Most blossoming bakers will delight in the baking possibilities that the Hasbro Easy Bake Oven & Snack Center offers! This actual working oven allows your child to bake easy & fun-filled snacks. The recommended age is 8 & up. However, younger children will accomplish success with close adult supervision. There is a strong chance that you are already familiar with the Hasbro Easy Bake Oven & Snack Center. This fun toy oven has been around since 1963, and although it has undergone some physical changes, the concept is pretty much the same: a toy oven that offers baking worthy heat via a light bulb. In my view, the Easy Bake oven has stood the test of time and continues to be an inspiring toy for many young children.

My oldest daughter owned one, using it from the time she was approximately 4 (with help) until she was 9. In fact when my youngest daughter turned three, she received her own Hasbro Easy Bake Oven & Snack Center. We presented this unit as a birthday gift to our daughter, along with the following Easy-Bake items: Mixer, Bakers Hat & Apron, Additional Mixes, Accessory Set. She was delighted upon the open and continues to enjoy these items! So we actually own two. Lil' M has enjoyed her oven for quite some time now, and became most interested in it when she was 6-years-old. Oh the joy that gleams from her face as the aroma of baked goods fills the kitchen air!

You need to realize that the finished product does not resemble a bakery delicacy. But the whole object is that your child sees themselves as accomplished bakers. So, put any anal thinking away, and have some baking fun!

For the remainder of this review I will focus on the successful adventures that my youngest daughter has had with this toy oven. Her initial bake job and every one following has been successful! I was amazed as she carefully cut that first baked brownie into 4 pieces so Mom, Dad, & big Sissy could taste her masterpiece! I know how much she likes brownies, and it spoke of her well-deserved pride that she was willing to share. We all tasted this initial bake, and although it doesn’t beckon the palatability of Mom’s favorite recipe, the accomplished pride made it taste better than any brownie I had ever consumed!

Initially these baking adventures were shared by Marisa and her Dad. I took lots of pictures and scrapbooked many of their baking episodes. We all enjoy looking back on the pictures. Later, as Lil' M grew older, she preferred to complete the projects on her own. And although I think that her Dad misses 'being needed' he admires the fact that she can bake something by herself.

I highly recommend this purchase. It has provided educational benefit along with quality bonding time. Your child will acquire a sense for proper kitchen etiquette as well.

37 years of success!
After its birth in 1963, the Easy-Bake Oven was officially introduced at a Toy Fair in February of 1964, and sold more than 500,000 units its first year! Approximately 37 years later, with more than 16 million Easy-Bake Ovens sold since introduction of this popular toy, is impressive selling success to this mom! And considering the initial marketing price of 15.99, today’s price of 19.95 or less, speaks of affordability (for the initial purchase anyway). We purchased this 2nd oven at Target for 15.95, in January of 2001. Although the design of the oven has changed over the years, one factor remains the same – girls and boys are continuing to enjoy this toy oven!

One may ask if this purchase is necessary when the possibilities exist for your child to accomplish baking success with the already existing grown-up equipment availability. I challenge you to put things into proper perspective and realize that at 8.99 (current price at smarterkids.com) to 19.95 (current Toys-R-Us), this unit is well worth the self-esteem your child claims from the “I can do it” baking accomplishment! Trust me, the smiles and shouts of joy over the initial 3.5” brownie my daughter baked were well worth every dollar!

Included in the initial purchase you will receive:
* Oven
* One Cake Mix
* One chocolate flavored frosting mix
* 2 Additional treat mixes
* 2 baking pans
* 2 cooking utensils
* Warmer cover
* 2 warming cups
* Pan Pusher
* Recipe Book

The oven itself is contemporary designer white. It measures 14”wide x 8” tall x 7” deep. The decals add character, and provide a more real appearance.

You will also need flour, nonstick cooking spray, method of timing, and a 100-watt light bulb. And, a phillips screwdriver for assembly. The required light bulb needs to be a regular frosted or standard 100-watt bulb. You must use the appropriate bulb to achieve successful outcome! Depending on bulb availability in your area, you may need to patronize a hardware store such as Lowe’s.

Initially, you will need to use a phillips screwdriver to remove the six screws from the back panel. After lifting the back panel, you will install a 100-watt light bulb into the designated socket and replace the panel/screws. You will need to adhere 4 provided labels to the front of the unit. You do need to hand wash the utensils and pans prior to use. Don’t be alarmed if there is a faint displeasing smell present during the first preheat, Hasbro assures us this is just the protective oil evaporating from the metal parts in the oven. We only experienced this mild odor presence for approximately two minutes. There were also a couple mild vapors from the unit. This only occurred during the first use, and did not detract from the end result.

You will need to pre-heat the oven for 15 minutes. I recommend plugging the unit in for your child, and placing the cord out of reach of young ones. During this time, your child will be able to prepare his/her desired snack mix. The mixes are easy to blend, and transfer to the baking pan. At this point your child will utilize the purple pan pusher to push the baking pan into the oven. There is a mark on the pusher to signal your child of proper chute placement. Cake type recipes bake for 12 minutes, cookies for 8 minutes. When the proper time has elapsed, your child uses the pushing tool to push the baked item into the cooling chamber. It will sit there for 10 minutes. Now, your child will use the pan pusher to remove the baking pan.

Please assist your child, the oven is hot, and burnt fingers may occur without caution.

Realize that the typical cake mix makes one 3.5” cake, and the typical cookie mix makes approximately 7 cookies.

The two pink warming cups sit atop the unit with a clear purple cover to allow viewing. We have not had much luck in achieving melted chocolate with these. So, we have found it best to allow our child to use Sundae topping syrups. Successful warming of chocolate, butterscotch, caramel, strawberry, and marshmallow, has been achieved. Suggested toppings include cheese, syrups, jellies, butter, and salsa, canned frosting, chocolate chips.

Clean up is minimal and accomplished with a damp cloth.

Replacement parts are readily available at www.easybake.com for the following prices:
Pans (2) $3.00
Warming Cover $2.00
Bag with spatula, spoon, and 2 warming cups $2.00
Pan Pusher $3.00

Recipes
Your pocket book may suffer from the cost of the mixes. Priced from 2.95 to 9.99 (Kmart/Target/Wal-Mart pricing), these can quickly add up! A valid solution is to know that your child may use any recipes (commercial or homemade) as long as they do not contain raw egg. Just remember to use caution in not overfilling the pans and watch the cooking time (we wrote down the appropriate times within our daughters own Easy-Bake recipe book – a blank journal).

Easy Bake Food mixes have a shelf life of 2 years. Date is stamped on the envelope in Julian calendar time. (0520A) First 3 digits represent the number of day in year made-i.e. 052 means the package was made the 52nd day of the year, next you will have a zero for 2000, and then an A or B for the shift.
There are 2 vendors; one vendor prints the date code on the front of the packet. The second vendor stamps it on the side seam. The date code on the seam can be easily read by rubbing a pencil over the impression, they will also have a P before the A or B.

Peanut oil is not used Easy-Bake Oven mixes.

For an additional charge, you may choose to purchase The Official Easy-Bake Brand Cookbook -- Lucia Monfried. However, realize that it doesn’t include homemade recipes. Merely, additional ideas for preparation of existing Easy-Bake mixes.


©2001 Lisa_J


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 15.95
Type of Toy: Educational
Age Range of Child: 6 to 8 Years