Presto 07030 Cool Touch 20-Inch Electric Griddle, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this griddle for yakiniku, which is a great way to entertain guests, but I have found that I have been using it far more than anticipated.
Pros:
It's awesome to have a griddle in the kitchen. First and foremost, it's great being able to make more than one or two pancakes at a time. If you want to serve someone up a short stack, there is a lot of waiting using only two pans, but with this, you can crank out three good size cakes at the same time. Also, frying eggs and warming meat at the same time has saved me a lot of time in the mornings.
It's easy to clean. If you read the manual carefully, it suggests seasoning before use. This ensures a light coat of oil stays on it while it's being used. I've done this and NOTHING has stuck to the surface. I also give it a thorough scrub with either a dry paper towel or a wet one held with chopsticks after each use and it stays very clean.
It gets hot fast! Way faster than my range top and a pan, which also saves me time in the morning. This is mostly due to the light construction, but this can also contribute to un-even heating, which I have not yet had a problem with, although others have.
Its just more fun. Maybe this is helping me live out some long-lost short-order cook fantasies? = )
Cons:
As other reviewers have noted, it slides around a bit. I find myself lifting it up a bit on one side to both keep it in place and also to give the spatula better odds of sliding under an egg without breaking it. This is not a deal-breaking compensation, but rubber feet would have been nice here.
It tends to get pretty hot. The manual comes with cooking temps, but I found most of them to be a little high. Cooking a little more cool has helped things out for me. Again, this may be what has attributed to others' problems.
The bottom line here is that you get what you pay for. This is one of the cheaper models on the market, so I think it would be a little unrealistic to assume that the bargain model would deliver a top-of-the-line performance. I have had zero problems with mine so far, but I recognize that it clearly has some room for improvements. Until I want to shell out more than $30 for a small kitchen appliance, I'll be quite happy with this product.

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Especially convenient around the holidays or other family gatherings, this electric griddle provides a generous 10-1/2-by-20-1/2-inch cooking surface that can accommodate up to nine grilled-cheese sandwiches, hamburgers, or pancakes at a time. The unit's Control Master heat control maintains the proper cooking temperature automatically, while its premium nonstick cooking surface ensures effortless food release. The appliance comes equipped with a built-in backstop ledge for simple food handling, a cool-touch base that surrounds the cooking surface on the front and both sides, and a slide-out drip tray for easy emptying. Thanks to its low-profile design, the griddle also works great as a buffet server for keeping side dishes at a perfect serving temperature. The griddle can be fully immersed--with the heat control removed--for quick cleanup. Great for cooking up breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the 1500-watt griddle measures approximately 11-1/2 by 26 by 2-1/2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Back to Basics TEM500 Egg-and-Muffin 2-Slice Toaster and Egg Poacher Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have only had this lovely toaster for a brief time, but I am very pleased. It does everything as advertised and it does it well.
I already have a great Black & Decker toaster-broiler that I continue to use. I consider this item in a different class. They have different strengths.
*First Impressions:
It smells like new plastic and chemicals out of the box. Up close it's easy to see that the pretty shell is made of black plastic, but it's not cheap-looking. After thoroughly wiping down the main unit, running the removable pieces through the dishwasher (top-shelf) and running the toast-cycle a few times, the odors went away. I wasn't sure whether the little measuring cup was going to be much use.
*First Cooking Trials:
I made hard boiled eggs. The eggs weren't boiled so much as steamed in the shell, but that's being picky. The eggs came out perfect on the first try. The little measuring cup was very useful as the amounts of water needed for different yolk-hardness were clearly marked on it. The process was almost idiot-proof.
The eggs went from refrigerator to sandwich in around 10 minutes and cleanup took another minute or so, consisting of rinsing the steamer tray and lid and wiping the heating tray with a damp paper towel.
A poached egg sandwich takes about 5 minutes from fridge to plate. It's a simple matter of placing the food on the appropriate tray (with a good bit of oil for the egg or else it will stick), pressing the right buttons and then coming back when you hear the toast pop up. The tray for heating sausage is more than large enough for a Garden Burger veggie patty if that's what you prefer and if you don't mind it soft and steamed. The toaster-slots can fit a wide range of breads, but perhaps not a thick bagel. The toaster has a clever timer so that toast is done at the same time as the egg.
The black plastic shell on the oven turns out to be an excellent heat-shield.
*Cleaning:
The trays can get messy -- in particular, the heating tray ends up with hard water deposits. Everything is easily cleaned with the exception of the steaming tray used for hard-boiling eggs, which has little bits that protrude to catch a sponge or a paper towel. The trays are made of plastic and are already showing scratches after just a few uses, but it's not noticeable from 3 feet away.
*One Annoying Thing:
If you cook something in the sausage tray, you'll find that its juices will drip down onto your egg and pool on the surface of the egg. Keep a bit of paper towel handy to swab the top of the egg before you remove it from the poaching cup.
*Usefulness:
Quickly hard boil eggs for tomorrow's lunch while you prepare for bed. Have it make your breakfast in the time that it takes you to make your morning cup of coffee. Make the kids a quick after-school snack. Make yourself a quick late-night snack. Any time you're in the mood for eggs and want them quickly. And it also makes toast.
*Summary:
I really like my new toy. It has that cool-gadget-chic that makes it fun to use, the black case looks sweet on a kitchen counter. It's easy to clean. When I ordered it on the advice of a friend, I thought that it was about $10 dollars too expensive, but the expense appears to be the consequence of making a high-quality product.

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And you thought the drive-thru was fast!Make your favorite breakfast sandwiches --- at home -- in minutes. The Egg & Muffin Toaster brings innovation to the toaster category by combining the functions of a toaster and an egg poacher into one easy-to-use appliance. It even heats your breakfast sausage or bacon! The Egg & Muffin can be used solely as a full functioning toaster or poacher or can be used simultaneously to make the ultimate breakfast sandwich in just 4 minutes!. Simply add the necessary ingredients and start the machine.

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