The cookie press was given to me as a gift and I had never before used one. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and discovered that neither instructions for how to use the device nor recipes were included! I recently tried using the press using my favorite sugar cookie recipe. No matter how I adjusted the dough consistency or what shape I attempted to cut-out, the entire experience was a disaster and not one cookie turned out.

I have many fond childhood memories of making and decorating sprtiz cookies with my mother. She had an old copper and stainless steel cookie press and it turned out perfect cookies almost everytime. When I found the Kitchenaid cookie press on clearance for a mere $4.97 at my local Sears, I snatched it up with high hopes of recreating those fond childhood memories in the kitchen.

It's not a bad cookie press, but it's definitely not the best out there, I'm sure...and it doesn't stack up at all to my mother's old-fashioned one. As stated in another review, many discs don't seem to work at all well with this press. I tried the tree, candy cane, and star discs and every single one just squirted out an uneven messy blob. Somehow the press pushed out the dough unevenly out of the press, so that one side of the shape was a blob while the other side was barely out of the press.

The rosette, swirl, and ribbon shapes did fairly well, though they turned out much larger shapes than the older model I'm used to...hence extending the baking time of the cookies. I'm used to nice, thin, crispy ribbons, but this press turned out very thick ones.

I was also not very fond of the ratcheting style of the press. It felt as though I had less control over it than the squeeze-gun type.

If I'd paid full price for this press, I would have been a bit upset at the quality, but having paid only $5 for it, I'm just disappointed because I had thought Kitchenaid to be a better quality brand than what I've seen in this cookie pres.

I wanted to make some cookies with my 3-year old that were tasty, pretty and easy, so I bought this press. I should start by saying that I do not know how to use a cookie press, nor am I very good at making cookies in general. I read all the reviews, and the only drawback to this one I could see was that it had no recipes -- so I tried it.

That is only the drawback! I found a recipe online and tried out the press. Worked just fine, first try for the more simple designs (hearts, ribbons and butterflies). The amount comes out fine and the thing is easy to use.

The machine itself is nice. The built-in storage container for the discs is cool, and after 3 (maybe 4 batches) of cookies, everything is still working just fine. Clean up is simple.

I like it.

I just received this cookie press last week and tried it during the weekend. The first batch was a disaster. None of dough stuck to the cookie sheet. Turned out my daughter and I had to roll the dough and use cookie cutters to make the cookies. For the second batch, I decided to use the Butter Snow Flakes recipe mentioned in the previous review. The result was a little bit different. Still the cookie shapes were terrible. I was using the flower disc, around one or two (or none) petals of the flower would stick to the cookie sheet.

Finally I decided to change the disc to Squiggle. It actually worked much better. I also tried Butterflies, the result was good too. Both of them are small shapes. The lesson learned here is that the bigger shapes (most of the discs) don't work.

I wouldn't recommend this product.

I received this press two nights ago and immediately made a batch of spritz cookies...they were the easiest, least frustrating spritz I have ever made!! This cookie press works absolutely perfectly. It is made entirely of plastic with a notched metal shaft. Each press of the lever pushes the "press" down another notch, dispersing the precise amount of dough needed per cookie. Clean-up is easy with warm soapy water. It does not come with a recipe, but I used the Butter Snow Flakes from Allrecipes, and the dough was the perfect consistancy. Again, wonderful cookie press. Skip the Wiltons, the metal one and especially the battery-operated one, and get this instead. You won't regret it!!

Just to comment on another review - you cannot use parchment paper or spray your pan with cooking spray!! The dough will NOT stick, and the press will not function properly (no cookie press will)! I used heavy non-stick coated pans - the dough stuck when pressed and the finished cookies slid off easily after they finished baking. Perfect!