Rival Stainless Steel Electric Fondue Pot
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Rival Stainless Steel Electric Fondue Pot
Customer Review: Considering its price, it's not that bad.
Summary: 3 Stars
We upgraded from a sterno fueled fondue set to this and have been fairly pleased with it so far. There are a number of drawbacks as other reviewers have mentioned, particularly about the VERY short power cord, and that the unit doesn't get as hot as it should. Ideally a fondue pot should be on a dining room table for the communal dining experience, which is why having such a short power cord is so bizarre. If you were leaving it on a buffet I could see the short cord, but when you add a much needed extension cord it really looks unsightly. The cord does have a nice magnetic separation design in case of someone tripping on the cord, but again, if you're using an extension cord that negates the feature working properly. We've used our unit for chocolate, cheese, broth, and wine sauces and it does an OK job depending on what you're cooking. The dial indicates 400 degrees but in all honesty it rarely reaches that so allow more time if you're cooking meats in it. You certainly can't add too many items either as it causes the temperature to drop and the meats can wind up undercooked. Cooking using it becomes more science than art. Based on my own experience with this unit it's more a "couple only" experience or perhaps two couples with plenty of patience. For our needs it's adequate. If you're looking for something more serious or for a family you probably would want to upgrade to a more substantial unit. The nonstick surface holds up well making for easy clean up, but you cannot immerse the unit in water. As with playing the piano, practice makes perfect with this pot.Customer Review: Simply the best
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this set for my husband and thought we might make fondue every once in a while. It is so easy to clean and extremely easy to use, that we cook in it all the time. We have made several cheese fondues, broths and chocolate. Unlike the "burner" type of fondue sets, this is safe and heats evenly and quickly. I can leave the room and not worry about setting the house on fire. The plug fits well and will only come out if you trip over the cord. This is great if you have pets or kids running around. You will not lose your dinner if someone is clutsy.
We brought our set over to my in-laws for Christmas for a cheese appetizer and it was a huge hit. My mother in law used her set for chocolate. Hers had the flame below and did not heat evenly and took significantly longer to heat the chocolate. It took me seconds to clean my set while my mother in law was scrubbing her old style set. I would highly recommend this brand and type of fondue set!
Customer Review: Doesn't get as hot as it should
Summary: 2 Stars
At first I thought this was a great product. If you only make cheese fondue it is great. The pot is very easy to clean although it could be easier if it were dishwasher safe.
The problem I've had with mine is that it doesn't get beyond about 320 degrees. The dial goes up to 400 but even after waiting for 30 minutes for it to heat up, it only got up to 323 degrees and wouldn't go any further. So if you want to use this for oil for a steak fondue it won't do the job well.
I know these kinds of appliances have to have a short cord and also a break-away cord but this is ridiculous. Touch the darn thing and the cord falls free. Very frustrating if you have a lot of people trying to use it for fondue. People kept telling me that the cheese was getting "hard" because the cord had fallen off, again. Next time I'd get a pot that had a thermometer built in, don't rely on the heat setting dial.
Customer Review: Going to college...
Summary: 5 Stars
Bigger than it looks, this little gem of a fondue maker would make a great gift for college students. Why? Not because you can expect your son or daughter to suddenly become a suave sophisticate who entertains their fellow dorm buddies with fondue parties, but because this little gadget really cooks! Takes up less space than a microwave (ok, it won't make popcorn, but microwave popcorn isn't all that good for you anyway...) Remove the fondue ring and it becomes a versatile little pot that, with a little imagination, can cook virtually anything. The adjustable thermostat heats up to 400 degrees, so making soup, chili, hamburgers, grilled cheese, ramen noodles and all their other favorites would be easy. Plus, there's the mom approved break-away safety electrical cord. The non-stick interior makes clean up a breeze.Customer Review: Was waiting for the Cuisinart to go on sale.
Summary: 4 Stars
However, the local Target store has this one at a $29.99 everyday price, so you don't have to worry about a shipping charge (Sales tax is considerably less.). The whole reason for the short cord and easy plug release is consumer protection. Perhaps Rival should have this 'boisterous child safe' version and create an adult version for the rest of us.
The real reason I gave this 4 rather than 5 stars is that you are going to use at least quart of peanut oil each time you decide to fondue with oil and that is a fairly pricey item. I would rather see a 2 quart that would still comfortably allow for 8 to fondue.
All-in-all, better than the old 70's Oster fondue pot and won't put a dent in your pocketbook.