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Microwave Oven

Sharp Introduces New Line of Microwaves

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Sharp launched a new line of heavy-duty compact microwave ovens designed to accommodate the limited space designs of busy commercial kitchens. The new line, which includes the 1200-watt R-CD1200M, 1800-watt R-CD1800M, and 2200-watt R-CD2200M, is redesigned to have a small footprint and a 0.7-cubic-foot cooking cavity. New TwinTouch dual controls make the microwaves ideal for crowded kitchens, allowing users to easily operate the oven no matter where it is located.

The new models feature dual control panels, one along the top of the unit and another on the bottom edge along the door. In many kitchens, the microwave is placed on a high shelf, which makes accessing the standard control panel challenging. In those situations, users can opt to use the more readily accessible bottom-mounted controls, which eliminates reaching up to the top of the microwave.

Models R-CD1200M, R-CD1800M, and R-CD2200M will be available in early 2008.

You Probably Don’t Need That Extended Warranty

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Straight from PR Newswire: J.D. Power and Associates Reports: High Reliability of Major Home Appliances May Reduce Need for Extended Warranties

According to J.D. Powers and Associates 2007 Major Home Appliance Study, most major appliances these days are quite reliable, yet many consumers continue to purchase extended warranties.

The study measures customer satisfaction in nine segments of major home appliances: dishwashers; free-standing ranges; built-in cook-tops and wall ovens; freezer-on-top style refrigerators; side-by-side and French door-style refrigerators; clothes washers; clothes dryers; over-the-range microwave ovens; and counter-top microwave ovens. The study, now in its third year, examines customer satisfaction with microwave ovens for the first time. Customer satisfaction is measured based on performance in six factors: operational performance (including how well the appliance functions, noise level and energy efficiency); operational features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity); ease of use; styling and feel; price; and warranty.

The study finds that during the first two years of ownership, approximately one in 10 consumers report some kind of problem with their major appliance. However, many of these problems can be resolved by following instructions in the owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s Web site. Relatively few problems actually require a service visit.

Despite this high degree of reliability, many consumers purchase an extended warranty for their appliances. Among owners of refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers and laundry appliances, approximately 25 percent report purchasing an extended warranty, while approximately 15 percent of microwave oven owners do so.

“Extended warranties certainly provide a degree of peace of mind,” said Dale Haines, senior director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “With some appliances — particularly those with complex electronics and potentially high repair costs — purchasing an extended warranty may make sense. However, major appliances tend to be very reliable, and consumers should consider very carefully — depending upon their circumstances — whether an extended warranty is worth the additional cost.”

In satisfying customers with major kitchen and laundry appliances, Bosch, GE Appliances, Kenmore, LG, Maytag, Samsung, Whirlpool and Whirlpool Gold rank highest in various segments.

“Particularly strong performers include Bosch, LG and Samsung, which have achieved consistently high satisfaction levels in consecutive years,” said Dale Haines, senior director of the real estate and construction industries practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “For two consecutive years, Bosch has ranked highest in the dishwashers segment and LG has ranked highest among clothes washers, while Samsung has earned an award in a refrigerator segment for three consecutive years. This is especially impressive considering the high levels of quality and reliability that many appliance manufacturers attain.”

The 2007 Major Home Appliance Study is based on 22,637 responses from consumers who purchased one or more new major home appliances through a retail store, their new-home builder, or received one through other means (such as a gift) during the previous 24 months.

Sharp Introduces New Line of Microwaves

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Sharp launched a new line of heavy-duty compact microwave ovens designed to accommodate the limited space designs of busy commercial kitchens. The new line, which includes the 1200-watt R-CD1200M, 1800-watt R-CD1800M, and 2200-watt R-CD2200M, is redesigned to have a small footprint and a 0.7-cubic-foot cooking cavity. New TwinTouch dual controls make the microwaves ideal for crowded kitchens, allowing users to easily operate the oven no matter where it is located.

The new models feature dual control panels, one along the top of the unit and another on the bottom edge along the door. In many kitchens, the microwave is placed on a high shelf, which makes accessing the standard control panel challenging. In those situations, users can opt to use the more readily accessible bottom-mounted controls, which eliminates reaching up to the top of the microwave.

Models R-CD1200M, R-CD1800M, and R-CD2200M will be available in early 2008.

Another Type of Appliance Recycling

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This is possibly another way to view appliance recycling and is definitely a way to save money.

Reverse logistics- this is the business of taking merchandise that has been returned by customers or overstocked by retailers or has been cosmetically damaged and finding a market for it.  Reverse logistics can keep appliances out of landfills.  What some people see as damaged (a slightly dented washer or fridge) becomes a bargain for someone else.  Reverse Logistics Executive Council can help you learn more about how the process is part of being “green.”

Appliancesmart.com is a subsidiary of Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA), and has locations in five states.  ApplianceSmart sells factory overruns and manufacturer closeouts as well as those appliances with slight imperfections.  My neighbor bought a beautiful front loading washer and dryer from this type of outlet and got them for a fraction of the retail price.  Both the washer and dryer were new and worked perfectly, but they had slight scratches on their sides.  She planned for them to be in a closet and the scratches will never show. A great deal! 

Recycle Responsibly

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Reuse, recycle, save energy– These ideas are ones many of us try to do daily.  There is one way we may not have thought of before- disposing of an old appliance properly.  Appliance Recycling Centers of America estimates that 55 million appliances will be removed from service this year.  If yours is one of them, be aware that nearly 20 states ban appliances from being disposed of in landfills, and more than 15 other states require that landfills separate appliances for recycling. Some states, like Minnesota and California, require that a variety of hazardous materials be removed from appliances before the metals are recycled.

There are more than 11,000 appliance recycling locations throughout the United States. Unfortunately, many of these locations do not process appliances thoroughly before recycling the metals. Older appliances can contain environmentally harmful materials such as mercury and PCBs. These substances must be removed and managed properly before recycling an appliance. Ask your city, waste hauler or recycling location for a description of the hazardous materials they remove from appliances and how they dispose of them.

Another option is to donate your old washer, fridge or dishwasher to a local occupational school.  Many schools use these old appliances for instruction and practice.  When the students are  finished the appliance is recycled.  Or even better, it will have been refurbished and will go on to serve an underprivileged family or sold to help the school.

 Doing the right thing can take a bit if extra thought, but it can feel good too.

High End Appliances – Chef Included

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If you have recently spent some time feeling baffled by the many options on a new appliance, you are not alone. Some folks have even sought help with their entire kitchen. Maybe not a bad idea. The Los Angeles Times writes:

With sophisticated, professional-quality appliances and high-design gizmos going into residential kitchens, many would-be home chefs haven’t a clue how to operate the latest technology. The infrequent cook who wants to make a Thanksgiving turkey might stare blankly at the keypad and wonder: Convection, radiant, bake, roast, speed-cook or steam?
People are spending less time cooking in kitchens but more money remodeling them because they want the best to impress their neighbors,” says Mark Connelly, senior director of appliances and home improvement for Consumer Reports.

Connelly, a no-nonsense guy who’s been testing kitchen appliances for 18 years, says manufacturers are adding unnecessary options to differentiate themselves. TVs are embedded in refrigerators, toasters have convection-oven modes, faucets come with hands-free functions. “There are sanitary reasons for having one in an airport bathroom but not in your kitchen,” he says.

And those Starbucks-style coffee machines?

“You can spend $15 on a drip coffee maker or thousands on a fancy coffee maker,” he says, “and they both make a good cup of coffee — if you use quality coffee.”

As kitchen appliances become more complex, Connelly says, owners look for simple ways to use them.

“People spending a lot on an appliance want as many buttons as possible to justify the cost,” he says, “but most of the time they’re using the same selection as on their old appliance.
To read more, click here

The $2,000 Digital Post-it Note

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Are folks really willing to pay for what they say they want in an appliance?  Apparently not.  The OC Register has some thoughts on cool but pricy features that are appearing on kitchen  appliances.

In 2002, for example, Whirlpool Corp. introduced Polara, which combined refrigeration with a convection oven. Polara would keep a casserole cool until a preset time then would start to heat the food in anticipation of your arrival home. If you were late, the oven would power down to keep the food warm and not overcook it.

“Our focus groups said they wanted it, but people wouldn’t pay $1,900 for the technology,” said Whirlpool spokeswoman Audrey Reed-Granger. “So we put the Polara on the back burner, and we’ll bring it back in a few years” when the market is ready.   Read more about it here.

Urban Legends – the truth will out

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I feel sorry for our parents.  They never knew the whether old urban legends were true or false.  We have Snopes – the original, ultimate rumor checker.   The next time somebody sends you an email insisting that you have to “pass it on to everybody you know”  go to snopes first and check it out.

 Here are a few great tidbits related to appliances.

True or False:  You can make water explode in a microwave.

 http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp  Believe it or not, its true.

Here’s an oldie but goodie:  Does plastic leach toxins into your food when microwaved?  Check it out here:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp 

Microwaving Sponges May NOT Kill Germs

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Well, the skeptics are coming out to challenge the news we reported earlier that microwave ovens may kill germs.

good housekeeping sealAccording to the kitchen technology and appliances director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute Karen Franke:

the early show - harry smith“We don’t recommend that people do it,” she told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. “They take the risk that their sponge will not be sanitized. It’s a false security.”

Kitchen sponges are the No. 1 source of germs in the house and as many as 80 million Americans contract food-borne illnesses each year — 9,000 of those Americans die.

Critical factors are whether the sponge is wet or dry and the size and power of the microwave oven used. There is also a danger of fire.

In an article entitled Microwave experiments cause sponge disasters there were some strong comments by those who experimented based on the news… omitting the step of wetting the sponge:

“Just wanted you to know that your article on microwaving sponges and scrubbers aroused my interest. However, when I put my sponge/scrubber into the microwave, it caught fire, smoked up the house, ruined my microwave, and p*ssed me off,” one correspondent wrote in an e-mail to Reuters.

“First, the sponge is worthless afterwards so you have to throw it out instead of using it. And second your entire house stinks like a burning tyre for several hours, even with windows/doors open,” complained another.

An inexpensive alternative for frugal shoppers is plain bleach. Add about a teaspoon of bleach to a cup of water, let the sponge sit in the mixture for five minutes, and then germs will be gone.

Good Housekeeping also advises NOT to rely on dishwashers to clean sponges since the water doesn’t get hot enough.

Microwave Ovens Kill Germs

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Not sure if I ever saw this in a Hints from Heloise column but it’s the kind of news that shows us again that some obvious solutions are easy, inexpensive and right under our noses.

Who knew that microwave ovens can sterilize sponges?

microwave spongesMicrowave ovens are famous for cooking or heating the food but the appliance that cooks food by means of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation can also help in keeping bacteria away from taking over kitchen, a team of environmental engineers from the University of Florida reported on Monday, January 22.

Working as a sterilizer, this kitchen device sanitizes the household sponges and plastic scrubbers, known to be common carriers of the bacteria and viruses that cause food-borne illnesses, with its microwave radiations rapidly and effectively, meaning that people can use their microwaves as an inexpensive and effective weapon against E.coli, salmonella and other bugs at the root of increasing incidents of potentially deadly food poisoning and other illnesses.

In their study, published this week in the American Journal of Environmental Health, the U.S. researchers have said that two minutes in a microwave can sterilize sponges and dishcloths after use, killing more than 99 per cent of the harmful bacteria that cause illness.

“Basically what we find is that we could knock out most bacteria in two minutes. People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave,” said lead author Gabriel Bitton, a professor of environmental engineering at the University of Florida.

Following are some comments of microwaving sponges and the conditions under which the University of Florida carried out its experiments, not addressing any other conditions nor other materials:

  1. Sponges used in our study: The sponges we used were all cellulose sponges (O-cel-O from 3M Co. and the Williams Sonoma Pop-Up sponges; no official endorsement is implied). We have no data on synthetic sponges, Loofah sponges or any other sponges.
  2. Microwave oven used: The microwave oven used in our study has a power of 1,100 watts (which is the power found in many consumers’ ovens). We generally microwaved the sponges at 80%-90% power level.
  3. Exposure time: In the study, it was found that exposure of the sponge for 2 minutes is sufficient for most applications. However, the sponges have to be fully soaked with water before microwave treatment.
  4. Metallic pads: No metallic scrubbing pads should be put in the microwave.
  5. Soapy sponges can be microwaved (you might see soap bubbles forming during microwaving). Do not microwave sponges containing detergents or other chemicals as they may release some undesirable and potentially toxic fumes.
  6. Beware of hot sponges after exposure to microwave.
  7. Consumers should use common sense in trying to zap their sponges in their kitchens. If they have a microwave oven with a higher power or sponges with a different chemical composition, they should exercise caution.

Another article reminds us NOT to put dishcloths in microwave ovens:

“Attempting to sterilize a dishcloth in this way is extremely dangerous. There are too many variable factors such as the capacity/power of the microwave oven or the moisture content of the dishcloth or sponge. Scalding is another potential hazard.”