Consumer

Trustworthy Appliance AdviceUniversal Appliance and Kitchen Center Sales AdvisorsA friend recently purchased an older home in a retirement community, and I'd offered to help him with his appliance selections. In spite of my many years in the appliance industry, my friend wanted to go his own way. He researched refrigerators on Consumer Reports®, and chose to shop at one of the big box home improvement chains (you know, their sales associates wear orange or blue aprons).My friend stuck with the exact model that CR ranked #1, and he found it On Sale at the big box store. Later, when I visited him in his new place, he proudly showed me his new kitchen appliances.It was a small galley kitchen with the door from the garage going directly into the kitchen. His new fridge was right next to the door. Since he had purchased a full-depth refrigerator instead of a counter-depth refrigerator, the refrigerator prevented the door from the garage from opening fully. You had to turn sideways to enter from the garage. Similarly, there wasn't quite enough space for the refrigerator door to open all the way,While I was viewing his new kitchen and dutifully admiring his modest remodeling, I suddenly heard a buzzing sound coming from his refrigerator. It lasted a short time and then went quiet. "What was that, I said?" He replied, "It does that every once in a while." I thought for minute and said, "It sounds like the ice maker." He said, "I don't have

What to look for in Smart AppliancesSmart Choices at Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterWhat's a smart appliance?There's more than one definition, but for our purposes here we're going to say that a smart appliance has some degree of connectivity. It might be as simple as an app that notifies you if your refrigerator door has been left open for some period of time. Or it might be remotely pre-heating and cooking a roast from your smartphone. All of this may sound wonderful, but there are pros and cons.Is it safe?Some manufacturers, as well as UL (Underwriters Laboratory) have expressed views on limiting remote capabilities for certain products. For example, should a remote app for ovens allow consumers to put their ovens through a self-clean cycle while nobody is home? Even remotely operating a cooking appliance of any sort has some consumers wary. One manufacturer has a remote app that can be set to operate only by Bluetooth which gives the homeowner complete use of remotely operating the appliance only within the house.How much is the premium for Smart Appliances?The first refrigerator with a TV built into the door launched over a decade ago and retailed close to $10,000. It really had little functionality, and failed miserably. Today, Samsung has a Family Hub refrigerator with a 21" tall wi-fi enabled full-featured communications center in the door and cameras inside that can be viewed remotely eg. from the grocery store with the Samsung app. The Samsung Family Hub refrigerator retails for $5800.

Where did the porcelain go? Back in the day, nearly all major appliances used porcelain somewhere. Dishwashers had porcelain tubs. Washers and dryers had porcelain tops and lids, and most washers had porcelain tubs. Early ranges used porcelain everywhere, and even today ranges use porcelain oven interiors and many have porcelain tops. Refrigerators evolved from porcelain inside and out (including crispers and liners) to now having no porcelain whatsoever. Porcelain finishes were desirable and manufacturers bragged about them.Making porcelain on steel appliance parts is a complex and expensive process. In addition, environmental issues exist not only at the manufacturing level, but also in disposing of appliances at the end of life. Therefore, over time manufacturers have greatly reduced the use of porcelain in appliances.Inexpensive dishwashers now have plastic tubs, and upscale models feature stainless steel interiors. Refrigerators have plastic crispers and interiors which also allow energy-saving foam-in-place insulation. While you might find washers and dryers with porcelain tops, many now feature a high gloss, durable, painted finish. Inside, very few washers have porcelain tubs. Inexpensive washers might have plastic tubs, while the premium models have tubs made of stainless steel. However, range ovens and built-in ovens still use primarily porcelain for their oven interiors.As a consumer, you should take note of the appliances you have that have porcelain finishes or interiors. When it comes time to dispose of these products, they'll need to be properly recycled. Check local or state regulations and find a certified recycling center for your appliance.