Babycakes CP-12 Cake Pop Maker, 12 Cake Pop Capacity, Purple

I like it. It's easy to use, takes little care and comes with some nice accessories, such as pop sticks, a drying rack, a little fork and a syringe. Though these items are not made for heavy use, they are more than adequate for us non-pros. If you follow the instructions, you can easily produce doughnut holes/cake pops. This item produces more pops in one batch than other makers on the market. I suspect the balls may be slightly smaller, but to a 6-year-old, that doesn't matter. A dozen at a time is more or less a 'batch' so this model works well. The fork makes it easy to remove the balls from the maker and put them on a cooling rack. We've used a white cake mix, a brownie mix and a gingerbread mix and are pleased with the results. My wife used the injector to put melted marscapone into the gingerbread balls. It did a good job and the results are tasty. The key is to follow the instructions and to have someone who knows how the different type of mixes bake. The brownie mix takes a little longer than the white cake mix. The gingerbread pops took 3.5 minutes, but my wife decreased the water by about an ounce, so the batter was a little heavy. I did the white cake mix and baked them for 4.5 minutes each batch. The cake mix yielded 6.5 batches. The brownie mix produced about two dozen. Now some suggestions. Getting the right amount of batter into each well is crucial to a good pop; too little and they're not as round, too much and you get something that looks like Saturn and there's more clean-up. The brownies had mini-chocolate chips in them and many didn't make it into a ball. To get the right amount of batter and do it quickly, I recommend using a pancake batter pencil. You can add cake batter and squeeze out the right amount quickly. For thicker batters with chips and such, use a cookie press. The press should push the chips through. Trying to spoon a tablespoon of batter into the wells gets messy. You can use a canning (wide-mouth) funnel to transfer batter from your mixing bowl into the pancake batter pencil. Have fun.

I have to start off by saying that these are not traditional cake pops. Usually cake pops are made by mushing up a cooled cake with icing and forming them into balls. This product simply makes balls of cake. And it works beautifully! There are a few tips you should be aware of though:

-Like other reviews stated, you will get "saturn rings"...but only if you overfill! I find the perfect spot is filled to right below the top of the well. This produces perfect little spheres without the overflow.

-You will probably have to use an oven mitt. This thing gets HOT!

-Use a pastry bag when filling the wells. If you don't have a pasty bag, use a large zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off. This allows you to get precisely the right amount of filling without getting it everywhere.

-You MUST must must freeze the cake balls for 15 minutes before putting them on a stick and dipping them! To help them adhere after freezing, dip the stick in a little bit of melted chocolate and then insert into the cake ball. Pop them back into the freezer for a few minutes, and then dip away!

-For a better dipping experience, use a little bit (a tablespoon or so) or vegetable oil to thin the candy melts. After dipping, gently tap the stick on the side of your bowl while rotating the stick to get off excess chocolate.

Overall, this is a great little device that does exactly what it's supposed to do if you follow the directions. I will never go back to hand rolling cake pops again!

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I love my cakemaker. I waited a few months for this through Kohls, which was WAY cheaper than Amazon.com. I just got it and I've already made cake pops, brownie bites, doughnut holes, and takoyaki. It is so versatile with the shape and how small it is. Its definitely one of the smaller models of the babycakes series, but it makes for great bite size treats. Remember, cake pops are not going to be the traditional dense ones, but you can still chill the round cakes, put a stick in it, and dip it in chocolate. It still turns out very good. I actually prefer this to the usual dense crumbly ones. It feels more like cake instead of smashed cake pounded together. The takoyaki, which is a japanese food, turned out great; better than expected! The nonstick surface is fabulous and it heats up and cools down very fast. The cook time is amazing as well, only 6-8 minutes.

The only cons I can see is the really short power cord (only two feet approx) and that the outside plastic gets quite warm (almost hot) to the touch when heating and baking. The lid will get loose if you're not careful.

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Easy to use and fun to make with kids. Endless possibilities beyond just cake pops: mini muffin balls, potato cake balls, etc.. I read all the reviews and didn't risk a straight cake mix. I used the adapted recipe from their website and they came out perfectly! That's 2 Cups boxed cake mix, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup water and 1 egg. You can use the included from scratch recipes, but girl please. The biggest pain is coating them in candy melts after. I have a mini crock pot I use to keep my chocolate warm, but it is still very time consuming. Just be prepared and block out about 2 hours for the whole process.

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When I first got my cake pop maker I admit I had some of the same problems as others did. However, with further experimentation I found that in order to get sphere cake balls you have to refrigerate your cake batter. I keep my batter in the fridge even while I have some of it baking. When I fill the holes I then put the pancake pen in the fridge as well. If you don't the balls will flatten on the top. I have used red velvet, french vanilla, marble, devils food, etc.

The only issue I have with the make is it gets so hot that you sometimes need to help of a dish rag to get it open. If it feels like the latch wont open push down on the top with a rag and then try the latch. I would highly recommend this cake pop maker to anyone who likes to bake for fun. Once you get the hang of the cake pop maker it is so easy to use. I have baked upwards of 270 cake pops at one time.

If you have trouble getting the batter into the cake pop maker I recommend the Tovolo 80-4784 Pancake Pen 3-Cup Batter Dispenser it runs about $10 you can get it on Amazon or at Bed, Bath & Beyond (20% off coupon will save you $2)

If you want to melt your own chocolate the Wilton Chocolate Pro Electric Melting Pot is wonderful! You can get it on Amazon for $25 or Michaels always has 40% off coupons so you could get it for about $20.

I hope this helped, and good baking!!!

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Grill / Fondue Pot with Thermostat Control

Worst fondue pot ever. Sure, neat grill & broiling abilities. ABSOLUTELY NO INSTRUCTIONS WHAT-SO-EVER!!!! Oil doesn't get near hot enough to cook meat. It has a setting 1-5, but no explanation for the tempertaures of 1-5. Might be good for cheese or chocolate, but don't get your hopes up. BTW, don't bother looking for the company that made this, I can't find a thing on it. I was hoping to find better instructions or some sort of customer service line, zilch. I would not recommend buying this. I'll be lucky to get half my money back if I decide to sell it on craigslist, ebay, or a garage sale. Very disappointed. Take this as fair warning.

Haven't had a chance to use the item but Newcool Store was helpful and I will do business in the future with them.

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No Leak Lids 6-Pc Storage Set

Like many people these days I was looking to replace my old, barely-functioning plastic storage containers and upgrade to glass for health reasons. In my quest for the best product I bought and ultimately returned Snapware Glasslock, Kinetic Glasslock, and Anchor Hocking TrueSeal. The Anchor Hocking TrueSeal leaked like a sieve so that was an immediate no. The Snapware Glasslock and Kinetic Glasslock both were leakproof, but I decided against them because I like the look of Pyrex No Leak better, and it has additional benefits such as a microwaveable lid and oven proof glass.

What I love about Pyrex No Leak: First and foremost it is 100% leakproof. I was a little worried about buying Pyrex because their Basic Glass Containers (blue lids) and Glass Lids Containers (red lids) are definitely not leakproof. I tested the Pyrex No Leak out of the box by filling them with water and shaking them upside down, not one drop came out. Yesterday, I packed soup for lunch and my lunch bag turned upside down in the car. The No Leak performed great and not a drop was spilled. The round and rectangular shapes are equally waterproof.

Next I feel that Pyrex No Leak has the best overall features of any glass containers on the market. The lids are BPA-free, and the containers are freezer, microwave, and dishwasher (top rack) safe. While these features are pretty standard, Pyrex No Leak containers are also oven-safe (glass containers only) and the lids are microwaveable. All the competing lids must be removed for microwave use, and while I am trying to get away from using plastic, the reality is there are times when I don't have or don't want to use a paper towel and isn't it nice that I can simply use the lid if I want? Also the clean up is easy. To wash in the dishwasher I remove the inner rubber seal from the lid and place the seal, lid, and container in the top rack. I haven't had any issues with the lid warping or the glass containers breaking or anything like that. I've also washed the containers by hand and that is quick and easy as well.

Finally, the Pyrex No Leak containers look fantastic. The grey lids are a nice neutral color that will go with any decor. At first I was looking for clear lids. I have a few Rubbermaid Stainshield containers and I love being able to see the food through the top of the container. So I thought I would love the locking lids from Snapware and Kinetic. My personal feeling is that, sitting atop a clear glass container, the clear plastic lids look cloudy by comparison. Also I really like that the No Leak lids are traditionally styled (no lock down tabs on the sides). It looks very streamlined and modern.

Overall I am very happy with my Pyrex No Leak containers and I've ordered a bunch more. My only complaints are the following: The glass containers are hot to the touch after microwaving. This will of course be true of any glass containers, not just these. Pyrex, if you are listening I would love to see you offer a removable rubber sleeve that can go over the glass containers for microwave use (much like the cardboard sleeves that coffee shops use). Of course if I'm at home I can just use an oven mitt to remove the container, but the rubber sleeve would be great for work and travel. Another disappointment was actually the microwave vent in the lid. With my old plastic containers I would just loosen the lid and place it on top to microwave. Pyrex No Leak has a specially designed vent, and I excited to try this new feature. I reheated split pea soup in the microwave with the lid on and the microwave vent opened and after 1:30 I had split pea explosion all over the microwave. I reheated the same soup, but this time left the microwave vent closed and placed the lid loosely on top, and it heated beautifully, no mess. So I'm still giving the product five stars because it works great using the alternate method. As a side note, I was initially worried that Pyrex No Leak containers do not nest. You must put the lids on and stack them for storage. I have a LOT of containers, but this has not been an issue for me. Glass containers are going to take up more space than plastic anyway so I don't think you save too much room by having containers that nest.

I currently own the 2-cup round, 4-cup round, 3-cup rectangular, and 6-cup rectangular containers. I have since ordered more of these plus the 7-cup round and 11-cup rectangular. I wish they offered a 1 cup size, but they do not. The 2, 3, and 4-cup sizes are great for lunches. I'm looking forward to getting the 7-cup and 11-cup for large batches of leftovers.

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Swissmar Lugano Cheese Fondue, 9-Piece, Black

My wife was craving cheese fondue so I shopped around and decided on this one. Sooo much better than the el-cheapos that were all over the place. The heavy cast-iron heats up evenly on the stove and it has a nice comfortable handle. Clean up afterwards was easy. The stand is solidly constructed, quite stable, and protects the tabletop. The burner works well with gel, though it takes a half dozen wooden matches to get it going enough to sustain the flame, and goes down to a good simmer. About the only minus I can think of is there's no way to tell the forks apart.

This pot is heavy cast iron and uses a flamable gel (not NAPALM) heat source to keep things warm. I thought about getting an electric fondue pot, but who wants a cord around to trip over? An electric source also limits you on where you are going to serve this. I choose the black color because a fire source is used and I would not have to worry about cleaning black marks off a lighter color. The ceramic inside makes for an easy clean-up.

Fondues are fun and a pleasant way to dine with a friend or friends.

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I love my new Swissmar Lugano cheese fondue pot! It is made of heavyweight enameled cast iron and the stand is sturdy so I had no worry either of scorching from the heat source or tipping from a flimsy set up, both of which I've experienced with other pots. It is also a good, generous size, plenty enough capacity for the recipe I followed. Another nice thing is you can use the gel burner packs or you can fill the burner with liquid fuel, both will work. The black finish is nice, it goes with anything and doesn't give me flashbacks to the 1970's!

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I appreciated the metal base, as it made it unnecessary to find a metal tray to put under it. If it's used the way it's SUPPOSED to be used, that is, with bottled gel, it's perfect. I didn't have that and attempted to use a large can of Sterno. That's not possible because the container for the gel is not removable. So I'll follow directions and purchase the gel.

The pot itself is terrific. I'm looking forward to many more fondue parties with this product. Don't hesitate to purchase it.

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Cast iron holds and conducts heat well. Enamel interior great for cleaning up. Does not come with fuel though.

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Taylor #806 Weekend Warrior Digital Instant Read Thermometer

Mine came a little inacurate, but after I calibrated it (very easy, instructions included) it was dead one. Not quite instant though...more like 3 seconds or so, but thats more than quick enough. The cover also serves as a handle, which is nice. For the price, a great value.

Bought this from Axiom Merchant Marketing through Amazon. The battery worked for ten seconds, then had to be replaced locally. Now it works fine. Design is not so good. The cover of the probe can be pushed onto the end of the handle in order to extend the handle and make it longer, a handy feature when inserting the probe over a hot grill. However, the cover separates from the handle too easily, and I find myself holding only the cover while the probe remains in the food on the grill.

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This thermometer has been very useful. It registers the temperature quickly and the numbers are easy to read even with bi-focals. The cover becomes a handle so your fingers don't get to close to the flame when grilling. I would recommend it.

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I am impressed with the accuracy and durability of this item, but it is far from "instant read". I conduct several temperatue audits for a major food chain and many of the readings take several minutes to stabilize. Overall, it is worth the cost.

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Thermometer reads ok, handle doesn't hold on, tends to fall off, unit is too small to hold without handle attacted.

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Granite Ware 0528-4 Mini Grill Pan

When I got my new convection toaster oven, I bought this and the Granite Ware Mini Toaster Oven Cookie Sheet. This pan is great for heating up slices of pizza, making garlic bread, and basically cooking anything that benefits from a little air flow underneath.

I was hoping I could nest this on top of the cookie sheet, and also use it as a broiler pan. Unfortunately, it has sides that are a little deeper than the sides of the cookie sheet so, when you put this on top of the cookie sheet it rests on the bottom of the sheet with no gap, which makes it not useful for broiling.

The large GraniteWare Roaster/Broiler Sets are fantastic, and the small (but not toaster-oven sized) Pan Sets are almost fantastic (they would be fantastic if they didn't have the non-stick rack). I really, really wish Graniteware would make an even smaller roaster/broiler set for toaster ovens, like the Progressive International Pan but with an enamel finish. I can't be the only person who wants this.

Otherwise, this is a great pan.

I bought this to use in my convection microwave oven. I am sometimes challenged to find the right sized pan for convection cooking that will fit in the oven and still allow the turntable to rotate. This pan is just what I was looking for. I think it will be great for making baked frozen french fries.

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I bought this to use in my toaster oven. I am very pleased with how well it cleans up. I love granite ware for its looks and utility.

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I found these in a general store once and then had to go on the hunt to find a few more. Of course AMAZON, they have everything! We use these pans over firepits and on the grill to cook our pizza dough for our grilled pizzas. Cleanup is a snap. I use a little cooking spray and everything just scours right off! Love this product, love these pans. The dough cooks very evenly! I've already recommended them and friends/family have purchased! You won't be disappointed!

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I've used this mini grill several times. Great for a small amout of fries, chicken pieces, onion rings are really crispy. Great pan.

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