February 02, 2011

Review: Salad Chef

Description: A salad maker
Main Pitch: "The world's fasted salad-making system"
Main Offer: 2 pay of $19.95 for one with a bunch of stuff
Bonus: Medium slicing blade (just pay separate S&H)
Website: www.BuySaladChef.com
Prediction: Unlikely to succeed

This is a better version of the Vidalia Chop Wizard, No. 22 on the Jordan Whitney annual for 2006. However, whereas Chop Wizard was simple and easy to understand, this product is complicated and confusing.

I've said it before: "Swiss Army Knife" products are a problem for DRTV. It's a simple matter of time. It is nearly impossible to do a multi-feature/multi-benefit product justice in one minute and 30 seconds (the last 30 seconds being offer and end tag). This is a classic example. What does this product allow you to do? "[R]inse, spin, slice, dice, cube, shred, juliene and grate -- and then serve, seal and store." Got it?

Also, this type of pitch has been tried unsuccessfully before. The late, great Billy Mays did a spinning one for Vidalia called the Chop It, and Billy's former co-star Anthony Sullivan did a similar product for Ontel called the Kitchen King Pro. In DR, the third time is never the charm ... Oh, and did I mention the price is $20 too high?

All of that said, this category is proven and the concept of a "quick and easy" salad-making system has been successful many times and many ways. This is really a better version of the Chop Wizard, and it has been long enough for the concept to make a comeback. I just think confusion and price are going to prevent this one from really taking off.