Cuisinart Simply Grilling Nonstick Grilling Wok

This product is unfit for its intended use. The first time I used it -to grill vegetables on a gas grill at lower than medium heat (two burners on medium, the third off) -the synthetic part of the "heat resistant" handle melted! Some of the melting "plastic" got all over the food. Even worse, when the entire mess cooled, it was virtually impossible to remove the small globs that had stuck to the body of grilling pan. There are very good products that serve this function. Stay away from this one.

We love to cook vegetables on the grill and this works great.We've used this a few times and had no probems at all. Cleans up easy as well!

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I bought this wok for my husband, and he loves it, he uses it at least once a week on the barbecue, he has tried different receipes and they all turn out really good, the price was right and it cleans up very well.

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The wok worked great until the handle melted and actually dripped on the grill. Look for a wok with a metal handle.

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Smart Planet CDM-1 Corn Dog Maker

This may sound like an odd review, but we have been looking for something like this device for a long time. Hot dogs are a great kid-friendly dinner, and surprisingly low in calories and fat if you get chicken dogs. Corn dogs are tons of fun, but frying them is not only not good for you, it makes dinner heavy and greasy. We tried many times to make oven-corn-dogs, but the batter always fell off. It looked very unappetizing. This corn dog device is perfect. We mixed the batter according to the recipe, put the corn dogs (along with the batter), and a few minutes later, perfect corn dogs on a stick. The outside is crisp (with a nice texture), and the inside fluffy. As close as you can get to frying without actually frying.

It could be improved. First, while hot dogs do come in various sizes, these molds are too short for almost any hot dog. We ended up cutting off the ends of all of them, and then making a corn dog composed of 3 end pieces. It did such a nice job with cooking the bread that you couldn't tell which one wasn't a single dog. Second, it would be nice if the plates were removeable for easier cleaning. I'm still giving this 5 stars because I had an awesome dinner with it.

Overall, glad I bought it, and I would buy it again. Single use appliances are generally not my favorite, but corn dogs need this type of device, and everybody needs home-made corn dogs.

***Update 5 months later***

Wow.... still loving this corn dog maker. Same comments as above--it's not perfect, but everybody in the family looks forward to corn dog night. We use it about once every 2 weeks. We're still buying standard hot dogs, cutting off the ends, and then making a corn dog of cut-off pieces. Another reviewer suggested buying really long hot dogs and cutting them in half. I like that idea, but not sure if they make long chicken hot-dogs. Go ahead and buy this great device, get some spicy honey mustard, and enjoy!

We just got this and within minutes had to test it out. It worked perfectly and is so quick and easy to use! I personally didn't care for the first batter recipe (haven't tried the second one yet). It was good so long as there was hot dog in with every bite, but at the end where I had just dough left, it's not tasty on it's own, but that's no big deal, it's easy enough to change the recipe or use a different recipe all together. I made the first batch without even using the sticks. This will thrill my daughter who loves corn dogs, but isn't a fan of the stick getting in her way of eating it. I'm so excited to try other things with it too. I have so many ideas of what can be made with this fun gadget. I had some crescent dough in the fridge and wrapped a piece around a cheese stick and cooked that upit turned out perfectly cooked, a bit bland it needed some seasoning or a different type of dough, but you can see the possibilities. You can take any dough or batter and add something to it. Pancake/Sausage dogs, stuffed pizza sticks, put sliced apples in a sweet batter and make a kind of apple fritter on a stick. I have a beer bread recipe, and I think that would be great coating for cheese stuffed jalapenos. You could even just use cake, muffin or pancake batter and make some interesting shaped breakfast or dessert items. I have not tried this yet, but I have an idea for S'mores on a stick, use a sweet batter (like pancake, or maybe someone has an idea how to make batter that tastes like graham crackers) place several mini marshmallows on the stick, place it on the batter in the corn dog maker, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and top off with batter close and let cook. Yum.

I plan to use this for the coming school year to make homemade grab and go breakfast items (like sausage on a stick). I make a bunch up, freeze em, and my husband and daughter can just pop them in the microwave and head off to school. I can make them cheaper and healthier than the store bought ones.

update on the S'more dogs. First attempt at these FAIL. They tasted great, but made a mess. The marshmallow and chocolate melted before the dough could even cook. I'm going to change a few things and try it again. First do not use regular marshmallows cut in half, they are still too big. I was excited to make these, and this is what I had on hand. Next time I will use the mini marshmallows and freeze them on the stick before cooking This should give the batter enough time to set before the marshmallow melts. While I had chocolate chips, I also had a Hersey bar. This works perfect. Break the bar into individual pieces, and two get laid down end to end. One bar has enough pieces to fill all 6 molds. Also be careful that you do not overfill the bottom with batter. Put enough in lay down the chocolate(which would also be ideal to freeze before cooking) lay a marshmallow skewer on top of that and cover with enough batter that does not leave any chocolate or marshmallow exposed. I was a little sloppy in my process, and made a big mess. The machine cleaned up fairly easily, but I think freezing the marshmallow and chocolate before cooking is the key to having the batter set before everything starts melting. For the batter I used the included batter recipe in the book but made some changes. I used 3/4 cup white flour in pace of (instead of) of the 1/4 cup corn meal and 1/2 cup wheat flour. I upped the sugar and used two TBS Brown sugar instead of plain and 1 TBS honey. When they are done cooking use a spatula to remove from machine. Do not attempt to pick them up by the stick until they have cooled for a few minutes, otherwise they just fall apart.

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Now that Morningstar has ceased making their veggie corndogs, I was desperate to find something to substitute. My daughters school serves corn dogs a lot and I try to match her menu with similar veggie items. This is perfect. I use veggie dogs instead of hotdogs and then follow the recipe for the batter. She loves them and actually I think they are better than the morningstar ones. plus, I like controlling the ingrediants to reduce sodium and other bad things. I don't feel bad about serving her these between the healthy veggie dog and the baked not fried batter. It took me a few turns to get the batter and dog placement exactly right. And as another review said, you have to cut any dog because they don't fit in the wells, but I did what he did and just used the ends of the veggie dogs to make my last corn dog.

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This waffle/corn dog iron is smaller than expected. I am not sure what kind of corn dogs that they are talking about, but it surely is not the ones I grew up on. In order to use this device properly, the hot dogs have to be cut in half. Otherwise they will not fit in molds correctly. It would work better as waffle/corn vienna sausage maker.

Another negative issue that I encountered was that steam and condensation collected behind the upper plate. This area contains the monitoring lights and some wiring, which also eventually filled with condensation.

And lastly, the temperature of the iron plates seem to fluctuate and maintaining a proper cooking temp proves difficult for this unit.

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This machine makes it so easy to make corn dogs. Mine were veggie dogs and YUM! I didn't use the recipe included to make the batter made my own (Trader Joe's cornbread mix works well too although it is a bit on the sweeter side).

The reviews on Amazon were so helpful. One guy said 7 minutes of cook time seemed to be the charm boy was he correct 7 minutes is perfect. He also said do not be afraid to make a mess and really slop and cover your dogs again right mine turned out shaped well and browned all around and it was not TOO messy to clean up either. ( I like to add some extra batter to in between the hotdogs just before I close the machine that way nothing gushes out the back of the machine just into the wells and my dogs are always well shaped and cooked.)

Also you will have to cut 1/3 off of each dog. Works out well because you use 2 of the pieces left over to make another corndog. 4 hotdogs made 6 corndogs. That is the main con of this item it is not full sized...

Another tip I let my machine heat up a full 10 minutes prior to cooking. There ARE heating elements in the top of the machine you just have to use enough batter to plump to reach the top. Plus letting them cool slightly for about one minute (with the machine open and unplugged) before removing them helps keep them whole too.

I also learned a trick to get the corndogs out in one piece. I didn't use sticks, by the way just hot dogs and batter. Anyway after 7 minutes open it up, let them cool slightly, then start at the front using your fingers and carefully wiggle each corndog a bit to help free it then just rock and roll the front one off of the cook surface right onto your plate. For the others roll them forward into each empty well until you can roll them out on your plate. They all turned out perfectly that way. Just make sure you spray your wells with Pam or other cooking spray so they do not stick and come out easy.

I would definitely recommend this item although there could be some improvements (mainly the size) another would be real recipes and better instructions and even easier clean-up.

The only recipe included is 1 for the cornbatter. The description says you can also make "cheese on a stick, pizza on a stick, snickers on a stick and more" that may be but you are on your own. There were no recipes included other than for the corbatter on a teeny tiny safety phamplet.

It is not terribly hard to clean up either but it could be a lot better. If the cooking plates were removable that would be nice especially since there is a small gap between the plates and the machine itself. If you get any of the batter into this space you will have to use a toothpick like I did to get the batter out. Not too, too terrible but could be easier if made a little better.

Even brought it over to my parents house and my dad said "Why in the world did you buy that?" and "Who cares that much about corn-dogs?" that is until I made him some. : )

Enjoy!

To recap BIG Pros a few cons...

Con not full sized corn dogs BUT Pro easier to store small machine

Con instructions and 'recipes' a joke there are virtually none

Con small gap between plates and machine and plates not removable

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Norpro Mini Cast Iron Skillet

Seasoned and ready to use the size is designed for individual servings so I bought four. Cast iron allows even cooking.

Almost all of our cast iron cookware is Lodge brand, and we own about $700 worth, but these skillets were just the right size for certain applications and we have been very pleased with them. Recommended.

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This skillet is truly the best. Such great quality. I love it. I would like to purchase a set from this company. I will as soon as I can. Just want to say that it cooks food superbly well and if you leave it on the heat like I have done, it withstands the heat and you can still use it. You just wash it and begin again. Great for small servings if you are trying to watch your weight or serving size. It truly will not let you go over the required amount.

Again, this is well worth the money. A great buy!

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The Norpro iron skillet was exactly what my daughter wanted and she has been using it everyday with great satisfaction. It is easy to handle and take care of.

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GrillPro 98130 Porcelain Coated Round Grill Topper, 11-Inch Diameter and 2-1/2-Inch Deep

There must be something in the "porcelain" finish of this wok that erodes with cooking. The foul odor permeates any food cooked on it, and by the 3rd time of using, the food cooked on it had to be thrown out.

The company did issue a full refund, to their credit. But buyer beware about the safety of this product.

I bought this for my parents for Christmas after they fell in love with a similar model I have (that I received as a gift long ago). The construction is heavier duty than the one I have, and I'm sure they will get plenty of useage out of it. We had it on the grill almost every night over Christmas break, and they are thrilled!

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We wanted to use the grill for our vegetables while we are cooking meat. This works fine and is easy to use & clean

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after I moved to the city, almost the first week my grill was stolen from my back porch. All I was left with was my grill wok and charcoal chimney starter which I kept inside. No problem, I found them both together to be a great combination. Fill the charcoal chimney up to the desired amount, depending on the heat desired, and simply set the grill wok on top of the charcoal chimney. My only advice would be, if you have a self cleaning oven, run it through one time first to burn off all the porcelain, and then you are good to go. Whatever you used to do with kabobs, you can now do in the wok, with the exact same melding of flavors, yet better control of the cooking.

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Waring Pro Grill WGG500RQ Grill Griddle - Red

We're having a great time using the Waring Pro Electric Grill. So far, we've grilled steaks, pork chops, fish, mushrooms, broccoli and chicken breasts; made panini a couple of times. It's amazing how much you can cook at a time, and, of course, it's twice as fast as using a skillet because you're cooking both sides at once. Instead of 3 minutes and then turn for another 3 minutes, it's 3 minutes period!! Although I generally start with lean meats, whatever fat is there drains off into the drip catchers. No messy spills.

I kept putting it away at first, but we use it so often that there's no point. Besides, I bought the bright red one, and it's a great conversation starter: "What's that red thing on your counter?"

The plates are amazingly easy to put in and remove; they're nonstick and clean up nicely in the dishwasher (I scrape them first with the scraper that's included, as our dishwasher doesn't have a garbage disposal). They're also easy to handwash if you must.

This is our first indoor grill so I can't compare it to any other brand.

Suffice to say we are finding it to be both convenient and easy to use.

We have cooked the usual burgers and steak along with asparagus and broccoli.

Everything cooks up quickly. I love the red color too. The only real drawback

is the top lid rests on the meat and the grease splatters on the counter top. Putting a

cup towel underneath has solved this problem. Other than that, we use it several

times a week and love everything else about it. I would still recommend it to

anyone considering whether or not to purchase. Just wish I had bought it sooner!

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talk about quick!! This griddle will get you out of the kitchen fast! I go in, choose the plates--grill or griddle--, ready the items, slap them on the grill, close the top and "wala" we have a meal..it will do just about anything..I wish I would have chosen chrome, but I ordered red and it just jumps out and says, "look at me!" Otherwise I am very pleased.Any new bride , homemaker, or an old pro like me (cooking for 50+ years) can keep from heating up the cooktop. People in a small apartment would love having this pro from Amazon.com...I always try to order from Amazon because I feel so safe with my money.

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Watch out for the unprotected sides with hot black plates. it is very easy to forget that the sides are HOT when you're rushing to finish a meal for young starving children. The elements go around the outside so the center is left out. when flipped up grease can drop off the top onto the bottom burner which will cause it to smoke the next time you use it. remember to take the top grille off first.

I missed that this model didn't have waffle plates available

we use it for sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and steaks

everything cooks VERY fast even on Medium

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cant say enough about this, its so useful and can do many things with it, is made very well and easy to operate and clean. it gets uses daily in my house and if it should ever quit working id get another!

Mr. Muscle® Oven & Grill Cleaner

First of all: I'm not looking for some lame oven cleaner. I want one that will burn the skin off your hands because it's so alkaline.

If you want a PC oven cleaner than read no further.

Mr. Muscle is very powerful and is better than EZ-Off Heavy Duty because it clings better to vertical surfaces. Next to drain cleaner; this is the most dangerous chemical in your house. Use common sense and wear gloves and don't breath the fumes.

Not only does it clean ovens and grills but it does a great job on stainless steel cookware. That's my primary use. Make sure to wash the cookware a couple of time with detergent after applying Mr. Muscle.

Used it at my last job working for the housing authority and it is an awesome product especially when you clean a stove that looks like it's never been cleaned for 5 or more years!

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My nephew is a chef. When he saw our stainless steel stove (porcelain top)and how I struggled to get it clean, he gave my hubby a can of this stuff. OMG it is frickin' fabulous. I bought 6 cans and my husband has cleaned all our All-Clad stainless steel pots and pan and they look brand new. He has done our stove top, outside grill and it works fabulously. We do all every thing outside so we don't have to deal w/ the fumes in the house. At one point, we will have to do our stainless steel oven.

Just spray it on and let it sit for about an hour and then wipe it off. Depending on how baked on stuff is, it can take several coatings but there is no need to scrub. As someone else said, where gloves and be careful

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I have been using Mr. Muscle Oven and Grill Cleaner for many years on both stove ovens and BBQ grates. I have found the cleaner to be unsurpassed by all other products that I have tried. It works well and fast to remove most burned on residue and is relative easy to use. However, it is very caustic and requires that you take care to not get the product in your face or eyes, and to avoid any prolonged exposure to bare skin. Rubber gloves are recommended, and care should be taken to prevent children and pets from coming into contact with the product while in use or in storage. This product is safe and effective if used and stored properly.

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Mr. Muscle is the best oven cleaner I have ever used. It is fume free and really gets in there and gets it clean with very little elbow grease.

Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Maker

I 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.

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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.

Magic Aerosol Stainless Steel Stay Clean, 17 Ounce

I have tried a few SS cleaners and this is by far the best! Use small shots of spray. A little goes a long way. I used way to much the first time.

It was recommended to me by someone who cleans homes for a living. I have used it a couple of times and it works as promised.

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Char-Broil TRU Infrared 3-Burner Gas Grill with Side burner

I have always been a wood fire BBQ kind of guy I like meat cooked over a *real* flame, and even charcoal has always seemed to me like cheating (though I've been using charcoal Weber kettle grills for 20 years). I never even considered a gas grill for myself for these reasons.

For my senior Mom & Dad, however, the task of lighting charcoal, etc was too much hassle, so this past weekend I went out shopping for a gas grill for them. After going back and forth between three different home centers and Costco, I settled on this unit as by far the best "bang for the buck" in terms of build quality, performance characteristics, and ease of use for under $500. I seriously considered going up to the Weber Genesis, but for 50% more, I just couldn't quite justify it. My requirement was good quality for under $500. At this price point, its all about QPR (quality price ratio)...

After about a one-hour erector set project putting it all together (not difficult, just tedious and time consuming), I fired it up and let heat for about 10-15 minutes to get the manufacturing residue completely burned off. I was immediately impressed with how hot the cooking surfaces became (and how quickly). The nifty temp sensors at the grate level registered 700+ degrees, though I don't know how accurate they really are.

After burn-off, I tried it out with what I have found to be one of the trickiest things to grill over open flame (gas or wood/charcoal): raw marinated bone-in chicken parts. To be done right, the chicken has to be crispy on the outside not burned, and moist and completely cooked on the inside. With unevenly shaped and sized chicken parts, this can be devilishly tricky.

But with this grill, I found I was able to keep the left most burner at full throttle, and the two right burners at low settings and get creative. This allowed me to beautifully sear the skin using the left side of the grill, then finish cooking on the right side (with the BBQ closed). The results were impressive for a gas grill, which in my experience usually turn out either damp, gray, limp chicken with no BBQ taste, or something resembling the effects of a structure fire (charred and dried out) .

One of my favorite things about this grill turned out to be that it is really easy to add wood chips for smoke flavor. Because there is a perforated metal "screen" (the infrared reflector) under the food, it catches the wood chips and holds them at a perfect smoking temperature where they will smolder but not burn up.

Speaking of flare-ups, this grill did NOT exhibit flare-ups at all. Even with fatty pieces of chicken that had been marinated in an olive oil mixture, there was almost no burning or excessive smoking, even on the "searing" side of the hot grill.

When turned down low, I also found the evenness of the heating surface to be impressively consistent, and the large stainless "grill" surface not only made great marks on the food, but also did not stick as badly as most coated steel or iron grill surfaces do.

On the con side, I can imagine that the perforated screen is going to require some periodic maintenance to keep it clean. The good news is that it comes out in three easy-to-handle sections shaped like little trays, each holding a section of grill. You pull the "tray" up and out, then lift the grill surface out of the tray making both very easy to clean.

One final note I also prepared a boneless leg of lamb on the grill using a "generic" rotisserie (Grill-Pro brand). it *barely* fit between the closed lid and the grill surface, but again, the infrared cooking system worked great. I warmed it up at full throttle for about 5-10 minutes before mounting the marinated lamb roast, then allowed it to sear beautifully for about 15 minutes. Then I turned the burners all down to their lowest settings, threw on a thumb-sized stick of oak from one of our trees, and dropped the lid.

An hour and a half later, we enjoyed one of the best lamb roasts I have ever had.

Recommended, especially if you can get it for the price I paid (which was about less than Amazon's currently listed price)

Pros:

*Great heat output for searing. I've not used a gas grill that gets a hotter cooking surface (other than commercial equipment)

*Even distribution of heat for predictable results, very little flare-up.

*Good low-temp performance

*Easy to use wood chips for flavor, unlike many gas grills

*Good (for its price-point) build quality in the hood and firebox. Cabinets are thin stainless steel.

Cons:

*Bottom 1/2 of construction is a bit flimsy, but better than many at this price point

*Requires pre-heating for about 10 minutes for best results

*Periodic clean-up will be required for optimum performance, and cleanup will be messy

My girlfriend purchased this grill for me about 3 months ago and I have used it about 30 times mostly for steaks, chicken breasts, and hamburgers. It has decent size cooking area. I can cook 9 huge steaks at the same time. Unless you plan on having a lot of cookouts with more than 20 people there then it is plenty big enough (and even then it is adequate). It is very easy to regulate the temperature of the grill because of the thermometer at the grilling surface so once you find a temperature that cooks the food the way you like it, it is easy to duplicate the desired results with amazing consistency (when i grill steaks i heat up the grill to 650 degrees and throw the steaks on for 7 minutes on each side to get a good sear, then I turn the burners off completely until the temperature drops to 400, then I fire it up and put it on low and close the grill...it gives me a great sear on the outside and is extremely tender on the inside). I haven't had a single flare-up...even on the fattiest piece of meat drenched in olive oil. I only have two small complaints. Cleaning the grill is more difficult than with a conventional grill (but besides scraping off the grates i only clean it once a month so it's not a big deal. That causes it to be less efficient but I'm lazy after eating a big meal so as long as the food comes out ok then I'm happy). The only other complaint I have is that the stainless steel grates do get stained and they aren't very attractive looking after a few uses but I don't really mind that. As long as they're functional I'm happy. Overall I would highly recommend it and the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it's difficult to clean.

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The big advantages of this grill are even heating and flavor. Even low fat content hamburgers came out juicy and did not shrink. The manufacturer claims that it uses 30% less fuel and it does cook faster than open flame barbeques, but there is a full power 10-15 minute warm up and then another high heat period after you finish to burn off cooking residue so total gas use may actually be more than claimed.

It does not flare up but the screens underneath the grills need to be cleaned or the heat output will drop off. This grill requires more maintenance each time than an open flame unit but it is worth it. Our previous Brinkman BBQ completely rusted out (burners, supports, firebox) after five years but we didn't take very good care of it

A couple of neat features are that you can rotisserie without a special burner, you can add wood chips without a smoker box and there are separate thermometers at grill height for each burner. This latter feature makes temperature control especially easy and accurate at the cooking surface.

All in all very pleased with this grill. Time will tell just how durable it will be, but the screens should protect the firebox and burners better than an open flame BBQ. Burners are lifetime warranty.

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I bought the 3 burner Charbroil Red infrared grill two years ago from Home Depot and have had problems with the durability of the most critical part in the grill, the infrared emitting troughs. After a year the coating on the troughs rusted and the coating lost its ability to effectively transmit an acceptable amount of heat to the grill.

While Charbroil replaced the parts under warranty last year, they are beginning to rust again. Obviously they still have a design flaw. Of course now it's past their two year warranty period and they are refusing to replace them. The cost of replacing the troughs is about $100 plus shipping.

I also experienced problems with the chrome finish peeling off some of the handles. I've always kept the grill covered with a Charbroil cover when not in use and even went so far as to buy a desiccant canister to keep in the grill.

I will add that I have been rather pleased with the cooking performance of the grill and ease of cleanup, but it's totally unacceptable to produce a product with such a serious problem and not deliver more than a year's worth of service.

So unless you want to add over $100 in annual maintenance costs to your new grill after two years, I suggest that you pass on this grill and look for a more dependable brand...I soon will.

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I'm not sure I buy all the physics they claim is behind this but I do speak highly of the results. I cooked hot dogs, turkey burgers, and bone-in chicken breasts. I was very impressed by the results for all three, especially the chicken. Hot dogs are a no brainer. The turkey burgers were a bit tricky because the soft meat could fall into the grills. The saving factor here is that the grill cooks things very quickly once it's warmed up. The surface of the burger on the bottom cooked before the burgers could really sag much into the grates. What really amazed me was the quality of the chicken breasts. I cooked 5 very different sized breasts at the same time. The outsides on all of them were brown and crispy, the insides were moist and cooked all the way through. I added bbq sauce in the last minutes of cooking. These were the best grilled chicken breasts I've ever cooked. I have no doubt I'll be able to repeat these results for all kinds of meat with a little practice.

One noteworthy item the booklet in the box doesn't mention this but the website does season the grates with vegetable oil before cooking for the first time. This will inhibit rusting and should make the meats stick less to the grates. It took me a while to find this tip on the website but make sure you find it and follow the directions, it's a must for these grills.

I give it four stars because the grates/emitters will definitely be harder to clean than a normal open grate. I will likely (I haven't done it yet) just remove the grates and scrape the emitter plates clean with a plastic (when the grill is cold obviously) or metal putty knife. The grates can clean themselves or I can just knock the big chunks off.

I've only had the grill for a couple of days so I can't say how well the materials will hold up over time. Regarding customer service, one of the small bumpers for the lid was broken when I got the grill. I used the website to report the problem and had a response and order for replacement bumpers within 3 hours of my request. Note I had already followed their registration process (easy too).

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Nordic Ware Grill Press

Bought this item and am very satisfied. The product is very simply made. It consists of a heavy round platter with a handle held together with two pressed pins---very sturdy construction. Maybe other reviewer may have had bad luck with a bad production batch of defects, by mine should last a lifetime. I like the fact that unlike those made of cast iron, mine will not rust and does not need constant seasoning to prevent rust.

I ordered Nordic Ware Grill Press with hope to receive high guality product. To my dissapointment I got pretty damaged Grill Press.Amazon sent replaicement very fast, but I received damaged item again. I shipped both back and didn't get refund of my money...I will not order this item anymore: press is TOO light and easy to get scratched.

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Weber 781001 Gold One-Touch 26-1/2-Inch Kettle Grill, Black

At least when it comes to grilling! After months of anxious waiting, I received my "new" 26 inch Weber grill from Amazon a few weeks ago. I say "new" because this is not Weber's first 26 inch grill. They previously had manufactured a 26 inch model that has long since been discontinued.

After having grilled on a 22 inch One Touch Gold and a Performer for years, I was anxious to have more charcoal grilling space. Although I have slobbered over the Ranch Kettle, I always felt that it was a little too much. Of course, I was also never able to convince my wife that I needed one.

The 26 inch kettle took about 20 minutes to assemble. The instructions were written in the international language of "pictures" and are very straightforward. The 26 inch is in all practical purposes a larger 22 inch grill. The wheels, ash catcher, handles, and charcoal baskets are all standard size. The only difference is the larger kettle. When you compare the kettle of a 26 inch to a 22 (see the images above), it might not appear to be that much of a difference. I believe that it is, as the 26 boasts an additional 145 square inches of cooking space. When you are trying to grill multiple things at the same time, that difference means not having to fire up a second grill.

The size of the 26 allows for more range in temperature zones for direct grilling. Internally, like on the 22, there is 5 inches between the main grate and the charcoal grate. The lid holder nicely holds the lid out of the way. My old Performer did not do that very well. I am thankful this model does. I do wish there was a hook to hang the main grate from. You can invert the grate and use the handles to hang it over the lip of the kettle, but I would prefer an actual hook.

I have cooked both direct and indirect on this new beast and I am happy with the results. The one learning curve I am tackling is charcoal usage. Figure about one and a half times more charcoal than you would typically use on the 22. In fact, if you can fit everything on the 26 versus firing up two 22 inch kettles, you are using less charcoal overall. Nice.

If you do a lot of grilling for a lot of people or you grill a lot of different things for a few people, this is a great grill. If you are only an occasional griller, I would recommend the 22. However, if you understand how precious grill real estate when you craft your evening's dinner, the 26 will not let you down. It's a Weber, what more can I say? Happy Grilling!

First of all, I'm a loyal Weber fan and have owned numerous models over the better part of 40 years. I consider them the best of the backyard BBQ grills, so no hate mail please. But let's be realistic, for the same amount of money you can get two Gold One Touch 22.5" grills and have more combined cooking space, not to mention the flexibility of setting one up for indirect and another for direct grilling, OR set up one as a smoker and another as a straight grill, OR set up one for steaks and the other for chicken (or fish) etc.

The design flaws in this larger model are obvious and well documented by other reviewers; leg assy and supports designed and manufactured for the smaller kettle and the single handle grip (which is now the heat seeking plastic material) allows the much heavier lid to swing and arc during removal, not the safest choice Weber could have made. If you really have to have a "bigger one" than Mr. Jones next door, fine, but how often are you really going to need that extra space? My experience is that a 22.5" Weber grill does family duty and can handle the weekend party needs of 6 to 8 people without a problem. The 26.75" (based upon the grilling surface available) might add 2 more people to the party. But two 22.5" grills give you the flexibility to cook for 12 to 16. Now look at the pricing of an 18.5" Gold grill vs. the 22.5"; a reasonable $25 more (at the time of this writing), but the 26.75" Gold is TWICE the price of the 22.5" Gold. It just doesn't pencil out either in a monetary sense or a safety one (remember how that support leg always threatens to fall out when you're moving the grill loaded with hot coals out of the way?)*.

If you really need to turn your backyard into a small forest fire, save up for "The Ranch" which, while huge and expensive, at least is properly designed and manufactured to safely feed a crowd.

* My only criticism of all the Weber kettles is what I consider to be a design flaw with respect the third leg. The legs are aluminum and the kettle/leg mount assys are steel. Steel and aluminum expand under heat at different rates, hence under certain conditions the third leg can fall out of it's assy when lifted leaving the owner w/o a tripod design to rest the kettle. Worse, he/she can trip over the just fallen out leg and lose control of the kettle with disastrous results. I'm not a safety nut, but this danger is so obvious and has such an easy fix that I mention it here on the off chance it hadn't occurred to other owners. Drill a hole thru the dia. of the leg and leg mount assy when they're in place. Slip a small dia. bolt thru the holes in both the leg and mount and secure with a locking nut/washer and you have a safe simple fix.

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This new model is a must have for serious grillers who feel cramped on their old 22.5" like I did. I never had quite enough room for proper indirect cooking or for creating the necessary heat zones. Many times I was forced to use my 6 burner Gas Weber Summit for larger BBQ parties. On the 26" I cooked chicken for 15 last week with room to spare. Problem solved. Don't bother buying the smaller model if you are serious.

Pros:

1. Lots of grill space for cooking tons of food.

2. Room for proper indirect cooking with larger items like Roasts or a whole Turkey

3. Better thermometer than my old 22.5" One-Touch Gold

4. Plastic handle on the lid vent so it can be adjusted when hot.

5. Reinforced grate to hold up the coals. Much better design

6. Stainless Steel cooking grill is much easier to clean and will last much longer than the chrome plated grill on smaller models

7. Looks impressive :¬)

Cons:

1. Lid is large diameter and heavy, Be careful slinging it around like the smaller model. Burned my forearm the first day, learned my lesson.

2. Legs are flimsy like smaller model, but this grill is much heavier. I wonder how long they will last. Appear to made of the same thin aluminum.

3. Natural wood charcoal unburned "bits" small enough to fall through the grill, but large enough to lodge in the vents will prevent adjustment, cleaning or closure until they burn or are removed. Forcing will damage the cleaning blades. I am trying different brands of charcoal. I may also add another coal grill at 90° to see if it helps. I am not a big fan of molded briquets which don't have this problem.

4. Does not fit in a passenger car like the 22.5 or smaller could. Now I have an excuse not to loan it to friends for their parties :¬)

5. Wish they made a 26" Performer Model with Propane for lighting coals and the built in work table.

6. No rotisserie option (yet)

Read Best Reviews of Weber 781001 Gold One-Touch 26-1/2-Inch Kettle Grill, Black Here

My new 26.75" one-touch arrived last Thursday. The front leg was bent in shipping and after speaking with Weber, they agreed to overnight a new leg. Since I had them on the phone, I then inspected the grill and noticed five different small areas (each no bigger than a dime) in the bottom of the kettle where it was not covered by the enamel. There were some slight ripples in the enamel as well. Weber Cust. Svc said it should not be like that and sent out a whole new kettle! The front leg arrived on Saturday and the new bowl and some parts for it(did not need them) arrived on Monday. This new kettle too had exposed areas in the bowl! These are deep swirly gouges right on the inside of the bowl where the handle is on the opposite, outside of the bowl. I sent pics and so guess what, they are sending me another bowl, this time I asked that it be inspected! The service is great, but what is it with the QA process there? They stated that it probably happened in shipping where the enamel broke off but if the kettle was manufactured correctly, shipping should not cause enamel to chip off like that. I could use one of the bowls I have for Easter but I don't want to take it apart yet again, that in itself wears the parts out.

Of course this still be a great grill once it comes together. The one little thing I don't like is that the legs are very light (hopefully strong enough) for a much heavier grill than the 22.5" version. The lid, bowl, and grates are all much heavier duty and it seems the legs could have followed suit. If they don't last long because of the weight, I will sure to be calling Weber! Looking forward to some great roasting, smoking and grilling, some day. :-)

***** 12/17/2010 Addenddum

Love this grill!! Have only used it for indirect cooking I cannot say enough good things about it.

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I am very happy with my 26.75 one touch gold. It can accommodate grilling lots of food or a large food item.

1. Out of the box: It was easy to assemble overall. I don't consider myself handy with tools or assembling things, so that's saying something. The toughest part for me was getting those legs all the way in. Just be patient, make sure one hand is on the wheel, grip firmly and push steadily. Also try slightly changing the angle of the direction of force if its still not going in. Eventually it goes right in and stays there. Don't settle for half-way in, or that could be a disaster--the grill will be lopsided and also the legs will come off easily when you move the grill only slightly. Before getting my 26.75 inch one-touch, I've had a 18.5 inch one-touch silver which was left in the home that I bought. It had a leg that wasn't all the way in, and it was both lopsided and tended to collapse when attempting to move the grill. Eventually I fixed it, but that was only after I put together the 26.75 and learned that the leg had to go all the way in. so i turned over the 18.5 and pushed that problem leg in, and now its no longer lopsided and no longer collapses when moved! hurrah!

2. Fitting food under the lid: The space inside the lid is ample. Grilling full-sized spareribs on a rib rack, or beer-can chicken, no problem. In my 18.5 I had problems fitting those things. On my 26.75, I could probably grill a turkey on that thing. Still, I like having a second grill handy in case I need to keep the 26.75's lid down for long periods of time and I need to cook something else at the same time, like burgers. I keep my 18.5 one-touch as a supplement right next to my 26.75.

3. Fuel management: Those charcoal holder baskets that come with the grill are very handy for easily moving the fire around and changing the configuration when needed. for instance, you may have to switch from indirect heat to direct heat, and you might want to have different configurations for each. However the baskets are are tiny compared the the space inside the kettle under the cooking rack. You need alot of charcoals to get a fire that is hot, and those holder baskets won't hold enough to make a hot fire. I like using those baskets so much that I got another pair. The space under the cooking rack can accommodate four holder baskets no problem, and still leave plenty of room for indirect grilling. Also, I like to use both my 26.75 and my 18.5 at the same time. I use one or two of the baskets for the 18.5 while I have something cooking on the 26.75. Then later when both fires are dwindling and I no longer need a fire in my 18.5, I use the tongs and carefully transport the two baskets from the 18.5 into the 26.75. That brings the heat up in the larger kettle without having to add charcoals. Also with the baskets, cleaning is much easier and quicker.

4. Useful accessories. Chimney starter is a must for starting the fire. Don't bother getting those fire starting packets or those special long matches designed for barbecue. Instead just rely on newspaper for the chimney starter and regular bbq lighter, or any regular lighter or matches. no lighter fluid! Have a good, durable grillbrush that can clean between the rack lines (or whatever they're called). Have a grillmat to place your kettle on, but make sure it can be used for charcoal or gas, not just for gas. As I said above, consider getting an extra pair of charcoal holder baskets. For cooking, you'll need a long-handled barbecue spatula and tongs but you won't need a barbecue fork. Don't fork the meat or the juices will spill out. You might want a long-handled basting brush-they're rather hard to find in Home Depot, though. I recommend an apron with front pockets to stash the grill mitts when not wearing them. Oh yes, you'll need grill mitts, preferably with fingers separated (thus, grill gloves rather than grill "mitts"). I recommend getting a rib rack and a chicken roaster (in lieu of using a beer can for beer can chicken and the like). I've had a grill wok, with a foldable handle, but I've found myself using it less and less. I used to use it for grilling veggies, but you won't need a wok if you cook the veggies in large pieces rather than small pieces. b/c the wok has perforated holes, it doesn't leave attractive grill mark lines. As for attachments for the grill, you might want tool hooks, but make sure they don't obstruct the lid from fully shutting. I'd like there to be a worktable that attaches to the 26.75, but the weber worktable for kettle grills is only designed for the 22 or for the 18.5 (the gray plastic side table that hooks to the kettle rim, and with two legs on the opposite side for standing) However, I already have a worktable for my 18.5. I keep both kettles side by side and use them simultaneously, so the worktable is there for me to use even if its not attached to the 26.75. The workable has tool hooks, fortunately. If you're thinking of getting the rotisserie addition, maybe that's your thing, but I like doing my chicken beer-can style, with the bird standing upright. If you plan on storing the kettle outdoors, you should get the grill cover. Weber has one that fits the 26.75 and it seems durable and sturdy. (You won't need a cover for an 18.5 inch kettle--use a contractor's size garbage bag instead, it fits.)

5. What's missing? I like having a hook nearby where I can hang the cooking rack when needed, such as during the fire-starting process and later during clean-up. Luckily, I happen to have such hooks nearby b/c I have my kettles on a covered deck, and the hooks are evenly spread about the roof frame to hang lights or wind chimes. Also, I'd like to have a larger workspace, like a rolling garden rack or a table like the one that comes with the Weber Performer. I rely on my side table for my 18.5 as mentioned above and also a small coffee table that I happen to keep near my grills but there's never too much counterspace/workspace.

6. Miscellaneous thoughts. I like starting fires using regular briquettes. then once those fires are in the holder baskets, as I add charcoal to keep the fire going or to make it hotter, I like to add hardwood lump, which adds a smoky flavor and wouldn't give off any toxic fumes before turning ash-white. i've been using smoking hardwood chunks in addition, but i'm wondering whether i'm over-smoking b/c the lump should add sufficient smokiness. also the chunks i've used are hickory which might be too powerful. plus the chunks tend to flare up, no matter how long i pre-soak them, and my food might get charred before I have the chance to put the lid down to put out the flare.

When I was shopping for a grill I was torn between getting the Performer and the 26.75. I opted for the 26.75 b/c I already have a chimney starter and I am used to making fires that way. I don't feel I would benefit from having the Performer's gas-and-charcoal fusion when most of the time I'm grilling. starting the fire is just a small part of the whole experience and the chimney starter gets a fire going quickly enough for me. due to the large capacity under the lid and under the rack, i find the 26.75 as versatile as i could hope for within my budget.

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