Why Is My Easy Accent Decorator Hard to Use with Store-Bought Frosting?

[BeckyC5830]

Customer contacted me this evening about her EAD, here is what she said.
I noticed that if the barrel got below about 3/4 full, it got increasingly hard to push the plunger! I believe I followed the directions appropriately, though I did use some whipped store bought frosting this time.
I was wondering if there is something to make it easier, as once it hit about a 1/4 full, it actually hurt my thumb too much to push the plunger down!
Thanks

I responded: The first thing to check out would be that the embossed "The Pampered Chef" logo is at the bottom (ring & tip) end of the decorator, because that does make a difference in the performance of it. I also suggested that the frosting should be stirred a bit before adding it to the barrel.

She emailed back saying she followed the usage directions. She also said she stirred the frosting before she put it in the barrel. Would any of you know why she is having such a hard time getting the plunger to move through the barrel? do you have suggestions on what she can do differently?
I suggested that she buy some generic cool whip and try it again tomorrow and if it still was hard to plunge I'll call the Solutions Center for her, but thought I'd try all of you first.

Thank you.

 

[raebates]

Sorry, I've never had that kind of problem.

 

[babywings76]

I just purchased the EAD not that long ago. The first time I used mine it worked great. The second time was terribly hard to push the plunger. I thought maybe my filling was too thick for it. The last time I used it w/ the topping for the Mini Carrot Cake cups and it worked beautifully. I wonder if I had it assembled wrong the other time. I'd also love to hear if anyone else has some additional tips. I need to play with mine a little more. If it's assembled right and it's still really hard to push, I'm going to call HO to get advice. Your customer might want to do the same.

 

[BeckyC5830]

I have a call into the Test Kitchens asking for suggestions. When I hear back from them I'll post what they say.

 

[Staci]

Hi there, thank you for reaching out to us about this issue with your EAD. It sounds like you are following the directions correctly and have even tried stirring the frosting before putting it in the barrel. One thing to keep in mind is that store-bought frosting tends to be thicker and more difficult to push through the barrel compared to homemade frosting. You could try thinning out the frosting with a little bit of milk or water to make it easier to use with the EAD. Another tip is to make sure the frosting is at room temperature before using it with the EAD. Cold frosting can also make it harder to push through the barrel. If you continue to experience difficulty with the plunger, please do not hesitate to contact our Solutions Center for further assistance. We want to make sure you are able to use your EAD with ease. Thank you for your support and happy cooking!