BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I owned two Bodum French presses and broke - and replaced - the glass
carafes for both of them. And then I broke them both again (always in the
sink, always trying to wash them quickly in the morning so I could just get
some caffeine into me!) So I thought I'd give this model a try because my
Bialetti is a pain first thing in the morning (but otherwise great for
impressing guests.) ;-)
Am I ever glad I got this! The BonJour is superior to my old presses in so
many ways:
First, obviously, it won't break when I wash it. I love the flat bottom -
none of that four-legged-metal-base tippiness in the sink or on the counter.
And the fat rubber ring on the bottom? It's removeable - it's just there to
insulate your pot and keep it stable on the table.
I was concerned when I read elsewhere that the filter on these models
couldn't be taken apart for cleaning. With my Bodum presses, grounds would
always get lodged between the screen and the metal frame that held it in
place - really icky if you didn't unscrew them and wash the plate, screen,
and stem each time (a major pain - probably why my dirty pot remained
unwashed until I needed it the next morning, and... well, you know where
that led.)
Well, on the BonJour, grounds never get into the screen - the plunger has a
rubber rim that keeps everything down below, where it belongs, and the edges
of the screen are sealed. A quick swish in soapy water and you're
finished... no reassambly required. (In reading the previous review, about
the plastic screen pins giving way, I'd just suggest using minimal pressure
when pushing the plunger down, and making sure the screen's rubber rim is
wet before inserting it into the pot, as the directions indicate - that'll
put less stress on those pins, I think.)
With my Bodums, the screen/plunger would remain about 1/2" above the base of
the pot when fully "plunged". Because of this, the grounds would all slosh
to the side of the spout when you were pouring, and a lot of coffee or tea
would remain in the base behind the dam of grounds. You'd have to roll the
pot from side to side to get the remaning coffee out, invariably spilling as
much as you gained. The BonJour's plunger goes all the way to the base, so
pouring is much easier - no dam of grounds to block the liquid.
The BonJour also has a fine sediment screen at the top of the pot (you can
bypass it if you'd like) which means NO floaties in your coffee or tea. And
I mean FINE - it's not like the silly, wide grate on the Bodum, which was no
help at all.
This is much lighter than the same-sized Bodum, and the handle is very wide
and comfortable to hold (it feels rubberized and won't slip in your hand).
And you can't beat the price.
If I ever DO break or otherwise damage this one (I have heard you can put
them in the microwave but I'm not taking any chances - similarly, I don't
put rolling-boiling water in, but add it just before it boils or wait for it
to cool a bit after, to avoid any melting problems), then for SURE I am
going to get another BonJour.
Of course, as with ALL French presses, when they say 8 "cups", they mean
espresso cups; this holds about 3 American mugs, or 32 oz. / 4 measuring
cups at the top of the black rim. Someday they'll get that standardized for
us!

Click Here to see more reviews about: BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

The BonJour Unbreakables... for those who are a little clumsy before their morning coffee!The Monet Unbreakable French Press is elegant and durable, perfect for patio, RV, boat or picnics.The carafe is made of polycarbonate that is unbreakable with normal use and care.The lid and frame are stainless steel as is the filter rod and assembly.Includes BonJour's filtering lid for less sediment in your coffee.

Click here for more information about BonJour Hugo 8-Cup Unbreakable French Press, Black

Read More...

Tribest SoloStar II Multi-Purpose Juicer for Wheatgrass and more Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Drawbacks
My SoloStar II has been plagued by problems. In less than a year, many of the outer parts have broken. The juicing screen ($35.00) has broken three times. When the juicing screens break, it happens before the pulp container is even full. As a result, the auger and juicing screen need to be cleaned constantly within a session. The screen locking cap ($5.80) has also broken. Speaking of the auger, even that cracked ($35.00). Several times, I e-mailed customer service about such issues with no reply. When I called, Tribest Life promptly sent out free replacement parts.
Benefits
When the parts aren't breaking, the SoloStar II works very well. It's simple to assembly and operate. The actual extraction process seems efficient. Cleaning is a breeze since most of the parts rinse under the sink. The only cleaning challenge is the juicing screen. Along these lines, the modified toothbrush that comes with the unit is worthless. I now use a steel auto detailing brush that does a great job. The SoloStar II is visually pleasing and the unit operates at a good volume. I was inspired to purchase the juicer after watching the online video as hosted on the Tribest Life web page. It accompanies the juicer in VHS format. Being a first time juicer, this was extremely helpful.
In conclusion, there are benefits and drawbacks to the SoloStar II. While it may have been a good introduction to the juicing world, I definitely look forward to an upgrade. Talking to juicers (people who juice, not the machines;), it seems that you really need to spend around $350.00-$400.00 before getting a quality juicer. Should you decide to purchase the SoloStar II, make certain that you send in the warranty/registration card. That was essential in getting parts replaced at no charge.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tribest SoloStar II Multi-Purpose Juicer for Wheatgrass and more

SoloStar II Juicer Single Gear Wheatgrass, Fruit and Vegetable Juicer Features & SpecificationsSolo Star 2 Juicer Single Gear Wheatgrass, Fruit and Vegetable Juicer The SoloStar II is a slow rotation, dual-stage juicer which provides less oxidation from the juice it produces and helps keeps living enzymes and nutrients in tact.Using a slow rotation speed of 80 RPM it produces little to no heat buildup.This is a great multi-purpose juicer for wheatgrass,fruits, vegetables pine needles and more.The SoloStar II has a much larger single auger than other juicers which helps produce greater juice yields with less pulp. The taste of the juice is excellent too!The Solo Star is made by Tribest who also makes other juicers such as theCitriStar andGreen Star. Dual Stage JuicingFilters out juice during initial crushing before it is soaked into the pulpSqueezes the remaining pulp again to ensure complete juicingFeatures:Juice all types of fruit!Juice Wheatgrass!Make frozen fruit sorbetsMake healthy baby foodMake pasta easily - included accessories!Mince, grind and chop!Save time by preparing garlic and other spices with the SoloStarMilling!Make rice cakes!UL and CL ApprovedAttachments Included:Spaghetti NozzleFettuccini NozzleHomogenizing NozzleHomogenizing ScreenPlungerCleaning brushHand SieveJuice CatcherSpecifications: ModelSoloStar IIWeight19 lbs.DimensionsDepth18.5"Width:8"Height:11.75"Voltage120 V / AC / 60HzPower180 WMotorSingle Phase Induction MotorAuger Speed80 RPMExtraction MethodSingle GearRPMApprox 4 HP at ShaftPlunger / PusherPlasticWarranty5 Years Warranty on Parts and Motor

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Tribest SoloStar II Multi-Purpose Juicer for Wheatgrass and more

Read More...

Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We have owned our Sanyo Microwave Oven with convection and grill for almost two months, and have attempted to test all functions in order to write a complete review. We rely heavily on reviews to help us decide what to buy, so we did our best to evaluate this oven. At almost $180.00 it is not a trivial purchase.
The design is sleek, and the controls easy to use -- but as other reviewers cautioned, keep the booklet handy!
The microwave functions -- cook, auto menu cooking (limited to microwave), auto reheat all work as well as our last microwave -- a G/E over the range.
However, the conbined functions -- micro plus grill, convection plus grill, leave much to be desired.
The roast chicken function -- a combination of micro and grilling is neat and works well -- but does not save time, although it probably saves energy and kitchen heat compared to cooking chicken in a standard oven. When the chicken was taste-tested our family concluded that it was pretty good chicken and assumed that the time to cook was materially reduced -- which it was not. It was agreed that in a "time-bind" they would eat this chicken, but preferred standard oven baked. Given that the chicken took about ten minutes longer than it would have in the oven, the saving was a hot kitchen in the summer, and probably many BTUs.
Combo 1(Micro and Convection) works well -- but it is not fast! Nor are there timing guides. (More on this later)
We have not used Combo 2 (Microwave and Grill) for anything but hot dogs. Too slow by half! Steak is a treat for us, so we cook it with much ceremony outside -- but my experience with grilling hot dogs fo lunch caused me to turn on the broiler in our "real"stove to finish them.
Combo 4 (grill and convection) is rather a joke. Today, in anticipation of putting our review on paper, I took two defrosted quarter pound hamburgs and put them on the grill rack. Dialed in 20 minutes on Combo 4 and walked away. At 20 minutes, the hamburgs registered about 100 degrees F. internal -- as in not cooked. I added another 5 minutes and temped them and got to 120 degrees. Another 6 minutes got them to an edible internal temperature of 140. Thirty minutes to "grill?" two hamburgers?
The convection function alone works well for small quantities of food. But, it is important to note that this is not a convection oven -- in other words an oven that cooks more rapidly than a "standard" oven.
So, what is this neat little oven good for? As a micro it's great. In the same space as a micro you can heat dinner rolls on convection when your main oven is tied up, or bake appetizers while the roast is roasting in the main oven.
What's missing? A recipe book would have helped. The first time I cooked hamburgs using Combo 4 I figured they would cook faster than the time to heat my T-Fal Compact Multi-Grill (rather a waste for two burgers!) and I was dead wrong! (The reason for today's test.) If there had been a booklet or time sheet that indicated 30 minutes to cook two thawed burgers -- well T-Fal would have had the whole job rather than finishing it up!
For people who live in dorm rooms (I was once one of those!) who want all the functions of an oven and a micro in one box -- I would have been glad to have this Sanyo. But -- a recipe book that might indicate time to cook various things -- would really help.
Are we glad we bought this oven? Well, yes. But, and this is important, it is not a Micro/Convection Oven -- nor does it claim to be one.
This oven is a great microwave -- we are very happy with the micro functions. It is also a nice "auxilliary" oven for entertaining -- as long as you can work out the times. It probably saves energy over heating up our main gas oven for small things and will likely keep heat out of our kitchen in the summer.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill

More than just a 1000-watt microwave oven, this versatile appliance also functions as a 1000-watt grill and a 1400-watt convection oven. With convection cooking, hot air circulates throughout the oven cavity to brown and crisp foods quickly and evenly--great for baking cakes, cookies, and muffins, or even for browning meats. The 10 convection temperature settings range from 285 to 400 degrees F. A grill rack comes included for during the grill function, which cooks and heats items such as fish, nachos, hot dogs, and sausages. When microwave cooking, choose from five power levels: 10 percent, 30 percent, 50 percent, 80 percent, or 100 percent. The unit also provides four combination settings: combination one (microwave and convection) for frozen entrees and casseroles, combination two (microwave and grill) for steaks, combination three (grill and microwave) for chicken, and combination four (grill and convection) for hamburgers.
For added convenience, nine direct-access push-button menu keys make it easy to cook popular items. Menu keys include popcorn, beverage, pizza, potato, frozen vegetable, meat, fish, and roast chicken, as well as auto reheat. Open the door to access the hidden keypad and to use the digital encoder for setting the time, power, and weight input. Other highlights include a 1-cubic-foot stainless-steel interior, a large 12-3/8-inch rotating glass turntable, multi-stage cooking options, a 95-minute cooking timer, defrost by weight or time, a child lock-out function, and an interior light. To clean, simply wipe the inside and outside with a soft cloth and mild detergent solution, then rinse and wipe dry. The stylish and contemporary-looking microwave/convection/grill oven measures 18-4/5 by 20-1/2 by 13-1/4 inches and carries a one-year parts-and-labor warranty.

Get 18% OFF

Click here for more information about Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill

Read More...