As Seen on TV Culinary Crap Wiz-Kid Gadgets.

[Big Daddy's House]

How many of you have bought stuff for the kitchen that was sold through those paid programs or infommercials that are seen on TV late at night, in the wee hours of the morning or at sunrise, wasting up and monopolizing tons of TV air time?

I've bought a few of them. But some of them, in my opinion, is not worth the time or money trying.

Seems as though the two biggest pushers of this stuff are Kathy Mitchell and Chef Tony! Kathy is advertising a plastic container that can boil pasta in the microwave.

Chef Tony is advertising a plastic cover that you can punch down onto containers to create a vacuum seal that supposed to push out the air in it.

Which gadget did YOU try from there that you're not happy with? Incidently, the stuff makes its way to stores like Target, Walmart, Walgreens and Kmart, yet you might hear them say that famous line; "Not sold in stores.".

They usually throw in some kind of bonus offer to get you even more interested in the product or service, such as extra covers, small knives, and eztra set of something or something like that.

[Chef_Dad]

I'm forever channel-surfing and suddenly getting roped in to watching a kitchen-gadget informercial. I am oft' tempted to grab the credit-card and phone.

However, the last gadget I purchased from an informercial was a set of microwave egg/bacon makers, one for bacon, one for poached eggs and one for omelettes. Don't have much use for the egg-poacher, but the bacon and omelette maker are great when time's a premium.

[GwenA]

I almost ordered the one where you can make "dinner pockets" shaped like little omelets. My kids really wanted to try it so they could help out more with the cooking. My husband called to order and the shipping was going to be over $60!!! :mad: We cancelled the order! I would rather teach my kids proper cooking techniques than shortcuts anyways! :)

[Big Daddy's House]

The most aggravating pusher of these products is Billy Mays!!

All he does is yell and scream through his commercials! When he comes on, I change the channel.

Imagine him coming into a room where there is a very quiet meeting and he yells;

'CAN I HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE?!!!!!".

[Drama Queen]

The most aggravating pusher of these products is Billy Mays!!

All he does is yell and scream through his commercials! When he comes on, I change the channel.

Imagine him coming into a room where there is a very quiet meeting and he yells;

'CAN I HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE?!!!!!".

Billy Mays was the subject of Friday's "ABC Nightline" at 11:30 pm.
He is a VERY successful pitchman for several companies and his success is due to his enthusiasm for the product. The "yelling" is part of the gig and he does it very well. He sure gets your attention AND sells a ton of product. He is a soft spoken, intelligent man and I enjoyed watching his "other" personality shine in the interview.
He does what he does because it works.

[Big Daddy's House]

Not for me!

This loud mouth also has a show on the Discovery Channel set to debut on Monday, I think.

Wouldn't be so bad if he didn't yell & scream.

[Drama Queen]

Not for me!

This loud mouth also has a show on the Discovery Channel set to debut on Monday, I think.

Wouldn't be so bad if he didn't yell & scream.

What's the show about? I haven't seen any promos and would like to know.
BTW, isn't the "mute" button the best thing yet? LOL

[Big Daddy's House]

I imagine that it will be about him and the other guy recriuting inventors of new products to hekp jumpstart their inventions and to help get them on the market to sell.

Try the Discovery / History / TLC Channels website to find out more.

I hardly ever think to use the mute button. I just change the channel until I think he's gone.

[TheAutomaton]

Apparently the new show is going to be a reality contest show (yes! Another one) about looking for the next big infomercial pitchman. The show is even going to be called "Pitchman". Stupidest idea for a show yet. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/20/billy-mays-commercial-sup_n_120019.html
The infomercial guy who got on my nerves was that ShamWow guy. Even though I guess we have seen the last of him now that he beat up that hooker...

I have bought a few of those kitchen gadgets over the years, but you know I can't remember any of them...and I think the only one that lived up to the promises was that bacon cooker that stands up in the microwave, so that the bacon doesn't lay in the grease. I actually like that thing.

[Big Daddy's House]

This is one stupid boring show that I won't be watching!!

I've had more than enough of him in those aggravating commercials with the stuff he pushes constantly!! And that awful yelling and screeming he does just grates on my nerves!!!!!

The only 2 products that I bought that he pushes were Oxiclean and the Gofor.

[TheAutomaton]

I agree with you, Bentley. I will not be watching it. I suspect that very few others will either and the thing will probably be quickly canceled and forgotten.

[Big Daddy's House]

That's what I'M hoping as well.

[Drama Queen]

This is one stupid boring show that I won't be watching!!

I've had more than enough of him in those aggravating commercials with the stuff he pushes constantly!! And that awful yelling and screeming he does just grates on my nerves!!!!!

The only 2 products that I bought that he pushes were Oxiclean and the Gofor.

You bought 2 products from Billie Mays? I rest my case. Works doesn't it?

As for the new TV show, I am anxiously awaiting the first show. If there's anything I love to do it's spend an hour watching a commercial. I'll report back to you. Gotta go find my Mastercard now.

[Atomizer]

The guy I can't stand is the one with the food chopper thing. The way he throws the one in the sink over his shoulder. I will continue to use my knife, now that I have learned to use it. I bought a knife like Rachel Rays and almost chopped the end of my finger off thinking I could chop like her, lol

[Big Daddy's House]

You bought 2 products from Billie Mays? I rest my case. Works doesn't it?

As for the new TV show, I am anxiously awaiting the first show. If there's anything I love to do it's spend an hour watching a commercial. I'll report back to you. Gotta go find my Mastercard now.



Umm, I believe that I only bought ONE item that was sponsored by Mays; the Gofor.

The other item was the Grip N' Flip, which was sponsored by Kathy Mitchel - the Queen of Culinary Crap Gadgets.

She also pushed the Pasta Cooker. And there was was also a pasta container that supposedly cooked pasta by placing the pasta in the container, adding boiling water to it and letting it sit until the pasta was supposedly done.

What is the sense in having any of these, since boiling water is needed anyway to cook the pasta? It's no faster than boiling a pot of water for the pasta in the first place!!

I bought a matching Emerilware Stainless Steel Pasta Pot that I paid $80.00 for, to go with the 10-pc. Emerilware Stainless Steel Cookware Set, which works perfectly well. These supposedly speedy ways to make pasta are just a crock!!

[mcnerd]

They may be a 'crock' but they made someone an awful lot of money and that was the purpose. :D

Actually I've used the Grip 'n Flip spatula for a long time now and it comes in handy and is used often. I also have the Pasta Maker and a neighbor swears by the tall one. They may seem stupid but they work and they don't take up space at the stove, which is a problem at times .

[Drama Queen]

I believe that I only bought ONE item that was sponsored by Mays; the Gofor.

The other item was the Grip N' Flip, which was sponsored by Kathy Mitchel - the Queen of Culinary Crap Gadgets.



Queen of Culiinary Crap?? I think I've seen that show, it's on QCC isn't it?
LOL

[Big Daddy's House]

Surveys have shown that at least half that stuff doesn't deliver the goods like the ones pushing it say that it will. The Grip N' Flip is good.

The tall pasta container is said to clump up the spaghetti, and the other pasta thingy was tested on the Today Show a while back. The person testing it out says that there is no time saved betwen using that and just boiling a pot of water for the pasta.

I once had the red Pasta Pot set. It worked ok for a while. But then the larger pot started to peel inside. The supposedly durable non-stick surface began to come up into the boiling water! Then the exterior paint began to peel.

The co that pushed it said that it also can be used to make stews, soups, sauces and other stuff. Wrong!! Incorrect!!! It can be used to boil potatoes, but the other stuff mentioned, no.
The bottoms are so paper-thin that as for trying to make stews, soups or sauces in them, they will burn.

What an insult to peoples' intelligence THAT was!! Goes to show that you get what you pay for.

[Drama Queen]

Surveys have shown that at least half that stuff doesn't deliver the goods like the ones pushing it say it will. The Grip N' Flip is goods

What an insult to peoples' intelligence THAT was!! Goes to show that you get what you pay for.

You get what you pay for - only if you're lucky. Most people don't get what they pay for because they believe the unbelievable.
Nobody really thinks about the product being pitched as in the pasta pot. The "before" shots on other items are just plain laughable.

Nobody throws food all over the stove when turning it in a pan unless they'er complete idiots, so why do people believe the spatula will make things easier? I've spent 40 years making hard cooked eggs by the jillions and NEVER had the eggs break and fall apart like they do in the commericial for an egg steamer. Which, by the way, you can make yourself by inserting a 3 dollar steamer gadget in one of your own pots.
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[Big Daddy's House]

The Pasta Express, or whatever it's called, has earned itself yet another dissatisfied customer yesterday at Epinions.com. The person said that it IS no good, as was expected.

The Emerilware 8-qt Pasta Pot that I bought has replaced that ill-fated cheap and flimsily-made Red Pasta Pot. I tossed it out.

I DO have the Henrietta Egg Cooker, and have used it several times. It DOES cook the eggs perfectly, depending on the amount of water that you put in the base for the doneness of the eggs.

Old School greased cast iron skillets are perfect for making scrambled and fried eggs as long as it is very hot. Or with a cooking spray.

[moobox]

Heh, I always loved the slap chop commercial with Vince. I like how he kind of parodies a pitch man while pitching at the same time. Oh yeah, and who can forget the late night Magic Bullet infomercials. I'll take a 6 second lobster thermidor please!:rolleyes:

[Big Daddy's House]

There is now a sopposedly more of a monster version of that machine that is supposed to do the work of a large food processor or a big stand mixer, but I'm not buying it.

[Chowhound]

So does anyone here have one of those Titan peelers? I've heard good things about them, but I don't know if after all these years of using a "conventional" peeler, that I could get used to the motion this requires. Obviously a very different technique is needed, including your grip on the carrot, potato or whatever you are peeling.
Right now I've noticed that my old peeler seems to be clogging up more than it did in the past. I'm not sure what that means, if it needs sharpened/replaced, or if I am not peeling hard or fast enough (talk about the word choices I had there :rolleyes:). Where I used to simply peel in the sink and let the disposal and the sprinkler take care of the skin, now I am usually trying to direct the peels into a bag or bowl to either throw out or feed my chickens. Maybe I'm no longer stroking it hard enough to clear the peels (there, I said it, lol).
Seriously, is a clogging peeler an indication that you need a new one?

[homecook]

I bought one. I used it once. I didn't like the motion you had to use either. In fact the first time I used it I took half the skin off my thumb! lolol I haven't used it since.........I'll send it to you if you want it.
I've got two of the conventional ones. One used to be my mothers' and they're still working fine. They still sell them
Your decriptions are too funny!!

[Chowhound]

Thanks for the offer, but you've confirmed what I didn't think I'd like about it, the motion. I guess maybe I'm just not peeling fast enough to clear the peel.

[homecook]

Do you peel towards you or away from you? I do it towards me and I think that's why I don't like the Titan. But that's just me......

[Big Daddy's House]

Those gadgets are often advertised on TV (As Seen on TV) as culinary Crap Gadgets.

But you CAN get them in the stores like Walmart, Target, Kmart and Walgreens and save on S&H charges. They entice consumers into buying this by calling the 800-number or by going online to their websites.

And then, the part comes that sickens me the most and absolutely makes my blood boil;

BUT WAIT!!! WE'RE NOT DONE YET!!!!! ORDER NOW, AND WE'LL SENT YOU A SECOND ONE FOR FREE!!! JUST PAY SEPARATE SHIPPING & HANDLING.

What they're NOT telling you is that you must pay DOUBLE the cost to have it sent to you! So, in my book, it isn't exactly for free!! And that is where they rape people for more money!!

I always wait for the item to come to one of the stores to avoid paying $30 for S&H.

That way, if I want to return it for whatever reason, I can get a refund or my card is credited right then and there.

[Roberta]

I use a Zyliss peeler and it is the best peeler I ahve ever used. It is pretty conventional. However, the blade is on some sort of rotating mechanism. (You can tell, I am not very mechanically minded.) Anyway, the blade moves. It is not stationary. Therefore, it is much easier and gentler on the wrist. I do not have to expend as much energy peeling. Since I am basically a lazy person, (I should really call myself The Lazy Cook) this is really great. It also makes the peeling process go a lot faster. I actually enjoy th eprocess now as it is fun.

[Big Daddy's House]

I have an Oxo peeler, BTW, that's been working just fine for me for 12 years.

[Chowhound]

Interesting, Barb. You actually peel towards yourself? I guess I peel away because that's how I always saw it done by my family.
The cutting blades on my peeler rotate too, Roberta. I thought they all did. Do you ever have a problem with your Zyliss clogging up with peels?
Does your Oxo ever clog, Sherm?

[Big Daddy's House]

If I peel fast it does, but if I peel slower, it won't clog up.

The Titan Peeler is advertised at the right of your screen, BTW.

I'm going to merge this thread with another one that I started some time ago.

[Big Daddy's House]

Your Peelers thread wasn't deleted at all, Chow. Just merged with this one.

[Cooksie]

I have a couple of vegetable peelers, and the one I always reach for is a Rada peeler. It clogs some, but not much at all. Just a little flick of the wrist will usually get rid of whatever hangs on.

[Big Daddy's House]

I still have an old Echo peeler, but I have not used it for a while, and it's rusty anyway.

The bade is not stainless steel. It's probably carbon steel, which does not hold up to moisture very long before it rusts.

[homecook]

I've got the Ecko peeler that I've had almost 40 years and still going strong. The one I got from my mom is a Pruf Nee Action. lol That thing is probably 50 years old.

I bought the Titan at Walgreens for $9.99 and it came with the plactic attachment so you can slice other veggies like a mandolin.

My grandmother taught me to peel towards me so I wouldn't shave the skin off my knuckles. haha

[Chowhound]

Mine is a PITA to clean out after it clogs. Probably because I always take a couple more swipes, which only compounds the problem. They certainly don't just shake loose. Like I said, this is only a recent problem. Must be from me not peeling as fast as when I was just aiming for the sink.

[Chowhound]

BTW, I just took a closer look at this thread title, Sherm... culinary "crap"? My post didn't have anything to do with crap, but was more based on technique and clogging problems when peeling. It's here now though...

[Village Idiot]

I have one of those standard peelers with a handle and a metal piece that looks like a knife blade with a long slot in the middle. I've never had it clog.

[Roberta]

No, chowhound, I don't have that problem. But I rinse the balde often and that seems to help. It depends on what I am peeling which direction I move. For some reason carrots are easier when II peel toward myself. But I do potatoes the opposite. I guess that makes me bi-polar. :D :D :D

[Mama]

I have a Titan peeler and I really like it...of course. it is shaped like my old peeler and I peel away from me so I didn't need to change my "style". It actually leaves tiny ridges in the potato which makes it easier to hold on to a wet potato. I like that about it too. I've been using it about 4 months now and I haven't had a problem at all with it clogging.

[homecook]

No, chowhound, I don't have that problem. But I rinse the balde often and that seems to help. It depends on what I am peeling which direction I move. For some reason carrots are easier when II peel toward myself. But I do potatoes the opposite. I guess that makes me bi-polar. :D :D :D


Oh great Roberta, I guess I'm bi-polar too. lol I peel carrots away from me and potatoes, cucumbers, etc. towards me.

[Chowhound]

lol, bi-polar peeling. Good one.
Maybe I'll try this "backwards peeling" (you speak of, lol) and see if mine clogs less before I decide to try a new one.
And boy, I hear ya about those slippery spuds Mama. Especially peeling away, because you need to hold onto the already peeled half to continue.

[Big Daddy's House]

I've always peeled all veggis away from me since I was a kid, and still do it that way today.

[Semigourmet]

I love the guy that says that the peeler has two blades so you can peel both directions. LOL All peelers have two blades.

That just cracks me up!

[Big Daddy's House]

That's been the norm since we were kids.