Archive for May, 2010

Item: Presto Pizzazz Pizza Plus
Purchase:  available HERE
Price Range: $40 – $60

When I was asked to review this Pizzazz Plus Oven, I was so excited!  I have wanted one of these ever since I saw one at Wal-Mart and just couldn’t make myself spend $60 on something to JUST cook pizza!

I got mine from cookware.com (linked above)

Shipping was fast!  It wasn’t scheduled to be here until the 1st (expected delivery date), but it came yesterday (May 28, 2010).  I was a little concerned because they didn’t “pack” it.  They just shipped it Fed-Ex.  See my shipping label?  As you can see the box is a little beat up too… 

When I opened it I couldn’t help feel excited.  I really love that the manual was right there on top.  No digging to find it!

Tonight, we decided to test it out on the kids FAVORITE Pizza…  Literally.  This stuff gets cooked at least twice a week in my house.

The oven comes in two pieces. The pan and the base.

To put it together you have to put this little groove thing ( below) onto the little peg thing on the base.  Easy enough I reckon.  However, don’t have it plugged in already!  The thing automatically spins if the pan is on it and its plugged in.  There is no way to turn the spinning off except to unplug it.

The cord is about as long as my coffee pots, so there is not a lot of moveability going on.  The base is also pretty deep.  It would not sit on my counter facing front, in front of my coffeepot.  That’s why all these pics are from the side.  Sorry.

Once its all together it looks like this.  As you can see, its a pretty good sized pizza pan on there.

The diagram in the manual looks nothing like the actual oven, but the wording is clear enough you figure it all out.

I don’t like that there are no lights on the top or anything to let you know that its on.  I mean it’s obvious its plugged up because the pan is spinning but there is no indicator that the heating elements are on…

The kids were absolutely fascinated by it and both my 9 yr old and my 13 yr old stood in the kitchen and watched their pizzas cook.

Sis even tried to figure out how it worked.  Why doesn’t the pizza just get cold again when its not under the cooker?  hmmmmmmmmm….

Once its been on a few minutes you can see the red glow from the hot hot cooking element.  Don’t touch!

Once the timer dings you take the pan off the base to get the motor to stop spinning.

Perfect crust! (below)  There was also NO STICKING.  I mean I tilted the pan and about dropped the pizza in the floor.

Then we cooked our second pizza.  This one was the plain cheese Totinos plus extra toppings.

Cooked it PERFECT.

Again no sticking, the pizza just slid off the pan. 

Cleaned the pan with a little soap and water and set it aside.

The crust is perfect.  I really like that you can turn the bottom burner or the top burner off.  So if I wanted say DARKER Crust but not to burn my cheese I could turn off the top burner toward the end…

As you can see from the manual, the Pizzazz is actually pretty versatile.  Chicken nuggets, quesadillas, chessesticks.  They aren’t listed but I’m even thinking French fries and chicken breasts.

chocolate chip cookies?!  REALLY?!

I also love that they included a couple of recipes.  Yes, that says pizza DOUGH.  yay!

Before I close, I need to post 2 more cons…

One, the thing took FOR EVER to cool off.  Really!  An hour later and the base was still hot enough to the touch that  I was scared to put it back in the box.

The other downside is storage.  What am I going to do with it?  I don’t have the counter space to leave it out and its too odd shaped to put into any of my cabinets unless I want to rearrange and give it its own cabinet.  That’s not going to happen.   I ended up putting it back in the box and putting it up on top of my pantry next to my expensive punch bowl set.

So for my complete pros and cons list:

I love that:

1. 1. it was pretty fast.
   2. Cleanup was almost non-existent!
   3. pizzas came out perfectly
   4. there was no mess, no pizza stuck to the pan, etc
   5. its open and on the counter so you can WATCH the pizza cook, and take it off as needed.  No more accidently burnt edges!
   6. No preheating oven – cuts down on wait time and how hot the upstairs gets
   7. no bending over repeatedly to check the pizza.  I have a bad back so this is a great perk for me.
   8. the kids were fascinated by it.  Both ate their pizza with NO complaints.  *first time for everything!*

I didn’t love that:

1. 1. very hot to the touch.  No kids unsupervised around this thing
   2. its big and bulky and storage is an issue
   3. the thing got hot and stayed hot for a long time after use
   4. It runs the entire time its plugged in if the pan is on it.  This can’t be good for the motor
   5. I also didnt like that you had to remove the pan to put the pizza on and then remove the pan to get the pizza off.  I cooked two pizzas, and nearly dropped BOTH in the floor.  I mean I never thought I would complain that something REALLY WAS non-stick, but the pan needs a lip on it or something.

Would I recommend this item?  Oh my word yes!  I’m mad at myself for not buying one sooner.  Ours is still new but I already know it will be used no less then twice a week in our house.  The easy cleanup alone is enough to make me want to cook supper on it.   LOL

What do YOU think about this cookware?  Knowing my experience with it would you buy it?   Have questions about this product or have something to add?   Feel free to comment below!

Item: Provo Craft Paper Trimmer
Purchase:  available HERE 
Price Range: $9 – $19.99

Every time my favorite paper trimmer (not this one) makes an appearance in my videos or crafty pics I get two or three emails asking WHAT my favorite trimmer is.  So, since I am going to review IT for you, I thought I should review my first “big” trimmer too.

I had bought a small “no name” trimmer, like a 6 inch one when I first started crafting.  It was really junk.  I think I had gotten it at like the Dollar Tree.  After giving up on paper trimmers and going back to scissors I got this one.  It is from Provo Craft.

I love that it comes with both a blade

and a scorer

I still use the scorer slide a LOT.  I’m not too good at straight lines when it comes to scoring with a bone folder.

I LOVE that the fold out arm is actually 15.5 inches not just  12.  I also love that it FOLDS OUT and in, which makes storing super easy and it takes up like NO ROOM.

I don’t like that the measurement is a little off right there where the arm swings out.  Since this is right at the 4.5 – 5 inch mark, as a card maker it presents some problems.

Lots of trimming and retrimning going on.  No matter how I try to “adjust” for it.  I just can NOT hit a 4.75 inch cut using this trimmer.  I really DO think the measurements right there are “off”.

I LOVE that this trimmer has not only the score slidey thing but also score lines incase you want to wing it with a bone folder!  They are deep enough and wide enough of a groove that my Martha Stewart folder works great!

Another drawback to this trimmer is you can not cut more then one piece of paper at a time.  The blade just isn’t long enough.  I also ran into a LOT of “tearing” paper instead of cutting.  It very well could be I just need a new blade.  I don’t know. 

I do think this trimmer is worth at least $12 if not more.  It works.  It gets the job done.  I am not the “carefullest” crafter in the world and I still haven’t managed to break the clear ruler “paper guide” part which is what I was most afraid of when I got it.

I am also completely comfortable letting the Girl Child use it as “her” trimmer and don’t worry she will cut her fingers off. 

So in the end I say this is a good STARTER Trimmer.  Someone with A LOT of paper to cut or heavy duty cutting will NOT be happy with this one, but it is fine for “newbies” and light projects or even kids who have outgrown just scissors. 

I, personally, would buy it just for the Scorer thing, even if I didn’t use the blade part. 

What do YOU think about this trimmer?  Knowing my experience with it would you buy it?   Have questions about this product or have something to add?    Feel free to comment below!

Item: Tonic Studios Guillotine Trimmer
Purchase:  available HERE
Price Range: $39 – $89.99 depending

Every time my favorite paper trimmer (MY BABY!) makes an appearance in my videos or crafty pics I get two or three emails asking WHAT my favorite trimmer is.  So here she is for you in all her glory!  Can you hear her cutting?  She says “schwipp”.  Seriously, I’m going to try to give you an unbiased review on this trimmer.  Please be forewarned it is my favorite. 

I got this trimmer at wholesale pricing, and it was still MORE expensive then what I linked you to there on AMAZON.  That kind of makes me mad. LOL!  At the time I bought this trimmer, retail was listed as $79.

The downside to this trimmer, as with any guillotine style trimmers is – if you have kids you really SHOULDNT have this.  Or at least don’t leave it out unattended.  The blade is VERY VERY sharp.  Of course it is, that is what makes a good trimmer!

I love that the handle comes off and can be stored on the back of the trimmer.  This is great for those who take their supplies to “crops” and makes it a little easier to find someplace to store it.  The handle grip is also foam/cushiony which I LOVE.

I also love that the rulers are pretty much “idiot proof” to read and align your papers to!  I need that.

I also like that it has score lines to help you score your projects. However, the lines don’t seem to be wide enough to guide my Martha Stewart folder.  I can use them, but I have to be EXTRA careful to keep the folder from popping off the guideline….

I have also figured out that if you are going to use the score lines, instead of guiding off the top ruler

its easier to guide off the bottom ruler…  Easier to see what you are doing, easier to guide the folder, just easier.

another drawback to this trimmer is the paper guide.  As you can see (below) its pretty big.  I can’t imagine having small hands and being able to use it with ease.  I also noticed  that you HAVE to use both parts of that guide (where my thumb is and my pointy) if you don’t the paper slides and you don’t get a straight cut.

With all the drawbacks I have listed, I still LOVE this trimmer.  It slices through 5 pieces of heavy cardstock like butter.  *schwipp*   The rulers are so easy to read, I get perfect cuts almost every time.  I say almost because sometimes I’m too preoccupied to remember to use BOTH the push down things on the guide and I don’t get a straight cut. THAT is my fault though not the trimmers. 

I would buy this trimmer again and again (especially now that I see it for $39!).  It is great for someone who has a lot of paper to cut or does heavier projects.  Not recommended for homes with small kids. 

What do YOU think about this trimmer?  Knowing my experience with it would you buy it?   Have questions about this product or have something to add?    Feel free to comment below!