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Choosing Kitchen Appliances – Ovens, Cooktops and Hoods

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Choosing new appliances is one of the biggest decisions homeowners make when remodeling their kitchens. You can’t make a good choice if you don’t know what’s available and what suits your needs. here’s some advice on choosing your oven or cooktop from appliance.net and HowStuffWorks.com

First, ovens:

The traditional range or stove, a single unit with cooktop above and oven below, is an affordable, space-conserving solution still chosen by most homeowners. But it’s just one of the cooking options offered today.

Some serious home cooks choose commercial-style stoves with six or eight burners instead of four, basting and grilling functions, and built-in warming ovens. (Real commercial stoves pose special challenges, such as special ventilation systems and noncombustible walls and floors, when used in the home, so commercial-style may be easier to live with.) Other people love the new modular cooktops that let you add burners, downdrafts, griddles, deep-fry and steamer units, woks, rotisseries, and grills. And these are just a few examples of what’s available!

The first decision in range shopping has always been gas versus electric. Many serious cooks prefer gas for its instant response, precise controllability, and lower operating cost over time. Others praise the evenness of electric heat and the lower initial cost of the appliance Today, you can get the best of both heating methods with “dual fuel” ranges that let you mix gas and electric heat sources; for example, gas cooktop burners and an electric convection oven/broiler. Convection ovens, most often electric, use heated air to cook up to twice as fast as conventional ovens that rely on radiant heating action. You can even get a combination microwave/convection oven.

Electric coils are the most popular kind of electric burners, and the least costly. Smooth-top surfaces are offered with one of three heat source types: radiating electric coils beneath the glass surface, halogen burners, or magnetic-induction elements. All require thick, flat-bottom cookware. If gas is your choice, sealed burners are easiest to clean, and a pilotless ignition system means no hot spot when burners are off. Commercial-style glass stoves offer high BTUs (British thermal units, the measure of cooking heat) and high style. They require heavy-duty ventilation systems.

What about controls? Controls that are located on the front or on the side of the appliance are most common and convenient, but universal access means just that: While someone in a wheelchair can reach front-situated controls easily, unfortunately, so can a curious toddler. People with young children may prefer controls located on the backsplash, out of reach of exploring fingers. Wherever they’re located, controls should be easy to understand and operate. Top-of-the-line ovens may include electronic temperature readouts and touch-pad, rather than knob or dial, controls.

There is also the option of under the counter ovens that blend into the kitchen design rather than stand out. Just be sure the oven is designed for under the counter use. This type of oven can have a cooktop installed directly over it or elsewhere in the kitchen. On eof the considerations in choosing a cooktop is ease of cleaning. “For easiest cooktop cleaning, consider ranges with ceramic glass cooktops housing electric or halogen burners; simpler knobs and handles; and a top and backsplash constructed from a single piece of metal, so there’s no seam to collect spills. Self-cleaning ovens come in two varieties: one that uses a high-heat cycle that turns cooked-on spills into ash you can wipe away, another that offers a continuous-clean function.”

On to hoods:

If you don’t have a ventilation fan above your cooktop that vents to the attic or outside, you’ll want a range hood with ventilation fan built in. Why? Even if you don’t find some cooking odors objectionable, vaporized grease can dull beautiful new kitchen surfaces, and moisture can compromise the efficiency of home insulation. The solution is an updraft range hood that funnels cooking grease and smoke into one area so that the fan can draw it through a duct to the outside.

Filters capture additional grease and odors. Look for range hoods that come in copper, stainless steel, and other good-looking, easy-care materials, or customize a standard hood with ceramic tile to create a major focal point, furthering your decorating scheme. As an alternative, down-draft ventilation, usually part of a cooktop or grill, also employs a fan and duct arrangement. Units that rise above cooktop level provide the most effective venting.

Slow Cooker Tips

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The wind is blowing here, the temperature is dropping and we’re expecting rain.  On days like this we look forward to hot, comforting dinners.  A slow cooker (Crock-pot is one brand) is a convenient way to have that satisfying dinner ready when you come home at night.

Here are some helpful tips for making your slow ccoker dinner simple and tasty.

  • Less tender cuts of meat such shoulder, chuck roast, brisket and poultry legs work best for slow cooking.
  • Fish and seafood are not well suited unless they are added during the last hour or so of cooking.
  • Ground meat is also not recommended as the texture changes during long cooking and becomes mealy.
  • Slow cooking tends to intensify flavors, especially black pepper, chili pepper and garlic.  Dried herbs may loose some flavor with long cooking times and fresh herns are best if added right near the end of the cooking.
  • It’s not necessary, but flouring and browning meat for stews will add a richer flavor and color and will help to thicken the sauce.  Be sure to scrape the browned bit from the bottom of the pan to add to the pot.
  • Plastic liners are available in the foil aisle of most major grocery stores.  They make clean-up almost nonexistent.
  • To ensure even cooking, be sure to fill the cooker at least halfway, but not to the brim.  also, try not to stir as it will break up the vegetables.
  • It generally works best to place the vegetables (chunks of carrot potato and onion, for example) on the bottom of the pot followed by a layer of meat.
  • Meals can be made even easier by prepping many of the ingredients the night before and then just adding them to the pot straight from the fridge the next morning.

One of my family’s favorite slow cooker meals is exceptionally easy.

Bar-B Que Beef

Place chunks of carrot, potato, and onion on the bottom of the slow cooker,
cover with a layer of beef short ribs or stew meat. Cover with one bottle of your favorite bar-BQue sauce and an equal amount of your favorite beer. Cook 8-10 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. Vary the amounts to suit your personal needs and tastes.

Make a Solar Oven- Have Fun with a Different Take on Boxing Day

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Tis the season for too many empty boxes around the house.  Tis also the season for trying to figure out what to do with the kids home from school.  If you are feeling adventurous, here are the step-by-step instructions for using some of those boxes to create your own solar oven. 

Things You’ll Need

  • Aluminum Foil
  • Cardboard
  • Large And Small Cardboard Boxes
  • Non-toxic Glues
  • Non-toxic Invisible Tape
  • Plastic Wrap
  • Scissors
  • Newspaper
  • Pencils
  • Black Construction Paper
  • Staplers

Steps

Step One

Find two boxes. One should fit inside the other with a 2- to 3-inch space on each side. (This can vary slightly – the space will be filled with newspaper.)

Step Two

Line the bottom of the large box with crumpled newspaper.

Step Three

Place the smaller box inside the large box.

Step Four

Fill the space between the sides of the two boxes with crumpled newspaper.

Step Five

Line the sides of the inside of the smaller box with aluminum foil. You can use a non-toxic tape or fold the edges of foil over the top of the box to hold it in place.

Step Six

Line the bottom of the inside of the smaller box with black construction paper to absorb heat.

Step Seven

Lay a piece of cardboard on top of the large box and trace the shape of the box onto the cardboard.

Step Eight

Add 2 inches around the trace line and cut out to make a reflector.

Step Nine

Cover the cardboard piece with aluminum foil. Smooth out any wrinkles and secure the aluminum foil to the cardboard with non-toxic glue or tape.

Step Ten

Staple the reflector to the outside back of the large box.

Step Eleven

Situate the oven with the box opening up and the reflector facing the sun for maximum heat.

Step Twelve

Place food to be cooked in the solar oven.

Step Thirteen

Stretch clear plastic wrap across the top of the large box. Secure the plastic with tape around the entire box.

Tips & Warnings

  • Cooking time is about twice as long as in a conventional oven.
  • Preheating takes about 30 minutes.
  • Use bigger boxes for a larger oven.
  • A small pizza box oven is good for kids to make s’mores or mini-pizzas.
  • Do not use any materials that could give off toxic fumes when heated, such as duct tape or Styrofoam.
  • Do not use a solar oven for foods that must reach a high temperature or cook rapidly.

 Ehow.com has step-by-step instructions on how to use your solar oven, including recipes for s’mores and chocolate cake.

In Kitchen Design, Appliances Come First

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We spend so much time in the kitchen during the holiday season. Families gather for dinner and inevitably a large group gathers in the kitchen. This gets us to thinking that we need a larger, prettier, or more usable space. That’s likely why so many kitchen remodels take place after the holidays. If you are planning a kitchen remodel, take your time making design decisions, the kitchen is a complex room with many different elements to consider.

Here are a few things to consider in your planning:

•Pick your appliances first — everything gets built around them.

• Pick your countertop before you select your cabinets. The cabinet company won’t know what height to build the lower cabinets without knowing the thickness of the countertop — they’re all different.

• Pick your backsplash before you hire the electrician. The placement of the electrical boxes will depend on the thickness of the counter’s backsplash. Will it be tile or a solid material? What thickness will the material be and will it be affixed directly to the wall or will mortar be placed between the wall and the splash? There is nothing worse than paying the electrician extra to go back and add spacers to the electric boxes because they aren’t flush with the finished surface — fire hazard!

• With certain sink/disposal combinations you may have to adjust the height of your existing drain outlet. Kohler currently offers a stainless kitchen sink 28 centimetres (11 inches) deep and ISE has a gigantic new one HP disposer. Together they fit a bit lower into the under-cabinet area than other models.

• Selecting appliances in advance will also be important to the plumber and the electrician. The plumber may need to run an icemaker line if the refrigerator has one and the electrician will have to know what size circuits will have to be run for the range, oven, exhaust fan and other appliances.

• Some sales people will offer you the least efficient alternative just to keep the price in your budget. For example: It is less expensive to use doors rather than drawers when designing a set of kitchen cabinets. However, for many users drawers provide far more efficient storage space. Also, the rails that drawers glide on vary greatly in cost and strength. There are some drawer glides that bend when the drawer is full. Better types can hold an adult doing push-ups.

You can read more here.

Retro Fridge- Modern Price

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If your kitchen needs that special 50’s retro refrigerator, SMEG, an Italian manufacturer, has just what you need.

50’S Style Refrigerator with ice compartment,
Pastel Green, Right hand hinge
Capacity 9.22 Cu. Ft.

REFRIGERATOR:
Antibacterial interior
Interior light
3 adjustable glass shelves
1 bottle storage shelf
1 fixed glass shelf
1 fruit and vegetable container
1 dairy box
SMEG Retro Fridge and Freezer
DOOR:
2 adjustable covered bins
2 bottle storage bins
4 adjustable bins
2 egg bins

FREEZER COMPARTMENT:
1 Ice cube tray

Energy consumption: 305 kWh/ year

Dimensions (h x w x d ) 57½ x 23⅝ x 27½ inches

This little beauty (9.22 cubic feet) costs about $2000 and comes in a variety of colors.

Fire Safety – Prevent Kitchen Fires

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The San Mateo County Fire Department has some important safety tips for cooking during this busy holiday season.

How often has the doorbell rung or a child interrupted you while you were cooking, causing you to forget about the chicken you left sizzling on the stove – until smoke filled the house?  If this scenario or a similar one doesn’t sound familiar to you, you may want to think about it a little more because it’s likely that you, a friend, or family member has run the risk of having a dangerous fire.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The latest statistics from NFPA say that one out of every three home fires started in the kitchen and more than 100,000 fires a year were related to cooking.

Here are a few safety tips to remember:

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food. If you must leave the the room even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).
  • Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove.
  • If you have a fire in your microwave, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed. Never open the door until the fire is completely out. If in doubt, get out of the home and call 911.
  • Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (make sure you are wearing the oven mitt). Turn off the burner and slide the pan off the burner.
  • Never pour water on a grease fire. If the fire does not go out, get out of the home and call 911.
  • If an oven fire starts, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you or your clothing. If the fire does not go out, get out of the home and call the fire department.
  • To avoid the accumulation of grease, always clean the vent screen above your stove. You can put these in the dishwasher! If you cook frequently with oils, butter, and grease, make sure to clean it at least once a month.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learn how to use it.

Recall: Pressure Cookers By Manttra Inc. Due to Burn Hazard

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Name of Product: Pressure Cookers

Units: About 38,250

Importer: Manttra Inc., of Virginia Beach, Va.

Manufacturer: TTK Presitge Ltd., of India

Hazard: If the pressure cookers are not closed properly, the lid can separate and allow hot contents to spill out. This poses a risk of burns to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Manttra has received two reports of hot contents spilling out of the pressure cookers, resulting in minor burn injuries.

Description: This recall involves Manttra Smart Series five-piece stainless steel multi cooker sets. The set includes a pressure lid, glass lid, steamer basket, wire trivet, and stock/pressure pot. Model/code number 38270 is stamped on the base of the 8-quart stainless steel cooker.

Sold at: Kohl’s, Robinson’s, Sears and Carson Pirie Scott stores nationwide from June 2003 through April 2007 for between $70 and $100.

Manufactured in: India

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the pressure cookers and contact Manttra Inc. to receive a new replacement pressure valve (ZPD valve).

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Manttra Inc. toll-free at (877) 962-6887 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.manttra.com

Picture of Recalled Pressure Cookers

Whirlpool Aims for Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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If you are shopping for eco-friendly appliances, here’s some good news from Twice.com:

Whirlpool will increase its commitment to environmentally-sound business practices by reducing total greenhouse gas emissions 6.6 percent by 2012, the company announced last week. The world’s largest majap maker will make these global, voluntary reductions while at the same time increasing production by 17 percent, it said.

The positive output of the reduction is equivalent to approximately 4.5 million acres of trees, an area larger than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

Whirlpool chairman/CEO Jeff Fettig announced the increased reductions plan in his keynote address here at the Energy Efficiency Global Forum & Exposition (EE Global). Whirlpool is the founding sponsor of EE Global, a showcase for the energy-efficiency industry attracting industry professionals, academics and policy makers from around the world to exchange the latest technical, commercial and policy information and forge partnerships and develop “best practices,” policies and strategies for global implementation.

Separately, Friedrich Air Conditioning has been awarded an Environmental Excellence Award by San Antonio Water System (SAWS) for the second consecutive year. SAWS serves over one million people in the seventh largest U.S. city, Friedrich’s home base.

Friedrich received this award in recognition of its continued efforts to reduce water consumption. In 2007, the company reduced the amount of process water requiring treatment by approximately 50 percent.

You can Really Save – Choose Energy Star

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Most of us want to save energy.  It’s good for the environment and good for our pocketbooks.  By choosing a new appliance with an Energy Star rating you are off to a good start.  How much you will save though, depends on the type and age of the appliance you are replacing.

 One thing seems certain though, you will be saving more than that yellow Energy Star label lists.  Why?  Because according to www.energystar.gov the Energy Star ratings compare a new Energy Star model to a new standard model, not to older ones like those in your kitchen and laundry room.

The Washington Post  writes:

For example, a 2007 Energy Star refrigerator uses at least 15 percent less energy than a standard one, as you will note when you peruse the showroom floor. But the average American household replaces its refrigerator about every 14 years, so a more accurate calculation for you would be to compare the 1993 standard to the current Energy Star one.

Using an 18-cubic-foot freezer-refrigerator, a fairly common size, as a basis for comparison, a new Energy Star model would use about 30 percent less energy than the 1993 standard model. But many families have refrigerators that are much older than that and still going strong. No one pays much attention to how much electricity these old models consume, but it is astounding when compared with the latest Energy Star models.

Using the same size for comparison, a 2007 Energy Star refrigerator uses 54 percent less energy than the 1989 model. If you’re going for some kind of record and still use the 18-cubic-foot, avocado-colored refrigerator that you proudly bought in 1975, you will find that a 2007 Energy Star model uses 81 percent less energy.

The greatest energy and water savings from a new Energy Star dishwasher will not be realized by a household trading in its 32-year-old antique but by one that is switching from hand to machine washing. Contrary to popular belief, hand washing on average uses about five times as much water as a dishwasher (about 27 gallons vs. five gallons), or about 5,000 gallons more a year, according to a German study cited on the Energy Star Web site. In areas with acute water shortages, this may be of great interest.

The energy savings between hand washing and a 2007 Energy Star dishwasher are about 38 percent, according to the Whirlpool dishwasher engineering staff.

If your brand-new Energy Star dishwasher replaces a 12-year-old machine — representing the average rate of turnover in U.S. households — water use would go down by about 33 percent, or by 600 gallons a year, and the new machine would use at least 29 percent less energy, the Whirlpool engineers said.

The turnover rate for washing machines is the same as for dishwashers, about 12 years. If that’s your situation, you will find that you have more choices than you did in 1995. Also, the Energy Star criteria for washers now include water savings. To qualify, a washer must use 40 percent less energy and about 30 to 60 percent less water than a standard top-loader.

Compared with the washer you bought in 1995, a 2007 Energy Star conventional top-loader uses about 40 percent less energy and about 25 percent less water. The 2007 Energy Star wash-plate top-loader uses about 60 percent less energy and about 30 percent less water. The 2007 Energy Star front-loader uses about 75 percent less energy and about 60 percent less water.

Many of these new appliances will pay for themselves in energy savings (lower utility bills) in just a couple years. That, and the fact that a new washing machine or dishwasher cleans better than a ten year old one, and you might just find yourself doing some comparison shopping soon.