dumplings every bit as good as the ones from your favorite Chinese restaurant. Finally, my kitchen counters are already too crowded as I'm a small appliance junkie---and as well, everything from mail to my kid's homework pages are all over my counters. I expected to store this and only bring it out once in a while. Instead, it's been sitting on my counter since the first time I used it----because I'm using it frequently and it looks really good----a quality piece that's beautifully designed and fits in with my black granite countertops and stainless appliances better than competitors' skillets do. Kudos to Mr. George Foreman for putting his name on another fantastic product.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

True Blood Merlotte's Bar and Grill Pint Glass

True Blood Merlotte's Bar and Grill Pint GlassI purchased two of these glasses as X-mas gifts for a new True Blood watcher ( and huge beer drinker). He loved them!! I think I may have to order a set for myself!!

Great, my roommate loves hers, it looks just like what's pictured here on the product. Doesn't really take much, but it's a sturdy glass with a decent size to it. Good stuff. Great price, in my opinion.

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Emeril by All-Clad E9640764 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 12-Inch Skillet Cookware, Black

Emeril by All-Clad E9640764 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 12-Inch Skillet Cookware, BlackI purchased this skillet after reading every review here, believing that the negative reviews were probably due to a lack of understanding how to work with cast iron.

At first, I did like the skillet. I took it through my own seasoning process (even though it was pre-seasoned) and was happy with both the appearance and (more importantly) the cooking qualities the first couple of times I used it.

I have been using it 1-2 times daily for the two weeks I've had it. A cast iron skillet is supposed to become better and more seasoned the more you use it. This one, however, is becoming worse. It doesn't heat as evenly as my other cast iron pieces, and no matter how carefully I clean and re-season it (I clean with kosher salt and a lint-free cloth, rinse with hot water, towel-dry then heat-dry it, then re-season with oil), the "seasoning" is becoming more and more uneven.

I had hesitated to buy this skillet since it's made in China and I don't want even the smallest chance that there is lead in this skillet. I should have gone with my hunch because now, more than ever, I'm upset at the idea of unknown elements being in this skillet, especially since the skillet isn't up to par with my other cast iron. I've also heard more and more stories of Emeril cast iron cracking... which I had thought initially due to too-rapid heating or cooking, but now I'm wondering if the Chinese cast iron itself is an inferior compound with sub-par "filler" material.

By point of comparison, four days ago I bought two Lodge 8" skillets. Of course, after my Emeril pre-seasoning experience, I had low expectations. But I was amazed as I gently washed them for the first time and water actually beaded on the surface and rolled right off. I decided to do something bold and daring, and cooked some eggs in the Lodge -only the second time I cooked with it. Amazingly, those eggs slid right out as if the pan were Teflon -a minor miracle with cast iron.

I can't return this skillet since I've used it, but I will be buying a Lodge 12" skillet instead. I'd rather waste my money and KNOW that I'm buying a safe, time-tested, made-in-the-USA item from a company with a longstanding reputation. The Lodge skillet is much less expensive, yet worth so much more... the superior pre-seasoning and the highly reputable manufacturer make Lodge the better deal even if it were higher-priced. Sorry, Emeril, but my vote is with Lodge.

If hadn't looked any further than the reviews here, I wouldn't have purchased this pan, but the reviewers seemed a little 'green' when it comes to cast iron and so I looked around some and ended up buying it. I have to say I am very satisfied.

First of all, I have never seen a 'pre-seasoned' piece of cast iron that was actually meant to be cooked in straight away. The instructions that come with this pan (for those who bothered to read them) recommend further seasoning anyway.

And yes, it does need further seasoning and careful integration into your cooking setup. Cast iron rewards patience, and this pan is a great big piece of iron, heavier and thicker than the Lodge equivalent and made to last for generations. It also is a bit rough textured for a cast iron pan and you will find that it takes longer to build up a nice slick surface, but it's far from impossible as has been suggested. Only the years will tell, but my guess is that it will hold on to its seasoning particularly well once it's fully established.

For the record, this is the method I use to season my cast iron:

-Rub a thin layer of lard or vegetable shortening on the pan, inside and out

-Put the pan in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes, pull it out and pour off any fat that's pooled in the bottom

-Put it back in for a couple hours

-Turn off the oven and let it cool in there

-Repeat this process a few times afterward, but in a 450 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour

-If the pan is sticky when you're done with a seasoning, you didn't cook it long enough

Buy Emeril by All-Clad E9640764 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 12-Inch Skillet Cookware, Black Now

After owning this product for 2+ plus years the quality is exceptional and the pan is durable and well made. I am not a huge fan of Emeril's television show but his products are excellent. I am of the opinion that the negative reviews of this product are written by people that simply do not know how to work with cast iron.

Read Best Reviews of Emeril by All-Clad E9640764 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 12-Inch Skillet Cookware, Black Here

All my pots and pans are from the Emril line, and including this cast iron skillet and my cast iron grill skillet, and so far they have proven to be a great product, this skillet is a well cast heavy duty product, excellent for pan skillet fried chicken and great for making large corn breads.

Want Emeril by All-Clad E9640764 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 12-Inch Skillet Cookware, Black Discount?

I bought this last month to make a pineapple upside down cake. The cake was extraordinary. I don't know about things getting stuck in it but when I flipped the cake it was fine.

It is a great buy and I am about to buy the sizzler, the dutch oven and the pancake thing because I saw all of them at a bargain store for 1/2 the price.

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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

KIBBE'S World Famous Bar & Grill Stretched Canvas Print

KIBBE'S World Famous Bar & Grill Stretched Canvas PrintIt is such a conversation piece hanging in my living room. The dimensions are given in the product details but it didn't hit me that it would be as small as it is. I wish it was a little bigger.