Reviews Written By: A13MKSASQ6YWL7provided by Amazon.com |
 | ||
 | Calphalon Commercial Nonstick 10-Inch International Griddle/Crepe Pan | |
 | "Great heat distribution, terrific non-stick surface" | 2009-08-28 |
| I bought this pan about 5 years ago, but admittedly have only recently started using it because I frankly forgot that I owned it. So while the pan does not have 5 years of wear and tear, let me say that the non-stick properties are probably the best of any pan that I've used. Eggs and omelets pretty much slide right off.
Heat distribution is very uniform. I can cook at a lower heat with this pan than what I'd usually use. I'd recommend preheating it at a fairly low heat before using it and for a decent amount of time too. On my gas range's dial, I preheat it at about a 3 and then either cook at a 3 or dial the temp down to a 2.5 or so. I think that the key is to try to cook at a somewhat lower heat than what you might otherwise suppose and to preheat longer than usual. Clean up is a breeze. I often hold the pan under hot, running water immediately after cooking while the pan is still hot and it typically takes me about 30 seconds to clean it completely. The pan is heavy and appears to be very well constructed. I highly recommend this pan. At Amazon's sale price, it is a terrific value. | ||
 | Canon PowerShot SD850 IS Digital Elph Camera (8MP, 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom) | |
| "My favorite Canon camera to date" | 2009-06-25 |
| I am a huge fan of Canon cameras. They are durable, well-designed and the photo quality is anywhere from very good to excellent. I believe that the Canon SD850is is my 5th Canon camera and so far it's my favorite. I do admit to preferring the size factor of the SD1100 and the like, but I prefer the photo quality of the SD850is, even if it is a touch larger. I've used the macro setting on this camera pretty extensively, and I've never used a similar camera which allowed me to get up so close in macro without blurring or distortion. The image stabilization feature is also quite good. I recently took a boat ride to Mexico's Coronado Islands and in choppy waters with full zoom I was able to take terrific close-ups of the sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks. Battery life is also quite good and it's nice to be able to use SDHC memory cards with this camera. The optical viewfinder is also a big plus, as it seems like more and more manufacturers are eliminating them and there are times where they can come in extremely handy. All-in-all, it's yet another terrific camera from Canon and comes highly recommended. | ||
 | Jura-Capresso 13289 Impressa S7 Avantgarde Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center - Black | |
 | "A quality superautomatic espresso machine, but pricey" | 2009-06-25 |
| I've now owned the Jura Capresso S7 superautomatic espresso machine for several years, so I've had plenty of time to get to know the unit. As far as superautos go, it makes excellent espresso. Now do understand that the superautomatics are a compromise. You will likely never pour "The Crema of the Gods" that you *might* see every now and then with a quality manual machine. But this unit will give you very good shots with great consistency. Frothing milk is also a weak spot of many superautomatics, and the S7 is no exception. It simply doesn't have the horsepower of a quality manual machine to put out that super-dense froth replete with microbubbles. I've tried to froth both manually and also with the optional frother and I get the same so-so results. On the plus side, there are greater customization options than I've seen on any other superauto that I've used. You can control the temperature of water, the quantity of coffee, the quantity of coffee, the fineness of the grind and so on. The unit is very easy to clean, but be sure to wipe off the shower-like head with a damp paper cloth. There are many machines that are a major pain to clean, and the Jura-Capresso units really stand out as you merely drop in a cleaning tablet and follow the instructions. As a side note, the Jura-Capresso branded tablets are fairly pricey. Instead, I recommend the Ornex Cafiza tablets which are much, much cheaper and seem to do the exact same job. So it it worth a couple of grand? That's a very subjective question. Frankly, probably not. However, it is a quality machine that will last you a very long time. I do recommend it, despite the high price and a few aforementioned shortcomings. | ||
 | Char-Broil Patio Caddie Gas Grill | |
| "The best propane grill for small areas" | 2007-06-30 |
| I've owned the Char-Broil Patio Caddie for quite a few years and I am currently on my 2nd grill. For those looking for a compact grill to use on a small patio or balcony, I believe that this is the best grill that you'll find. I'm not sure if the other reviews mention this or not, but this grill does accept a full-size propane cannister, so you can just swap it out at your local drug or hardware store when it's empty. My grill did come with the smaller cannister, but I bought it quite awhile ago, so perhaps they no longer do. If yours doesn't, it's no great loss, in my view, because once again, I've never used the smaller cannister. Just get yourself a full-sized one and it will last a lot longer. The temperature gauge seems very accurate and the grill is quite durable. I figure that this grill should last you about 5-6 years, with regular use. I'd definitely recommend it and I'd also suggest buying the cover to keep it looking nice on the outside as well. | ||
 | Capresso C1300 Super Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center - silver, black | |
| "An outstanding machine at a good price." | 2005-03-28 |
| I have owned a number of espresso machines including Gaggia pump driven manual units, an Acquaviva commercial superautomatic machine, a Capresso C1000 and now the Capresso C1300. The best espresso was obtained from the manual (not a superauto) Gaggia. However, it was not consistent and a pain to keep clean.
The superautos are extremely convenient as one simply pushes a button or two and is rewarded with a very respectable espresso or cappuccino. One thing that I like about the C1300 is that I can actually get a legitimate 30 second pour with very good crema (the brownish-red foam on the top of the shot that tells you it's been done right). You're going to want to do a large to extra large shot and set the grinder to almost the finest setting. Remember than you can only adjust the grinder when it is actually grinding. Frothing milk is okay, but not the best. This is common as the superautos typically don't have the horsepower to pump out gobs of hot dry steam necessary for the microfoam that you can obtain with a high-end manual or commercial machine. However, it's good enough I suppose. One of the reasons that I bought a superauto was because keeping a manual machine clean was a lot of work. With the Capresso, it's quite easy to keep it clean. Simply dump out and wash the grounds tray when the display tells you to and drop a cleaning tablet in every now and then again when prompted by the display. The Capresso machines are much easier to keep clean than the Saeco/Starbucks units, which require removal of the brew head. Frankly, I'd rather not bother with that. Know thy self, as the old saying goes. Even though Capresso states that you do not need to use the Claris water filter if you use distilled water, I use the filter anyway. It's a small price to pay to keep your machine in good shape, in my opinion. If your unit ever breaks once it's out of warranty, Capresso will repair or replace it for a very reasonable price of $125 which includes return postage as of this writing. So if you ever need to fix it, you'll know in advance that repair costs aren't going to break the bank. FWIW, I never had one single problem with my C1000 and so far, the C1300 has been flawless. I feel that the C1300 is handsome and looks better in person than in the photos. The digital display has an attractive cobalt blue backlighting which is easily readable day or night. Most adjustments are pretty simple to figure out and are made via several dials on the face of the unit (one is behind a hidden door on the left side of the machine). It's a nice machine and throws a very respectable shot for a relatively moderate price. If it seems like a lot of money to spend on a "coffee maker", you probably won't feel this way after you use it for awhile. I use mine on a daily basis, making either crema coffee (espresso shots with hot water), cappuccino, or espresso. The Capresso C1300 is highly recommended! | ||
 | Black&Decker 9.6 volt DustBuster Cyclonic Hand Vac | |
| "This hand vac sucks like crazy (in a good way)..." | 2004-12-11 |
| This is the most powerful cordless hand vac that I have used. It will be replacing a Dirt Devil and I compared the two side-by-side. It isn't even close. The DustBuster just has so much more suction!
Also, this hand vac has a reusable permanent filter, which is not only likely to be more reliable than the disposable paper filters, but it's also going to be a lot cheaper as you don't continually have to buy replacement filters. Overall, it's an outstanding hand vac at a great price. Probably the best that you're going to find! | ||
 | Capresso C1000 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center with Claris Water Care System | |
| "Money well spent!..." | 2002-09-01 |
| I consider myself a pretty respectable amateur barista, having practiced the art for several years. Then, tiring of the mess, I wussed out and bought an Acquaviva 5500 superautomatic a few years back, mostly using Gaggia products. However, I have been unable to get parts for the Acquaviva and needed to do something, so decided to purchase a Capresso C1000 instead. The Capresso C1000 is identical to the Jura E55, and is also the same unit as the Jura E70/E75, less the digital display. The Capresso is also the same machine as the Krups Orchestro, so it's not a coincidence that they all look so similar! I bought the Capresso at Amazon.com. I think they wanted ($$$) for a new machine, or I could buy it "opened box" from "Final Call", and thus I did. The price was ($$$)[($$$$) including CA tax)] plus ($$$) for shipping. The description stated that the unit needed "cleaning", however while it did arrive with the box opened, it was nonetheless in new condition with all manuals and accessories. Final Call may have thought that it needed cleaning because there was a tiny bit of ground coffee in it, but I'm guessing that was from the testing at the factory and not from actual usage. If the unit was used, I don't think one could tell by inspecting it. To make a long story short, I like it. The quality of the shots is very good, in my view. This machine does not have a fancy digital display, but I'm not really sure that I need that. The C1000 doesn't deliver the "Crema of the Gods" as would a top barista with a manual machine, but the product it produces is extremely good. The unit is fairly quiet and is very easy to operate. It takes a little while to figure out which blinking lights mean what, but not too long. Usually, they're just letting you know that you need to run a cleaning cycle. My biggest complaint is that my VCR ate the video tape that Capresso provided and said tape killed my VCR! Maybe I'll give Capresso a call! Here's how easy it is to make an espresso: 1. Push appropriate button (assumes you've pre-set quanity of water and strength of shot). That's it! If you want to froth milk, buy a short stainless steel frothing pitcher, flip the steam switch, and insert the nozzle just below the surface working your way down slowly so it sounds like there's a lot of something going on in your pitcher. Careful, as you want to froth the milk and not boil it! After you froth the milk, idiot lights will instruct you to push one more button and that will bleed off the extra pressure and clear out the steam wand. There is little access to internal parts, so serious cleaning is The Capresso is excellent for frothing milk. Plenty of dry steam produces a very nice and dense result. Thus far, I'm very impressed with the C1000 Yeah, I wish there was more metal. Sure, I'd like access to the internals, but for the money it seems quite nice. I woke up this morning, turned the unit on, and literally about a minute or so later, I had a | ||
| Capresso C1000 Automatic Coffee and Espresso Center with Claris Water Care System | |
| "Money well spent..." | 2002-09-01 |
| I consider myself a pretty respectable amateur barista, having practiced the art for several years, mostly using Gaggia products. Then, tiring of the mess, I wussed out and bought an Acquaviva 5500 superautomatic a few years back, However, I have been unable to get parts for the Acquaviva and needed to do something, so decided to purchase a Capresso C1000 instead. The Capresso C1000 is identical to the Jura E55, and is also the same unit as the Jura E70/E75, less the digital display. The Capresso is also the same machine as the Krups Orchestro, so it's not a coincidence that they all look so similar! I bought the Capresso at Amazon.com. I think they wanted [$$$] for a new machine, or I could buy it "opened box" from "Final Call", and thus I did. The price was [$$$] ([$$$] including CA tax) plus [$$$] for shipping. The description stated that the unit needed "cleaning", however while it did arrive with the box opened, it was nonetheless in new condition with all manuals and accessories. Final Call may have thought that it needed cleaning because there was a tiny bit of ground coffee in it, but I'm guessing that was from the testing at the factory and not from actual usage. If the unit was used, I don't think one could tell by inspecting it. To make a long story short, I like it. The quality of the shots is very good, in my view. This machine does not have a fancy digital display, but I'm not really sure that I need that. The C1000 doesn't deliver the "Crema of the Gods" as would a top barista with a manual machine, but the product it produces is extremely good. The unit is fairly quiet and is very easy to operate. It takes a little while to figure out which blinking lights mean what, but not too long. Usually, they're just letting you know that you need to run a cleaning cycle. My biggest complaint is that my VCR ate the video tape that Capresso provided and said tape killed my VCR! Maybe I'll give Capresso a call! Here's how easy it is to make an espresso: 1. Push appropriate button (assumes you've pre-set quanity of water and strength of shot). That's it! If you want to froth milk, buy a short stainless steel frothing pitcher, flip the steam switch, and insert the nozzle just below the surface working your way down slowly so it sounds like there's a lot of something going on in your pitcher. Careful, as you want to froth the milk and not boil it! After you froth the milk, idiot lights will instruct you to push one more button and that will bleed off the extra pressure and clear out the steam wand. There is little access to internal parts, so serious cleaning is accomplished via cleaning tablets and such. It will be interesting to see how effective these cleaning tables are. One tip I can give you is if you order the cleaning tablets from Capresso, I believe you will get 10 tablets for [$$$]. However, if you order them from Jura, you'll get 25 tablets for [$$$] including shipping. I'll let you do the math. The Capresso is excellent for frothing milk. Plenty of dry steam produces a very nice and dense result. Thus far, I'm very impressed with the C1000 Yeah, I wish there was more metal. Sure, I'd like access to the internals, but for the money it seems quite nice. I woke up this morning, turned the unit on, and literally about a minute or so later, I had a respectable espresso with zero mess. There's something to be said for that! | ||
| © 2009 GoSale.com (S1) |