Nostalgia Electrics HDR-565 Vintage Collection Hot Dog Roller

This hot dog maker is obviously waay cute. It's also a good price. Compared to other cutesy hot dog makers, 8 dogs is a good number. I love the carnival themed umbrella sneeze guard over the dogs, and having that double as a bun warmer was an inspired idea. The poles that hold up the umbrella are nice and sturdy, and it assembles in only 1 minute. This thing has many bonus features:

*Rollers look just like the industrial unit at your local convenience store. They really roll!

*It can also handle 4 foot long dogs and even foot long buns! That's really great because my wife loves those. However, 4 is an anemic number.

*Nostalgia went to the extra expense to include an on/off switch and even a temp control. Temp control should prove useful vs. devices that do not include that.

*This unit includes a griddle attachment for hamburgers/bacon/sausage, etc. I think the unit is too small to be useful for frying hamburgers; you could only do two at a time. The griddle drops in where the rollers would otherwise go, so switching functions is not going to be convenient and will require tools or heat proof gloves if you don't want to wait for a cool-down period.

*The heating element is a beefy rectangular coil that gives good coverage of the cooking area and is directly exposed to the dogs, yielding fast, strong heat.

*The drip tray, griddle, and rollers are all removable for easy cleanup. Love that.

*The rollers are beefy all metal construction nice.

So that adds up to one very nice unit, of which Nostalgia should be proud. The only real shortcoming I see is that eight dogs, while a good number for a toy device like this, can't stand up to much crowd control. Figure at least two dogs for each child, and three for each man and you're feeding only three to four people per batch. Assume the thing is lightning fast at ten minutes per batch and you see that you're going to need ten of these toys to feed your super bowl party, hahahaha.

Then you have to ask yourself, is this gizmo worth the space? It's pretty big, about the size of a toaster oven. Will you keep it out on the counter and use this special purpose device often (doubtful)? How far back in the closet will it be stored and will you go to the trouble to drag it out to cook up dogs for three people, pack it back up, and re-store it (doubtful)? So is it worth the space? I think it's probably best suited for its intended audience: a party of four kiddos.

I purchased this at a Sears store for $9.99. This makes THE BEST hot dogs ever. I used to microwave them, no longer. I would pay $40$50 for this machine it is worth every penny. I recently had a pool party and the adults were even more impressed with it then the kids. My guests now purchased one for their offices. This even toasts the buns. I placed frozen buns on top were there is a little spot for them and by the time the hot dogs were done which is 15-25 min depending on how you like them the rolls were actually toasted. I HIHLY RECOMMEND this product. It makes the hot dogs taste the way they should!

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I bought this to use for my grandson's fifth birthday next week after reading the glowing reviews. We (actually, he) wanted to test it out so we did. Now we have used it about 4 times. As others have said, it makes the best hot dogs ever must be the slow dripping of the juices as it rotates the dogs. It's easy to use and my grandson loves cooking his own (with supervision, of course).

I usually find that "gimmicky" things don't work well but this really does. Morevover, cleanup is a breeze the rollers and the drip tray both remove easily. The heated buns are great also.

We just need to remember to buy "shorter" hot dogs for his party so we can cook eight at a time.

Thanks to all the folks who took the time to review this! I probably wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't for the great reviews

Addendum: 7/12/08:

We have had this for several months now and use it several times per week. My grandson still loves hot dogs made on this and several of our neighbors have decided to buy one. A must have if you like hot dogs!

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Got a replacement, and new unit works GREAT! Amazon won't let me change Stars, but I'd change to 4.5 if I could.!

I purchased this after reading the reviews. I had no desire to use this for a party or large gathering, just one serving at a time ( 4-8 dogs). I tried it the day after it arrived and once since. The heating coils turn warm, but they don't warm up enough to prevent touching them after an hour on MAX heat. We tried two batches, after 1 hour the dogs were warm, more than room temp, but thats it. Called the company, they said to return to Amazon, we probably have a defective unit.

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I love this machine for one simple reason: it's easy enough to use that my 5 year old daughter is now able to make dinner for us. This was a great purchase. The hot dogs cook evenly and the buns get nice and warm. You can turn the heat down after the dogs are done cooking and let them spin on low heat until you are ready for another. I was nervous when I got it that I'd bring it home and it would be made cheaply and break easily, but no... this is a quality product. I am very happy with it. My daughter and her friends love this machine and it makes making lunch a breeze. I haven't used the gridle feature, but I don't really care about that. This is a great hot dog maker. End of story.

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Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron 14-Inch Roasting/Lasagna Pan

I was so disappointed when this item came. The vendor has the description listed as being 3.8 inches deep, not 2.8 inches deep like it is. They offered to refund my money, but I would have had to send it back on my dollar, and a cast iron lasagna pan would have cost too much to send back, so I decided to let myself be stuck with it.

Nice quality; however, the pan is nowhere near as deep as advertised. It is only 2 and 3/4 inches deep (total outside depth). Inside is only 2 1/2 inches deep.

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Cuisinart Chef's Classic Enameled Cast Iron 14-Inch Roasting/Lasagna Pan, Cardinal Red

This turns out to be the one of the best cooking purchases I've ever made. I used it for roasting vegetables and they turned out great. I've also used it as a casserole dish (baked and stuffed chicken) and everything came out perfectly done.

As for carrying a dish to another's house there is no comparison to cast iron for maintaining the heat.

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I bought this from Amazon before a family Thanksgiving dinner that I was asked to bring stuffing. I used this pan, covered it with foil after cooking, and the stuffing stayed hot for hours. Clean up is a breeze too. I hope that Cuisinart will soon be offering many other pieces in this enameled cast iron at such a reasonable price as this. I absolutely recommend this pan!

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I really like cast iron pans, so thought this would be great for lasagna and it is, but the size of this thing weighs a ton, especially when loaded with lasagna, which is heavy anyway. If you use this thing in the oven, you'd best have some pretty heavy-duty oven racks and some arm muscles to wrestle it in and out of the oven!

In my Mom's brand new Maytag Neptune stove the oven rack flexed, but didn't permanently bend the rack. A lesser oven rack would, undoubtedly, be permanently damaged.

The pan was so heavy loaded with lasagna neither my Mom nor I could get it into or out of the oven. Had to have my husband do it. I wouldn't advise putting it onto a dishwasher rack!

Clean-up was great...nothing stuck to it and washing was easy except for hefting it over to rinse.

I think I'd best look for a cermaic version of this same size pan.

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Trocano Family Name Brand Beer & Ale Drink Coasters - Set of 4

• Set of 4 neoprene rubber coasters
• Durable foam rubber construction
• 4 Inches in diameter
• Absorbent and quick-drying
• Soft and non-marring

Never thought I would find anything with my maiden name on it. I was so pleased that I bought two sets. They are very sturdy and well made. Wish my father were here to use them.

Grill Daddy GB91062C Grill Cleaning Tool

Updated 12/5/11.

My original review of this product was less than flattering; in fact, I slammed it pretty badly, giving it only one star. That was before I knew "the secret". Now I don't hate it as much.

In order for this thing to work properly, you have to loosen the cap while cleaning the grill. This allows air to enter the reservoir and equalize the pressure as water exits through the head. This is _not_ mentioned anywhere in the instructions! Once I learned that trick, this product performed much better.

Now don't get me wrong, I still don't think this product lives up to its hype, but it does a better job of cleaning than a standard bristle brush does.

The things I like most about the Grill Daddy are (a) the bristles, (b) the fact that the resovoir doesn't leak (almost a given on a plastic product these days), and (c) the hook (i.e. a real, honest-to-goodness pivoting metal hook instead of a slot cut into a plastic handle). The bristles are durable and well constructed, and are still rigid and in place after almost two years of _heavy_ use. Other dept store brushes have their bristles flattened after one or two uses, if not outright missing. My Grill Daddy has some missing too, but not nearly as many as I'd expect. The 2nd brush on the top side of the Grill Daddy's head, although having even heavier duty bristles than the main brush's, doesn't work too well. [The main brush is supposed to be used 'with' the grates and the 2nd brush is supposed to be used 'across' the grates.]

My biggest criticism still remains the handle... much too short. You definitely need to wear a BBQ mitt while cleaning, but it still gets hot above the grill; and turning the heat down is not an option because that's what makes the steam. My most recent criticism is that, although "the trick" makes the Grill Daddy work correctly, it also means the reservoir empties a lot quicker. There is just barely enough capacity for a normal cleaning; heavy cleanings will require two trips to the hose/faucet. The head removes for cleaning, but you know as well as I do that it's almost absurd to think you can actually clean the grease & sludge off of it. Heavy-duty degreaser required.

So as I said earlier, my opinion of the Grill Daddy has changed for the better, but there is still room for improvement... beginning with an update of the instruction set to include "the trick".

This is the first product I've ever reviewed! But I was just out scrubbing my grill for the big 4th of July Grilling Weekend and was thinking how well the Grill Daddy Cleaning tool has performed. I only bought the thing to qualify for Free Shipping but am incredibly glad that I did. It works very well. The steam cleaning action really saves a lot of elbow grease. I fully recommend it.

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I have the original grill daddy. It is a little big and clumsy but worked very well. This smaller one works as well but easier to handle. Great little invention, I would recommend it highly.

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I was mildly skeptical that the addition of the water to the brush would help in cleaning the grill, but I have to say I was wrong--I actually now enjoy the post-taking-off-of-the-food-from-the-grill steam cleaning! Because the cast iron grate on my Weber Q is cleaner now, my sear lines on steaks come out perfectly and food never sticks (it used to, even with a bit of an olive oil daub). I also like that the grill brush is removable and machine-washable.

I like this so much, I'll probably buy one for my Dad.

EDIT: I bought one for my Dad and one of my best friends.

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I just imagine a cheesy TV commercial that shows a totally blackened, dirty grill and then with one swipe of the Grill Daddy(R) it is magically completely clean, like new! Well...not quite. It works pretty good, it does what it says and the water slowly leaks out of the head and turns to steam and helps get some of the gunk off the grill. Don't expect any miracles, just expect that it will do basically what any other grill brush does, just a bit easier. Don't get the wrong impression, I am pretty happy with it and it works as I expected.

Rome Wooden Tong, Spatula & Scraping Spoon

Love cooking with them. They work so well with my dutch ovens.I don't get to camp as much as I would like, but they are great. They are just for camping (for me) not to use in my home.

Broan 97006651 Plastic Grille Assembly for 688 Fan Unit

I ordered this part because there are so many different products with the same product number to choose from and I needed a vent cover for my washroom. I initially purchased two vent covers and this was one. I received the other part with same order/product number of which fit perfectly and arrived quickly. I have to say that the Shipping from this seller was horribly slow and by the time I called amazon to inquire about it (weeks after purchase) I was informed that the item was finally on the way to my house. Of which I cancelled since it took so long to come to me, and I ordered two items one of which was perfect and was exactly what I needed. So I didn't need this part after all but I would beware of this shipper and their slow response.

Delonghi BG24 Perfecto Indoor Grill

I am very satisfied with this grill; I have also given it as a gift to a relative who also loves it and uses it frequently.

Some of the problems described here (not hot enough, etc.), in my opinion, stem from improper use. Like any grill, you have to let it warm up, before plopping quarter pound hamburgers on it. My daughter over-cooked chicken breasts on it(they looked great (grill lines, etc.) but they were dry)--so the comments here about the heating element not working are simply not true.

I love the glass top that contains spattering; I also line the bottom of the grill (when cooking) with aluminum foil to make clean up easier. The grill itself is something of a pain to clean, but I put mine in the dishwasher and it comes out great.

This grill performs very well, but you have to allow sufficient time for the heating element to get the grill hot and choose the correct heat settings in connection with what you are cooking--not exactly rocket science, but judging from the reviews here, some people obviously find this challenging.

I got this grill about a week ago and I love it. First of all the cooking area is BIG.. and wonderful so that you can really cook. I also love how you can adjust the heat setting depending on what you are cooking instead of like my former George where it was 1 temp was supposed to cook all ( which burnt the outside of thick pieces of meat and chicken breast and left the inside way underdone)I also love how the fat drips down immediatly into the tray. On my George ( a big one) the fat would come sort of off one burger and then run into the other burger and stay there without ever going into the tray thing. Clean up is alot easier than George because I can stick all of it except the temp control into the sink or dishwasher to wash. I also like the lid that keeps the food from drying out while cooking and warm before it is served. I will admit it is not as fast as George but honestly the quality of food I cook is so much better b/c it has been cooked right and not just fast. This grill IMO is much more similar to cooking on an outside grill and the taste is better for it. I highly reccomed this product over it's competition, there is no comparrison! Move over George, YOU GO GRILL!

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I have had my grill for a week, we've cooked lean steaks on it, pork chops, and the other night we cooked hamburgers on it. This is my first indoor grill so when one review mentioned the "George Foreman" grill was a bit faster, I was amazed I thought the Delonghi cooked pretty fast!! Clean up was really easy and one MUST remember to preheat it. I gather some have not. And as to smoking I haven't had any but then I buy lean meats and put water in the bottom if I think the food will drip a lot of fat. Fat dripping into the large tray in the bottom is what burns and causes the smoke. I've only used water once, with the hamburgers (no smoking). This really is a great grill and large enough to be more than satisfying (actual cooking space is 15"x11"). Ease and comfort of use is amazing. I highly recommend it!

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I've had this grill for about 2 years now but I've only used it about four times. After using it the last time I noticed blistering of the grill non-stick coating (Teflon?). I was able to scratch this off in a few places with my fingernail to verify if the coating was blistering or if these spots were just imperfections underneath. I wasn't pleasantly surprised to find that the blistering came off easily and that this could be in my food the next time I use it (healthy grilling!). I had many flects of coating on the table after running my fingernail over the blisters exposing the bare metal of the grill.

I therefore cannot recommend this product to anyone. By the way, I've only used a soapy sponge to clean the grill and never used metalic utensils on in while cooking. The "blistering" of the teflon tells me that the metal of the grill was not primed correctly before the coating was applied. Has this happened to anyone else? Before I throw this grill away I'm going to try to contact the manufacturer and see if they can replace the grill element seeing how this looks like a manufacturing defect.

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This is the third Delonghi grill I have owned. The first was very similar to this model in that it had a non-stick surface. It was great. I had to replace it after 2-3 years since the power plug in unit broke. I replaced it with a Delonghi unit that did NOT have a non stick surface. It was impossible to clean. I returned it for a store credit and bought the Perfecto from Amazon on-line. I have used it 2-3 times a week since I got it. It is easy to use, easy to clean and I am very pleased with the unit.

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