Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cocktails. Show all posts

8/11/2012

Nostalgia Electrics Margarator Margarita Machine, Model# HSB-590 Review

Nostalgia Electrics Margarator Margarita Machine, Model# HSB-590
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
My husband loves his new Margarator Margarita Machine. We all enjoyed testing it. The drinks were delicious. It makes a large batch and keeps them icy fresh. One of my friends commented "Isn't that just a glorified blender?" I could explain that it not only made a larger batch, the spigot made it very handy to serve, and it was insulated so it kept the drinks cold and icy. We have enjoyed several different kinds of drinks. It did take trial and error to figure out that if it had sat for a while after mixing, we needed to turn it back on and let it run before serving ourselves for the perfect drink.

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Mix up great-tasting margaritas in no time with this easy-to-use margarita machine. Just fill the unit with ice, margarita mix, and tequila; then, secure the safety lid and flip the switch. In a matter of minutes, the unit produces delicious, refreshing margaritas, daiquiris, or slushies--all of which can be dispensed via the front-mounted serving spout. The machine's ice-grinding/shaving motor delivers exceptional crushing power, while its insulated container holds up to 128 ounces of a favorite frozen drink at a time--it even has a handle for convenient transport to the next party. The 90-watt unit runs on A/C power, and its see-through lid and jar clean-up in a snap. Great for pool parties, barbecues, birthdays, weddings, camping, and more, the ETL-approved frozen-drink machine measures 10 by 10-1/2 by 19-2/7 inches and carries a 90-day warranty.

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4/24/2012

Margaritaville DM2000 Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker Review

Margaritaville DM2000 Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First, I would rate it a 3.5
I purchased this item as I was tired of low quality drink mixers... I purchased the FIJI as it was the newest model out. It has a larger Ice holder and different settings for margaritas, daquiries, mudslides, and smoothies.
The machine is powerful and seemingly high quality. I feel it will last a long time. It does take some practice getting your recipies correct. Maybe its just me, but I also can NOT differentiate the drinks from the four different settings. A drink in the mudslide setting has the same texture as a Margarita....and etc. So I felt that was a waste for me. With the larger Ice Hopper thats nice, but easily available for the Key West version. I would rather have extra blending Jars as they are small and what I go through the most. The Key west seems to have the best matching ice reservoir for the blending jar. The drip through water catcher is nice... but very difficultt to clean. Its too narrow to wash by hand, you need to use a long handled something(minor inconvenience I guess).
Performance is nice. Its powerful and the ice shaver works well. very well actually/ But that too is extremely difficult to clean... If it comes out to clean, I cant figure mine out...so its pretty much just sticking a cloth it there to swap up melted ice, and hand pick out leftover ice. Its tricky as supports and the big blade can get you.
Also, probably the most fustrating thing is the ice hopper does not line up nicely with the blending jar opening. Its off about a 1/4 inch, but just enough for liquid to jump out when machine fires up. I was told I had too much liquid, but it does it no matter how much liquid I have in it. I now have to put the lid on the mixing jar at an angle so it lines up with the hopper, but this leaves an imperfect seal on the jar, and for full serving mixes it wants to come out the side of the lid.
Its also a big unit. We dont store appliances on our counter(actually wont fit under the counter wit the ice hopper on it), and we were limited as to where this unit would fit in our pantry... but thats fine, we made room. When mixing, the ice only feature is nice as you can really make a nice slushy drink for yourself or the kids if you wish. I pretty much only use the ice only and blend only buttons now, as the programmed settings either dont add enough ice for our taste or mixes it up too much. The no spill blending jar is not really no spill. It has a spout, but the glass is thick(quality), and that leads to dripping down the side when pouring. I would like to see them invent a high quality blending jar with a spout for pouring(as seen on cheap blenders)... now that would be the last great feature they would need to add.
I wish I had gotten the Key West to save money, but live and learn. Its a solid, decent looking machine that seems durable for years of use. I can live with its shortcomings operationally, but everytime I make a drink I cant get past the fact the blending jar does not line up perfectly with the ice hopper. I called the Manufacturer and they told me it in fact doesnt line up....That would be my clue to fix that, or not put it on the market at nearly $400.
Worth $400...NO...$300...NO... $200...sure, because of its powerful motor and expected lifespan. If you dont use it often its not worth it. The lower priced version at less than $200 would be perfect. But when using this often, you can justify a larger price. What else is out there like it anyhow???


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Kick-start the party by serving up restaurant-quality frozen concoctions with this unique, easy-to-use appliance. Far more than just an ordinary blender, the unit automatically shaves ice and blends up to 36 ounces of a favorite frosty drink, all at the touch of a button. Simply fill the top reservoir with ice, pour the ingredients into the glass jar, and select the amount and type of beverage. Choose from four pre-programmed drink cycles--margaritas, daiquiris, mudslides, or smoothies--and either a full pitcher or experiment with small batches using the one-, two-, or three-drink settings. Hit the automatic Shave-N-Blend switch, and the machine automatically mixes the right proportion of ice with ingredients and for the perfect amount of time. The shaved ice ensures better drink consistency--no more chunks or watery drinks. For party guests who like thicker or thinner drinks, the manual "shave only / blend only" toggle switch allows for easily customizing beverages by adding more shaved ice or blending longer.
Crafted from durable ABS plastic in a premium brushed-nickel finish, the unit features a die-cast aluminum base, which provides a stable footprint, and a heavy-duty die-cast aluminum shaver paddle and lower blending coupler that handle the power of the dual motors. Other highlights include simple front-access controls, a large-capacity reservoir that holds ice for mixing 72 ounces of frozen drinks between refills, and a 36-ounce thick-walled retro-styled glass blending jar with a generous handle and drip-free spout. The blending jar and its components clean up easily by hand or in the dishwasher, and the rest of the unit quickly wipes clean. Accessories include one shot glass, a quick set-up guide, a recipe guide, an instruction manual, four coasters, and drink charms in a tin can. The 700-watt frozen concoction maker measures 14 by 9 by 20 inches and carries a one-year warranty.

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3/26/2012

Vita-Mix 1319 Professional Series, Onyx Review

Vita-Mix 1319 Professional Series, Onyx
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This blender beats the competition by a mile. There are several things that set it apart besides the power and design, which allows perfectly smooth smoothies, sauces and soups if you want them that way. I reviewed a previous model that is no longer available and notice there's a new model out that doesn't have the middle knob. While you'd still get the easy cleanup, power and reliability of the Vita-Mix, that knob (which is on this model) is something I really value because it allows you to change the speed by infinite degrees during processing.
I find this particularly important when processing hot liquids as you can get a wet 'explosion' if you try to start a blending process too fast, which causes the heat to suddenly expand the contents. I did this once with my small personal blender--bad idea. With this Vita-mix model, you can start at a very low speed and turn the speed up gradually to high. Starting at a slow speed also gets larger items broken up so a good flow can be established to the blending process sooner. I've found the speed control greatly enhances the ability to get the results I want, including dicing small quantities instead of pureeing them, if needed.
I've had my unit for years and have never had any problems. It's a great machine. It gets most any job done just the way you want it. It's no wonder professional chefs choose Vita-Mix over others. Highly recommended.


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With its 2-plus peak hp motor that generates blade speeds of 240 MPH, this efficient countertop appliance works great for whipping up smoothies, mixing frozen drinks, blending pureed soups, stirring up salsas, and more. The blender features a laser-cut one-piece stainless-steel blade assembly, durable all-metal construction, a brushed aluminum faceplate with an Onyx mirror-gloss finish, and soft touch switches and dial. Its variable speed control includes high and low operation and 1 to 10 speeds. In addition, the blender's durable, oversized, 64-ounce Polycarbonate jar includes a soft-touch handle for graceful serving. The blender comes with a "Let's Get Started" instructional DVD and a recipe book with over 300 recipes, including ones for Carrot Fruit Sorbet, California Salsa, and a Mocachino. Made in the USA, the blender measures 20-1/2 by 7-1/4 by 8-3/4 inches and carries a full seven-year warranty.

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