Onyx Black KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSOB

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There's no doubt that this unit is the very top-of-the-line, the Cadillac of mixers. I own the colbalt blue model, which was a birthday gift from my wife. (Actually, I would have selected a different color but I wasn't about to complain!)

Before you buy one, do you have a place to put it? Mine resides on top of the refrigerator in my small galley-type kitchen. If you have limited counter space, it eats up quite a bit of room if you plan to keep it there. It won't set on top of your microwave oven unless you have a big commercial unit -- it's simply too heavy and might cause problems with the microwave. If it's stored in any spot not protected from dust, then you'll need to buy a cover for it right away. These are available as an accessory but my mother-in-law made one for me and it works great.

I cook from scratch mostly about five out of seven days, I'm retired and my wife still works full-time. She likes to cook (and bake) on weekends. I use the KitchenAid about once every two weeks and my wife uses it with about the same frequency. If she's just doing a little job, she grabs her older hand-held electric blender with the pop-off beaters and that way she doesn't have to get the small stepladder and wield the HEAVY KitchenAid from the top of the fridge. We pretty much reserve it for bigger jobs.

If there's going to be several batches of cookies made or bread dough whipped up, then it's for certain a KitchenAid job. I also make bulk amounts of Italian salad dressing with the Kitchenaid which has to emulsify over a 20-30 minute period -- with the KitchenAid, this is a hands-off process, easy.

I also use a meat grinder attachment for making up four-pound batches of ham salad spread. This attachment is an extra 50 bucks but well-worth it. My brother uses this same attachment plus one other unit to make home-made Italian link sausage and it's well up to that job too.

The KitchenAid is a breeze to clean, with no difficult hideaway places to have to dig dough out of. The dough hook, blender, and whip are just dropped into the dish water and they clean right up, very easy.

This unit will do a great deal more than I'm using it for. Any KitchenAid Mixer will last for years and years, a lifetime I'd say.

So, to finalize, I give the KitchenAid Mixer my highest recommendation:

1. ...so long as you can afford it along with any additional necessary attachments, and,

2. ...so long as you have a convenient place to store it.

Pear KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSPE

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If you want to impress your "foodie" friends, all you need to do is have this out on display on your kitchen island. No one will question your aspiration to be a good cook, and then at some point, you have to prove you can use it with fluency and frequency. The KitchenAid KSM150 Artisan Series Stand Mixer is a striking piece of equipment, especially the glossy enamel finish of the empire red model, which is the one I ordered. There are ten speeds with a slide lever on the mixer head. It comes with a five-quart stainless-steel mixing bowl and three mixing attachments - a flat beater, a wire whip, and a dough hook. I've had an opportunity to work with all three on more than one occasion and am more than satisfied with the results.

If there is a standout among the three, it is the dough hook. At the lowest speed, it spirals so thoroughly around the bowl that scraping the sides becomes an almost optional task. The most thrilling aspect is that despite the careful instructions that usually come with bread-making recipes, you can literally put all the ingredients in the bowl, turn the mixer on, and let it work into a cohesive dough with minimal supervision. The wire whip works wonders with egg whites or heavy cream, producing stiff peaks in record time. My one reservation in this regard is using a 325-watt motor for such small tasks and then facing the clean-up afterward. That's probably why I generally reserve usage of this mixer for such tasks to dinner parties or potlucks.

I originally had concerns that the flat beater would be almost too powerful to produce fluffy mashed potatoes, but in using alternating speeds, I was able to produce the desirable results without turning the potatoes into wallpaper paste. One big benefit is the deep well of the bowl, which minimizes the incidence of splattering. The clear plastic pouring shield is another big plus. The easy twist locks keep the mixer stationary throughout your preparation, and the same principles are at work with the attachments. It is a relief that there are no buttons to press, and the attachments stay put until you're ready to dislodge them. Keep in mind that it is a relatively heavy appliance at 23 pounds with the mixer head a bit daunting if you are in a hurry to move ingredients in and out of the bowl. Still, this is classic kitchenware well worth the price if you are ready to show your culinary skills.

Persimmon KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSPN

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Prior to getting a KitchenAid for my anniversary, I used a cheap Hamilton Beach hand mixer. I'm not sure how much life that thing has left in her and...well, let's face it...there is NOTHING like the convenience of a stand mixer! Upon opening the box, I quickly inspected everything to make sure it was okay. It was! I wiped down the mixer with a dry cloth and then washed the stainless steel bowl and beaters. Seriously, I thought I was going to be intimidated by the mixer because it is so different then a hand mixer, but it is incredibly easy to use. You use the knob on the right side of the blender to release the head, which enables you to lock the bowl into place and get your beater attached with ease. Then you simply re-lock the head, plug in and mix away!

So far I have made several batches of sugar cookies and royal icing with my mixer. Personally, I like to add the first ingredients (eggs, sugar, butter) before I put the mixer head back down. Once that gets to mixing, I put the plastic "splash" guard up and slowly pour in my dry ingredients. One thing I have found though is that even with the splash guard on the bowl, you will still get dry ingredients "poofed" up onto your mixer if you turn the speed up too high. I think it works best to mix it on a lower speed until most of the flour, confectioners sugar etc are mixed, then turn it up higher. This should reduce the amount of ingredients that splash all over.

Overall, I love this machine! Some people said they had to adjust the screw a bit to get everything mixed on the bottom of the bowl, but I did not have that problem. After using the Artisan Mixer and the Professional Series (with the arms that hold the bowl), I definitely like this one MUCH better! With the Professional KitchenAid, the bowl would pivot some on the "thumbs" that hold the bowl in place on the arms of the machine. That movement made a loud noise in addition to the motor. Also, on the Professional series there are no (to my knowledge) height adjustments to the bowl other than all the way down or all the way up.

Again, I cannot recommend this mixer enough! There are tons of great attachments to get or if you are like me, you will be thrilled with just the stuff it comes with! The KitchenAid Artisan mixer is so easy to use and just as easy to clean up! Also, KitchenAid frequently does mail in rebates where you get money back or additional products for your mixer. So worth it!

P.S. - I just wanted to add that I feel like this mixer takes so much struggle and stress off my shoulders when I cook/bake. I like to use recipes from the Internet and now I can throw ingredients in the mixer and walk away to re-read my recipe. Also...and this is HUGE for me as I have such a small kitchen, no dishwasher and almost no counter space...I can do clean up along the way while I am working because I have time to wash some dishes or pick up while food is mixing.

Silver Metallic KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSSM

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As a kid, my mom always had a kitchen aid mixer. She used it for almost every meal. She made a lot of homemade breads and pastas and cookies and the mixer always performed and never broke, not once. So when I got married 4 years ago, I decided that I, too, should have a Kitchen Aid mixer. I went to Bed Bath and Beyond with my 500 wedding gift cards, and I purchased the beautiful Red one. It didn't get much use at first, because I had no idea what to do with it, but as I became more and more aware of food allergies, and had to start making a lot of my own food due to this, I found this baby to be a life saver!

Pros:
- Looks great, so it can sit out on the counter and add decorative value to your kitchen
- Speed settings are great, you can mix dry ingredients slow and slowly crank up the speed once you know you won't send the powder flying
- comes with 3 different mixing tools, one works like a whisk, one is more of a dough hook, and the 3rd works best with thicker batters
- I love the shield that helps reign in any flying bits from higher mixing speeds
- The bowl is a good size and has never been too small for the recipes I've made
- The Locking mechanism is a great idea

Cons:
- I wish they would make a 2nd shield just for protecting from spatter, the one it comes with has holes for adding dough, and doesn't fit all the way around, so I still get spatter sometimes which is a pain to clean
- It's a bit heavy when you need to move it

Overall, I am really really happy with this mixer. I have never encountered a better one than Kitchen Aid. They seem to have a leg up on the market. Yes, it's a bit pricey, and if you don't bake much, I don't think you should get it. But if you do, it's worth how much easier it makes your life.

White on White KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSWW

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This Artisan KitchenAid stand mixer replaces an older, less powerful (250 watts) KitchenAid that I bought twenty-two years ago and that finally was beginning to show its age. Like most serious cooks, I can't imagine cooking or baking without a KitchenAid.

So what's so great about this mixer? Well, for starters, it handles all mixing jobs, from small to large, from delicate to tough. The orbital mixing action ensures that ingredients are mixed efficiently, in less time than required by hand mixers. Read the instructions for correct speeds because recipes that say "beat at medium speed" do not refer to this mixer's mid-range; "four" is the medium setting out of ten. Users should also read the instruction for any attachments they may be using since they aren't intuitive. For example, my new ice cream attachment needs to be set at the lowest setting ("stir") instead of the "six" I expected.

The brand is known for its durability, reliability, and versatility. Any appliance that lasts for over twenty years with only minimal signs of age offers real value. The motor on my old mixer was tough -- and I expect this one to be even tougher given the power. I have never taxed the motor enough to engage a shut down -- and this comes from someone who has burned out no less than three handheld mixer motors.

Besides the extra power, the Artisan seems pretty much the same as my old one except for a slightly heavier weight mixing bowl and a sturdier whisk attachment. My old attachments and extra bowls/paddles fit the new machine.

When people walk into my kitchen and see my mixer on the counter, they often say, "You must be a good cook!" That's because the KitchenAid mixer has become the hallmark of a gourmet cook. If you consider yourself in this category or want to buy a gift for a gourmet, look no further.

Yellow Pepper KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSYP

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This mixer truly does live up to it's reputation. It is well made and works like a dream. I loved the clover leaf roll recipe in the included recipe book...

As for the color, the options are there if you want to pay more, but if plain old white is good enough for Paula Deen, Giada Delaurentis and Ina Garten, then I'd say I'm in good company because white will never go out of style...it's a classic mixer color and this mixer is so well made it will probably outlast the many kitchen decorating fads bound to change in the years to come.

I have wanted one of these mixers for several years, but couldn't justify the purchase until my tired old Sunbeam broke. I can tell you that the quality and workmanship is there and I am thrilled with this powerful, sturdy mixer. For home use, I don't think you could ask for anything more. I was considering a larger one that I saw at a warehouse retailer for $60.00 more, but it was so tall that it wouldn't fit on the counter under my cabinets. After using this workhorse of a mixer, I'm convinced that it is absolutely the perfect size for my needs... I don't know if I would ever want a larger mixer because this thing has confidently handled large batches of everything that I wanted to make for my large family without skipping a beat and without hogging tons of counter space.

As for Amazon, their service was exemplary. I opted for their free Super Saver shipping and still had my new mixer within 2 days of placing my order. I can really get behind a company that under-promises and over- delivers. I haven't seen a deal like Amazon offers on this model anywhere and I have looked for a long time. The nearest thing would be a refurbished model and it was still more expensive and that was before the rebate!! I don't know how they can offer this deal, but I'm thankful that they did. In any case, although it sounds too good to be true, this definitely is the real thing. If you are looking for a KitchenAid, snap this one up before they come to their senses and raise the price!!!

Pistachio KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers KSM150PSPI

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I bought this for myself last Christmas, and, as all of the other reviews have already stated, it is one of the most well crafted, reliable (beautiful!) and useful appliances a baker will ever have.

That said, when considering whether or not to purchase it, I would really think about how much of a baker you are. If you tend to make cookies once a year using a mix, I wouldn't bother.

If, on the other hand, you like to bake often, and sometimes knead dough, whip cream, make merengues, etc. Then this is exactly what you're looking for. I had been getting by with a hand mixer for twenty years, and I'd been doing just fine, but boy do the eggs fluff up better and the sugar and butter cream together when you've got a Kitchen Aid on your counter. You don't have to stand there and hold the mixer for one thing, which frees your hands up for measuring, putting away ingredients, etc. It's great.

One thing I would also consider, is how much and how often you make bread. If you tend to make many loaves rather often, the Professional line (rather than the Artisan line here) would be a better choice. Really though, the majority of home bakers don't need that extra power, and they certainly don't need to spend the extra money.

Basically, if you like to bake a variety of things, and you aren't (yet) a professional, this is the best tool for the job.

Green Weber Performer 22.5" Charcoal Grill 1427001

I switched from years of (propane) gas grill use when my second wife wanted to cook over real wood so much she was willing to put a pit and a few bricks around it in our back yard! Needless to say, this weber is fantastic. I could have bought a grill that was 10x the price, but I love this one. There are so so so many ways to cook with it. Right now, I'm experimenting with mesquite smoked pizza. Yum The starter mechanism is very handy and simple to use -- it looks flimsy and I wasn't sure how it would stand up over time, but it's still working fine after almost two years of hard usage -- you can also couple it with a starter chimney to help get things going.

There are two accessories I'd suggest with this grille:
FIRST, get the hard anodized GrillGate with the special pronged spatula that comes with it. There's a simple square one on Amazon, but there is a round three piece interlocking one on the GrillGate.com web site that I got (you often want to remove one of the three pieces for flavored wood, smoking, etc.) -- This one is custom made for the weber grill although I suspect the cheaper one available here at Amazon might work fine for most purposes. This product also makes an alternative to buying the D shaped pizza stone if you are experimenting with Pizzas.
SECOND, is the Smokenator 1000 -- this odd gadget system works amazingly well. Who would have thought you could smoke or control temperatures or moisturize during long cooks with this grill?
[I have a garage area full of gadgets for this grill, but these are the two that have been fantastic]

Another suggestion is to actually read the Weber how-to manuals that either you get with it or can pick up off their web site. Lots of good tips. Ditto for the manuals that come with the two accessories above. In general, I've found the Weber brand products to be good products at good value prices.

I've had to learn my way around charcoal over the last year. Lump charcoal is the way to go. Virtually every brand is better than the usual store briquettes, yes even the "competition" briquettes. However, afficianados are talking about the new Wicked Good Charcoal Briquettes, so I've ordered a few bags and will give them a try.

Dark Blue Weber Performer 22.5" Charcoal Grill 1428001

I recently purchased the Weber Performer. I paid about 40 dollars less at Amazon, was eligible for FREE shipping (68 dollars) and was offered a no interest payment plan for six months. The BBQ arrived in good time and I set about putting it together. Assembly was quite easy and once set up I gave it a try. Excellent all the way around. It was so much easier to use and clean the PERFORMER than my other two Webers (a Smoky Joe and a 26 inch kettle) both of which I love.

Upon opening the box, I noticed the top half of the kettle had a nasty 'ding' in it all the way down to bare metal even tho the box was in perfect condition. I called Weber and was blown away by the service. I was asked if I could take a picture of the lid and send it to them via email. I said yes I could. The girl gave me a code number to title my email with and I attached the photo and sent it. About three hours later the same girl called and told me a brand new lid would be sent out immediately. I was to keep the original lid and do whatever I wanted with it, no need to send it back. So in about 5 days my new lid arrived in perfect condition, all at NO cost or inconvenience to me.

I was skeptical about the gas lighting system but read several reviews like this one which said the gas lighting system was really nice to use and much cleaner than my current chimney/newspaper lighting system. After several uses, I am now a BIG fan of the gas lighting system and wish my other two Webers had that feature. Anyway, combined with the attached table, thermometer (accurate to 2 degrees, I tested it twice)and easy lift lid, I must say this is the BEST Weber yet!!!!

Black Weber Performer 22.5" Charcoal Grill 1421001

I absolutetely love this grill! The table is quite convenient for grilling. Some people reported a problem with the lid. They said that it was attached and, when you tilted it back, it obscured too much of the grill. However this must have been fixed in later models because on mine, the lid is not attached but there is a hook in the underside. And instead of hooking on the side if the grill (which I've found on other grills can get in the way), this on hooks on a tube of metal that runs along the entire left side of the grill. In other words, it's easy to get out of the way and doesn't cover up any of the grill.

Assembly was pretty easy. It took about an hour to do by myself and the instructions were clear. However be aware that it does require your own tools: a hammer, Phillips screwdriver, plyers and a wrench. When I finished putting it together, I thought I had an extra piece, but that turned out to be the provided "match holder".

I have cooked several meals now and find the grill to be very easy to start. The propane tanks recommended are the disposable kind and I've already gotten 5 uses out of the 16 oz tank and it isn't empty yet. I found that, using regular charcoal with no lighter fluid, I only needed keep the gas running about 3 minutes to get the coals nicely started. I may get a larger tank to refill this one from instead of just buying new ones when this one runs out.

In conclusion, I'm thrilled with my new grills nd highly recommend it. I also recommend getting the cover for it as it fits nicely and keeps the grills safe from the elements.

Water Distiller, Countertop, White Enamel, Glass Collection

I bought this distiller on Amazon about six months ago and I have been completely happy with it. I estimate it has paid for itself already. The water tastes as good as any water I've ever had and doesn't have that plastic bottle taste or filter taste that all the store-bought distilled water I've tried does.

I bought mine with the glass collection bottle, but I think now that either way would have been fine. I worry just a bit the glass bottle might break (the glass is thin) and a plastic one seems would be less to worry about. I make one gallon a day. It is very easy to do and I don't undertand what people are talking about who dislike the sound of the fan. It has a very quiet fan that produces a pleasant white noise. I like it because it lets me know when it's on and when it shuts off.

One thing I want to point out to those who purchase one is that the water takes a week or two to taste its best. I don't know why this is, but after six months now it is like drinking pristine rain water.

I use the included charcoal filters, but find the water is great without it too. I strongly recommend this countertop distiller.

Komen Pink KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors KFP750PK

I love my kitchenaid food processor. It is very powerful and the two bowls are very convenient. I keep it out on my counter so I can use it every time I cook. The storage case for the blades is very convenient (instead of sharp blades floating around in my untensil drawer). From the moment I took it out of the box I was a little in awe at how well made everything felt. Nothing about this machine is cheaply made ( Well, except the spatula that it comes with, which is very cheap and basically useless.)

I read a lot of reviews before purchaseing this item, and some of the things mentioned almost changed my mind. I find that it really does do a good job so I wanted to address some of the things I read about it:

1. Contents of the top bowl leaks into the bottom bowl: I have not experienced this. I have done everything from chopping herbs/garlic in the top bowl to making sauces (ie. tzatziki or veggie dip) in the top bowl, and never had a drop leak out to the bottom bowl. I think that the leaking some people report might be from overfilling the top bowl... in which case just use the bottom bowl.

2. Liquid in the big bowl leaks out ot the counter: I have not experienced this, though I am careful to watch where the 'max fill line' is. If I wanted to puree a soup or something larger than that amount, I just do it in batches or use a blender instead.

3. The bowls scratch easily: This is true. The first time I washed the big bowl i used the back side of a scrubber sponge, and it left scratch marks all over the bowl. To me, this isn't really a big deal, and most plastic does scratch the same way.

Hope that helps any potential buyers out there!

Empire Red KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors KFP750ER

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Appliances that earn my affection tend to be viewed as entities with personalities. I'm pretty sure they perform better when they know you really like them for themselves. My KitchenAid stand mixer, for instance, has been known as the Blue Beast for years and she is the steadiest, sturdiest helper in the kitchen. Just last month I added the chrome KitchenAid food processor to the family so now BeeBee and the Silver Streak are my Go To Team.

I have extremely limited counter space -- less than two square feet on either side of the sink. The food processor get the real estate on the right and I think it's worth every square inch. Because it's conveniently accessible, it gets used constantly. Because it's strategically located, it's a snap to wash up.

Perhaps I've gone a bit out of my way to test the Streak but I figured that was the best way to let him strut his stuff. So far he's done everything I've asked and done it well. It's nice to discover speed doesn't compromise quality. Vegetables are chopped evenly, cheese is shredded in the astonished blink of an eye, cashew butter appears magically from the rubble of crushed nuts and, unbelievably, a perfect blob of bread dough is created in less than 2 minutes. (And, yes, the bread bakes as light and tender as if I'd kneaded it for half an hour.)

There have been absolutely none of the problems mentioned by other viewers -- no leakage from either bowl, no blades going berserk and chewing up plastic, no difficulties cleaning nooks and crannies. The only curious thing is that sometimes when I go to lift off the big work bowl, I find a suction has built up, holding it in place. Easily remedied -- jiggle the blade and lift it just a bit and the suction is broken, releasing the bowl.

Thank you, KitchenAid, for making such a wonderful and truly helpful appliance. Thank you, Amazon, for putting it on sale so I could finally get one for myself.

Red KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors KFP750RE

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I have had the 760 KitchenAid Food Processor for about a month now. It's my third Food Processor over a period of 25 years or so. My first was a Cuisinart which was a good enough machine that lasted many years, then just wore out. The second was a Black and Decker: much less expensive and boy, did it show. It was LOUD. It danced all over the counter, and worst of all, the plastic housing cracked at the places where the bowl snapped on, rendering the machine useless. So...after doing some research with Consumer Reports, which named KitchenAid as the best brand of the lot, I chose this one.
Honestly, the 12 cup size is bigger than I really need, as I only cook for three now. However, the attachments that come exclusively with this model, make me glad I chose it. I got an extra full sized bowl. This was great on Thanksgiving. I could process in the mini bowl, large bowl, and outer bowl without having to stop and wash bowls in between. Very handy!

I have never owned a stand mixer, so I love the egg whisk on this machine. It means I can whip egg whites stiffly to fold into cake batter without stopping to wash my handmixer beaters.
And...the citrus juicer. My hands are beginning to be arthritic, and when I'm squeezing half a dozen lemons for a recipe, it will save alot of stress and time. (It has a strainer built in to catch large pulp and seeds...I love products that show alot of thought went into them.)I also got the nice accessory box which is extra expense on smaller machines.

This machine is very quiet. Very powerful. All the standard shredders, slicers, etc. work very well. I like the fact that I got two slicers, one for thin and one for medium thin.
I had read in other reviews about the problem with processing liquids. I don't understand why this is, but I was relieved to see that there is a fill line on the outer bowl, so as long as you're paying attention, you shouldn't have trouble, not to mention how large the capacity of this machine is.
There was a learning curve. This machine is a bit more complicated to assemble and run than my other two. But after a half dozen uses, it's becoming second nature. Not a big deal.
So...yes, it's big. And if your counter space is at a premium, by all means, get a smaller one. It's certainly too large to be lifting in and out of a lower cabinet very often. That being said, though, I am glad I bought this model and expect to enjoy it for many years

White KitchenAid 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processors KFP750WH

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After comparing the various food processors in store and online from the reviews my decision was very simple: I went with the KitchenAid over the Cuisinart. After having used it several times I am very happy with my purchase. First made a marinara and used the shredder for the carrots and that went so fast and smooth I was in disbelief. Then I reassembled it with the main blade and threw in the tomatoes, onion and garlic and everything was minced down to almost a puree status almost immediately with very little sound. A dead bang winner in my book.

Then I made fresh butter. Threw in the heavy cream and turned it on and within a few minutes the butter had separated from the liquid (or buttermilk). I was floored at how easy and fast everything went.

The unit itself is a decent weight and feels very sturdy, which tells me that it is a well made unit. The bowl and blades cleaned easily between my different projects, which is a bonus, especially since each on their own presents their own difficulties in cleaning in any situation. The extra pieces storage case is a nice addition and will help keep me organized.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this food processor. I also own their mixer and have not had a problem in the nearly 6 years that I have owned it, so I don't picture anything happening with this unit. A definite recommend.

Hoover Platinum Lightweight Upright Vacuum with Canister, Bagged, UH30010COM

I am one of the suckers that got duped by Dyson. I have had two Dysons and was not all that pleased with either of them but I just thought they were the best you could get. I then decided to get an Oreck, which I loved! Some women buy lots of shoes, I buy lots of vacuums. I am quite the connoisseur! Anyway after discovering how well the Oreck performed, I decided to see how the Hoover Platinum would compare, as they seem to be quite similar. I have one of the high end Orecks, it cost me about $700 when I bought it. The Hoover was about $250 when I bought it on Amazon. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it works. I love it! Although I LOVE my Oreck, I find that I like to use the Hoover instead. (I have a vacuum on each floor of the house to make cleaning easier, and also so I don't have to take them up and down the steps. Not that the Oreck or the Hoover is heavy, I'm just lazy.) But that being said, I do carry the Hoover around to the other levels of the house anyway, just becaue I like it so much. It sounds like a jet when you turn it on.

I really like the handle that allows you to clean the steps easier. I wonder why Oreck didn't do that. The bags are very durable and dust and dirt do not escape too much, especially when changing them. The bags last a long time before you have to replace them. Even for me, I have two dogs and vacuum just about every other day. The bags last a few months before I change them. I like the small vacuum that comes with this better than the one that comes with Oreck, it is not as cumbersome. The small vacuum bags do fill up quickly though, they are pretty small. The only downside to this vacuum is that it does not have on board attachements. Neither does my Oreck, but that is why they come with the small vacuum.

That is one thing that I did like about the Dysons, I guess I was spoiled. Other than that, I have no complaints. I like the long power cord, it allows me to navigate around without having to keep unplugging. Recommended this to a male coworker of mine. He came to work raving about it to after his arrived, go figure! You will be very happy with this.

Neato XV-11 All Floor Robotic Vacuum System

I have had ample experience with robotic vacuums having owned two versions of Roomba since they debuted, and can tell easily that the Neato was made to rise above. I was clued in on it via a robotics blog showing a benchmark versus a modern Roomba. The Neato completed a bedroom-sized area in 5 minutes versus the Roomba at 15. I was intrigued (Read: I geeked out...) and had to see it for myself.

It took about 3 hours for the battery to charge completely for my new robot, a charge time I found to be typical even after use. It appears to have quite a powerful vacuum on it, as evidenced by a prolonged spin-up time when it powers up and a louder than average whine. This powerful vacuum definitely comes at a price, however. The battery lifetime of the Neato is about 40 minutes to an hour, but as I found out, this was a calculated trade-off. What it looses in battery lifetime it makes up for with it's incredible efficiency.

The robot has a relatively complex ladar system that it uses to map out the rooms as it cleans. This allows it to quickly clean a room, first following along the walls, then cleaning in a back-and-forth pattern through the middle of the room, with very limited overlap. This is a jarring difference to other 'bots, which use a random pattern and longer run cycle to try and get full coverage of the room. This system also allows it to handle extremely large areas and multiple rooms.

In my home, 60% of my house's 2000 sqft is all joined in an open floor plan. Other robots would have failed to tackle it, getting lost and floundering about until it ran it's battery dead, but the Neato succeeds without supervision to clean the entire area, but still not in a single charge, unfortunately. It will usually complete three of the four rooms that make up the open area and run low on battery just before it finishes the last, returning to it's base to recharge. Once recharged, it will power back up on it's own, come out of the dining room, through the kitchen, and into the living room to finish up right where it left off. It is almost scary to see how far technology has come.

The unit is also a lot better designed versus the last Roomba I owned. Pet hair is no problem for it, and a few smart design decisions reduce problems with human hair. It's brush has no bristles, instead using rubber ribs, helping to reduce the amount of hair that can get wound up around it. It also lacks a spinning edging brush, oft used by the Roomba and purposed to kick particles along the wall into the path of the vacuum. I believe this was a good move: I was never impressed with the performance of that feature and the brush tended to get caught up with hair rather quickly. Even still, hair can pose a problem, and like any robotic vacuum, regular maintenance is still required. The brush assembly is easily removed, the entire thing, including the bearings, which are actually housed in removable rubber caps; almost everything can be quickly cleaned in two to three minutes.

The Neato performs above and beyond the Roomba I last owned, but it is not without it's quirks. Like any (robotic) vacuum, it is best practice to remove ground clutter, such as pet or children's toys, prior to operating the vacuum, though this 'bot will manage it much better by comparison. My home also has a few navigation hazards: Chrome and reflective surfaces appear to confuse the vacuum's sensors, resulting in some wasted time as it tries to navigate into a room that, from it's perspective, only appears to exist at certain angles. I also have some furniture that is just BARELY below the Neato's height clearance. The front half will slip beneath them, but it's sensor housing will block it. It will sit there running it's wheels in a futile attempt to move forward for 3 seconds, then stop, back up, and repeat the display another 8 to 14 times before it finally gives up. Finally, my Neato once overfilled it's dirt bin, but did not stop and ask me to empty it. It seems that, despite knowing it's bin was full, it continued to work anyways, clogging up it's intake in the process. It is important to clear the Neato's bin after it finishes every other room or so.

The Neato is an excellent vacuum, the closest thing to a true replacement to an up-right that exists. Sadly, it still is not capable of completely replacing an up-right, faltering on cleaning along walls the same way any other robotic vacuum does today. Even with it's powerful vacuum, my up-right was still able to pull out plenty of dust left by the Neato. This robot will serve you well in maintaining a clean house and reduce the number of times you'll need to break out the up-right, possibly from once a week to once a month.

A real time saver and highly recommended.

Dyson DC25 Ball All-Floors Upright Vacuum Cleaner

It must have been the full moon! I was trying to vacuum our carpet but was seeing that pet hair was not coming up. I checked our old Hoover Windtunnel and found the rotating brush was not moving. Not a surprise since it has been temperamental lately. In checking the brush I found that the plastic bar rotates on bearings of felt - that's right felt! The felt had worn away and the bar now was straining against the plastic and would not turn.

So, a new vacuum was in order. We have several pets and pet hair was a prime consideration. We went through the reviews and quickly noted that Dyson was positively reviewed in most places. But really, - $500 for a vacuum? We were heading toward another Hoover or Bissell but stopped short. Reviews of those units talked about noise, weight, messy bagless clean-up. If you hate a product going out the door - maybe we should be looking elsewhere?

So we took the plunge and bought a Dyson DC25 "All Floors". In reading the reviews it sounded like "The Animal" was what we needed for the pet hair. But Dyson, like many manufacturers, uses model numbers in a bewildering mix of letters/numbers. It turns out there are 3 DC25 models - The Animal, All Floors, and a Blueprint -Special Edition. They appear to have the same base machine - just different colors and attachments.

We found the only difference between the All Floors and The Animal was an attachment for The Animal that was used to clean stairs and furniture. The Mini Turbine Head fit at the end of the hose. This, the purple color and $50 seem to be the only difference. The Blueprint-Special Edition has a flatter head configuration to better get under things. It is about $30 more than the All Floors.

What we found was that we didn't need the Mini Turbine Head - the All Floors easily picked up hair with the include tools. If you find you want it - it can be purchased separately. We saw many on eBay.

So we got the unit home and unpacked it. Its various parts snapped together. The unit is all plastic, but strong plastic. The click-together was solid and reassuring. When turned on the unit is very quiet (compared to our old Hoover) and pretty light. The pet hair was sucked-up in one pass - amazing. It was actually kind of fun using this machine; I never thought I'd say that about a vacuum cleaner! It just works so well.

So, what the down-side? Well, the electrical cord is slightly shorter than our old Hoover and need to be moved more. In our house, the Hoover could be plugged in once downstairs and get all areas. The Dyson has to be plugged in a couple of places to reach the far ends of the house. The hose attachment is a built-in part of the machine that extends to clean stairs, furniture, and dust ceilings and so on. It too, is slightly shorter than the Hoover (although the Hoover hose was a separate attachment not stored within the unit itself like the Dyson). I could clean all the stairs with the Hoover hose without moving the unit - the Dyson will reach almost all the way but need to be repositioned to get all the stairs. The Dyson does not have a light - I came to rely on the Hoover headlight to see into dark corners.

I have forgotten to mention the bagless nature of the machine. We have always had vacuum bags in the machines prior to this. In reading the reviews, many people noted other manufacturers had awkward bagless set-ups. They were hard to get to, hard to remove, hard to empty and easy to spill dirt all over the place. Not the Dyson - the clear canister is up front where you can see when it's full, has an easy click button to remove it and take it to the trash can. A simple button releases the bottom of the canister and the dirt falls out. Clean, simple and effective.

We have had the machine about 3 weeks and are having no buyer's remorse. As long as the unit continues to work as well as it has so far - we will have thought our money has been well spent. It is just a joy to use this great product!

Black Sharp 900-Watt 0.9 Cubic Foot Convection Microwaves R-820BK

I bought this little gem over a year ago. I live near the beach in a non-air-conditioned apartment, and this wonderful device allows me to bake and roast to my heart's content all summer without heating up the whole apartment (like the clunky old oven in this place does).

I am a beginner-level cook and have always been afraid to try roasting chicken or pork because it is so easy to undercook them (leaving dangerous bacteria) or overcook (leaving dried-up junk you wouldn't want to eat anyway). This convection/microwave roasts with 30% microwaves to help cook it through and a toasting grill unit on top for toasting leaving perfect grilled chicken & pork every time. You use the compu-roast setting and just type in what you are cooking and how much it weighs. The machine does the rest - perfectly.

I can't believe it also bakes and grills. I don't have an outdoor grill (used to be my only cooking device when I had a house), but I can grill delicious steaks with almost no mess and without having to pay attention - I just go watch TV. The oven beeps when it's done with whatever I told it to cook. I even forget stuff in regular ovens/stoves now (embarrassing true story not being told here), because I am so spoiled by the oven turning itself off once it's completed cooking my dinner.

I guess I am lucky that mine has lasted so long and done so well after seeing some of the other reviews, but I not only love this appliance for helping a poor cook make great food, but also because it is so beautiful. I don't know why the others say different, I think it looks as nice as it operates.

I am getting one for my Mom so she can save on air conditioning bills if she needs to roast or bake during summer. This is truly a wonderful little device.

Licorice KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1XLC

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I've had this mixer for about six months and absolutely love it! I've used it for everything from making pizza dough to cookies, cakes, and icing. I got the Nickel Pearl color, and it's beautiful. I was expecting a matte finish, but it is very glossy and looks great.

The bowl is large enough that I can make a double batch of chocolate chip cookies without worrying about flour splashing out of the bowl, which happened all the time with my mom's 4.5 quart KitchenAid. I haven't had any trouble with the motor/transmission like some of the other reviewers, but I haven't made anything needing more than about 6-7 cups of flour. Just make sure you use speed 2 when kneading bread dough and you'll be okay!

One note of caution - if you're making extremely small recipes, this may not be the mixer for you. The mixing blade doesn't mix well for very small batches, like those for some kinds of spritz cookies. I may pick up the optional 3 quart mixing bowl for extra small batches. I didn't have this problem with the 4.5 quart KitchenAid, which sometimes struggled with large batches that this mixer tackles with ease.

Copper Pearl KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1XCE

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Early this year, I finally bought a new stand mixer after the old kitchenaid stand mixer I inherited from my mother finally conked out. That one was over 30 years old before it bit the bullet. I purchased the professional 6 quart model since I wanted to do some bread making and also prepare rolls. I also bake cakes quite a bit. This thing is fantastic! Bread kneads in 2 minutes. I make a lot more handicrafted gourmet type breads now, I never did that with my bread machine. In fact I gave the bread machine away since I hadn't used even one time after I got the new mixer. I like the breads I create with this machine better too. Their texture is better and all around it's a better loaf even though I use my old trusty recipes. The kneading is the hard part anyway, and this mixer makes it a breeze.

Cakes mix in about the same amount of time or less. I have found the knack with the cake mixing is just to mix until the batter just loses that 'glossy' look. This mixer is fast and thorough but doesn't create air pockets in the finished cake like over mixing with a hand mixer does. I've made dips and sauces and even whipped cream with this. I bought the slicer attachment and sliced appetizer stuff for 100 people. It handles everything I've thrown at it.

I got the licorice color and I highly recommend it. It is black and not super glossy, so it hides finger prints and still looks classy sitting on the counter. It isn't a dull finish either, kind of more like eggshell paint instead of satin or gloss. My old one was shiny and looked smudgy all the time. This one doesn't. Mine doesn't fit under the counter and I use it enough so putting it away in the pantry doesn't happen so often. I recommend the non glossy colors if you use your mixer a lot and want it to sit out all the time.

Caviar Gloss KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1XCV

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I recently purchased the Kitchenaid Professional 600 and so far it has been a wonderful addition to our kitchen. Many people have written both positive and negative reviews of this model, and that concerned me - especially since this was a gift for my wife and I didn't want it to be plagued with problems. For anyone who is considering purchasing this model (and for many who already have), you probably already know about the issue with the gearbox cover that was originally made of plastic instead of metal. Supposedly, the cover would overheat and crack, causing the gears to strip. This issue existed several years ago and due to the number of complaints, Kitchenaid has since returned to an all-metal gearbox cover.

However, after a great deal of research I have been pretty well convinced by a very educated poster on another forum that the problem did not originate with the plastic cover. This person went to great effort to disassemble his broken mixer and document what had happened and what he found (with some very interesting pictures) as he fixed his Pro 600's gearbox.

Specifically, there was one set of gears on a vertical shaft that wanted to rise upwards when placed under a load - a common phenomenon with gears due to the angle of the sides of each tooth. As he documented, there was a clip missing from the shaft directly over the gearset, and that allowed the gears to ride up the shaft and put pressure on the plastic cover from the inside. Over time, the plastic (which was never intended to be placed under pressure from underneath) cracked and the gears lost contact with each other and stripped.

I now have come to believe that a great many people who have this older design (plastic gearbox cover) and have never had a problem do have this clip properly in place, and the clip is either missing or broken for those with this design who have had issues with their gears. This is the only way to reconcile why only some people with the plastic cover have problems while many others do not.

It seems that the newer design (metal gearbox cover) now has the ability to withstand the pressure of the gears if the clip is missing, which while not a desirable way of designing the cover it does provide a certain degree of "back-up" if the clip that holds the gears down onto the shaft is missing or goes astray.

If you were one of the many people who complained to Kitchenaid about this problem, they may have been absolutely correct if you were told that the cover was truly not the issue. However, they do get a failing grade for not understanding that it was most likely this missing clip on the shaft that was the originating cause and the cracked cover and stripped gears were only a symptom (albeit fatal) of the true problem.

It also appears from some basic research that Kitchenaid has fully adopted the all-metal gearbox cover since around the first quarter of 2007, so unless the mixer you are just now purchasing is very old stock you should have no problems with the gears in you Pro 600. I have taken the time to check our mixer (which was originally purchased on November, 2008) and the cover is metal and the clip is in place. On the flip side, if you are one of the posters who are just now getting around to writing a negative review about your 2-3 year old Pro 600 with gear and plastic cover problems then you might want to have this checked out.

White KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1XWH

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I have been using this mixer for over a year now. Its a great investment and well worth the price.

Pros: Good speed settings from high to low. Some mixers are too fast on low speed and too quick on high. This on one has many uniform steps in speed to mix anything you throw at it. The soft start function ensures you aren't painting your walls when you flip it on. It is a very well built machine that looks nice and has amazing power. We use a very stiff and heavy dough mix for our bread recipe and it churns out a 4 loaf batch with ease. I've never been concerned that it was overloaded or was going to overheat. I was originally going to purchase a Bosch mixer before I found this one and I'm very glad I didn't. Save your money and buy some of the great attachments that go with mixer instead. The pasta maker is way fun and works great!

Cons: 1)Sometimes it has problems picking up small batches like whipping two egg whites. I have to tip the mixer occasionally to get it to grab when the bowl isn't very full. 2)This is a heavy piece of equipment. Don't give it to your 80 year old grandmother and expect her to be lugging it from the counter to the pantry.

Over all I'd buy this machine over any other on the market if your a part time or full time cook. The well built quality and construction will last for many years. I'd also give it a 5 star rating and thoroghly recomend it to anyone looking to update their mixer.

Nickel Pearl KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1XNP

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I have never owned a stand mixer before, but I knew I wanted to use it to make larger amounts of bread dough than my bread maker can handle. I chose the Pro 600 after reading all the reviews that said you'll need the increased wattage to handle dough.

First of all, make sure you have enough headroom wherever you want to keep it - you'll need at least 17" under the cabinet to be able to use it in place. This may be important for many people as this mixer is bulky and heavy to move - over 30 lbs. But since it has the bowl lift feature, the head does not tilt back so you don't need extra clearance - 17" will work fine.

The first thing I used it for was an angel food cake and I have to say, the results were amazing. Using the wire whip, the egg whites whipped up higher than I have ever achieved with my hand mixer and in half the time! The cake was much higher and fluffier, too. The plastic bowl collar makes it easy to add ingredients during the mixing process without making a mess.

Next, I made a double recipe of yeast rolls. I used the spiral dough attachment and, as directed, never went above speed setting 2. It performed very well and my rolls were perfect. I referred to the tips in the owners manual for fast rise yeast breads. The machine didn't seem to strain or struggle and the resulting dough was lovely.

I also made 15 lbs. of mashed potatoes. Following the recipe and directions in the manual, the potatoes were very good. I made them in 2 batches, first using the flat beater attachment and then switching to the wire whip. It seemed like a lot of work and switching when I read the directions but actually, it is quite easy and quick to stop the machine for a moment to scrape down the sides of the bowl or change attachments. Also, the included clear plastic collar keeps things from flying up and out of the mixer when working with large batches. No more mashed potatoes across the front of my shirt!

The bowl lift mechanism works smoothly and easily and is very convenient. The 6 qt. bowl has a well designed handle and is thick, sturdy stainless steel. I love the slow start feature! The mixer starts slowly before coming up to speed so you don't get the big cloud of flour bursting up at the beginning of making dough. I got the meringue color, which is a soft white that is a matte, powder coated finish. I took mine in the back of my van to the relatives for Thanksgiving, where it got banged and bumped, and the finish suffered no damage.

The 3 included attachments are heavy aluminum and KitchenAid recommends hand washing them. The bowl is dishwasher safe. I haven't purchased any additional attachments but I plan to, along with an extra bowl, which I think would be very handy during the holidays.

Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-1/2-Inch Smoker

I smoked my first chicken on the Weber Smokey Mountain smoker this evening Wow what flavor. I am a novice and spent some time watching YouTube videos on tips for cooking on my new Weber smoker, it was time well spent. I smoked a chicken tonight in about an hour and 10 minutes still need to master the temperature control of my smoker. Anyway I used lump hardwood charcoal because it came highly recommended for flavor and I am glad I did not use charcoal briquettes but I was a little concerned about the sparks that the lump charcoal gives off.

I recommend using an oven thermometer which can be purchased for about $6.00 and set it on the grill rack where the food will sit, the temperature gauge on the lid of the Weber Smoker registered much hotter than the surface of the rack where I placed the chicken. I used mesquite wood for flavor and did not put water in the pan, but placed foil to completely cover the water pan maybe that is why smoker was hotter and chicken cooked faster. I seasoned the chicken with only Kosher salt, ground pepper and then basted it with olive oil. When I took the chicken off the smoker the temperature registered 179 which is higher than the 165 recommended for chicken but it was so moist and full of flavor amazing.

One of the videos I watched recommended placing handles on the body of the smoker which makes it easier to lift on and off. It was real easy simply buy Genie Universal garage door handles $3.99 for package of two at Lowe's with a simple adjustment the handles fit right where you fasten the brackets for the racks. Recommend you watch YouTube video.

Vitamix 1363 CIA Professional Series, Platinum

My wife was completely skeptical of us getting one of these, but from the moment we got it, we have been using it non-stop. We even talked about all the other "gadgets" in the kitchen, and how we've got over $3K worth of kitchen stuff that we never use....this product is awesome!

We've made the soups, which come out ready to serve in under 5 minutes; experimented with all natural smoothies; natural ice-cream (that took a couple of tries---lesson learned, everything must be FROZEN); and even batter mix for pancakes, waffles, Proatmeal (yes, a combination of oatmeal and protein powder), etc. When I don't know how to make something, I go to this website: [...] Very easy stuff, even I can do it!

We've got three coffee-makers, a juicer (which is great if I want just juice with no fiber; but it takes forever to clean); two food processors (never use them), three blenders (you know, the smoothie one, the stainless steel one, and the one that doesn't die but also doesn't work right!)

I use the Vita-Mix every morning for the green smoothies, which is what Doctors recommend for patients with different diseases, because of the high anti-oxidant content. I am not suffering from any condition, but why wait to treat our bodies the right way?

Finally, as of today I've lost 10 pounds by starting the morning with the green smoothie, proatmeal, and have been eating about 5 other 350 calorie meals throughout the day...and this is just my third week using it.

I have been eying this product for about 10 years, and I wish I would've bought it when I first saw it.

Silver KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1PSL

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I have had this model for about 4-5 years. Before I purchased this I had a 5-quart KitchenAid Artesian mixer that I got for a wedding present in 1992.

I have always baked a lot. Especially from fall through spring and the Artesian was great. However, the five-quart model just got to be too small, especially when I had kids. Since I had kids I bake more and found myself doing two to three batches back to back with the Artesian.

Now with this model I can double batches of pumpkin bread, cakes or cookies with no problem and be done in less time with less fuss. I thought I would miss the tilting head but I don't.

The only thing I did not like about this model were the aluminum blade and dough hook. So I ordered the coated ones for this machine. I always soak my blades and wash them by hand; it would be nice if they made stainless steel versions of these but enough consumers have to make noise to get them to do something.

I gave my old Artesian 5-quart to my niece who is single with no kids. She also bakes a lot but in smaller batches than I do and the Artesian is still going strong. It works great and looks like new and her friends are always trying to borrow her mixer. If you don't bake a lot or tend to bake in smaller batches the Artesian is great.

This model is a great choice for a high volume home baker like me; great quality, durable and powered to do bigger batches.

Gloss Cinnamon KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer KP26M1PGC

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This is an outstanding mixer. I don't think it's terribly loud, as I have seen in other reviews. The design may have changed or it could just be that I mill my own flour in an impact mill, and the mixer seems very quiet compared to the mill! I also have 4 children, so I'm fairly desensitized to noise.

I got the mixer primarily for making bread. It is rated for 14 cups of all-purpose flour, but the manual says to only use 8 cups of whole-grain flour (2 loaves). I make 2 loaves of whole-grain bread at least once a week, usually twice. The spiral dough hook does an excellent job of kneading, and the mixer has plenty of power to handle the whole-grain dough. Just 8 minutes of kneading develpes the gluten so well, that I only have to raise the dough for 30 minutes in the bread pans and then bake it, and we end up with delicious, light, fluffy bread. I can make bread in less than an hour and a half, including the time for kneading, rising and baking. (We live over 7500 feet in altitude, and I have seen recipes that call for up to 3 rises of yeast bread at high altitude, but that is absolutely not necessary.) I used to use a bread machine, and produced many "bread bricks" with it. Since I got the KitchenAid, the bread machine has been retired.

We have mostly just made bread, but also have used it for cake, gingerbread, and whipped cream. It had no problem with any of those, as I expected. There is one major design flaw, in my children's opinions, and we discovered it when 2 of them were helping me make a birthday cake. They were very distressed when they realized there was only one beater to lick! That is our only complaint so far.

We also purchased the meat grinder and used it to grind at least 30 pounds of beef, elk, and turkey into burger. The mixer had plenty of power to be up to the task.

I am very pleased with the performance of this mixer and don't think anyone would regret purchasing it.

Breville BOV650XL Compact 4-Slice Smart Oven with Element IQ

The Breville BOV650 Smart Oven is a handy small appliance for the kitchen and it's a product that offers many improvements when compared to the typical toaster oven. With this appliance, consumers get a toaster oven with several exterior controls, enhanced technology, and a backlit LCD display, all combined in an attractive package that looks nice on most any kitchen countertop.

Besides the outside appearance, this oven offers many other features that make it better than the average toaster oven. The oven comes complete with a wire rack and baking pan. This wouldn't seem like a big deal, since many toaster ovens have features like this, but the difference is that the rack and pan offered with this oven are much more durable and high quality than those found in other toaster ovens. With some of the cheaper toaster ovens, the included racks and pans are flimsy in design and not built to last. These accessories, on the other hand, are built to last.

So, the accessories and exterior options are nice, but what about the cooking ability? The Breville BOV650 Smart Oven has this area covered as well. If one of the preset options is used, the oven remembers the setting and cooks exactly the same way, for perfect food every time. I like using this oven for bagels more than anything, but it is also very handy for heating up garlic bread, regular toast, muffins, and other items. The toasting is much better than what you get when you use a standard toaster because it toasts more evenly.

There is one potential problem when using an oven like this, and that is its tendency to burn or overcook food. Because this oven is compact, the heat energy is better concentrated and thus it cooks food faster than a large oven. A good rule of thumb is to subtract about twenty percent of the standard cooking time from the recommended minutes when using a standard range. So, if a frozen food items calls for forty minutes of cooking time, reduce the number of minutes to about thirty- two. Other small adjustments may be needed or else food will come out of the oven overcooked.

Toaster ovens are handy and the Breville BOV650 Smart Oven is easily better than the average. It helps to save energy when compared to a large kitchen range and it prepares food beautifully and quickly. Yes, it costs a little more than other toaster ovens but the quality is easily worth the price.

Breville BOV800XL The Smart Oven 1800-Watt Convection Toaster Oven with Element IQ

I'm a fan of all things Mac so I often use my admiration for Apple as a reference for reviewing products. First, the package arrived today without a dent. It ships in a Breville box (be careful it you ship it as a surprise) inside another box. It is very well packed so there was no damage. Unboxing the oven reminded me of unpacking an Apple product. They really want you to feel that you have just purchased something great. The box is no ordinary convection oven box. But you don't buy an oven because of the box, right? I've posted a photo of what comes with the oven. You get a crumb tray, a wire rack, a two-piece broiler pan and a non-stick pizza pan. That's a good amount of extra stuff. Note that Breville recommends that the broiler pan not go in the dishwasher as it is enamel coated so it's going to take some elbow grease.

This is my third convection oven, My first was a Black and Decker. It was terrible but I bought it before Al Gore invented the internet so there were no reviews to read. The second was a top-rated Cuisinart. The controls on the Cuisinart cracked, warped, toasted and ceased functioning after a year. So I was very excited to get an oven with sturdy knobs and a stainless steel front. Many reviewers have noted the magnetic wire rack device. It's not rocket science. They put two magnets in the door that grab the wire rack when it is in the middle slot. That's the only slot in which the magnets work. It is a nice feature.

I baked a California Pizza Kitchen pizza. It turned out great. These pizzas, although delicious, are notoriously messy. They tend to drip grease and cheese. It did get a little smokey when the drippings hit the bottom elements. The design of the crumb tray catches all this junk for easy clean-up. You won't have to scrub junk off the bottom of the inside of the oven because the bottom pulls out and goes right into the sink.

The next test was toast. Although it's best to use an actual toaster for toast, this oven did a much better job toasting bread than my other ovens, especially the Cuisinart. I started with two slices of sourdough placed in the center. I posted a photo showing you the results. Please note that I flipped over the piece on the right showing you the bottom. It actually turned out better than either of my previous ovens. However, it took over 5 minutes to get this result so it's not quick. But if you get upset waiting over five minutes for toast, then you have other problems.

The top of the oven does get warm, which will come in handy as a food warmer. The handle is sturdy. I appreciate that it does not connect to the front glass.

The electronic controls are very intuitive (like an iPhone) and easy to use. The computer sensor inside seems to work as advertised. This next point is minor but the electrical cord is rather short. The plug-in is a unique design that sticks out farther from the wall than most cords. This might be bad if you have limited counter space and the outlet you're using is directly behind the oven. It sticks straight out of the wall by about four inches. I'm not sure why they designed it that way but for some people this might be a frustration.

What I cannot tell you is how this oven will perform over the months and years ahead. I am hoping that this oven will outperform the expensive Cuisinart. I'll revise this review this summer after we've used it for a while.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this oven. Breville seems to have done some great research on convection ovens. It will be interesting to see how Consumer Reports and the folks at America's Test Kitchen will rate this oven in the future. I'm guessing it will do very well.

Stainless 9 Cup Cuisinart Prep Plus Food Processor DLC-2009CHB

This product is probably the best kitchen gadget I've every purchased- regardless of price. It can and will do countless things needed for an occasional cook or a professional.

There are so many accessories to buy if you find the need for them. The most often used discs are the ones included with the processor. Most people find that these are all they need. However, I was so excited to buy new attachments and learn new recipes just so I could use them.
The processor itself and the discs are easy to clean. I also feel that this product is safe to have out in a home with small children (once assembled and ready to receive ingredients- not when discs are laying around). It is very easy for an adult to open and close and use, but a small child wouldn't be able to get into the machine and get it's hands on the dangerous parts.

Another thing to keep in mind is Cuisinart's longstanding reputation of quality. I bought this because my mother has had one for 25 years and still uses it often!

White 7 Cup Cuisinart Prep Plus Food Processor DLC-2007N

I did a lot of research before buying this food processor and it is awesome! It has everything I wanted and was on sale during Black Friday for a great price (~$100). It is super powerful and comes with a ten year warranty on the motor which is fantastic. There is another 7-cup Cuisinart model that is very similar to this one that has a slightly less powerful motor - I got this 2007N version with the more powerful motor because it had a longer warranty on the motor than the other model (10 yr vs 3 yr). The how-to DVD comes with it and is really helpful if you've never used a food processor. The 7-cup size bowl is perfect for me, it's only a little small when I need to double a baking recipe so in that case I have to do two batches. But otherwise I only cook for 2 people and the bowl size is more than adequate.

Also some reviews have mentioned the weird bowl latch, and it is kind of finicky. I've found that if the pusher mechanism won't lock in place then you just have to re-lock the bowl and lid into place correctly and then it works fine. It's really not that big of an annoyance since you can just re-twist the bowl and lid in a matter of seconds. It's definitely not something that makes me upset I bought the machine.

The only thing that I would have liked is some kind of holder for the sharp blades. I didn't think of this when I bought it and now I have the sharp blades wrapped and stored in a drawer which isn't the best long-term solution. I've since looked and there is a separate holder you can buy for the blades, I just wish I had thought of it at the time so I had somewhere to put the blades now - something to consider if you are planning on buying a food processor and like me didn't think of storage for all the parts.

Basically it's great and I will be using this machine all the time.

Stainless 11 Cup Cuisinart Prep Plus Food Processor DLC-2011CHB

I replaced a 22 year old Cuisinart DLC 8 plus with this model -- what a number of improvements -- and I was able to continue using all of the blades and the whisk attachment I had purchased years ago for that machine. They are essentially identical to the ones used for this machine (save for those being made in Japan and the new ones in China). It has a much bigger feed tube so a medium sized onion or tomato goes in whole. The size of the unit (for me) is ideal. Perhaps for very large families the 14 cup unit would be the way to go. It is of essentially the same design; however, the blades are not interchangeable between those units.

What I really like is the redesign of the locking mechanism. In the old unit (the DLC 8 plus) [and also some current Cuisinart models] the locking mechanism to prevent start up of the machine unless the unit is assembled is controlled by a beam type latch made out of polycarbonate. I think this design is more prone to cracking. The new unit has a stainless steel beam which when inserted locks the unit. It is a great design.

Another great impovement is redesign of the small feed tube. It is now made of polycarbonate. That material is much more indestructible than whatever lesser plastic was used to design the older small feed tubes. Bounce an old one off the floor and wham -- the locking tabs would break off of it. That is not likely to happen with polycarbonate -- the material used to produce canopies for fighter jets -- it is very impact resistant.

On top of everything else this model with the shape of its bowl and cover is much easier to clean than the old model. I only clean it in the sink though. I would not run this through the dishwaher repeatedly -- especially with fully heated drying. After hundreds of cycles I just can't believe the parts will come out in as good of shape as they would with hand washing. If you have plenty of cash then run them through the dishwasher and then replace parts in five to ten years. I am trying not to. My old unit suffered scratches in the bowl and cracks in the cover assembly and I am not sure dishwashing helped.

Cuisinart offers a very wide range of discs (including a juliene, a french fry cutting disc and a fine grater disc) and a whisk attachment for this unit. If you buy a unit from another manufacturer without the range of this unit (made possible by all of the attachments) I think you may have shortchanged yourself.

White 11 Cup Cuisinart Prep Plus Food Processor

We've had this processor in the house for just about a month. The item paid for itself the first time I used it, due to being a huge time-saver for my normally busy schedule (it enables me to try new recipes I normally wouldn't have time to mess with). I've used it to chop & puree for several soups (Mulligatawny, White Bean, Gazpacho, etc.). The shredding disk shredded a whole block of Manchego for Balsamic Portabello/Onion/Cheese Omeletes in about a second.

It shredded potatoes just as fast for a crust to a Carmelized Onion/Fennel Pie (of which I used the slicing blade for the onions & fennel). I find the slicing blade to be a lifesaver for items I want to keep "on-hand" for salads, sautees, etc. (like onions/bell peppers). This is my first food processor, and I wondered about the learning curve--to which I found none.

It is really easy to put together, as well as take apart & clean. I'm also amazed at how quiet this thing operates. We had cheap mini-chopper for chopping onions, and while the noise never bothered me, compared to this processor, it was obnoxious. I'm sure I could actually run this thing next to sleeping humans without waking them! Thank you Cuisinart--I'm impressed!

Kuhn Rikon 3344 7.4-Quart Stainless-Steel Pressure Cooker

This product is by far the best purchase I have made for my kitchen. I know plenty of people who own PCs (jiggle tops) but now is when I finally discovered why they loved theirs so much. I can make so many dishes in a fraction of the time! Some weekend-type meals are now weeknight meals. A stew on Tuesday night, Pot Roast on Wednesday, not a problem. Even making mashed potatoes is quick and easy. Chicken broth in 30 minutes not 2 hours.

Another important point is safety. You cannot open the cooker until it is completely de-pressurized (i.e. idiot (me) proof) and it has 2 additional escaped valves (asided from the main one) in case you accidently overpressurize it. The main reason I had not purchased a pressure cooker sooner was safety concerns (read: fear). But now, I could just kick myself for not getting one sooner.

However, I would just like to clarify 2 points:

To the reviewer that rated the pot 4 stars because of the shape: I do agree that the shape is a little ackward. It is taller than it is wide. However, I haven't had any problems with it so far. I checked the manufacturers website and the 8 liter model has the same diameter. It is just slightly taller. But this one does have 2 handles (a regular handle and a helper handle). I appreciate the long handle as it makes it easier for me to open the lid without burning myself (better leverage).

As for the reviewer who compared this cooker to a 1912 model: I really don't understand what he expects of a Pressure Cooker. The principle hasn't changed since his grandmother's era but the execution certainly has. But yes, you are still going to have to regulate the heat under the pot. Kuhn Rikon introduced this spring valve technology in 1949 so I doubt it is the same cooker his grandmother owned. The whole idea of a spring valve is that is isn't supposed to vent (as much if at all).

This is an excellent product and I have recommended it to everyone I know. Although the cost is a bit high, this is definitly one of those times when you get what you pay for!

All-American 30-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

I raise my own organic meat chickens (in the suburbs, no less) and knew that eventually I would have to get my own pressure canner to take advantage of the stock that can be made from the leftover bones after cutting up the dressed birds for the freezer. I did several hours of online research and people who really liked this canner reasoned that it was built like a tank and would (or already did) last for several several generations. It was also the only pressure canner that all the little Amish cookware shops sold when I shopped in Holmes county. Besides, I could do 14 quarts at a time, cutting my canning time in half!

After consulting my husband (this was a considerable purchase for us), we agreed that it would be worth it to get something that would last a really long time and not have to replace any gaskets and we were willing to take the risk since we currently owned a 7 year old Whirlpool Super Capacity 465 glass top stove. The stove is getting slow to heat pots and the oven runs about 50 degrees low and we'd really enjoy upgrading to a gas range someday so we agreed to be really careful and see if we could use the pressure canner on it. We also agreed that though the canner can also be used as a boiling water bath canner, We wouldn't use it for that since I already have a large stockpot for that purpose and the additional weight might push the glass top over the edge. We purchased the canner at Lehman's Hardware for $269, the tax and gas to get there made the savings over amazon a wash but I needed it right away.

I studied the user's manuel a day in advance and studied it thoroughly. This thing strongly resembles a bomb and I didn't want it exploding. I have faithfully oiled the rim as instructed each time I use it and loaded it gently and slowly, working from 6 quarts the first time to a full 14 today and the canner and stove (though slow) have worked flawlessly. I don't move the canner until it is completely cooled and I really baby the cooktop. I usually fire it up to process a load in the evening and don't even open it until the next morning. I use salad tongs to move the pressure weight to avoid the possibility of getting a steam burn. I know I took a risk but it has paid off. And unlike the boiling water canner, this thing doesn't heat up the kitchen hardly at all. Just wanted to pass this along to other people interested in this fine piece of equipment but held back by their current stove.

All-American 15-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

I love, love, love this pressure cooker!

If I had had this pressure cooker 12 years ago I would not have spent and wasted more dollars than I like to admit on various cookers trying to find the right one to cook 3 whole chickens at one time w/o risking a kitchen disasters. I have owned the large (12 qt) expensive electric cookers along with a variety of on-the-stove-top models. The teflon coated models wear out quickly and the replacement costs for a new insert is almost as much as the original unit! I cook 3 whole chickens each week to feed to my 2 dogs (1.5 hours and even the bones are eatible mixed with rice and veggies).

Advice: Read the instructions carefully! My first attempt with the cooker taught me several things.

1) you will need more Vaseline around the edges than the instructions call for or you will get steam leaking out a side.

2) bring all the screw clamps up to the top and tighten only until they start to take more effort. Once all the screws are in place then tighten opposite sides together just a bit and work your way around the lid, then do it again until all screws are tightened about the same - do not over tightened.

3) regardless of removing the pressure gauge, as instructed in the literature immediately when it reaches ZERO, you will still have to use a screw driver or a metal strong utility spoon between the lid and pot to snap the lid loose - just stick the handle into the space and pry or turn gently and the pressure will let go and release the lid from the pot.

4) if cooking food in the cooker then you will be using soap and water to clean up and therefore you will have to reapply the Vaseline every single time you use the cooker.

5) Put your cooker on the stove with all the ingredients and then add liquids last. This pot is very heavy and much heavier when full.

6) do not fill more than half full of liquid or solid foods because you do not want to run the risk of blowing grease, etc. out the vent! Good advice for ALL PRESSURE COOKERS!!

7) Cooker takes quite a while to cool down because this metal holds the heat much longer than most pans. It also takes a long time to come up to full pressure....lots of pan and lots of volume to heat when half full!

8) The instructions for how often the pressure weight should jiggle is really a factor of your stove and how well you can regulate it. I happen to have a Viking Range and it's almost impossible to get the exact jiggles/min that the instructions talk about. One millimeter up or down on my gas stove knobs will cause it to stop jiggling altogether or more frequently. Just get it so it does not exceed the 15 pounds of pressure on the gauge and it will work just fine. Mine sounds like it is jiggling faster but everything has worked out ok.

If you do a lot of large scale cooking or canning then you want a cooker that is reliable and this mother is the Queen of pressure cookers for the job. If you only cook small batches once in a while then you might find this tank to be more than you need. I absolutely love it, my chickens cook in about half the time as other cookers I've had and I do not think you'll be sorry with this purchase.