All American 921 21-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

I needed to get a pressure canner in order to process foods that aren't suitable for the standard water-bath method. After doing some research online, I found the All American line, which I believe is unequalled in construction and quality. Being involved in manufacturing for many years, I understand and appreciate quality and good engineering -- especially from an American firm. It seems that almost all cookware comes from overseas, and a lot of it is built with price, not performance, as the prime design consideration.

Not so with the All-American. Photos don't do justice to this product. When you open the box and lift it out for the first time, you'll see what I mean. This thing is HEAVY. It looks like something you might see in a laboratory or commercial kitchen, although the manual specifically states it's only for home use. I think it may have something to do with ambulance chasing lawyers and product liability, because this thing has more warning labels than any cookware I've ever seen.

In fact, at over 20 lbs. empty, this can be a problem for some people, my wife included. She simply can't safely maneuver this baby around when it's full. Forget about washing it. That's MY job.

I really like the metal seal. Having a rubber seal on a pressure cooker go bad is a real pain, and you almost never seem to have a spare, or if you do, you can't find it, and it's not like you can run down to Wal Mart and pick one up even if you want to. At 15 to 20 bucks each for replacements, plus the hassle of picking them up, this will add up to real savings in cash and headaches over the many years you own this product. I can't imagine anyone being able to wear one out with any reasonable care at all.

The dial gauge is high quality, and I found that it read very accurately in conjunction with the weighted pressure regulator. When the gauge reads 15 lbs., and the weight is set on 15 lbs., it rocks about 5 to 10 times per minute, which tells me that the pressure is very close to what the gauge says.

Using the six screw-down retainers, that lid is going nowhere. Between those and the gauge, the regulator, and the fail-safe pressure relief valve, this thing is about as safe as anybody could expect.

It's a real pleasure to purchase a quality product from an American company. That's exactly what you get from these All American canners. Those who understand manufacturing and what it takes to make a product right will know what I mean. It's not cheap, but when you consider that it will probably outlast multiple cheap pressure cookers, it's a great value. The way I figure, I've never looked back in regret for buying the best, but I almost always regret going cheap.

I can honestly say that this product rates my highest recommendation.

Margaritaville DM1000 Frozen Concoction Maker

When I saw this item for sale I just had to buy one for my husband as a college graduation gift. Margaritas are his favorite drink and he just couldn't duplicate that restaurant quality consistancy with a blender. This Margaritaville machine actually shaves the ice instead of chopping it like a blender would do. This creates that nice smooth consistancy of the drink instead of a lumpy texture.

It's very easy to operate. All you do is fill the ice chamber with ice, pour the correct amout of your drink mixture into the pitcher (it will make 1-3 servings at a time), set the machine to how many servings you would like, then turn it on. The machine automatically measure,shaves and blend the perfect amount of ice according to the amount of servings. No more watery drinks.

When my kids have friends over for pool parties they love me to make them alcohol free strawberry daiquiris or pina coladas or fruit smoothies.

One nice feature about this machine is that as the ice in the ice chamber melts, the water is channeled into a collection reservoir, that is easily removeable to dump out. The water never mixes with the drink mix.

Clean-up is simple. Whatever ice remains in the ice chamber can be left to melt and drain into the reservoir then discard it or you can have the machine shave the remaining ice into the pitcher. We put our pitcher and pitcher parts into the dishwasher for a good cleaning.

If you are a frozen drink lover, like my husband and I are you have to own one of these. It's pricey but worth it!

I also, highly recommend the canvas carrying case that can be purchased separately. It's very nicely made.

Margaritaville DM0500 Bahamas 36-Ounce Frozen-Concoction Maker

Everybody loves the Margaritaville! It arrives ready to go with easy to understand instructions for quick assembly. It is a blast to use for mixing adult beverages, turning out shaved ice for the kids, creating your own blend of smoothie, or pretty much making whatever type of drink you can think of! All with tiny shaved ice crystals like the kind you get in restaurants. This thing is brilliant!

When the Margaritaville arrived, I invited a few friends over for drinks. Normally, we play poker or rock out on the Rock Band video game while chugging imported beer, but this night was different. Everybody took a seat around the kitchen table and watched in amazement as The Margaritaville went to work. The Margaritaville is fun to use AND fun to watch!

We spent the evening making different kinds of drinks, telling stories, and just plain old hanging around and having a good time with glasses of cold sweetness in our hands. It was beautiful.

When friends invite us over to their house, they ask if we can bring The Margaritaville with us. Of course we can! This thing is awesome! I didn't order the carry bag because this thing sits easily on the floor of the backseat of our car, but the carrying case would make it easier to port. Trust me, when people know you have one of these, they will ask you to bring it with you wherever you go. Even my team mates at work demand it. Everybody loves the Margaritaville!

In a few easy minutes, you can impress your guests by mixing alcohol, frozen fruit, strawberry daiquiri mix, rum, and triple sec in the blender. Fill it a little more than half full, but no more than that or it will spurt out of the top. Then, grab the ice container from the freezer and scoop out enough ice to almost fill up the upper ice holder. Attach the lid, push the button and VOILA! The Margaritaville does the rest.

There are so many recipes on the internet for margarita's, daiquiris, cocktails, and all other sorts of delicious beverages. We love to try a new recipe every month. But you know what? It seems like no matter what we put into this thing, it comes out a magical new favorite. Delightful! Refreshing! Easy.

Those little ice crystals make any drink taste better. How? I don't know, but that's how it is. The Margaritaville is a wonderful product. It's sturdy, it is very easy to use, and every time you set your eyes on it, you can't help but tell yourself, "Hey, it's gotta be 5 o'clock somewhere!"

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Everybody loves the Margaritaville.

 

White Omega J8004 Nutrition Center Commercial Masticating Juicer

I have been using a Champion Juicer since 1975. One good thing about it is it is still going strong like the day I bought it. However, I've recently become interested in wheat grass juicing. The Champion Juicer is not very capable in juicing wheat grass. In fact, it is not mentioned in the user's manual and anywhere on their web site. Celery and other stringy produce gum up in the Champion. I find I have to clean the Champion several times when juicing celery and kale and wheat grass juicing was extremely tedious because of the gumming up.

I have found the Omega 8004 juicer a dramatic improvement over the Champion juicer. There has been 35 years of progress. (Please note the Champion juicer sold today is identical to the 1975 model - the parts are interchangeable and the user's manual is virtually the same.) There is much less foam with the Omega. You can juice wheat grass and green leafy produce without having to stop to clean it several times when trying to juice 16 oz of juice. With the Champion you have the stringy fiber gumming up the teeth of the masticator whereas the Omega does not have teeth. The Omega is quieter and about half the weight of the Champion. I have found the Omega's extraction is more thorough than that of the Champion.

Overall, I find the performance of the Omega far superior to that of the Champion. Will it hold up for 35 years? I don't know. But if it lasts for only 10 to 15 years I will gladly replace it with another because of the improvement in juicing performance and versatility. Yes the feed chute is small on the Omega but think of the safety issues that would come with a larger chute. I find the design of the plunger on the Omega easier to use than that on the Champion.

Omega VRT350 Heavy Duty Dual-Stage Vertical Single Auger Low Speed Juicer

Purchased the new VRT 350 weeks ago, decided on the Omega due to the longer warrantee period (10 years), and other reviews. Also saw not to get the older 330 version as the auger is noted as not as strong.

The instructions are a bit strange, but it's not rocket science - you can figure it out. Coming from a cheap Hamilton Beach centrifugal, the immediate, dramatic difference in the waste output is clear - we're trying to purchase only organic produce, so wastage with the old machine was a big (messy) and $$ issue for us. I'd say it's cut almost in half, and you can see a clear difference in how dry the Omega waste is. We've used it every day since purchase, and though it's early days, the product is heavy and appears built to last. The silver colour does not stain (we juice beets daily). Also have juiced beet greens and wheatgrass - appears to do a very good job. It's also much faster to clean - the screen is almost clean when you take it apart (assuming you run a bit of water through it at the end of your juicing).

Only 1 complaint - the waste hole gets clogged if you're processing wheatgrass/greens - it doesn't block the machine completely, but it is the only thing that slows down the cleaning. They provided a handy pointed toothbrush-y thing that clears it well.

Net - confident that it's worth the extra $'s (it's ~ the same or not that much extra than good centrifugals), and highly recommended.

Breville 800JEXL Juice Fountain Elite 1000-Watt Juice Extractor

First of all I did not buy my Juicer from Amazon, But I had to review this excellent product. Also I have read some of the negetive reivews. Honestly, this is a great product, so don't let a few negetive reivews influence you.


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PROS
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This is by far one of the world's GREATEST juicers. I can say this with all honesty because I have been into health and fitness all my life. I know the value of fresh, raw vegetables and the power of health and vitality the provide. I also know quality products when I see them.

THE DESIGN: The Breville 800JEXL is one of the best, sleekest, coolest looking kitchen appliances. It's very modern looking and looks like a work of art. You can tell the manufacturer not only put time into the mechanics, but also the design. The AC plug has an innovative round hole which allows you to put your finger through to unplug with ease! If you have a modern kitchen with the new stainless appliances and such, this will look awesome sitting on your counter. Well, any kitchen for that matter.

EASY TO ASSEMBLE: The Breville 800JEXL is easy to assemble. Just 3 pieces (no screws required) A stainless steel base that fits over the motor first, then the screen/blade, then the top, then the pulp catcher. That's it!

NO CHOPPING: It has a 3" opening which allows me to put in whole (smaller) apples without cutting them. Almost all my vegetables and fruits I can put in without cutting them. Saves time and less mess.

FAST & POWERFUL: It has 2 speeds. Fast and mega-fast! This juicer has the speed and power to handle any juicing that you may do. Especially the hard vegetables and fruits - Carrots, Beets, Pineapples, Potatoes, and such. Never slows down. Never makes a grinding noise like it's trying to work. NO. This juicer just zips right through everything.

GREAT QUALITY JUICE: The quality and quantity of juice is fantastic! The pulp is very dry, which means it is extracting the nutrients out. Unlike some of the other reviews on here, IT DOES make fantastic green juice. I have juiced spinach, watercress, no problem. Wheat grass can be juiced too, just roll it up in a few lettuce leaves first then put it through.

EASY TO CLEAN: Clean up is really easy, and I'm not just saying that. You just take out the few pieces put them in your dish washer and thats it! If you don't have a dishwasher you can just rinse them off in the sink with a little soap and water and that's it! - HINT: Wash the juicer immediately after you juice don't let it sit and dry.

GREAT CUSTOMER SUPPORT: It has a 3 year warrantee, and the company is excellent in taking care of their customers (at least for me they did)! VERY satisfied customer.

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CONS - NONE
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At first I thought the juicer had a flaw, but after reading the reviews on here, it was MY falt!

I had the juicer for about a year and I used it every day. It started to leak just a bit along the rim where the catcher bin attaches to the clear plastic lid.

I called Breville and they sent me a postage-free return slip, I packed it into a box and within a couple weeks I had a BRAND NEW JUICER! :-) Not a reconditioned one. No questions asked! Now THAT'S awesome customer service.

Like I said before, after reading one of the reviews here, the problem was my fault. Not keeping the screen clean. If you don't keep it clean, some of the juice will flow into the pulp catching bin. All you have to do is just make sure the screen is very clean after each use.

So really it was not a design flaw of the juicer, but my own mistake.

I have not had that problem since. I now take extra care in making sure that I clean the screen properly.

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CONCLUSION
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If you are serious about your health. If you want to take CHARGE of your life and the quality of your life. GET A JUICER!

Yes true, we need to eat proteins, carbohydrates and good fats, but the vitamins and minerals from fresh, raw vegetables and fruits is the MAIN thing; and in my personal oppinion, really the ONLY thing that will give you the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in their natural, absorbable state that your body requires to stay healthy and avoid disease.

Juicing allows you to eat a LARGER QUANTITY of raw vegetables and fruits that you would otherwise not be able to consume because of the fiber.

BUT WE ARE WASTING THE FIBER, RIGHT? - No, not really. Remember your body can NOT digest fiber. Your own body internally will extract the nutrients from the vegetables and fruits and eliminate the fiber. The only difference about a juicer is that it does it before you consume it.

Just remember juicing is in ADDITION TO your normal diet including whole grains, salads and other fiber rich foods. If you are eating a well-balanced healthy diet, the fiber you my miss from the juice is not a big deal. You will be getting plenty of fiber from the rest of your meals.

If you really are concerned about the whole wasting the pulp issue then here are some good suggestions:

Use the fiber for making muffins.

Spread the fiber on a cookie sheet and bake it slowly until it is dry. Or use a food dehydrator. After it's dry, crush it up into a fine powder and put it into a shaker container and use it as a natural, salt-free seasoning. Or use in soups.

Give back to nature what it gave to you. Recycle it! Take the fiber and spread it around your garden or flower bed. Mix it into the soil real good. Since it's all organic it would make the best, natural fertilizer and your plants will love it!

Just do it! Don't even think about it another second. I am telling you honestly you will be happy with this juicer. Shop around for the best price and then buy this juicer NOW! Your body will thank you for it!

If you enjoyed this review you might enjoy other reviews from me. Please click on the top of this review on the link "See all my reviews". I have more than one page of reviews and additional pages can be accessed by clicking on the page number on the bottom right corner of my total reviews page.

Breville BJE510XL Ikon 900-Watt Variable-Speed Juice Extractor

Breville BJE510 was nominated Australian Design Award and it deserves it indeed.
Built very well with outstanding attention to detail, solid stainless steel feed chute, thick and mirror finished acrylic parts that do not have difficult to wash nooks. Juicing carrots left no stains and washing with paper towel and few drops of mild detergent took about 3 minutes for acrylic parts and 5 minutes for the basket with help of soft brush. Locking bar is solid metal with safety - motor will not start if bar is not raised to lock position to prevent any accidental startup.

Speed dial has solid feel and digital info display is very cool looking. After choosing speed the power requirement is automatically adjusting according to load. Unit is slightly heavy yet within a reason. Cutter assembly has simple yet solid lock and is easy to remove - no more pulling apart stuck cutter basket and motor base wondering when you are finally going to break it. Pulp from veggies comes out with little moisture and not dripping wet, so efficiency appears to be quite good. Amazon shipping came in double carton and manufacturer also uses very thick padding therefore no problem with shipping and no damage of any kind. In one sentence, this juicer is practically designed, works very well and looks good.

Grey KitchenAid Ultra Power Tilt-Head Stand Mixer KSM95GR

I use it at least once a week except around the holidays even more, for some 9 years now. I will be supplementing it with a 5 qt Artisan this spring as it looks like I will be baking for a booth at my local farmer's market. Never had a problem. May send it out to have the oil changed before putting it through 6-8 extra hours work each week for 20 weeks a year.
I have no doubt it will be fine. So will the Artisan. I know two people with "more powerful" Chinese imports that were failing after 20 hours use. No thanks! Mine has 500+ hours use. Maybe I need to replace the brushes in the motor too. That's about $4 and 5 minutes work. I know a person with a 6 qt Kitchen Aid who had problems after about 50 hour's of use. I've never met a person who has ever had a problem with a pivot head model.

White KitchenAid Ultra Power Tilt-Head Stand Mixer KSM95WH

Oh where has this beautiful friend of my mine been all my life? I've had in in my wish list for two years and 'jumped' at it and bought it from amazon.com when the price dropped to $200. It used to be around $400 I think it was. My husband gave it to me for my Christmas present
as he would see me staring at it on amazon.com's web site throughout the day.

He loves pies and I'm using "Girlfriend" (that's my name for her - she's always close to me, jumps in to help without complaining and makes
everything right!) to make the pie pastry and anything else that I find in the cookbooks to make. Yesterday, I made their mushroom & onion tarts that is in KitchenAid's wonderful cookbook, Great Baking and More. They were just delicious - had some friends over and everyone had 3 each
and we're not 'big' eaters!

I used a box cake mix to make some cupcakes - one recipient wrote me and said, "Those cupcakes are the best cupcakes I've ever eaten
in my life." Now this friend is in her 60's and I'm sure she's had a cupcake or two! "Girlfriend" just gets right into the mix of things and whips
and stirs the batter and it makes the best-tasting baked goods.........ever! And the best part: you can use this beauty for appetizers, main
meals, deserts and more. To get the most use out of your mixer, be sure to buy from amazon.com, "Great Baking and More" by KitchenAid, "Mix It Up" by Jamee Ruth and "The Mixer Bible" by Meredith Deeds and Carla Snyder. Otherwise your stand mixer might do just that: stand.

I bought the Stand Mixer Attachment Pack but haven't used it yet. I'll review that after I've had time to figure it out. I only wish I knew about this marvelous made in the U.S.A. mixer 30 years ago. She's a wonderful investment....not an expense!

Green Apple KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer KSM150PSGA

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Let me start off by saying, I have lusted after this appliance for years. My Christmas Spirit was almost doused by the fleeting thought of keeping the Classic version that I bought for my mother on Black Friday years ago. No - I gave it to her and continued to covet.

For years, I relentlessly mixed cookie dough by hand, taking the occasional break when my arms got tired. I carefully kneaded bread doughs with flour-covered fists. I loaded heavy cream into my food processor to make whipped creams for desserts. Life was hard, lonely, and definitely missing something.

I'd drop hints while resting after a good long cookie baking session. I would wipe my brow and comment forlornly, "My life would be better if I had an Empire Red Kitchen Aid stand mixer." People accused me of being dramatic, but I knew that I was right.

Then on my birthday last February, my life was complete. I received a Kitchen Aid Artisan stand mixer, in Empire Red. The heavens sang out, and the stand mixer-shaped hole in my heart was filled in and spackled over.

I began to bake. Cookies, rugelach, bread, whipped cream. I went even further, using the flat beater to evenly combine ingredients into my meatloaf mixture. I went insane with power, whisking ricotta, eggs, salt, and garlic to be used in a delightfully dense lasagna.

And after each session, I'd loving wipe my 5-quart beauty to a shine, and slide her lovingly against the wall on my counter, where she continues to regally hold court over all of the other appliances.

Kudos, Kitchen Aid. This stand mixer is glorious.