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Recall: Miter Saws by WMH Tool Group Due to Laceration Hazard

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Name of Product: Performax and Wilton 10” Sliding Miter Saws

Units: About 7,100

Manufacturer: WMH Tool Group Inc. (WMH), of Elgin, Ill.

Hazard: The saw handle’s switch can fail, causing the saw to smoke, spark, and trip circuit breakers, and disable the safety brake. The saw also can keep operating unless the unit is unplugged, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: WMH has received reports of six incidents with the saws. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Performax model number 90206 and Wilton model number 34570 10-inch sliding miter saws with date code/serial numbers ranging from W062505 to W070405. The model, date code/serial numbers are printed on a black label on the motor housing of the saw.

Sold at: Home centers and hardware retailers nationwide from August 2006 through March 2007 for between $150 and $250.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using these saws and call WMH to receive a replacement miter saw or a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact WMH at (800) 689-9928 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.wmhtoolgroup.com

Picture of Recalled Sliding Miter Saw

Picture of Recalled Sliding Miter Saw

Bigger, Faster, Better

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The basic appliances in our homes are becoming less basic each year. Refrigerators are getting larger with separate temperature zones, dishwashers sanitize dishes and washers clean with less water than you would think possible.

Let’s start with washers. At the Columbus Dispatch , Kevin Kidder writes:

About 30 percent of washers sold are front loaders, which use 65 percent less water and 35 percent less electricity.

The complaint against front loaders used to be that putting clothes into them was a pain.

But manufacturers have added up to 18-inch pedestals on the bottom, elevating the machine and easing the strain on aching backs.

The machines achieve their efficiency through the horizontally oriented tubs, which don’t need to fill to wash clothes. They also spin faster than predecessors, meaning more water is removed from the fabric before it goes into the dryer.

Refrigerators aren’t just larger, they are 45% more efficient than they were in 1990. Another nod to saving resources is filtered water through the fridge. No more buying bottled water.

For those consumers who are concerned about the air in their refrigerator, “Sub-Zero will offer an ‘air-scrubbing system’ to eliminate bacteria and odor in the refrigerator air. The molecules from those odors won’t settle on the foods, altering the flavors.” One really big change in refrigerators is “new refrigerator drawers, which are stand alone units that, as the name would suggest, are shaped like under-the-counter drawers. They are about 2 feet wide, pull out like a drawer and have several cubic feet of storage.”

Moving on to ranges and ovens,

Ovens now commonly have convection fans that reduce cooking times. Many are dual-fuel — electric oven, gas range — combining the best methods of cooking for each. Electric ovens require 220-volt outlets.

Some ovens also have accompanying warming drawers, designed to stay lower than 200 degrees.

Some newer models keep foods moist by injecting steam into the cooking cavern.

Using steam preserves the nutrients in vegetables and is good for other foods that need moisture such as souffles, said Sue Scatterday, commercial sales specialist with Builders Appliance Supply on the Far East Side.
With ranges, an older technology from the 1970s — induction cooking — has been refined and could be the next big trend in stovetop cooking. With induction cooking, magnetic fields heat the iron cooking pot directly; the surface of the range remains cool to the touch.

Gas ranges have evolved, as well. More people want the professional look of industrial burners and stainless steel.

With those higher temperature burners, hoods have become more powerful yet quieter.

“Because we’re seeing so many, we stress that you need the large hoods,” she said. And because newer houses are so airtight, some people actually need “air makeup systems” that allow air to flow into the house so the hood can work properly.

Then we have dishwashers- the newer ones are drying hotter and using 39% less energy than in 1990. Dishwashers are also available in under-the-counter drawer styles, allowing for multiple work stations in kitchen design. I’m personally especially pleased with how quiet the new dishwashers are.

Today’s appliances are performing better, more efficiently, and with less effort than ever.

Great Music, Great Gift

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The Sansa Shaker is a little, pink or blue, kid’s dream come true. I’ve listened to it with my kids-it comes with ports for two headsets- and the sound is fabulous! Sansa Shaker It retails for around $29-$39 depending on the memory you want. Check out a comprehensive review at TechTalk.net. This MP3 player is fun, easy to use and well priced.

Recall:Cooper Lighting Recalls Fluorescent Shop Lights Due to Electrical Shock Hazard

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

 Name of Product: Metalux Fluorescent Shop Lights

Units: About 274,000

Distributor: Cooper Lighting Inc., a division of Cooper Industries, of Houston, Texas

Hazard: When the two prongs on the plug’s electrical cord are touched simultaneously while lamps are installed, the light can pose an electric shock hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Cooper Lighting has received six reports of consumers experiencing an electric shock. No serious injuries have occurred.

Description and Model: This recall involves the Metalux fluorescent shop lights Model 9240. Only date codes between December 1, 2006 (“344 06”) and September 14, 2007 (“257 07”) are included in this recall. The date code format includes the day and the year. For example, “344 06” refers to the 344th day of year 2006, or December 1, 2006. The model number and date code can be found on the packaging and on labels adhered to the fixture housing.

Sold at: Major home center and hardware stores nationwide from January 2007 to October 2007 for between $8 and $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the light fixture immediately and uninstall it according to instructions posted at www.cooperlighting.com. The fixture should be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund or credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Cooper Lighting at (800) 440-1676 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.cooperlighting.com

Picture of Recalled Fluorescent Shop Light

Picture of label

Picture of label

Picture of plug

Cook Safely This Holiday Season

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With the joy of the holidays comes the joy of delicious food- and someone has to cook it.  If that someone is you, you might want to take a look at the Association of Home Appliances Manufacturers (AHAM)safety page.  There, you can order brochures, read safety tips and learn facts like these:

  • The range-top was involved in nearly 8 of every 10 cooking fires.
  • In nearly 3/4 of the fires reported (73%), the person responsible for the fire was not in the area when the fire started.
  • The other major causes of cooking fires reported were grease, food left on the range, and combustible materials on the range-top.
  • In nearly 2/3 of the fires (64%), people in the residence did not attempt to fight the fire but left the area.
  • Unfortunately, one-half of the people who did try to fight the fire, did it incorrectly, further endangering themselves and their families.
  • A larger percentage of the cooking fires were caused by people in the age range of 19 – 69 than is represented by their percentage of the overall population.
  • One-half of the cooking fires reported were caused by people between the age of 30 – 49.

The age range of 19-69 and 30-49 being overrepresented makes sense to me since that is the age of most family members who are the cooks in the family. So, if you are the family chef, cook carefully and have a delicious holiday.

Induction Cooking is Hot- and Cool

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Induction cooking has been around for a while, but it seems that in North America it is just beginning to assert itself.  I’ve recently learned more about how the technology works from some helpful sites. 

At choice.com.au they offer a clear explanation about the magnetic fields:

Each ‘element’ (an induction coil) generates a magnetic field that induces heat in steel cookware placed on top of it. In essence, the pot becomes the element that cooks the food, so the cooktop surface doesn’t get as hot as other cooktops. Induction cooktops have the same instant control as gas and are the fastest of all cooktop types to heat and cook food — for example, they take about half the time of conventional electric cooktops to boil water.

They go on to explain that induction cooktops are smooth surfaces that are extremely easy to keep clean.

Because the heat is contained by the vessel, the cooking surface doesn’t get hot.  This picture shows that induction cooking is hot and cool.

Another site, theinductionsite.com, has very thorough explanations of induction cooking and even includes some simple drawings like this one below with clearly labeled descriptions.

diagram of induction process

How Induction Cooking Works:

  1. The element’s electronics power a coil that produces a high-frequency electromagnetic field.
  2. The field penetrates the metal of the ferrous (magnetic-material) cooking vessel and sets up a circulating electric current, which generates heat.
  3. The heat generated in the cooking vessel is transferred to the vessel’s contents.
  4. Nothing outside the vessel is affected by the field–as soon as the vessel is removed from the element, or the element turned off, heat generation stops.

(Image courtesy of Induction Cooking World)
As mentioned in point two in the diagram, pots and pans must be made of a ferrous, or magnetic metal.  One way to check if your current pans are ferrous is to see if a magnet will stick to them.  If your pans do not have a ferrous metal base, you will need to consider the cost of some new cookware along with the generally steep cost of these cooktops. (I found them online for $1,800-$5,000.) There are some induction ranges in the works that can use other metals, but they’re not available yet.

I had concerns about the magnetic fields generated by the coil, and discovered that they are not completely unfounded. People with pacemakers should take precautions near the range and might want to check with their doctors before getting one. Theinductionsite has a whole page dedicated to the controversy surrounding radiation from electromagnetic waves.

There seem to be plenty of both pros and cons to induction cooking- lower energy use saves money, but the cooktop is expensive and may require new cookware.  Food cooks more quickly, but new techniques must be learned.  The safety of the burner going off automatically if there is no pot on it, but the pots slide easily and could get unintentionally bumped so the food won’t cook.  If you are shopping for a new range there is a lot to consider about induction cooking and the choice will be a personal one.

How a Vacuum Works

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If you take a minute now to visit www.howstuffworks.com, you will be prepared the next time a small child asks you how the vacuum works.  This site gives a clear, and very detailed description of a vacuum’s mechanics.

Diagram of a vacuum cleaner

When you plug the vacuum cleaner in and turn it on, this is what happens:

  1. The electric current operates the airplane propeller).
  2. As the fan blades turn, they force air forward, toward the exhaust port (check out How Airplanes Work to find out what causes this).
  3. When air particles are driven forward, the density of particles (and therefore the air pressure) increases in front of the fan and decreases behind the fan.

This pressure drop behind the fan is just like the pressure drop in the straw when you sip from your drink. The pressure level in the area behind the fan drops below the pressure level outside the vacuum cleaner (the ambient air pressure). This creates suction, a partial vacuum, inside the vacuum cleaner. The ambient air pushes itself into the vacuum cleaner through the intake port because the air pressure inside the vacuum cleaner is lower than the pressure outside.

As long as the fan is running and the passageway through the vacuum cleaner remains open, there is a constant stream of air moving through the intake port and out the exhaust port. But how does a flowing stream of air collect the dirt and debris from your carpet? The key principle is friction.

 

Whirlpool Dream Kitchen Sweepstakes

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From November 1 – December 31, 2007, Whirlpool brand and Dream Dinners invite consumers to register to win a Whirlpool Gold(R) suite of kitchen appliances or one of four Whirlpool Gold(R) Velos(R) SpeedCook ovens. The Velos oven can cook up to 47 percent faster than a traditional oven, getting the holiday turkey and all the fixins’ on the table in nearly half the time.

Consumers can visit www.whirlpool.com or www.dreamdinners.com for information on how to enter for a chance to win their dream kitchen.

Recall: Yamaha Recalls AC Power Adaptors Due to Electric Shock Hazard

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Yamaha AC Power Adaptors

Units: About 49,000

Distributor: Yamaha Corporation of America, of Buena Park, Calif.

Hazard: The housing of the power adaptor can separate, posing an electric shock hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Yamaha has received five reports of units separating. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves the Yamaha PA-3C power adaptor with a date code of 0624. The adaptor is used with Yamaha keyboards and digital drum sets. The model number is written in white print on the front of the plug of the adaptor and the date code is etched into the plastic at the bottom of the plug panel. The adaptor can be purchased as part of a set or separately.

Sold at: Musical instrument retailers nationwide from July 2006 through September 2007 for about $20.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled power adaptor immediately and contact Yamaha to return the power adaptor and obtain a free replacement.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Yamaha Corporation of America toll-free at (866) 509-0320 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.yamaha.com/warranty_safety.asp

Picture of Recalled AC Power Adaptor
Yamaha PA-3C power adaptor

Recall: American Honda Motor Corp. Recalls Lawn Mowers Due to Fire Hazard

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

 Name of Product: Honda HRX217KHXA and HRX217KHMA Lawn Mowers

Units: About 22,000

Manufacturer: American Honda Motor Corp., of Torrance, Calif.

Hazard: Due to a manufacturing defect, a crack can occur in the fuel tank causing a fuel leak. If gasoline leaking from the fuel tank is ignited, a fire or explosion can occur.

Incidents/Injuries: American Honda Motor Corp. has received six reports of fuel leakage. No fires or injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves HRX walk-behind lawn mowers with model numbers HRX217KHXA and HRX217KHMA. Only serial numbers from 1400001 through 1453714 are included in the recall. The model and serial number are printed on a label located on the upper rear of the deck. The lawn mower is dark gray with a red engine cover.

Sold at: Honda Lawn and Garden dealers nationwide, including The Home Depot stores, from January 2007 through September 2007 for between $800 and $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these recalled lawn mowers immediately and contact any Honda Lawn and Garden dealer to have the fuel tank replaced. Registered owners of the recalled lawn mowers will be mailed a notice.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Honda at (800) 426-7701 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.hondapowerequipment.com

Picture of Recalled Lawn Mower

Picture of Recalled Lawn Mower