Blog

When you’re remodeling your kitchen, there are lots of things to plan and budget for. One of the most difficult decisions is should you buy new appliances for your new kitchen. While you may want the aesthetics of a shiny new appliance, what should you do if it is basically in good working order? So, here we’ll explore the argument for replacing each of your kitchen appliances. Refrigerators The refrigerator is likely to be the hardest working appliance in your home and it is vital to keep your food safe for consumption. The average lifespan of a typical refrigerator is 10 to 15 years, but the older the appliance is, the less likely it is to be energy efficient. Today’s energy efficient models use up to 60 percent less energy compared to models made in 2000. However, you can expect to pay $900 to $8,000 for a new refrigerator depending on the type, size and features. So, you need to think about the expense vs the savings. If your refrigerator is only five or so years old, you are only likely to save less than $20 a year on your energy bills by upgrading. However, if your appliance is older, there is the potential to save up to $200 a year. Ranges A range is typically one of the most durable kitchen appliances and you can expect it to last up to 20 years with maintenance and some minor repairs. A new model can cost $650 to $2,000+, so if

If you’re interested in a greener lifestyle, you need to consider your home appliances. While making transport changes and adopting ecofriendly habits are a solid start, if your appliances are plugged in 24/7, have a leak, or are not adjusted to the optimal settings, it could compromise your green intentions. So, here we’ll explore energy saving tips for your home appliances, so you can feel confident that you are doing your part for the planet. Fix Any Leaks A leaky washing machine or dishwasher can have a massive impact over time. While it may appear to be a harmless drip or two, it can add up to several gallons in a month. This not only adds hundreds of dollars to your water bills, but it wastes a precious resource. So, if you suspect that there is any type of leak near your appliances, you should call in a repair technician to resolve it as quickly as possible. Adjust Your Settings If you have central air, remember that it doesn’t need to be running constantly. While you want to remain comfortable, keeping your thermostat at a moderate temperature, particularly in summer and winter can reduce your bills and ecological damage. You should also look at your fridge and freezer settings. While these appliances need to be cool to keep your food items fresh, keeping the settings on high can actually be detrimental. You may find that your items get freezer burn or end up frozen if they sit too near the

The holiday season is when families and loved ones come together to enjoy delicious food and drinks. If you’ve got the responsibility to host a celebration like this, you will have to make preparations and still have time to spend with your guests. This can be tricky, but you can make your life easier if you have the right kitchen appliances. But, a great kitchen isn’t just for the holiday season; it’s the gift that keeps on giving for the entire year! In this article, we will take a look at seven kitchen appliances that we believe are essential to get the most out of your holiday hosting experience. A Warming Drawer Any holiday host will find that a warming drawer can be a real help when they’re preparing food for larger groups of people. When you’re working on many dishes at the same time, it’s very difficult to keep food warm until you’re ready to serve it. Meal prep takes time, and certain courses cannot be cooked until the guests have arrived. Keeping food hot is important to maintain food safety when you won’t have time to reheat or check each food item individually. Look for a unit with a variable temperature and humidity controls to keep your food in excellent shape until you’re ready to serve. A sleek warming drawer may also have a modern aesthetic appeal to complement your kitchen. 2. A Double Wall Oven A double wall oven allows you to cook more food at the

Any good kitchen remodel should include placement ideas that work well together to make the entire space efficient and easy to use. Due to its size and bulky nature, it can be tricky to place the refrigerator in the areas where you want it to reside. For this reason, the refrigerator is often forced into the corner, which can be a clumsy compromise at best. But, the layout and size of your kitchen can play a huge part in the decision for a final location for your refrigerator. In this article, we will look at four cool refrigerator placement options for your kitchen remodel. 1.  The Default Corner Placement Let’s start with the most common refrigerator placement that we tend to see in pretty much every kitchen. The most obvious reason for this placement is that you want to avoid impeding movement when the refrigerator doors are open. Another consideration is that a refrigerator tucked in the corner won’t attract attention away from more desirable features. The first concern is valid, but depending on the layout of your kitchen it may be possible to allow access without creating an obstacle. The second problem can be solved if you invest in a refrigerator with a more attractive aesthetic appeal in-line with the rest of the space. Alternatively, you can conceal the refrigerator with clever cabinetry solutions to make the space more uniform and consistent. 2.  Pantry Placement Considerations When you’re thinking about the placement of your refrigerator, it’s a good idea

This is a popular debate that has been raging in foodie circles for many years and there is no sign of a resolution in sight. When it comes to entertaining guests in a busy kitchen, it’s important to choose a Range that can perform efficiently at a high standard. In the past, this question would have been easier to answer, but modern Ranges have a number of useful features that make the choice a little more challenging. In this article, we will take a closer look at gas and electric Ranges to help you make an informed purchasing decision. The Initial Costs When you remodel your kitchen, the cost of a Range can have a major impact on your budget. An electric Range tends to be a lower initial investment when compared to a gas alternative. As you can see from our electric Range selection, it is possible to get a good Range at a very reasonable price. An electric Range typically has a cost of $450 up to $950 and the gas Range price range is $980 up to $2,100. But, that isn’t the whole story because the operating cost after installation is a little higher with an electric Range. The difference isn’t huge, it costs around $50 per annum to run an electric Range and this figure is based on a daily usage of around 30 minutes. Your Preferred Cooking Style When you cook, it’s important to use a Range that you enjoy using and that cooks the

Managing a work and home life has been a challenge over the last year, and it seems that the situation may continue for some time to come. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way many people work and working remotely has become a necessity. This presents some fresh challenges, it may seem like a dream to work from home, but there are many distractions. When it’s a short hop from your desk to anywhere in your home there can be a number of additional demands on your time. This is especially true when it comes to cooking a family meal when you’re trying to network or meet a critical deadline. In this article, we will take a look at three smart kitchen appliances that can help you manage your work life balance. 1.  The Smart Range When your kids need to attend a virtual class online and you’re working remotely, it can be hard to find time to cook a meal. But, it’s important to have quality family time and everyone deserves a home cooked meal. As you’re at home anyway, you’re going to feel under pressure to cook the meal and stay on top of your work at the same time. When you’re busy, you can’t spend the day cooking and you need some help to save valuable time. A smart range is handy because it can preheat your oven for you from anywhere. You can control the range remotely which means that you can stay on that project

When it comes to making a change in your kitchen, you’re likely to want a new range. We have many excellent models available with the latest features. But, when it comes to powering or fueling the range, which is the best choice, gas or electric? A Brief Primer When it comes to replacing a larger appliance such as a range or stove, there are some challenges that you may need to overcome. Most people go with an appliance that uses the same fuel source as their older model. This is because it’s easier to hook up the appliance without any extra work and the higher installation costs that follow. But, in recent years we have seen a surge in the popularity of cooking shows and associated social media. Many professional cooks prefer to use gas and this has encouraged a lot of people to make the switch. But many of us don’t have a gas line or it would be very hard to run a line out to the kitchen. Only 50% of American homes have gas service and the rest of us need to use electric appliances. So, the natural question on the lips of many cooks is does gas cooking live up to the hype? When you cook with an electric range can you achieve similar cooking results? Let’s take a look at some simple cooking tests to compare gas and electric performance against each other. 3 Simple Cooking Tests Over the years, cooking experts and consumer groups

Most dishwasher users load their machines every night without thinking too much about how the cycle works. We simply get up in the morning and our dishes are sparkling clean and ready to put away. But, there is a lot more to the process than simply pressing a start button. A modern dishwasher has a number of useful cycles that can save time and energy and even extend the expected lifespan of your appliance. In this article, we will take a closer look at how dishwasher cycles work. A Brief Primer The dishwasher is programmed to operate for a certain period of time to make the best use of the water and break down the grime on dishes. The water flows into the appliance and agitates the food debris that’s left behind on the surfaces of your dishes and cookware. The process begins when the discharge pump empties the remaining water into the appliance and then hot water is introduced. This fills a reservoir at the base of the dishwater and energy is expended to heat the water. The exact temperature used will be determined by the cycle that you choose. You want to select a dishwasher cycle that’s effective and yet you want to use the least amount of energy to save money. This is a delicate balancing act and the situation is exacerbated because different makes and models of dishwashers will not perform in the exact same way. So, when you want to get the best performance and

Many homeowners dread the arrival of their energy bills. The cost of energy seems to continually increase and it can be daunting to anticipate whether your bill will be higher or lower this month. While you may be aware that heating and cooling accounts for a large proportion of energy bills, you may not know which of your major appliances are contributing to those hefty bills. Here we’ll explore the four appliances that use the most energy and the ways you can boost their efficiency to lower your utility bills. The Dishwasher: According to Connect4Climate data, dishwasher’s only require approximately $49 of energy per year. While your dishwasher may not be using a lot of energy throughout the year, it can use lots of water. There are a few ways to decrease your dishwasher water usage. The best way is to only run a cycle when the dishwasher is full. While some models have a half load program, it is more efficient to only run the dishwasher with a full load. This will also save on electricity and detergent costs. If you switch to an Energy Star model, you can save gallons of water and energy each year. So, spending a little more initially on your new appliance can be well worth it in the long run. Your Electric Oven or Range: If you used your oven every day set at a 350ºf temperature, you would spend $90 a year on energy costs. So, if you use your oven more

The prices of produce have significantly increased in recent years. This makes it crucial that you properly preserve the produce you purchase. Fortunately, this is easy to accomplish with proper use of your refrigerator humidity drawers. Your humidity drawers are more than a handy place to store beers or awkward items that do not fit on the shelves; they are actually specifically designed for produce. So, here we will delve into how your humidity drawers work and how you can best use them. The Humidity Drawer Basics Humidity drawers are compartments in the refrigerator that regulate the humidity levels for your produce. Different types of produce have different humidity requirements. This is why many people often refer to these drawers as crisper drawers. The optimum humidity will keep your produce fresher for longer, saving money and avoiding the unnecessary cost of food waste. The Different Humidity Requirements for Different Produce The most important lesson to learn about humidity drawers is knowing the different humidity requirements for different produce. Generally, fruits require drier conditions for optimum freshness; excessive moisture can encourage spoiling. For this reason, they should be separated from other produce items as these items emit ethylene gas, which causes ripening and breaking down, encouraging spoiling. Vegetables such as onions can also spoil in higher humidity, so prefer lower humidity conditions. Conversely, leafy vegetables thrive in high humidity. This keeps the leaves crisp and delicious rather than limp and sad. If you tend to have a mixture of different fruits