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Archive through February 07, 2005

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: Home and Garden (ARCHIVES): Small appliances--best and worst: Archive through February 07, 2005 users admin

Author Message
Catfat
Member

02-27-2002

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 10:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Which small appliances have you found to be useful or even necessary? Which are never used or even cause more work than they save?
Most useful--George Foreman grill. I use this literally every day, to cook breakfast bacon or sausage, to grill meat and vegetables, it barely even cools off. Also I like my new GE toaster oven with rotisserie and teflon lining.
Least useful--bread machine, salad spinner, juicer which takes an hour to clean

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Cat, I am assuming you are looking for gift ideas, right?
On my counter for frequent use: kettle, toaster, coffee machine, big mixer, knife stand with very good chef's knives
coming out of the cabinets often: Oxo salad spinner (we eat lots of salads and I can wash the greens a couple of days in advance), mandoline, hand mixer with a small chopper/food processor attachment, digital scales (love those), Tupperware knife sharpener
occasionally used appliances: big food processor, waffle iron, large coffee maker, ice tea maker
waiting for cob webs in the garage: juicer, sandwich maker, bread machine, huge George Forman, noodle maker, flat electric grill

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 12:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
my new melitta one:one coffee maker. it makes one cup at a time with enclosed pods. no cleanup, no mess!

Lumbele
Member

07-12-2002

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 1:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
ooooh-oooooh (in best Horseshack manner), I forgot the best piece of equipment I use practically every day - my 3 quart pressure cooker.

Max
Member

08-12-2000

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 2:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Not really an appliance, but I love my French Coffee Press and use it every morning. Best coffee ever. :-)

I keep my small George Foreman Grill on the counter because it gets used often (I live alone and it's the perfect size for me).

I have a bread machine that makes a small loaf that's perfect for me. I use that about every other week. I do have a full-sized one that's gathering dust.

My Kitchenaid mixer stays out, too. This time of year, it gets used a lot for making cookies for the church cookie sale and other goodies for pot luck festivities. The rest of the year it gets used sporadically, but it's beautiful on my counter. :-)



Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Monday, November 29, 2004 - 8:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
George Foreman grill is ALWAY used! (and out on the counter)

Stir Crazy popcorn popper is usually out on the counter.

Pizza stone is always handy (not really and appliance).

Crock pot is used a lot, too.


Don't use: icemaker in the freezer.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Tuesday, November 30, 2004 - 1:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Regular use: Coffee maker, microwave oven, blender\food processer, electric can opener with knife sharpener, toaster, ice maker\filtered water dispenser

Occasional use: hand mixer, waffle iron, electric knife

Wish I had: garbage disposal

Got rid of: popcorn popper, large electric griddle,

Karen
Member

09-07-2004

Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 1:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think the most rediculous 'home appliance' I've seen -- and no offence meant to anyone who owns one or would like to -- is the Black & Decker Automatic Jar Opener. For one thing, it's $40, and second, it looks HUGE.

Now, for my jars... I've got a little gizmo my Grandfather, of all people, made for me. IT is two small pieces of wood stuck together in a 'V' shape, and up the inside of one of the sides of the V, there is a serrated blade, I believe stolen from a box of Saran Wrap. This thing is less than 8" long and less than 5" wide, lays flat less than one inch high, and it screws underneath my kitchen cupboard. Just slide your jar into the mouth of it and twist. Presto. You don't even know it's there, and it'll open anything from a beer bottle to the econo size mayo.

Karen
Member

09-07-2004

Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 1:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
For the topic at hand... I use my coffee pot, electic griddle, electric wok, blender and mixer all the time.

Only use the waffle iron occasionally but I'll never get rid of it.

Got rid of the electric chopper gizmo thingys -- a big knife or a grater works so much better.

Melfie1222
Member

07-29-2002

Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 7:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
My Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Pot gets regular use, and my Crockpot. George Foreman every once in awhile. I don't make coffee at home anymore but when I did I loved my little Krups coffee grinder, now I use it to make breadcrumbs.

Denecee
Member

09-05-2002

Wednesday, January 12, 2005 - 2:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'll chime in...
Use coffe maker, small mixer, toaster, blender, occasionaly the electric grader.
Don't use and wondering how to get rid of without hurting anyone's feelings:
ice cream maker, rotisserie

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Wednesday, January 12, 2005 - 4:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Denecee, you pack it back into it's box (or some unobtrusive adult diaper box) and stash it on a high shelf in the garage. Next year you take it down and swear you haven't used it in 'years' (2004 or 05) so you might as well donate it to the community center or hospice thrift store, or sell it in a garage sale!

Denecee
Member

09-05-2002

Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 12:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
You mean I can't re-gift?
Urgrace, you are so sweet!

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 1:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
or try FREE-CYCLE. it's a great way to deal with those kinds of things. you can check through yahoo groups to find a freecycle group in your area. http://groups.yahoo.com/ just put "freecycle" in the search area

Denecee
Member

09-05-2002

Thursday, January 13, 2005 - 4:42 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Cool, I'll go there now! thanks Landi

Kristylovesbb
Member

09-14-2000

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 10:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I am going to buy a new food processor. Hamilton Beach has an extra large, 14 cup, 450 watts for $60.00. I usually buy Kitchenaid appliances but this one is a lot cheaper. Should I stick with Kitchenaid or does this one sound like it would be pretty good. What does 450watts mean exactly. Kitchenaid's says .5 horsepower.

Zachsmom
Moderator

07-13-2000

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 7:25 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
bump for Kristy

Lucy
Member

10-08-2002

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 8:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kristy, I found this explanation of wattage vs. horsepower....

"Wattage is the amount of power the motor consumes. Horsepower is the amount of "power" or work that the motor can produce. To make a motor cheaper and keep the same work capacity, a company will be less rigorous in the motor construction yielding a less efficient motor."

When I compared the Hamilton Beach to the KitchenAid, it looks like the HB is 450 watts and the KA is 700 watts. I see what you mean about the KA being a lot more expensive, guess that's for the extra wattage. The HB got pretty good ratings though...I'm not much help, am I?

I'm planning on buying an indoor grill, and I'm thinking about buying the Hamilton Beach vs. the George Foreman. Once again, cost is a big factor.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 8:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
the kitchenaid has a good food processor


Kristylovesbb
Member

09-14-2000

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 8:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Zachsmom, Lucy and Landi. You have all been a lot of help. The processor I have now, believe it or not, I found at a yard sale for 5 bucks. I have used it for years but would like to update as it is definitely
an antique.

Lucy you have been a great deal of help. I searched everywhere trying to find the wattage of the KA and was unable to locate it. Again thanks you guys!

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Friday, February 04, 2005 - 11:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I have a Cuisinart food processor that I have easily had for 15 years, using it several times a week for everything from chopping salsa to mixing bread dough. It works today as well as the day I bought it. That's one of the main reasons I bought a Cuisinart blender to replace the old Hamilton Beach I gave my nephew.

My housemate had a small George Foreman grill on which we cooked turkey steaks last night. It worked great, heating quickly and cooking evenly.

Lucy
Member

10-08-2002

Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 12:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Kristy, I found the wattage information on the cooking.com site. It seems to be a great place to compare food processors.

Kristylovesbb
Member

09-14-2000

Monday, February 07, 2005 - 11:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks Prisonerno6, I have been doing some research on the Cuisinart. It seems they make a great food processor, plus my friend has one and swears by it.

Prisonerno6
Member

08-31-2002

Monday, February 07, 2005 - 3:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
You're welcome -- I have the Custom 11, which, as the name implies, has only an 11-cup capacity. But it's big enough to do a loaf of bread and the peppers for a whole batch of hot pepper jam, so I don't regret having the smaller size. I don't know if they even had the 14-cup when I got mine, it was so long ago.

Happymom
Member

01-20-2003

Monday, February 07, 2005 - 6:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Use every day: Coffee maker for hubby's coffee, blender for kid's fruit and cottage cheese smoothies, toaster oven (we don't have a toaster) for waffles, quesidillas, warming lots of things, love our salad spinner - use it almost every day, it has a handle like a lawn mower which gets pulled to make it spin and a push button stop. I also use the crock pot a few times a mo. Least used - bread machine. We also have a wok, George Foreman grill, rotisserie and waffle iron. I like all these and would use them more if I had more space in the kitchen. I have to keep them in a cupboard in the garage and things get stacked against the doors! I don't like having a lot of things on the counter. The coffee maker and toast oven are the only appliances here that stay on the counter.