Say Goodbye to Oddly Shaped Pineapples with Our Pineapple Wedger

[melindagilbert]

I have had this a TON of times, and I am sure that you guys have too, what do you say at parties, when people say pineapples are all different sizes?

I say, I have not had a pineapple yet that has been oddly shaped to prevent all of the fruit to leave the rine

 

[pampchefsarah]

I do a cross-sell. "Some pineapples are so big, that once you put them through the wedger, there may still be some fruit left on the rind. With the Kernel Cutter (hold it up) you can cut that fruit off. It's almost like crushed pineapple, and nothing goes to waste."

At my show on Friday night, after I went through this spiel, one guest (a very good friend of mine), said the Kernel Cutter looks like the tool they use when you get a pedicure!:yuck: I told her every time I talk about this tool now, that image will be going through my head. We did get a good laugh about it all night, though.

 

[Becca_in_MD]

I had a customer who buys organic pineapples. When she hosted I saw one in her kitchen. The pineapple wedger is about the only PC product she's ever been disappointed in. The organic pineapple was definitely smaller than any others I've ever purchased. The wedger wouldn't take off the rind or do much good for her. The Santoku would be a better knife for the organic pineapples.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I haven't encountered a problem yet. No one has brought it up. I do cross-sell with the Kernel Cutter, so maybe I'm cutting them off at the pass. I show it to them at the same time.

 

[gailz2]

I bought a smaller pineapple for one show, and the rind wasn't removed as it was too small. It was really hard to demo. I'd definitely have hosts buy larger pineapples if possible. And yes, I do cross sell the kernel cutter--as a matter of fact I tell people I have several people buy 2 at a time for canning/freezing corn with a friend.

 

[pampered1224]

I have actually stopped mentioning it at all at shows. I hate that thing. It did not live up to the hype. It is never easy to push through a pineapple even for me and I am a big, tall guy and no weakling. If the pineapple is just slightly off in size and the outer ring blade hits the rind, it simply will not go through it. My mom can not use it at all even if she cuts the pineapple down. Which at that point it is easier to grab a knife and cut off the rind and core it, get this, with the Apple Corer most times. So... HATE IT!

 

[chefheidi2003]

John that is funny that you would say that because I use mine at every show. Even if I dont' need it for a recipe I love that thing so much that I take a pineapple to every show just to show it in use and I have sold AT LEAST 1 at each show.

 

[wadesgirl]

I have actually stopped mentioning it at all at shows. I hate that thing. It did not live up to the hype. It is never easy to push through a pineapple even for me and I am a big, tall guy and no weakling. If the pineapple is just slightly off in size and the outer ring blade hits the rind, it simply will not go through it. My mom can not use it at all even if she cuts the pineapple down. Which at that point it is easier to grab a knife and cut off the rind and core it, get this, with the Apple Corer most times. So... HATE IT!

I've never had a problem with mine! Maybe the bigger you are the harder it is??

 

[RMDave]

I love it. But yes, it does depend on the size and ripeness of the pineapple plus the need to use a rocking technique. I've sold maybe 25 of them.

 

[Suzballard]

I love it. But yes, it does depend on the size and ripeness of the pineapple plus the need to use a rocking technique. I've sold maybe 25 of them.

Dave - the rocking is key! Also remember the blades are very, very sharp. When I demo'd this at my first show making a salad with chicken & pineapple (can't remember the recipe) I flipped the pineapple over to show what 'not to do' and accidenlty cut both my thumbs down to the bone. Needless to say, not one person bought that product!

 

[RMDave]

Dave - the rocking is key! Also remember the blades are very, very sharp. When I demo'd this at my first show making a salad with chicken & pineapple (can't remember the recipe) I flipped the pineapple over to show what 'not to do' and accidenlty cut both my thumbs down to the bone. Needless to say, not one person bought that product!

Suz, I shouldn't laugh but every time I tell people at a show not to touch the blade of something, they do and the result is always a bloody mess.

 

[cookingwithdot]

I don't have one, but I have been considering buying one. I already have a pineapple corer that I love. It spirals the pineapple and leaves you with an empty pineapple shell. I bought it at the grocery store and it was pretty cheap. I want to demo the upside down pineapple cake, so I thought it would be fun to demo the pineapple first ...

 

[mrshamel3808]

The pineapple wedger is probably my favorite gadget from PC!!!! I've actually had a host send her hubby to the store during her show to get a pineapple because they insisted I demonstrate it! I sell alot of them. The trick is the rocking (I'm short and have no upper body strength so anyone can do it) and to have the pineapple on a surface that's below your elbow height or else you can't get that leverage. It's a little difficult for me at a normal counter but a table is perfect (but I'm barely 5' 3").

I get the question about pineapple size as well - I've told them that once I found the perfect size you tend to remember close enough to the right size that it always works. The only time I've run into a problem was when my father-in-law bought a pineapple for my mother-in-law's show and he got mini pineapples. And again, cross sell with the kernel cutter for CHEAP crushed pineapple (freeze it in prep bowls).

 

[cochef]

I have actually stopped mentioning it at all at shows. I hate that thing. It did not live up to the hype. It is never easy to push through a pineapple even for me and I am a big, tall guy and no weakling. If the pineapple is just slightly off in size and the outer ring blade hits the rind, it simply will not go through it. My mom can not use it at all even if she cuts the pineapple down. Which at that point it is easier to grab a knife and cut off the rind and core it, get this, with the Apple Corer most times. So... HATE IT!

I had the same problem when I first got mine and wondered how I was ever going to demo it. Well, after a conversation with HO, I discovered it was "faulty". I got a replacement and there was no comparison - the new one was much sharper and easier to use. Have you considered trying another one?

 

[Nep2nfly]

I definitely need to have you all talk me through it, then. I don't have one yet, but have had 6 customers who have purchased it (I'm new)- only one is happy with hers. Everyone else has truly been disappointed, several to the point of asking for a refund or exchange. I gave them a few helpful hints that I had learned, and asked them to give it a learning curve time period. I'm hoping it works out for them. At a booth last Saturday we even had three people ask how to get it to work right, and mention how disappointed they were. I've stayed very positive with these folks and told them my own story with the apple wedger (which took me a bit to get the technique down on when I bought it 7 years ago) and asked them to give it another try. For now (until I can get my own and figure out what everyone is doing wrong) I don't mention it at shows.

 

[donnathepamperedchef]

I am getting the pineapple wedger this week, I have the apple wedger. A friend has the pineapple one and said that she didn't like that it didn’t cut all the way down when you get to the bottom. I mentioned that the apple wedger did the same thing, so I am assuming that is what they are supposed to do?

 

[RMDave]

The Pineapple Wedger's "cover" is used to push the remainder of the pineapple through the wedger. Wish they had that feature on the apple wedger.

 

[donnathepamperedchef]

thanks Dave, what would I do without you on cs? Answers and help as asked, just the best.

 

[melindagilbert]

Thanks guys! I never thought of cross selling it with corn cutter, I will for now on! thats perfect

 

[cookinfletch]

I didn't know that about the cover, Dave- thanks! I'll have to try that, because I bring it to every show- gets a lot of 'oohs & aahs'- but I always have a hard time getting it out of the wedger!

 

[chefheidi2003]

I didn't know that about the cover, Dave- thanks! I'll have to try that, because I bring it to every show- gets a lot of 'oohs & aahs'- but I always have a hard time getting it out of the wedger!

Same here..and I just had a customer tell me that the other day..LOL

 

[vgmontes]

i have to say ive been discouraged from purchasing one

 

[Suzballard]

The Pineapple Wedger's "cover" is used to push the remainder of the pineapple through the wedger. Wish they had that feature on the apple wedger.

Thanks Dave! That will keep me from another accident for sure!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

i have to say ive been discouraged from purchasing one

Don't be. I LOVE LOVE LOVE mine. We use it all the time, and I hear the same from customers too. This thread is skewed towards those who don't like it, but you're not hearing from the majority who love it!

 

[chefheidi2003]

Don't be. I LOVE LOVE LOVE mine. We use it all the time, and I hear the same from customers too. This thread is skewed towards those who don't like it, but you're not hearing from the majority who love it!

I absolutely love mine as well..and I agree don't be discouraged from buying one. I have only had one complaint about one and that was because the plastic was cracked..when they got it. So I did the adjustment and got him a new one. And he has not complained about it. He is someone who I work with and trust me. If there were an issue with it. I would know about it. LOL. I lie..I did have one other one but that was from a customer at a party. She had ordered one from someone else and she is just a petite little thing and could not push it down on it. I usually take 2 to my shows if they are expecting more than 10 people. One so that I can show them how to do it and 1 so that if someone wants to they can do it. So I left this girl do the second one and told her to do it in a rocking motion and she was so excited that she was able to do it then.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I absolutely love mine as well..and I agree don't be discouraged from buying one. I have only had one complaint about one and that was because the plastic was cracked..when they got it. So I did the adjustment and got him a new one. And he has not complained about it. He is someone who I work with and trust me. If there were an issue with it. I would know about it. LOL. I lie..I did have one other one but that was from a customer at a party. She had ordered one from someone else and she is just a petite little thing and could not push it down on it. I usually take 2 to my shows if they are expecting more than 10 people. One so that I can show them how to do it and 1 so that if someone wants to they can do it. So I left this girl do the second one and told her to do it in a rocking motion and she was so excited that she was able to do it then.

I always tell people at my shows that if they are "vertically challenged" then they will need to create more leverage to cut the pineapple. I suggest that they place it on a kitchen table, or down in their sink to cut it.Oh, and I always cut the pineapple in half, and I wedge one half to show people how to do it, and then have a volunteer wedge the other half. Almost always, the person who volunteers ends up buying one. I need to go back and see how many I've sold.

 

[babywings76]

Exactly! Don't be discouraged. First off, everyone should be aware of the "tips" to using one. Someone even shared a flyer they made here that explains how to use it. Check under the files "Pineapple Wedger" and you'll see multiple entries of pretty much the same "Tips" flyer.Then, if it doesn't work...get it replaced or just return it! We should follow the same advise we give our customers. I wouldn't want my customers hanging on to something that isn't working properly. The first time I used mine, I thought maybe it was dull because it didn't seem so simple to use. But, after reading the tips and trying again, I had much better success!The key factor is you have to rock it a little as you push it down. Pineapple is very fibrous. And I cut mine in half, so it's not so tall to work with, too. Then when you get down all the way, but there's still a little bit, lift everything up and set it over the cover. Line up the side tabs w/ the handles, so you are positioned right. Then push down all the way and it'll lift the pineapple up and out so you can easily pick it up.I tell my customers that pineapples come in all sizes, so sometimes you end up with more usable pineapple flesh. Don't just throw it away...use the kernel cutter! It's amazing how much more pineapple you can scrape off.

 

[vgmontes]

thanks for the advice.... i guess now im just scared of the blades... ive cut myself so many times on the apple wedger... same thumb everytime lol

 

[AmyDare]

thanks for the advice.... i guess now im just scared of the blades... ive cut myself so many times on the apple wedger... same thumb everytime lol

I know what you mean!! I had mine in my kit bag--and it ended up on its side and the cover came off a little. Well, I reached into my bag to pick something up and grabbed...pressed my pinky right onto the blade. I can totally testify to the sharpness of our pineapple cutter!

 

[RMDave]

Don't be afraid of any of the blades. Just be aware of them. We're all adults. We should be able to navigate ourselves around the blade on an apple wedger, the pineapple wedger, the Food Chopper, and our knives without having to take a fast trip to the ER.

 

[cochef]

The Pineapple Wedger's "cover" is used to push the remainder of the pineapple through the wedger. Wish they had that feature on the apple wedger.

Just make sure you have it lined up right so the blade goes down into the slot or you will slice through the plastic - I did that the first time :cry:

 

[doughmama]

I give the tip sheet to everyone who buys the wedger from me. Love this product and no longer shy away from buying whole pineapples.

 

[Nep2nfly]

I always tell people at my shows that if they are "vertically challenged" then they will need to create more leverage to cut the pineapple. I suggest that they place it on a kitchen table, or down in their sink to cut it.


Oh, and I always cut the pineapple in half, and I wedge one half to show people how to do it, and then have a volunteer wedge the other half. Almost always, the person who volunteers ends up buying one. I need to go back and see how many I've sold.

Thanks for this advice...this is something I can pass on to those who have complained, and maybe turn their views around. I don't have one yet, but with the tips I've gotten here, maybe I can work with one of my customer's wedger and get the technique down. I was so excited about this product when I first saw it, and hate that I've been discouraged. Y'alls comments have helped me start to change my mind. I used to hear everyone complain about the UM, but when I got the technique down, I fell in love with it - and have been able to help customers who struggled with it, so I need to have the same attitude about this product. Sorry for my complaint earlier.