As Seen On TV: Does Flippin' Fantastic Fulfill Its Pancake Promise, Or Is It A Flapjack Flop?

Welcome to As Seen On TV, a new weekly column where I review the most brilliant (or bogus) kitchen gadgets from your favorite late-night infomercials. 

Before TikTok Shop, we scrolled the airwaves for late-night impulse buys. There were Ginsu knives slicing through tin cans and tomatoes, George Foreman Grills draining fat with every sizzle, and Presto Salad Shooters shredding carrots and zucchini faster than you could say, "Wait, there's more." 

Decades later, the time-saving, sanity-sparing pitch of As Seen On TV is basically the same, but you no longer need to dial that toll-free number to place an order. These "revolutionary" kitchen tools are just one click away from your doorstep, and they quickly reveal themselves to be clever shortcuts ... or money-wasting clutter.

To kick off this Mashed monthly column, I ordered the Flippin' Fantastic, a stovetop-safe silicone ring that promises to make seven perfectly shaped pancakes at once, without the mess. Time to find out if it actually delivers on that promise ... 

For this review of Flippin' Fantastic, I purchased an authentic product via the Add to Cart link on the Official Site of As Seen On TV, Inc. 

While the ad insists Flippin' Fantastic can be used to create perfectly round eggs, hash browns, desserts, and more, I stuck to testing its prowess on homemade pancakes. Following the "important" instructions for "best results," I used both a 10-inch or larger pan, with non-stick spray and butter on the silicone circle walls and flat bottom rings in separate attempts. Before adding any batter, I also preheated the pan on medium-high and pressed the Flippin' Fantastic down with a spatula for one minute on both sides to help it make full, flat contact with the pan's surface. 

From there I poured batter into each circular compartment and started cooking. For the first round, I employed a 10-inch pan, non-stick cooking spray, and the Nutella pancake recipe included in the Flippin' Fantastic Recipe Guide. For the second round, I switched to a rectangular griddle, melted butter, and Kodiak Cakes chocolate flapjack mix from the pantry. 

If Flippin' Fantastic already sounds like a lot of work, that's because it is. In fact, I encountered my first problem right after unboxing. 

The flexible, one-piece silicone ring of Flippin' Fantastic comes neatly packaged — but rolled up — in a tall, rectangular box. Similar to a tightly coiled poster or new area rug, the edges of this product refused to uncurl. I topped it with books and even reverse-flipped and fastened it with a rubber band overnight to get it to bend a little straighter. 

After my first attempt with a 10-inch pan, non-stick cooking spray, and Flippin' Fantastic's Nutella pancake recipe, I quickly realized why the "important" instructions on the first page were so important. If the Flippin' Fantastic is not in complete surface contact with your cookware, the batter seeps out and underneath. Instead of seven perfect mini pancakes, I got one humongous mess. 

Determined not to be discouraged by defeat and to dispel any lingering doubts about user error, I gave Flippin' Fantastic a second chance the next morning. This time I swapped my curved, round frying pan for a straight, wide-surfaced pancake griddle. 

As with the first round, I used a spatula to apply pressure to the silicone ring, one minute on each side in the heated pan. If the goal was to get Flipping Fantastic to lay a little flatter, the griddle did help (some). I also used a small measuring cup to pour scant amounts of batter into each compartment, carefully aiming for the fill lines (they're difficult to see). 

Once the pancakes started cooking, I did experience a few minutes of hope that today, I would enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast. I did not.

Flippin' Fantastic's instructions say to cook the first side until the pancakes start to bubble. Then use the Easy-Flip-Grip handles to flip the entire ring of seven pancakes at once. It's the same basic technique when making pancakes one at a time, the old-fashioned way. But here's the difference: When you carefully flip pancakes with a spatula, it gives your half-cooked, still-gooey batter a solid base to sit on as it turns. With the Flippin' Fantastic, the partially set batter has no foundation to hold it together. Instead of flipping cleanly, the still-soft batter mostly slips through the gaps.

Flippin' Fantastic doesn't ride on the coattails of a celebrity pitch-person like Ron Popeil or Cathy Mitchell (it's not worthy of their charm). The original demo does feature a red bow-tie-wearing Jeremy Rabe, who appears to "lift and flip" his pancakes with such ease and panache. Rabe must have the dexterity of a surgeon and the patience of a saint. In his hands, Flippin' Fantastic looks effortless. But in my real-life test kitchen, no pressing, repositioning, careful pouring or cooking could possibly remedy the disastrous results. 

Maybe Flippin' Fantastic would be more successful with more solid ingredients? The instruction booklet (the best thing in the box) includes recipes for hash browns, breakfast quiche with crescent roll crusts, and chocolate chip cookies. And while the silicone gadget is supposed to be microwave- and oven-safe up to 425 degrees, I can't recommend any of it. One of Flippin' Fantastic's biggest downfalls? The Easy Flip Grips are supposed to provide "safe and easy handling" — but they actually got super hot to the touch.

Another ouch: Flippin' Fantastic is way more difficult to clean than your everyday pan and spatula combo. Pancake batter gets stuck in all the little crevices around the rings, and the instructions advise to "never use abrasive soaps or scouring pads." Frustration was already running too high to give it a whirl in the dishwasher, even though it's technically dishwasher safe. Flippin' Fantastic is not fast. It's not easy. And it's definitely not fun.

Still think Flippin' Fantastic could be a game-changing product to quickly feed multiple children or host your next Sunday brunch? It might be that nostalgic infomercial magic whispering to your sleepy, vulnerable soul: "This time it'll actually work, just like it did on TV." As consumers, we tend to make bad decisions when shopping late at night. 

You'll find this silicone pancake flipper (along with thousands of other household products) on the official As Seen On TV, Inc. website. However, if you click "Add to Cart," you'll likely be shuttled over to third-party sellers on Amazon, where Flippin' Fantastic prices range from $9.99 (plus shipping) all the way up to $19.99. 

At the time of writing, I also found Flippin' Fantastic at Walmart.com and all over the pre-owned marketplace (eBay, Etsy, Mercari, and Poshmark). Not a surprise — Flippin' Fantastic didn't last a weekend in my house. For "pancakes as good as Grandma's," use a simple silicone spatula. There's nothing wrong with a perfect stack of imperfectly shaped flapjacks.