Euro-Pro TO140L 6-Slice Toaster Oven Review

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(More customer reviews)The Black & Decker toaster oven that I've owned for at least a decade finally bit the dust, so I had to buy a new one. I loved my B&D toaster oven, and small ones that that are hard to find. I wanted another small one (most of the toaster ovens out now seem to be as large as full-size microwave ovens, and I'm not willing to sacrafice that much counter space), but I also hoped to find one that was slightly deeper so I could bake more things in it. My requirements were simple - just something that will toast bread and bagels and bake small frozen foods such as pizza and fries. Nothing fancy, therefore nothing expensive.
I needed to replace my broken one right away. After searching Macy's, JCPenney's, and Sears and finding very limited choices, I found myself at Target trying to choose between 2 B&D models and this Euro-Pro model, all between $30-35. The B&D ovens seemed so flimsy and cheap I was reluctant to buy one, but the only other "small" toaster oven was a brand (Euro-Pro) that I never heard of. It was taller than the B&D ovens but its footprint was about the same. I liked the way it looked, and it felt solid and well made. The removable crumb tray was also located in the front (another nice feature). So I came home and reviewed the comments here on the 3 models and read so many negative reviews about the B&D toaster ovens I decided to take a chance on the Euro-Pro, even though it lacked reviews.
I've had this for over a week and have used it several times, and it works fine for everything I tried. The toast comes out nice and evenly toasted, bagels and waffles toast fine, I baked a rice dish that came out fine that never would have fit in my old toaster oven. The frozen french fries I tried came out a little burned, even though I did not cook them as long as recommended. I don't broil so I haven't tried the broiler.
My only real complaint is with the timer/toast dial. To toast bread, you set the timer to a number - the larger the number the darker the toast. This timer is like an old-fashioned oven timer that you set to a time and it ticks as it counts down to zero and dings when it reaches zero. At this point it should shut off the toaster oven and your toast should be ready. There are several problems with this button. First of all, the button is all black and it doesn't have an arrow or dot on it, so you can't tell very well what time you are selecting. I got around this by painting a white dot on it with White-Out. Also, the dial shows the times in increments of 10 minutes with no tick marks in between, so you want a number that's not an increment of 10, you have to estimate it. Bagels toast well at around 4 minutes. Another problem is if you select a time < 5, it usually doesn't tick. If it doesn't tick, then it's not counting down and it will never reach zero and never shut off the oven automatically. To get around this, I usually just select a high number > 10, wait for it to start ticking, then move the timer back to the low number I want. Sometimes it stops ticking again and I have to repeat until this finally works. One time I was using the timer and it was ticking happily and then it just stopped midway through. Bottom line: You cannot rely on the timer and/or auto-shutoff to work. I always use the timer on my microwave oven as a backup so if the Euro-Pro's timer doesn't work, I can manually turn it off when the microwave timer beeps.
For the price, it's a decent toaster oven. It toasts; it bakes. If it breaks after a year, at least I didn't spend a lot of money on it ($34 at Target), and I'll have more time next time to research the other brands and possibly order one thru amazon.

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Add a touch of style to your kitchen with this sleek toaster oven. It has full range temperature control from 150° to 450° with a variety of settings including Broil, Bake, Toast, and Keep Warm.Auto offtimer with ready signal and cool touch handles for safety.Included is enamel bake tray, 1 rack and pull out crumb tray.

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Cuisinart SM-55 5-1/2-Quart Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a long-time fan of the KitchenAid mixer. My grandmother has been using the same KitchenAid mixer since the late 50s, and it's still going strong. I was thrilled to get a KitchenAid "Ultra-Power" mixer as a gift about seven years ago, and it worked great for occasional use. Over the past couple of years I've been doing more and more baking, and about a year ago I began making my own bread. After about six months of using my KitchenAid to knead two loaves of whole-wheat bread every week or so, it made a terrible grinding noise, and stopped working. I decided I'd better buy a new KitchenAid with a more powerful motor, and went online to see which was recommended. Much to my surprise, the reviews for the KitchenAid were no longer as positive as they had been. People were complaining about a decrease in quality and customer service. The biggest complaint was that some metal parts had been replaced by plastic, and while it sounded as if the company had recently started making the parts out of metal again, people were giving tips on how to determine if the model you were purchasing had the metal or plastic gearboxes. On top of that, Cooks Illustrated ranked the Cuisinart mixer above KitchenAid in a March 2008 review.
I did more research and found that the warranty was much better on the Cuisinart than on the KitchenAid. So, nervously, I decided to switch from what I had always considered to be the top brand, and I bought the Cuisinart.
My first impressions were mixed. I immediately liked the way the mixer looked, but I was nervous about it, because the body and the mixing paddles are much lighter in weight than on the KitchenAid. It lacks the solid, all-metal feel of the KitchenAid. Since the KitchenAid jittered all over the counter when I was using it to knead bread or even whip butter and sugar together for cookies, I figured the Cuisinart would probably fly off the counter. I decided to use it pretty hard for six months, and then write my review.
I've used it every seven to ten days to make two loaves of heavy, whole-grain bread, have made many batches of cookies and several cakes and I'm very happy to write that this is a GREAT mixer.
Much to my surprise, it doesn't jitter at all, not even when I'm using it to knead bread. Ingredients are more thoroughly mixed, and I don't need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula nearly as often as I needed to with my KitchenAid. Counter space in my kitchen is limited, so I keep the mixer in a cupboard, and the lighter weight means that it's much easier to move around. In my experience, the lighter weight has NOT affected, in any way, the performance.
Once, when I was kneading some heavy dough on speed #4 for about twice as long as the usual seven or eight minutes (I'd forgotten to add salt to the bread and was trying to knead it in) the mixer overheated and shut itself down. It hasn't done that since, and frankly, I'd rather that happen than have the gears freeze up and completely destroy the gearbox, as happened with my KitchenAid. Another greatly appreciated feature is that some clever person designed the bowl so that it's easy to remove, even after I've used the mixer to knead dough. The bowl on the KitchenAid would lock so tightly after kneading bread that I'd have to wrench it free, usually skinning my knuckles in the process. Some reviewers complain that the bread dough "climbs" the kneading hook, making a mess. I find that the dough actually climbs a lot less than it did when I used my KitchenAid. One reviewer mentioned that she finds the splash guard mostly useless, but I love it -- I find it truly useful, unlike the awkward, two-piece splash guard that came with my KitchenAid.
The timer function is nice, especially now that I don't need to stand over the mixer while it's kneading, worrying that it'll jitter its way onto the floor. I don't leave the room, but now I set the timer and let the mixer do its thing while I prep other ingredients or grease the baking pans. I really like the slow-start feature -- no more cloud of flour when I turn on the mixer.
Basically, this mixer does everything my KitchenAid did, and does it better. The performance has been highly satisfactory, and if it breaks down any time in the next five years, it will still be under warranty ... unlike my KitchenAid, which was only covered for a year.
I don't hate KitchenAid -- I think the mixers are probably still a good product, overall. I know that I was using mine for more than it was designed to handle. However, I am happier with the Cuisinart and have recommended it highly to several friends.
This is still a relatively early review. I expect stand mixers to last for at least a decade, and ideally for much longer. Six months after my purchase, I'm very happy with this machine. If anything happens to change that, I'll update this review.
January 29, 2009
I dropped my mixer! I was doing a lot of Christmas baking, the countertop was crowded, I put it too close to the edge of the counter and WHAM, it fell to the floor, landing hard, upside down. While I have no idea how the trauma will affect the overall life of the mixer, it still works fine. The top is a little askew now, and the hinged door at the front that covers the slow-speed power outlet will no longer stay closed. But: the mixer works as well as it ever did. I really wish I hadn't dropped it, but this is a strong peice of equipment. That was a hard fall from countertop height to a hardwood floor, and there appears to have been nothing more than cosmetic damage. I've been baking as much as ever, and it still works beautifully.
September 4, 2010
Wow -- I don't often look back at my reviews, and when I came back today to make an update, I was surprised that so many people found this helpful. Thanks! I hope if you bought a mixer based on my recommendation that you've loved it. Mine is still going strong, and this evening over dinner, I recommended it to a friend who was thinking of buying a new stand mixer.
Thank you to those who have commented, it adds some additional insight and balance. It was interesting reading the comments -- one person commented that this mixer didn't really handle large batches of heavy rye dough, so you might want to keep that in mind if you make a LOT of bread. I'm still making a loaf or two every week and am quite pleased. One commenter mentioned that his KitchenAid mixer never moved around the countertop. Since I would have to literally hold my KitchenAid down while kneading bread, it makes me wonder how much variance you might find between individual mixers. One of the things I still really, really like about the Cuisinart is that it stays still for me, even when I'm kneading a couple of loaves-worth of bread dough. In fact, I've recently stepped up my bread baking, because I've been experimenting with sourdough recipes. I've also been churning out a LOT of batches of cookies recently as I experiment with a new recipe. (I noticed today that my jeans are feeling a bit tight around the waist. Maybe I need to experiment with something a bit lower-calorie. But, I digress.)
Anyway, I logged on this evening to say I'm still quite pleased with my mixer. Despite the tragic dropping incident over a year and a half ago, the Cuisinart is still working beautifully.

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Housed in durable die-cast metal, this stand mixer features a powerful 800-watt motor that can handle the heaviest mixing tasks. Its large, 5-1/2-quart, stainless-steel bowl accommodates big batches--even double recipes. The unit also provides 12 mixing speeds, along with a 15-minute countdown timer and automatic shutoff, for maximum precision. Choose the slow-start function to eliminate splatter or the ultra-gentle fold function to carefully blend in delicate ingredients. The mixer's tilt-back head allows for easy access to the mixing bowl and makes attaching accessories simple. Accessories include a chef's whisk, a flat mixing paddle, and a dough hook, as well as a splashguard. The whisk aerates ingredients to increase volume or can also be used on slow speed to gently combine dry ingredients. Contoured to reach the bottom and sides of the bowl, the flat mixing paddle ensures thorough mixing. The dough hook makes hand kneading obsolete, while the splashguard offers an extra-wide pouring spout for easily adding ingredients. The stand mixer also contains three power outlets, including a high-speed outlet for its optional dedicated attachments (meat grinder, citrus juicer, blender, food processor, or pasta maker--all sold separately). The stand mixer measures 15-1/2 by 10 by 12-1/2 inches and carries a three-year product warranty and a five-year motor warranty. From the Manufacturer An Array of Helpful Features Features:
Large 5-quart-capacity polished stainless-steel bowl
Powerful 800-watt motor
15-minute countdown timer
Auto shutoff and 12 speeds
Includes 3 accessories: chef's whisk, flat mixing paddle, dough hook
Splashguard with pour spout to prevent spattering
Recipe book
Power unit: clean with a damp cloth and dry
Bowls and tools dishwasher-safe (tools top-rack dishwasher-safe)
Warranty: Limited 3-year product warranty and a full 5-year motor warranty

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Black & Decker FC150BR InfraWave Speed-Cooking Countertop Oven, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)As I read some of the other reviews of the Infrawave I am pretty shocked. Some people do nothing but dump on this little marvel, but I love the darn thing! I got the Infrawave about nine months or so ago, and I have never once regretted it. This thing works as well (or better) than my conventional oven for practically anything in a single serving size, which is nice for a single guy who likes to cook.
I'll admit I was a little nervous about trusting it do everything it has preset, like broiling burgers or chicken, but it really does deliver. I must use this thing at least three or four times a week as a replacement for the microwave or the oven. Probably more. Without preheating I can have good burgers in about ten minutes of turning it on, and that is fine by me. My personal favorite is having grilled hot dogs in eight minutes without actually firing up my gas grill. It isn't replacing my outdoor grill, but it's strong enough to completely cook through a stuffed pork chop without turning it into charcoal first. Another perk: it does not heat up the room at all, unlike my conventional oven.
All of that being said, it is not idiot-proof or perfect, but what is? When you are cooking with it you have to use your common sense--Am I using this thing as an oven or a toaster? If you cover your food in aluminum foil you are TOTALLY CHANGING THE EQUATION! Once you cover the food in something reflective you are more or less turning your back on most effective heating source the oven has, and the cooking time will increase. It still will work, but you can't trust the recommended times the oven wants you to use, you have to start thinking more like conventional oven cooking times.
In one other review someone mentioned that the outside of it gets very hot. It does! That is my only real gripe with this item. I would be really aware of this if I had a little one running around while I was using it. That being said, I have it sitting on a baking stand about 3 inches from the wall and I have felt the wall while it was cooking and was very comfortable that there was no danger of anything spontaneously combusting. As a matter fact I have cotton apron that is touching it most of the time while it is cooking and it's perfectly fine. As a final gripe, they could have given a ceramic or glass dish that was fitted to the inside of it, but with some shopping I found one of my own. (Works much better for baking than the metal tray given.)
So there it is; the Infrawave is a fine cooking tool. It is by no means perfect, but it is a great little oven/broiler/toaster.

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Unlike conventional or convection ovens, this state-of-the-art countertop oven uses infrared-light technology to evenly cook the inside and outside of foods simultaneously. Superior browning and crisping capabilities seal in flavor, whether cooking meat, poultry, or fish, and toast comes out perfect every time. The appliance cooks up to 50-percent faster than a conventional oven, with no pre-heating or thawing necessary, making it possible to pull dinner out of the freezer and have it fully cooked and ready to serve in no time. In fact, many dishes can be cooked in 20 minutes or less. There's also no need to worry about what temperature to cook at since the intelligent profiling system cycles the cooking lights according to the type of food being cooked. The oven provides a control panel with an LCD screen and 52 digital pre-settings for one-touch ease of use. For example, select from functions including pizza, quick foods, cookies, toast, reheat, bake/roast, or broil, and the digital display allows for scrolling through a variety of detailed choices. Best of all, the unit�s convert menu lets you enter the temperature and time for a favorite recipe, then automatically converts it to InfraWave time. Accessories include a broil rack, bake pan, removable crumb tray, and an instruction manual. The 1500-watt countertop oven measures approximately 14 by 13-3/4 by 10 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemakers Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted to share this with everyone in video. I LOVE my new Cuisinart Grind & Brew Coffeemaker and I clean it daily. However, it stopped working for me and I did not realize why until I checked further into it.... In case you did not know....
UPDATED REVIEW: JUNE 12, 2010:
Hello everyone! THANK YOU for your comments... I did not see any of these comments until now! I am sorry if I did not reply sooner and seem rude, but I forgot all about this post.
Well... I hate to admit this, but this beautiful coffee machine is now sitting in my pantry. It started to become a hassle cleaning this ALL the time! I ended up using paper filters, because I did not have the time to mess with the cleaning....
Well.... I ended up buying the Keurig Coffee System! I know some of you may frown on that decision, but I swear, the "bold coffee" in the Keurig System IS THE BEST for me! It is easy to use... nothing to clean up, and ready within a minute! I also do not waste the coffee anymore!
I will use my Cuisinart Grind-and-Brew again, but not anytime soon.

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Easily brew up to 12 cups of great-tasting coffee with this 24-hour fully programmable coffeemaker. The unit comes equipped with a built-in burr grinder, which automatically grinds beans right before brewing, and its grind-control function makes it easy to program the amount of coffee to grind--from 2 to 12 cups. In addition, its strength selector allows for choosing from strong, medium, or mild coffee. The unit's bean hopper holds up to a half pound of beans and comes with a sealed lid to prevent moisture. Other highlights include adjustable automatic shutoff (from zero to four hours), a grind-off option, and an integrated 2- to 4-cup feature, as well as a Gold tone commercial-style permanent filter and charcoal water filter to remove impurities, and a brew-pause function for sneaking a cup midbrew. The coffeemaker measures 10-2/3 by 8-4/9 by 16-1/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty. From the Manufacturer
The Cuisinart DGB-700BC Fully Automatic Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker The Cuisinart Burr Grind & Brew Coffeemaker

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Global G-16 10-Inch Chef's Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)I actually bought this knife locally and compared with the 8.25" GF-33, 10.5" GF-34 and 11" G-17 without knowing the size of each (they were pulled bare from a display case.) This forced me to pick the knife that actually felt best in my hands. I already own the 6.25" chef's knife so the 8.25 was out. The two bigger knives felt, well, too big and heavy. The 10" felt just right when held properly - thumb and forefinger on the aft most portion of the blade (just ahead of the handle.) The long slender profile really works in a knife of this length. It makes it feel more manageable without sacrificing the strengthes. The strengthes are of course more "rocking" length and more momentum when slicing. You cut right through an onion with minimal effort. If I were starting all over I'd skip the 6.25 and go straight for the 10. That being said, you really should hold a knife before you buy it since personal preference means everything.

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This 10-in. Chef's Knife is the perfect all purpose knife for those like a longer blade or for slicing large ingredients.Loved by professional chefs around the world, Global knives are an excellent choice for the serious home cook.The thin and razor sharp Global blade allows the cook to cleanly slice through foods, preserving the integrity of the ingredient and maximizing its flavor.The majority of Global knives are ground to a straight point rather than the western style of beveling the edge. To balance their knives Global uses a hollow handle that is filled with just the right amount of sand to create the correct balance. The handle has its own unique darkened dimples for a non-slip grip.Because the knives are very light weight they reduce hand fatigue.Global knives have a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.Global knifes are forged in Japan from CROMOVA 18 Stainless Steel, a blend of 18 percent chromium for good stain resistance plus molybdenum and vanadium which gives excellent edge retention.

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