The Cheap Gourmet

My Toastmaster Toaster Oven - May You Rest in Peace

My beloved Toastmaster Toaster Oven died yesterday. To the best of my recollection, my sister gave me my Toastmaster as a housewarming gift nearly 15 years ago. As you can see, it served me well. In our household the toaster oven is an integral part of cooking, so I decided to snoop around online and comparison shop. I love being able to shop from home, don't you? Especially with the cost of gas these days!

I came across a website called Wize. This consumer research and product review site provides a wealth of knowledge on just about any type of product you could ever want or need. Wize.com provided me with 132 toaster oven reviews.

You can narrow your search by clicking on various parameters such as price range or manufacturer. The first thing I did was check to see if Toastmaster still offered the model that died. Unfortunately, they do not, but they do have a toaster oven nearly identical. The Toastmaster TOV200 offers convection cooking, which is a feature I have oftentimes said I wish the old unit offered.

The reviews weren't all that favorable on the Toastmaster brand, so I decided to see what other options were available. Being cheap, I started out by looking at toaster ovens in the "Less Than $40" category. This yielded 19 results, but none had a very high WizeRank.

Wize.com has a rating system and each product displays a button showing how consumers rank their product. According the site, a rank of 90-100 means you can buy with confidence. 75-90 means the product might meet your needs. I was looking for a toaster oven that fell into the 90-100 category.

After reviewing the various price categories, I noticed a "New Releases" link. I clicked and there it was... the perfect toaster oven! First of all, this toaster oven is manufactured by Cuisinart. I LOVE Cuisinart products and have never had a bit of trouble with them. This stainless steel beauty can bake, broil and toast AND offers the convection oven I longed for. It has room for six slices of toast, which is perfect for my family. Now I'll be able to toast bread for our BLT's and no one will have to eat cold toast ;-)

Once I decided on my toaster oven, I was provided with three places where I could buy it online. Prices ranged from $99 through eBay to $139 through Amazon. Which do you think I chose? I clicked on the eBay link, entered my info and poof, my toaster oven will be on its way next week.

Although it cost a bit more money than I anticipated paying, I feel I got a pretty good deal. The Cuisinart cost $123.19 including shipping. If it lasts as long as the last one, the amortized cost is about $8.20 per year. That's quite a bargain, eh?

It was sad to dump my Toastmaster in the trash can. I felt as if I should have given her a proper burial considering all the years of service. So, I placed her in a trash bag and tied the handles in a bow.

Next time you need a toaster oven or want to research a variety of products, check out Wize.com. It's a really cool community where you can chat with a live representative and ask questions about the products or leave a review of your own. Overall, I give it 5-stars and will definitely use the service again.

Fingerhut Holiday Sale! Save an Extra 50% on Kitchen & Household Items

Psssssst... Fingerhut is having a HUGE Holiday Sale. For a limited time, you can save an extra 50% on already marked down Clearance Items. Many of the products are shipped directly from the manufacturer, so you won't be able to order anything from Fingerhut in time for Christmas. However, you can save a boatload of money.

The additional 50% discount is offered on all of Fingerhut's Clearance Items. This includes handy kitchen gadgets, housekeeping and organization products, apparel for the entire family, health and beauty products, home decor, indoor and outdoor furniture, and much more.

Cheap Kitchen Gadgets and Gourmet Food

I just found the most fabulous place to shop for gourmet food, kitchen gadgets and all kinds of "As Seen on TV" merchandise. The company is called The Home Marketplace and they offer everything from soup to nuts.

If you're hosting holiday parties, check out The Home Marketplace. You'll find all kinds of entertainment goodies! They have party decorations, tabletop accessories, dinnerware, drinkware, stemware, serveware and any other kind of 'ware' you can think of. Best of all the prices are affordable and some are downright cheap!

I found a drink mixer that I've been looking for what seems like a lifetime. This thing is so retro, I love it! I purchased the entire set consisting of the drink mixer, 2 glasses and these awesome stainless steel holders. I must be digressing back to my childhood because this comes straight out of the 50s. Check it out...

Is that cool or what? I also bought a pretzel maker. My favorite part of going to the mall is to get a fresh, hot pretzel. Yum! Now I can make them at home and won't have to pay ridiculous prices for one. I cannot wait to try this out. I bought the pretzel mix too. You just add water and voila ~ instant dough.

If all goes well, look for gourmet pretzel recipes in the near future. If you have a pretzel recipe to share, please post it here. I'm eager to experiment!

With two recent frozen hamburger patties recalls, I thought it would be a good idea to invest in a burger press and make my own.  You could use the burger press to make chicken, turkey, beef, veggie or nut burgers. When you order the burger press, you have an option to purchase a package of 350 pre-cut wax papers for $7.99. While it is time saving, if you're cheap like me, buy a roll of wax paper and cut the squares your self.

Have you ever been to one of those specialty ice cream stores where you can add your choice of ingredients? While I'm not a big fan of adding stuff to my ice cream, I do like the consistency of the ice cream after they mix it on the marble slab. So, when I saw this Smashing Ice Cream set, I just had to buy it ;-)

That's about it for my shopping spree, but I'll be going back for more soon. Each year I prepare baked goods for my husband's company. This year I'm kicking it up a notch and using some of the unique baking molds and specialty foods at The Home Marketplace. I think the recipients will be pleasantly surprised.

If you want unique stuff at reasonable prices, stop by The Home Marketplace. And, be sure to check out the Clearance section for savings of up to 80%! Click on the banner below to start saving now! For a limited time you can get free shipping on your entire order. I love a great deal, don't you?