I was thinking of buying one of these so I don't have to roll little thin uneven strips of fondant! I'm thinking of making a little bicycle for my husbands birthday cake and I think having the tool to push out a long thin strip would help
Do you find these tools helpful and what one would you buy? I'd rather not spend a lot but I also don't want a piece of crap that doesn't work :)
how about this one it has a lot of reviews on amazon but of course there are also some negatvie reviews ... but more good reviews. https://www.amazon.com/Makins-Professional-Ultimate-Clay-Extruder/dp/B0018BOXWQ/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1497374665&sr=8-9&keywords=fondant+extruder
thanks all!
I only tried using one once. It was *VERY!* hard on the hands. I really think rolling it y our best bet. To get them more even, smooth use a fondant smoother tool (much like a bench scraper) to roll and enlongate your fondant. It really makes a difference :)
I've had two that style...hated them both. First, they don't hold much fondant, second they're really hard on your hands and, third, their a pain to clean.
This type seems easier to use...it's going to be my next one!
Hi - I have this exact one and love it. Because you screw the top down I do not find it difficult to extrude and to clean I just put all the pieces into a bowl of boiling water and detergent. I originally purchased a cheaper version that was plastic and it broke from the pressure - the metal one is excellent
Like @cakesbyvivienne , I have the exact one at which you are looking on Amazon. I find the crank makes it very easy to use and I have about the most crippled, arthritic hands you will ever see. I always put a tiny bit of Crisco in the tube before I put in the fondant, warm the fondant in the microwave so that it is really soft and crank away. I also clean all components in a bowl of very hot water and detergent. That is easy too. I really like it and would hate to give it up.
If you have a Michael's in your area, use their 50% off coupon and it is about $12.00.
I just got this one, but haven't tried it yet.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002U0LEG2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It was recommended by Lindy's Cakes from the UK. She has amazing cakes (I have a couple of her books) and she uses it all the time. With the right consistency of fondant, I would think this one much easier on the hands. It is more expensive, but it appears to be more user friendly with the squeeze feature. If you are going to use it a lot, it seems well worth it to me.
@nanavymom interesting! It does appear to have a lot of negative Amazon reviews though. 26 % of reviews appear to be one star reviews and of course it's almost 3x the price. Since I'm a hobby baker I think I'll try the cheaper one for now! I also really need to stop spending money on cake stuff soon lol
@kakeladi I find it impossible to roll an even piece out! I do see how these tools could be annoying and hard on the hands though.
@SandraSmiley @cakesbyvivienne Thanks for the input! Good to hear you guys have had positive experiences with the tool.
@SandraSmiley sorry to hear you have arthritis in your hands :( what a bummer but you do such amazing work anyway! Do you struggle with rolling out fondant? I find that can be tough on the hands !
I have that one - or one just like it. I love it and wound up using it a lot more than I thought I would. Like others have said, throwing the pieces in hot water cleans them right up, but I've also found it cleans up great in the utensil basket of the dishwasher. I'll admit it was a bit stiff at first, but it's seriously loosened up over the years (yes, years) and is really easy to turn now.
@Coffeelover77 , that hardest thing for me is kneading in color to new batches of fondant. It takes me forever because I divide it up into about six pieces, then have to knead it all together.
I really believe the key to using the extruder is to be sure your fondant (I've even used gum paste) is really warm and soft. I actually turn the crank handle with one finger.
I've also found that some fondants are easier to use than others. Fondants like Fondarific or Duff's that do not dry quickly are easier to use and give you greater working time.
I *just* got the Makins one yesterday that I had ordered from Amazon - because I've seen Yolanda use one on How to Cake It. Now I have to try it out so this post is well timed - love the Crisco idea in the tube first. I soak all my piping tips in hot water and soap so I figured I'd do the same with cleaning this.
By the way the packaging - besides saying Made In China - is full of typos and odd phrasing - in case you didn't realize it's a foreign made product!
I've had poor results in trying to make an even tube shape by rolling so I thought this inexpensive tool (with free shipping) would be just the thing. I plan to try it out this weekend but thanks for everyone's input!!!
T
thanks everyone, I ordered the Makin one for $16. It does seem like it has a longer shipping time than usual for amazon but I should still have it in a week or so and a half which is fine, I'll just hold off on making the bicycle until then
Excited to get it! I really need to stop buying cake things soon ... 
I've been unhappy with the one I first bought. Not as unhappy with the second one, but it has the problem of having the rub off of black from the rubber ring. Still looking for one that works well and is food-friendly.
I found that modeling chocolate extrudes well. Fondant depends on softness on pliability.
EvilCakeGenius has one that you can buy an adapter for using your drill to make it extrude without killing your hands. Problem is that they're quite expensive. If I were using this a lot more, it might be well worth the investment.
Hi! I worked with these for a few years and found them hard on the hands because I was pushing straight down, if you twirl the handle, imthe fondant comes out easily and it won’t hurt your hands! I’m not sure how I figured that out and why I was doing it wrong for sooooo long!
I have had two of them and have had a less then spectacular experience with them. On the first one I bought, the threading on the brass head stripped off and would not go back up into the main tube. The second one I had eventually suffered the same fate but also had the rubber come off into the fondant.
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