Abstract: A heating appliance generally includes a housing having a compartment and a door for selectively accessing the compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a food product. The heating appliance also includes a heating element disposed within the compartment for cooking the food product, and a control unit for operating the heating element to cook the food product without preheating the compartment.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a housing defining an interior space, a tray assembly positionable within the interior space, the tray assembly configured to support a food product. The cooking appliance further includes at least one lower heating element positioned below the tray assembly within the interior space, at least one upper heating element positioned above the tray assembly within the interior space, and a controller configured to operate the at least one upper and lower heating elements in accordance with a selected mode of a plurality of selectable modes, wherein operating parameters for the at least one upper and lower heating elements vary between the plurality of selectable modes.

Abstract: A wirelessly operable cooking appliance for cooking food products includes a wireless communication device. A computing device, such as a smartphone, can wirelessly communicate with the cooking appliance to control and monitor the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an inner housing with an inner wall defining an interior space, an outer housing that includes an outer wall having an inner surface opposed to and spaced from an outer surface of the inner wall to define an insulating layer therebetween, and at least one thin-film heating element coupled to the outer surface of the inner wall.

Abstract: In a cooking appliance and method for baking a food product, the appliance has a generally solid plate member, a first heating element disposed above the solid plate member in spaced relationship therewith and a thin-film heating element coupled to the solid plate member.

Abstract: In a cooking appliance and method for baking a food product, the appliance has a generally solid plate member, a first heating element disposed above the solid plate member in spaced relationship therewith and a second heating element embedded in the solid plate member.

Abstract: A tabletop grill generally includes a first grill unit having a first grill plate and a first heating element for heating the first grill plate. The grill further includes a second grill unit positionable relative to the first grill unit. The second grill unit has a second grill plate and a second heating element for heating the second grill plate. The grill is configured to function as a broiler.

Abstract: A food preparation appliance has a base, a blade member rotatable in a direction of rotation, and a container with a closed bottom, an open top and a tubular sidewall together defining an interior space of the container. The top of the container is configured for releasable connection with the base, with the blade member disposed within the interior space of the container. The sidewall has a rib projecting inward of the interior space of the container and extending lengthwise along at least a portion of the sidewall from the top of the container toward the bottom of the container. The rib has, in the direction of rotation of the blade member, a peak defined as the shortest transverse dimension measured from the center of the container to the sidewall at a respective height along the portion of the sidewall having the rib, the rib being asymmetric in transverse cross-section.

Abstract: In a container and method for processing food, the container has a closed end, and open end and a tubular sidewall extending therebetween and together with the closed end defining an interior space of the container. The container is configured to accommodate a blade member within the interior space of the container. The container has a center and the sidewall has at least one rib projecting inward of the interior space of the container and extending heightwise along at least a portion of the sidewall. The rib is asymmetric in transverse cross-section. A blade member is also disclosed and is configured to have different planes in which the blade member moves upon rotation of the blade.