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KitchenAid KSC700GC 7-Quart Slow Cooker, Gloss Cinnamon Red
From KitchenAid

New KitchenAid Slow Cooker offers unparalled food safety and convenience. Programmable electronic timer with 5 cooking settings provide users with the flexibility to Keep Warm, Simmer or cook on Low, High or Auto settings. Cooker switch automatically to Keep Warm mode after program timer expires. LED lights provide a 3 Digit display with countdown cook timer for easy to program functions. 400 Watts of power and electronic temperature sensor deliver accurate temperature setting and rapid warm up of food for safety. Ob-round, ergonomic flared rim ceramic insert helps capture condensation while providing an elegant look and solid grip area. Quart markings on interior of cooking insert easily measure food servings. Glass lid with silicone soft seal to maintain moisture during cooking and prevent edge chipping. Ergonomic cool-touch handle assures a confident grip.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93745 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Color: Gloss Cinnamon
• Brand: KitchenAid
• Model: KSC700GC
• Dimensions: 10.00" h x 19.00" w x 15.00" l,

Combining traditional cooking with the latest technology, this versatile 7-quart slow cooker is ideal for preparing soups, casseroles, pot roasts, and curries. The unit's 400 watts of power and electronic temperature sensor deliver fast pre-heating and accurate temperature settings. A 10-hour programmable timer with three-digit digital display allows users to easily program cook times to fit their schedule. Five cooking options include auto, high, low/simmer, buffet, and keep warm, plus the unit can be set to automatically switch over to its "keep warm" setting after the cooking time has ended in order to keep food at an ideal serving temperature.

The slow cooker's "ob-round" removable ceramic cooking pot provides interior quart markings that aid in adding ingredients and a flared rim for easy handling, pouring, and catching of lid condensation. Its glass lid is designed with a silicone soft seal to maintain moisture during cooking, prevent edges from chipping, and reduce noise. The slow cooker's cool-touch handles are large and simple to grip, and the housing handles are secured with three screws for extra durability and reliability. Other highlights include a three-prong round cord, four large non-slip feet, a wall standoff rear bumper, and integrated cord storage. In addition, an aluminum inner liner, with a gently curved bottom that wipes clean easily, fits flush over the unit's exterior housing to prevent food or spills from getting trapped inside. The slow cooker measures 14-1/2 by 19 by 9-4/5 inches and carries a one-year hassle-free replacement warranty.

BEWARE!! - My crock cracked during 3rd use
After my experience, I looked up KitchenAid's website. There they have a forum and a special thread for those who have had their crocks crack. Some people are on their 3rd replacement and the crocks are cracking in the same place every time.

MY REVIEW:
I bought this KitchenAid slow cooker in black and I really had to talk myself into buying it because it was so expensive. I kept telling myself you get what you pay for. Well, tonight I want to cry because I had just started a pork roast to cook overnight. After leaving the kitchen, my husband and I both heard a loud pop. I went back and found my slow cooker leaking liquid all over the place. I took out the crock, turned it upside-down and found a winding crack all along the bottom.

I've only owned my KitchenAid slow cooker for about 2 weeks and the crack occurred during the third time I used it. At this point I don't know if I want a replacement slow cooker directly from KitchenAid or whether I want to return the slow cooker to Amazon for a refund. If I got a replacement, I would be nervous to leave it on overnight or when I leave home, which is the whole benefit of having a slow cooker. Worrying about your slow cooker that has a retail price of $150 doesn't seem like a very good value to me.

Great slow cooker
After my old Rival slowcooker stopped working, i decided to get one that didn't boil or run so hot. And I wanted a bigger one.

The KitchenAid one cost more (take 25 off with Amazon) but I like that it has a simmer setting that is great for soups.

Pluses: Huge. The lid seals to the pan so no steam escapes. Digital timer. Looks nice. Programmable timer. Cool on outside. Maintains proper temperature.

I've cooked twice with it and the results were excellent.

The prior reviewer commented it was too heavy to take to potluck with her. Well..yeah. Get something smaller for that. It's absurd to rank this product based on that.

excellent slow cooker
My less than 2yo rival slow cooker died, so I started shopping and this Kitchen Aid had so many great features. I love the large capacity for family meals. For its first test run I made the Chipolte Chicken Drummettes recipe that came with the cooker. They were excellent; we especially liked the countdown timer for when the kids were asking how long until dinner!
Then Sunday my family decided about 1 in the afternoon they wanted stew for dinner, so I put it to the test loaded it up with veggies thawed, browned added the meat and kicked it on high temp. at 2 pm by 6 it was looking good. Now for the real challenge cooking dumplings on top. Mixed my dumplings plopped them on left the lid off for the first 10 minutes of cooking plopped the lid on for 10 more minutes of cooking and they were done! This is the first slow cooker I've ever owned that could actually cook the dumplings in just 20 minutes (my rival took an hour and still parts were doughy) Stew was excelent evenly cooked, and on high temp no burned spots.

Ceramic pot is easy to clean- seal on lid easy to remove and wash plus the seal kept steam from condensing on cupboard above cooker too.
As to the weight of the product, yes, it is heavy but it is the ceramic pot adding most of the weight any ceramic crock or bowl of 7 quart size is going to be heavy.

   

Hamilton Beach 24708 Toastation 4-Slice Toaster and Oven
From Hamilton Beach

Why crowd your countertop with a toaster and a toaster oven? Have it all in one appliance with the Hamilton Beach Four-Slice TotalStation™. It includes two extra-wide slots on top that fit four slices of bread or the halves of two bagels. The oven is equally spacious with enough capacity for four large pizza slices or a 9-inch personal pizza. The switch from toaster to oven is easy. With the slide of a lever, the toaster slots are sealed, trapping heat for great baking performance. The controls are familiar, with a temperature control and a shade selector on the front and a push-down lever on the side for the toaster. With stylish metal accents, the Four-Slice TotalStation™ fits nicely on any countertop. The TotalStation™ comes with auto shutoff, ready signal and a baking tray.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1226 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: Medium
• Color: Black
• Brand: Hamilton Beach
• Model: 24708
• Dimensions: 9.30" h x 14.60" w x 17.50" l,

Save on counter space with this two-in-one appliance. The unit functions as both a traditional toaster and as a toaster oven. As a toaster, it provides two 1-1/2-inch-wide toasting slots that can fit up to four slices of bread, four frozen waffles, or the halves of two bagels or English muffins. Simply drop in the item to be toasted, adjust the shade setting by turning the control knob, and push down the lever on the side for the toaster. A convenient "cancel" button stops the toasting at any time. Easily switch from the toaster function to the oven by sliding the lever on the front of the unit. This will seal the toaster slot and trap in the heat. The oven provides a temperature-control knob for just the right amount of heat, and its spacious interior will accommodate chicken nuggets, French fries, or even a 9-inch pizza. Other thoughtful details include automatic shutoff for safety, a "ready" signal, and a removable crumb tray for quick cleanup. With its sleek, stylish look in a compact design, the four-slice toaster and oven combination unit measures 17-1/2 by 14-3/5 by 9-2/7 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

Great combined features
I had a cheap toaster over for years. Nothing fancy, just a timer knob. My husband was consantly using it to toast slices of bread in the morning for his breakfast, but would burn things. So I saw this toaststation and figured it would fit both our needs, mine for the oven feature to reheat pizza slices and for him the toaster.
It works beautifully. The oven tray is really long and it heats up to 450 degrees. And the toaster function is great. It even has a cancel switch if you have your setting to high just push the button and the toast pops up.
The only draw back I can see is that the clearance in the oven isn't very high. So you won't be able to put in items over 2 inches high. So it's not like you are going to roast a turkey in there, but a french bread pizza fits just fine.
All in all we are really enjoying it. It's great to have one appliance that fits two needs all in one compact space.

Great toaster oven, not very good toaster
I really like the toaster oven portion, it is very deep and cooks very well. Very fast and even cooking. I also like the size of the oven, it does not take up too much room on your countertop. It also looks nice, the one drawback of the oven portion is that it kind of narrow from top to bottom, so items cooked in it have to be fairly flat or the tops may burn. Overall it is really nice, though.

However, the toaster portion on top is not so good, it toasts the bottom half of the bread first and to avoid burning you have to flip the bread over halfway through the toasting cycle. To me that is a big negative hence the 2 stars, I don't think I would buy this again without them working out these kinks.

Very good toaster oven/toaster
I have had this Toaststation for about a month and am very happy with it. Toaster ovens are a hit and miss item for this household....we had an old Black and Decker for 15 years, but quality has gone down since then. This 4 slice toaster and oven makes really good toast - evenly brown (not easy on a toaster oven) and although I haven't baked any cupcakes, the items I have put in the oven have been done to my satisfaction.

   

Sharp R-308KW 1-Cubic-Foot 1100-Watt Microwave Oven, White
From Sharp

Sharp R-308KW 1100 Watts White Microwave

• Amazon Sales Rank: #222638 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Color: White
• Brand: Sharp
• Model: R-308KW
• Dimensions: 11.88" h x 20.50" w x 17.75" l, 38.00 pounds

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is!
We bought this microwave as a replacement for our old Sharp Carousel II, which finally quit working after more than twelve years of trouble-free daily use. With such a stellar track record, we naturally chose to replace our old oven with the nearest current model of the same brand. Unfortunately, during those dozen years or so that we were enjoying our little workhorse of a microwave, the engineers at Sharp were busy "improving" the design of the carousel II, evidently under the guidance of some ill-advised focus group or warranty questionnaire data. The end result of this re-engineering is a miserable failure; let me ennumerate:

1. Despite having the same wattage and internal dimensions, the new model has substantially larger external dimensions; thus our new model hangs over the edge of the same shelf which accommodated our old microwave with room to spare.

2. Numerous "features" have been added to the controls (melt, soften, warm) which seem at first glance like they would be useful, but in actual practice are needlessly complicated. If you buy this oven, you will want to have the owner's manual laminated, because you will need to refer to it often if you want to use these "features." For instance, to soften cream cheese, you press the "soften" key, then the "2" key (for cream cheese), the the indicator next to "Qty" begins to flash in the display, at which point you indicate the quantity by pressing "2" once for 3 ounces, or by pressing "2" twice for 8 ounces! Confused yet? Read on! To use this thing to melt butter, press the "melt" key, then "1" for butter, then "1" once for 2 Tablespoons, or "1" twice for 1/2 cup. In the time it takes to do key in the sequence to melt two Tablespoons of butter, you could just hit "start" and watch the butter till it melts! Actually, that was the old model; this one has a separate button marked "minute plus" which does the same thing, but has the added advantage of being a separate button.

3. Power levels are no longer easily adjustable; on our old model (remember, same manufacturer, same price point), to cook food for two minutes at 50% power, I would enter "200" then "power" then "5" and hit start. On the "new and improved" model, I have to enter "200" then press the "power level" key SIX TIMES (or press and hold "power Level" and wait for the display to slooowly count down to the desired level) then hit start! I used to occasionally run our old microwave for a few minutes on zero percent power after cooking something like a casserole that produced a lot of steam; it was an easy way to dry out the interior of the oven and remove lingering food odors. With the asinine design of the new model, though, this procedure requires 15 keystrokes instead of the 6 used by the old model. Needless to say, I don't consider this to be a design improvement.

4. FOUR settings for POPCORN?!? Give me a break! You stop the oven when the corn stops popping; it's not rocket science!

5. Quality assurance on this thing is (how can I put this diplomatically?) sub-par; within three months of purchase, our oven has become possessed, and will randomly start running without being touched, and without any keypad entry. Careful experimentation has shown that gentle upward pressure on the closed door will cause the oven to start and run until the pressure is released. We just leave the oven door open now.

In summary, had I known what a POS this thing was going to turn out to be, I would have just put a new magnetron in the old microwave! If anyone in the product development dept. at Sharp is reading this, please tell everyone at work to dig up the design from 1990; you had it right back than, and you shouldn't have messed with success! My next microwave will be an Emerson.

Fabulous microwave
I don't know what happened with the 1-star person's microwave, but we got this microwave 2 years ago as a wedding present and have been very happy with it. My husband was a little confused by the settings at first, but I wasn't confused by anything. Maybe I'm just warped enough to understand 'complicated' appliances.

The special cook/defrost/reheat settings all work well. We use this microwave to soften butter (40% for about 20 seconds), defrost chicken, and reheat leftovers. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you understand how the settings work it's really, really easy to cook things and use the special settings. We've never used any of the "shortcut" buttons, nor have we ever cooked popcorn in the microwave.

Timer: Enter time, hit "timer/clock"

Clock: Hit "timer/clock", enter time, hit "timer/clock again"

Add a minute: Hit "minute plus" and it will either add a minute or start cooking for a minute on 100% power.

Adjusting the power level: after you enter in the cooking time, hit the "power level" button. It starts at 100 and counts down by 10s.

Cook something: Select "cook", press number that corresponds with option, press that number again for qty or whatever.
Defrost: Select "defrost", press number that corresponds with option, enter weight.
Reheat: Select "reheat", press number that corresponds with option, press that number again for qty or whatever.

If you're not sure what you're supposed to be measuring (cups, lbs, qty) a little black bar shows up on the right side of the screen that tells you what information you're supposed to be providing.

The one thing I did not like about the microwave is you can't adjust the power settings while the microwave is running. You have to cancel it and restart it (unless there's some kind of special setting I don't know about. I never read the manual.) I just pulled out my operation manual and it specifically lists out how to do all of the automatic features if you don't want to do everything manually. If the 1-star reviewer had read the manual, they might not be so confused about the microwave's special settings.

This microwave seems to have always done everything right when I know how to use the features. Like I said, we've had this microwave for 2 years and have been very happy with it.

Very Good Microwave!
We've had this unit for several months now, and I see why people talk about the user friendliness of Sharp Microwaves. Everything is easy and obvious except lowering the power setting. That stumped me until I broke out the manual. Now I like the way that works, too.

The unit has more power than we need and a surprising amount of room inside. My only critique is that the display is black lettering on white background with no backlight. It is hard to read, sometimes.

   

KitchenAid KMTT400SS 4-Slice Metal Toaster, Brushed Stainless Steel
From KitchenAid

The KitchenAid 4 Slice Metal Toaster is an attractive and durable addition to any kitchen. Toast the thickest bagels and English muffins perfectly using the industry's most advanced bagel toasting function. Baker's Bagel¿ Toasting gently browns the bottom of the bagel while toasting the sides that are sliced. One-touch button automatically sets toaster for warm function to warm previously toasted items without additional browning. The easy to use dial knob with detented stops controls toasting levels with precision ¿ turn the dial knob clockwise for darker toast, counterclockwise for lighter. Precice toasting with the Even-Heat¿ System. Extra-thick mica boards hold the heavy gauge heating elements flat, for even browning. A heat sensor ensures consistent toasting slice after slice. Extra-wide slots handle the thickest bagels, breads, and pastries easily. A gentle lift on the side Easy Lift¿ lever will cancel toasting and raise the toast. Thick or thin breads are centered perfectly on self-centering bread racks for even toasting. Metal construction for added durability and style. Heat shields inside the toaster help keep the Cool Reach¿ exterior steel side panels cooler. Features a steel interior which offers the ultimate in durability and adds consistency to toasting. Extra-deep toasting cavity helps ensure even browning. Full-width, rugged steel crumb tray removes easily and is dishwasher-safe. Under base cord wrap keeps counter neat. Includes KitchenAid's One year Hassle Free Replacement Warranty.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1448 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: 4 slice
• Color: Stainless Steel
• Brand: KitchenAid
• Model: KMTT400SS
• Released on: 2006-06-01
• Dimensions: 8.00" h x 13.00" w x 11.00" l, 12.00 pounds

Combining classic style with modern electronic technology, this all-metal four-slice toaster features extra-wide 1-1/2-inch slots with self-centering racks that accommodate thick bagels, breads, and pastries. The toaster's simple-to-use shade-control knob with dented stops controls toasting levels with precision--turn the knob clockwise for darker toast or counterclockwise for lighter. Extra-thick mica boards hold the heavy-gauge heating elements flat for even browning, while an Even-Heat system with an electronic sensor ensures consistent toasting slice after slice.

For added convenience, the unit offers an exclusive Baker's Bagel function that toasts the sliced side of bagels while gently warming the crust, plus a reheat setting that warms previously toasted items without additional browning. A gentle lift on the Easy Lift lever will cancel the cycle and raise the toast. Other highlights include a cool-touch exterior, a round power cord, under-base cord wrap, and non-marring silicone feet, as well as a full-width dishwasher-safe removable crumb tray. To keep the shiny metal exterior surface looking brand-new, simply wipe with a damp cloth and avoid the use of abrasive cleansers. Available in a variety of fashionable colors, the toaster measures 12-3/5 by 11 by 8 inches and carries a one-year hassle-free replacement warranty.

5 stars for Support, 4 stars for performance
Note: I was not able to change the rating from my first review which was based on a defective toaster. The new rating should be 5 stars. We've discovered the best bagel toaster ever!

In my first review I said I'd be back when KitchenAide sent a replacement toaster. Not only did the one I ordered from Amazon not toast, the stainless steel stained with fingerprints and smudges of all things. That was three weeks ago. The replacement came last week, and I'm quite satisfied with the new one. It does not retained smudges and fingerprints and, more important, it toasts just fine. I especially like the way it handles bagels -- crisp on the outside, toasted on the inside.

It still has a minor "problem" with English muffins which I don't understand, and buyers note that you have to use the "bagel setting: to toast English muffins. Still, they need a higher setting, perhaps because they're thinner than bagels and regularly sliced bread.

Why not 5 stars? Because it takes so long to toast anything, or seemingly so. Up to two minutes for some breads, not that I don't have two minutes to spare in my lifetime, but timing eggs and other breakfast items so that the toast is ready at the same time will take some getting used to.

How soon we forget: I can't remember how long it took to toast in a toaster over, so this may be unfair to KitchenAide. In fact, I'll go 4.5 stars because on top of the design (classic rather than full of gadgets - I half expected another timer and clock to be in the kitchen), it has really good stainless steel AND the sides remain cool even while toasting. Yep, 4.5 stars. What would it take for 5 stars? I miss the old "Ping!" when toast popped up on our last toaster. That was 35 years ago, so maybe that was my imagination.

One last and very important note: We did not return this toaster to Amazon. We wanted a toaster, so we called KitchAide, and KitchenAide deserves a 5 in customer relations. They sent a new toaster and a prepaid UPS return label. There were no questions, no third degree. Just good old-fashioned customer relations, and I do mean OLD-fashioned. (P.S. I rate very few companies for that kind of customer relations: the "new" Dell; Amazon; and now KitckenAide.)

Better than one may think.
At first glance the price kept me away from this toaster. Being a Kitchen Aid Nut kept bringing me back. The five star rating isn't unusual for Kitchen Aid Products. The moment my wife saw the order(ed) form, she nearly passed out. She fussed for a few days,(the one hundred dollars for a toaster was unheard of) even AFTER testing the toaster for a few times. Now that her blood pressure is about normal (food usually tastes better when our body is functioning normally) she agrees that the toaster is worth the money. WOW!!! THAT in itself is a story worthy of the evening news! The toaster is great,the variation of settings is wonderful and the quality is, of course, Kitchen Aid. English muffins are the best ever!!!
Try one for yourself, you'll like it and may even be proud of yourself. It truly is worth the money.

Very Satisfied
This is one toaster thats a bargain for the money. Very well constructed with quality stainless body, removable crumb tray, oversized controls, and thick commercial electric cord. This is no small toaster! Toasting different breads was easy, and it toasted to perfection. I have found the best setting of shade control (10 settings) at 4 for perfect results. I have looked at almost every toaster in the 20-100 dollar range with disapointing results, until I seen the Kitchen Aid. I highly reccommend it!

   

Convection Cookery: A Guide to Using the New Countertop Ovens
By Caroline Kriz