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Archives for September 2007

Viking Goes Commercial

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 “Viking doesn’t make commercial ranges?”  That has been the response to my very informal survey when people learn that Viking Corporation has recently announced their plan to release a line of commercial appliances.

Viking Range Corporation who originated ultra-premium commercial-type appliances for the indoor and outdoor kitchen has announced their intention to enter the commercial market.

The Viking Commercial product line will consist of a complete array of cooking equipment, including ranges of all styles, ovens, broilers, griddles, salamanders, cheesemelters, induction units and island suites, as well as under-counter refrigeration.

To request product information, please contact Viking toll-free at 888.845.4641, or visit the web site at vikingrange.com.

Recall: Berko Electric Toe – Space Heater

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Berko Electric Toe-Space Heaters Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

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 Products: Toe-Space Electric Heaters

Units: About 84,000

Manufacturer: Berko Electric, of Peru, Ind., now known as Marley
Engineered Products, of Bennettsville, S.C.

Hazard: If the fan stops working and the heater continues to run, the
unit can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Marley has received 29 reports of fires resulting in
property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves electric, toe-space heaters typically
installed in kitchens and bathrooms at floor level in the recessed space
under cabinets. The recall includes Berko Electric catalog numbers TS,
TS-1 and TS-1A and Emerson Electric “Chromalox Comfort Heating” and
“Environmental Products” catalog number KSH2000. The heater is
controlled by a wall thermostat or a thermostat mounted on the front of
the heater. The heater has a removable, black metal grille that measures
23 1/2 -inches wide and 3 1/2 -inches tall with five sets of openings,
each with seven horizontal louvers.

Sold by: Berko Electric wholesale distributors nationwide from 1972
through February 1985 and Emerson Electric wholesale distributors from
1980 through February 1985 for between $70 and $170.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off the heater at the
thermostat and, if possible, at the home’s circuit breaker or fuse.
Consumers should contact Marley to determine if they have a recalled
heater and for further instructions.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Marley at (800)
642-4328 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or
visit the firm’s Web site at www.berkomep.com/ts.htm

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the
recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07298.html

Recall: Electric Heater

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Electric Heaters Recalled by Aloha Housewares Due to Fire Hazard

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: “Aloha Breeze” Portable Electric Heaters

Units: About 281,000

Importer/Distributor: Aloha Housewares, Inc. of Arlington, Texas

Hazard: The heater can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Aloha Housewares has received seven reports of
heaters melting, smoking or catching fire, including one report of minor
property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled electric heaters are white-colored with the
name “Aloha Breeze” printed on the front. The recall includes model
number 05226 with date codes of 07/05, 08/05 and 11/05. The model number
and date code are printed on the silver label located on the bottom of
the heater.

Sold at: Wal-Mart stores nationwide from July 2005 to July 2007 for
about $15.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled heaters immediately and
contact the firm for instructions on receiving a free replacement.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call Aloha Housewares at
(800) 295-4448 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. CT Monday through Friday,
or send an e-mail to ahitexaslg@aol.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the
recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07296.html

New H-Series Refrigerator by Samsung

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Samsung has announced the release of its H-series refrigerator line featuring its “exclusive Twin Cooling System™.” This system allows “the different freezer and refrigerator compartments to be controlled and cooled independently, as well as preventing the mixing of odors between the two compartments.” This style also defines itself as the first “truly built-in side-by-side refrigerator.”

Even Global Warming Couldn’t Prevent This Bankruptcy

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Global warming aside, it seems that the “big box” stores have impacted corporations such as Fedders to the extent that they have changed direction and started producing a “broad line of residential, commercial and industrial IAQ and HVAC equipment”

“Founded in 1896, Fedders Corporation is a leading global manufacturer of air treatment products, including air conditioners, furnaces, air cleaners and humidifiers for residential, commercial and industrial markets.” Despite adding to the product line and reducing costs, Fedders Corporation filed for bankruptcy in August.

“After careful evaluation, management and the board have concluded that in order to ensure the company’s business units’ viability and growth prospects, an exploration of the sale of the company’s businesses is in the best interest of all of its constituents,” said Michael Giordano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fedders. “The Chapter 11 process will allow time for prospective buyers to evaluate the company and its business units while day-to-day operations continue.”

You can read more about Fedders cooling off here

Recall: Back to Basics Iced Tea Maker

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Back to Basics Products Recalls Iced Tea Makers Due to Fire Hazard

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: IT400 Iced Tea Makers

Units: About 10,000

Importer: Back to Basics Products LLC, of West Bend, Wis. and Bluffdale,
Utah

Hazard: The iced tea maker’s components can fail, posing a fire hazard
to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None.

Description: The recalled Iced Tea Maker (Model #IT400) is mostly white
and has a 2.5 quart glass pitcher. The recall includes only those
products with a date code of CA1307 or CA1307-A. The model number is
embossed on the bottom of the unit, and the date code is printed on a
small white sticker, which is also on the bottom of the unit.

Sold at: Bon-Ton department stores and hardware stores nationwide, the
JCPenney catalog, and Internet retailers from April 2007 through July
2007 for between $40 and $50.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using and unplug the recalled iced tea
makers immediately and contact Back to Basics Products to receive a free
replacement product or refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call the firm at (800)
874-4084 between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday; visit
the firm’s Web site at www.backtobasicsproducts.com; or e-mail the firm
at IT400recall@btbproducts.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including a picture of the
recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07306.html

She’s Willing to Eat a Little Burnt Toast

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I know some people have those toasters with the slots on top that pop the toast up, and I remember having a toy one for my play kitchen as a child, but as an adult with a family to feed, I always choose a toaster oven over the pop-up.  My mother had a toaster oven and she would use it for quick meals during the summer when the temperature in our Southern California  house was in the mid nineties.  My mother is well known in our family for her thriftiness and would use the toaster until it absolutely would not toast another piece of bread.  Even when she had to flip the bread over to toast both sides, she kept it.

Here’s a nostalgic piece from the Navasota Examiner for those of us who remember eating toast that had been over cooked in an aging toaster.

I burned the toast this morning and the unfortunate event brought back many memories. The reason I burned the bread to a black crisp was that my toaster oven of about 20 years refused to toast any longer, forcing me to use the oven broiler. One might say the toaster retired. For all those years, the little oven had neatly browned bread, cooked wieners, toasted buns, baked potatoes, cooked tater tots, French fries and chicken nuggets.
I retired it once before, when my children presented me with a new one, but the newer version promptly caught on fire and destroyed itself. One might say it committed suicide. When the new toaster passed away, I dug out the old one and placed it on active duty, sort of like calling up the National Guard.

To read more, click here

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