Want a quick apple dessert? Just pull out your Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer!
Written: Jul 16 '02 (Updated Sep 18 '02)
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Pros: Easy setup, even a 4 year old can operate it!
Cons: Can be hard to find a good place to store it
The Bottom Line: Time to whip up a pie or other Apple Dish quick? Pull this product out and your apples will be ready in no time flat!
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| ariel10575's Full Review: Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer |
At the first Pampered Chef party that I attended, I left just one note on the prize slip I filled out for the consultant - "I am very interested in the Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer - let me know when it goes on sale!"
Sure enough, it went on sale about a year later, and she called me and told me that she could order it for me, and deliver it in a few weeks! I was sold right then and there! But it never came, and I was deeply disappointed. No apple peeler/corer/slicer for me. I was in need of it to make applesauce quicker for my infant, and I was very sad.
Fast Forward - September 2001. I decided to hold a party with my best friend across the street that was a consultant, and after realizing I could sell these products better than her (no offense, of course - she admits she is not good at it), I signed up. Then the HAPPY, JOYOUS day arrived - my kit of tools to use as a consultant came from the wonderful UPS man, and inside was my very own Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer! Oh happy day!!
I had ordered a stand to go with it, but decided to try it out hooked up to my counter first. Well, that was not a good situation, so I put together the stand, and off to town I went! I surprised my husband with an apple crisp that night, and it was one of the best I had ever made!
Um...what is this thingamajig?
Well, if you are anything like me, peeling apples is an exercise in trying to see how much apple you cannot cut off the apple core. I am terrible at peeling them, and it is just wrong for me to try! Yes, I grew up surrounded by apple orchards, but not much in preparing them!
This cool thing can take off just the perfect amount of peel, leaving the maximum amount of apple, and then not only slice an apple into a slinky (yes, a slinky!), but also remove the core at the same time! How exciting!!!
Here are some of the features to this gadget:
(The features list is information Pampered Chef from materials they provided to me in hard copy, not online. All commentary is my own.)
Adjustable Peeling Blade: By simply turning the wing nut, you can adjust the blade to cut through either think or thing skinned produce. Yes, I said produce! Read on!
Stainless Steel Peeling and Coring/Slicing Blade: This means that it will not rust! YAY!!
Locking Bar: If you do not want to peel, just core the produce and slice it, you can push the peeling blade from a vertical to horizontal position, and the locking bar keeps it out of commission!
Mini-Wrench: Yes, it comes with it's own little tool! This will allow you to loosen the coring/slicing blade so you can move it out of the way. Why would you do that? So you can just peel the apple of course!
Two Rubber Protectors: Huh? These protectors are red, and help protect the surface from being scratched and especially to help balance the product when attached to anything appropriate.
Metal Clamp with Plastic Protector Cap: This product is basically an apple peeler built into a vise! Just get it to grip onto your counter, table, something flat, and then you can go to town!
Efficient: This baby takes about 30 seconds to peel, slice and core an apple. It has been timed by Pampered Chef to be able to go through a bushel of apples in 1 hour! Ok, I'm not sure about that, but certainly if you bring this puppy out, you can blast through enough apples for a pot of applesauce or a pie in no time! Plus, you will have more apple left than you would believe!
Versatile: How can this product be versatile? Do not let the name fool you! This product doesn't just do apples! Try it with potatoes for curly fries! I've even heard of people using it on pears! I've been told that if it is a firm fruit or vegetable that can fit onto this product, you can probably peel/core and slice it!
Three-Year Guarantee: Enough said!
Dimensions: When assembled and mounted, it is 4 1/2" High and 12" in Length.
Informative Packaging: As always, this Pampered Chef product comes with instruction on how to care for it, use it, and comes with 5 different recipes!
Exclusive: Yes, this product was designed and made just for Pampered Chef!
So how does this thingy work?
Ok, first things first. Wash this product in warm water. It is not recommended to immerse it in water or wash it in the dishwasher. Be sure to dry thoroughly.
Now, be sure to read all the directions carefully, especially how to put it together and use it. You do not have a lot to assemble, just the red handle onto the metal arm. Tighten it up and onto a table, counter, or better yet the stand that is sold to go with it. Do not over tighten it, or you could break the main body.
You are now ready to peel! Be sure that the peeling blade is pushed down, and the shaft that the arm is attached to is pulled back. Get a fresh, firm apple (preferably greens like Granny Smiths work better), and push the top of the apple onto the 3-pronged fork. These are sharp, so be careful! Be sure to center it on the core of the apple. Release the peeling blade from the locking bar, and start turning the arm with one hand, and holding the base with the other one. Once you get it going, just turn as fast as you want! Soon you will have the apple on the other side of the slicing blade, and the peel in a long thin rope on the other.
In my home, my oldest son thinks that this product is the bee's knees! It is his favorite thing to do to help me out in the kitchen. I left him turn the handle, but I'm holding the stand, and do not let him touch any other part of it.
Just slide the apple slinky off the core, and do as you want. If you want perfect, even apple slices, just make a cut on each side of the apple slinky. If you want apple rings, just slice down one side. It is just that simple!
Now, grab the core, and rock it off the prongs. Take it and the peel and dispose of it as you will. Pull back the shaft, and do it again!
One caution: You want to only use fresh, firm apples of an average size. Jumbo, extra large apples do not work as well. Older, softer apples run into problems. I once tried an obviously older, very ripe apple, and I got halfway through peeling/slicing/coring it, and it stopped. The handle would move, but the apple didn't. That was because the 3-prongs were going in a circle, and cored that part of the apple, and thus I had to leverage to turn it anymore! How embarrassing! Right in the middle of demonstrating how great it works! Oops! Also, be wary of red apples. They also have problems due to their softer texture.
Please be SAFE!
If you bring this into your home, do realize that there are 3 VERY SHARP parts to this product! The Coring/Slicing Blade, and the Peeling Blade and the 3-pronged fork are all extremely sharp, and you need to exercise high caution!
Please keep this out of the reach of children, and store it safely when not in use.
I really wish this product came with caps/covers to put on each of these parts, just like all other sharp objects by Pampered Chef come with a cap/cover to protect us.
My Recommendation
This product is not for everyone. If you enjoy apples in various ways, this will be a great time saver. If you do not like apples, then reconsider. If you like potatoes, then this might be a good addition for you too! You can peel them fast, or at least slice them fast, and then make curly fries, or even use the Food Chopper or the Chef's Knife to make them into smaller bits for hash browns.
Some people have told me that they just do not have room in their kitchen for this product. I think that if you would be able to use it, you can find a place. It can lay flat in a drawer, or up against the side of a cabinet. It all depends on your kitchen. If I had the room, I'd leave mine out against the backsplash all the time!
Personally, this product gets a big 2 thumbs up from me! Give it a whirl at your next Pampered Chef party - you may just like it!
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For a good apple crisp recipe, check out my review:
http://www.epinions.com/content_2170921092
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Note: Yes, I am a Pampered Chef Kitchen Consultant. I am writing this review as a way to reinforce my own knowledge about a product that I own and love a lot.
For more information about this product, how to purchase it, find a consultant in your hometown, recipes, or to just contact the manufacturer, please click through the manufacturer's link on the bottom of the product page. To get there, go to the top of this page, and click the part I have left in italics that says:
Home » Home & Garden » Cooking » Bakeware » Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): gift
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Epinions.com ID:
ariel10575
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Member: Rebecca Murphy
Location: Granada Hills, Ca, USA
Reviews written: 117
Trusted by: 62 members
About Me:
I'm back, and getting ready to write again. :)
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