Cookie Presses?

[lorilei]

Can anyone recommend a good cookie press? (for spritz cookies etc.)

I'd love to get a replacement for my mother-in-law for her birthday in August, but I'm a bit hesitant.

I know a lot of the models out there DON'T even come close to the quality of the older models, and I don't want to replace her "antique" with junk. I know it'll take some adjustment to get used to her new tool, but I'd also like to find something that won't feel completely foreign (I know her old press was a screw-in model, and I'm not sure if you can even get those anymore).

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Help!

[Gail]

No recommendations-- my cookie press is older than you are. On the last board, the subject of electric presses came up and I was sufficiently intrigued to look up a number of sources. No one seems to make the kind I have anymore-- they all seem to have triggers rather than turn knobs. I looked it up on the web and checked out a couple of kitchen shops. Nada.

Maybe some of the others can point you in the direction of a reliable maker.

[lorilei]

Thanks Gail - I inherited a nice one from my mother, so mine is older than me as well. I can't tell by "looking" at the ones in the store whether or not they'd hold up.

SO, I'm loosening up a bit on this one because I really need advice... I know some of you must make spritz cookies. Puleeze!
I don't care if it's screw-top, trigger handled, or some other weird thingamajobber http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

My mother-in-law has broken the two plastic cookie presses she's purchased, so I'm just looking for something resiliant.

[Mamasue]

lorilei,

I wish I could help you but I never could get the hang of a cookie press. I think its all in the wrist or something! Darn! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif I love to bake cookies and considered a great "cookie baker" by friends and relatives, but never had the experience of making these little jewels. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[lorilei]

here's a pic of one i found. i'm just dragging my feet with regard to buying it.

http://www.marthabymail.com/mbm_assets/product_images/cooking_cookiepress_l.jpg

[MrsReber]

Wow, I can't believe you asked that question! I am in the market for a cookie press, myself. Where did you find the one in the picture?

[lorilei]

Now -- don't anyone misinterpret this as an advertisement http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

It's actually the nicest cookie press I've found (visually anyhow), and it's $35 at marthastewart.com. You can find it if you do a search for "cookie press".

[Susan]

How funny...I was just going to recommend looking at marthastewart.com for a press!

Here's another one I found at http://www.chefscatalog.com/product2.asp?sku=9411&id=00104730241324415561959 and it's only $19.99
I don't have one myself...yet! This has started me thinking about getting one or adding it to my wish list.

~~Susan~~

[Danielle]

Unfortunately, I don't own a cookie press, and the one my mother has is pretty old. What about Williams-Sonoma? I checked their website, and they have a cookie press for $24. I'd love to buy a cookie press for myself, since I no longer live with my mother, but still crave her delicious butter spritz cookies during the holidays. I've heard many positive things about Williams-Sonoma cooking products, so I'd be willing to give them a try.

[CATHIEA]

Lorelei, My manual cookie press is probably 50 years old because my mother had it when I was a child. It is a screw down with handle on the side. When the handle broke I bought an electric press (Presto), which I didn't care for, and then I got a press that looks similar to the one in the picture. Still couldn't get used to it, so I ended up having the handle re-welded and then I duct-taped the sucker. All this so I can make green christmas cookies to amuse my family. The point of this is- what's wrong with your mother-in-law's press?
CathieA

[lorilei]

I think the handle broke, Cathie.

She may still have the pieces, but I'm not sure. All I know is that she's bought two replacements already, and hasn't found anything.

[Gail]

Emily Litella here again, "Never mind." http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-13-2000).]

[mah]

i recently purchased a battery-operated cookie press at lechters. it is made by hamilton beach and doubles as a filler/decorator. i think it was around $24. i searched hi and lo for an electric one to no avail.

[Janet K]

Lorilei,

I grew up making cookie press cookies every year with my mom and Grandma, and decided last fall I wanted to make them for my kids for Christmas. After looking at the new ones and really wanting one like my mom had, I ended up getting one for myself and another for my sister off of Ebay. There were a bunch available on there - just look under Mirro or cookie press. You can easily find them for under $5 - for one of them I only paid $2.00. Both were in great shape, complete with all the discs. If the new ones your mom has tried don't hold up - it's worth checking into.

[Ed]

Hi! I find this topic on cookie presses interesting.
Lorilei, thanks for posting the picture of that cookie press from Martha Stewart, it looks like a real good one. This is the type I have been talking about here at the house, a cookie press with a rachet drive on a metal handle / plunger much like a caulking gun. I don't know but I think that would be a good one to squeeze just the right amount of dough on a cookie sheet.
We (my wife and I) have here an old Mirro cookie press (aluminum) with a screw top, and it works just fine, I think we got it when we were first married, but it's always nice to get somthing new that might do a better job.
That click, click, click, from a cookie press / caulking gun type might be O.K. I wonder if one click is just enough dough for the right size Spritz cookie.
I do like to make Spritz cookies and have trouble with the screw top press being consistent with the size.
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the topic and to put my 2 cents worth in.
Ed

[Ed]

To all,

Found an all metal rachet style cookie press called the "Atlas Cookie Press" at: http://www.cookscorner.com It looks similar to the one on Martha Stewarts site in that they both appear to be all metal, not sure which one I would want need to study it some. The "Atlas" is $19.99 the "Quick Time Cookie Press" At Martha Stewart is $35.00

Does anyone have an opinion which of these would be the better buy?

Does one manufacturer or another have a better reputatation for quality?

Thanks,

Ed

[PCChefDebbie]

Pampered Chef will be introducing a cookie press in Sept. just in time for the holidays. Just saw it at National Conference and it looks excellent. I should have one in my hands by the end of this week and I plan on testing the heck out of it as I make literally hundreds of spritz cookies for the holidays and cannot find a quality cookie press. I'll let you know how good it works.

[lorilei]

Originally posted by PCChefDebbie:
Pampered Chef will be introducing a cookie press in Sept. just in time for the holidays. Just saw it at National Conference and it looks excellent. I should have one in my hands by the end of this week and I plan on testing the heck out of it as I make literally hundreds of spritz cookies for the holidays and cannot find a quality cookie press. I'll let you know how good it works.


Thank you!
I'd much appreciate your recommendations. And maybe I can put off my gift to my mother-in-law until the holidays...

[PCChefDebbie]

I finally got to play with the new Pampered Chef cookie press last night and I must say I love it. The barrel is huge (2 cup capacity) that is clear so you can see how much dough is left. It has 16 different shapes, very sturdy. We used both the spritz recipe that comes with the press and some Pillsbury sugar cookie dough at room temperature. I would use parchment paper with the sugar cookie dough as it's made to spread out and it was hard to tell what the shape was the spritz cookies were beautiful. We baked both batches on a 12 x 15 rectangle stone. My mother-in-law who cooks hundres of cookies each year will recieve her gift early this year. Hope this helps. This cookie press will be available September 1st.

[Natasha]

Lorilei,

I don't think I've ever looked at this thread (the last thing I need is to start wanting to buy a new cookie press), but I just looked at it now (obviously) and wanted to congratulate you on that graphic!! I wish I could pull those scrumptious-looking cookies out of the screen http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif It must be lunchtime!!

Oh, darn. I just looked at the picture again and now I want to pull the cookie press out of the screen too. Isn't it bad enough that I want to buy new knives, bread machine, grill, etc.? Must I also put a cookie press on my list? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Have a good aft.

[lorilei]

http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Oh, Natasha, you make it so hard to work. I just keep coming back to these boards http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I would like to announce that I purchase the $19.99 model at www.chefscatalog.com (http://www.chefscatalog.com) for my mother-in-law -- and we'll see how she likes it. It seems to be a good quality all-metal version, so I'm not afraid of any plastic parts breaking.

Debbie - thankx for all of the input on the Pampered Chef model. I decided I couldn't wait for my mother-in-law's, but the PC might be good for me http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

How exciting and productive this thread has been -- thanx all, for the input and discussion!!

[Carol]

Glad to see this post on cookie presses--good news that a 2c capacity model is just weeks away. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I've used the three presses mentioned here. My favorite was the old Mirro screw-top model -- too bad it broke and isn't sold anymore. I replaced it with an electric model but didn't like fumbling with a cord. My next replacement was the trigger type that is pictured in LoriLei's post. Each click gives you one cookie. I can live with the clicking, which does give you nice control over the dough; I just don't like the small size of the barrel. It's time consuming to stop and refill such a small opening--I'm remembering that a batch of 6 doz cookie dough took at least 3, maybe 4 fills.

I'll definitely be looking for a Pampered Chef rep in September! I hope this new model has a disc that makes tree shapes--I haven't been able to make trees since my Mirro press broke 20-25 years ago. One of our favorite Christmas cookies was a cream cheese dough with a dusting of colored sprinkles and a red hot for the tree topper. YUM!

Hope this info helps anyone interested in cookie presses.

[MrsReber]

Debbie, that press sounds great. I really wanted one last year, but now I am glad I didn't buy one. I also should get some stones for baking cookies. I like my no stick cookie sheets, but they get yucky so fast from all the use. I should just go to stoneware with all my bakeware. My 9x13 pan is a mess and I just got it 1 year ago! I will definitely buy the PC cookie press! Thanks for your review!