Reviews by fortunavirilis

fortunavirilis says "I use it every day and absolutely love it!" about Calphalon Kitchen Essentials Styleware Covered 3-qt Pan

fortunavirilis — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:45:44 GMT

I absolutely love the Calphalon 3-qt covered pan. I use it virtually every day because it's perfect for almost everything. It's a great size and holds a lot, but isn't so cumbersome that it can't be easily washed. The lid fits very well and holds in steam and liquid, so I often use it for braising vegetables or meat. The sides are high enough that it avoids much of the splatter that can occur while things are simmering (and I love anything that reduces clean-up!). I also love that this pan is non-stick, and I never have a problem with things sticking even when I don't use oil or any kind of spray. This feature also makes it extremely easy to wash. I keep this pan out on my stove because I use it so often. It's extremely high quality, but also affordable, and I will definitely keep my eye out for deals on this line of Calphalon the next time I need more cookware. This is the best piece of cookware I've ever owned.

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fortunavirilis says "Great quality for the money - blends well" about Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender

fortunavirilis — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:37:32 GMT

I bought this blender to puree soups and stews, and I've been very happy with it. It's not an industrial quality blender, but it fits my needs perfectly. It also comes with a 2-cup measuring cup that can be used to blend small amounts. Or, you can blend things directly in the pot that you're cooking them in. Mine has successfully blended mushrooms, root vegetables, and corn, all with no problem. The mushrooms did get caught in the blade guard a few times, but they were easy to get out with a few shakes of the blender. This blender would also be perfect for making smoothies, and I look forward to trying that out this summer. It's very easy to clean because the base with blades comes off of the motor unit, so you don't have to worry about getting the motor wet. Also, the shaft and blades are metal, so they won't melt if you're blending hot foods. I love this blender, and am very happy with its performance.

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fortunavirilis says "Decent for a very affordable crock pot" about Hamilton Beach 3-quart slow cooker 33130TC

fortunavirilis — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:31:02 GMT

This crock pot is a decent value for the money, and I regularly use mine. It has high, low, and warm settings, but must be manually changed to different heats. There is no timing on this crock pot, which is the feature that I miss the most. If you're around or know that you can get home at a certain time, it's not a big deal. I've only had mine for a few months, but have used it a lot. It's great when cooking for one or a few. The instructions say that it will fit a chicken (and I bet that they're right), but I haven't tried that yet. Anything bigger than that wouldn't work, though. I often use it to make steel-cut oats (I put them on at night and they're ready in the morning). It's easy to clean because the inside is removable, and that is dishwasher safe (although I usually wash mine by hand). Overall I've been very happy with this crock pot and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a very basic and affordable one.

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fortunavirilis says "Cooks quickly, but great quality crock pot" about Rival 5060 Smart Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker

fortunavirilis — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:24:13 GMT

The Rival 6 qt. Smart Pot crock pot is a great value, and I love mine. You can set the temperature at high, low, or warm and set the cooking time at 30 min intervals. When the cooking time is up, it automatically switches to warm, which is extremely convenient because the food is ready (but not overcooked) whenever you want it. I found that this crock pot cooks somewhat quickly and food is generally done before most recipes indicate that it will be, but I quickly adjusted my recipes and haven't had any problems since. It's very easy to clean because the insert is removable. It's also dishwasher safe, but I always wash mine by hand because it would take up a lot of room in the dishwasher. This crock pot is great if you're cooking for multiple people because it needs to be at least half-way full. I love this crock pot, and it's a great quality for the price. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

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fortunavirilis says "Good quality for the money" about Stamina Body Trac Glider 35 1050

fortunavirilis — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:15:00 GMT

The Stamina Body Trac Glider is a good quality rowing machine. I've been using it for about 8 months, and have had very few problems with mine. It's easy to adjust and provides a good range of resistances (from very easy to EXTREMELY difficult). It only takes a few seconds to collapse it down for easy storage (I lean mine against the wall, and I barely even notice that it's there). It does squeak some when I'm using it, but nothing that I can't ignore. It has a battery-operated control that tells you how long you've been rowing, the number of strokes, and the number of calories burned. The calorie count is very inaccurate - I think that it's calculated based on the easiest resistance, so it's way too low if you're on one of the harder levels. The only other problem that I've had is that my feet occasionally slip out of the straps. I fixed this by buying a long piece of velcro and making a heel strap. For the price, it's definitely a decent machine.

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fortunavirilis says "ideal for running" about Apple - iPod Shuffle Second Gen. Silver (1 GB) MP3 Player

fortunavirilis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:23:00 GMT

This is a great mp3 player for exercise or if you don't have a whole lot of music. It holds enough music to keep you going for quite a while, and the battery lasts for a long time. I've been very pleased, and I plan to buy one for a Christmas present. Now that the price has come down, they're very affordable and the best value out there. I would definitely recommend this for anyone!

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fortunavirilis says "eh, it's ok" about Michigan State University

fortunavirilis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:17:22 GMT

I'm currently a grad student at MSU, and I haven't been that impressed. Students and the administration are far more interested in the success of the football team (which usually isn't that great!) than academics. The north side of the campus is beautiful and there are some nice gardens, but there is constant construction and major roads are blocked off for years. It's great for some programs (agriculture and education), but not for most. If you're looking for a huge state school where you can fade into oblivion, it's perfect. But, if you would like more one-on-one attention from professors who actually care about you, go somewhere else.

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fortunavirilis says "I'm a very happy alum" about Emory University

fortunavirilis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:12:51 GMT

I went to Emory for undergrad, and I loved every minute of it. It's academically challenging, but the professors really care about each student and are willing to help out in any way that they can. There are always events going on (concerts, plays, exhibitions, etc.), and most of them are free. Plus, the campus is beautiful and they're making lots of effort to make it a more sustainable campus. I loved Emory, and get back to visit whenever I can!

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fortunavirilis says "I've been converted" about Apple MacBook Notebook

fortunavirilis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:09:36 GMT

I only used PCs before buying this computer, and I love it. It's definitely more user friendly and has many fewer problems than PCs. I've had it for about a year and a half, and haven't had a single problem, other than it getting sluggish when it hasn't been turned off in a few weeks. I doubt I'll ever buy a PC again, especially now that Macs are more affordable than they have been in the past. And I love how light and portable it is! I definitely recommend this computer!

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fortunavirilis says "Great for typical use!" about Hamilton Beach 70560

fortunavirilis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:06:16 GMT

The Hamilton Beach 70560 food processor works great for normal chopping and blending needs, but can get sluggish with heavy duty use (nuts and dried fruits). I've used it to make dips, soups, and for chopping many types of vegetables. I've been very pleased! For the amount it costs, it's probably the best deal out there.

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