When it comes to buying specialty appliances, there are a couple of things to take into consideration on top of how well the gadget works: how expensive it is and how much you’ll use it. A single-use gadget (a “unitasker”) is not that practical, but if you’re going to get a lot of use out of it, it’s often worth it. That said, when the price is right, it’s hard to say no to a good deal even if you think you’ll only use it a couple of times. This was the case when I picked up a VillaWare Prego Pizzelle Baker. I had been thinking about getting one, but seeing them on the sale table at a nearby kitchen store sealed the deal for me.
The Villaware Pizzelle Baker is very easy to use and works extremely well. All you do is plug it in and wait for it to preheat for a few minutes before using it. You pop the dough onto the nonstick surface, lock the top and bottom plates together and wait. Pizzelles cook very fast – sometimes in as little as 30 seconds – so the machine has no timer or light to indicate when the pizzelles are done. You might have to check on the first batch or two, but after a couple it’s easy to get a feel for it and make another pair of pizzelles every minute. The nonstick surface makes it incredibly easy to remove the finished pizzelles and also means there is virtually no cleanup required for this machine. The baker turns off when you unplug it and takes a while to cool down enough to where it can be put away. No regrets about buying this one. I’ve used it even more than I had anticipated!
Cheryl
August 18, 2009I have this “one task” appliance for a few years and it works well-no sticking! Sometimes it’s nice to have these special items to make something unusual!
Kelly
August 19, 2009I’m definitely a sucker for gadgets and have had a bad habit of buying lots of things that only do a single task. I’ve had to stop myself because I’m completely out of shelf space. Some of my gadgets are now housed in mail bins in my living room. Horrible! I think the fun of getting single use gadgets though is coming up with the versatility yourself. For example, I imagine something like a savory parmesan and rosemary pizzelle would be lovely set aside a nice salad of leafy greens.
Stephanie P.
August 20, 2009Aw man, I had this in my hands at Sur La Table last weekend (it’s a 2-hour drive from us). My mom wants one, but I didn’t know if it was good or not, and I’m also not one for unitaskers and just don’t know how often we’d eat pizzelles. Maybe I’ll order it for her birthday next month if it’s still on sale, thanks for the review.