Bon Home DDR100WH Heat & Dry Dish Rack

I love this Heat and Dish Dry Rack. I thought I would take it out and put it away but I leave it up all the time. I do not have a dishwasher or room for one so I thought I would try this. It's wonderful! I wash my dishes and put them into the rack and when it is full I push the button and keep on washing. In ten minutes the dishes are dry and I put them away. Then I load up the rest (if I have more). Or while I am waiting for the dishes to dry I have time to wash up the kitchen counters and put this and that away and then I turn around and put the dry dishes away. Done. All done. You do have to learn how to put the dishes in so they have access to the heated air coming up. But honestly that has not been a problem as I am motivated to make it work. All my plastic containers are dry in 10 minutes and I can just put them away. The lids may have a hidden drop of water on them here and there but that is no problem. There is a very small drip tray that slides under the rack and I slide it out when I remember and pour the excess water into the sink. But it is very small and only about a 1/2 inch tall. You can move around the metal racks that come with it. So if you don't need any of them you can just remove them and use them later when needed. My son said he hates drying the dishes they don't put into the dishwasher as he feels he never gets done with all of it. So I am getting one for him and my daughter in law. It is perfect for drying all the bottles and cups and plates she uses with the kids as well as her plastic containers.

Update June 4, 2011: Last week the light started to blink on and off and the motor would come on and then stop over and over. Last night it was doing that while we were not home. And today it won't work at all. It's dead.

I am so disappointed! This was my favorite thing in the kitchen. And we have only used it for the months of Feb, March, Apr, and May. I sent an email to the company and am waiting to see what the warranty is and if there is anything I can do about this. But $100 for 4 months is not very good. I will update if I hear back from the company.

Update June 9, 2011: They are great! I have a new one sitting in my living room right now. It was just delivered and I only sent the broken one back yesterday. They were so quick to reply to my emails and so helpful and honest. I got personal attention and a new dish rack!

Update December 4, 2011: THE SECOND ONE IS BROKEN. IT LASTED 6 MONTHS. We were not even using it. Same as before. We came home and the light was blinking on and off and I unplugged it and then plugged it in and now it is dead. I don't understand it. I make sure there is plenty of room around it for air flow. I use it about 5-6 times a week. I do not overload it. So I will send the company another email and see what they can do. I will update when I know more.

After months of use my wife started telling me that this rack was not working correctly, exactly as described in other reviews submitted on Amazon. Then one day it would no longer start at all. What I found is that the small momentary switch that starts the drying cycle sticks in after a few months of usage. The design is so that the switch itself is used as the return spring of the plastic ON/OFF button in the front and after time has passed either the switch spring loses its spring tension or the sliding actuator gets material under it which hinders its ability to slide forward then back, therefore not allowing the switch to pop open again when pushed. (This is the reason for the delayed starting customers have been experiencing. That happens when the switch finally pops back out.) For ours I replaced the old switch with one I purchased, but if I had to do over again I'd simply do the following first and save myself the soldering hassle:

(1) Unplug the power cord. (2) Remove the top snap-in dish rack drain plate. (3) Remove the four small screws over the front switch compartment and take the cover off. (3) Pull the small switch printed circuit board up by removing the one clamp screw on the power wire going into this small compartment. (4) Push in and pull out the front plastic button that actuates the switch. (4) Put a small amount of grease or WD40 on the two small slides at the bottom of this actuator. (5) Reverse the process and reinstall everything. The whole job should take about 30 minutes.

Since I've replaced the switch instead of oiling the slides I don't have any idea how long this lubing "fix" will work, but if you do it once it won't take long to do again and again and keep on air drying for a long time. Good luck. Bon Home DDR100WH Heat & Dry Dish Rack

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It was my husband's job to dry the dishes so he is extremely pleased with this great invention! I love it because our new high-efficiency dishwasher does not dry plastic. This drying rack is perfect for doing that job. I also use it for drying my fine china and glasses.

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What's wrong with this dish drainer? Let me list the ways:

1. Blower failure after 2 1/2 to 3 weeks of use the blower would suddenly, on its own, start up and fail to stop. Or it wouldn't start when the button was pushed. Totally erratic. At times, completely unresponsive.

2. Blower failure aside, even if that worked perfectly, there are other issues with the design. Due to having to direct the air up through the dishes, the bottom area is a closed "box" with a small, shallow drawer that the water from the wet dishes drains into. The capacity of this drawer is about 2 teaspoons. When that is exceeded, you will have a drainer that "piddles" all over your counter top. Expect to empty this drawer numerous times throughout the course of a meal's worth of dishes. Apparently designing something that would actually DRAIN the water into the sink was too much of a challenge for Bon Home's design team.

3. The warm air works beautifully to dry the dishes when the blower is actually working; it also works beautifully to heat up the kitchen...which could be an advantage if it's in the single digits outside and supplements to heat are appreciated. Not so much in South Texas, where the more likely scenario is triple digits outside, and an air conditioner running darn near full time to combat the heat. This unit will be a major set-back to utility bills in warmer climes. If it had been designed with some sort of cover/closure method to contain both heat and dishes, it might be a viable design. One review mentioned both heated and non-heated air...there was no such control on my drainer, nor any mention of such in the owner's manual.

4. Customer service: this is the big question mark...I've called Bon Home and a young man took my name and number, telling me someone would get back to me. I've asked for the unit to be replaced and for them to send me a shipping label for the defective unit...I've yet to get a commitment for that from Bon Home.

So there you have it...too much money for a shoddy product. Buyer beware.

1-4-2012 update:

Bon Home customer service stinks. They finally got back to me, told me they have discontinued the item and turfed me back to woot.com since that was where I purchased the item. Told me I would have to get credit for THEIR defective product from woot. Great business model...make crappy products, then refuse to stand behind them when they fail. That attitude would make me wary of purchasing ANY product by Bon Home. Once again, let me say it: Buyer beware.

2-22-12 update:

Woot.com did replace the unit in January, 2012 without hassle. Kudos to woot's customer service. However, desperate for a drainer while all this went on, I broke down and ordered a Simple Human bamboo drainer (works very well, by the way), so when the replacement Bon Home arrived, it stayed in the box, as I scratched my head wondering whether I trusted a second unit enough to try it (having recently read a Consumer Reports article on fires started by malfunctioning household electrical appliances, I was understandably dubious about any appliance with a propensity to start up spontaneously). On 2/17/2012, Bon Home followed up on my original customer service contact (December, 2011); they are now offering to refund my money. I replied this morning and will take them up on their offer.

Additional comment 6-18-12:

In response to one of the comments, below, no, the refund was not in addition to receiving a replacement unit the unit that Woot sent was returned to Bon Home, after receipt of which, Bon Home mailed a refund.

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I got this heat and dry dish rack and completely fell in love with it! It's very convenient and it dries the dishes that I can't put in the dishwasher very quickly. I also liked the fact that I didn't have to assemble it once I received it. The drier is quiet and overall very easy to use. I would definitely recommend this product to my friends and family!

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Shun DM0902 Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

I chose this seller because the asking price was incredible. Far below the MSRP, and delivery was amazing. This blade is my most beloved kitchen utensil and the sharpest knife I've used, let alone owned. Be forewarned, this knife is intended for right-handed cooks. It feels like an extension of the hand, but the grip would be wrong in a left hand. I've also been a user of 10" chef knives, and this 8" feels very natural. 10" Shun classic knives feel very large. They handle amazingly, but the tips can be brittle. I like that this blade is a little more compact less likely to break off the tip.

Looks much better than picture. Can't bear to use it!!!! It's simply an art piece. Every part of the knife is perfecty done!!!!!

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Update International TCD-24 Stainless Steel Turkish Coffee Decanter, 24-Ounce

the spout is not in the center of of the unit but a few degrees off which makes it difficult to pour and the screw holding the handle loosens after a few uses otherwise the quality is o k

I use it to boil water for tea; I like my tea hot, and when it's just me there's no reason to use the big tea kettle. This coffee pot is perfect for what I need it heats fast and it's large enough to fill my 16 oz. mug or my 20 oz. Klean Kanteen for tea-on-the-go.

The exterior is polished stainless steel, the interior is brushed stainless steel; it's easy to clean and it looks brand new. The long handle stays cool to the touch and the spout pours out water smoothly and evenly.

It's true, the handle had to be tightened, but I only did it once, and now it feels quite sturdy. I had this type of ibrik before, and while it might not last a lifetime, with proper care I'm sure I'll get a good few years' use out of it.

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The others were made in Europe, I think Germany, this was made in China and almost immediately, the handle had to be tightened. What might have taken a year took 10 days.....

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Starfrit Salad Spinner, Blue

I've been walking into Bed, Bath, and Beyond for several years now looking for a decent salad spinner. Last Christmas I bought myself an OXO but returned it after 1 day since the the gears stripped with a minimum of force and the entire unit was difficult to keep steady. Then last week I started looking around online to see where the state of salad spinner technology was and after perusing many reviews I decided to give this Starfrit item a whirl. What a good move that was! This thing is SWEET. Some people might be turned off by the side handle because it might make it difficult to store the unit. But as far as I'm concerned this is the luxury of the item. With the side handle, the gear mechanism is more sturdy and considerable force can be applied to get the spinner really humming. Also, with the top of the unit clear, one can place a hand on top to stabilize the unit while turning the handle. Also, there are some little details like removable liner on the spinner, which can be cleaned separately. Also, the ribbed interior of the basket to keep salad leaves in place. And did I mention the 4 thick rubber feet? Finally, this light blue thing looks cool as all get out like something out of 2001: A Space Odyssey! Open the pod bay doors, Hal, and get me a Caesar Salad....I love this product and advise everyone to immediately bypass the OXO hype and get with the Starfrit revolution! (OK, am I overstating my enthusiasm a bit here? seriously though, this is an awesome salad spinner.)

Love this salad spinner. I wasn't sure which one to buy so I went thru all the reviews.This brand had great reviews from everyone. I was not disappointed. It's very solid, and the handle makes it spin well. It doesn't feel like it's going to break on you. It also doesn't slip all over while trying to turn the handle... of course I keep one hand on it and it is just so steady. I have used salad spinners in the past and quit using them because they didn't work well. Well I put my lettuce in this one after washing it and shaking out the excess water.Gave it a few spins and was surprised at how much water came out and how dry my lettuce was for chopping.If you're considering purchasing a salad spinner... this is a great one. I love mine!

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I reviewed a lot of spinners before choosing this one, and I'm very glad I bought it. It is quite large, well designed, very sturdy, and does a great job. We've had it for many months, no problems. I like that you can crank the handle just a few turns, and it keeps on spinning on its own for as long as you want, to get your produce very dry--no need to pump and pump. The brake works very well. The lid never seems to get wet either, which makes for easier cleaning. We like to do leaf lettuce in whole leaves, then store them ready for use in an air-tight container. The lettuce seems to last longer, and is certainly convenient for salads and sandwiches. This is a bit too large for de-hulling sprouts.

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In the past, I have had the OXO and the Kitchen Aid salad spinners. Both of these were difficult to spin, especially with large amounts and broke within a relatively short period of time. This one, with the crank, is easy to use and gets my lettuce much drier than the others. I am happy with my purchase.

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I must say I'm underwhelmed on first spin with this product. Several review descriptions just seem "off". This is NOT any jumbo capacity spinner, if anything it's a tad less than OXO's and other typical spinners of that ilk. It's taller but narrower. The minimal instructions don't tell you how to attach the handle, just shove it on. Not sure from that if there's a better connection than just randomly pushing it in but the most annoying thing about it is it has a clicking, "skipping" feel to the spinner when you rotate the handle, as though the cogs had already stripped a few teeth. This is apparently the action that was designed into the spin system(they're very few teeth on the spin top) so to me it feels defective right out of the box. It literally sounds like popcorn popping there's so much plastic "gear stripping". You dont get the feel that it can spin as fast or with as much torque as other common spinners. Can't imagine it'll hold up too well with the flimsiness of the handle/gear cog mechanism, but will definitely report back on its performance after a month or two. My initial impulse was to return it but seems like a hassle for a bulky $25 purchase. 10 days later-gave up and returned it. I would guess it never exceeded 60 rpm(with a clattering/ratchedy noise)and left salad dripping wet. Thank you Amazon for good return service.

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Masterchef 16-Piece Kitchen Knife Set

I bought this as a Christmas gift for someone and I must say I'm not impressed but not disappointed either. There average knives the packaging they came in was poor and I had to return the first set because the cutting board was broken when I got it. The person I bought them for was happy with them so that's good enough for me.

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Zwilling J.A. Henckels 3-pc. Twin Four Star Cutlery Set

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Signature sets had no three rivet design on the handle as the picture shown, no steel through the handle, therefore the weight is much less than the 8" one I bought before-paid over $100.00. You get what you pay for that's for sure!

Edit: they are very sharp! it's the lighter weight I have to get comfortable with it! I've changed form two star to three star.

These knives are SHARP. They slice through anything you can throw at them with virtually no effort. Use extra caution. They are amazing to work with in the kitchen. Well balanced, well crafted. The blades have kept an edge for months now, even though I sometimes catch myself using the paring knife as a utility boxcutter on occasion.

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twin four star is wonderful. i chose it for gifts because i have owned a like set for many years.

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I bought two sets of knives for Christmas gifts after doing a lot of research about the company and the quality of their knives. These are one of the higher end products. I understand that the knives cut so easily it is like cutting through butter. They are a great gift that will last a very long time. I would recommend these knives to young couples and those who have had their old sets for so many years they barely cut anything and it is time to replace them.

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These knives sharpen easily and hold their edge very well. These have worked very well for cutting and trimming raw meat. I strongly recommend them.

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Chef'n Strawberry Slicester Hand-Held Strawberry Slicer

I use this for mainly strawberries. Freeze abunch for winter desserts and cereals. Cut prep time by 70%, really. Great for mushrooms too. Well built. Blades won't break or stretch like wire type egg slicers. You will be happy with this item, PROMISE!!!

This is undoubtedly the best strawberry slicer around. REAL blades; not flimsy wire. Blades are firm and SHARP! They will cutnot SQUASH the fruitthe way some of the cheaper slicers with wire blades will. I primarily use this to prepare strawberries for dehydrating, and consistently receive evenly sliced berries. I can easily slice 5 pounds of strawberries in less than 10 minutes. Clean up is easyjust watch those blades because they are sharp. You cannot go wrong if you purchase this.

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This product is great in theory, but doesn't work very well. There's 2 main problems. First, I read the reviews saying it wasn't large enough, but I thought they were referring to those massive, gourmet strawberries that are the size of plums or small apples. They weren't this device is too small for many of the strawberries I get every week. You have to cut them in half to fit, which results in ugly slivers that are hard to eat. Second, the blades are not sharp at all. This might be a safety or liability issue, but I wouldn't even call them blades so much as metal strips. They don't do the cutting, your hand pressure does. What this means is that you squeeze and squeeze, and when the pressure gets great enough the device pops and the strawberry is forced through the strips. The strawberries get bruised and come out very wet from being squeezed. This device requires enough pressure that I think someone with any sort of coordination or strength issue in their hands would not be able to use it. What's disappointing is that the device seems like it would work well (small size aside) if decent blades were provided. I'll use it until it breaks and then look for something different.

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Oh my gosh, where has this been most of my life?

I have spent many many years slicing by hand with

a knife & have tried other types of slicers, but gotta

say this is "AWESOME"!!!!!!! Get one you'll never use

anything else again!!!!

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Originally, I was looking for an egg slicer (which we use to slice mushrooms), since my great-aunt's 50 year old slicer had worn out. We tried many slicers, but none worked as well as my worn-out slicer. I happened on this strawberry slicer and viola! This not only slices strawberries quickly and neatly, but it slices mushrooms, black olives, and cherry tomatoes! Haven't tried it on hard-boiled eggs yet.

The blades are sharp and it is easy to clean. We love it!

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Chef Works PSER-BLK Black Professional Series, Pants, Size M

pants ripped in middle of service near knee area. now I'm stuck with a $40 pair of pants with a hole in them...can't return or exchange item

These were shipped and fit perfect for my boyfriend and he loves them and they are so much cheaper the Chef Works and they are the same product.

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Looks good and are comfortable but piss poor button construction. Sewn on very loosely and will probably fall off after a couple washes.

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I've been wearing Chef Works for years and they don't let you down. Which is why I keep buying more. Not all styles are for all people, but they all perform as well and you do. Truly for pros...Hope this helps!

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I own Chef Works pants and I was due for some new ones. After looking at the Chef Works website these were the ones that I wanted to purchase. I wanted the extra back pocket because when I am working I have my wallet in my back right pocket and I like to have a towel in my other back pocket. These pants are durable, lightweight, and cool. The material used in these pants are much lighter than the Baggy Chef Works pants that I own. The sizes run large though, my "Baggy" pants are an XL but my "Professional" pants are a L and they fit the exact same. Will buy again.

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American Weigh Black Blade Digital Pocket Scale, 1000 by 0.1 G

I prefer this scale to competitors because I feel it's more accurate and it's very easy to clean if you spill accidentally. It's small and easy to tuck away or carry with you when traveling. I use mine every morning to measure small doses of supplements so it's an essential on all my trips; I couldn't live without it.

In addition to the scale another must have to those who measure such small amounts is storage! At times I utilize capsules but other times I bag my doses and for that I found some great, light and easily subtracted bags25 6x9" Silver Zip Lock Foil Stand Up Bag Pouches. They seal tight and you don't lose your measurements in the fold. The powders come out easily and it's really convenient when you need a few for a trip or whatever the case may be.

No other reviewer mentions what calibration weight this scale requires. An information I wish was available when I ordered it. Although I did my homework I still wasn't able to find this info anywhere. This info should have been sent by the manufacturer to Amazon. The only clue you get from Amazon -even though it is not their fault is in the "frequently bought together" section where a 50g calibration weight is suggested. So I bought the 50g only to discover (once I opened the box and read the instructions) that the manufacturer of the scale specifically requires a 500g calibration weight for this scale. This information is essential, I believe, and should have been made available to Amazon by the manufacturer. More so, I tried to contact the manufacturer and left a message asking them to tell me which calibration weight they recommend before I buy the scale. They never bothered to call me back. For this I give the manufacturer a rusty 1 star. How you treat customers is almost as important as the quality of your product.

For the way the scale functions I give it 4 starsit seems to work very well for the weights that it is designed to measure (down to .1 g or 100mg). To Amazon, who tried to fix my problem, I give 5 shining stars! but I'm still waiting to see the info changed here, so that no more people buy the wrong calibration weight like I did, despite all my efforts to find out which one was required! So get the 500g calibration weight if you think you will need one for this scale.

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I highly recommend this scale. I originally wanted to buy a scale to weigh food. I have been on a diet to lose weight for awhile now and the scale was very important to make sure I stayed within my caloric limits. So far I have cut my calories and started to workout (jog/walk) more. I have also been taking the weight loss supplement Raspberry Ketones Raspberry Ketone, Naturally Lose Weight, Appetite Suppressant, 250mg of High Quality Raspberry Ketone Per Capsule, 60 Ct, 100% Natural Weight Loss in addition to my healthy diet and workout routine. So far in the past 2 months I have lost 11 pounds and I am very happy to see progress!

The main things I was looking for were a scale that was small, portable and within a good price. In my searches I found a ton that were much more expensive with poorer reviews. After reading through tons of reviews I was comfortable with this purchase because of all the great reviews and great price. I wanted to post this review here because the reviews I read were instrumental in my purchase, so I wanted to give back and maybe help others out.

First yes, you need a calibration weight as is mentioned in other reviews.

The scale will weigh in both oz and g with 2 digits following the decimal.

I don't weigh anything that has to be super exact so for me this is accurate enough although it seems like a small percentage of people complain about the accuracy which could just be they received a defected product since 95%+ don't have this issue at all.

The scale stays level even after pulling out the arm as shown in the picture. I was somewhat unsure of this before buying because you don't see scales that function like that ever. But after using this scale I have found that this level issue isn't an issue at all.

Yes, batteries are included.

Overall I am very happy with the purchase, it does the job and for the price I certainly recommend it to everyone.

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American Weigh Blade 1000 Digital Mini Pocket

I was looking for a mini portable digital scale to measure food and ingredients for cooking and eating. I searched online and saw this scale as the best one out of all that I had researched. Best for the following: best price, cute, compact, portable, has carrying case offering protection, weighs items up to 1000 g, could weigh in oz, g, and something else.

I contacted the seller and he replied exponentially fast and he answered all of my questions! (Other sellers I had contacted did not reply sadly.) And the product arrived quickly as well to Bellingham (they don't ship to Canada).

I'm loving my new scale ... it's proving to be very handy. And oh, it came calibrated! I tested it with an American nickel and it showed up as 5 g!

Thank you ... I'm as happy as can be and would recommend this scale and this company to others with great faith!

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Great product. The scale works great mine needs to be calibrated

NOTE: THIS SCALE USES A 500G CALIBRATION WEIGHT!!!!!!!!!

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Cast Iron Taiyaki Pan

I looked incredibly hard for a good cast iron taiyaki pan and was so excited to finally find this oneand now I'm incredibly disappointed! The pan I received was Aluminum coated in teflon, materials linked to Alzheimer and other health issues! I immediately requested a full refund and am awaiting a response. Please do not buy this pan if you are at all concerned about your health! Amazon should remove this pan!

I wish the pan was a little heavier and had a darker finish, but that's personal preference speaking. There aren't very many of these pans available online, that I have found, in cast iron.

It does the job. Takes a little practice, but the same can be said for anything.

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Chef's Choice 500 ScissorPro Professional Diamond Hone Scissor Sharpener

All those dull old scissors I collected over the years, as they gradually lost their edge, are now SHARP. I stumbled across this product while looking for a knife sharpener. Since I was about to buy yet another pair of scissors, I decided to try it. It really put a good edge on all my shears (except pinking, nail and hair which it does not sharpen). You have to be somewhat careful holding the blade at the correct angle, as there is a bit of wiggle room under the guide. One practice run with a cheap pair of scissors should suffice, however, and it is wonderful to have really sharp scissors again. Lots of them!

Heavy little machine, this is good. The text mentions it sharpens knifes **(WRONG)** It only sharpens sissors. Ran about 10 pairs thru it and amazing even some pairs the kids used to cut wire with were honed clean of chips in the blade and were razor sharp after. Beware if you have knife edge sissors they include an attachment to do them make sure you use it. Very satisfied with the sharpner. Just wish it did knives too.

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After reading the reviews on this product, I had it on my list of 'things I really would like to have someday' for quite a while. I have tons of different types of scissors, everything from kitchen shears, sewing scissors, craft scissors for all types of crafts and crochet projects, and detail scissors for scrapbooking and card making... along with lots of childrens scissors for the grandkids to use. Seemed like everytime I picked up a pair, they were dull, and I was constantly having to buy new pairs, tossing the old ones in a box...with the thought that someday I would figure out how the heck to sharpen those in a reasonable way. Well, 'someday' arrived. I saved my money up, to finally purchase the Chef's Choice 500 ScissorPro. I read the instructions, hauled out my box of scissors, washed the goo and glu off them first, and proceeded to give it a try, starting with my least fav pair first to practice on (a pair that had a small knick in one blade). I used a papertowel to try a test cut before sharpening. It not only wouldn't cut the towel, it bent it rather than cut, lol. Then after sharpening the pair... voilaaaa...it cut like a charm...cleanly and consistently with each snip (though on this pair, I did run it through several times to even out the knick in the blade)! AMAZING!! So I moved onto the next pair, and the next. Time after time, doing test cuts before and after, on the paper towel, with each pair. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING... did I say AMAZING?! It worked so well, on literally every pair I sharpened, that I took it over to our kid's houses, had them haul out all their pairs, and sharpened theirs for them too. Now they're saving up for one, as they would like their own. I thought the price was a bit high, but considering how much I've spent over the years on scissors (and gas to have to go out shopping for more), I feel it's worth the money. I only wish I would have had this product years ago, before spending so much on scissors over the years. We also have the knife sharpener (a separate product... this scissor sharpener can't be used for knives)... but the knife sharpener works very well too. Now if they can just invent a product like this for pinking shears and decorative edge scissors.... and toenail clippers.... (lol) Oh yes, almost forgot, the product arrived in a very timely manner, as well. Chef's Choice 500 ScissorPro Professional Diamond Hone Scissor Sharpener

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This product is wonderful. It was easy to use and does a great job on all my scissors, big or small. I practiced first on my inexpensive scissors but quickly moved on to my sewing scissors. This is an alternative to the expense of professional sharpening.

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I purchased this sharpener because the Chef's Choice knife sharpener is wonderful. The scissors sharpener is not so wonderful. It is capable of one angle on the coarse side and two angles on the fine side. If you have scissors with the angle it was made for then it's great. If you have scissors with the "knife edge" angle, there is an adapter for the fine side only. Therefore, if you cut a pin, you can't use the coarse side. If you have different scissors yet, if will completely ruin them. It is quite helpful to take the scissors apart to fit them into the machine.

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LANSKY SHARPENERS Lansky LSTCN Knife Sharpener

A friend of mine had this knife sharpener & as a chef, always used to his trusty steel, i was not that favorable about using something that i previously looked at as a gimmick. What an edge!!! This is the easiest gift you could ever consider giving, even if you only visit someone once or twice a year .. . take them this Lansky's knife sharpener . . . Just bought 2 more.

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Victorinox Oyster Knife 2-3/4-Inch Hooked Tip New Haven Style Blade, Red SuperGrip Handle

I shuck 300 to 800 oysters a week. This knife does the trick. The New Haven tip cracks open the hinge and goes right into the muscle. Quick turn and the bottom muscle is cut. Role over the oyster and ready to serve. I do have to do a quick sharpening every other week. The handle is tought, sanitary and does not dig into the palm of your hand after shucking several hundred oysters.

Overall I really like this knife. Just did a 100ct of James River Oysters (which I think are Med to Large) today for a party and found it much better than my previous knife. Someone recommended the curved tip "New Haven" style who had shucked at an oyster bar and it really worked well for these oysters. Granted, it think these are easier than others I have done in the past. Benefits of this knife include-non-slip handle, good handle size for my Med size hands, VERY solid stiff blade, curved tip that was thin enough to wiggle into the joint. Nice curve also helped cut the abductor easily. Broad enough turn the meat after cutting. Granted only one day of use so we will see how it holds up, but it still looks brand new and more importly still feels solid. Price was a bit high, but if it lasts, well worth it!

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I work at an seafood place/oyster bar that primarily serves oysters on the half shell and this blade has proven perfect for getting in the hinge quickly and cleanly. This is almost great beginner knife, the only thing that stops it from being all around perfect is also its biggest strength: the hooked tip. The hooked tip is awesome for serving on the half shell for most oysters, but isn't quite as versatile as Boston or Galvenston style knifes for getting into the really big oysters, clams, etc. If it's your first knife or your only knife I recommend the Boston style of the same brand, but that doesn't stop me from loving this knife!

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And this time I didn't kill myself with this Victorinox oyster knife. I just can't describe in words how shocked I was when I shucked my first oyster using this proper tool. My buddy and I shucked 100 blue point oysters that day with minimal effort. You really need the proper tools to do the job properly but most importantly, to do the job easily.

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This knife makes opening oysters so much easier!! It has a finer tip than other shuckers that I've used almost all my life. I used to end up with a bunch of oysters that I had to get a hammer and bang on, that doesn't happen anymore with this opener.

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Wusthof Garlic Press

This is the only garlic press I've found in about 15 years of searching that: 1. Always works, 2. Cleans up easily, and most importantly, 3. I can't break it. I'll never buy any other kind of press. It's a bit spendy by comparison with some other models; but well worth the price. There are a fine screen and a coarse screen, I always use the coarse screen, though the fine one works well too. We use about 2 entire bulbs (not cloves) of garlic per week. This press stands up to the work -for about 7 years now, with no problems.

First, without a doubt, this is the best garlic press I have ever used. It is very sturdy, has a nice feel, is easy to clean, and works well on the first go. The only problem arises when you need to press more than one load of food because of the removable baskets. They tend to pop out with each use. This isn't much of a problem when you have two hands to spare or if you only need a small amount of garlic or other food pressed. However, if you're trying to press a lot of food fast or if you have a baby in one arm and are trying to work one handed it can get rather annoying. Though that does knock it down a star for me, I still really like the baskets. This works very well in different dishes and with different ingredients being pressed. Most of all, it makes the press very easy to clean because when you remove the baskets there aren't any cracks and crevices that can be a real pain to clean in other presses.

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This is a wonderful garlic press! It is easy to use and clean. The press has 2 baskets with smaller and larger grates. I have tried may other presses, but Wusthof has made the very best!

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Catskill Craftsmen 9-3/4-Inch Small Utility Poly Cutting Board with Groove

This is a really nice little cutting board. It's just the right size for small jobs that you don't want to use a large cutting board for like slicing a tomato for a sandwiche or cutting cheese (I know how that sounds). Anyway, I am very happy with my purchase.

This small cutting is a real bargain. I wanted a very small cutting board to grab and do quick small cuts like green peppers or onions. I place the small board on my large cutting board and quickly cut the items and then hold the little board under running water and I'm done. It saves washing the very large cutting board time and time again throughout the day and helps to keep it nice. I am going to purchase a couple more for backup.

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These little boards are very good for cutting small items. They are easy to store too. If you are looking for a small cutting surface these might be just what you are looking for!

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A very practical sized cutting board for small spaces. I use it on my TV table to cut snacks/cheese using little space.

The cutting board is easy to clean and easy on any cutting edge. A fine product with great design.

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This smaller size cutting board works well for small projects. My counter space is limited, so it fits perfectly. Good quality.

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J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge Synergy 3-Piece Starter Set

Again, I purchased these for our son since he was in another state than we were, Amazon was the easiest way to purchase things for his new apartment and have them shipped quickly. He's informed that he was quite shocked that these knifes felt cheap. We have always used Henkel knives and have always been happy with them. It has been about 6 months since he's had them and he still uses them, so I'm guessing they are holding up.

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Victorinox Curved 10" Blade Cimeter Knife with Red Handle

This is a good quality butchering knife that dose what it should. Takes a good edge and keeps reasonably well. Has the USDA recommended red handle for raw meat. The only thing that I would like is a little more weight to the knife.

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Wusthof 4622 Classic 7.1-Inch Fillet Knife (18cm)

My husband (commercial fisherman) has been using this knife for 4 years, it is his favorite fillet knife (he has 10 different fillet knives on board). So we finally bought one for home. Excellent quality, if purchasing, make sure it is the 'Classic' series, they have other series (ie; Emeril) that are not as high quality and are therefore cheaper.

A carpenter friend once told me "If you're working too hard, you're not using the right tool." I just bought this knife and bought a fish on the way home and put it to use right away. The meat came away from the skin with near perfection (and that was on my first try!) and very little waste. It's the right tool for the job. Tomorrow's mission: a whole chicken.

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I bought this fillet knife for my brother who is a sponsored salt water angler. He informed me that this is the best fillet knife he has ever owned. Sharp as a razor and passes through bone, skin, and meat with no effort at all.

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I used this knife for the first time tonight to skin a salmon fillet. This was also my first time skinning a fish. As I approached the fish nervously, thoughts of everything that could possibly go wrong performing this simple yet delicate task began racing through my mind; tearing the skin, removing too much flesh, the knife slipping, anything that could destroy my expensive piece of Coho. I grabbed the fillet by a corner and made my first cut down to the skin. Then, in a rather undramatic glide of the wrist, it was all over. Done, perfectly, not a shred of flesh on the skin. Great knife. I was shipped (perhaps by accident) the leather sheath, though I ordered just the knife. I am slowly building my collection of Wusthof knives. I have the 6" and 10" chef's, this fillet, and the 5.5" serrated utility and all are remarkable knives. I will also add that I had almost a spiritual moment today when I pulled the 10" chef knife from its packaging. Feels great in the hand, hefty, but perfectly balanced. All I remember thinking was, "Wow. Now that's a knife!"

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All my knives are Wüsthof but this is by far the sharpest I've used. Flexible, nice looking, and you will find yourself using it for everything (even household tasks) that requires a keen edge. Buy it with caution, or BandAids...

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Wallace 5086468 45-Piece Continental Hammer Flatware Set

This set is an excellent alternative to Reed & Barton's Hammered Antique which costs 4 to 5 times more!! Really, this was a great deal!! This set by Wallace is also 18/10 stainless just like the Hammered Antique! The quality looks pretty much equal. And after making a comprehensive, detailed comparison, we went with this Wallace Continental Hammered because we liked the larger, continental style Soup/place spoons. And, we liked the price of $72.44 with Free Shipping from Amazon-can't beat it!!

The larger set, service for 12 is not 18/10-it's 18/0 and not as heavy and there were a few negative complaints about that. So, stick with this set....service for 8.

First, I should say we wanted to get a complete set of flatware for our anniversary. So we looked around, 10-12 stores at least. Macy's and similar, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's etc. Not looking to spend $10k on real silver-ware but we can afford more than $30 at W-mart. We spent about 4 weeks before choosing this set (x2). So this was a serious choice we put some effort into. We wanted a whole matching set to keep for many years.

So early on we found we had to try and see if there was still a reputable manufacturer that didn't just ship junk in from overseas. The problem seems to be so many sets made overseas have started having quality issues in the last 5-10 years. It seems all brands that were originally manufactured in the US/Europe are made in Asia to varying standards. I am sure cost-cutting is a big problem for many companies, it's not just this category item. I saw people reported online getting the same setup from the same company a few years apart and they got very different results. Many buyers left reviews about rust and other problems on most sets we looked at in the stores. We expect for $60-100 a set of "stainless steel" flatware they they are not going to start rusting in 3-6 months. We had gotten some (cheap) pairing knives, 100% stainless (blade and handle) and seen rust spots after a few months I said maybe that is okay for a pairing knife but it would be unacceptable for our regular silverware.

The other problem was finding something we could both agree on. We saw two sets of the hammered style, and we both liked those well enough. BB&Beyond has pieces out where you can handle them. The feel in the hand is important. I liked one hammered set as the pieces were heavier and comfortable. Reviews on the store set were mixed however, with rusting on the two-piece knives an issue apparently. The sets we looked had review that were only 50-60% positive. So we had a style, we just had to find the best maker.

Wallace looks like a higher-end manufacturer, part of a family of flatware companies. The top-level Wallace items are $10,000+ silver sets online if you want to lookso I was reassured this wasn't a cheap company that has just popped up or is a "store brand" that changes factories every year. So that matched our desire to avoid a low quality company. Macy's website had this set (with some good pictures) but the 2-3 Macy's we checked locally did not have Continental Hammer. We did get to look at other Wallace sets, and they looked quite nice.

We ordered 2 sets of 8. Several pieces were slightly scratched or scuffed, only one really badly enough to worry about. The hammered effect is well done, better than others we saw in stores. The handle is flat (not shiny) and the 'business-end' is highly chromed and very shiny. We think the pieces are very nice looking. We find the handles comfortable enough to hold and usewith a narrow neck and wide tail.

The other reviews online for this set had some comments that I noticed, and I can confirm them as issues for us as well.

First, the flatware is all printed (not stamped or indented) with Wallace, China, 'c' and 'r' marks in black "ink". On the forks and spoons it is on the back side (no big deal). On the knives it is on one side, mid-way on the blade. Quite noticeable and detracting from the appearance. It looks tacky and cheap. I tell myself it may be better then imprinted/indented which possibly harbors bacteria long term. It's only a minor annoyance for me.

Second, the handles are thin, not as thick as other hammered styles we saw. This makes these pieces somewhat lighter. This was a slight disappointment, since there was no way to judge weight from looking at it online. We decided we could live with it. A full set of 5 (large and small spoons and forks, and one knife) weigh in at 9.7 oz on my postal scale. The knife has a nice, thick rounded hollow handle and is a single cast piece (no seams to rust).

Third, if you are not sure what the "Continental" part of the name iswell, it's not just a flowery adjective. It means "European size" and by that I mean REALLY LARGE on the large items. NOT standard size, which may take a little getting used to or may make this more appealing to some buyers. I have seen these sizes in Europe too, so it's not a made up term. Some people might say ridiculously large, though. I will upload a photo with a penny in the large spoon. It's not a problem for us, but it could be for some folks. The wife and daughter only use the small spoons, but that was true when we previously had "normal size" flatware. The old standard spoons setting inside these Continental ones showed 10-20% more "spoon surface area".

Fourth, and most importantly is durability of the finish, or lack of it. Within a month we can see minor scratches and scuffs turning up on some pieces. These are easy to see because the surface it so shiny, these are not marks you would otherwise notice on flat/matte surfaces. Like a little watermark smudge you can't wipe off. We think that at this rate after a few years all the pieces will be scratched and scuffed to the point that we may have to consider replacing them. Most likely they will still be functional, but less attractive. We will see, I may come back and update the comment after 6 months. I think the "instructions" that came with the set mentioned placing them carefully in the dishwasher to they were not scratched. Our dishwasher has a cover kind of thing over the flatware compartmentsort of like a loose peg-board arrangement of slots where you drop each piece in and it is held apart from the other pieces. I guess it's possible in theory the dishwasher is blasting the water so hard the flatware is banging around the getting scratched against each other. However, as the pieces are not changing their orientation and we can't hear any clinking (from an ultra-quiet washer) I kind of doubt it. However we may try and isolate pieces to see if it helps any. Other buyers complained online of the same and I wondered if they were being super-picky. It appears not. No small children, we are not being rough on the pieces, just what I would consider normal use.

The chrome finish looks nice when it is cleanso I AM being picky in wanting to take a microfiber cloth and wiping these off after they come out of the washer. Just so there are no streaks or water smudges on them. Mostly on the knives. It takes a few moments, but I only mention it as I can guess some people might be put off by the appearance of the watermarks. (and yes, perfectly clean clothI am sure I'm not introducing those scratches I mentioned). ;)

Overall, I will rate these a 4. I want to say 3 to mark down for the minor issuesbut if I am honest in comparing them to the other hammered sets we looked closely at the Wallace set is still much better. Some room for improvement in the weight and finish durability perhaps, but we are happy with our selection.

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I had been trying to find a flatware set like this for a long time. I was thrilled to find this on Amazon and at such a good price. It made it possible for me to "gift" someone with something they really wanted. It is a lovely set and good weight too. I had looked long and hard and you will not find an equal to this anywhere! If this is the pattern you like then go for it. The service from Amazon and all their vendors is the very best!!

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The flatware is nice weight and feels good. I like the style but to tell the truth I was more concerned with good quality and that is what I got.

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I was looking to replace my flatware for our RV as it was not holding up well even though it was seldom used and never put in dishwasher. In doing my research I discovered that there is a huge difference between flatware rated 18/0 (which my RV flatware was) and 18/10 (which my household flatware was). The "10" or the nickel makes all the difference in the world. This Wallace set is 18/10 -is very confortable to hold and has a very nice weight to it. It has now become my household flatware and I am ordering another set for extras. The pattern is really pretty and goes with everything. My household flatware is now in our RV and my previous RV flatware is GONE!!

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Wusthof 9-Inch Double Mezzaluna

If you cook a lot, and large amounts, if you use onion and herbs with most cooking, then this tool is a must have for you. I have been looking for double bladed Mezzaluna just like the one I grew up with for years, and I did not hesitate to buy this one when I saw it on Amazon. The positive reviews and my Wusthof knives encouraged me to choose this particular one. It is perfect size. I enjoy using this Mezzaluna.

Well made, stays sharp makes chopping spices like rosemary and thyme and most other fresh spices a snap. Kind of pricy but the quality is there...

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cant go wrong! if its wusthof you know its good! i thought it would be a bit longer, but in any case, im happy! i love the handles and thw double blade really makes a difference!"

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