Chops extremely well but ...
As a chopper to use on a daily basis this is unbeatable. The blades are much more substantial than on other products of this size. However you have to be very careful with the plastic bowl. The center section that holds the blade has begun to break. Currently half of the circular holder (in the middle) is gone. Although it will still hold the blade if it breaks any more it probably won't. I'm going to have to find a replacement for the plastic bowl. October 18 2005 update: Guess what? I contacted Black & Decker online and they have a company that they refer you to that handles their replacement parts. In this case they are sending me a complimentary new 3 cup plastic bowl. I wish I could change my rating upward; this is real customer service. July 5 2007 update: Since I received the replacement bowl I have used this appliance constantly that is three to five times a week. I have had no problems with the center section of the replacement bowl. February 8 2008 update: Note that when Amazon runs this item for $12.99 it is really a screaming deal.
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One HOT waffle maker!
I love this waffle maker! It's like the ones our mom used not those cheesy seeming plastic things they're making now. It's also got a lot of excellent features that make my life easier.
I'll mention right now that this is a VERY hot waffle maker. They make the plastic ones to be "cool touch". I'll trade the cool touch feature for the sturdier design of this versatile machine. I'm being careful and haven't burned myself yet. But it's something to consider if you'd like your children making waffles. My ten year old could be careful enough but I keep my five and eight year olds away.
The waffles this machine makes are great! They freeze well too. The family is very happy. When the light goes of the unit is ready to make waffles. Pour in the batter and the light comes on again--wait for it to go off and the waffle is done (however I usually go on instinct and sometimes pull out the waffle before the light goes off.)
The open grill feature makes wonderful pancakes and fried eggs. I have a big family and it's nice to have two pancakes cook at a shot without taking up all my stovetop! I can have bacon and eggs on the stove and the pancakes on the waffle maker. (I can also have a heart attack if I keep eating all these bacon and eggs!)
The sandwich feature is nice. I can cook two grilled cheese sandwiches at one time getting me out of the kitchen quicker. Some advice--cheese might drip out the side of the sandwich. Just keep the sandwich away from the back of the unit where the cables run in and the mess just wipes off--no problem. The sandwiches cook far more uniformly than they do in a pan on the stove. They taste great.
This unit cleans up easily and changing the grills from waffle to flat is easy. I recommend it over a lot of more costly models if you want more value for your money. This is the most versatile waffle maker I've found and all the features actually work!More detail ...
