Speciality Appliances

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 74 people found the following review helpful.
Really good product
By sue501
I needed a cooker whilst our house is being refurbished and we were living in the Garage!!! I read as much as I could about the different mini cookers with hobs on the market, and found that this one covered about everything that you would need. The Oven and Hobs work at the same time and you can turn the hobs down to simmer. The Grill works as long as you leave the door open and works well. I cannot think of anything you cannot cook with this small oven, and would tell anyone if you are looking for a small well priced item then this is the one!

147 of 151 people found the following review helpful.
Third time lucky!
By Peter
As I have had two of these ovens previously (not from Amazon) I trawled through all the options available to see if I could make a change to another product; the reason being that the oven thermostat on the the first appliance gave up within the guarantee period; the second appliance lasted longer but the thermostat started to malfunction; the oven ran too hot and came on when switches were on zero. However, I should add that the appliances were extensively used. My research did not offer anything that I thought would be a suitable replacement, so I am in again!Improvements have been made, the top/grill element is more substantial. The handle is a better design and the base feet are more solid. The oven light is controlled on the switch rather than being on all the time if the oven is plugged in. I have always been delighted with roasting and baking results from the oven. Cakes are perfect every time. The fan operation is a bonus and it may be the only mini oven to have this facility. The interior is surprisingly roomy and will accommodate a good free range chicken, or equivalent. Prospective purchasers should note that mini ovens are flimsier than normal ovens and discolouring of the enamel surface, especially around the door, is more prevalent. In order to deal with this I would recommend running the oven on slightly lower temperatures but for slightly longer periods. Also, the sort of person who only cleans an oven once a year (whether it needs it, or not!) will benefit from a more regular wipe around - after all, no bending required as it is often on a worktop. On that note, if you are vertically challenged please note that the hotplates (which function very well) will make saucepan stirring quite a high altitude activity. Lower surfaces will obviously be the solution here. When cleaning the exterior, you have to be careful around the dials as the symbols and number transfers can easily be wiped off. Please note that packing can be a bit hit and miss. I had oven racks missing from appliance number two and no oven tray or instructions in the current model. However, Amazon simply replace the whole works as there is not a facility for sending individual parts. Russell Hobbs also do not do parts but have a help line and can deal with queries. They also offer, I believe, an extension to the guarantee period and a refurbishment service. On the topic of parts, it is a little annoying that there is no facility for the user to change the oven light bulb when it invariably blows. However, it should last longer because it is now easier to control. If you do not have room for a large cooker and would prefer traditional cooking over microwave then you will be very pleased with this sort of appliance. It is also quicker and more economical than heating up a larger oven. It probably will not last as long as a more expensive, substantial oven but with care, and a happy thermostat, should give reasonable service. Happy baking!ADDITIONAL COMMENT!I am sorry, readers, it was not third time lucky! The oven thermostat failed again and the appliance was returned after about seven months, under guarantee, via long-suffering Amazon. I had, in any case, reduced my optimistic 4* to 3* as the oven was already showing too many signs of wear. In particular, dial information being wiped off, despite taking great care; it is a difficult appliance to clean easily. Please now see comments related to the Igenix 42 litre mini oven on this, and other detail.

98 of 101 people found the following review helpful.
Worried by some previous reviews but very happy with this product
By Peter G Knight
I thought I should write a quick review of this product because when I was reading previous reviews to help me decide whether to buy it, there were clearly several controversial issues. Does it have a grill? Will it burn you if you touch the handle? Will it burn your food or leave it cold? Will it ever arrive in the first place if it's being delivered by Yodel? Well, here's my experience and some answers to those questions.Delivery: Ordered it from Amazon on Wednesday 8th February. Free super-saver delivery. Delivery (by Yodel) estimated Monday 13th. I was worried because online reviewers suggested Yodel were rubbish and wouldn't even knock the door. In fact the Yodel chap knocked the door very adequately and delivered the item with a smile about 5pm on Friday 10th Feb. Everything was present as expected and undamaged in the box, including a user's manual (which some reviewers said wasn't provided).So is there a user's handbook? Yes. The user's manual is clearly written and helpful. For example, it explains that the heating element at the top of the inside of the oven works as a grill, but that to use it effectively you should leave the oven door open so that the oven thermostat doesn't kick in and turn the grill off while you are grilling. The manual also explains the short "before use" sequence that you should go through before you first cook, to get rid of any smelly fumes from the components.Is there a grill? Yes. See above, or read the instructions in your user's handbook! I am completely confident that I will be able to make my cheese on toast. The grill doubles as the top heater element for the oven, if you choose to have both top and bottom elements on. It's worth experimenting with that depending on what you're cooking.Does the oven actually cook anything? I have just roasted a tray of vegetables to perfection. Set the oven to 200 degrees, leave parboiled veggies in tray of oil in oven for one hour, basting half way through, and voila! If I am able, I will put up a photo to show that they cooked brilliantly: I like them crispy and brown so I left them in for an hour. That's exactly the same time as I used to leave them in the full-size gas cooker that this mini-oven is replacing! I warmed the oven to temperature with both the upper and lower elements on, but left the veggies to roast with just the lower element (and its fan) on, which kept the oven happily at the 200 degree setting without "toasting" things on the top shelf!Does the handle get so hot that you can't touch it without an oven glove, as some reviewers say? No. Not for me. After my 1-hour roasting experiment the handle was cool to the touch. The glass door was hot, and the top of the oven around the hot-plates was hot, but the handle was cool. The user's manual does warn you very clearly that the outside of the oven (including the handle) could get hot, but for me the handle stayed cool.Do the hot-plate rings work OK? Yes. This is an electric cooker, obviously, so they work like electric cooker rings, not gas, which is not to everybody's taste (slow to warm, slow to cool), but they were as good as any other electric hotplates in my limited experience, and certainly adequate.Is this the best oven in the world, without peer? Obviously not. I paid about 70 quid for it, and I am not a haut quisine establishment, so I'm not reviewing it as though I am the Queen's banquet chef. Some reviewers were perhaps expecting too much? It's cheapish and cheerful and it seems so far to be doing exactly what it says it will do. It is not a £900 super deluxe item, and it is not designed to satisfy a top chef catering for a party of twenty, but for an oven with a couple of hot plates for less than £100 (reduced price sale, admittedly, when I got it) I'm a perfectly satisfied customer, full of perfectly roasted vegetables and looking forward to my pizza and garlic bread for tea!