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Extend the Life of Your Appliances

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One of the easiest ways to extend the life of your appliance is with some preventative maintenance. Don’t spend your hard earned money on new appliances when applying some of these simple tips can keep your laundry, kitchen and small appliances running smoothly.

Washing machine – Make sure this is set up on an even flat surface. Unbalanced machines cause uneven distribution of wash loads and may cause the appliance to “walk” or move little by little, which can eventually damage the barrel.

Don’t load your wash to above the maximum capacity. Every six months, check the hose for leaks and kinks, and replace promptly if needed as cracked hoses waste water. Periodically clean the lint screen by turning it inside out and washing it with soap and warm water to eliminate buildups. Check the hose vent for clogs.

Refrigerator – After delivery of a new refrigerator, wait at least eight to 10 hours before plugging in. Let the Freon settle down first. If you live in areas where electricity fluctuates, protect your fridge with an auto-voltage regulator (AVR).

Twice a year, clean the condenser coils located either at the back (for older models) or the front (newer models have grills that cover the coils near the bottom) of your refrigerator.

When defrosting freezers, never scrape ice from the walls to avoid damaging the appliance. Merely it turn off and remove all the food. Clean the refrigerator’s interior while you’re at it. To check the gasket, close the door on a piece of paper and pull. If it easily slides out, it’s time to replace the seal.

Air conditioner – Always follow the rule of starting the unit in fan setting for a minimum of three minutes before turning it up to high-cool to avoid overworking the compressor. Sustain airflow by cleaning the filter monthly with soapy water and a soft toothbrush. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth and remove all debris from the central air unit to maximize air current.

Electric fan – Once a week, remove and clean the blade and grills. If you are adept at dismantling things, you can remove the shaft and apply industrial grease/oil to postpone wear and tear of the bushing parts. Let the grease dry for about three hours before using the unit again so the oil won’t enter the motor.

Television and DVD player– Avoid placing the TV near a window where splashes of rain could damage the circuits. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth. Clean DVD players using a commercial disk cleaner once a month and remember to wipe CDs thoroughly with a soft, non-abrasive cloth before playing. Take good care of the remote controls as well.

Microwave – Never put any metals inside and don’t let splattered food stay inside for long. Use only microwavable dishes for heating. Before cleaning, heat a cup of water with a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl for three minutes. This makes it easy to wipe off all sticky food particles with a sponge or soft cloth right after. Don’t forget to clean the door gasket too.

Rice cooker – Dry the bottom of the pot before putting it over the hot plate every time you cook rice. Position the cooker on a flat, even surface. Clean up any overflow on the sides right after cooking.

Electric air pot – Always boil water at the correct water level. Avert or remove hard water deposits by pouring pure white vinegar just above the water stain. Boil in one cycle, leave overnight, then clean as usual. Remind members of the family to gently press on the controls so as not to damage the pads.

It may take some extra effort, but you’ll find the both savings and the piece of mind of knowing everything is running smoothly are worth it. You can read more here.

Haier’s Portable Washing Machine

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If you lack space at home for a full size washer, and are tired of having huge dry cleaning bills, or lugging pounds of washing back and forth to the laundromat, here’s a small product with the answer to big laundry problems.  A portable washing machine.  These compact units hold less than full size washers, but they do they same job.

Haier makes three styles of portable washing machines.  These little numbers claim to do the work of the larger machines while taking up very little space in your home.  They are recommended  for apartments as well as houses.  These units don’t require a dedicated laundry room, they plug into any standard wall unit and the hoses attach to any faucet.  The catch is that you must move (drag, tug, maneuver) the unit into place by a sink.

Haier’s three units are sized 1.0 cubic feet, 1.46 cu. ft. and 1.7 cu. ft.  and come with up to four water level settings and a variety of wash settings including delicate.  Only the 1.7 cu.ft. model has bleach and fabric softener dispensers.

We found them to retail for between $180 to $280.

Haier also makes a matching set of dryers for these models.  Look for more on them here at appliance.net.

Netflix and LG get Together

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I have to admit that I have a fairly low tech house.  We are unquestionably the last house on the block to have the thinnest HD TV, but yet we still have more clutter around the television than we should.  At last count there were two remotes, the Wii with its remotes and nunchucks, DVD player (and its remote).  Enough!

LG and Netflix are going to eliminate some of the clutter with new high-definition LG televisions that can screen Netflix movies directly from the Web without an external box.

The televisions, which use broadband Internet technology, will be available in four models — LCDs with 42-inch and 47-inch screens, and plasma TVs with 50-inch and 60-inch screens.

Sharper Image is Back

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Remember the vibrating chair and the nose hair trimmers?   Sharper Image, the company who filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores in 2008, is remaking itself and has plans for a comeback.
This time, Sharper Image will be selling a variety of home electronics under their Sharper Image name, but in independent stores nationwide, not in their own stores.

From the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas:

The assortment of products, which range from iPod®-compatible bedside stereo systems to design-savvy wireless audio components and stress-relieving sound soothers™, are designed, manufactured and sold by Sharper Image Products (SI PRODUCTS), The Sharper Image licensee for Home Audio. The Sharper Image Home Audio product line will officially debut January 8th at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Central Hall, Booth 12838) and will begin shipping in Q3 2009.

“Modern consumers want products that provide cutting-edge technology while reflecting their own personal style. Our mission at Sharper Image Products is to create products that offer style and innovation while enhancing and simplifying our customer’s busy lifestyles,” said Lynda Rose, VP of Product Development and Marketing, SI Products. “The Sharper Image brand is synonymous with creative technology and timeless design. We’re confident that these new offerings will not only meet, but exceed consumers’ expectations.”

“We look forward to launching the other categories that we’ve licensed, including Home Environment, Health and Wellness, Men’s Gifts, Concierge and Men’s Grooming.” said Ron Ferber, President of SI PRODUCTS, the licencee of Sharper Image.

“We look forward to launching the other categories that we’ve licensed, including Home Environment, Health and Wellness, Men’s Gifts, Concierge and Men’s Grooming.”

You can read more about the Sharper Image product line, which will be released later this year, here.

Recall: Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts by Wolf Steel Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: Napoleon Propane Gas Fireplace Inserts

Units: About 1,200

Manufacturer: Wolf Steel USA, of Crittenden, Ky.

Hazard: Delayed ignition due to a build-up of propane gas can cause the insert’s glass cover to break, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Wolf Steel has received one report of a consumer who suffered minor lacerations when the glass cover shattered.

Description: This recall involves Napoleon propane GDI44 gas fireplace inserts. Model number GDI44 is located on the front cover of the operating instructions or on the rating label found behind the right side panel next to the insert’s viewing glass. The glass size is 36” wide and 22” high. Napoleon natural gas GDI44 inserts are not affected by this recall.

Sold at: Authorized Napoleon fireplace hearth dealers nationwide from July 2002 through September 2008 for about $2,000.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the fireplace and contact Wolf Steel to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Wolf Steel toll-free at (866) 539-2039 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.napoleonfireplaces.com

LG Electronics Wants YOU!

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LG electronics has been around since 1958 when it was established as Goldstar.  In 1995 it changed its name to LG Electronics.  It has spent most of those years as a quiet second (or even third) choice electronics option or most people.  That it already changing.

Now Andrew Barrett, LG’s vice-president, marketing, for LG Electronics Canada Ltd. announces he has big plans for LG’s future in an interview with The Globe and Mail.

 “It seems like only yesterday that LG was a rather ordinary, personality-less, original equipment manufacturer. “The only way LG could shake the shackles of being lesser known,” Mr. Barrett says, “was to be seen as a brand of desire.” ”

The new strategy: To seed the company’s global operations with a marketing mindset geared to a sense of style.  Think red steam washing machines.

Style implies taste, and taste can be tricky. Consider Scarlet, the LG TV with the brazenly red back panel. “When your positioning is based on style … the TVs can’t just be a black box that looks like everybody else’s TVs,” he says. The reaction to the Scarlet has been polarizing. “There were some who absolutely loved it, and others who were appalled by it and never wanted to see it in their home,” he says.

Two weeks ago Mr. Barrett was tapped by LG HQ to lead the company’s just-announced global sponsorship for Formula 1 racing.

“There’s a social style, a social status, a premium-ness that sits around F1,” he says, expressing how he believes the style-technology harmony of the racing circuit makes a perfect match for the style-technology focus of LG. Think Monte Carlo and yachts and celebrities and cerulean vistas. “We think we’re the Monte Carlo of consumer electronics,” he says.

The job grows bigger. Any day now the company will announce a broadening of Mr. Barrett’s marketing responsibilities to encompass what he will define only as a “significant portion of the world’s geography,” reporting to the chief marketing officer for LG worldwide.

Appliance Manufacturers are Aiming at Boomers

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What’s next?  The Baby Boom generation is everywhere.  As a child of the 60’s I’ve often had mixed emotions towards them – annoyance at how much attention they get combined with gratitude that they cause so many changes that I will benefit from in the future.  One of those changes is happening now in the appliance manufacturing business.  As boomers age, they are increasingly staying in their own homes and have the income to modify those homes accordingly.  Appliance manufacturers want to get a piece of that.  According to the Wall Street Journal, changes are being made.

In the kitchen, General Electric Co. is designing ovens with easier-to-open doors and automatic shut-off burners. A joint venture of Germany’s Bosch and Siemens AG has introduced a glass cook top for its premium Thermador brand designed to prevent boil-overs. Minnesota-based Truth Hardware reports booming sales for its remote-controlled window motors.

“This population is far more demanding and will refocus designers” on individual consumers, says Joe Coughlin, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s AgeLab, which studies design and engineering for an aging population.

Among appliance makers, Whirlpool Corp. has long tested products with potential customers who are deaf, blind or arthritic. The testing with arthritis patients helped prod the Benton Harbor, Mich., appliance maker to offer pedestals that raise the height of washing machines and clothes dryers for customers with back problems.

[Whirpool dryer with pedestal] Whirlpool

A pedestal beneath this Whirlpool dryer reduces stooping when removing laundry.

Whirlpool also offers washing machines with large knobs that make louder-than-usual noise when they’re set, for customers with limited vision or arthritis. “It’s not one of those little prissy knobs,” says spokeswoman Audrey Reed-Granger. One model introduced last year plays musical chimes to indicate washing temperature or other features.

At GE’s consumer and industrial headquarters in Louisville, Ky., designers use “empathy sessions” to help develop new refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers. Industrial-design intern Joanie Jochamowitz, 22, wraps her knuckles with athletic tape and wears blue rubber gloves to simulate arthritis. She shoves cotton balls in her ears to simulate hearing loss, dons special glasses to simulate macular degeneration and puts dried corn kernels in her loafers to simulate aches and pains. She grabs a walker. Then she tries to peel potatoes.

“I don’t want to get old,” she says, as she hobbles around the kitchen, fumbling with potato peelers and stove controls, and nearly spilling a pot of boiling water.

GE began the empathy sessions last year so its young designers could better appreciate how consumers use appliances. “When you’ve got designers that are 25 or 30 years old, it’s very hard for them to understand what someone in their 60s or 70s experiences,” says Kim Freeman, a spokeswoman for GE Appliances.

The company also arranges focus groups where consumers cook a meal in a GE model kitchen while staffers watch through cameras and one-way mirrors. And GE videotapes appliance users in their homes. The summaries from these tapes are used in brainstorming sessions about design changes.

“We note what they are doing. We see if those behaviors happen more than once and why,” says Marc Hottenroth, industrial design leader for GE’s Consumer and Industrial unit.

These efforts have prompted several changes in GE product designs, including brighter LED lighting that improves visibility inside new models, such as one with a French-door refrigerator atop a bottom freezer. This year, GE introduced a single-wall oven with two cooking spaces that can operate at different temperatures. Its research shows boomers cook and entertain more frequently and like the two-ovens-in-one concept. Some models can be raised off the ground for easier access. “You don’t have to reach in as far,” says Ms. Freeman. She says it prevents people from stooping awkwardly, losing their balance and burning themselves on the hot stove.

GE has new dishwashers and washing machines that allow users to put in an entire bottle of detergent a few times a year rather than a smaller amount for every load. The machines are designed to reduce confusion and make housework less of a chore, particularly for older consumers.

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GE product-development

GE

At an ’empathy session,’ members of a GE product-development team tape their knuckles to simulate impaired dexterity.

Appliance manufacturers hope these design changes will buoy revenue. Sales and profits in the U.S. appliance industry are down this year because of the housing bust, the stock-market slide and the economic slowdown.  But for the long term, the appliance industry expects big returns because of baby boomers and hopes of a housing rebound.

Made in China – PR Problem?

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“Made in China”  I search for this phrase daily now as I shop for my family.  When my son was only three, he would search for it on his toys and we would all joke about how everything we owned was made in China.  Now I’m trying to avoid these imported products.  I, like so many Americans have become leery of China’s goods.  Tainted milk and fish have marked all Chinese products and so even high quality  small electronics are being avoided.  Tim Somheil of Appliance Magazine writes more:

The appliance industry sources huge numbers of small electrics, consumer electronics, and even white goods out of China. The vast majority are high-quality appliances, well made, certified to international safety standards, and—because they’re made in China—they offer a cost advantage that enables the consumer to get a better product for the price.

Of course,it is a vast overgeneralization by the public to associate well-made appliances with tainted milk, but that association is reality.

China—for the good of all the enterprises that manufacture consumer goods within its borders—desperately needs to take a more honest approach. When there’s a crisis involving Chinese-made products, of any kind, the country needs to embrace that problem immediately and publicly.

Consider how pleasantly surprised consumers would be if they saw China demonstrate willingness to take ownership of a crisis, without hesitation, and provide full disclosure on the problem’s cause and scope.

And consider what the impact would be if offshore consumers saw this approach consistently. The credibility of the government as a spokesperson for the “Made in China” brand would grow—and China would get real credit from the public for its considerable product safety efforts.

Maybe the best possible scenario in the next few years is to move many consumers’ perception from negative to neutral. That’s still a huge step in the right direction for all manufacturers with “Made in China” stamped on their products.

At this point I really have very little confidence in the integrity of Chinese manufacturers.  I’m no longer incredulous when I hear of a problem product out of China – instead I sigh and hope for the safety of those effected.

Consumers are Letting it be Known – They Want Green Electronics

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If you’ve been searching for a greener television, help might soon be at hand.  The consumer electronics industry is listening to research from a September 2008 study:

Going Green: An Examination of the Green Trend and What it Means to Consumers and the CE (consumer electronics) Industry. This study  finds that 89 percent of households want their next television to be more energy efficient.

“Consumers are now beginning to associate terms like recycling and energy efficiency with consumer electronics products,” said Tim Herbert, the Consumer Electronic Association’s  senior director of market research. According to the study, price and features continue to be the primary purchase drivers for CE products, but green attributes will increasingly be a factor. In fact, 53 percent of consumers say they would be willing to pay some type of premium for televisions with green attributes.

Effectively communicating the green attributes of CE products continues to be an obstacle for manufacturers in particular. Though the study indicates high consumer awareness of logos like EPA’s ENERGY STAR®, the absence of a single indicator for other “green” attributes leads to consumer confusion. The study finds consumers desire an easy way to determine if a product meets environmental standards, such as logos and descriptions printed on the product packaging.

“With 74 percent of consumers saying that companies should do more to protect the environment, it’s critical that CE manufacturers and retailers clearly communicate with customers regarding the environmentally-friendly products and programs offered by the industry,” notes Parker Brugge, CEA’s vice president of environmental affairs and industry sustainability.

If the manufacturers are listening, we should soon be able to walk into our local electronics store and easily identify a hi-definition, flat screen, surround sound, environmentally friendly television right away.  But- will it be on sale?

GE Delays Sale of Appliance Division

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The on again off again sale of GE’s appliance division is off once again.  (Say that three time fast.)

As we have been following the story here at appliance.net, GE  put its appliance sector up for sale last May.  There have been rumors of purchase offers, including one from Chinese manufacturer Haier who retreated in November as the US economy stumbled.  Now GE has announced its plans to hold off on any sale or spin off, citing the deepening recession.

Company spokeswoman Kim Freeman said GE executives “still feel the strategy is the correct strategy. It is just the wrong time.”

“The challenging economic environment makes a spin or a sale now extremely difficult,” the GE statement said. “Remaining part of GE and staying totally focused on operating the business effectively is the best move for the business as we prepare for what is shaping up to be another very tough year in 2009.”

The company offered no indication of when it might pursue breaking off the division. A statement on the decision said GE would “aggressively align our business with the current market.”

Last week, GE began laying off salaried workers at the division as part of a 5 percent reduction in Consumer & Industrial’s global work force of about 45,000.

GE also said it plans to continue paying a dividend in 2009, offering investors 31 cents per share each quarter.