GT Express 101 Countertop Grill
by Online Discount Mart
List Price:
Our Price: $9.99
You Save: $14.96 (60%)
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Category: Kitchen
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Product Summary
Manufacturer: Online Discount MartBrand: Gaiam
Model: 101
Product features:
- GT Xpress 101 cooks delicious meals fast and without the added fat
- With GT Xpress 101, all you do is place food in the preheated cooking wells and close the lid
- 101 Recipe book includes meal, snack, dessert and low carb recipes
Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of GT Express 101 Countertop Grill
Customer Review: GTsoggy101 - it seemed like a good idea, but...
Summary: 1 Stars
Very first of all: I've got nothing against TV infomercials, and I don't mind trying out things, and I don't expect them to work 100% as advertised or fine. For instance, I have bought the Magic Bullet, the king of infomercials, and like it a lot - it has a good niche and does well what it's supposed to do, even if the commercial overstated everything a bit.
So - when I saw the commercial for this item, I thought, why not? Basically, a waffle iron for breakfast and other food items - sounds like a good idea!
So I bought it. Now, after having received it, and after three days of trying out various meals and recipes, I can say: Not everything looking like a good idea is really one. There are several issues with the concept of a waffle iron for breakfast and other items.
Issue 1: The most important one. A waffle iron works well because it has a specific waffle mix filled in, which expands and gets browned. This is not the case with omelets, or most of the other items supposed to be cooked in this. Eg, if you put in muffin mix, and berries, you simply do not arrive at the same wonderful brown dough and pristine berries they show in the recipe book. It is impossible to get that without high temperatures, baking, and most importantly: letting humidity in the berries and the mix escape. Or when you make an omelet, and add fresh tomatoes, it will simply not come out as nicely browned plus fresh tomatoes. What it will come out most of the time is as a soggy mess: the tomatoes will lose liquidity, but it will simply soak into the egg mix, as it has nowehere to go (as opposed to when being pan-fried). The reason for this is very simple: When you panfry, or when you bake in an oven, the humidity can get away. So things can get crispy. Here, very little humidity can escape (otherwise the other claimed advantage, double-sided browning, doesn't work, sorry), so things just get soggy, soggy, soggy. Did I mention food get's soggy in this? SOGGY SOGGY SOGGY. Super-soggy, at times.
Issue 2: You may say, well, maybe we should do them a little longer? Well, the answer is, this is the second problem. While, just like a classic waffle iron, the contraption does not have any kind of adjustments (lower or higher heat), that wouldn't be much of an issue. Only, it simply does not cook very fast. I would say: it actually cooks very very very sloooowly. I am not sure how much watt this iron gives out, but it can't be more than 25 Watts or so. Your average light bulb heats better. So you simply have to cook very very long. Anything, not only the super-soggy things. And food still is soggy, soggy, soggy!
Issue 3: For me, a smaller issue, but still... while I understand that this is for small, fast portions, it is INCREDIBLY small. It's not like you can do a 3 egg omelet in this. It takes 3 full goes to do a 3 egg omelet (with minimal additions of onions and cheese)! And because it takes a such a looooong time to cook, you will end up with COLD soggy, soggy, and super-soggy items!
Issue 4: Also, this thing is NOT that easy to clean. As you may know, and may have expected, from waffle irons. Non-stick is a fine word, but the reality is, it WILL take you a long time to clean it. Among other things, oil easily drips out the back of it (even when using an oil mister, and after thorough seasoning and cleaning), and goes all over the hinges and wires. NOT nice.
The long and short of it: Pan-frying works better, even for small portions. Get a small pan! Maybe if you need to look at small portions for psychological or dietary reasons, or have a lot of work for soggy food - but even then, why torture yourself!?
So, I guess I will try out some more ideas to see if this thing has at least a niche usage making it worthwhile to keep, or otherwise I will now have to check out how I can return the item.
Think twice. Or three times! Before buying.
Description of GT Express 101 Countertop Grill
GT Xpress 101 GT Xpress 101 cooks delicious meals fast and without the added fat! With GT Xpress 101, all you do is place food in the preheated cooking wells and close the lid. The dual cooking wells and controlled temperature cook from both top and bottom at once so there's no turning or burning. GT Xpress's thermostat controls the temperature so you get perfect results every time - even if you leave it in too long! The hinged lid prevents spillovers and clean up's a cinch too, just wipe with a damp cloth. Enjoy healthy, flavor-packed, satisfying food in no time! 101 Recipe book includes meal, snack, dessert and low carb recipes. Features include: Dual Cooking Chamber - Cooks fast and requires no tending or turning because the food is in contact with the heat on both the top and the bottom Thermostatically Controlled - Ensures perfect results every time. Floating Hinge - Keeps lid in contact with the food, but allows for expansion of baked goods and omelets. High Quality Non-Stick Interior - Means easy cleanup with a damp cloth is all you need and there is no need for added fats and oils Ready Light - Tells you when the unit is preheated and ready for use Built-in Cord Wrap - For neat storage Instruction and Recipe Guide - 101 mouth-watering recipes that give you endless ideas for fast meals, snacks and desserts. Over half the recipes cook in 7 minutes or less 101 Recipe Booklet Spatula Dual cooking wells Thermostatically controlled Floating Hinge Non-stick interior Ready Light Built in cord wrap Benefits: Makes hundreds of scrumptious meals, many in less than 7 minutes No turning your food or slaving over a hot stove Delicious low carb food in less time Non-stick surface means no extra fat Built in cord and compact design makes for easy storageContact Grills
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