Oven

Jenn-Air’s Convenience Oven

January 24, 2008 By NightOwl

Sometimes all you need is a little extra help. Jenn-air’s convenience oven is just 22 inches high with a 1.2 cubic foot interior. It would be just the thing for a mini kitchen in a guest house or family room. It can bake, broil, toast or warm and the small interior heats up more quickly than a larger oven. Because it is built in, it saves counter space too. Once again though, convenience comes at a price- about $1200 – $1500.

Features:

Controls

* Cook & Hold, Favorite Setting And Keep Warm™ Oven Options.
* Customization Options Include Control Lockout And 72-Hour Sabbath Mode.
* Delay-Start Cooking And Cleaning.
* Electronic Controls With Keypad Entry Include Clock With Timer.
*
Oven
* Bake/Broil/Toast Capabilities With Hi/Lo Temperature Broiling.
* CustomClean™ Self-Cleaning Oven With Auto Lock.
* Extra-Large Panaview™ Oven Window.
* Four-Pass Broil Element.
* Halogen Lighting Of The Oven Interior.

Shopping Tips – Save Money, be Satisfied

January 7, 2008 By NightOwl

Once you’ve read through our articles on choosing a kitchen appliance and have narrowed down your decision, it’s time to shop. A good place to start is with your budget. Knowing what you feel comfortable spending and sticking close to that number will help you to enjoy your new purchases. One good way to stay within a budget is to decide which appliances you want to splurge on and which ones can be more economical.

These tips will help as you search:

Shop for the best buys. Don’t just assume that an appliance warehouse has the best bargains. It’s true that such companies buy directly from the manufacturers, but it’s also common to find a group of smaller dealers who pool their resources to buy bigger volumes at discounted rates from the factory.

Consider the value of warranty along with the price. Ask about the extent of the warranty. Which parts are covered? Does the warranty include labor? Will the warranty be honored by another dealer? In most cases, an extended warranty might no longer be a good investment.

Check on installation requirements.Each appliance may have its own requirements. An icemaker on a refrigerator, for example, requires a water line. A downdraft fan on a cooktop eliminates the need for overhead ventilation, but the vent pipe needs outdoor access. Some installations may require the service of a plumber or electrician before the installation. This will add to the total cost.

Find out what is included in the price. If an appliance requires professional installation, ask if that is included in the purchase price. If you decide to install the appliance yourself, be certain the installation charges aren’t included in your purchase price.

Although new appliances are a fairly long term investment, they’re not a lifetime commitment like they were 30 years ago, so take your time deciding, but remember you can upgrade as your budget permits. So, use these and our other tips and then relax and enjoy your new appliances.

Choosing Kitchen Appliances – Ovens, Cooktops and Hoods

December 29, 2007 By NightOwl

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.

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

December 25, 2007 By NightOwl

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

December 24, 2007 By NightOwl

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.

Whirlpool Aims for Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions

December 21, 2007 By NightOwl

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.

Recall:General Electric Microwave Combo Wall Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

December 5, 2007 By Appliance

Name of Product: Built-in Combination Wall and Microwave Ovens

Units: About 92,000

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

Hazard: The door switch in the microwave oven can overheat and ignite plastic components in the control area, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The lower thermal oven does not pose a hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of 35 incidents of minor property damage and one incident in which a fire damaged adjacent kitchen cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes GE combination microwave and conventional built-in wall ovens sold under the following brand names: GE, GE Profile® and Kenmore. The ovens were sold in white, black, bisque and stainless steel. The brand name is printed on the lower left corner on the front of the microwave door. The following model and serial numbers can be found inside the microwave oven on the left interior wall.

	Recalled Models	Serial number begins with:
GE / GE Profile	JKP85B0A3BB, JKP85B0D1BB, JKP85W0A3WW, JKP85W0D1WW, JKP86B0F1BB, JKP86C0F1CC, JKP86S0F1SS, JKP86W0F1WW, JT965B0F1BB, JT965C0F1CC, JT965S0F1SS, JT965W0F1WW, JTP85B0A2BB, JTP85B0A3BB, JTP85B0A4BB, JTP85B0A5BB, JTP85B0D1BB, JTP85W0A2WW, JTP85W0A3WW, JTP85W0A4WW, JTP85W0A5WW, JTP85W0D1WW, JTP86B0F1BB, JTP86C0F1CC, JTP86S0F1SS, JTP86W0F1WW, JTP95B0A2BB, JTP95B0A3BB, JTP95B0A4BB, JTP95B0A5BB, JTP95B0D1BB, JTP95W0A2WW, JTP95W0A3WW, JTP95W0A4WW, JTP95W0A5WW, JTP95W0D1WW	AZ, DZ, FZ, GZ, HZ, LZ, MZ, RZ, SZ, TZ, VZ, ZZ, AA, DA, FA, GA, HA, LA, MA, RA, SA, TA, VA, ZA, AD, DD, FD, GD, HD, LD, MD, RD, SD, TD, VD, ZD, AF, DF, FF, GF, HF, LF, MF, RF, SF, TF, VF, ZF
Kenmore (All model numbers start with 911)	41485991, 41485992, 41485993, 41485994, 41489991, 41489992, 41489993, 41489994, 49485992, 49489992, 47692100, 47699100, 47862100, 47869100, 47812200, 47813200, 47814200, 47819200, 47792200, 47793200, 47794200, 47799200	0, 1, 2, 3

Sold at: Department and appliance stores from January 2000 to December 2003 for between $1,500 and $2,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the microwave oven immediately. Consumers should contact GE regarding their GE/GE Profile micro-oven combo or Sears for their Kenmore unit. GE is offering a free repair or rebate on a new product, a $300 rebate toward the purchase of a new GE brand unit, or a $600 rebate toward the purchase of a new GE Profile brand unit. Sears is offering a free repair or $300 rebate toward the purchase of a new Kenmore brand unit. Consumers can continue using the lower thermal oven.

Consumer Contact: For additional information on GE /Profile units, contact General Electric toll-free at (888)-240-2745 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET Saturday, or visit GE’s Web site at www.geappliances.com. For additional information on Kenmore units, contact Sears toll-free at (888) 679-0282 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, or visit Sears’ Web site at www.sears.com

Picture of Recalled Built-in Combination Wall and Microwave Oven

Bigger, Faster, Better

November 27, 2007 By NightOwl

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.

Don’t Clean Your Oven Today!

November 21, 2007 By NightOwl

Here’s a very good tip from Appliance411:
as, garberator, microwave, oven, range, stove, refrigerator, automatic and clothes washers or washing machines

Oven Cleaning

It is not usually a good idea to try self-cleaning an oven *immediately* prior to a big dinner. Cleaning a week or more in advance would allow service to be scheduled should a problem arise. They often do… and at the of worst times.

Downsizing? Some Choice Advice for Baby-Boomers

November 13, 2007 By NightOwl

As the population ages, many people choose to move to smaller homes or condos for ease of maintenance. Some Baby-Boomers are purchasing smaller, second homes that can become retirement homes in the future.

Marriette Mifflin at about.com advises:

Take a serious look at your appliances, large and small, and consider their age, general condition, capacity, performance, and how likely you are to use them in the future. Consider the impact of moving certain appliances. Older refrigerators or freezers may not survive a physical relocation and would be best replaced for the new home.

Replacing older appliances for more efficient ones will save you energy dollars and the outlay to purchase now, will hopefully provide you with many years of trouble-free use. Replacing later on a limited budget may be more difficult.

We all have our favorite appliances and housewares, but most of us have items that we actually like, but seldom use for whatever reason. And, we often store appliances that aren’t working quite right, for disposal at some undetermined time – well now is the time. When you’re faced with moving, re-evaluating and de-cluttering is a must.

A second or retirement home may be smaller than the family home you’ve spent many years in new appliances should be evaluated accordingly.

Do you really need a high capacity washer and dryer, or would a compact set be sufficient? What size of refrigerator is adequate? Maximize counter space by choosing space-saving appliances and limiting counter presence by importance, and storing the rest.
Consider handling and ease of operation. Choose a vacuum that you can easily lift and maneuver, or consider an upright that may be easier to handle. When buying a new laundry set, the optional pedestal drawers do add to the cost, but may greatly increase the ease of transferring clothes and reducing back strain. An upright freezer may be more accessible for you than a chest model.

It is worth the investment of some careful planning now– it could pay off with some serious savings financially and emotionally, in the future.