By L. A. Kane (Seattle, WA USA)
Works great, especially with olive oil, but there are a couple of tricks to getting the most out of it. First, fill it only half way. Second, if you twist the top after each use to release the pressure you can avoid clogging problems. My first one lasted only a year or so because I had not learned that 'releasing the pressure' trick and the nozzle got irreparably clogged. Even hot soapy water didn't fix the problem. A chef friend of mine told me how to avoid the trouble. Since then, the replacement has been going strong for over two years now. Nice even spray with no clogging. Great gadget. I use it all the time!
By Jeremy York (Bothell, WA USA)
We grill a lot of vegetables in my household (both on the grill, and in the oven in the wintertime), and this is a great device. Gives a light, uniform coating of oil to the veggies. Other things I use it for include oiling pans, my grill, and for misting the top of an italian pie or calzone with olive oil before baking for a nice golden color. Also, if you coat chicken in a bread crumb mixture, spray it with oil, and then bake it, it comes out crispy on the outside...a healthy alternative if you miss the taste of fried chicken.
We have one, and are ordering a second, so that we can have one for olive oil and another for a lighter vegetable oil.
About the only complaint I have is that if you pump it up too much, the oil mists too well! You'll get a light coating of oil on whatever you're spraying, but there will also be this cloud of tiny oil droplets hanging in the air. What I've learned from experience is just not to pump it up too much.
By Bobby Lee (Santa Ana, CA USA)
I had my spayer for several years and enjoyed it immensly until the cap split. In reseaching I found this to be a commom problem for many useers. Further research showed Misto had changed the material in the cap due to this issue. Since mine had been bought at the Lechter close out sale i figured it was one of the older models. Not really expecting anything, I researched and found the Misto service address back east and sent them a letter asking how to get a replacement cap. Expecting to be told it was going to cost $12 or more to get one (S & H) I was pleasantly surprised when many weeks later I received a replacement cap in the mail. No letter, note or anthing. Some Customer Service Dept. person just dropped one in a packing envelope and mailed it to me. So Misto is #1 in service for me and my Misto sprayer is happily spraying away again.
It does spayer best if you don't release the pressure between uses and just give it one or two pumps when you use it. It helped me to get a better spay when I re-read the directions. I never run out of pan spay with my Misto.
By chia pet (San Francisco, CA)
I've been using Misto sprayers for five years now and would not use anything else for cooking. It's true that the spray is not propelled as strongly and evenly as a canned cooking spray, but it seems like a minor tradeoff for chemical-free cooking.
I have not had a problem with clogging as others have mentioned. I only fill the container partially full and when it empties, clean in hot soapy water (it is true that you will want to clean it frequently, the seal is not airtight and over months, oil will become rancid -- this is why I fill with small amounts). Also, I have primarily used this with olive oil and sesame oil. Many of the reviews which mention clogging specify they are using vegetable cooking oil, which is much thicker than the oils I've used, so your mileage may vary.
By Johanna (Brewster, NY United States)
After reading some poor reviews of the Misto Sprayer, I had to add my opinion/s. My first Misto lasted about 3 to 4 years before the seal or collar wore out. I just replaced it with another; and that, too, is fine.
I did not have any of the problems other reviewers had. I really like the idea of being able to spray different oils and not being restricted to whichever can I had on hand.
Let's face it -- it is not a spray can propelled by chemicals and will not spray like one. But I would rather pump and mist on some oil than feed my children food laced with propellants.
Maintenance is easy. It should be thoroughly washed before its initial use. Thereafter, it does not have to be cleaned often, as it contains only oil (which has a long shelf life). I washed mine only when there were visible signs of need, and it was not that often (maybe 2 or 3 times total with the first one).
If you expect this to spray like the can, you will most likely be a bit disappointed. If you feel omitting chemicals from your diet is important and appreciate the natural flavor of oil in your cuisine, then you will rejoice and praise the almighty Misto! (Okay, that's a little much, but I like the thing. It serves its purpose well.)
