Countertop Cookers
Capresso Triple Brew: Three Brewers in One
There’s nothing else like it on the market: the Capresso Triple Brew is three brewers in one. This slim, space-saving model – less than 7 inches wide – can brew a cup of single serve coffee, or a 42-ounce carafe of coffee, or it can rapid-brew tea. It not only meets all brewing needs, it also saves money versus pod/capsule systems while delivering the richest, freshest taste.
Three ways to brew means more reasons to buy. Users can enjoy single-serve convenience every day with this advanced model that brews a large or small cup of piping-hot coffee in less than 60 seconds. Because there are no expensive pods or capsules required, the Triple Brew is environmentally friendly and saves money with every cup.
When it’s time to entertain, Triple Brew makes it easy by brewing a 42-ounce carafe of coffee in less than six minutes. There’s no need to own and store a second coffee maker for group beverage service. Whether brewing by the carafe or the cup, the innovative brewing system is completely customizable for mild to double strength coffee. The Italian-made pump heating system quickly heats to the proper brewing temperature of 205 degrees F. Flavor is optimized with a wide brew head design offering maximum saturation and extraction.
In addition, tea drinkers will love the way Triple Brew rapid brews tea. It comes with two reusable filters, one for tea and one for coffee, to prevent any flavor transfer and ensure pure taste.
There are four preset illuminated brewing buttons for Small Cup, Large Cup, Carafe or Tea, with customizable brewing and sizing options for each. The filters, drip tray and glass carafe are dishwasher safe for everyday convenience. The 52-ounce water tank is removable for easy filling and cleaning.
This unique cup or carafe coffee and tea maker will brew what you want at the push of a button. It has an actual retail price of $179.99 and is available for immediate shipment.
Capresso offers innovative coffeemakers, espresso machines, grinders and other kitchen electrics for those who want the best. For more information, contact 201.767.3999.
Countertop Appliances to Appeal to the Health Conscious Customer
By Amber Gallegos
As the healthy eating trend shows no signs of slowing down, products continue to pop up to appeal to this crowd of consumers who are more and more becoming the everyday customer. While more than one-third of American adults are obese, according to the Center for Disease Control, 83 percent say they plan to change their diet to lose weight, as found in the 2015 Nielsen Global Health & Wellness Survey. Small appliances offer multitasking performance that can help customers approach their healthy eating goals with convenience and added control.
The new Omega Juice Cube is a stylish countertop appliance that can juice fruits and vegetables along with leafy greens, but also has the ability to make smoothies, all-natural nut butters, baby food, soy milk, almond milk, pasta and a variety of healthy snacks. The low speed masticating juicer takes the mechanics of Omega’s best-selling horizontal juicers and applies them in a new design that takes on the more recognizable form of a vertical juicer, arranging the working parts in a sort of U-turn resulting in a juicer that is a perfectly shaped cube.
“Americans as consumers used to shy away from multipurpose appliances, except for food processors and mixers. If it was a blender, they want it to be a blender. If it’s a juicer, they want it to be a juicer. Well, nowadays it seems like people are getting back into that open mind about having multi-use appliances again,” says Tim Fields, Omega President. “This is the all-around healthy appliance. Blenders have limitations, high speed juicers have limitations, vertical juicers have limitations – the Juice Cube doesn’t have any limitations.”
Since the Juice Cube is a low speed juicer, it also allows customers to juice up their recipes in advance, store them in the refrigerator, and then consume it over the next two or three days; a point of convenience that just might make healthy eating goals that much more achievable.
“It processes all these fruit and vegetables at a very low speed so there’s no extra aeration or anything like that in the juicing process. The juice lasts a little bit longer, it doesn’t turn brown as quick, and it doesn’t separate as quick,” says Fields. “It also gives us the ability to do really fine greens and wheatgrass and items like that.”
Fields adds that the design of the Juice Cube is aiming to appeal to those who might have previously passed on a juicer. The shape provides space for all of the juicer’s parts to store within the machine. “The fact that everything’s right there, every time you go to use it, I think is going to be a welcome surprise for many consumers,” says Fields. “We’re trying to make its form fit the lifestyle in the kitchen for a few more consumers that may have not looked at a previous styling.”
The Juice Cube will be available October/November for a suggested retail price of $299.
Food Dehydrators are another small appliance that can offer customers control over the foods they eat.
“The reason people might want to use a dehydrator is because that way they know what’s in their food,” says Darlene Schmitz, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for The Metal Ware Corporation, manufacturers of Nesco dehydrators. “When you dehydrate, you don’t add anything to the food, generally.… The natural sugars that are in the food actually concentrate as the food shrinks because the food gets smaller, so the food actually tastes sweeter than it does in the raw state. That way, you know where the food came from. You bought it at the store, you bought it at a farmers market, you grew it yourself – and you know exactly what’s in it.”
Schmitz says Nesco has been using the dehydrators at shows to make kale chips, with just a little olive oil and lemon pepper added, that are surprisingly a big hit with kids. Another favorite is sun-dried tomatoes, with a touch of Italian seasonings and olive oil, that also come out like a chip. Many customers use the appliance to make jerky, and Nesco also has a jerk gun for this use. A tray called a fruit roll sheet can be used for liquids or semi-liquids to make a fruit roll-up type treat. Users can even dehydrate soup, spaghetti sauce, or chili and then reconstitute it later. Dog treats are another possibility.
Nesco has been making dehydrators for over 40 years now and has 11 different models to choose from, ranging in price from $39 to $179. Schmitz says any of the models with an adjustable thermostat would make a nice entry level choice are any of the models that have an adjustable thermostat because this allows customers to figure out the setting they like best for produce versus meats, whereas other basic models have a set temperature. The Snackmaster[R] Encore Food Dehydrator (FD-61) comes with four trays, including a fruit roll sheet, and is adjustable to up to 12 trays that are purchased separately. It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, 500 watts of drying power, and a suggested retail price of $69.99.
Euro Cuisine’s Stainless Steel 2-Tier Electric Steamer allows home cooks to steam up a complete meal in the electric steamer’s two included 8.5-quart baskets. Vegetables, seafood and poultry can all be made at the same time with the different flavors on each tray. An easy-to-read LCD display features a built-in 90-minute timer, and the unit also features a built-in warming function. The Electric Steamer has a suggested retail price of $159.99.
The new Zojirushi Fish Roaster cooks fish without the funk. The countertop unit has a platinum catalytic filter to eliminate up to 90 percent of smoke and odor components. A stainless steel roasting rack directs excess oils and fats away from food. The Fish Roaster also features an adjustable timer up to 30 minutes, a flip-open lid for easy operation and a food server for easy removal of foods. It has a suggested retail price of $200.
Health conscious customer can also ensure their baby’s food is healthy too with Baby Brezza’s new One Step Baby Food Maker Glass that launches this month. This latest version of the One Step Baby Food Maker will be the only model on the market with a large 4-cup capacity glass bowl. Using a patented dual steam and blend functionality, users can make thier own baby food with the push of a single button. Baby Brezza will cook and blend the food at the same time, or users can choose from the steam only or blend only settings. The one bowl design eliminates the need to transfer hot foods into a separate blender, while a removable water tank simplifies filling and cleaning. The One Step Baby Food Maker Glass has a suggested retail price of $159.99.
De’Longhi Multifry, The Ultimate Multi-Cooker, Now Available at Retail
De’Longhi has announced the retail availability of MultiFry, an innovative kitchen countertop appliance that fries, cooks, bakes, broils and more. Designed to allow you to enjoy healthier versions of your favorite fried foods, MultiFry packs a potent one-two culinary punch, performing as both a low-oil fryer and a multi-cooker.
“We have a deep understanding of what home cooks want in the kitchen –convenience, versatility and delicious, healthy meals for their families to enjoy are at the top of the list,” said Mike Prager, De’Longhi Group NA’s President and CEO. “MultiFry delivers across the board with a combination of features that make the meal preparation experience easier than ever. MultiFry is your ultimate countertop cooking partner to create hundreds of recipes this holiday season and throughout the year.”
As a low-oil fryer, MultiFry uses little or no additional oil, making favorite recipes healthier. For 2.2 pounds of potatoes, you just need to add 1 tablespoon of oil; and for frozen potatoes, no additional oil is needed at all. MultiFry’s patented Surround Cooking System ensures fast and even convection cooking through the use of two heating elements plus a fan that surrounds the food. The result is food that is crispy on the outside and tasty and juicy on the inside.
MultiFry is easy and convenient to use. You simply place the ingredients in the bowl, set the power level and timer, and start the machine. You can easily monitor the cooking progress through the transparent lid. If there is any stirring or mixing to be done, the automatic mixing paddle handles it for you. The mixing paddle is also removable, allowing for even more recipe options, such as salmon, steak, pizza, cakes and pies. Once the meal is done, MultiFry’s removable non-stick, anti-scratch ceramic coated bowl is dishwasher safe, insuring easy and hassle free clean-up. In 2014, the product was awarded the Plus X Award for Best Product of the Year for innovation, ease of use and functionality.
MultiFry’s two models – the Classic, FH1163/1.BK and the Extra, FH1363/1.BK – are now available at major retailers and online starting at $249.
Small Appliances for Healthy Eaters
The next edition of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans is due to be issued this year, but the broad outline for those guidelines has already been released in the form of the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Among the highlights of the report: suggestions for more urging for Americans to modify their diets and get more exercise; more pressure on the food industry to reformulate food products in a healthier direction; and a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, snack foods and desserts that could be used to fund obesity prevention programs.
The U.S. government uses the Dietary Guidelines as the basis of its food assistance programs, nutrition education efforts and decisions about national health objectives, including the menu planning for the National School Lunch Program. Dietary Guidelines for Americans were first released in 1980 and have been updated every five years since. The point of this report from the advisory committee is to inform the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines.
Today, about half of all American adults have one or more preventable chronic diseases related to their diets and about two thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. These two conditions have been highly prevalent for more than two decades, and few, if any, improvements in consumers’ food choices have been seen in recent decades, the report says, adding that a food environment epitomized by an abundance of highly-processed, convenient, lower-cost, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods makes it particularly challenging to persuade Americans to change their ways.
In order to comply with the Dietary Guidelines, Americans may have to reduce screen time, eat at fast food restaurants less often, eat at home with their families more often and monitor their own diet and body weight. For this approach to work, it would also be essential for Americans, particularly low-income Americans, to have access to healthy and affordable food choices that respect their cultural preferences.
The housewares industry is already responding to the increased attention to healthy nutrition that the new dietary guidelines will prompt with small appliances that can help home cooks approach their healthy eating goals with convenience and added control. Food dehydrators are an example.
“The reason people might want to use a dehydrator is because that way they know what’s in their food,” says Darlene Schmitz, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for The Metal Ware Corporation, manufacturers of Nesco dehydrators. “When you dehydrate, you don’t add anything to the food, generally.… The natural sugars that are in the food actually concentrate as the food shrinks because the food gets smaller, so the food actually tastes sweeter than it does in the raw state. That way, you know where the food came from. You bought it at the store, you bought it at a farmers market, you grew it yourself – and you know exactly what’s in it.”
Schmitz says Nesco has been using the dehydrators at shows to make kale chips, with just a little olive oil and lemon pepper added, that are surprisingly a big hit with kids. Another favorite is sun-dried tomatoes, with a touch of Italian seasonings and olive oil, that also come out like a chip. Many customers use the appliance to make jerky, and Nesco also has a jerk gun for this use. A tray called a fruit roll sheet can be used for liquids or semi-liquids to make a fruit roll-up type treat. Users can even dehydrate soup, spaghetti sauce, or chili and then reconstitute it later. Dog treats are another possibility.
Nesco has been making dehydrators for over 40 years now and has 11 different models to choose from, ranging in price from $39 to $179. Schmitz says any of the models with an adjustable thermostat would make a nice entry level choice are any of the models that have an adjustable thermostat because this allows customers to figure out the setting they like best for produce versus meats, whereas other basic models have a set temperature. The Snackmaster[R] Encore Food Dehydrator (FD-61) comes with four trays, including a fruit roll sheet, and is adjustable to up to 12 trays that are purchased separately. It has an adjustable thermostat that ranges from 95 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, 500 watts of drying power, and a suggested retail price of $69.99.
For consumers who are concerned about the amount of fat in their diet, Euro Cuisine’s Stainless Steel 2-Tier Electric Steamer allows home cooks to steam up a complete meal in the electric steamer’s two included 8.5-quart baskets. Vegetables, seafood and poultry can all be made at the same time with the different flavors on each tray. An easy-to-read LCD display features a built-in 90-minute timer, and the unit also features a built-in warming function. The Electric Steamer has a suggested retail price of $159.99.
The new Zojirushi Fish Roaster cooks fish without the funk, which will appeal to those who are looking for ways to incorporate more unsaturated fats and Omega 3 fatty acids into their diets. The countertop unit has a platinum catalytic filter to eliminate up to 90 percent of smoke and odor components. A stainless steel roasting rack directs excess oils and fats away from food. The Fish Roaster also features an adjustable timer up to 30 minutes, a flip-open lid for easy operation and a food server for easy removal of foods. It has a suggested retail price of $200.
Health conscious consumers can also ensure their baby’s food is healthy too with Baby Brezza’s new One Step Baby Food Maker Glass that launches this month. This latest version of the One Step Baby Food Maker will be the only model on the market with a large 4-cup capacity glass bowl. Using a patented dual steam and blend functionality, users can make thier own baby food with the push of a single button. Baby Brezza will cook and blend the food at the same time, or users can choose from the steam only or blend only settings. The one bowl design eliminates the need to transfer hot foods into a separate blender, while a removable water tank simplifies filling and cleaning. The One Step Baby Food Maker Glass has a suggested retail price of $159.99.
Multi-Cookers Take Over Countertop Cooking
Within the realm of countertop cooking, a trend towards multi-cookers is on the rise. These small appliances take on double, or even triple duty, to compete to be the go-to appliance for daily cooking. They go beyond slow cooking or grilling, combining these basic functions along with a host of other settings to do everything from boiling, steaming, frying, sauteing, and baking, all in one machine.
KitchenAid took a major venture into the category with this year’s release of the 4-Quart Multi-Cooker and optional Stir Tower. The Multi-Cooker is basically like a slow cooker on steroids, with seven different cooking methods and four step-by-step modes. The cooking methods include sear, sauté, boil/steam, simmer, slow cook low or high, and keep warm. The step-by-step cooking modes are rice, soup, risotto, and yogurt. As cooks move through each step, the Multi-Cooker adjusts and displays temperatures and timing accordingly. The Multi-Cooker has precise temperature control that is applied and preset for each setting to ensure consistent results. The cooking can be programmed for up to 12 hours and the keep warm setting can be programmed for 24 hours There is also a manual setting that allows users to cook like on a regular stove top and select from warm, low, med-lo, medium, med-hi, and high. Each manual mode is adjustable within a temperature range to get just the amount of heat desired. A dual purpose cooking rack is included for steaming or roasting. The lid is clear tempered glass for easy viewing during cooking and it has an integrated strainer/pour opening. The cooking vessel features a nonstick CeramaShield™ coating that is 100 percent PTFE and PFOA free.
The separate Stir Tower is an accessory that mixes, flips, stirs, incorporates ingredients and stirs intermittently. It attaches to the Multi-Cooker for added cooking options, like making yogurt, risotto, meatballs and more. The silicone stirring paddle has two parts, a flip-and-stir wand that can be used alone, and a side scraper attachment that is optional to use in conjunction with the wand when making soups, sauces and stews to circulate ingredients thoroughly. The Stir Tower features three stir speeds and two intermittent stir modes. The KitchenAid Multi-Cooker and Stir Tower are available in silver, black or red with a suggested retail price of $349.99 for the Multi-Cooker, $229.99 for the Stir Tower accessory, and $549.99 for the Multi-Cooker and Stir Tower combined.
The Bellini Intelli Kitchen Master from Cedarlane Culinary was introduced to the U.S. and Canada market last year and is the machine closest in functionality to KitchenAid’s Multi-Cooker. The Bellini combines eight kitchen gadgets in one machine for chopping, blending, whipping, mixing, sauteing, steaming, stirring and boiling, even allowing for some of the tasks be done simultaneously. The machine differentiates from others partly because of the cutting blade that can, for example, quickly chop a whole onion and then sauté it right in the 2-liter stainless steel mixing bowl. The unit has 1000 watts of heating power and can heat up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. It has 10 speeds that can be selected from a rotary control, and cooking time can be set for up to one hour.
The Bellini includes accessories that enable the preparation of a variety of meals that go beyond one pot cooking. There is a stainless steel chopping blade and stainless steel stirring blade that lock into the bottom of the mixing bowl depending on what task the recipe calls for. A mixing tool snaps onto either blade for mixing tasks, like making a cake batter. Also included is a cooking basket that sits inside the mixing bowl so food can be cooked without hitting the blades below. There is a heat resistant spatula that is designed with a notch to lift the basket from the mixing bowl and scrape the sides. The dual steam accessory consists of two pieces, a container that sits directly on top of the mixing bowl and a top tray that is shallow with vents on the bottom and has a clear lid that is also vented. Cooks could boil potatoes in the cooking basket, steam veggies in the next layer, and also have fish steaming on the very top layer. The mixing bowl lid locks into place and has an integrated clear removable measuring cup. To ensure accurate recipe proportions, the machine also comes with an external digital food scale. With the Bellini Intelli Kitchen Master home cooks can make everything from a simple smoothie to a more complex risotto. It retails for $549.
The Philips Multicooker is a nice option for customers who want to spend less and don’t mind stirring the pot themselves. It has10 preset programs including slow cook, steam, fry/sauté, rice, risotto, stew/simmer, bake, yogurt, reheat and boil. A manual button allows users to change the time and temperature to any specific setting. There is a 24-hour preset timer that can be programmed to start cooking while you’re away so you can come home to a cooked meal. When cooking is done, the machine switches to keep-warm mode for up to 12 hours. The inner pot has a 4-liter capacity, is dishwasher safe, and has a nano-ceramic coating that is nonstick and scratch resistant. The lid of the Mulitcooker can be completely detached after use to allow for direct cleaning from every angle. Also included is a multi-use steam basket, spatula, spoon, rice scoop, and measuring cup. Using the Philips Multicooker, home cooks can prepare a variety of meals, from slow-cooked stews, braises and pot roasts to risottos and curries. You can also steam vegetables or rice, boil pasta, bake cakes or breads and make fresh yogurt. The Philips Multicooker has a suggested retail price of $249.
T-fal will debut the 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker & Fryer in September. With a suggested retail price of $99.99, the small appliance comes in at an even more affordable price point than the Philips Multicooker. The unit has more of an emphasis on the frying capability, with a 1.6-liter oil capacity, but with 1600 watts of power it can also braise, saute, simmer, brown, boil and keep warm, along with having a food capacity of 1.3 pounds. The removable bowl has a non-stick coating and the lid has a viewing window. The lid, bowl and basket are all dishwasher safe. The appliance also has a removable timer that allows cooks to leave the kitchen without fear of not hearing the timer go off.
BLACK+DECKER just introduced the Multi-Cooker – Slow Cook & Sear in June. The appliance is equipped with a slow cooker and stovetop function, making it easy to create true one pot meals. With a capacity of 6.5 quarts, it is bigger than T-fal’s Multi-Cooker and focuses more on slow cooking. The built-in stove finishes sauces, sears meats or sautés ingredients, while the slow cooker function provides a convenient way to cook tender delicious meals. The slow cooker can be turned to low, medium, high and keep warm while the bake and roast functions allow you to set desired temperatures from 200 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The removable ceramic coated pot has cool touch handles with an easy view glass lid. A roasting rack and recipe book is also included. The BLACK+DECKER Multi-Cooker has a suggested retail price of $99.99.
This story was originally published in the August 2015 issue of Kitchenware News, a publication of Oser Communications Group.
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