DeLonghi DC514T 14-Cup Programmable Drip Coffeemaker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had my DeLonghi Esclusivo coffeemaker for exactly 3 months. It brewed the best tasting coffee I've ever had. It was my favorite coffee maker by far for the following reasons: Coffee is delicious -slow brewing permits a more robust coffee. Small footprint on my counter. Stylish design. VERY easy to program and use. Large opening through which to pour water. Charcoal filter to purify water. Automatic shut off. Caraffe has large opening for easy cleaning. NON-DRIP POURING!! I was in heaven with this coffeemaker and knew I'd found the perfect one. (I've had many in my lifetime.)
Unfortunately, two days ago, the plastic surrounding the hot plate began to melt. The vendor from whom I purchased it has already refunded my money and has asked me to return it. I will NOT purchase another one for fear of fire hazard. This coffeemaker would have received 10 stars from me had it not begun to melt itself to death. For this reason, I'm heartsick.....it WAS the perfect coffeemaker.

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Brew up to 14 cups (70 ounces) of great-tasting coffee with this easy-to-use drip coffeemaker. The unit's showerhead design helps extract coffee's full natural flavor by allowing water to completely saturate all coffee grounds, while its aroma button activates a unique brewing process that enhances the flavor and aroma of coffee. To achieve this full-bodied flavor, the coffeemaker advances through several continuous cycles that release water into the filter basket in 30-second intervals. This special time-released process saturates grounds a little at a time to extract the best flavor and aroma from coffee. The coffeemaker also provides a pause-and-serve function, for pouring a cup midbrew, and a 24-hour programmable timer with two-hour automatic shut-off. Setting the timer allows for waking up to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee or for having coffee ready to serve with dessert. The include glass carafe offers measurement markings, a generous stay-cool handle, and a drip-free spout for graceful serving. Other highlights include simple push-button controls, a blue backlit display, a permanent gold-tone filter, advanced water filtration, and a convenient water-level indicator, as well as a non-stick warming plate, a freshness indicator, and cord storage to help keep countertops tidy. A measuring spoon comes included. The coffeemaker measures approximately 8-1/2 by 7-1/5 by 13-1/2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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DeLonghi DCM485 10-Cup Thermal Carafe and Coffeemaker, Brushed Stainless Steel Review

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(More customer reviews)Are you tired of parts made of plastic and not real metal? This coffee maker is made of genuine brushed stainless. If the part on this machine looks like metal, it is metal. The overall look and style is very European, even the buttons and display are good quality and simple to use and understand. The carafe is stainless inside and out, and keeps the coffee hot for at least 4 hours. The water resevoir lifts out for easily filling from the tap, so you don't have to fill the carafe first and pour it into the machine. The resavoir has graduated markings. Also, the filter holder comes out for easy cleaning. The only quirk I found is that, as with other themal carafes, you have to pour slowly to keep from dripping. It also helps to read the manual that explains how far to unscrew the top before pouring to avoid drips.

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The De'Longhi DCM485 Esclusivo 10-Cup Thermal Carafe Stainless steel coffeemaker has a unique design that retains heat, keeping coffee hot for hours.It also helps to preserve that fresh coffee taste.The electronic programmable control allows you to set the coffeemaker in advance, and the accuflavor selector dial lets you choose the strength of coffee just the way you like it.

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Whynter IC-2L SNO 2-Quart Ice Cream Maker Review

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(More customer reviews)The Whynter Sno is a fully contained 2 liter ice cream machine. It will both churn and freeze a mix to create:
- Frozen Custard
- Ice Cream
- Ice Milk
- Gelato
- Sorbets
- and even icy beverages (think Margaritas and the like.)
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The Pros
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It Works!
^^^^^^^^^
(Yes, this is a big deal. How would you like it if you plunked down $200 only to find your ice cream mix comes out soup or filled with chunky ice cubes?) This machine definitely gets the job done; It makes ice cream.
It is surprisingly quiet.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
While you wouldn't want to use it in a library, this machine is actually pretty quiet. Most of us who don't have any experience with an Ice Cream Machine can only relate to the beasts they have at the local Ice-Creameries (You know the ones: Buy One, Get One Free on certain days...) These industrial behemoths are LOUD. This machine (not being an industrial behemoth) is not loud. It **IS** louder than my refrigerator (barely,) but not quite as loud as my washing machine. It's NO WHERE NEAR AS LOUD as a Blender, Food Processor, or Stick Blender (if those are your only gauges of relevance.)
You can make your own concoctions.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Some local ice-creameries will make you a custom blend of ice cream. For example, if you want chocolate chips in some strawberry ice cream, they'll do that. (Probably not nationwide chains, but the local shop might.) But ask them to make anything crazier than that, and you're probably out of luck. Rosewater ice cream? Sorry. Green Tea ice cream? You're probably out of luck.
With this machine, you can make whatever flavors your heart desires, and that's pretty cool. (Just don't save me any Alligator Sherbet, ok?)
Ease of Use / Capacity.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This thing is EASY to use. For example, to make a simple vanilla ice cream, take 2 cups of half-and-half and POUR IT DIRECTLY INTO THE MACHINE'S MIXING BUCKET. DO LIKEWISE WITH 1/2 CUP OF SUGAR. Add a tablespoon of vanilla, and run the machine. About 45 minutes later, you'll have medium soft serve ice cream. NOTE that I do not say "Bring this mixture to a boil," nor do I say "Mix it," nor anything like that. In fact, when I tried this mix, I could even hear the churn running over the grains of sugar in the churning bowl. But, 45 minutes later, nothing but super-fine ice cream.
The other plus side is this machine's capacity. It's nice to be able to make a larger quantity of a mix if the mix is a bit more complicated (ie: a custard, which may require the incorporation of eggs, and possible cooking of the eggs.) This way, you can make a larger batch of mix, followed by a larger batch of ice cream.========
The Cons
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It's NOT dishwasher safe!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
While I won't say "Cleanup is hard," (there are really only 2 things to clean: the bowl and the beater,) you still can't just toss them into the top rack of your dishwasher to get the job done. You'll also need to wipe off the top plastic cover with a sponge, dishrag, etc... because it's permanently attached to the motor (which doesn't lend itself to easy cleaning.) The same thing holds true if your mix overflows the bowl and gets into the machine itself. (Don't worry, it's easy to clean, but again, you can't put the whole machine into your dishwasher [it's electrical, y'know,] so you'll have to clean it with a sponge or dishrag...) In other words, it would have been nicer if the freezing bowl (into which the mixing bowl sits,) the mixing bowl, the churn, and the plastic cover all been removable and dishwasher safe. They're not, but, to Whynter's credit, they are pretty easy to clean.
The label came off
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Petty? Yes. But it's an indicator as to the design of the machine. The label is a stiff label affixed to the rounded "tub" area of the machine. Had the machine been designed with a flat areat onto which the logo could be affixed, the label would still be there. (Mind you, this is "straight out of the box."
Little or No Documentation
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The documentation isn't bad (for what there is of it, but there aren't any recipes that come along with it. Also, there's no indicator as to the Maximum Fill Level of the Churn bucket. Overfill it, and you've got an ice cream that won't set properly, or have enough air mixed into it; or worse: ice cream base spilling into the freezing chamber. NOTE: You **CAN** go onto the website and download some recipes, but it would have been GREAT if they would have spent the extra $.38 and printed out some copies of at least a simple vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry mix recipe and thrown it into the box.
"Add-Ins" chute too small
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Do you like "Add-Ins" (ie: gelatin-based fruit-flavored candy animals and the like) in your ice cream? Well, you'll need to stop the machine, open the top, add the Add-Ins, then restart the churn (which, ideally, you'd wait 6 minutes for, since the compressor doesn't like to start and stop without a 6 minute breather.) The current model has a chute large enough for sprinkles and MAYBE very small cookie crumbs, but not chocolate chips. Again, not the worst thing in the world, but... hey! You know.
It can be slow
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This machine COULD conceivably turn out a batch of ice cream in 30 minutes, but that's only if the mix is nearly frozen to begin with (

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With the WHYNTER SNO frozen dessert ice cream maker, you can make a spread of delectable desserts in about 20-40 minutes. With this versatile wonder you can not only make premium ice cream but refreshing sorbets, Italian gelato, sherbets, fresh frozen yogurts and other treats. Our professional quality ice-cream maker offers premium features not found in budget ice cream makers. A built-in compressor freezer allows for continuous use without the inconvenience of having to pre-freeze the mixing bowl. You will never have to use any freezer space before being able to make your favorite frozen dessert. This unit includes an electronic timer, ice cream scoop, and we'll even send you some secret recipes.

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0.5 Cu. Ft. Digital Convection Toaster Oven Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had the DO1289 for a month and overall I am very happy with it. The toaster is gorgeous and does a great job baking. I have cooked fish and steaks and everything has turned out perfectly. The convection fan is not too loud and does its job well. In terms of toasting, the oven is not spectacular, but certainly adequate. Getting a crispy slice of toast takes about 5 minutes. Though it takes a few clicks to do anything on the toaster, the controls and knobs are straightforward and well designed.
I spent a long time analyzing and breaking down the pros and cons of the different top quality toasters so hopefully this review can save you some time. Here are the other toasters I looked at seriously :
Cuisinart TOB-195: Generally well-reviewed, but I could not get past the fact that the toaster does not have automatic shut-off. This is a key safety feature that I was unwilling to sacrifice. The DO1289 does have auto shut-off and turns off after beeping loudly 3 times. In addtion, the Cuisinart's crumb tray comes out the back, which seems totally stupid and impractical.
Krups FBC2: Looked like the perfect toaster, but again a safety feature got in the way. Apparently the Krups model has a poorly constructed door hinge and is prone to exploding. The DO1289's door is very smooth opening and seems well constructed. The Krups' quartz heating would have been nice, but still not worth it. I also suspect that the Delonghi has a little more overhead clearance than the Krups so I can roast a small chicken.
Breville Smart Oven: This oven has almost every feature and is the most powerful and spacious of the bunch, but $250 for a toaster is just absurd. I bought my Delonghi refurbished for $70, so it was no contest.
The Delonghi also has an oven light (which most others do not) and a bright permanently illuminated display--a nice feature at night for seeing the time. One other feature that doesn't get much attention, but was very important to me, is the Delonghi's Durastone enamel interior. This is great because, unlike toasters with traditional nonstick interiors, I can put metal and glass dishes in the oven, as well as aluminum foil (every one of the other aforementioned ovens advises against using glass or foil). Durastone is apparently nonstick so I can only hope that it has fewer chemicals or is safer than traditional nonstick (I would love it if someone knew the answer). Either way, it is a step up from the other high end toasters that I researched.
Based on my comparisons with other toaster ovens, I found that the Delonghi 1289 is the best designed and most practical. The Delonghi's performance is very good, though not spectacular, it has great features and, in my opinion, is the best choice for a high-end toaster oven.
UPDATE: After over a year owning the Delonghi DO-1289, I am still very happy and everything continues to work exactly as it should.

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Multifunction countertop oven has all the full-scale qualities of a conventional oven, yet cooks food 30-40% faster. DeLonghi has raised the standard on energy-efficient, compact cooking. The combination of fan-circulated hot air with Durastone II enamel interior allows superior heat distribution for consistently uniform cooking results. Digital thermostat lets you push a button to select the exact temperature and monitor temperature during the heating process. Interior is large enough to bake 2, 12" pizzas or an entree, plus dessert. Digital control makes cooking a breeze with convenient 2-hour timer and auto shut-off, plus 8 pre-programmed pizza settings to bake fresh or frozen pizza to perfection. Six pre-programmed settings pre-set the time and temperature to toast fresh bread or frozen bread. For discerning tastes, level of toast color can be selected, from 1 to 7. End-of-cycle signal reveals when toast is ready to serve! Bake cookies using the cookie sheets included and easy Smart Cookie function. Dehydrate food utilizing the hot-air fan circulation.The DeLonghi Convection Toaster Oven is the multipurpose oven you'll use daily in your kitchen! Includes removable crumb tray, baking pan/broil tray, 2 wire racks, 2 cookie sheets pizza tray and dehydrator kit. .5 cu. ft. capacity.

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Cuisinart SM-70 7-Quart Stand Mixers Review

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(More customer reviews)I make bread weekly using a mixer and recently my Kitchenaid motor gave out after overheating. Though I prefer the looks of the Kitchenaid mixers (something more industrial about them), Cuisinart has addressed several of the key problems found in Kitchenaid mixers: not enough power, overly wide bowl shape, absene of timer/minimal speed control. The stronger motor is crucial if you're mixing bread doughs for minutes at a time. The taller, more narrow bowl shape prevents spilling. The timer function is tremendously useful. And the wider range of speeds (especially slow speeds) and gentle acceleration up to any speed, again, prevent spills and allow for more control.
Other features I like: the spill guard fits neatly and is ONE piece (again, unlike my old Kitchenaid); the lock feature clicks the top arm into place so you never run the risk of lifting from the top and having the bottom swing out; the smooth surfaces make for easy clean-up; the attachments all wash easily in the dishwasher.
A great product!

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Housed in durable die-cast metal, this stand mixer features a powerful 1,000-watt motor that can handle the heaviest mixing tasks. Its extra-large, 7-quart, stainless-steel bowl accommodates big batches--even double or triple recipes. The unit also provides 12 mixing speeds, along with a 15-minute countdown timer and automatic shutoff, for maximum precision. Choose the slow-start function to eliminate splatter or the ultra-gentle fold function to carefully blend in delicate ingredients. The mixer's tilt-back head allows for easy access to the mixing bowl and makes attaching accessories a snap.
Accessories include a chef's whisk, a flat mixing paddle, and a dough hook, as well as a splashguard. The whisk aerates ingredients to increase volume or can also be used on slow speed to gently combine dry ingredients. Contoured to reach the bottom and sides of the bowl, the flat mixing paddle ensures thorough mixing. The dough hook makes hand kneading obsolete, while the splashguard offers an extra-wide pouring spout for neatly adding ingredients. The stand mixer also contains three power outlets, including a high-speed outlet for its optional dedicated attachments (meat grinder, citrus juicer, blender, food processor, or pasta maker--all sold separately). The stand mixer measures 15-1/2 by 11 by 14-1/2 inches and carries a three-year product warranty and a five-year motor warranty.

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