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Sears Brings Samsung Refrigeration Line To Its Stores

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Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Samsung Electronics, have announced the addition of Samsung refrigerators to Sears line-up of leading appliance brands. Beginning in March 2008, Samsung side-by-side refrigerators are available at Sears stores nationwide. Samsung front-loading washers and dryers have been available at Sears since November 2007.

Sears will carry Samsung’s Twin Cooling side-by-side refrigerators. The refrigerator and freezer are independently cooled to maintain optimal humidity levels so food is preserved longer and odor transfer is eliminated. The side-by-side line offers consumers a large 26 cu. ft. of space with innovative design features. Blue LED lights and hidden hinges give the refrigerator a sleek, contemporary look. The refrigerator will be available at Sears in stainless, platinum, white and black.

Sears also carries Samsung’s VRT front-loading washer line. Vibration Reduction Technology is a unique technological breakthrough that reduces vibration and noise from unbalanced loads in the high speed spin cycle, up to 1300 RPM. Consumers can now get the ultimate in quiet operation no matter where they place their laundry pair – even on second floors or close to living areas. The large 3.8 cu. ft. capacity allows even king-sized comforters or multiple pairs of jeans to be washed in one load. The Samsung VRT Front-Loading Washer will be available at Sears in colors such as stratus gray, neat white, and tango red with matching electric and gas dryers and pedestals.

Recall: Onward Manufacturing Gas Grills Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

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Name of Product: Broil King Gas Grills

Units: About 4,800

Manufacturer: Onward Manufacturing Co., of Ontario, Canada

Hazard: The bottom of the cook box that contains the burners can melt or crack as a result of a grease fire. This poses a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported

Description: This recall includes the Signet, Sovereign and Sovereign XL series gas grills.

Signet series
(model #’s starting with 986xxx) 400 sq. inch cooking surface with 3 burners and drop-
down shelves; includes models with side and rear burners
Sovereign series
(model #’s starting with 987xxx) 450 sq. inch cooking surface with 3 burners and drop-
down shelves; includes models with side and rear burners.
Sovereign XL series
(model #’s starting with 988xxx) 600 sq. inch cooking surface with 4 burners and drop-
down shelves.

The model number can be located on the back panel of the grill.

Sold at: Independent retailers nationwide from February 2006 through April 2008 for between $450 and $700.

Manufactured in: Canada

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the grill immediately and contact Onward Manufacturing for a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For further information, visit the firm’s Web site at www.broilkingbbq.com or call toll-free at (866) 434-7455 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

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onward recall

Fisher & Paykel is Moving to Mexico

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Fisher & Paykel, the New Zealand appliance manufacturer well known for it’s dishwasher drawers and washing machines is consolidating it’s manufacturing and moving to Reynosa, Mexico, just south of the U.S. border.

The range and DishDrawer factory in Dunedin, New Zealand, the refrigeration plant in Brisbane, Australia and the DCS manufacturing plant in Huntington Beach will be relocated to the new facility in the next 12-18 months. The DCS move is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and individual manufacturing lines will be shifted separately to reduce the impact on warehouse inventory. The U.S. operation will continue to employ sales and marketing, customer services, head office and an engineering staff of around 340 employees. The financial benefit of the DCS move is expected to be $6.6 million per year with a one off cost of $7 million, both at pre-tax level.

“This expansion is designed to streamline our manufacturing costs, and bring increased consistency and efficiency to the company’s production process in the U.S. market, “ said Mike Goadby, North American President for Fisher & Paykel Appliances. “It’s an emotional time for all of us, but this move will make us more competitive in the U.S. and strengthen our distribution efforts through making them more efficient.”

With the Reynosa acquisition and the new North American DishDrawer line announced last year, the financial benefits of the new strategy are expected to be around $50 million per year, at a one off cost of approximately $100 million. The cost of the move will be offset by the sale of surplus property in Australia and New Zealand, which could total approximately $100 million.

You can read more here.

Recall: DEWALT Table Saws Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: DEWALT DW744 Jobsite Table Saws

Units: About 13,000

Manufacturer: DEWALT Industrial Tool Co., of Towson, Md.

Hazard: The pivot bracket on the saw can separate which can misalign the blade and the fence and cause kick back. This poses a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: DEWALT has received one reported incident of the table saw’s blade misaligning. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the 10 inch DEWALT jobsite table saw model number DW744. Date codes included in the recall are 200715 through 200740. The table saws are yellow and black. The model number and date code are located on the name plate on the front of the saw. Table saws with an “X” stamped on the name plate by the date code are not included in this recall.

Sold at: Major home centers and hardware stores nationwide from April 2007 through January 2008 for about $500.

Manufactured in: Mexico

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled table saws and contact DEWALT for the location of a service center to obtain a free replacement table saw.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DEWALT toll-free at (888) 742-9178 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.dewalt.com

Picture of Recalled Table Saw with location of model number and date code

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Recall: Kyodo America LawnBott Lawn Mowers Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: LawnBott Lawn Mowers

Units: About 530

Importer: Kyodo America Industries Co. LTD., of Lawrenceville, Ga.

Manufacturer: Zucchetti Centro Sistemi S.p.A., of Italy

Hazard: The cutting blades continue to rotate when the mower is lifted from the ground and the spacing on the side of the lawn mower could allow room for a consumer’s foot to go beyond the shield and be struck by the blade. Both instances pose a serious laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Kyodo America has received one report of a consumer lifting the mower from the ground and suffered minor lacerations from the moving blade.

Description: This recall involves LawnBott lawn mowers with model numbers LB2000, LB2100, LB3000, and LB3200. The robotic lawn mowers freely and automatically cut grass by detecting the signal of a perimeter cable. The mowers have a docking station for recharging and a shiny plastic cover sold in red, green or blue. ”Evolution” or “deluxe” is printed on the side of the mower.

Sold by: Kyodo America dealers nationwide from January 2006 through December 2007 for between $1,750 and $2,750.

Manufactured in: Italy

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled LawnBott lawn mowers immediately and contact Kyodo America to register their lawn mowers for repairs that will be ready by the end of June. Consumers who have registered their mower with Kyodo America have been sent direct notification by mail.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Kyodo America at (877) 465-9636 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.lawnbott.com

Picture of Recalled LawnBott Lawn Mower

Picture of Recalled LawnBott Lawn Mower

KitchenAid Introduces First 30″ Five Burner Cooktop

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If you’ve been longing for an extra burner, but are short on counter space, KitchenAid offers their newest cooktop- a five burner that fits in a thirty inch space. Part of the new Architect Series II appliance collection, they will also be available in a thirty-six inch size if you have a bit more room to spare.
Its features include full-width cast iron grates, sealed high-output BTU burners ranging from 20,000 BTUs to 7,000. Infinite heat control offer greater more accurate temperatures. Select models have a clear coat protection on the finish and can feature a Glass-TOuch display with a control lockout for safety.
These cooktops are scheduled for availability in early summer, suggested retail prices will range from $1,199 to $1,649.

Recall: Waxcessories Electric Simmer Pots Due to Risk of Fire and Shock

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Name of Product: Electric Simmer Pots

Units: About 830,000

Importer: Waxcessories® Inc., of Dracut, Mass.

Hazard: The simmer pots have wire connections that can become loose, posing a risk of fire and electric shock to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: There have been 161 reports of discolored cords, loose wires, and wires separating from the pot. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The electric simmer pots were sold in a variety of styles and were designed to melt scented wax in a ceramic cup. The cup sits on a ceramic base that contains a 40-watt bulb, socket and electric cord. The recall includes all designs of the electric simmer pots and all item numbers. The words “ELECTRIC SIMMER POT” and the design name are printed on the bar code label, which is located on the bottom of the base. For a complete list of individual item numbers and photos, visit the firm’s recall Web site at www.simmerpotrecall.com

Sold at: Gift and novelty shops nationwide from April 2002 through April 2008 for between $17 and $25.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the simmer pots immediately and contact Waxcessories for instructions on receiving a free replacement product.

Consumer Contact: For further information, call (800) 899-5884 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the recall Web site at www.simmerpotrecall.com

Picture of Recalled Electric Simmer Pot Label - The Product item number is located on the UPC label on the bottom of the electric simmer pot.

Picture of Recalled Electric Simmer Pots - Sample photos of Waxcessories electric simmre pots. Designs and colors will vary.

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LG Appliance Rebate

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If you have been considering buying a new kitchen appliance, now might be the time to act. LG is offering a rebate of up to $500 on their kitchen appliances. The deal starts at $250 for two appliances and goes up to the $500 if you buy four. You can outfit your whole kitchen if you choose, as LG makes gas and electric ranges, dishwashers, refrigerators and microwaves, all of which are part of the rebate program. The offer ends May 12, 2008. You can view the details here.

New Miele Dishwasher

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Miele will debut the new G 2002 La Perla series dishwasher this fall. Engineered to be the quietest Miele dishwashers yet, they also sport a Turbo feature that speeds up wash programs by 10-15%. Sensor Dry, the most advanced drying system on the market, analyzes room temperature to calculate the optimal water heat, rinse aid distribution and drying time. Dinner guests will wow as the Drying Plus feature automatically opens the door to aid in drying while the Auto Close function softly shuts the door to start the process all over again. A finishing touch… the un-mark-able/ remarkable Miele Clean Touch Steel™ beautifully resists scratches, fingerprints and smudges.
Quieter and Faster
The Turbo feature (available on most wash cycles) produces quick, outstanding results by automatically adjusting the temperature of the water in the wash and rinse cycle – reducing the rinse and drying times by 10-15%. More efficient engineering processes have also shortened program cycles and improved sound ratings for quieter performance.

The Luxury of Auto Close
No one is gentle when it comes to closing a dishwasher. Often, it gets “the boot”, “the hip” or “the slam.” No matter how abusive the closing ritual, a Miele La Perla will smoothly, and luxuriously, finish the job automatically so the dishwasher closes securely and correctly. Ok, it’s also really, really cool to watch the motorized door close by itself.


Unique Advanced Drying Features
Miele’s drying process is the most innovative of any dishwasher made today. The Clean Air drying system circulates room air around the exterior cavity in the machine. This pulls moisture from the dishware to the walls of the dishwasher where it drains away. To assist this process, the new Sensor Dry feature measures room temperature so that it can adjust the heat of the water, rinse aid distribution and drying time to maximize performance. Drying Plus opens the door automatically at the end of the cycle to let out moisture and provide superb results, especially for plastics.

Timeless, Smudge-Proof Beauty
Cut down cleaning time for the dishes and the dishwasher as Miele’s Clean Touch Steel™ finish resists fingerprinting, scratches and smudges. A very thin, transparent protective glass treatment is applied to the stainless panel that stands up to aggressive handling – keeping the dishwasher exterior cleaner, longer.

Beyond Clean to Hygiene
Dishware shouldn’t just look clean – for a healthy home – it should be hygienically clean. From its Clean Air drying system, to its third level cutlery tray that separates items for superior cleaning, to its sanitize programs – Miele’s dishwashers promise a healthier, more hygienic clean.

Heating and Cooling Purchases Down

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U.S. factory shipments of residential cooling and heating equipment declined in February, compared with the same month a year ago, while the commercial market for these products maintained steady growth, according to the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
Central Air Conditioners and Air-Source Heat Pumps

Combined U.S. factory shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps for February totaled 335,897, a 13 percent drop compared with February 2007 total shipments. Heat pump shipments for February totaled 123,122, a 10 percent drop from the same month a year ago.

Warm Air Furnaces

U.S. factory shipments of gas warm air furnaces dropped 22 percent to 153,812, compared with February 2007 totals. Oil warm air furnaces for the same month fell 39 percent to 3,680, compared with February 2007 shipments of this equipment.
Room Heaters

A total of 3,562 vent-free room heaters were shipped in February 2008, a 22 percent drop compared with the same month last year.

Water Heaters

Residential electric water heater shipments for February totaled 361,529, slightly outpacing residential gas water heater shipments, which totaled 350,174, but shipments for both types of water heaters fell about 3 percent compared with shipments for the same month last year.

February gas logs and insert product shipments totaled 10,070, a 24 percent drop compared with the same month last year, while gas stove shipments for the same month jumped 34 percent compared to February 2007. Gas fireplace shipments for February 2008 totaled 2,616, a 19 percent drop compared to the same month last year.