Sunday, October 20, 2013

Oster BLSTAS-BC Designer Series 6-Cup Glass Jar 7-Speed Blender, Brushed Nickel



Capable, has issues: ((SEE UPDATE))
This blender has a powerful motor for it's size. With two speed settings, it is very capable of most any blender task it is given including crushing ice. It has a six cup capacity which is a bit more than most of the lower end models on the market. It is more attractive than most other models too, looks nice on the counter next to my stand mixer of the same color. Another nice feature is the square base on the jar. You can set it down on the motor base from any angle and it fits and is ready to go, no more fidgeting to fit it into the "grooves" just right. The negatives I have found are: it is very noisy, especially on the higher speed setting. The other problem I had with this blender is that every so often, the large plastic nut on the bottom of the jar, (which holds the blade assembly in place), becomes slightly loose during operation. How I found this out was when I poured the contents into a glass; some watery liquid started leaking from the bottom of the jar assembly. After...

DO NOT BUY--will fall apart in a year
This blender is perfect if you want to waste your money, feel like an idiot, and contribute something big and toxic to an already overstuffed landfill somewhere.

Massive amounts of liquid now gush out of the bottom every time I try to pour something out of it. I thought it just wasn't assembled right, but after trying everything, and even looking into buying new parts, I realize that it has simply self-destructed after only a year of light use. The plastic base won't stay on the glass jar, it falls off if held straight, and liquid comes out the entire base when poured. Not a small amount of liquid. Cupfuls.

Don't be fooled by the "affordable luxury" spiel. There is no luxury here. Spend just a bit more and get a Kitchenaid or something much better on sale, something that will last more than a year. It will be a better investment in the long run. Mine is completely useless.

Designer Series push button blender
It is VERY noisy and as the customer above said it is leaking . So it is absolutely waste of money. I never going to recommend this to a friend.I am going to return this product!

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Hello Kitty Drinking Water Dispenser Fountain Rose



Its tiny
I thought it'd hold a least a few cups of water, but no. Its really just a toy that don't fulfill any practical purpose.





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Better Chef IM-155 10-50 Cup Coffeemaker



Not reliable
I dislike giving bad reviews, but others need to be warned. This coffee maker only worked twice for us before giving out. It made all the right percolating noises but failed to pump the water through the coffee grounds. I'm sending it back, and I'm a little grumpy at having to pay the postage to return it when the item is obviously defective.





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Omega BL420S 3 Peak Horse Power Commercial Blender, High/Low Toggle Controls, 64-Ounce, Silver



Massive Quality Commercial Blender
Let me say first that I know something about quality blenders. I started out in the 90's with a Waring stainless steel bar blender (with only an on and off switch) that lasted for 15 happy margarita years. In 2007 I purchased from Amazon a Blendtec Home 3 horsepower blender ([...]) for $415. It is a programmed blender that takes out the guesswork on how to blend smoothies, soups, ice cream, juices etc. I first saw this blender on U-Tube eating a first generation Iphone to dust. When I don't know how to blend a certain food product I fall back on my Blendtec. It does a wonderful job. HOWEVER, when I put my beloved Blendtec next to my new Omega BL420S it looks like Bill Bixby next to the Incredible Hulk. [Makes me wonder if Tim Allen designed it on one of his "Home Improvement" episodes.] While the Blendtec is stylish and fits easily under my kitchen cabinets, The Omega has a larger footprint and needs a taller space. The Omega BL 420S has a 64 ounce blending jar (as does the...

VitaMix vs. This Omega Blender...VitaMix Wins
Although I've owned a VitaMix for many years (you'll find my review here on Amazon) and I still love it and use it sometimes more than once a day (with no problems, I might add) I thought that my love affair might be over, since receiving this new Omega BL 4205 Blender. The blender jar is what did it for me-I loved the look of it, and it is much nicer than the Vitamix container, however, that's where it ends. Nothing else about this product has sold me, and I initially had a problem when it first arrived, which didn't help matters. This is what happened:

Omega blender arrived, exterior box was in perfect condition, blender box was a bit smashed and had obviously been opened and re-taped, looking as though it could be a returned item? I pulled out the blender and everything looked new, and so it seemed fine, until I noticed the blade was loose and was jiggling around. I called the company to see if this is the way it's supposed to be, but it's after hours. Did some googling...

Love this Blender
It seems like everyone is making an insane blender nowadays.

I previously had a Blendtec blender, with the smaller 40oz (I think? not the 64oz one) carafe on it. Tons of buttons, digital display, slick marketing website that shows how they can blend everything. Overall a good blender, but was on my second carafe (at like $70 a pop!), and overall, kind of disappointed for what I paid.

Enter this monster. It's huge. Bigger than the blendtec by quite a bit, with the carafe on I am guessing it will not fit under most kitchen cabinets. 64oz marked carafe capacity, although it can probably hold close to 90oz if you went to the brim. It's also nearly the direct opposite of the blendtec, having only two plain toggle switches. "High/Low" and "On/Off". It's all I need honestly, the blendtec had all kinds of fancy modes, and lots of speeds, but ultimately for what I did, it was just a few things, and the cycles never worked, meaning the simple toggles are perfect...

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New! Vibe Vibrating Chocolate Tempering Machine



Great machine, but not what the description says
This isn't a tempering machine--a device used to melt chocolate so crystals form in it. (You WANT crystals to form in your chocolate. This is a good thing.)

When you pour chocolate, bubbles form in it. This machine is designed to vibrate molds after filling to get the bubbles out, which gives you a prettier, more desirable product.

I can't see a reason for a home chocolatier to buy one of these; you can tap molds on the table to get the bubbles out. It just takes a while, that's all. Conversely, I can't see a reason for a pro chocolatier NOT to have one of these; it will pay for itself in a very short period of time in time saved by not having to tap molds, and chocolates you have to remelt because they're flawed.





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KF Impulse Sealer 12" KF-300H



very good little machine
the first I little problem with the heat and seal but in about 10 mint I happy with this machine.
Thank you
Haugesund H





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Starbucks Premium Pour-Over Brewer



This is better than burning a $100 bill!
Full transparency - I'm stupid rich. I made millions in the heady days of the dot com boom by buying up domain names that might someday be famous (earnthenecklace.com? Yeah that was me). I haven't done anything since but live off my investments. Mostly I buy stuff from Ronco and QVC to try and make a dent in my checking account. I have 15 Pocket Fisherman's still in the box. Then a friend told me about the Starbucks Pour Over for $124.

My kitchen counters are now COVERED with these little beauties. I give them as tips to waitresses. Finally I have something to plug the monster hole in my soul.

Cheap
You are paying over one hundred twenty five dollars for a cone that holds a coffee filter. There is no taste difference between this and making it in a pot. See other cheaper solutions.



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Crock-Pot SCCPTM600S 6-Quart Oval Manual Plus Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel



Smelly crockpot, not happy with new lid!
I have loved using my Crock Pots over the years, but am not happy with the new gasketed lid they've put on this particular unit. I love, love, love the design of this unit, and it looks absolutely fabulous on my countertop, but the smell when I first cooked in it was borderline unbearable. I thought it was simply because the heating element was new and needed to be used a couple of times, but the stench continued long after the heating element should have been broken in. Then I realized it was the actual rubber gasket on this new gasketed lid with this unit. It is holding every single smell from the first time I cooked in it, and distributing it not only back into the air, but into the food as well. It is for that reason, and that reason alone, that I cannot personally recommend this particular unit. I even called the customer service line to see if I could switch out the gasketed lid for a plain old glass one, and they said I could not, that this crock was molded specific for...

Simply Elegant
Being late to the crock pot party, I finally bought one. This model, the SCCPTM600S (manual), is almost identical to its sister, the SCCPTP600P (programmable). I chose this one because the manual operation appealed to me. But the term "manual" is too utilitarian for this Crock Pot, which is simply elegant in design. The power knob has a nice clunky, substantial, feel when you turn it from the OFF position to either LOW, HIGH or WARM. When you turn it on, the digital counter automatically starts, so with a glance you always know how many hours and minutes the crock has been cooking. From the photo, because the crock is black, the lid looks black, but that is just a reflection; the lid is see-through glass so you can watch what's going on inside. The base in heavy and doesn't slide around, and the crock is easily lifted-out to serve or clean. Also nice is the retractable cord, which you can leave plugged-in since the Crock Pot has an OFF switch. This is a very beautiful device,...

Love this crock.
It heats up evenly and its large oval shape makes it perfect for roasters. I do shredded pork sandwiches by pouring root beer over a roast, draining it, then adding BBQ sauce and shredding. Yummy. The rubber piece around the lid holds in all the flavor and the timer lets me cook as long as I want. I'm never at the mercy of some non-cook's merciless programming. Only caution is that you need to learn how to clean the black pot. It will develop a white coating. This is easy fixed with white vinegar, but it takes a little diligence to make sure that t is always clean. I looked all over for the right pot for me, and this was it. If your needs are the same - go for it.

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Waterbridge Electric Plate Warmer - Holds up to 6 Plates - Heritage Natural



UPDATE: Great Little Item!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I put two plates, both bone china, in this thing and waited half an hour, then I felt the plates. No heat, at all. So next I tried taking the inner heating pad out to look for damage; there was none. I then tried two different plates, plugged it in and waited another half hour. Still no heat. It's too bad, because I really could use something like this.

UPDATE 10/13/12: The manufacturer answered my e-mail on the same day, asking if I would like a replacement heating pad or a refund. I was impressed with her courtesy. I asked for a replacement heating pad and we'll see if the one I got was just a dud. I'll keep you informed.

FURTHER UPDATE: I got a replacement heating pad and the plate warmer works fine! It even came in time for my October 26th dinner party and everyone was absolutely wowed and impressed. Several people asked me where I obtained it and I was more than happy to tell them. :)





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Hamilton Beach 67900 HealthSmart Juice Extractor



It works!
The juicer is okay for every day use. I have a lot of lefovers from carrots that did not turn into juice. So I make carrot cakes out of them, FYI. The best thing about it is that is gets assembled pretty easily; it takes a little effort, however, to get the grinding piece off. My mother-in-law even wanted to take it to the store to ask for help before I came and showed her that she had to pull harder. I usually rinse the parts in the sink before I dish wash them. It is a matter of 5-10 minutes, maybe, to clean after yourself. This juicer saved us money; we do not buy any frozen juices any longer. What makes me unhappy is that it's fairly loud, I can't make the juice early in the morning before my jogging time. The neighbors downstars would not appreciate it. I'd not extremely loud though as those with higher power go, stll my daughter jumps every now and then if I turn it on without letting her know before hand. The plastice does stain from the fruit/veggies. I can't quite get it why...

Less than good
I got this juicer thinking it would be a good starter juicer,to see if it was something I wanted to spend my time doing. I did not expect it to produce dry pulp but I didn't realize that I was going to be spending SOOOO much time working to make a little juice and a ton of wet pulp. It did well with very hard items, like carrots, but anything that was slightly soft seemed to only get about half of its liquid out. My husband said the pulp looked like sorbet it was that wet. I should have just saved my money and went for a better quality juicer.

No juice
This massterpiece sounds like a leaf blower in the kitchen and started to stop after only a few gallons of carrot juice. I literally have to slap it to get it to work again. Disappointing for the money.Hamilton Beach 67800H Juice Extractor

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Friday, October 18, 2013

SPT Thermo-Electric Wine Cooler with Heating, 8 Bottles



Stay Far, Far Away from this Company: Learn from My Mistakes
Stay far, far away from anything manufactured or "serviced" by Sunpentown.

After five months of owning this piece of garbage, it just stopped working. Just went dead, for no apparent reason. Rather than honoring their warranty and sending me a replacement, they made me SEND THE UNIT back to them, at a whopping price of almost $40 in postage. (Looking back, I was a complete fool for falling for this.) Then they alerted me that the unit had arrived "damaged" but out of the goodness of their hearts they were willing to send me a RECONDITIONED unit for $70. How long do you think the reconditioned unit would have lasted if a NEW one lasted only five months?

I'm now on a one-man crusade to make sure nobody else makes the mistake of buying these terrible products. They're garbage and the company that sells them is unethical. They dealt with me in very bad faith. Do yourself a favor and look for something more solid, with better craftsmanship and most importantly, a...

Do not buy Sunpentown wine coolers
Where do I start? Our experience with Sunpentown has been awful, including a series of emails filled with semantics where nothing was accomplished.

We purchased this wine cooler for white wine. From day one, this unit has never gotten colder than 57 degrees F despite how cold you set the temp. Typically, it ranges between 59 and 60 degrees F.

In our emails with Sunpentown, we were asked questions such as "what temperature is the house set at?" and "How much space is around the unit?". Are you kidding me? What temperature is our home? Did we buy a wine cooler or merely a metal box with a handle to store our wine in? Our home is a cool 76 degrees in the summer. This should not affect the function of the cooler.

In the item description of this unit, it is called 'compact' for 'counter top use'. Why would we buy a compact unit that cannot be placed in a compact space? The representative pointed to the word 'freestanding' in the manufacturers...

Price/value
I bought this cooler because it fits in a cabinet in my living room. I was worried that it had few reviews, but took the chance, because of its size and price - figured I couldn't go wrong. To my surprise, it works very well. It's quiet and keeps it temperature well, and its appearance is very clean, so it would go well with many decors.

I might just buy a second - I think I can manage to fill it, too.

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Viatek Duo Treat Ice Cream Maker



Kind of fun but not really a good ice cream maker.
The air of the normal freezer (at least my freezer) is not cold enough to freeze the mixture fast enough to make smooth ice cream. It doesn't mix fast enough to keep the outer, frozen parts of the mixture stirred in to the center so it stops when the outer part is icy and the center is still liquid - which then freezes too hard to be called ice cream. Also, the cold causes the batteries to drain faster. Can be fun if you have kids and want to make a couple of flavours at once but if you want real ice cream, get a real ice cream maker.

Edited (5 months later) to add: for awhile the Duo Treat was not available. Now that it is available again they have a different picture for it. It's possible they've come out with a new model that addresses some of the problems listed above (then again, maybe not).

Paying a penny would be too much
I bought this from another company and even when the company sent me a new one, I found them to be far from "easy and fun to use". The two that were sent to me were great ... in theory. I have family members who are diabetic and this seemed a wonderful alternative to store bought ice cream. The recipies are simple and in truth they taste fine, if you like *ice* with your cream. The maker itself only turns for less then two minutes, then stops and starts against 30 minutes later for the same less then two minute turning. By the time the *ice* cream is made, it's nothing but a creamy flavorful chunk of hard ice. I could do that in my freezer myself!
I hope the company fixes this problem and releases a better model, then I might be tempted to try this again.

NOT PLEASED
THis product does not make good ice cream - mine had ice crystals in the it. If you need help forget it this company no longer makes this product. I left several voice messages and no one ever returned my call. I followed directions exactly (I have been cooking for a long time) and got a second rate product. I did eventually find another number for the company and talked to someone who could not help.

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Michael Graves Design Hand Mixer - White



inexpensive and works well - definitely satisfied
So far I have used this mixer for making frosting and whipping eggs, with no problems. I know the reviews for other cheapish mixers usually complain about splattering at high speeds, but this has not been the case with this mixer. Other cheap kitchen appliances I have get that burning motor smell when used for longer periods of time, but even whipping eggs for 10 minutes didn't seem to affect this mixer. For a cheaper product, this seems to be a good choice.

Great mixer!
After doing some research around and comparing consumer's opinions, I decided that I wanted a Hamilton Beach 62695R Power Deluxe Hand Mixer. Once I arrived at the Target store I switched to this one, which was more powerful and was on sale for the same price. I am glad I did that!

So far I totally agree with the previous review - "no splattering at high speed". I love its performance and its design. This is a 290-watt peak power plus slower first speed... I certainly recommend it!

Michael Graves Desing Hand Mixer
this is a great little mixer. light weight, great attachments. love the case that snaps to the bottom to store the attachments. Also a good price too, I feel that I got my moneys worth and then some, I am very pleased with this mixer!

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EdgeStar 53 Bottle Built-In Wine Cooler



EdgeStar Wine refrigerater
It fits very well into the space I created in my kitchen for it. It very good looking and built well. The only complaint that I have is that the fan comes on and off evry 10-20 seconds. I called the factory support and they say that is normal for this model.





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Cuisinart CWC-1200 Private Reserve 12-Bottle Countertop Wine Cellar, Stainless Steel



Condensation Problems
I purchased my original Private Reserve Wine Cellar, Model CWC-1200, in November, 2007 through Amazon.com.

I was having persistent condensation problems with the unit, so I returned it under warranty and received a new unit just a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I am having the same problem with the new unit. The plastic tray at the bottom of the unit fills up with water within a couple of days. I have the unit in an air conditioned room. I can't believe I am the only person having this problem, although Cuisinart would have me believe that.

2nd one and still not happy
I got the 11 bottle one as a wedding gift and it was fine for about 3-4 months until it raised to 89 degrees and we couldnt get it to go down and then the bottom filled with water. We returned it and got the 12 bottle one. Have had it running for 13 days and already it filled with water. I called Cuisineart and they said to return it as that shouldnt happen. The woman I spoke to said she ahd never heard of this happening with their wine fridges and shouldn't happen if we get another one. but I don't think we will- too much of a hassel!

Condensation disaster
I also have to agree with the reviews above about serious condensation issues. I have no idea where the water is coming from as the temperature seems to be maintained decently, and the fridge is in the air conditioned space. The condensation got as bad as water leaking from the bottom of the fridge to the floor. The fan noise is also much louder than I expected, and I am quite disappointed with this fridge. I don't recommend this product to anyone.

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Vinotemp VT-21TEDS Thermo-Electric Digital Dual-Zone 21-Bottle Wine Chiller, Black and Stainless



Review of dual temp wine fridge
The unit has a nice feature of being able to store white and red wines at your selected temp. The size is very good and was perfect for the area we wanted to place it. It holds the selected temp just fine but if the power is interupted you will need to reset your settings. It does have a few shortcomings... It is much louder than a standard fridge given it's size. The shelves that you must use to remove a bottle don't fit very well at all and they will drop out of their slots while in use. These wood shelves are all very cheaply made. The LED lights inside are all but useless. The door must be opened fully (180 degrees) in order to slide out a shelf to remove the bottle. We have a GE unit in another location that is a much better unit but only has single selected temp. It did cost nearly twice what this unit did.

If/when it dies I will not replace it with this brand or model. It proved to point that you get what you pay for.

BUYER BEWARE!
We have no beef with Amazon.com - in fact they were very accomodating and quick to replace our first Vinotemp wine refrigerator, with a SECOND Vinotemp wine refrigerator (and they Fed Ex'd it at Amazon's cost).

In both instances, the Vinotemp refrig arrived with a big dent in the back of the refrig. We couldn't detect any indentations in the surrounding styrofoam so we concluded it was leaving the VINOTEMP factory like that (nice quality control, Vinotemp!). Also, since we only saw a photo of this product online, we weren't aware of how cheap it looks up close and personal. The fact that both times we received a damaged VINOTEMP was actually a blessing in disguise.

We ended up buying a Haier wine refrigerator for a few dollars less and it holds 15 more bottles - and is superior quality. Whew.

P.S. Also at one point during our decision making process, I called Vinotemp directly to ask some product point questions. I spoke to two different...

Thermostat failed
Thermostat stopped working after 2 months. Refrigerator still cools, but cannot set the temp. and the temp. changes on its own. Also, makes a weird noise now. I finally just unplugged it.

I will now need to buy another brand to replace this one. Don't waste your money on this one.

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SE - Diamond Knife And Scissor Sharpener With Key Ring - SB-DS



Knife Sharpener
This item seems to work pretty good, I tried it on one of my knivies that was pretty dull and after running it through the sharperner it was able to cut things that it wouldn't before so I'm enjoying have it handy.

knife sharpener
Works great! Haven't used it for scissors yet. Need to do that. But for the price.. who cares if it sharpens scissors haha but I'm sure it will



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Proctor-Silex 22288 Traditions 2-Slice Toaster



A reasonably good toaster for under $10
This toaster also goes by the product name Hamilton Beach or Proctor-Silex. The K at the end of the model number means K Mart. It contains the Hamilton Beach/Proctor-Silex T39 heating elements that draw 780 watts. If you want a simple toaster that doesn't throw toast out of the top and if it breaks you trash it then this model should be considered. It has a traditional world war two look. It toasts both sides of bread equally. It is very simple to operate. The instruction says to "Unplug from outlet when not in use . . ." My dear wife does exactly that. The instruction also says to not to toast Pop Tarts in the toaster. What's with that?

It toasts well, but looks aren't that great
We received our toaster - bought it when it was on sale here at Amazon. For $9.99 the toaster does what it's advertised to do. It toasts toast and seems to do it fairly well. The openings are big enough that I think we could get thick toast or smaller bagels into it.

Our toaster came with the plastic/metal a bit miscut or not properly put together. I'm able to get most of it back on right, but the plastic/metal are not flush together.

Other than that, the power cord is on the same side as the lifter. The toaster itself doesn't come with a very long power cord and so some folks may not like the fact that the lifter has to be towards the power outlet. (or sideways) I prefer to have the lifter towards me, but that could just be me.

If you're looking for a decent and cheap toaster, take a shot at this one.

An Excellent Buy-
Toasters have a fascinating history. They were one of the first electric kitchen appliances, and have taken so many forms in the past hundred years. Look at the price range here on Amazon; varying from this very inexpensive model to well over a hundred Dollars--just to make toast! I gather some consider themselves true toast gourmets; I'm not. I already owned the superb Breville toaster oven, but it does take quite a bit of time for just one or two pieces. I purchased this little toaster specifically for that: to make one or two pieces of toast, quickly. This machine does that. Oh, perhaps it's not as sophisticated as some; I once owned a Sunbeam for many years that lowered the toast without a lever and mysteriously raised it back up! I have found that this little toaster does toast consistently, though there would be a problem with really fat breads such as bagels. I have the Breville for that.

No, this little $10 gem does just what it's supposed to do, no more...

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Uniflame Black Popcorn Popper



popcorn for the chickens
i use this in the winter to popcorn on the wood stove to give a warm treat to my chickens





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Jura Impressa F50 Classic



Another wonderful Capresso superautomatic
I bought the Jura-Capresso Impressa F50 Classic Automatic Coffee Center nearly a year ago. It replaced our then 6 year old Capresso super-automatic which still worked fine, but started show the signs of its age. Also, Jura gave us 50% of our old machine's price as a trade-in toward a new F50 Classic. That closed the deal without further debate.

After a nearly a year of heavy home use (without a single failure!) the F50 proved to be a wonderful machine, brewing near perfect coffee every time. As coffee roasters and wholesalers we recommended this machine to our family and friends for home-use without reservation.

AVOID THIS LIKE THE PLAGUE: Complete Lemon!!!
I bought this machine in August 2011 and has suffered repeated power failures. it just randomly decides to not turn on. It has been returned 7 times since purchase. everytime it does the same thing.

It works fine for 2 - 3 weeks. then refuses to power up. so I call Jura and get an rma. ship it back. I pay shipping both ways. I get the machine back and it works fine for 2-3 weeks.

Please dont ever buy this machine

ugh.

1500.00 paper weight



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Ninja Frozen Treat and Drink Maker



Love it!
This is awesome! Making smoothies is so easy. The double blades are efficient and blend well. It comes apart for cleaning -- I just put it in the dishwasher. I have used it daily for months without a problem.





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Nespresso C120 Citiz & Milk Fire Engine Red Automatic Espresso Machine with Bonus Capsule Carousel Bundle



2 years old now and still good as new
As a former star-bucks junkie, I kicked the habit cold turkey when I bought this beauty. I estimate that I have saved $1700 over the last 2 years. I still spend about $2 on my morning latte- 2 capsules, organic milk, vanilla, chocolate....but I'm getting organic milk and it's much more convenient.
The nespresso espresso tastes better than starbucks and there are many varieties to try. Arpeggio (purple) and ristretto (black) are my favorites, but I have tried them all and none are bad. They regularly come out with limited-time flavors, which is fun.
I mail order through the nespresso app on my iphone and it is delivered in 2 days for $7. I order about 200 capsules at a time, which lasts me 3 months since I use most of them, but all my friends request a latte when they stop by :)

The thing I love about these machines is ease of use and CLEAN UP! I've had quite a few espresso machines and they are always such a mess! This one is very clean. And the pods are all...

Nespresso Citiz Fire Engine Red with Aeroccino Milk Frother
It is absolutely the most wonderful machine. It is so easy to operate, literally at the touch of a button you can easily get the perfect brews! The Carousel is good for ease, but you do need to have the handy guide to let you know what flavors and strength of expressos, cappuccinos, macchiatos, etc., that you need.

because working very good
nothing to deslike and the coffee is delicious and loking good on the counter and i like the variety thee coffee to choose from

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Farberware FRA3 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer



Not worth the price
This rice cooker is one of the crappiest I've seen. As the previous review states, rice always sticks to the bottom and turns yellow. On top of that, It sprays watery goo everywhere through the vent in the cover. Even after following the directions to a T (and making some adjustments of my own to try to fix the issue), I still end up with a sticky counter. I ended up just going back to a regular pot again. Definitely a waste of money.

Good deal for the price
It is OK. The rice cooker is cheap and light-weighted. I use it to cook white rice for my own, it cooks fast. However, some rice on the bottom get yellow every time, which is not satisfactory. Anyway, it is worth the price.

Crappy Rice Cooker
I have a large Wolfgang Puck rice cooker which is excellent, with a non stick pan. I decided to get a smaller rice cooker and ended up with this. As stated previously, the pan is not non stick, so the rice sticks and I had to scrape it off, which scratched the pan. Buy a better rice cooker with a non stick pan.

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EZE-LAP C Retractable Shaft with Two Grooves for Sharpening Fish Hooks



Good Sharpener - -Poor holder
I purchased the EZE-Lap C sharpener for use in the camper and using while fishing. Mine is red in color though it says black and I like that as it is easy to spot if you drop it. Sharpens hooks and knives very well. Very pleased with that part, but the so called "quick thumb latch" is far from truthful on mine. I could not get it open with out using a tool (thought it would break before opening then the rod did not want to slide out. I was afraid of breaking it to re-secure the latch, would have to use a tool again, so I have not used the latch. Just being careful when using as the rod does move. The rod is tight when you slide it in and out (and latch collar is fully released), and if you slide it (rod) in to far, good luck getting it back out.....I will say one thing, it does work very well at sharpening hooks and knives just a bit difficult retracting and opening from storage. Maybe over time the rod will wear down the collar jaws and it will begin to work as intended. Tossed it...

Not great!
I bought this thinking it was penlike size and because it was black, but unfotunately it is bigger than expected and was a red one. When I ordered it there was no option to choose color so I assumed it was black like in the picture, bad service. I recommend anyone who wants to buy this send an e-mail to seller first asking what color options they have.



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Thursday, October 17, 2013

Matfer Stainless Steel 12-1/4 inch Diameter Food Mill



Great affordable food mill.
This food mill is middle of the road. It is light weight & probably won't last forever. That being said, I feel that it is worth what I paid for it & it works great.





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12 Cup 64oz Unbreakable Polycarbonate Coffee Dacanter with Orange Handle for Decaf Coffee! *Lasting Quality*



Leakage
The decanter was fine when it was on the burner and warm, but when the burner was turned off and allowed to cool, it would start leaking coffee.

Don't buy under any circumstances!!!
Ain't no way this decanter could EVER be described as "Lasting Quality"! More like "Nonexistent Quality".

I run a small coffee fund for my company, and I bought four decanters that had the stainless steel bottom and polycarbonate top (one orange-handled for decaf, two black-handled for caffeinated, and the fourth to keep as a spare) to replace old decanters of the exact same type that were so stained they wouldn't clean up any more. The type I bought had the logo "Update" silkscreened onto them, so you may have a different experience if you buy another type.

Everything was OK for several months, until one of the black-handled decanters developed a crack in the polycarbonate plastic just above the seam where it meets with the stainless steel bottom. It didn't leak, so I foolishly made the assumption that somebody must have dropped the decanter or treated it very roughly for a crack to appear in supposedly 'unbreakable' polycarbonate plastic. I dug out the...



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LANSKY SHARPENERS SHARPENER, CAMO QUICK FIX POCK Knives



Easy to use product and it works
Follow the simple instructions and your knife blade will be sharpened in no time. I took my 30 plus year old boy scout knife to this tool and it sharpened it quickly and easily after 30 years in a drawer. I tried it on my lawner mower blade but the blade is too thick for. But for knives with thin blades this works great.





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Texas Cornbread Gourmet Waffle Mix



Great product, terrible price
THought I would try it, very small package, makes two small servings. No deception as the ad said how much it made, but over ten bucks for four waffles, no counting shipping is terrible. My fault for not reading.

Don't buy!!!!
Product was two months expired when I received it. I would have given it zero stars if possible since I wasn't even able to try it.



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Cuisinart TOB-195 Stainless Steel Convection Toaster Oven Budle



not what you see
bundle items were not sent as depicted in photo......the toast tongs were 1/2 the length of the spatula - not what I expected





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8 vacuum sealer roll. Fits Tilia FoodSaver vacuum sealer.



Great alternative
This roll material isn't as thick as the OEM product, but still does the job. It cuts and seals like the original, but is a lot cheaper. I've not noticed any difference in food preservation ability compared to the OEM rolls. The only negative I have about them is the OEM has a textured side to the bag which makes it easy to write on the outside with a marker so you can identify the contects easier. These bag rolls are also textured, but not as much, so marker sometimes smears. I write on them, then let them sit for a bit before stacking or storing them to keep the writing from smearing. I'll be buying them again as my stock wears out.

Foodsaver Necessity
I am a Foodsaver fan - I have one for my home cooking and one at my cottage for freezing fish, game, etc. I also use these to seal camping supplies I don't what wet, sauces (you have to figure that one out yourself), dry pasta and other foodstuffs in storage. The bags are the real trade secret here, not the sealer. So buy a cheap Foodsaver sealer and get these bags - inexpensive and they work.

I guess it was 8 rolls
I think it will have 8 rolls, not 1 roll, good quality but the name of the product causes confucion

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Proctor Silex Traditions Iron



Supposed to have burst of steam.
I've ALWAYS used this brand of iron. Navy wife who starched and ironed all my husbands uniforms and others to earn money. 20 plus years. Now they send me the wrong iron after telling everyone to use only this brand.





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Chefmaster™ Smokeless Indoor Stovetop Barbeque Grill



Not what I expected
I ordered this item because of the iron grate, thinking that I would be able to heat it as hot as an iron skillet. I was disappointed that it was steel not iron so returned it.

Doesn't meet expectations
Grille base doesnt fit in regular stovetop slots. So as I'm cooking the "grill" wont remain still. Doesn't really even produce grill marks. Not good for anyting now except maybe veggies.



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Cuisinart DLC-2011BKN Prep 11 Plus 11-Cup Food Processor, Black



Awful!
My husband bought me this item for Christmas to replace my old small cuisinart that I've had for years. Unfortunately, the new one doesn't measure up to the old one at ALL. It went back in the box after one use and returned to the store. I started by grating some potatoes for my potato pancakes. What a MESS! I hate the new design where nothing can be taller than the food shoot, because the unit will not power up until the top is engaged. My old machine did not do this. So I would be unable to slice celery, cucumber, carrot, potato, without first cutting it all in to hunks shorter than the food tube. Unacceptable. If I have to go to all that trouble, I may as well just slice the food up myself! Also, the shredding feature was horrible. I had an entire slice of potato left that wouldn't shred because the food pusher wouldn't go down far enough. So after shredding 4 potatoes, I was left with 4 good sized slices of potato that wouldn't go through. In addition to that, there...

Great performer, very poor materials
Having spent 20+ years in busy restaurant kitchens, I know the value of a well-made piece of equipment. I have always found that Cuisinart was a great choice for our home kitchen. In this case, the DLC-2011 has performed well at every task, but the materials have failed over time. The first to go was the shaft for the shredder plate. Next was the handle on the bowl. Now we lost the shroud around the safety latch on the cover. If we buy this replacement piece, I will have paid about 75% of the price for a brand new unit. This is quite simply material failure over time to a degree that is unacceptable. The pieces all failed along seams or other places where one piece joined another. I should note that the plastic covering the buttons is starting to crack around the underlying switch. The motor still runs like a champ!

We take very good care of all our kitchen equipment, and do not exceed the capacity of any given appliance. We tend to invest in pieces that will be around for...

Cuisinart Costiomer Service
As long as you don't need customer service, you will be OK. Cusinart has possibly the worst customer service I have ever experienced. I burned out a motor on my DLC-2011BC (apparently a common problem). I was told I needed to send the unit back for warranty service as the motor is warranted for 10 years. I sent it back the next day. Six weeks later I finally received a letter stating that the repairs would cost $46 (apparently for shipping and labor). I contacted them to find out why a warrnted repair, which per the warranty would be completed free of charge to the consumer, costs $46. They said they would get back to me in three days with an answer. Two weeks later, no repsonse. I called back and spoke to another individual and a supervisor both of which were were of totally no assistance. Here it is nine weeks after I sent my unit to Cuisinart and I am no closer to getting the warranty work completed than I was then. If you have a Cuisinart product and it breaks under the...

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

KitchenAid KHM9QOB Professional 9-Speed Handheld Mixer, Onyx Black



KHM9Q versus KHM9P: Same mixer, more attachments
I was concerned about potential differences between the two models of the 9-speed hand mixer. When I purchased it, the Q was less expensive. Some on Amazon had complained that it did not ship in a retail box. I feared that the Q was a lower-quality model designed for a large, budget reseller such as Wal-Mart. I could find no information on the KitchenAid web site or in its manuals about motor specifications, etc. that might enlighten me.

After writing customer suppoert, I was relieved to learn that the Q mixer is practically identical to the P except that the Q ships with more attachments.

On Sep 7, 2007, at 1:02 PM, countertopcollectionUSA@KitchenAid.com wrote:

Thank you for contacting the KitchenAid website and your interest in our KitchenAid Hand Mixers

The KHM9Q model is a QVC model that does come equipped with more accessories.

The KHM9P and the KHM900PK are a 9-speed Hand Mixer which includes "Soft Start" and has extra...

GREAT HAND MIXER!
I don't have the space for a stand mixer and I have gone through hand mixers like crazy because most of them just can't handle big batches of cookie dough. I have five kids and I bake a lot. It has been a big frustration because the last hand mixer I bought lasted through one batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and died on the next try. The one prior to that one lasted no more than five batches.....and the list goes on. these things are just not made to be able to handle it like the hand mixers of yesterday - except this one!!! this one is definitely more powerful and durable. This will last me a long time, I can feel the difference in it. If your'e like me and bake often but don't have the space for a big stand mixer than this is the mixer for you!! I do wish that the beaters were a little bit more heavy duty, but they do seem to do the job just fine and they can always be replaced.

Good tool!
We have used this hand mixer tirelessly for the last 10 years without any problems. It is a solid performer and has whipped up many cakes and cookies without hesitation. The motor churns confidently today as it did the day we started using it. Don't buy this mixer if you are looking for something to keep for only a few years...this will probably last a lifetime!

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ParaFlexx Premium 11x11 Paraflexx Sheet: use with Excalibur



Good, but too expensive
This item is great, but you only get one and the shipping fee is $10.00 so I paid over $20 for one sheet.

Shocking
I ordered what I thought were at least five sheets for the five tray dehydrator I ordered at the same time. Like the previous reviewer, all I got was one sheet - for $8 plus shipping and a 10% drop ship fee. It came by mail. I kept checking the envelope for more sheets because I couldn't believe it. I double checked the listing and it does say one sheet, but it doesn't state it all that clearly. DEBNROO should be ashamed of themselves. For one sheet this is a rip off. I wish there were minus stars.

Paraflexx Sheet
I gave this as a gift. The person recieving it was thrilled with it and said she would use her Excalibur more often now that the sheets will make drying things easier. Thanks for having it available.

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Town Food Service 10 Inch Stainless Steel Steamer



Disappointing Product
I received the steamer and there was no cover as shown in the picture. Very disappointing. Now I would have to go out and buy a cover?? I returned the product as I did not feel the price was worth it without a cover.

Image Feedback
I bought the smaller one and that doesn't come with lid either. I just sent an "image feedback" regarding this type of item indicating extra parts are included in the image and the response I received was: "We have determined that no change needs to be made to the product image you have specified." At least these reviews can help. (thanks for posting.)

Not pleased at all
I received the product and found out it was not as pictured. It did not contain the lid and was no different than a strainer

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SANYO GOPAN Premium White SPM-RB1000(W)



Very easy to use
I have only had my Gopan for a few days. This first couple days our Japanese friend was helping us to translate some of the basic instructions and the recipe for the gluten free rice bread. Once we understood the basic settings, and which measuring cups/spoons that came with it were what we needed, it was very easy.

For the Gluten Free Rice Bread, there are very few ingredients needed. Rice, rice powder, water, sugar, salt, olive oil and yeast. We are trying to make a yeast free / gluten free bread, so it's just a little bit more difficult than the regular gluten free bread. Our first attempt with a yeast substitute didn't work out. Our second attempt with a yeast substitute did work, but the bread needed a little bit more leavening. However, it was edible, just a little more dense than it should have been and a little undercooked, due to the density. I warmed it up a little, put some oil and salt on it, and my kids loved it. My husband and I tried it too and both thought...

Needs step down transformer for use in USA
Until an American version of this product is released, this is what we have to work with. I've used several appliances in the U.S. that were made for Japan, and anything with a logic board will need a step-down transformer. You MUST use the transformer or you WILL FRY it - frying the board is not something you want to do after making an investment like this. MUST, MUST, MUST.

Good product but poor User manual because only in Japanese.
The product looks good and performs well but the User manual supplied was only in Japanese. I requested Supplier to assist on a basic English version of the User manual but received no response. So it was little like experimenting in the dark. After 4 tries we managed to eat an edible gluten free rice bread but i feel with a 100% correct recipe the taste & texture should improve. Now still looking for an English translation of the User manual especially the 100% correct recipe to make good tasting & good texture rice bread. Hoping to get there with some assistance from existing Users.

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Burton Black Mini/Max Portable Burner



Great Camp Stove
It's small, light, doesn't stink and works well. Not for cold weather camping, but who wants to sleep in the cold anyway. Feeding a family of four is easy with this.





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Zojirushi Cd-juc22fs Micom 2.2-liter Water Boiler and Warmer



Love this machine!
What a workhorse! So easy to use especially for elderly persons - no more lifting of a heavy water pot. We plug it in when we get up and don't unplug it until bedtime. Awesome machine!

Great Product, Reasonably Priced!
This quality product is great for keeping hot water on hand for making instant coffee, a cup of tea, a bowl of oatmeal or other hot cereal, and several other kitchen tasks that require hot water. I especially like the fact that you can keep your water temperature constant all day and that you can control the temperature by utilizing the three settings on the pot. GREAT PRODUCT!



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Aroma AEW-305 6.5-quart Electric Wok



Love it!
I chose to give this product a five star because of the reasonable price, would have been even happier if the shipping weren't so high but I must admit it is worth every penny, I used it immediately and I love it, I'm not a person who likes to cook and this is just what I NEED...I really do recommend it.





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NOSTALGIA ELECTRICS SM-500RED SLIDER MAKER - RED



cool
its sticks more during cooking than expected. did not come with the scoop to measure how much meat to cook at one time.





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Aroma Housewares ADF-189 Professional Stainless-Steel Deep Fryer



very good,odor isssue but very practical,odd "magnetic electric cable"
Ok,this is a practical unit,makes good french fries,very easy to clean BUT :I have to use it outdoors if I want to avoid the oil smell that is pretty strong despite the 2 filters,electric cable is "magnetic" and is very "delicate" ,it will fall a lot of times if you move just a little the unit.Good for the money but this cable is a nuissance.

bought this 3 years ago!
Bought this product three years ago and we are still using it! This is a great fryer for the price!

It works well
Really, the only negative things about this thing would be the same for all deep fryers - cleanup sucks. It's nice and big... bigger than the average home fryer, but not too big that it takes up too much space.

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Big Bowl Electric Tart Burner - Beige Clay



Love the big bowl.
I bought this tart burner on Amazon and loved it. The bowl is so big that you could melt all eight squares plus some. I liked it so much I bought a second one from Tartburners (the same brand) and it does not seem to get hot enough there is always unmelted wax close to the edge of the bowl even if I only put one or two cubes. I was thinking maybe something is wrong with the bulb. I will replace and update the review later.





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MLB San Francisco Giants Dorm Room Fridge



An inexpensive compact refrigerator with an expensive decal
First of all, I paid $76 for the refrigerator. These "dorm refrigerators" retail for $399 & upwards only because the have a team wrap or decal on the front door. The actual brand is not disclosed because of this. The model I received was made by Danby - DCR059 in black.Refer to the link below for product details.

Danby DCR059BLE 1.7 cu.ft. Compact Refrigerator - Black

Also good to know that this compact refrigerator normally sells for around $125.

The wrap on the front door is professionally done, but I plan on removing this later, as it just peels off. I was just looking for a compact black refrigerator and the wrap didn't matter. Although it was shipped in its original box, the product arrived with only a slight bend in the leveling leg. This box was just not mean't to be shipped around the county. Once unpacked it started right up and began cooling.

For me, this fit...

Meets Expectations
Has lots of room but the compressor when running is very noisy. I only mention it because it was for my bedroom.
$75 was awesome price for brand new.

MY SON LOVED IT!
A GIFT FOR MY 16 YR OLD DIE HARD GIANTS FAN--HE LOVED IT--WE LIVE IN MA SO GIANTS ITEMS ARE HARD TO COME BY. SAW THIS ON AMAZON AND KNEW IT WOULD BE PERFECT FOR HIM.

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Back to Basics SIT4660 Hawaii Ice Snow Shredder Electric Ice Shaver



Good value for a low price
Easy to use, and easy clean up with not much fuss. Seems to work better with a circle of ice made from the plastic freezing cup rather than ice cubes. Takes a minute or two for the blade to catch onto the ice sometimes and get going, but it does shave the ice nice and fluffy.

Snow Takes Patience
I don't know what I expected but I think I expected a little more than I got. To be clear, the machine does make nice fluffy snow out of ice cubes and, when used with syrups makes a very nice summer treat. But, you have to be patient, you have to have a little muscle, and ear plugs might be nice as it creates quite a few decibels transforming hardened cubes into snow. It's probably worth $20 (although I paid $29.99 for it at Target...should've researched first.)

GREAT FOR SHAVED, FLUFFY ICE IN A HURRY!
As a whole, I love this ice shredder. It includes 2 ice cups for freezing ice and also for using when shredding ice. I tried this with several ice cubes and it did ok, but better when using one of the frozen ice cups. Overall, I like this product, however, it is bulky and did not do as well when using regular ice cubes. If it had not been for that, I would have given this product a 5.

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Open Country Food Drying With An Attitude, Book



Food drying
This is a great food drying book. It shows you how to dry your food without the use of sulfites. This is done naturally. I love it. Thanks.





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GSI Quality Electric Rechargeable Stainless-Steel Wine Bottle Corkscrew Opener Gift Set With IR Thermometer And Fancy Foil Cutter - Opens Bottle Automatically In Seconds!



Disappointed
Initially, I was very happy, but after 2 months, the corkscrew unit started leaning in the charger and no longer charging. No longer of any use. I bought it because it was advertised as "stainless steel," but it is plastic and quit functioning like cheap plastic products frequently do.

GSI Wine Bottle opener
The temperature indicator does not read the wine temperature, it does however read the room temperature. It is not stainless steel as indicated in the discription, rather black plastic. Otherwise the opener works fine.

Sweet Wine Opener
First off, I love that it's stainless steel, looks real classy. Opens wine with a push of a button, so simple.
Having the built in thermometer is one feature similar products, comparable in price, did not come with, a big plus. Long lasting charge, charges quickly, and the foil cutter makes opening a breeze. A great gift, I'm so happy with it!

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17pc Party Blender



Party Blender compatible with Magic Bullet
My Magic Bullet broke after many years of daily use. Actually, it was a black plastic piece on the motor shaft that the blade assembly nestles onto that broke. I didn't think that super-glueing it back together would work due to the pressure exerted on that piece. So off I went to buy a new motor.
Prices of motors alone (on eBay) were about the same as buying this entire Cookinex set, so I went for this set. If you look closely, it appears to have an identical motor to the Magic Bullet, so I took my chances.
I am now happy to say that it IS completely compatible.
1 - the blade assembly from Magic Bullet fits onto the Cookinex motor and turns on properly.
2 - the cups from the Magic Bullet set screw onto the blade assembly for the Cookinex. I tested the connection and there was no leakage.
All parts are interchangeable, so now I have some pretty new cups as well as a fully functional motor replacement for my Magic Bullet.
Hurray!

not the best
It doesn't work as good as the magic bullet. my blades keep getting stuck when i barely have anything in there.

Nice unit!
We use it mostly to mix shakes and chopping up nuts and spices. It chops with ease and only binds up on really hard things. All in all this unit works pretty well. The only thing I wish is that it had handles on the cups, but I guess it's no big deal.

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Omega OSD30 Commercial 1/2-Horsepower Drink Dispenser with 3 3-Gallon Containers



Works nicely, looks good
Bought this for my small restaurant which serves fresh squeezed fruit cocktails. This is the perfect machine to show off what we do in a handsome housing without looking cheesy. It refrigerates very nicely and keeps the product moving so the pulp doesn't settle. Just a couple of small issues are that 1. the spigots work via gravity, rather than springs, which means the product flow doesn't stop as cleanly as it could when finishing a pour. And 2. I would have liked some replacement tank gaskets (which seal the product into the tanks where they surround the cooling cylinders) - as thin as they are, I'm guessing they may need fairly regular replacement, and could be prone to tearing over time when removing the tanks for cleaning (this has yet to be proven though).

great
got this for a client, i found it quite big, very heavy, but it does its job very well.

what you see is what you get.



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12 Volt Portable RV Refridgerator 12v Freezer Truck Fridge Car Portable Electric Boat Fridge (2-Year Warranty)



nice fridge
I just purchased an Engel MR040 fridge/freezer based on the companies' reputation and consumer reviews of Engel. Product looks very durable and cools quickly and relatively quietly.

I bought the unit to install in the cuddy of my boat, to be fixed mounted with the Engel transit slide mount.

Following the instructions that came with the transit slide mount I removed the rubber corner protectors and installed the 4 round mounting feet.

Problems -

The problem is that on the compressor side of the unit the round feet come in contact with bolt heads on the bottom of the unit, and the round feet will not sit flush against the bottom of the unit. I fixed that by notching the feet so that they would clear the bolt heads.

Also, one of the bolts that secures the round feet the unit on the compressor side when tightened makes contact with something inside the unit causing a loud noise from the fan (since the rubber corners were removed I...





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