Back to Basics TEM500 Egg & Muffin Toaster and Egg Poacher

Ladylyme

Member Since
Jun 2008

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User has 2 Months of experience with this product

Very handy!

Strengths:

Performs well - Cooks egg, toasts bread, muffins or bagels and warms meat either all at the same time or separately; Easy to use

Weaknesses:

Some types of bread (e.g. sourdough) need to be put down twice in the toaster to toast darker. Also, the coating on the egg poaching pan is peeling. Replacements pans are out of stock as of 12/31/08

Posted 1 year ago - This little gadget is so handy, especially for smaller families or those that eat at different times. (Though when my family visited, they all thought it was so fun to use, they cooked 8 consecutive egg mcmuffin sandwiches in it instead of using the stove!) It's very easy to use. The functions (toast or egg cooker)can be used individually or at the same time. I tried putting thin slices of cheese on top of the egg before cooking, and it worked great. You can also warm any pre-cooked meat at the same time in the warming tray above the egg cooker. (Ham or precooked bacon work great.) It keeps the toast (or english muffin) warm until the egg is finished, so everything is done at the same time. Very neat innovation! Unfortunately, someone used a metal utensil to loosen the egg and the egg cooking pan nonstick coating started to peel. A replacement egg cooking pan is out of stock the last time I looked online. One person suggested using foil inside the egg cooking pan if the coating peels, which I will try. All in all, this is an innovative idea that works well! We've been using it for approximately 2 months and have found it to be extremely convenient.

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goddess747

Member Since
Sep 2008

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User has 2 Days of experience with this product

Works great while it lasts - I'm on my fourth one already

Strengths:

Works great, makes perfect eggs and toast

Weaknesses:

It breaks about twice a year

Posted 1 year ago - I bought this toaster about 2 and a half years ago. The first time it broke, it still cooked eggs, but it stopped toasting bread. So to avoid the hassle of a warranty where I have to mail it back in and wait (and you have to register it when you buy it and I didnt), I just went and bought another. About 6 months later, the egg cooker stopped working. I like the toaster so much, I went and bought a third. And guess what? the egg maker broke yet again. So, I'm on my way to buy a fourth. It's obvisouly great and convinient enough that I have bought 3 of them and am about to buy one more. But what is wrong with this toaster that it can't last one year?? I clean it every time and take good care of it. Yet no dice I think Back to Basics owes me a free one already. This time when I buy one, I will register it so that I can use the warranty. For $120 I probably could have bought one awesome toaster. Conclusion: Buy it, register for your 1 year warranty, and take advantage of it when it breaks so you don't end up buying 4 of them like me.

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pleonastic

Member Since
Aug 2006

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User has 1 Day of experience with this product

Very nice toaster and kitchen gadget

Strengths:

- Easy to keep clean - Poaches eggs well - Above average toaster - Reasonably priced

Weaknesses:

- Eggs don't slide out of poaching pan without help

Posted Apr 27, 2008 - I was fairly skeptical when I first heard of this toaster, since it sounded like something you'd see advertised on an infomercial that wouldn't actually work. It turns out my fears were unfounded--I'm happy to say that it does work exactly as described. The machine makes "egg mcmuffins" by combining a toaster, egg poacher, and warming tray for breakfast meat. You just need to insert the food into the machine, hit a button, and it takes care of timing the toaster and poacher properly so everything finishes together after 3-4 minutes. It does a surprisingly good job at poaching eggs, and the toaster is above average (at least with bread and english muffins; I haven't tried bagels). Cleanup is easy--just wipe off the poaching parts after each use. The parts are all dishwasher safe, but they don't get so dirty that they need to be run through the washer all that often. The one drawback is that the eggs don't slide out of the non-stick pan without a little help. Basically you need to use a spoon to loosen one side before they'll come out. It's not quite "sticking" in that the egg still comes out as one piece and doesn't leave a mess. But the eggs won't release without a little help either. As another reviewer noted, this is likely due to cheap non-stick coating being used. On the build quality front, the machine is a bit plasticy but doesn't feel cheap. It's not terribly ugly, but at the same time you won't want to keep it on your counter if all of your other appliances are stainless.

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PAULSTOEHR from OH

Member Since
Oct 2008

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GREAT IDEA

Strengths:

WORKED WELL THE TWO OR THREE TIMES I USED IT

Weaknesses:

SHORT LIFE

Posted 1 year ago - IT WORKED WELL. I USED IT MORE FOR TOAST. I HAD USED IT FOR EGGS AND TOAST AND MEAT BEFORE. SUNDAT I USED IT TOAST WAS DONE BUT THE EGG PART DID NOT WORK SO I HAD A COLD EGG FROZEN SAUSAGE AND WARM TOAST. NOT A GOOD BREAKFAST

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bf2006001 from DE

Member Since
Dec 2006

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User has 1 Month of experience with this product

Great product

Strengths:

Easy to use; quick to prepare a healthy and delicious breakfast

Weaknesses:

NO

Posted 1 year ago - My hubby used it everyday to make breakfast and he loves it!!! It is really easy to prepare egg and toast with it in less than 5 minutes, which is super. And it is easy to clean too. To avoid the egg pan peeling problem mentioned by other people, we used a foil on top of it! Hope this little thing will last.

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crys1s

Member Since
Aug 2005

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User has 3 Days of experience with this product

Cool and Convenient Toaster with extras!

Strengths:

Easy to use; saves time - toast and egg are done at the same time.

Weaknesses:

Takes up some counter space, and must use cooking spray on the egg poacher tray.

Posted May 11, 2008 - This cool little appliance is so easy and convenient to use. Slide in your bread slices, fill the heating tray with water using the included measuring cup, crack an egg into the poaching tray, press a button, and press down on the toast lever and you're ready to do something else (get dressed; put make-up on, etc.). Both toast and egg are done at the same time, so no more worrying about either one getting cold when you're cooking the other. No more fry/oil smells in my clothes and hair, as I usually fry my eggs. Clean-up is easy too. I haven't tried warming cooked meat, or making hard-boiled eggs with it yet, but I'm sure it'll work great. You must use cooking spray or the egg will get stuck to the poaching tray. I used about half a teaspoon of oil the first time and the egg was stuck to it. It was difficult to get the stucked layer off with a sponge. I had to gently scratch it off with my nails! The second time, I used cooking spray and the poached egg slid right out of the tray. It does take up some counter space since it's slightly longer and thicker than a regular toaster - this is just a minor down-side, at least for me, as I don't have much counter space to begin with.

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Rufustel from CA

Member Since
May 2005

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User has 1 Years of experience with this product

A good and fun cooking gadget--egg sandwiches cheaply and easily at home!

Strengths:

Decent price; works as advertised; good and inexpensive results; and fun

Weaknesses:

Uneven and lighter toasting; egg pan sticks

Posted Jan 13, 2008 - This device works exactly as advertised: in the space of a bulkier 2-slot toaster, put this device and have egg sandwiches cheaply and easily, whenever you want one! The toaster and egg poacher are timed, so that within 2-3 minutes, you have both your bread product and egg ready for putting together. Simply put some water into the poaching compartment using the included small measuring cup; spray some nonstick spray into the poaching tray (a miniature pan) and crack an egg into it; put the poaching tray into its end of the toaster and cover; put your toast or bagel (the toaster slots are wide enough) or muffin into the 2 toast slots; and press a button. 2-3 minutes later, you're done. It's that easy. You also can use the device to hardboil up to 4 eggs (very easy to do) and to warm pre-cooked meat for an egg sandwich (by a tray placed above the poaching egg--this is not to cook the meat, however). Plus to toast or poach an egg alone, if you wish. The device is hard matte plastic and has proven durable and attractive enough. The only issue I have had is that the poaching tray is a thinner metal, with a nonstick coating; but the egg can and does stick slightly after having used the device for awhile, even with nonstick spray. A heartier metal plus coating should have been used, but it is not bad and I just make sure to wipe the egg tray down well after each use (a few swipes under water is all that's needed) and to spray it well before use. (And I have read that the manufacturer will easily replace trays where the coating is defective). And the toaster itself is somewhat uneven and I wish it was more powerful; but for egg sandwiches especially, it is fine. In the end, a great savings in comparison to going out, saving $1/1.50 or more per sandwich--it pays for itself fairly quickly. And you control the ingredients and quality, which is nice, and don't have to go out. And, in the end, it's fun, for some reason!

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msmpinky

Member Since
Nov 2007

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User has 7 Days of experience with this product

Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster and Egg Poacher

Strengths:

Simple to use,time saving,easy cleanup,convenient.

Weaknesses:

None

Posted Nov 28, 2007 - What a great idea. I am sure it will be used often in our household. Adds a new dimension for variety at breakfast-even when in a hurry. Each person can prepare custom orders and at various times to suit individual schedules.

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MPN: TEM500

Very handy!

Works great while it lasts - I'm on my fourth one already

Very nice toaster and kitchen gadget

GREAT IDEA

Great product

Cool and Convenient Toaster with extras!

A good and fun cooking gadget--egg sandwiches cheaply and easily at home!

Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster and Egg Poacher

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