Kitchen Appliances That Never Quite Fullfilled Their Promises

[tomturbomatic]

OOH! OOH! Have to share this about French Fries (chips). Fixed the first of the season in the Amana Micro-Thermal Oven in the 30" range. I turned on the broiler, got the frozen fries out of the freezer then drizzled a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a 7" Corning Ware skillet. I added the fries to the pan and tossed them with a fork to get some of the oil on them. Then I put them under the broiler and turned on the microwaves for about 4 min 15 seconds. I turned off the broiler when they had less than a minute to cook and when I took them out, they had the most amazing texture. There was a crisp, almost fried outside, not dry or baked and a pleasant, tender inside. This worked better than any way except actually frying them and with no mess at all.

Another candidate for the "Not All That" award is the Ronson Cook'n Stir blender--so loud, too loud for any extended cooking operation if you have to stay in the same room.

 

[tolivac]

Anyone have a video of the Ronson blender so we can see it work and hear it?

 

[DADoES]

Micro Asparagus

 
Olive Oyl drizzle, Tony Chachere's seasoning.  Grated cheese when done.

(some sort of reflection on the microwave door ... only the ceramic dish is in it)

 

[norgeway]

Ronson Cook and Stir

I have 2 of them, but mine are very quiet,

 

[mixguy]

The electric spoon

In the 1960s some tried selling an electric spoon. I was an oval shaped mixing spoon and had a metal loop that was anchored in the handle and had the same contour as the spoon. An electric motor in the handle had three speeds to spin the loop. Was not practical or effective--it could not replace a portable electric mixer.

 

[rinso]

My husband and I have always loved "As Seen on TV" gadgets, even way back when. (we've been together for 44 years, married for 4) Less than 50% of them actually worked as advertised and if they did, they didn't last.  We have found our 2 Sharper Image halogen ovens to be indispensable. (these are the ones with the glass bowls) The NuWave halogen oven we tried just didn't get hot enough. 

 

Our past failures include: The Presto Burger Maker, Das Wiener Shocker, Sears belt-driven blender and food processor combo, KitchenAid mandolin slicer,  GE combination microwave/convection oven, (using the convection oven fries the electronics) The ultra-cheapo Redi Set Go fryer, (non-stick surface wears out quickly), The Ron Popeil pasta maker, (plastic bowl cracks around the extruder after a short time) and, of course, the Vegamatic. 

 

[fan-of-fans]

Ron Popeil

Ha that pasta machine infomercial was on all the time I remember back then.

"Give me a pocket fisherman, or a machine that can boil an egg inside its shell".

I think I'm getting the song right?

 

[petek]

Ah,, the in the shellEgg Scrambler.. I bought one of those I'm guessing it was around 1977 ish. It actually worked and was really novel . I didn't use it much and for the life of me can't remember what ever happened to it... I must have still had it in 1983 when I met Larry because he still brings it up 35 years later in conversation to anyone and everyone when they ask about my collection obsession .

 

[rinso]

If you watch closely in the Popeil pasta machine infomercial, you'll see one of the machines break when being switched from mix to extrude. The camera quickly cuts away from it, but you can catch it.

 

 

[joeekaitis]

TurboChef tried twice . . .

 

. . . to bring their speedcook ovens home.  Neither was a big seller.  Could it have something to do with their 7-figure price tags?

 

[launderess]

Also believe

Microwave ovens are good for making bacon. Use of paper towels keeps splattering down and absorbs all that excess fat. But then one doesn't have bacon drippings for making corn bread and other things.

 

[norgeway]

Right!

And certain things NEED bacon drippings, Corn for example!

 

[joeekaitis]

Wash tubes and wave pools . . .

 

Any other dishwasher technology that was going to change the world but didn't?

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Why not: Kitchen GADGETS! Here are MORE:

I bought something called Eggers that were supposed to make hard boiled eggs easier, but you were supposed to oil them so the eggs would come out, only to make them too slippery to get a good grip on...

I think you also broke each egg and got it to fit, all raw and that into each case, then shut with the lid, put in a pot of boiling water, and supposedly you got hard boiled eggs without the shell, so you can imagine with the mess and undesired results, this was an item I'd spent good money on and quickly got rid of...

Another was a potato cutter that was supposed to slice your whole spuds, but it resulted in the thing being thrown and flung around when the cut potatoes got stuck in there & wouldn't come out!

And last of alll, I had a pasta boiler--it was a part of our wedding set and the jar the pasta goes in arrived cracked, but somehow instead of returning it, I wonder why I just broke down and bought another one--and needless to say, the first time I used it I didn't put the lid on tight enough, so right when I strained the pasta through the slotted lid, along with the boiling water, all that spaghetti also went right down the drain...

Oh, and I'd like you to meet "Ms. Microwave Cleaner": You supposedly put water and juice from a lemon halve--or whole lemon in her & a fine mist from her will "self-clean you even dirtiest, filthiest, skumiest microwave oven cavity! (need I say more?)

-- Dave

 

[marydoply]

reheating

Ohhhh, I use the microwave only for reheating foods. I have tried to cook meat but without success.

 

[iheartmaytag]

The Ronco Pasta maker is great, when it works. But as was said it fatigues quickly and breaks at the extruder.

You used to be able to buy replacement parts, I havent looked lately to see if they are still available.

 

[norgeway]

Re Electric can opener...

I cant do without a electric can opener, but the BEST one is the can opener attachment on my Kitchen Aid mixer, I leave it in place all the time,

 

[justjunque]

Dave

I'm guessing you got less than stellar results.
But I do think Ms. Microwave Cleaner is pretty cute.
She looks like she's reprimanding the stains out of your microwave!

Barry

 

[moparwash]

How about anything WCI?

 

[joeekaitis]

Nutation washers

Most notoriously, uh, famously, Whirlpool and Kenmore Calypso. What’s a few tears, shreds and tatters if you’re saving water?