GT Xpress 101 Product Review
Okay, I fell prey to an infomercial! I had seen the Xpress 101 commercial several times, and thought it seemed interesting. I do love to cook, and have a George Foreman grill, which I used quite a bit (wore the coating off eventually). So, after a few months of debating, I went to the Xpress 101 website and ordered my machine. First off, there is no way to order just one. It automatically comes with 2 machines, you just pay the shipping on the second. There is also an upgrade offer to a 4 chamber model as well. I just opted for the 2nd unit. It will certainly make a good gift for someone. The order arrived about two weeks after I placed it online.
When the unit arrived, I was a little surprised at its size. The chambers seemed smaller than they did on TV (but then the camera adds 10 pounds to people, so why not added chamber size?). Also included in the box were: two recipe books, a plastic mixer/shaker, a plastic lifting tool, a dough pocket maker, and a flavor injector syringe (complete with lethal looking needle point!).
After perusing the instructions and the recipe booklets, I decided to try Mixed Berry Corn pancakes recipe. This recipe called for a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, an egg, 2 tablespoons of oil, half cup of milk and half cup of mixed berries. I plugged the unit in and allowed it to preheat while I mixed all the ingredients together. I used plain frozen blueberries for the fruit. The indicator light went out and I used non stick spray on the wells for insurance. I set my timer for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, I lifted the lid and found nicely browned pancakes. I tested them with a tooth pick, they were done so I removed them with the lifting tool and used the rest of the batter. I have to say, these were very tasty! The were perfectly cooked and moist. I split the pancakes in half, and they seemed much like a normal cornmeal pancake would be, albeit half moon shaped instead of round.
For my next test, I did an omelet. I used 2 eggs, and mixed in some shredded cheese. I poured the egg mixture into one well, and into the other side, I put some frozen hash brown mix. After 8 minutes, I lifted the lid. The omelet looked golden brown, but when I poked the middle – it was still very liquid. I was concerned that it would burn, but closed the lid and cooked for another 2 minutes. The floating hinge on this machine allowed the omelet to rise up even more. After the two minutes were up – I opened the lid. The omelet looked the same color wise, but was now fully cooked and very fluffy. I was impressed. The hash browns needed more time, so I would time that differently next time.
I also cooked burritos, several different types of muffins, and frozen broccoli. I am really beginning to like this machine. It really brings out your creativity.
The unit is very easy to clean. A damp sponge is all you need. I had cooked some muffins with a brown sugar coating, and even that came right off! I find it easier to clean when the unit is still warm, but not hot.
The Xpress 101 has a cord wrap around on the bottom, and sits up on end for storage. It really doesn’t take up much room, less than a toaster. I would say the advantages for this machine are the fact that you can cook a meal without heating up your kitchen or dirtying any pans. The recipe booklets give you over 100 ideas to try as well.
The downsides to the machine are its size. It wouldn’t be good for more than 2 people in a household. And the fact that you need to be very careful about the tools you use in it. No metal tools or you can scratch the coating.
I would say the Xpress 101 is perfect for a couple, the college dormitory, or the single person. The website indicated that there was a 4 chamber upgrade version available, so that could be an option for larger families. The recipe book included is also very simple to follow, so even a non-cook could easily use this to cook up delicious meals! I look forward to trying many other experiments.
You can order the Xpress 101 at http://www.xpress101meal.com/
