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Recall: Asko Cylinda Dishwashers – 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 Products: Asko DW95 Model Series Dishwashers

Units: About 130,000

Manufacturer: Asko Cylinda AB, of Vara, Sweden

Importer/Distributor: AM Appliance Group Inc., of Richardson, Texas

Hazard: An electrical component in the dishwasher can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 21 reports of dishwasher fires. Product and property damage has been reported. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled dishwashers include the ASKO model series DW95 with model numbers 1355, 1385, 1475, 1485, 1555, 1585, 1595, 1655, 1805, 1885, and 1895 manufactured from January 1995 through April 2000. The model number, serial numbers and manufacture date are printed on the name plate on the right interior side of the dishwasher door. Asko dishwashers manufactured after April 2000 are not included in the recall.

Sold by: Major kitchen appliance distributors/dealers nationwide from January 1995 through April 2000 for between $750 and $1,300.

Manufactured in: Sweden

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the dishwashers immediately and contact Asko to arrange for a free inspection and repair or to participate in a rebate program.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Asko toll-free at (866) 309-9921 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.askousa.com

Picture of Recalled Dishwasher

Picture of Serial Tag Location

It’s not your grandmothers silver – Ionized Silver appliances

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No its not your NANA’s silver its NANO silver from Samsung. silver nano from samsung Samsung, the monster Korean manufacturing conglomerate is taking advantage of silver’s ability to inhibit bacterial growth. By using Nano technology to drop create a mist of silver ions 1/75,000th the width of a human hair Samsung has created a surface coating resistant, and supposedly deadly to a wide variety of bacteria.

The folks at Samsung swear that

the home appliances where the Silver Nano Health System is applied have gone through a series of strict testing at such international agencies as the British Allergy Foundation and the SLG Pruef-und Zertifizierungs GmbH in Germany. While the silver lining behind these high-tech appliances has been certified as effective in killing bacteria, it is also reportedly absolutely harmless to the human body.

They’ve treated air conditioner filters, the inside of refridgerators, dishwashers and even a waterless washing machine which cleans your delicate clothing with a blast of silver filtered hot air.

They call it the Silver Nano Health System. Kind of cool, you can read more about it here:

The silver nano sterilizing washer

or check it out in Polish here:

Recall: Thermador Ceramic Cooktops – 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. Product: Thermador® Brand Ceramic Cooktops

Units: About 2,000

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp. of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The cooktop can come on by itself when switched off, creating a potential fire hazard if flammable items are left on the cooktop.

Incidents/Injuries: None.

Description: The cooktop has electric and induction heating elements with a black ceramic glass surface. This recall involves model numbers CIT302DS/01 and CIT362DS/01 with date codes between 8606 and 8612. The model number and date code can be found on the underside of the cooktop.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from October 2006 through March 2007 for between $1,800 and $2,200.

Manufactured in: Spain

Remedy: Consumers should disconnect the cooktop at the circuit breaker when not in use, and never leave anything on the cooktop when it is unattended. Contact BSH Home Appliances for a free in-home repair.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact BSH Home Appliances at (800) 758-1001 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.thermador.com

Picture of Recalled Ceramic Cooktop
Model Number CIT362DS/01Picture of Recalled Ceramic Cooktop
Model Number CIT302DS/01

Miele is really cooking – 6 burner cooktop is hot (literally)

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One of the hardest parts of doing a minimal remodel on an old kitchen is figuring out how to fit new gear into old spaces. We had a 40 year old cooktop just begging to be scrapped, and needed to find a sleek new stainless steel cooktop to drop into the now hard to match 40 inch hole. Most cooktops today fit either a 36 inch or 42 inch form factor. We were pleased to find that with a little bit of counter shaving the 42 inch Miele could manage in our old 40 inch slot.

miele masterchef cooktop km344
The Miele km344 cooktop has a completely sealed stainless surface. You can spill a pot of boiling water over the surface without worries. Its a 6 burner cooktop, with castiron interlocking grates, self reigniting, with good, old fashioned analog dial controls.
Cooking Surface
The cooking surface is three giant grates, that each cover 2 burners front to back. The grates interlock so they have to go on in order, but there is no wobble, and great stability. No worries that a large pot will tip off of an inadequate grate. On the downside, the cooking surface consists of cast iron fingers reaching towards the center of each burner. It can be diffiicult to find a well supported flat spot to set down a soup bowl while ladling into it. It would be nicer if the grate had a couple of extra tines around each burner to create more broad surfaces for setting things down on the grate. The units continuous grates make it easy to move pots around on the surface without lifting and the sealed burners make cleanup much less complicated.

I find the configuration of the grates annoying in that they seem to be designed for commercial sized or styled cookware that the average home cook (that would be me – and I think most American cooks) does not use.

Heat
The BTUs on the majority of the burners are so high that I find myself needing to reduce the heat to keep the flames from overwhelming my pots and pans.

Here’s the burner configuration:

Burner Configuration
6 completely sealed burners
(2) 9,000 BTU burners
(2) 12,000 BTU High-speed burners
(1) 15,300 BTU Double Ring Super (Wok) burner
(1) 16,500 BTU Double Ring Super (Wok) burner

Oddly enough, the bigger more powerful burners are at the front of the unit rather than the back, so if you have kids in the house and generally want to put giant boiling pots of soup at the back of the cooktop, you find youself stuck using the lowest powered burners.

Cleanup
It looks quite nice, and is generally easy to clean. However, each gas ring is surrounded by a stainless ring that darkens and requires scrubbing with a mild abrasive. This is maintenance that is required regularly. Also, the lovely stainless is scratched anytime someone lifts a burner for cleaning unless the burner is carefully lifted straight up without making any contact with the surface.
Features and Quirks
The quirkiest feature of the cooktop is its propensity for blowing out the flame anytime you open the cabinet doors below the cooktop, or when the nearby oven fan blows across the surface, or when a decent breeze blows in the window. It’s nice that it automatically reignites, but it is kind of humorous to hear the cooktop relighting every few minutes on a windy breezy afternoon.

Final thoughts
Although I may sound dissatisfied, I’m really not. The Meile was pricy, and I have to wonder if it is really worth it, but overall, this cooktop works well, and the customer service has been outstanding and the tune-ups we have needed were done with skill and professionalism.

Famous for Doing Nothing

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He has to be one of the most easily recognized pitchmen on TV. He does nothing. He’s the most bored, lonely guy we know and he’s been missing in action for months. But not any more. He’s back. They found him.

Could it be this guy? I’d pick him just for his creative audition.

Well it’s a big enough deal to make the world news. Check it out:

If these guys don’t heat your clothes, check out this vintage clip with an earlier pitch girl.

Appliance.net, back in February: Whirlpool Seeks New Maytag Repairman

Urban Legends – the truth will out

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I feel sorry for our parents.  They never knew the whether old urban legends were true or false.  We have Snopes – the original, ultimate rumor checker.   The next time somebody sends you an email insisting that you have to “pass it on to everybody you know”  go to snopes first and check it out.

 Here are a few great tidbits related to appliances.

True or False:  You can make water explode in a microwave.

 http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave.asp  Believe it or not, its true.

Here’s an oldie but goodie:  Does plastic leach toxins into your food when microwaved?  Check it out here:

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/cookplastic.asp 

Dangerous Ovens and Stoves That Tip Over

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stove tippingThose of us in earthquake and seismic-savvy Southern California realize that this is a serious concern, of which, I believe, most people are completely unaware. Of greater concern is the risk to  families with children young enough to use simple leverage.   A climbing toddler could easily become a crushed toddler.  My advice would be to bolt the oven to the wall right away, and remember to always keep an eye on kids in the kitchen – there is no substitute for adult supervision.

KHOU has a video and full article.

Greek philosopher Archimedes quipped: “Give me a place to stand on, and I can move the earth.”

Toppling a kitchen appliance is clearly demonstrated by KHOU to be a piece of cake.

On the subject of child safety in the kitchen, here’s a horrible reminder of the dangers of even the most common household appliances when kids are on the loose. http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/dishwasher.asp 

archimedes lever

Recall: General Electric Dishwasher Fire Hazard

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ge dishwasher recallName of product: GE Dishwashers

Units: About 2.5 million

Manufacturer: GE Consumer & Industrial, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: Liquid rinse-aid can leak from its dispenser onto the dishwasher’s internal wiring which can cause an electrical short and overheating, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE has received 191 reports of overheated wiring including 56 reports of property damage. There were 12 reports of fires that escaped the dishwasher. Fire damage was limited to the dishwasher or the adjacent area. No injuries have been reported.

general electric dishwasher recalledDescription: The recall includes GE built-in dishwashers sold under the following brand names: Eterna, GE, GE ProfileTM, GE Monogram®, Hotpoint®, and Sears-Kenmore. The dishwashers were sold in white, black, almond, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the dishwasher’s front control panel. Model and serial numbers can be found inside the dishwasher tub on the front left side of the dishwasher. A table of relevant model and serial numbers can be found on CPSC’s web site.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from September 1997 through December 2001 for about $400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers and contact General Electric for a free repair, a $150 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE dishwasher, or a $300 rebate towards the purchase of a new GE Profile or GE Monogram dishwasher.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact General Electric toll-free at (877) 607-6395 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday. Consumers also can visit the firm’s Web site.

Source.

Brand Model Numbers Must Begin With Serial Numbers Must Begin With
Eterna EDW20, EDW30 SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ, AA, DA, FA, GA, HA, LA, MA, RA, SA, TA, VA, ZA
GE and GE Profile GHD50, GSD40, GSD41, GSD43, GSD46, GSD4910Z, GSD4920Z, GSD4930Z, GSD4940Z0, GSD50, GSD51, GSD521, GSD522, GSD523, GSD531, GSD532, GSD533, GSD535, GSD536, GSD55, GSD56, GSD57, GSD58, GSD59, GSDL3, GSDL6
GE Monogram ZBD3500Z0
Hotpoint HDA3400F, HDA35 SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ
GE and GE Profile GHD35, GSD21, GSD2200D, GSD2200F, GSD2200G, GSD2201F, GSD2220F, GSD2221F, GSD2230F, GSD2231F, GSD2250F GSD23, GSD26, GSD27, GSD3115F, GSD3125F, GSD3135F, GSD3200G, GSD3210F, GSD3220F, GSD3230F, GSD33, GSD341, GSD342, GSD343, GSD345, GSD3610F, GSD3620F, GSD3630F, GSD3650F GSD37, GSD381, GSD382, GSD383, GSD385, GSD391, GSD392, GSD393, GSD4525F, GSD4535F, GSD4555F, GSDL122F, GSDL132F, GSDL24, GSM2100F, GSM2100G, GSM2100Z0, GSM2110D, GSM2110F, GSM2130D, GSM2130F
Sears-Kenmore 363.1438, 363.1447, 363.1445, 363.1448, 363.1457, 363.1467, 363.1475, 363.15161792, 363.1517, 363.1521, 363.1527, 363.1528, 363.1531, 363.1532, 363.1546, 363.1547, 363.1548, 363.1556, 363.1565, 363.1567, 363.1617, 363.1655 SS, TS, VS, ZS, AT, DT, FT, GT, HT, LT, MT, RT, ST, TT, VT, ZT, AV, DV, FV, GV, HV, LV, MV, RV, SV, TV, VV, ZV, AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ

High Tech Home Appliances

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From Forbes magazine:

Fifteen years ago, you needn’t look further than the ice cube-maker on the door of your Whirlpool refrigerator to find innovation. But these days, we expect a bit more than crushed ice when it comes to high-end, high-tech gadgets.

And we’re not afraid to spend on these domestic devices. Consumers worldwide forked over $301 billion on housewares in 2005, and $72.6 billion of that was in the U.S., according to the most recent data compiled by the International Housewares Association.

The latest innovations include a motion-sensing trashcan and a wall-mounted fish tank that’s only 4.2 inches thick and computer-controlled to sense oxygen flow or when water needs changing.

They join a cadre of housewares built to accommodate the consumer who wants user-friendly, time-saving appliances in every room in the home.

Smart Appliances

The Turbo Chef Speedcook Oven, for example, cooks meals 15 times faster than conventional stoves. Unlike your run-of-the-mill microwave, a Turbo Chef-prepared roast is just as well cooked, and sometimes even better than that of a standard oven, the company says. The oven, currently used only in restaurants, will be available to consumers in April.

Steve Beshara, chief branding officer of TurboChef Technologies, says everyday entertainers were hungry for the Turbo Chef for three reasons: performance, design and, of course, efficiency.

“[It] essentially empowers the home cook to be the cook they want to be,” he says. “Time has become the world’s most precious commodity and we’re trying to help busy people enjoy healthier, tastier meals with an efficient, ergonomically designed tool.”

Other time savers abound.

Consider HomeRight’s Velocity Waxer. This cordless contraption allows you to buff and wax your car, truck or yacht in 30 minutes flat.

Or check out Bialetti Thermovisual Cookware, which debuted this week at the 2007 International Home and Housewares Show and will be available later this year. When the line of pots and pans are ready for cooking, they literally say just that, right on the side of each piece. Now, you can spend your time slicing and dicing instead of watching a pot that appears to never boil.

Gorgeous Gizmos
Of course design is also a factor. The Espressione Nuvola Professional Pod Espresso Machine is not only simple to use, it’s lovely to look at. The dry steam makes concocting a milky espresso drink easy as pie, but it’s Espressione’s knack for designing an artful product that distinguishes itself from competitors.

The combination of well thought out constructs and stunning styles has also worked for Simplehuman, a trashcan company that released its the aforementioned garbage pail, boasting a sensor device that’s recessed so to prevent false triggers.

Beauty aside, Gary Grossman, president of Innovations and Developments, a marketing, advertising and industrial design firm that advises companies on what satisfies today’s consumer, says that above all, Americans are in love with ease.

“It all points back to convenience,” he says.

Nifty.

Crunchy Brownie Pan

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Baker's Edge Brownie Pan

Does it have to be electric to qualify as an appliance?

I don’t know and I don’t care. I tell my daughters to bake my brownies for 2 weeks because I can’t get enough crunch.

BoingBoing points to the Baker\’s Edge – Edge Brownie Pan.

Here’s the description from Cooking for Engineers that BB cribbed:

Each of the brownies from the Baker’s Edge did indeed have chewy edges – two of them (and sometimes three) in fact. It was almost like every piece was a corner piece from the standard pan. Therein laid a problem I hadn’t considered. I had tasters that liked brownies with edges and tasters that liked brownies that didn’t have any chewy edges but were soft and moist throughout. With the regular pan, I had corner pieces, edge pieces, and center pieces (although there are always more than four people who want corner pieces and not enough edge pieces). For the edge lovers, the brownies from the Baker’s Edge were perfect – chewy edges surrounding a moist chocolate brownie. For the center lovers, the brownies were good, but they much preferred the texture of the brownies from the 9×13 pan.

Heavenly.