Advantages: cuts very thinly and evenly
Disadvantages: carving style takes a while to get used to

...I like my roast meat and poultry sliced very thin and always have a problem keeping my carving knives sharp enough so this is the reason I thought I would try an electric carving knife. Initially the problem I had was the change in slicing style. With an electric carving knife, instead or sliding the knife back and forth through the meat gradually working your way down, you place the knife in position and exert a gentle steady downwards pressure until the knife slices off the piece. The knife itself creates the back and forth motion with its blade. This is the most difficult transition as the tendency to move the knife in a traditional manner remains. The Breville EK2 isn’t my first electric carving knife; it’s a replacement for an old Russell Hobbs that had to be retired due to safety reasons. It was getting on in years... Read review

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Advantages: great knife
Disadvantages: none

...I treated my self to this carving knife for my birthday at the begining of this year as i had had enough of always struggling to cut up joints of beef into managable slices and thought it would be realy useful to cut the bread from my bread maker instead of me hacking away at it and making a right mess. Since getting this knife i couldnt imagine life without it, it is small enough to store away easily although mine never stays away long. It makes light work of slicing my beef joints for our dinner and gets me nice thin slices of beef very easily, it is great for cutting the bread as its even cutting motion makes the bread not end up with lumps missing out of it like it does when i calv it by hand. Although it makes light work of carving up the chicken i prefer not to use it as it also goes through the chicken bones very easily and i... Read review

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Advantages: Loaf shape, price,
Disadvantages: Slightly fiddly to carve out the paddles. Manual takes a little working out.

...the electric oven too much, but have found we have used it all the year round and can't imagine llife without it now! My first few loaves were a little dodgy, and then a few stuck to the tin and paddles, but I persevered and following the instructions carefully and at first sticking to Lidl bread mixes, I worked out the best programmes. Once I had baked a few loaves the surface's non-stick qualities improved and now I make all sorts of bread using different flours and dried yeast or the excellent Lidl mixes. It's worth using a small sharp knife to carefully carve out the paddles to prevent them pulling out a chunk of bread with the crust, but one learns how to do it with a little practice, and takes very little time compared to the time saved in going out to buy bread!... Read review

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Advantages: can laugh at them now
Disadvantages: didn't at the time

..., ‘Look you can do all you shopping, and it’ll be much easier’. I was 23 not 83. Luckily for him he gave it to me after the ceremony as if I’d received it before, I may not have turned up. My father-in-law gave me for Christmas one year a video of the Three Tenors, it is still in its wrapping. I don’t know what possessed him to get me this; I’ve never been a great fan of this type of stuff. Last year he got me a slinky nightdress (which was nice but a bit of a strange pressie to get of an in-law). It’s easier sometimes to just grin and say thank you. When we got married amongst the strange wedding pressie were 5 mug trees but no mugs, enough towels to keep a small hotel in business, one of those stupid plate warmer things (that you only use once) and an electric carving knife. Strangely the electric carving knife was identical... Read review

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Advantages: The best set of knives I have owned
Disadvantages: No protective sleeves for the blades

...Why does Delia Smith use such good knives as Victorinox on her television series 'How to cook' and then sell completely different makes on her web site? Not only are the prices on her web site extortionate for knives at £110.00 for a set of three, Victorinox are readily available in the UK. Victorinox are the famous makers of the Swiss army knife and one of the best makes I know of. Maybe I should explain that I used to be a cook for many years, until ill health forced me to give it up. I used to buy my knives singularly as the better quality knives used to be so expensive. All my old knives have rosewood handles and are still as new. There seems to be a Victorinox knife for every single occasion that you can think of. From Peeling, Paring, and Pastry to Boning, Filleting and Carving. The list is just endless. Two Christmas’s ago I... Read review

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Advantages: I could spend some time alone
Disadvantages: I might feel lonely

...I read an opinion about what ten things would you take if you were deserted on a desert Island. I have thought about it for a while because I like to live alone. I know I would take me cat Pirate with me so I would have to take a lot of cat food for him. I love to draw so I would bring a sketch pad, some pencils to draw with, a pencil sharpener and set of water paints. I would have to eat so I would take a pot, a fishing net, a big spoon, a fork a carving knife and a big sharp bolo knife. I would take my Compaq notebook computer and a lot of batteries because I would be able to charge it. If I got bored I could surf the web. I do know how to surf and snorkel so I would bring my surf board, my snorkelling gear and some rubber shoes. I love to read good books so I’d take a few of the ones I like best. I love books about angels, myths... Read review

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Advantages: look nice, feel nice, hygenic
Disadvantages: expensive, scratch easily, oh, did I mention expensive?

...are fashioned out of the same piece of steel. This is good in that it is easy to clean and dry, and there are no areas in which food can get trapped. The set I have, which incidentally were all bought separately rather than in a wallet or knife block are: GSF-15 Global Peeling Knife: I use this knife to chop small vegetables such as garlic and mushrooms. It is a light knife, easy to use and handle and when sharp cuts through effortlessly. G-3 Global Carving Knife: This knife I use to slice joints of meat such as Beef or Lamb, again a fairly light knife that is easy to hold and use GF-24 Global Carving Fork: I use this to hold the joints on meat in place for the carving knife. The prongs are very sharp and the handle is well gripped to keep things steady G-5 Global Vegetable Chopper: This look like a meat chopper to me, I use this to chop bigger... Read review

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Advantages: Cake
Disadvantages: Cake

...Victoria Sandwich This is a very traditional recipe for a Victoria sandwich. I love cake. I don't know why I just love it. This is the easiest way to make cake and it really works. Ingredients: 6oz Sugar 6oz Margarine 3 eggs 6oz flour 1 teaspoon vanilla essence Your favourite jam Whipped whipping cream or whipped double cream Icing sugar to dust Equipment Needed: A large mixing bowl A handheld whisk or electric whisk A metal spoon A spatula 2 cake tins (greased and floured) A palette knife A sieve Method: If you are using an electric whisk just sieve all the dry ingredients into the bowl, add the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk on full speed for about 3 minutes. Spoon into the cake tins and cook at gas mark 6/210ºC for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent washing and drying performance, quiet
Disadvantages: Some programmes take a long time

...This dishwasher works very well and has a number of little extras that are very worthwhile, which I'll describe in this op. The top rack of the dishwasher doesn't have a central funnel; the connection to the water is made from the back of the wash cabinet when you push the basket back in. This basket also has a fold-out rack for cups, which unfortunately is only half-length - be nice for it to extend along the whole depth of the basket. On the other side of the basket is a special rack which is for holding long items such as carving knives. This has spacers to keep the items apart so they are washed properly. This is very useful and a good safety feature - the sharp knives can be held securely instead of wobbling about in the cutlery basket. This extra knife rack is removeable. The upper basket also has two height positions so... Read review

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Advantages: Cuts even slices every time
Disadvantages: None

...I have a question for you, how well can you cut an even slice of bread from an uncut loaf? Well, if you are any thing like me, my slices look like doorsteps or come out weird wedge shapes, Lol. It is not just bread either I had the same problem every Sunday with my joint of beef that would need slicing and how ever hard I tried I would end up with great lumps of meat. After years of struggling I decided to make my life a bit easier and purchase an electric knife. A few months ago I invested in a bread maker machine and so I thought it was time to find a good knife to help me slice my lovely loaves. I decided to purchase the Kenwood (KN350) model, which I brought from Argos and it only cost £14.50. DESIGN/APPEARANCE: It is made from ABS plastic and the main part is white and it has a grey strip along the top of the handle... Read review

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