Customer Reviews

Rival CFF5 Chocolate Fondue Fountain

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Forget the price, this item is fantastic! We had a party last night (10/8/05) and after dinner, we broke out this fountain and all of our guests went absolutely crazy over this.
First, note that you have to melt the chocolate chips on a double broiler and you have to add some vegetable oil to the chips, then the melted mixture is put into the basin area of the fountain.
The auger style pump flows the melted chocolate to the top and it cascades down the two-tier fountain.
We had strawberries, bananas, pineapple, pretzels sticks, marshmallows, and pound cakes. We used long wooden skewers for the dipping and we even had to add a second batch of chips. Everybody loved it and a lot of them want to borrow it too.
Clean up was not as bad as you would expect. We dumped out the remaining chocolate and the pieces were easily disassembled and cleaned.
I cannot think of any other time that so many guests commented on a single party item like this one. We can't wait for the next opportunity to use it again.

In reading the reviews I have to add a few suggestions. The fountain works great- one just has to know how to properly use it. First of all- forget the oil - it is difficult to get "just the right mixture" and it dilutes the flavor of the chocolate. Everyone should be using Paramount crystals. I know the box says to use oil but do a little research on the internet and you'll see that this is not the best way to go. Paramount crystals are what professionals use to thin out their chocolate when making candy without diluting the taste of the chocolate. Paramount crystals can be found at stores that specialize in making cakes and candies. You mix an 8 oz bag of crystals to 3 lbs of GOOD chocolate and you'll have the perfect chocolate every time. The best chocolate is also found at the same stores. You also must melt the chocolate properly. Make sure the fountain has been turned on to heat for at least 30 mins prior to adding your chocolate. That "dribbling" effect that one reviewer said is called "curtaining". This is when the chocolate flows over a tier and splits open as it flows down. This is mostly caused from air in the center tube where the auger is. The best way to keep this from happening is to stop the fountain and let the air in the auger rise to the top -about 10-15 seconds. You'll see bubbles exit through the chocolate at the top of the fountain. Turn the augar back on and your chocolate should flow nicely; provided you have enough chocolate in the fountain. It takes 3-5 lbs of chocolate to work properly. You also have to make sure you don't scorch or seize the chocolate with over heating before adding to the fountain (scorching) or allowing water to get in the chocolate (seizing). Remember chocolate will melt above 70 degrees. Just melt the chocolate chips until they are partially melted and stir. The rest of the chips will eventually melt while stirring. I melt my chocolate in a 6 cup glass measuring cup in the microwave. I start with 2-3 minutes on medium power and stir. Make sure it is on a turn-table so it melts evenly. Then I microwave it again for about 1 min. and stir. Then again for about 30 seconds until the chips are partially melted. Then I'll just stir until they've all finally melted. Make sure your utensils and bowls are all dried thoroughly so water does not get into the chocolate. Water will make the chocolate clump up (seize). The fountain works great but preparing the chocolate and using the fountain take a little know how. The internet has many sites that will teach you all the "ins and outs" of properly preparing your fountain and your chocolate for this wonderful experience.

I bought this and had it out for our Thanksgiving meal. I knew in advance this thing would be the next breadmaker in our house (meaning the cool thing you use once or twice then put in a counter until it eventually gets sold in a garage sale). But for $50 I figured we'd get the cool points when we had 10 people over for Thanksgiving.

Couple of notes:
- Forget what you think chocolate should flow like. We melted about 4lbs of Hersheys chocolate chips with some vegetable oil to what I would expect to see in fondue and then put it in the machine as directed. The thing started up sounding like a diesel engine. We thought we bought a lemon but the instruction troubleshooting guide kept saying to add more vegetable oil so we did. Eventually we had this stuff pretty "watered" down and the fountain worked and flowed great. Although it probably didn't help its appeal when people saw us pouring tons of vegetable oil into this thing (lots of "wow, gonna be constipated tonight" comments.
- It really is easy to clean and break down and throw in the dishwasher. The hardest thing we had to figure out was what to do with the leftover 3lbs of chocolate in the thing.
- If you do this thing, set it up early and get it going before the party. It has a heater so it'll just run in the background. It will make people want to try it more seeing it the whole time. Especially if they don't have to see you pouring eighty tons of oil into it.

Buy it, it's a nice gadget. Just be aware that it's a ton of chocolate. Strawberries worked best.

WARNING--this product is great and will work exactly like it says IF you use at least 4-5 pounds of chocolate and add all the oil it recommends (don't worry, the chocolate tastes fine with the oil mixed in). If you do not use this amout, it will not sheet/flow properly and will just trickle down. This minimum chocolate amount is not part of the instructions, but can be found on the box on a sticker that the factory must have added after the box was printed. Since a 60 oz (3.75 pound) bag of chips can be purchased at Costo/Sams Club for only about 6.99, even if you end up tossing a lot at the end, it's still a decent value especially for a large gathering.

We have used our fountain twice since it arrived.
The first time was for a baby shower at my office. I was put off about having to melt the chocolate before putting it in the fountain, but found it wasn't that big of a deal if you throw it in a glass dish in the microwave for a minute or two.
We served all kinds of different fruits and pretzels. People loved the concept and had a really good time with it. Even with approx. 25 people attending we ended up with left over chocolate in the bowl, and that was a pain to clean up, as we do not have a dishwasher at work.
The second time we pulled it out at home for my family of four. My children ( ages 8 and 10 ) had a great time trying different things in the fountain- but after about 15 minutes of chocolate covered things everyone had reached sweet tooth capacity. We had marshmellows, pretzels, strawberries and my husband even tried dill pickles. Clean up in the dishwasher was MUCH easier- but the whole process was still alot of hassel for such a small group. We ended up with ALOT of left over chocolate.
For larger groups of people, this is a fun way to serve desert and a great conversation piece. The kids had a wonderful time, but next time we will invite some friends over before setting it up. The oil you have to add to the chocolate makes the consistancy pretty thin- and while that didnt seem to effect it coating the different things, splatters and drips were all over, especially with the kids. But the little bit of mess was well worth it and we will be setting it up for christmas eve when family and friends come over.

I actually have a different brand of fountain, which melts the chocolate for me if desired, but have found that Callebaut has a chocolate available via [...] that does not require dilution with oil. Secondly, if you want to save the leftover chocolate, pour it into ice cube trays so it's easier to melt next time.

My wife and I purchased this product about six weeks ago and it has been absolutely marvelous.
When we first took it out of the box, I was surprised at how large and solid it was (I had seen some cheap Wal-mart imitations and had assumed this one was similar); and it is also very quiet.
Set up is easy and quick. Just insert the center tube with auger, snap on two tiers, melt six bags of chocolate chips, add some oil and wallah, instant delicious cascades of chocolately goodness.
We like strawberries, bananas, pretzels, marshmallows and firm angel food cake.
We ran it for two hours with absolutely no problems and it was the hit of the party.
Cleanup is also relatively quick and easy.
Do yourself a favor and go get one of the these for the holidays...you won't regret it.

I have to admit I did not buy from amazon, but I found the reviews quite helpful so I felt I should review it as well to help others learn more about the product. I really like this product. I have used it for two youth groups at Churches and the kids loved it. I used milk chocolate chips and it was very quick melting the chocolate in the microwave. The second time I melted the chocolate, I just eyeballed the oil and used less than the manual recommends and it seemed fine. The chocolate was less runny and less messy. It is a breeze to clean up especially if you have a dishwasher. As for the left over chocolate, I put it in the same bowl I melted the chocolate in (after cleaning the bowl), put it in the fridge and reused it next time and it was fine. I have about 2 pounds in the fridge now I plan to use next week. The chocolate was easy to work with too. I read online material about how chocolate can be quite finicky, but I had no problem. I used skewers for strawberries and bananas and ice tongs or something similar to dip cookies and other things. Of course children are happy using just their hands.

The Rival fountain was shorter and wider than it seemed in the photos online (which I liked), and overall it seems like a heavy-duty household item. The main base which heats and rotates the auger seems very solidly built. If you buy this item and follow the directions in the manual it is very easy to use and enjoy.

P.S. As for the leftover chocolate, like I said I reused it the next time, but I also made a bunch of chocolate-covered oreos for people. So, that is another option.

Got this as a present and used it for the first time last night at our Super Bowl Party. Everyone loved it (especially the kids). I read some of the reviews before I used it and was a bit worried - but I had no problems. Set up was easy. After melting the chocolate and pouring it into the machine, it was amazing to see it flowing. The chocolate flowed beautifully - no problems. Used the recommended amount of oil (didn't have to add any additional oil) And the machine was so quite. I think a good tip is to start the heater first to warm up the bowl before you add the chocolate. The best part - the clean up - ok so your hands get a little messy but just take it apart and put the parts in the dishwasher (except the base) - what can be easier than that. Really love it! I even have the parents at the party asking me if they can borrow it. Everyone thought it was the neatest/coolest thing. Ok - now I sound like a commercial for this product. In closing, this chocolate fountain receives TWO THUMBS UP from me and my family. Definitely would recommend to everyone! Happy Dipping!

I bought my Rival CFF5 from Costco, but Amazon offers a similarly good return policy, so I'd say either place is good to buy this item. For around $40, you can barely go wrong. The base is stable and sufficiently heavy so that it feels like a quality appliance. The 12"-diameter stainless steel bowl mounts to the base, and presses down on a metal ring that heats up, gently warming the bowl to keep the chocolate smooth and free-flowing. The bowl is wide enough to catch a lot of the inevitable chocolate mess (a paper tablecloth or something under the fountain is still highly recommended), and is deep enough to hold a full five pounds of chocolate. Inside the bowl, you mount the thick, heavy-duty plastic auger inside its clear housing, and add the two tiers over which the chocolate flows and the cap at the top. It's ridiculously simple to assemble.

I melt five 11- to 12-ounce bags of good-quality chocolate chips (I prefer the high cocoa content dark chocolate, but any kind will do). The lower the cocoa content, the more oil you must add to achieve the proper consistency and viscosity. Once melted (by microwave), I add the oil and sometimes a generous splash of Grand Marnier. I heat the mixture once more for about a minute, stirring to thin it out, then add it to the fountain (preheat the bowl), and then turn on the auger. The instruction book specifically says not to add liquor as it will "seize" the chocolate. I have never seen this happen as long as the chocolate is barely melted and not too hot. If you add cold liquor/liqueur to hot chocolate, this would occur, but since I add the liqueur during the initial melting stage, it's never been a problem. Particularly with dark chocolate, the splash of Grand Marnier adds a wonderful nuance to the flavor. Kahlua is also highly recommended. As others have noted, it's best to get the chocolate melted with the proper amounts of oil added to it beforehand, so your guests don't have to witness you pouring what appears like vast quantities of oil into their dessert. :)

The fountain is quiet, much more so than similarly priced stainless steel fountains, which clang and grind horribly. This unit is also a little taller, at 18" rather than 16". It's not a dramatic 44" four-tiered fountain like the pros use, but then again, it's also a lot less than $2,000. I took a star off because, since it uses an auger to move the chocolate, there's really very little reason it couldn't have been a bit taller, perhaps 24" -- with three full tiers. As it is now, though, it's a fine value, and my guests always rave about it. I serve strawberries, pretzel rods, marshmallows, and mandarin orange segments typically, and it never fails to be a huge hit. For less than $25 worth of chocolate and dipping goodies, you can supply dessert to 20-30 people easily. The chocolate is reusable, too, with the added oil keeping it in a semi-liquid state in a cool environment.

Cleanup is very easy by chocolate fountain standards. Everything but the base is fully immersible and dishwasher safe. Simply rinse off the parts in warm water and then wash in soapy, hot water by hand, or pop in the dishwasher. It would have been nice for Rival to include a big bottle brush for cleaning inside the auger housing, but that's the only thing I'd recommend. Otherwise, cleanup is a relative breeze.

This machine is highly recommended.