Productopia | Kitchen & Food

Shoppers trying to score a cheap, reliable mixer this Black Friday may be tempted to head to Target. A recently-leaked circular revealed that the store will be offering the Sunbeam Mixmaster Hand/Stand Mixer for only $25. Normally priced at $50, this seems like a great deal. The hitch? We found iffy reviews.

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, many cooks will be breaking out their Dutch ovens. Don't have one? These versatile pots can bake, deep-fry, braise and even boil foods. Many cooks also conveniently use them to whip up soups and stews.

So how do these products differ from stockpots? Popular Dutch oven sizes are in the 5- to 7- quart range, while stockpots are usually 8 or 12 quarts. Unlike stockpots, Dutch ovens can be easily transferred from stovetop to oven, right to the table. Current Dutch ovens consist of uncoated cast iron, enameled cast iron or feature stainless steel construction.

At an eyebrow-raising price of $3 apiece, Chefmate kitchen appliances are among the cheapest doorbusters we've seen in Target's leaked Black Friday circular. The $3 Chefmate specials include a 12-cup coffeemaker, toaster, slow cooker and sandwich maker.

Walmart has a similar Black Friday doorbuster: your choice of $4 appliances, including a mini chopper, a 2-quart slow cooker and a hand mixer.

Theoretically, you could equip your whole kitchen for $17. These gadgets are priced as impulse buys, but we couldn't find reviews for any of them, and several of the pieces aren't very practical.

With bake, toast, broil and convection settings, today's toaster ovens are giving full-size ovens a run for their money. Unlike standard toasters, these small counter top ovens can do more than just toast bread. They can bake cookies, heat up a frozen pizza or even roast a small chicken. However, contrary to popular belief, a toaster ovens can't toast bread as evenly or as quickly as a traditional, slot-style toaster.

This is the first Black Friday deal we've seen for a breadmaker: Kohl's, in its leaked circular, is featuring the Oster 5838 ExpressBake at an advertised price of $40. However, read the fine print and you'll see that you'll actually pay $60; the $20 savings comes in the form of a mail-in rebate. If you're the type that sends in rebates, it's not a bad deal, but if not, there are better deals out there on better breakmakers.

The deal: Oster 5838 ExpressBake Breadmaker for $40 (after $20 rebate)

The verdict: A good deal if you're diligent about mailing the rebate

Attention, kitchen mixer fans. Kohl's is the place to be this Black Friday. A recent leaked circular has revealed the store will be significantly discounting three highly-rated KitchenAid stand mixers, offering them as doorbuster deals.

So far, we've seen a lot of ho-hum appliance deals in early Black Friday circulars -- lots of mediocre coffee makers and hit-or-miss slow cookers. But here's one that's a solid pick if you're looking for a fun kitchen-gadget gift that's not a big investment.

The deal: Oster Rotating Belgian Waffle Maker for $10 (after $10 mail-in rebate)

The store: Kohl's doorbuster, Friday only, 4:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (or until sold out)

The verdict: Fluffy Belgian waffles for $10? Definitely a steal

There's no doubt that a good roasting pan is an investment, but they needn't be confined to use on only two days a year. Roasting pans can be used to roast sweet potatoes and vegetables for a toasty side dish, and some even use them for monster dishes of lasagna. So while pricey, roasting pans can versatile. While the very best roasting pans, like the Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Roaster cost more than $100, we unearthed some solid values that cost much less. For example, the KitchenAid Gourmet Distinctions Roaster costs half as much and still gets excellent reviews. Read more in our timely report on roasting pans.

Consumers looking for a countertop microwave may be intrigued by Kmart's new Black Friday doorbuster deal. This season, the store will be selling the Kenmore 1.1 Cubic Foot 1100W microwave for a a mere $55.00, half the price of its usual $110. On the surface, this looks like a steal. The Kenmore 1.1 boasts nine cooking speeds, three defrosting options--and it's a nice compact size.  But is this appliance really worth your hard-earned cash?  After a bit of detective work, we unearthed some clues.

The best electric grills offer consumers a solid barbeque experience without the hassle of heavy smoke and charcoal. Current products fall into two categories: contact and open grills. The difference: Contact grills cook items between two hot plates, expediting prep time since users don't have to flip foods. Open grills, on the other hand, only have one hot surface, so cooking time can take longer. Additionally, some contact grills can be used as open grills or griddles. One last piece of info: Open grills emit more smoke--an appealing trait, say many users, since this naturally infuses cooked foods with a more smoky, barbecued flavor. Need more helpful shopping info? Click here to read our new report on electric grills.