The wonderful world of late-night TV cookware ads

[Ellen Shapiro]

I recently saw both pasta-strainer ads on the same channel during the same show, and jotted down the Web sites:

pastapro.com

tvinventions.com

I believe I am the first on the thread to discover the second one.

[Jinmyo]

I recently saw both pasta-strainer ads on the same channel during the same show, and jotted down the Web sites:

pastapro.com

tvinventions.com

I believe I am the first on the thread to discover the second one.

[DaveFaris]

I've been eyeing those Popeil rotisserie cookers. After our recent move to a new apartment, without a microwave or easy access to a charcoal grill, I'm trying to decide if it's worth the counter space.

My new cable system seems to devote three channels exclusively to infomercials, 24/7.

Those spaghetti pots with the drainage holes in the lid might be better if they held more water. As it is, the commercial shows the pots practically brimming with cooked spaghetti. And that tiny pot that they throw in seems absolutely useless.

[Wilfrid]

Yes, the dodgy cockney in the bow-tie was quite hypnotic. I think it was the rotisserie oven which I liked, because of the excellent catchphrase which all the audience knew: "You just set it and forget it!"

Makes a change from Robin Byrd, anyway.

Edited January 6, 2003 by Wilfrid (log)

[Priscilla]

I recently saw both pasta-strainer ads on the same channel during the same show, and jotted down the Web sites:

pastapro.com

tvinventions.com

I believe I am the first on the thread to discover the second one.

Ellen, I thought I saw two different ads for this sort of product last week sometime on FoodTV...but I thought it was just me, typically not paying too much attention to the commercials, and in this interim of days have found myself pondering and pondering--WERE there two different colors, WERE there two different prices, DID one have a baby-size of itself on offer and another with cheap-ass plastic implements instead? Did I imagine all this?

When I was a child I thought I imagined H.R. Pufnstuf for a time, so there is precedent.

But you have set my mind at ease. Thank you.

[Crystal]

I've seen three versions of the pasta pot commerical. I really enjoy the one that offers a free cheese "GRADER" with purchase. Heh!

[Deacon]

Yes, the dodgy cockney in the bow-tie was quite hypnotic. . . .

The DC in the B-T *was* quite hypnotic. The guy could've sold me dirt. He was just so darn enthusiastic.

Same as the current

"Billy Mays here, to sell you this Wonderful New Cheap Crap You Don't Really Need!!! But WAIT!!! If you call NOW, right NOW, in the NEXT FIVE MINUTES, we'll sell you Twice As Much Cheap Crap for the same LOW, LOW price!!! Call now!!!"

Mays EXUDES sincerity, which is just the problem. The patent-medicine salesmen are getting smarter, so everyone else has to get smarter to stay even with them.

Edited January 8, 2003 by Deacon (log)

[DaveFaris]

So I finally sprung for one of those Ronco Rotisseries, since I lost my backyard (and grill) when I moved into this highrise apartment. Probably too soon to give a full review, but I did roast a chicken last night... 1 hour and 10 minutes and the bird came out evenly cooked and juicy, and the skin turned out crisp and tasty. Next time, I think I'll try brining the bird for even more flavor.

Tonight, I'm going to try a roast beef.

[Kim WB]

I was in Kohl's , a discount department store, and saw the Pata Pot for 19.95. My son cooks pasta a lot, and I thought this could save me on dishwasher space. Plus, I saw it here and was intrigued.

The issue is, you need to line up the "safety lock" on the lid and pot, all while the steam is rising and your pasta is cooking. Even if you were to turn the heat off,and move the pot to a board, you would still need one hand to steady the pot, andanother to line up the lids...its not an easy task. All being done over steaming water and rapidly overcooking pasta. I didn't actually use it..olnce I realized how tricky ( an unsafe) it would be, I returned it.

[NeroW]

I am partial to the Presto Pizzaz Pizza Oven.

[hjshorter]

I am partial to the Presto Pizzaz Pizza Oven.

The rotating thing for frozen pizza? My husband and I saw a commercial for it and thought it was a joke.

Anyone seen the Chef Wizard? It's supposed to take the place of all those messy untensils cluttering up the kitchen.

[HotCanary]

In the Pasta Pro commercials, I love the way, when they open the pot, there's SO MUCH FOOD in there ! The pot is so overflowing with pasta, corn, eggs and all that there's no room for water.

I also like in all these commercials how clumsy everyone is before they get the new gadget. Everything is burning and sticking in about a gallon of grease, and the actors are so frustrated. How relaxed they are when they get the new wonder item.

[DaveFaris]

Tonight, I'm going to try a roast beef.

Fwiw, it was delicious.

[jhlurie]

Okay, I'm not sure if this device actually HAS a late-night TV ad, but its definitely in the same class as the stuff discussed in this thread:

The Fruit Saver - "a breakthrough in countertop cooling that doubles the life of your fruit and vegetables".

[Fat Guy]

There's a live-chat w/ customer-service-rep feature on that site. Somebody do it.

[JAZ]

Okay, this is going to sound strange, and I really don't mean to make any moral pronouncements by it, but this thread is completely incomprehensible to me because I don't have a television. Haven't for quite a while, actually.

(and just to forestall questions, it's not any big "value" statement; it's just that I've lived with TVs and without them, and when there's a TV there, I spend time watching it that I'd rather spend doing other things.)

But, can I ask why you all watch this stuff? I mean, I can see it being like Saturday Night Live "commercials" (even though I guess this sort of thing is serious) -- is it the entertainment value?

[Fat Guy]

is it the entertainment value?

Now that wasn't so hard to figure out, was it?

[DaveFaris]

Area Man Constantly Mentioning He Doesn't Own a Television

[Fritz Brenner]

I always loved the food dehydrator gadget... this was some years ago now, I'm not sure if it is still an info-mercial at this point. But at the time, it seemed like such fun; you could technically pour anything into its chambers... lo and behold, a short time later, you would have a fruit roll-up type treat of your choosing!! It could even get a bit disgusting, if one's imagination allowed...

[Fat Guy]

You're now chatting with a LIVE TECHNOSCOUT who is an expert on today's featured products.

You are now chatting with 'Julia', who is eager to answer your questions and help you navigate the site.

Julia: I'm a live rep here to answer questions and offer promotions!! What product did you wish to chat about today?

Steven: Hello.

Steven: I'm interested in the Fruit Saver.

Julia: That has been an extremely popular product!! We have sold those to many customers with great success!!

Julia: It comes with our 30 day money back guarantee and is refundable if you are dissatisfied for any reason.

Julia: Would you like to place an order for that today?

Steven: It looks like a really good product but I don't understand how it works.

Julia: Uses a thermoelectric micro chip to cool the air and 2 fans (one to circulate the cooled air and one to circulate the ambient air and to exhaust the hot air)

Steven: I buy a lot of fruit and it goes to waste because my family doesn't get to it before it goes bad.

Steven: Does it work for other things, like meat and fish?

Julia: No just fruit and veggies

Steven: How big is it? It looks big.

Julia: 10 ½ h x 14 l x 10 ½w

Julia: holds 4.5 quarts

Steven: Can it go in the dishwasher?

Julia: The bowl can

Steven: Do you have one? Do you like it?

Julia: No not yet

Julia: But I am planning on getting one

Steven: Okay, I'm going to talk to my wife about it. If I place an order should I ask for you?

Julia: To get the discount you must order with ME directly.

Julia: If you have any questions or decide to place an order and would like to find out about any current specials, please call me at 1-800-711-8093, select '1' for sales and ask for Julia at ext.8323. Or email me: bowenj@technobrands.com

Steven: Thank you!

The chat session has ended. Please chat with us again or call 1-800-711-8093 if we can be of further assistance.

[Basildog]

Good Job Fat Guy!!!...

see, he leads from the front

[Stone]

It's fun to joke about this stuff, but can we hear from people who have these products? Someone wrote above that a chef friend praised the Popeil Rotisserie. I've heard that many restaurants use the George Foreman grill. I would think that a cheap sharp Ginsu knife isn't all that bad, as long as you're carefull with the flexible blade.

Who owns infomercial stuff? How good is it? How long until it got stuck in the back of the pantry?

[rstarobi]

It's fun to joke about this stuff, but can we hear from people who have these products?  Someone wrote above that a chef friend praised the Popeil Rotisserie.  I've heard that many restaurants use the George Foreman grill.  I would think that a cheap sharp Ginsu knife isn't all that bad, as long as you're carefull with the flexible blade.

Who owns infomercial stuff?  How good is it?  How long until it got stuck in the back of the pantry?

Own a Foreman grill, use it regularly. Can't say I have too much other infomercial stuff - though my mom's bought some exercise equipment off them before.

[DaveFaris]

can we hear from people who have these products?

Well, as I said, I bought one of the Ronco Rotisseries. I've only had it for a week, but I've been pretty satisfied with it. I've made a couple of chickens, a roast beef, and a couple pounds of italian and german sausages for a bunch of my friends yesterday. I even tried roasting asparagus in it, which turned out pretty well, once I overcame the problem of the asparagus falling out of the roasting basket.

One thing they don't accentuate, with good reason, in the infomercial is how much noise the thing makes. It's not unbearable, but it's also not ignorable.

The other thing about it is that it's hard to "set it and forget it" because there's something vaguely hypnotising watching the food spinning.

And it's much, much more difficult to make any gravy, which is a downside.

And my oven didn't come with one of those warming trays that supposed to sit atop, and I can't see spending $30 more for a plastic tray.

[BigMac]

Bought my living single career-minded brother a Foreman grill for christmas, works great for him. Other brother got a "Chopper" which has yet to be mentioned here... doesn't that salsa look great in that add?

Does anyone remember the product that was around 5-8 years ago that was just some cutting-board sized thing that you placed your frozen food on that accelerated the defrosting process tremendously? That must have worked, seeing as so many people have them today.

My worst food infomercial product experience: someone (who wisely left off the name tag) gave us a obviously opened and resealed curly fry maker as a wedding gift.