I was looking for something like this when I recently moved into an apartment with a friend . I figured if I had mini-fridge , microwave, and some kind of electric or gas skillet I would be self-contained cooking-wise in my room .
Well I went to my local Target and looked at several models until I spotted the Rival S16 . It was ... which seemed at the time very reasonable, so I got one .
I have been using it for several weeks now and I am blown away by the performance and versatility of this skillet . The shape and design of the pan is very well thought out . It is big enough to cook just about anything and it has perfectly slanted edges so that rice or pasta that is simmering cant sneak up the sides and get stuck . Seems to me like a fairly thick , quality , non-stick coating as well . The speed with which this skillet reaches a usable heat is amazing . It's at least 3 times faster than a pan on a conventional stove , gas or electric.
You can fry hamburgers or steaks , grill oil-free chicken or fish , boil water for mac & cheese (cheese & mac?), simmer pasta or rice mixes , make grilled cheese sandwiches , its endless .
The only negative thing I can say about this product is that the vented plastic lid gets hot enough to emit a plastic odor the first several times you use it. I could sense a slight plastic taste after using the lid on particularly high heat dishes . This goes away after 4-5 uses but I wonder if you put it in the dishwasher, if it would temper the plastic and prevent this ?
All in all a great electric skillet , and I highly recommend it. That ... "reasonable" price has developed into a steal .