Chances are, you don’t.

Do your relationships with your appliances need improvement? Here’s how you can inject some sizzle in your steaks and chills into your key lime pies. Do less work cleaning in the kitchen and more work creating delicious meals!

Heating up:

The basic cooktop has evolved from freestanding to the built-in look. It is called a “slide-in” and has it’s controls along the front. The whole unit is a glass cook-top and an oven all in one. The glass top can be used for extra counter-space when the top is not in use. One advantage to having a glass top is that it overlaps the counter and eliminates any waste or spills going down the sides. The controls on the front of the device are also much safer than having it on the traditional back-panel.

Induction ranges and cook-tops are getting popular because they allow you to have all the benefits of a gas range. They are fast heating, safe and easily controlled. Electrolux has an induction glass top slide in range and Bosch just released one as well. If you are buying an induction range, you will need to find out if your cookware will work on the induction cook top. If your fridge magnets stick to the bottom of your cookware, you don’t need to change it. The glass top of the induction range top is not difficult to clean as there is no heat from the element, so food from spills do not burn onto the surface.

OTRs, or over the range microwaves with a built in fan are still popular for small spaces. We are seeing less & less microwave use and more people are willing to give them up altogether. A healthy choice is a convection toaster oven or steam oven to take the place of a microwave.

Blowing Out:

Hood fans should be quiet, and efficient with variations in speed and light. The main thing to remember is to chose your range first, look at the size of the space to be ventilated or the size of the kitchen. Choose the fan powerful enough to handle the BTUs when all the elements are on full. The position over the cook top is important. Minimum requirements vary from brand to brand. Venting should be short and straight for the best efficiency. A national building code says that homes have to provide makeup air usually through the furnace to provide an exchange of breathable of air.

Cold Chills:

Refrigerators have improved greatly in the preservation of food. Sub-Zero has lead the way in food preservation by improving the constant temperature of the interior, which has been found to be the key to longer lasting food. Sub-Zero is known for its separation of freezer compressor and fridge compressor thereby improving the consistency of temperature in both compartments. Other brands circulate the cold from the freezer into the fridge which varies the temperature and causes the food to spoil faster. Towers and fridge drawers are getting more popular because they are almost hidden and can improve the flow of the kitchen greatly. Thermador’s paneled 18″ wide built-in freezer tower is so integrated you don’t even know it’s not another cabinet!

Washing Up:

People who have stuck with their older model dishwasher, afraid to change to stainless steel because of the cleaning factor, can now have a smudge proof stainless steel solution! It’s truly stainless, and has a protective coating that makes the surface easy to clean. Smudge proof appliances were just released from Frigidaire.

In Summary

BALANCE FORM AND FUNCTION – choose appliances that not only function well, but look good.
QUANTITY OR QUALITY– invest the most money into the one appliance that will give you the most return on investment.
DURABILITY– Chose good brand names, good engineering and quality parts. The machine should be backed up by a warranty and good customer service should anything go wrong. Technical specifications should be clear and accurate.
CLEANLINESS – When it comes to keeping the unit clean and working efficiently, the latest technology has you in mind. AEG has an oven that cleans itself every time you use it. Smudge proof appliances will save you hours of wiping. Asko dishwashers remove the condensation from the unit during the drying cycle so you can avoid the rings and water on your dishes.

Thanks to Jasmine Jeon at Coast Appliances and Mark Eglington of Euro-Line Appliances West for their input.

Do you love your appliances? Or do you need an upgrade? Call or write Shelley for a new appliance or kitchen consultation.