Review on 🍔 Norpro Nonstick Stuffed Burger Press: Create Perfectly Filled Burgers with Ease! by Michael Woods

I was a little hesitant to buy it due to some of the more negative reviews but eventually decided to give it a try. When I first used it I was disappointed almost to the point I wanted to return it. Then I started rethinking things and decided to try again with some changes. The second time I planned ahead, used fresh meat, prepared the filling ahead of time, and worked the assembly line, and the time investment was well worth it. So bottom line, it's not a dream car, but if you're willing to plan ahead and prepare, it's perfectly serviceable and does what it's designed to do. Here are my tips and suggestions: 1. Only use fresh meat - not pre-frozen. Pre-frozen meat has a different consistency and does not mold and shape, but sticks well to itself.2. Before you start making burgers, prepare the filling. Depending on what you're using, mix the toppings together so you only have to put 1 scoop in each burger instead of messing around with multiple toppings. I used cheddar and jalapeno - chopped and blended.3. If you use hard cheese, do not grate it on a fine grater. Use large holes on the grater or cut into cubes. Very finely grated cheese will melt and disappear into the hamburger during cooking, leaving an empty space.4. The device is not non-stick, no matter how the manufacturer describes it. Even spraying the pan with nonstick spray doesn't stop it from sticking. (That's where he lost the star.). Take a few minutes to cut or tear squares of wax or parchment paper to line up the shapes and separate the prepared patties. It's worth it. I have found that I can use the top half over and over again and leave the bottom half to separate the patties as they cook. I think it's most effective if you make several burgers at once and then freeze them for later. I bought a huge supply bowl of meat and ended up having 10 good greasy burgers in about half an hour including prep and cleanup time. (It's about $1.60 per burger, worth it in my opinion) 6. If you have a kitchen scale, use it to divide the meat into portions. The instructions say to use 3 ounces. on the shape and it really made a difference as I weighed 6 ounces and then split it in half.7. The extra piece meant to make an indentation in the bottom burger is a joke. When you press the meat into the bottom mold, just make a shallow indentation in the middle - it saves a step and the meat doesn't stick to your fingers like that extra piece. Make sure the filling isn't too close to the edges or it won't stick together well. Does this all sound a bit complicated for something as simple as a hamburger? Yes. Definitive. But it's really just an extra few minutes of work, and it gets the job done much faster and more efficiently (and I love the idea of just grabbing a few burgers from the freezer when I plan to use them). I think after using it a few times you'll get the hang of it and be able to make some stuffed burgers without too much fuss. Yes it could be better but for the price it's pretty decent.