Bigger tax deduction when three years later you donate it - still unused - to Salvation Army. (Yah, I know, the write off value has no direct link to what you paid, but still…)
@mdszy Get a damn hot pot, microwave, and grow some balls! Listen up Millennials, rules are merely suggestions that you get in trouble on but ONLY if you get caught.
@mdszy As I’ve learned from working on a college campus and chatting with a lot of Res Life staff, all ya gotta do is toss a sheet over shit and they can’t check under it. At least, at my University.
Can’t have a fridge? Nah man, it’s a tall table with a cloth. Can’t have a toaster/hot plate/microwave? Oh, that’s an installation art piece I’m working on: Echos of Industry, you wouldn’t understand. Can’t rent out your room to a bunch of other students? Nah, those are just dead bodies… I mean… uh…
@mdszy you need to be one of the cool RAs! The ones who know you have shit and have their own shit but also know that you haven’t burnt the place down yet or caused trouble and that you’re a grown ass adult who can make their own choices.
@jbartus eh, I let my residents get away with plenty. I’m very lax and couldn’t give fewer shits unless they’re being dangerous or something. I stay out of their business as much as I can.
@mdszy, I think @jbartus is onto something! They’re totally not exposed! Shit, I know the res life staff at MY university did all sorts of crazy shit. You should do it!
Then again… I guess I see your hesitation, you’ve probably got a pretty sweet gig… free housing, maybe a stipend? Probably not worth losing over an unexposed heating plate
@mdszy Who said you have to lead by example? Want proof? Ask Trumpenfuhrer, the prez-erect of Muricastan. These aren’t the conflicts of interest you’re looking for, Obi Wan.
@smigit2002 that barcode might reveal more than you want it to. Careful!
Anyhow, I’m aware of all of that stuff, I’m also aware that every person I know who is/was an RA at various colleges I’m aware of got away with pretty much whatever within reason. Things like the hot plate rule are mostly in place for deflection of liability in case anything does happen.
With that said I was mostly joking around and in no way was trying to pressure @mdszy to buck the rules, that’s a choice only they can make.
@mdszy I’m only busting your chops. Being an RA is basically a license to do whatever the heck you want though! Be cool and let people do whatever as long as they aren’t screwing up. If they are haters then confiscate stuff from residents and keep for your own use. Hot pots, alcohol, drugs, etc. YOLO lol
My breakfast sandwiches cost $2.19 daily. When you factor in the cost of materials and the cleaning time I’d have to spend on this, I think the $2.19 is worth it.
I thought I missed this. So excited. I bought this for my grandma a long time ago. She retuned it because she is grouchy and hard to please. This is for us.
I got one of these for Christmas a couple years ago. It’s the one “unitasker” that we still use regularly. It’s just small enough that we can take it with us on vacation. My 9-yr-old can even use it on his own. I’ll say you can make a better sandwich the skillet-toaster way, but this is great for a quick build. I haven’t tried the bagel thing mentioned above… but that is my one issue that the egg expands beyond the boundaries of a typical English muffin.
I own this product. I like it. I use it to make sandwiches for breakfast that I once purchased at McDonald’s. The ones I make for myself contain healthier ingredients that allow my ankles to retain their normal, dainty size and shape.
Spend a bit more and buy one of these instead. I have one (Same thing but Back To Basics branded) and it’s SO much better. This one actually toasts the bread properly, plus you can hard cook eggs, plus just use it for toast only etc. In other words, it’s far more versatile and does a better job. Yes it’s more expensive but you don’t need to buy multiple items either.
@Bingo Not to start an argument, but I believe that when something is more than twice the price, it’s not “a bit more”. I know we live in a new reality where facts are unimportant, but still…
@Jonas4321 Eh, to me $25 is “a bit more”. I suppose others may feel differently. I didn’t consider that when I made my post. However, I still stand by my assertion that it’s more than worth it due to the dramatic difference in functions.
@darkdragon It damn sure ain’t tiny lol However, it’s really not that much bigger than a toaster. Plus, with the one Meh is selling today you’d still need a toaster so the two pieces combined take up far more room than this one beast.
@Bingo Wait, nobody in any of the videos said that the English muffin needed to be toasted separately, is that true? if so, I may need to cancel my order!!!
@Jonas4321 Everything says it “warms” the muffin. Looking at the usage video, it’s less a toaster than a really hot plate. Plus it only heats on 1 side rather than a normal toaster which heats on 2 sides.
@conandlibrarian I have one, they’re seriously awesome for a quick breakfast. I can make better breakfast sandwiches on the weekend with a couple frying pans and such… but I can’t do one in five minutes like this can.
@skymeat I’m glad you like it, but I can’t see it being much quicker than a stove and skillet, especially if you include cleaning. It takes me maybe 5 minutes to make an egg and ham sandwich, and I have one pan to clean. A pan that can be used for many other things.
@cathasach yeah. I get it. It’s the same with the Sammie maker. Just put everything in and wipe it off when done. It does beat making it in a pan, and is way better than McDonald’s.
@Pufferfishy It’s definitely a bit of a trick flipping them in the little guys, though having it be egg-sized helps - you’ve got a bit of wall to guide you. But if it’s not well-seasoned or oiled like crazy, forget about getting a turner under that egg to help you out! I pretty much exclusively use my cast iron griddle these days (actually don’t think it’s come off of my range since I bought it), but I do love the little skillets for presentation (and I’ve taken them camping once or twice).
@brhfl I suggested the $6 pan for hiking or not worrying if you left it in the condo or just lost it. If the pan is Teflon, why would I need oil? A drop at most. And way more than the butter you’d need with the cast iron version. And with the Lodge, you lose the disposability and have to season it and maintain it.
Embrace the disposable economy, my brethren! The T-Fal recycles if that floats your boat. I recycle mine with relatives or guests that want one of their own or left for the next guest. Or it just “falls off the truck” somewhere along the way.
I’m not proposing a highbrow replacement artisinal culinary craftworks here. It’s Meh. It’s a viable 2-fer deal alternative to the bulky unitasker you can’t take camping either.
I have one of these… and love it. Some pointers (may already be in comments, too lazy to read)
Medium eggs work better than large.
Poke the yolk if you don’t want messy fingers.
Mini bagels are a great alternative to muffins. They will be smaller than the egg, but everything holds together well.
Hamburger buns work great with this, but if you use them put some fat on the top and bottom of the bun to keep it from burning.
And most of all…
If you use American cheese singles, add it AFTER you remove the sandwich from the machine. If you use a harder cheese (or shredded) this is not a problem, but American singles will over melt and make a mess.
Those who say they hate unitaskers confuse me. Do you not own a chef’s knife? A paring knife? A boning knife (heh)? A bread knife? A butcher knife? A carving knife? A butter knife? Are they not all cute little individual unitaskers themselves? Don’t even get me started on unitasker pans. I love Alton Brown, but he’s on the wrong side of the bacon this time.
I have one of these sandwich makers. I use it occasionally. It makes a good sandwich and is fun to use.
@Kenbo I think it’s mostly about the cabinet space required. And while a knife and/or a pan is (very) loosely a unitasker - you can use it for virtually every meal, so not an accurate comparison.
@Kenbo you were way off base trying to use knives… especially since you started with a chef’s knife… unless you define “cuts various things” as being a single task. Any one of the knives you mentioned, while optimized for cutting different things, is capable of cutting most anything in the kitchen. This little device is not suitable for even cooking a hamburger which is simply another kind of sandwich, never mind anything that isn’t a sandwich. That is why it’s a unitasker, it is designed for one purpose and lacks the ability to do anything else.
It is also bulky and takes up a disproportionate amount of cabinet space compared to its utility. If it works for you, that’s great, and if you have a 5000 sq. foot kitchen and can afford the space to have a different gadget for every meal that’s great too. I hope you enjoy your sandwich maker along with your Whirley Pop, pizza scissors, banana slicer (left or right hand), and home Twinkie maker.
For the record, not all unitaskers are bad, some are just downright necessary like a corkscrew, can opener, or pizza wheel. When there’s a task that a non-unitasker cannot do even half as well, that’s when a unitasker makes sense. There isn’t a thing this sandwich maker does that can’t be done with a standard issue pot and pan and a stove, you don’t even technically need a toaster!
@jbartus I agree with you about unitaskers in general, and I’m not buying this ‘sammich maker’. However, few critics are including the ‘costs’ of clean-up. Clean-up time is equally valuable as cooking time. Bowl for scrambling, spatula, fry pan/skillet, etc - all need washing, perhaps hand washing.
Break room at my office has multiple microwaves, couple Keurigs, a toaster, & a unitasker like this (plus food/drink vending). No sink or running water. My observation: microwaves & toaster get pretty nasty-looking: not ‘dirt’ per se but lots of spilled/overflow food that doesn’t clean easily with (provided) Clorox wipes. Coffee & sandwich makers don’t get grungy cuz there’s not much to get dirty.
TL;DR If a unitasker significantly automates/simplifies clean-up, it may be worth having.
@jbartus I know I don’t own a toaster. Essentially no counter space, and the toaster-shaped chunk I do have is reserved for the unitasker I can’t emulate by throwing shit under the broiler - the ever-important espresso machine
Going to have to disagree with you on pizza wheels being even remotely necessary items, though. And any worthy corkscrew will pop bottlecaps as well. Well, I guess not an ah-so.
@compunaut office environment != home kitchen environment. Also I’ve never had a problem just scrambling my egg as it cooks, I suppose when I’m making a lot and whisk them in a measuring cup they’re probably fluffier due to aeration but it’s hardly a must-have.
In my experience these sorts of gadgets with all their bits and pieces are more trouble to clean than they seem at face value. Even the venerable Foreman Grill is a pain in the ass with the funky shaped scrapers and drip trays. At least with the Foreman I could cook and serve an entire meal off of it if I was pressed to.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@brhfl how do you cut your homemade pizza? Knives tend to make a mess of things.
@jbartus I don’t enjoy pizza enough to make it for myself. Growing up we always used the kitchen shears, however, and I continued to do this into adulthood when I was compelled to make pizzas.
@brhfl I just turned a bit green at that thought. I don’t know about your house but in our house the kitchen shears get used for all manner of things I want nowhere near my fully cooked food.
@brhfl I’m just saying we do clean them but we use them for opening bacon, packages of raw meat, cutting raw stuff etc. It’s a risk I wouldn’t want to take!
My wife buys the Jimmy Dean frozen flatbread sandwiches all the time - I am getting one of these to try out, as $12 is worth the experiment. If it wasn’t for VMP, I’d have to think about it more. Too bad it’ll not be a present under the tree…
Bought it new for 18.99 at Newegg (no relation) over a year ago. So not a good price for a refurb. That being said-not a bad product of you don’t want to dirty a pan. But after the novelty of it wears off, it will sit with all the other useless things you bought that you thought you needed but didn’t.
@plastrd Agreed, I make scrambled eggs at home this way. I also make them at work this way for a gastric test we do. Patients are constantly surprised when I tell them we make their egg in the microwave. It’s quick, easy, and the eggs seem to fluff up well.
Someone at work has one of these and brings it in occasionally. The sandwiches are fine but it does seem to take a long time. When he’s making them for the entire department it’s an hour long process. I agree with @plastrd above - just use the microwave.
I also recall Kohls having the double version on sale for $20 at one point.
@cinoclavThen you have to leave the computer table, get dressed, and drive to BBB stand in line then actually in then interact with a humanoid then drive home then carry your sammachmaker from the car to the house. To save 3 bucks.
@cranky1950 And have a new, non-refurbished product. Not to mention, if you’re relying on these things for breakfast all the time, it would probably do you some good to get your ass up and out the door occasionally.
@darkdragon No, $200 would be a lot more than $12. You get two side-by-side cookers, it’s the new version with the built-in timers and it’s new with free shipping. Not much of a price difference for all the upgrades and being new.
@SColburn the middle got plate does no look thick enough to have a heating element in it. Unless the egg is cooked from the top heating element and you don’t add the top muffin until the egg is done cooking…
@miko1 I did not explain it very well. The top and bottom shells are the only parts that directly produce heat. The middle ring sections, including the middle plate, conduct heat from the top & bottom (you have to pre-heat the whole thing, which takes about two minutes). So that middle part gets plenty hot enough to cook the egg. I don’t know about anyone else, but I include all elements of the sammich – including top & bottom bread/muffin – right from the beginning, which sufficiently heats the bread after five minutes. I would not call it “toasting”, but it beats the microwave version (i.e., frozen sammich).
@RedOak The 30% off expired a few days ago anyway. I made good use of it for buying gift exchange stuff – which arrived as promised in 2 days. So yay to shopping purple!
Now I just need to get eggs and muffins from somewhere. I wonder if McDs or DD will sell me an egg and a muffin with my coffee. Also should have bought the power converter mEH was selling a few months back to run this in the car. breakfast will be ready when I pull in to work! Sorry wife, I can make my own breakfast now!
@miko1 not sure which car inverter you’re referring to but the one I got is 150 watts. This gadget appears to require 600 watts. (I’m actually surprised it is that low - would have expected at least 1200 watts.)
@riceatusc that super sucks. Which is like regular sucks, but with a cape. Send a message to meh.com/support and they’ll get back to you probably Tues/Wed. Sorry you cannot has breakfast.
The “yolks” on you this deal
@AttyVette
Always hamming it up.
@MehnofLaMehncha and @AttyVette.
Bunch of in breads, both of ya.
@mike808 yeah, but they’re good eggs, really.
@jbartus
@jbartus
1/2 off retail for NEW is what I expect from Meh - not for a refurb! A refurb should be 1/4 of retail or less! This is at most a $6 item, if that.
@Pavlov
Seriously. I might pay $2, so I can trash it after the first and only time I imagine I would use the thing.
@Pavlov thing is too heavy to ship and sell for $6, though.
@Pavlov sears has it new for $17.
@Superjimtendo Then the damn refurb should cost $4.25 here.
@Superjimtendo Sears is still in business?
@Pavlov the advantage of paying more for it?
Bigger tax deduction when three years later you donate it - still unused - to Salvation Army. (Yah, I know, the write off value has no direct link to what you paid, but still…)
Yet another thing I can’t use in my dorm!
@mdszy What are you, an RA?
@mdszy Get a damn hot pot, microwave, and grow some balls! Listen up Millennials, rules are merely suggestions that you get in trouble on but ONLY if you get caught.
@mdszy As I’ve learned from working on a college campus and chatting with a lot of Res Life staff, all ya gotta do is toss a sheet over shit and they can’t check under it. At least, at my University.
Can’t have a fridge? Nah man, it’s a tall table with a cloth. Can’t have a toaster/hot plate/microwave? Oh, that’s an installation art piece I’m working on: Echos of Industry, you wouldn’t understand. Can’t rent out your room to a bunch of other students? Nah, those are just dead bodies… I mean… uh…
@Moose Well uh, I actually am!
@smigit2002 Too bad I’m on res life staff
@Stallion Jeez, I do have a microwave and I use it plenty. I just can’t have exposed hot plates like this thing has!
Just in case you didn’t believe me @Moose @smigit2002 @Stallion
@mdszy you need to be one of the cool RAs! The ones who know you have shit and have their own shit but also know that you haven’t burnt the place down yet or caused trouble and that you’re a grown ass adult who can make their own choices.
@jbartus eh, I let my residents get away with plenty. I’m very lax and couldn’t give fewer shits unless they’re being dangerous or something. I stay out of their business as much as I can.
@mdszy so buy yourself a sammich maker!
@jbartus but exposed heating plates! Can’t have those!
@mdszy they’re not exposed, they’re inside a plastic shell!
@mdszy Well there’s your problem, narc
@mdszy, I think @jbartus is onto something! They’re totally not exposed! Shit, I know the res life staff at MY university did all sorts of crazy shit. You should do it!
Then again… I guess I see your hesitation, you’ve probably got a pretty sweet gig… free housing, maybe a stipend? Probably not worth losing over an unexposed heating plate
And if we’re sharing IDs, here’s my beat ass one.
@mdszy Who said you have to lead by example? Want proof? Ask Trumpenfuhrer, the prez-erect of Muricastan. These aren’t the conflicts of interest you’re looking for, Obi Wan.
@smigit2002 Yeah. I get a free room, free meal plan and a stipend. I’d rather not risk it
@mdszy
Cover it with a sheet.
@smigit2002 that barcode might reveal more than you want it to. Careful!
Anyhow, I’m aware of all of that stuff, I’m also aware that every person I know who is/was an RA at various colleges I’m aware of got away with pretty much whatever within reason. Things like the hot plate rule are mostly in place for deflection of liability in case anything does happen.
With that said I was mostly joking around and in no way was trying to pressure @mdszy to buck the rules, that’s a choice only they can make.
@jbartus Don’t worry… I deserve whatever comes to me if I let random internet strangers pressure me into making decisions that get me fired
@mdszy I’d go with safe rather than sorry, like these (expelled) kids from Dartmouth.
@mdszy I’m only busting your chops. Being an RA is basically a license to do whatever the heck you want though! Be cool and let people do whatever as long as they aren’t screwing up. If they are haters then confiscate stuff from residents and keep for your own use. Hot pots, alcohol, drugs, etc. YOLO lol
@mdszy But don’t you wanna be a cool RA? How are you gonna get invited to smoke with freshmen?
I saw a YouTube video of Alton Brown recently pointing out how awful this very device was!
@Wimateeka this is one time I disagree. The Sammie maker is my god.
@Wimateeka well amazon has a shit ton of raitings and it averages over 4 stars. Screw your yuppy tv chef. It makes a good, easy sammich.
@skymeat Alton Brown is your god, you just haven’t realized it yet.
@ColeSloth it can do a good job all it likes, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a unitasker.
can you say “UniTasker”? i knew you could . . .
@docflash
/youtube Alton Brown kitchen gadgets
@RiotDemon Huh, The item for sale is mentioned in 2:40 of the video.
My breakfast sandwiches cost $2.19 daily. When you factor in the cost of materials and the cleaning time I’d have to spend on this, I think the $2.19 is worth it.
@FSSZilla where do you get such cheap sammiches??
Born in Florida, lived in Hawaii, have driven the 101 … but have never stumbled upon Hamilton Beach.
@MehnofLaMehncha https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hamilton+Beach,+Queens,+NY/@40.6526921,-73.8336075,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c2679d386e7345:0xab21cd955f595766!8m2!3d40.6522454!4d-73.8294085
@jbartus Not much more of a beach than Old Howard Beach is it?
@RedOak not really, but it exists.
You guys made me pull mine out of the closet. Now I just need to buy bagel thins.
Deal Paused? Are you kidding me? I never ever thought this thing would come close to selling out.
Jbartus, good post. Alton Brown is the bomb.
I thought I missed this. So excited. I bought this for my grandma a long time ago. She retuned it because she is grouchy and hard to please. This is for us.
@naropa bummer. But grandmas have earned the right to be grouchy at times. Life would be so vacant without grandmas.
I will buy anything that my wife can use to make me breakfast.
@mdrcoast I tried that. She made me return it.
@mdrcoast lucky. mine stopped after we were married. Almost like she was just doing it to make herself look like marrying material…
@miko1 … so, no kids?
@RedOak …we have plenty of kids! she just stopped making me breakfast and lunch.
I got one of these for Christmas a couple years ago. It’s the one “unitasker” that we still use regularly. It’s just small enough that we can take it with us on vacation. My 9-yr-old can even use it on his own. I’ll say you can make a better sandwich the skillet-toaster way, but this is great for a quick build. I haven’t tried the bagel thing mentioned above… but that is my one issue that the egg expands beyond the boundaries of a typical English muffin.
I own this product. I like it. I use it to make sandwiches for breakfast that I once purchased at McDonald’s. The ones I make for myself contain healthier ingredients that allow my ankles to retain their normal, dainty size and shape.
@stephanieg some ppl are into McDonald’s induced kankles
@midcontrast McDankles?
Spend a bit more and buy one of these instead. I have one (Same thing but Back To Basics branded) and it’s SO much better. This one actually toasts the bread properly, plus you can hard cook eggs, plus just use it for toast only etc. In other words, it’s far more versatile and does a better job. Yes it’s more expensive but you don’t need to buy multiple items either.
https://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-TEM500W-Muffin-Toaster/dp/B008YNFB3Q/
@Bingo Not to start an argument, but I believe that when something is more than twice the price, it’s not “a bit more”. I know we live in a new reality where facts are unimportant, but still…
@Bingo That thing looks huge!
@darkdragon
EDIT: disappointing giphy fail. lol
@Jonas4321 Eh, to me $25 is “a bit more”. I suppose others may feel differently. I didn’t consider that when I made my post. However, I still stand by my assertion that it’s more than worth it due to the dramatic difference in functions.
@darkdragon It damn sure ain’t tiny lol However, it’s really not that much bigger than a toaster. Plus, with the one Meh is selling today you’d still need a toaster so the two pieces combined take up far more room than this one beast.
@Bingo Wait, nobody in any of the videos said that the English muffin needed to be toasted separately, is that true? if so, I may need to cancel my order!!!
@Jonas4321 Everything says it “warms” the muffin. Looking at the usage video, it’s less a toaster than a really hot plate. Plus it only heats on 1 side rather than a normal toaster which heats on 2 sides.
I thought these were pretty stupid when I first saw it on TV, but now I think I need one for my cubicle at work.
/buy
@darkdragon It worked! Your order number is: quadruple-hissing-rat
/image quadruple hissing rat
Maybe it’ll cure my daily McD habit. Well, except for the tankard of iced coffee…
Hopefully my wife can set it up for me too
/buy
@ManBehindPlan It worked! Your order number is: glittering-jittery-opinion
/image glittering jittery opinion
@mediocrebot Is that Trump flipping off the card?
@ManBehindPlan Naw; hand is too big. I thought it was @carl699
@compunaut
/giphy donald trump small hands
@compunaut Release the measurements!
That just proves their are idiots among us-wait-I said the same thing about those who voted for Trump. Guess it applies to both groups of people.
SOLD OUT???. that’s it. I quit drinking. 12 of these for my in-laws would have been perfect. How perfect? If I played banjo, I’d write a song.
Mmmmmmmm…Sandwiches.
@yakkoTDI
But what’s a refurbished breakfast sandwich??
I have wanted one of these for years, I just can’t see me ever using it.
@conandlibrarian I have one, they’re seriously awesome for a quick breakfast. I can make better breakfast sandwiches on the weekend with a couple frying pans and such… but I can’t do one in five minutes like this can.
@conandlibrarian I got one for my brother a few years back. He still thanks me for it. I guess they are awesome.
@conandlibrarian I’m thinking of getting it to keep it at work so i can eat more than oatmeal when i get in.
@conandlibrarian Neither could the one who donated the unused one I bought for $3 a little while back.
FWIW, it’s still unused.
Lazy A$$ Mother FKRS!!!
I accidentally left mine at a vacation rental. I’m in for 2. There are great for a quick breakfast, or breakfast for dinner.
@skymeat You, um, travel with your breakfast sandwich maker?
@huja Asking the questions that need asking!
@huja dude. Get one. You will take it on vacation too.
@skymeat I’m glad you like it, but I can’t see it being much quicker than a stove and skillet, especially if you include cleaning. It takes me maybe 5 minutes to make an egg and ham sandwich, and I have one pan to clean. A pan that can be used for many other things.
@skymeat Get two of these instead.
The T-Fal 1-egg Wonder Fry Pan.
$6 everywhere. (WM, TGT, AMZN, etc).
@cathasach yeah. I get it. It’s the same with the Sammie maker. Just put everything in and wipe it off when done. It does beat making it in a pan, and is way better than McDonald’s.
@mike808 unless you’ve tried it… It really is good.
@mike808 cooking an egg with oil in Teflon - you’ve already lost the game.
@Pufferfishy @mike808 Agreed, what one really needs is a miniature cast iron skillet like the Lodge LMS3
@brhfl I’m an over-easy fan - these generally don’t flip well. But yeah - correctly seasoned cast iron FTW.
@Pufferfishy It’s definitely a bit of a trick flipping them in the little guys, though having it be egg-sized helps - you’ve got a bit of wall to guide you. But if it’s not well-seasoned or oiled like crazy, forget about getting a turner under that egg to help you out! I pretty much exclusively use my cast iron griddle these days (actually don’t think it’s come off of my range since I bought it), but I do love the little skillets for presentation (and I’ve taken them camping once or twice).
@brhfl so cute!
@brhfl I suggested the $6 pan for hiking or not worrying if you left it in the condo or just lost it. If the pan is Teflon, why would I need oil? A drop at most. And way more than the butter you’d need with the cast iron version. And with the Lodge, you lose the disposability and have to season it and maintain it.
Embrace the disposable economy, my brethren! The T-Fal recycles if that floats your boat. I recycle mine with relatives or guests that want one of their own or left for the next guest. Or it just “falls off the truck” somewhere along the way.
I’m not proposing a highbrow replacement artisinal culinary craftworks here. It’s Meh. It’s a viable 2-fer deal alternative to the bulky unitasker you can’t take camping either.
@brhfl
You camp fancy. We’re more concerned about keeping ashes out of the food than how it looks.
Rube Goldberg comes to mind…
@clarinetbob you insult Rube.
This needs to be several orders more over-engineered to reach Rube level.
Not very useful for a vegetarian.
I guess I’m not in their target demographic.
@DFSdave didn’t we just do this yesterday?
@jbartus Yes it was. They’re just late to the party. Today’s 1st world problem is “It’s useless for making margaritas”.
@mike808 but I prefer daiquiris…
@jbartus Hmm. Not sure what cheese to pair with that whine.
@mike808 jarllsberg?
I’d pay you to not send me one of these.
@cathasach I’m guessing they’re not sending you one, so pay up.
I have one of these… and love it. Some pointers (may already be in comments, too lazy to read)
Medium eggs work better than large.
Poke the yolk if you don’t want messy fingers.
Mini bagels are a great alternative to muffins. They will be smaller than the egg, but everything holds together well.
Hamburger buns work great with this, but if you use them put some fat on the top and bottom of the bun to keep it from burning.
And most of all…
If you use American cheese singles, add it AFTER you remove the sandwich from the machine. If you use a harder cheese (or shredded) this is not a problem, but American singles will over melt and make a mess.
@ascii256 "Poke the yolk if you don’t want messy fingers."
Words to live by, my friend.
When will meh.com sell a tv?
@cmafba been done.
Not another unitasker…
This listing made me hungry, but still not buying. If McDonald’s weren’t 18 miles in the wrong direction, I’d be there this am.
Those who say they hate unitaskers confuse me. Do you not own a chef’s knife? A paring knife? A boning knife (heh)? A bread knife? A butcher knife? A carving knife? A butter knife? Are they not all cute little individual unitaskers themselves? Don’t even get me started on unitasker pans. I love Alton Brown, but he’s on the wrong side of the bacon this time.
I have one of these sandwich makers. I use it occasionally. It makes a good sandwich and is fun to use.
Go on. Live a little. One task at a time.
@Kenbo I think it’s mostly about the cabinet space required. And while a knife and/or a pan is (very) loosely a unitasker - you can use it for virtually every meal, so not an accurate comparison.
@Kenbo
You can never have too many knives (or speaker docks)
@Kenbo you were way off base trying to use knives… especially since you started with a chef’s knife… unless you define “cuts various things” as being a single task. Any one of the knives you mentioned, while optimized for cutting different things, is capable of cutting most anything in the kitchen. This little device is not suitable for even cooking a hamburger which is simply another kind of sandwich, never mind anything that isn’t a sandwich. That is why it’s a unitasker, it is designed for one purpose and lacks the ability to do anything else.
It is also bulky and takes up a disproportionate amount of cabinet space compared to its utility. If it works for you, that’s great, and if you have a 5000 sq. foot kitchen and can afford the space to have a different gadget for every meal that’s great too. I hope you enjoy your sandwich maker along with your Whirley Pop, pizza scissors, banana slicer (left or right hand), and home Twinkie maker.
For the record, not all unitaskers are bad, some are just downright necessary like a corkscrew, can opener, or pizza wheel. When there’s a task that a non-unitasker cannot do even half as well, that’s when a unitasker makes sense. There isn’t a thing this sandwich maker does that can’t be done with a standard issue pot and pan and a stove, you don’t even technically need a toaster!
@jbartus I agree with you about unitaskers in general, and I’m not buying this ‘sammich maker’. However, few critics are including the ‘costs’ of clean-up. Clean-up time is equally valuable as cooking time. Bowl for scrambling, spatula, fry pan/skillet, etc - all need washing, perhaps hand washing.
Break room at my office has multiple microwaves, couple Keurigs, a toaster, & a unitasker like this (plus food/drink vending). No sink or running water. My observation: microwaves & toaster get pretty nasty-looking: not ‘dirt’ per se but lots of spilled/overflow food that doesn’t clean easily with (provided) Clorox wipes. Coffee & sandwich makers don’t get grungy cuz there’s not much to get dirty.
TL;DR If a unitasker significantly automates/simplifies clean-up, it may be worth having.
@jbartus I know I don’t own a toaster. Essentially no counter space, and the toaster-shaped chunk I do have is reserved for the unitasker I can’t emulate by throwing shit under the broiler - the ever-important espresso machine
Going to have to disagree with you on pizza wheels being even remotely necessary items, though. And any worthy corkscrew will pop bottlecaps as well. Well, I guess not an ah-so.
@compunaut
Cleanup is not fun, it is a dreadful task.
@compunaut office environment != home kitchen environment. Also I’ve never had a problem just scrambling my egg as it cooks, I suppose when I’m making a lot and whisk them in a measuring cup they’re probably fluffier due to aeration but it’s hardly a must-have.
In my experience these sorts of gadgets with all their bits and pieces are more trouble to clean than they seem at face value. Even the venerable Foreman Grill is a pain in the ass with the funky shaped scrapers and drip trays. At least with the Foreman I could cook and serve an entire meal off of it if I was pressed to.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@brhfl how do you cut your homemade pizza? Knives tend to make a mess of things.
@jbartus I don’t enjoy pizza enough to make it for myself. Growing up we always used the kitchen shears, however, and I continued to do this into adulthood when I was compelled to make pizzas.
@brhfl I just turned a bit green at that thought. I don’t know about your house but in our house the kitchen shears get used for all manner of things I want nowhere near my fully cooked food.
@jbartus I don’t think I’d want your kitchen shears in my kitchen at all then…
@brhfl I’m just saying we do clean them but we use them for opening bacon, packages of raw meat, cutting raw stuff etc. It’s a risk I wouldn’t want to take!
I have this sammie breakfast maker and it works. I barely use the sucker since I am working weird shifts and sometimes forget to go grocery shopping.
My wife buys the Jimmy Dean frozen flatbread sandwiches all the time - I am getting one of these to try out, as $12 is worth the experiment. If it wasn’t for VMP, I’d have to think about it more. Too bad it’ll not be a present under the tree…
Bought it new for 18.99 at Newegg (no relation) over a year ago. So not a good price for a refurb. That being said-not a bad product of you don’t want to dirty a pan. But after the novelty of it wears off, it will sit with all the other useless things you bought that you thought you needed but didn’t.
Sometimes I think eggs get a bad rap. They are thought of as breakfast only. Why can’t an egg and sausage sandwhich be lunch or dinner.
@CaptAmehrican
/giphy Agree
@CaptAmehrican
http://shirt.woot.com/offers/breakfast-for-what
Wow, this thing sold out? Guess I’ll have to go back to the archaic method of a stove top…
Specs
What’s in the Box?
1x Breakfast sandwich maker
Pictures
Eggs
Closed
Dropping in an egg
Some meat
How to open an English Muffin
Slide out the plate
Toasty
Done
Price Comparison
$24.99 (new) at Amazon
Find a relevant price comparison? Please share it in a comment in this thread
Warranty
90 Day Hamilton Beach
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
I have one of these. It works really well if I ever get it out of the closet.
Is this for the person who really wants an egg mcmuffin and doesn’t own a toaster or a skillet? What a bizarrely specialized appliance.
@jandrese . . . and lives more than 15-20 minutes away from a McDonalds. We’re talking a very small and very specific demographic
@huja much cheaper to cook at home
@huja
At most, 107 miles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/23/a-mcdonalds-is-never-more_n_297153.html
@deemkooo After all, we are here because we are cheapskates!!
@Konraden Much respect for doing the research!
@Konraden that’s good to know - 107 miles is well within the half life of their food.
Some ideas look so much better in one’s head than in reality…unfortunately, this one didn’t stay there.
Oh no… this won’t make it for breakfast on Christmas morning!
@rmeden next Christmas!
But I still bought 2. Stocking stuffers.
@birdman4 You mean cabinet stuffers. Because that is where they will stay until the yard sale.
@birdman4 you’d have an easier time stuffing stockings in it rather than visa versa.
I’m intrigued
@deemkooo I’m Bob. Nice to meet you, intrigued.
this could make really confused margaritas.
ALL THIS COOKING STUFF haha.
110v or 220v ?
@dosu given that we’re in the United States, not the United Kingdom, 110 is probably a safe bet.
A cast iron skillet seems preferable.
This can be done more cheaply with a small bowl and a microwave.
@plastrd Agreed, I make scrambled eggs at home this way. I also make them at work this way for a gastric test we do. Patients are constantly surprised when I tell them we make their egg in the microwave. It’s quick, easy, and the eggs seem to fluff up well.
@plastrd Were’s the pig?
…Here is your $75 breakfast sandwich Mr. Smith. The doctor will be in to see you shortly…
@cinoclav
Are the eggs … radioactive?
@ptseng 99mTc-nically!
In for two Wo uh Meh!
Someone at work has one of these and brings it in occasionally. The sandwiches are fine but it does seem to take a long time. When he’s making them for the entire department it’s an hour long process. I agree with @plastrd above - just use the microwave.
I also recall Kohls having the double version on sale for $20 at one point.
@cinoclav so have everyone at work buy one of these! Problem solved.
@cinoclav Does this person get paid by the hour? This product was definitely not designed for handling multiple breakfast orders.
@SColburn @RedOak Yes, he’s one of the X-ray Techs and apparently, on occasion, a short order cook for the rest of us.
Btw, Bed Bath and Beyond has them on sale for $20. Use a $5 off coupon and pay a whole $3 more for a new one. Less if you’re not a VMP.
@cinoclavThen you have to leave the computer table, get dressed, and drive to BBB stand in line then actually in then interact with a humanoid then drive home then carry your sammachmaker from the car to the house. To save 3 bucks.
@cranky1950 And have a new, non-refurbished product. Not to mention, if you’re relying on these things for breakfast all the time, it would probably do you some good to get your ass up and out the door occasionally.
The double version is new, with a timer and free shipping.
http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/breakfast-sandwich-makers-dual-breakfast-sandwich-maker-25490.html
@u4icmusic $40 is a lot more than $12
@darkdragon No, $200 would be a lot more than $12. You get two side-by-side cookers, it’s the new version with the built-in timers and it’s new with free shipping. Not much of a price difference for all the upgrades and being new.
How does the egg cook if it is in the middle of the stack away from the burners? Wouldn’t the muffin burn before the egg was cooked?
@miko1 There is a hotplate in the middle where the egg sets. It kind of slides out when cooking is complete and the sammich practically builds itself.
@SColburn the middle got plate does no look thick enough to have a heating element in it. Unless the egg is cooked from the top heating element and you don’t add the top muffin until the egg is done cooking…
@miko1 I did not explain it very well. The top and bottom shells are the only parts that directly produce heat. The middle ring sections, including the middle plate, conduct heat from the top & bottom (you have to pre-heat the whole thing, which takes about two minutes). So that middle part gets plenty hot enough to cook the egg. I don’t know about anyone else, but I include all elements of the sammich – including top & bottom bread/muffin – right from the beginning, which sufficiently heats the bread after five minutes. I would not call it “toasting”, but it beats the microwave version (i.e., frozen sammich).
@miko1 I use mine with bagels and the egg gets cooked through.
Price comparison: Here’s one new with a coffee maker combo …
https://jet.com/product/Hamilton-Beach-10-Ounce-Single-Serve-Coffee-Maker-And-Breakfast-Sandwich-Maker/e7a14035c8794821ab758f0ba271af6a
(I think I’ll skip the coffee …)
@narfcake Bit of a price difference though. It’s showing as $99,999.00 for me when I click your link.
@Bingo (I think that was the joke)
@narfcake those killjoys at Jet…
And we can’t even used promo codes to bring that price down by 30%.
I can just hear the Jet/Walmart engine room clowns…
@jbartus Yep!
@RedOak The 30% off expired a few days ago anyway. I made good use of it for buying gift exchange stuff – which arrived as promised in 2 days. So yay to shopping purple!
/image jet purple
Now I just need to get eggs and muffins from somewhere. I wonder if McDs or DD will sell me an egg and a muffin with my coffee. Also should have bought the power converter mEH was selling a few months back to run this in the car. breakfast will be ready when I pull in to work! Sorry wife, I can make my own breakfast now!
@miko1 Nope. And are you’re going to rewire your car with a 100-amp circuit and properly sized inverter to power this thing?
@miko1 not sure which car inverter you’re referring to but the one I got is 150 watts. This gadget appears to require 600 watts. (I’m actually surprised it is that low - would have expected at least 1200 watts.)
FYI, the user manual:
http://useandcares.hamiltonbeach.com/files/840222702.pdf
Well mine arrived broken in many many pieces.
@riceatusc merry mehmas to me
@riceatusc That’s unfortunate, I’ve been mcmuffing since last nite.
@riceatusc that super sucks. Which is like regular sucks, but with a cape. Send a message to meh.com/support and they’ll get back to you probably Tues/Wed. Sorry you cannot has breakfast.
@Thumperchick i thought super sucks was just 1/3 larger
This is by far one of the best toys.
Awesome love it. Get one