The Toss and Chop by Silvermark. I first saw this item last year on the Oprah show. I immediately ordered it and have been using it ever since. With the Toss and Chop you can make a delicious salad by putting all the ingredients in the bowl, including the ingredients for the dressing, without first using a cutting board, knife, bowl or any other type of equipment. It reduces kitchen clean up to next to nothing. What I have found is that a large salad with lots of greens can be quickly chopped into smaller pieces, while it mixes in the dressing (hence the name Toss and Chop). By reducing the actual volume, I can enjoy my salad but it takes less time to eat. No more munching on salads for 45 minutes. Of course that is not the only reason the Toss and Chop is used. Chopped salads taste great-the Toss and Chop will chop an entire tomato in a few swipes, and does a great job on greens, peppers, parsley, green beans, all the goodies you put in your salad. I was hesitant to put the ingredients for the dressing directly in the bowl without first mixing in a separate bowl, but found that it works very well.
For a quick rough chopping of items for recipes, like spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, apples, pineapple, or melon, the Toss and Chop is so quick and easy. No knife, no cutting board, no messy wipe ups.
For those of you who cook, you can chop onions, mushrooms, etc. right in the pan before cooking (I would start the onion in chunks unless it was pretty small). You can make a terrific salsa with the Toss and Chop instead of hand chopping or using a blender or food processor.
Who I think would enjoy this item. Most raw fooders would welcome the difference in texture and the speed with which a salad or recipe can be thrown together without a mess. Even an experienced chef would welcome a break from slicing and mincing and dicing.
I think that the Toss and Chop will really change the food experience for beginners, or non-foodie types who hate being in the kitchen, people who don't own any decent knives and don't really want to and people who want to literally throw together a meal in under 10 minutes. This gadget along with a bowl could change the eating habits of college students and others who live in tight quarters or on low budgets.
Who I think should probably not buy this item. Although it is quite easy to use, it is kind of like using a scissors; anyone with wrist problems, arthritis in the hands, people who are weak would probably not enjoy using it. It needs a careful cleanup; bits of greens get caught in some spaces, so it's good to use a brush when washing it. I am short, so I put the whole bowl in the sink or on a stool to avoid lifting my shoulder to use the Toss and Chop.
The Toss and Chop arrives with a descriptive flyer, explaining how to use it. It has a safety lock so you can store it easily. The toss 'n' Chop never needs sharpening, it is micro-serrated. While it will cut up your fruits and veggies, if you run your finger over the micro-serrated edge, you will be surprised to see that you can not cut yourself on it. The Toss and Chop has a lifetime warranty against defects and there is contact information for questions or problems.
Toss 'n' Chop price 19.95
