Great for basic cooking
930885
Decent pans. Great for just starting out. No rusting or problems so far.
886764
I'm by myself and don't like to cook so I try to stay away from the oven. This was a great alternative -- not a super-high quality but for the price, suits my needs just fine. Easy to use, large enough for basic food-cooking activity. Definitely suggest it for anyone looking for a basic broiling/toasting option.
4047726
The settings for toasting is a bit off, but once you get used to it you will get the timing right. I've made small meals in this and I use it daily to make toasted sandwiches. I warm tortillas and naan with this. I've even cooked salmon and vegetables in this as well. It has been easy to use and I like how a bake pan is included with it. Pro-tip: wrap the bake pan with foil before use for easy clean up and to keep the pan free from burns and accumulating food particles (it is not non-stick)
2490496
This rice cooker is simple and basic.  It has no bells and whistles - Add rice and water, plug it in, push the button, and it cooks rice. So, if all you want is a rice cooker and not a whiz bang gizmo, this one fits the bill.  For the price, it is an excellent value. I have cooked long grain white rice, calrose rice and brown rice so far.  It cooks them all well.

As far as cleanup goes, I was used to having a separate inner lid, which this one does not have.  However, it is really easy to clean with a soapy sponge or paper towel.  The bowl, of course, is removable, as is the water trap in the rear of the cooker.

All in all, an excellent product for the $$.
116514
This is a great book for a lot of basic information that you don't get from just following a recipe.  I loved the illustrations.  I've prepared 5 dinners from this book and they do come out just like the illustrations.  I would have liked the paper used in this book to be a little better quality as I think I'll be using this a lot!!
4360288
My wife and I both enjoy cooking.  We bought the standard department store stainless set when we got married, then we bought calphalon, and piece by piece, we're working up to AllClad  (we've been married over 25 years).  However, non-stick pans tend to take a beating over time and eventually, most of them start to stick.  This pan didn't break the bank, it cooks evenly on both regular electric stoves and smoothtops and has a helper handle.  It works well enough that after I bought this one, I bought a slightly smaller version by Update International for smaller jobs, like small sautes and Sunday morning breakfasts.  I got them fairly cheap at my local restaurant store.  It takes a few minutes for the base to heat, but it then holds the heat like you would expect from a decent pan.

I've been pleased enough with Update's cookware that I'm buying a small set of pots and pans to take with us to the vacation house we rent each year in New England.  I'll be able to get the pieces I need for @ $100 (pan, couple mid sized pots and a stockpot) bunches cheaper than most sets at the department store and better quality besides.  I also like the fact that Update's pots come with a solid metal lid (no glass) and it isn't priced separately.
3343051
I'm a simple cook & use this to mince garlic, chop herbs, and other small veggies. It works well & is pretty easy and clean to use!
35744
I am finally learning how to cook so this book is great for teaching people the basics of cooking.  My scramble eggs are now better tasting now that I learned how to cook them.  The book has good pictures so you can see how the food is supposed to look.  There is a good selection of recipes that cover just about anything you want to cook.  It also has good tips to change the variety of tastes.
845354
Cooks great.  Mom had one and it does make quick work of cheap and tough meats.  Cuts cooking time by 2/3rds.
4956905
Basic but works well.
I had a more expensive fuzzy logic cooker before that had more functionality. But this works fine and meets our needs. Sometimes rice on bottom gets a little crispy compared to a more expensive fuzzy logic cooker.
623224
This is a real basic cookbook for those who like to try new things and ways of cooking. I cook a LOT and found the recipes tasty, but the book is too basic for me. I think if you are a upper-level beginner chef, then this book is for you.  Pictures are nice, recipes are easy to follow, not too many ingredients and with common seasonings that are found in most homes.

I ended up giving this book to a friend of mine that isn't as adventurous of a cooker like me. This book gives one a lot of variations to classics and this book is perfect for my friend who wants to learn more about cooking and expand her use of ingredients and seasonings.
4451187
Bought 5 of these because I loved the one I already had. It is small, but big enough for daily use. Great for cooking meat, and makes for great sandwiches. Nice for toasting wraps too. Easy to clean if you wipe it off while still warm, with a damp washcloth. Note: it is hot, you could get burned. Use common sense... You don't need to go fancy or expensive to get the job done- this works.
2201262
I love fish, but I've always found it difficult to cook fish. And I don't like using cookbooks or recipes -- makes me feel like a robot, not an artist. Oh well, I finally broke down and bought this book. And like the title says, it is BASIC, which is just what I needed!

Cooking fish is a world unto itself. Each type of fish and each cooking method is different and requires different times, tools, temperatures. Some fish cooks very fast, so you have to learn about timing the other food you're cooking, so it all comes together at the same time. Some fish gets too rubbery and weird if you overcook it, or feels cold and clammy if you undercook it. This book helps a lot, by giving you insights about these things.

The format is easy to follow, and there is a great variety of fish and seafood dishes so you won't get bored. I urge you not to just get one fish cooked well, and then make that your only fish dish! Try different things, even things you might think you wouldn't enjoy. Just make sure the people who eat your food don't have allergies to shellfish or anything like that.

This book is good for someone who is not an everyday cook, but also offers challenging and complex dishes for people who cook a lot, and really know how to wield a knife. It makes a good gift for a cook, but sometimes cooks can get a little touchy (I know I do) when someone, by giving me a cookbook, might be implying I don't know my stuff. But if you give this book the right way to the right home chef, you'll probably be rewarded with some great fish meals in the future.

The only reason I gave four stars instead of 5 is just because I find it difficult to use a book in the kitchen. Keeping it open to the right page, and not sloshing goop all over the pages, is kind of a challenge unless you also buy one of those plastic book holders that keeps the book open to the page you select, and holds the book at an angle so you can read the recipe and instructions as you work. I don't have one of those, so my copy of Basic Fish Cooking already looks like it was handed down by Captain Ahab. But that's cool, too.

Good luck with your fish and seafood cooking adventure!
3437745
This book was great for me, who is just starting out and learning the basics of cooking. Very easy to read and the meals are great! Also, the recipes aren't all the same with little variation, there is a variety of  recipes to fit every taste.
2682045
While not the top knives in my kitchen, this is a great basic set. It's attractive, tidy, sharp and useful - always ready to work. Having a pair of kitchen shears conveniently housed on the counter is very handy. The smallest knife is what I consider a large paring knife, so it lacks a perfect peeler, but this is a good set for the quick work. It'd really make a nice gift idea for anyone moving into their first apartment.
4621188
I bought a copy of this cookbook for each of my kids to have for a good basic cookbook.  I always loved mine.  Everything in it turns out well.  It has good instructions which online recipes often lack.
4602169
These recipes are simple and quick (as the book states), but for a more experienced cook, a little more complexity in the flavors would be wonderful. Definitely would recommend to a younger generation who is just getting started with cooking, or for people who are on the run.