Rival RO180 18-Quart Roaster Oven, White Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this a couple of years ago to help with the Thanksgiving load on the oven. But now we wouldn't cook a turkey any other way, and I love it for big batches of soup and chili. The turkey cooks in far less time than in an oven, and it's wonderfully moist and flavorful. It makes huge batches of soup that are not possible in my crock pot, so is invaluable for those extra large recipes. And it's very easy to transport.
I really appreciate having the oven available for other dishes when I use my roaster. And when my oven was being repaired ,we used the roaster in it's place, and I was pleasantly surprised at what I could cook in it! I just used it dry, and put my baking pans inside, and my dishes came out just as good as when using the conventional oven. It's large enough to easily accomodate a 9x13 pan.
The one big drawback is you have to really watch the temperature. It gets hotter than you set the dial, so I compensate and cook at a lower temperature. It can be annoying at first, but once you get used to your roaster, it's not so big of a deal. But be prepared until you know what your roaster will do. And the removable pan you cook in is very big and not very nonstick, so can be a pain to wash unless you have an extra large sink. Spraying it down in the sink while it's still hot does help with clean-up, but it's never easy to wash. It does take up a lot of counter space while using it.
I have the buffet inserts, and they work great for taco/nacho parties. I put the hot items in their own compartment (meat, beans, cheese sauce), and they stay hot the entire time. And, again, it's portable, so you can take it to an event to use this way. If we have a big crowd at the holidays and serve family style, I put in the buffet insert after the turkey is done, fill them with the hot sides (potatoes, stuffing, veggies, etc), and it keeps those 3 hot dishes hot through out the entire meal. Very handy!! If you do a web search, you'll find a ton of great ideas and recipes for your roaster. There are very dedicated roaster users out there that have great information that I recommend you look at.
Like I said, I initially got it for holiday meals, but find I'm reaching for it for so many other events. Just watch the temperature!

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Not only does it roast, this 18-quart versatile roaster oven also bakes, cooks, and can be used for serving. It's especially handy around the holidays for use as a second oven when cooking for families and large groups. So whether it's a turkey, vegetable soup, or pecan pie, the countertop appliance delivers. The unit accommodates large roasts and turkeys up to 18 pounds, plus, it cooks up to 30-percent faster and with up to 77-percent less energy than a traditional oven. For ultimate control, the oven provides adjustable temperatures ranging from 150 to 450 degrees F. Special features include a removable steel roasting rack, a removable enamel-on-steel roasting pan, stay-cool side handles, and a convenient lid rest. The 18-quart roaster oven measures 23 by 17 by 9 inches and carries a one-year warranty.

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Presto 06006 Kitchen Kettle Electric Multi-Cooker and Fryer Review

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(More customer reviews)This unit is similar to the one I have (old style 06000), so I have included my review here as well.
I bought one at Walmart last year. I use it pretty often, but mostly for making popcorn. Turn temp to 350, put a couple-three tablespoons of peanut oil in the bottom, and then when the oil heats up throw in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of popcorn. Put the cover on and keep the pot moving while the corn pops. When the corn has just about stopped popping, turn the heat off and pour the popcorn into a bowl. Butter, salt and eat. YUM!
I've deep-fried scallops in it, steamed vegetables, cooked rice, made soup and even baked potatoes. The thing works great! I wasn't going to write a review until I saw Alton Brown talk some trash about it on Good Eats. I got pretty defensive about my humble Presto cooker! He was doing a silly episode about "man food" like corn dogs and thin, square hamburgers. Well, when Mr. Brown was explaining how to fry the corn dogs he said (while holding a Presto mutlti-cooker) that a pot with an heating element on the outside of the bottom wasn't a good idea because first the element had to heat the pot and then it had to heat up the oil. Too slow. After that he displayed three home-use rectangular fryers with immersion type heating elements. He said they were also better because they each had cooking baskets and break-away magnetic cords. He picked the one with the digital controls, while implying that this was somehow better than the manual rotary temp control.
I don't know if A. B. gets paid for product placement on his show, but I really thought he was being disingenuous regarding the Presto "pot." First of all, about the heating element on the bottom of the Presto cooker: During the frying demonstration, Mr. Brown had some text placed over the screen that said that if you didn't have a special electric fryer, that a pot on the stove-top would work fine. Isn't that interesting? What the heck is a pot on the stove, but just a heating element on the outside of a pot that heats up the pot and then the oil inside? That's exactly what he was criticizing the Presto kettle about. What gives? Secondly, the Presto cooker DOES TOO have a magnetic break-away electric cord to keep the unit from tipping when the cord is yanked by accident. Also, the Presto cooker DOES TOO come with a frying-steaming basket, which Brown implied it didn't have. Nya, nya, nya! See, I can be just as immature as Alton Brown!
I don't know if the rectangular fryers are really better, but I'm sure they cost a lot more. My Presto cooker was $26.85 at Walmart. I keep it in a lower cabinet - it doesn't take up much space there. I pull it out when I need it. It's inexpensive, easy to use, and simple. When we go to Maine in August, I'm allowed to take only one of my counter-top appliances. So, I just take the Presto cooker with me. Normally, I cook steel cut oats in a small bowl, sitting in water, in a slow cooker (a bain marie - sort of - found the idea here [link deleted]) I can do the same thing with the Presto cooker. And I have a pot with me on vacation that I can do so much more with.
One last thing. With my slow cooker I use a plug-in timer called a Rival Smart-Part. But it's not rated to control the wattage of the Presto multi-cooker. I found a heavy-duty programmable digital timer that I use to turn the Presto cooker off and on automatically. This device really allows me to use the Presto cooker like a slow cooker, without over-cooking stews and such when I am out of the house all day. The Presto multi-cooker is a terrific appliance! Buy one now, and don't believe everything you see on TV!
Flash Update! Here is another reason to buy a Presto multi-cooker: I'm making a beef stew with red wine tonight. What a mess browning the stew beef! I have a 3 quart Wagner cast-iron chicken fryer, and this is what I used to brown the beef chuck cubes. These days the meat hasn't been aged much, and so it is very difficult to brown properly. I managed to do it in batches, but the stove-top got pretty messy by the time I was done. I put the browned meat, vegetables, and garlic into the Presto cooker ( I made sure to deglaze the chicken fryer with wine and include all the tasty bits) and continued to cook the stew. And then I could proceed to clean up the stove-top while the beef stew simmered away in a different part of the kitchen. I am very pleased not to have to clean up all that oil splatter after dinner!

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Premium nonstick finish, inside and out for stick-free cooking and easy cleaning, fully immiscible and dishwasher safe with heat control removed.

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Presto 06003 Options Electric Multi-Cooker/Steamer Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this EXACT model in 2001, and along with steaming, blanching, roasting, etc., it clearly advertises itself as a "deep fryer" of which it does an excellent job. The manual even includes full frying instructions!
If Presto has decided to now say "don't fry in this", it is strictly a legal move. The problem is that Presto's "fry daddy" line has no temperature control, and it's preset low enough so that you can't set any frying liquid on fire. But these also have no versatility.
The multi-cooker can do so much more, because you can set the temperature from "warm" to 400 degrees. This is higher than the smoke point of some frying mediums (lard and shortening in particular) and therefore IF you don't know the smoke point of what you're using, you can get in trouble. This is probably why Presto's lawyers decided to say it's not a fryer anymore, although it clearly is. I, however, will happily continue to use my multi-cooker to make great fries, fried shrimp and chicken, donuts, etc. in addition to steaming and blanching vegetables, as well as braising. It's the most versatile appliance I own!

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All-purpose kettle for stews, roasting and steaming. Fully submersible with Control Masterheat control removed. Heavy cast aluminum body with non-stick surface inside and out. Lift-and-drain basket for steaming. Cast aluminum base with non-stick surface inside and out. Glass cover, metal basket with handle. Removable heat control. 1300 watts

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