Abstract: A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing is movably attached to the bottom housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The ring assembly is positionable between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position. The ring assembly comprises a top ring, a bottom ring, and an optional center cooking plate. The center cooking plate is movable between (i) a closed position in which a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance includes a housing that defines a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A heating or cooling element is disposed within the housing to heat or cool the cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container. The lid has an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. At least one latching mechanism or handle is operable to seal the contents of the appliance within the appliance.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance includes a housing that defines a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A heating or cooling element is disposed within the housing to heat or cool the cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container. The lid has an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. At least one latching mechanism or handle is operable to seal the contents of the appliance within the appliance.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance includes a housing that defines a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A heating or cooling element is disposed within the housing to heat or cool the cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container. The lid has an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. At least one latching mechanism or handle is operable to seal the contents of the appliance within the appliance.

Abstract: A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing is movably attached to the bottom housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The ring assembly is positionable between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position. The ring assembly comprises a top ring, a bottom ring, and an optional center cooking plate. The center cooking plate is movable between (i) a closed position in which a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance includes a housing that defines a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A heating or cooling element is disposed within the housing to heat or cool the cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container. The lid has an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface. At least one latching mechanism or handle is operable to seal the contents of the appliance within the appliance.

Abstract: A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface. The top housing is movably attached to the bottom housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The ring assembly is positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position. The ring assembly comprises a top ring, a bottom ring, and a center cooking plate. The center cooking plate is adapted to be removably inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring such that a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance includes a housing with a base, a side wall and a cavity. The housing has a housing rim defining an opening to the cavity. A hinge base is mounted to the side wall. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim defining an opening. The container fits within the cavity of the housing. A lid at least partially covers the opening of the container when placed on the container rim. The lid has an exterior surface, and an opposing interior surface facing the interior of the container when the lid is placed on the container rim. A bracket is mounted to the exterior surface of the lid. At least a portion of the bracket is rotatably and selectively removably received within at least a portion of the hinge base to rotatably and selectively removable mount to the lid of the housing.

Abstract: An ice cream maker comprises a collapsible outer bucket having a closed bottom end and an open top end, a mixing assembly selectively insertable into the outer bucket, a handle having first and second ends directly or indirectly affixed to the outer bucket. The handle is selectively supported by the mixing assembly such that the top end of the outer bucket is indirectly supported by the mixing assembly.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a small cooking appliance with a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. An uppermost cooking cavity is defined in the top housing and may be used to cook or heat a top food layer. The uppermost cooking cavity includes a floor that forms an uppermost cooking surface. The uppermost cooking cavity may an open top. In an alternative embodiment, the appliance may comprise a hinged or pivoting lid to selectively close off the open top of the uppermost cooking cavity. The uppermost cooking surface may be heated by one or more heating elements in the top housing. The appliance cooks a food item in an assembled manner save a top food layer of the food item needs to be manually removed from the uppermost cooking cavity and placed onto the other layers.

Abstract: An appliance for cooking a food item comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a cooking assembly. The cooking assembly comprises a top heated plate, a bottom heated plate, and a center ring therebetween. The top heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a top cooking cavity is selectively formed by the top heated plate and the top housing when the top housing is in a closed position. The bottom heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a bottom cooking cavity is selectively formed by the bottom housing and the bottom heated plate. A center cooking cavity is selectively formed by the top heated plate, the center ring, and the bottom heated plate when the top and bottom heated plates are in their respective closed positions.