Archives for February 2008

How Toasters and Toaster Ovens Work

February 2, 2008 By NightOwl

I like to know how things work. Sometimes I can figure things out by observation, but other times I want someone to explain the details to me. Toasters and toaster ovens are pretty straightforward appliances, but for those of us who want a bit more information, howstuffworks.com offers this:

How Toasters Work

Most electric pop-up toasters all operate in the same manner. A slice of bread, a frozen waffle, a toaster strudel, or some similar food item is placed through a slot in the top of the toaster and into the carriage. The carriage is lowered into the chassis using the lever at the side of the toaster.

When it reaches the bottom, the carriage latches in position and an internal switch is activated to start the heating process. A thermostat determines how long electric current will be sent from the power cord to the heating elements.

The person who is operating the toaster sets the thermostat using a control knob or lever calibrated between light and dark. When the desired temperature is reached and the heating process is completed, the solenoid turns the current off, then unlocks the latch and allows the carriage to spring up to its original position. At this time, the toasted food is easily reachable and can be removed by the operator of the appliance.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
This cross section of a toaster indicates the various elements that make a toaster work.

How Toaster Ovens Work

To operate a toaster oven, controls are set, the door is opened, food is placed on a tray, and the door is closed. If set for toasting, a toaster thermostat operates the upper and lower heating elements as selected by the color controller. If set for baking or broiling, the baking thermostat operates the heating elements as selected by the temperature controller and possibly by a timing mechanism.

So there it is, simple, yet indispensable in our kitchens.

Thermador’s Freedom Collection Refrigerators and Freezers

February 1, 2008 By NightOwl

The Freedom Collection features counter-depth 24” and 30” fresh food columns, and 18”, 24” and 30” freezer columns, including dispenser freezers. Additionally, the industry’s first fully integrated and flush-mounted three-door 36” bottom-freezer, as well as a two-door version, are available within the collection. Unique 18” and 24” wine preservation columns have see-through glass doors and an interior that can hold up to 98 bottles of both red and white wine in two separate temperature zones.

As a result of its ingenious design and flexibility, the Freedom Collection recently was awarded with a 2007 Platinum Award for Design Excellence (ADEX) from Design Journal and Gold Award from Appliance Design Magazine’s Excellence in Design Awards. Other notable distinctions include a prestigious 2006 American Kitchen and Bath Award from Home Magazine, and a 2006 Merit Award from Kitchen and Bath Business’ Product Innovator Awards. The Collection was also awarded with honorable mention in the 2007 Woman’s Day Specials Best New Product (KB) Awards.

Each Freedom column has its own compressor and evaporator to eliminate odor transfer and air exchange between the refrigerator and freezer – sometimes a concern with traditional models – and perfectly regulates the interior temperature with a variance of only 1.5 degrees. When combined, this system preserves “market fresh” foods longer. The collection is available in stainless steel or can be matched to existing kitchen cabinetry for a seamless, fully integrated look.

“You have the total freedom to design your kitchen any way you want with Thermador’s new column refrigeration. For example, you can place different sized fresh food and freezer columns side-by-side, or put the fresh food column adjacent to the sink for convenient access to your fruits and vegetables. The freezer can then go on the opposite side of the kitchen, right next to your oven, for easy thawing and cooking,” said Chuck Bryant, senior refrigeration product manager. “To preview all the different types of configurations you can have, we developed a special interactive software program that’s currently available online at Thermador.com for consumers and designers to plan their layouts featuring the Freedom Collection.”

In addition to the infinite design possibilities, Thermador’s Freedom Collection offers an unrivalled assortment of exclusive features, including:

The unique Freedom® Hinge allows all the columns to be fully flush mounted to cabinetry – without sacrificing accessibility to the interior and the full extension drawers. In fact, the hinge opens the column doors up to an amazing 115 degrees. It can also accommodate a variety of custom panels up to 220 pounds in total door weight.
No longer will you have to unload a shelf to gain extra interior space. The fresh food column’s motorized Liberty ShelfT™ conveniently moves a fully loaded shelf of up to 22 pounds with the simple touch of a button. Thermador liberty shelf Also available on bottom-freezer models.
The FreeFlowTM Air System (fresh food column) results in superior temperature regulation and air distribution that helps keep “market fresh” foods longer. Cool air continually travels the length of the column door, ensuring that these items are just as cold as those on the interior shelves. A carbon air filter also absorbs any unwanted odors for fresher and more hygienic food storage.
The freezer’s FreeFlow™ Ice System regularly rotates the filtered ice in the icemaker to avoid clumping, while the UltraClarity™ Water Filter dispenses crystal fresh ice and water. The external dispenser also features an exclusive pull-down flip tray that accommodates pitcher-size containers to facilitate bulk amounts of ice or water. The Luminous Light System™ features bright halogen light towers and spotlights that fully illuminate foods, so everything can be clearly seen while creating a beautiful interior look.

Rounding out these industry exclusives are a number of additional performance features, including a convenient digital display that allows for precise temperature adjustments; multiple specially-insulated compartments that keep delicate and perishable foods fresher, longer; and an adjustable toe-kick that can range in height between 4-7 inches.

The entire Freedom Collection is ENERGY STAR® qualified and is among the quietest refrigeration units in the built-in category. Models are available with an MSRP of $2,899-$6,999; wine columns have an MSRP of $3,899-4,399.

Vornado Trust to Pay $500,000 Civil Penalty for Failure to Report Defects and Hazards with Electric Heaters

February 1, 2008 By Appliance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that a liquidating trust acting on behalf of a now-dissolved manufacturer of heaters has agreed to pay the government a $500,000 civil penalty. The penalty settles allegations that Vornado Air Circulation Systems Inc., formerly of Andover, Kan., failed to report in a timely manner incidents of fire and overheating from defective heaters. In August 2004, CPSC and Vornado announced the recall of about one million portable electric heaters.

From January 1993 through February 2004, Vornado received more than 300 reports of units overheating, melting, smoking, or catching fire. The firm failed to report these incidents to the CPSC in a timely manner. Vornado finally reported the incidents to the CPSC in February 2004, but only after information was requested by the Commission staff.

Federal law requires firms to report to CPSC immediately after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, or creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death.

“The law is clear and exists for a reason,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. “Any delay puts consumers at greater risk. The quicker we know about a dangerous product, the faster we can act to protect consumers.”

In agreeing to settle the matter, the liquidating trust denies that Vornado violated federal law.

Picture of Recalled Portable Electric Heaters