Bureaucracy Works In Your Favor

Hey–government bureaucrats and Congress are easy whipping boys (and girls), but sometimes it works in your favor. In the midst of the recession Congress rushed to fix a problem (that they caused, but hey, this isn’t a political website : ) and in doing so they jumped on the clunkers bandwagon, first using it as a way to resuscitate the auto industry by providing some government funds for trading in cars that were not up to environmental standards. Of course you needed to purchase a new vehicle, but that’s beside the point.

What’s good for the car industry is good for appliances too, right? Things are not that simple in government. When it came to implementing the same style program in a highly decentralized retail industry like appliances, they hit some bumps in the road. One major pothole was that each state had to have a different criteria for Cash for Clunker Appliances. Technically it’s called the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program

This, however, works in the consumers favor . . . maybe. To borrow a political paraphrase, it’s Spring in America and with the economy showing signs of rebounding (because it’s a market and markets do that). That clunker program may well be still going on in your state. That’s right, you might be chomping at the bit for a new refrigerator, that dishwasher might be on its last legs, and who knows how old that range is! Regulators and appliance stores are just waiting to see if you qualify.

I can tell you Clunker Appliance programs have closed in the following states

· Florida
· Illinois
· Iowa
· Kansas
· Minnesota
· Rhode Island
· South Dakota
· Texas

But the rest are up for grabs. Visit the Department of Energy’s website for more details. They are updating state programs with the most current information.

Santa’s Being Practical This Year

As the economy shows signs of improving it’s still a ways from playing “Happy Days Are Here Again” If you are the numbers type, the Conference-Board says consumer confidence is down, the RBC Cash Index says consumer confidence is at a 12 month high. Retailers continue to fight for their customers and appliance manufacturers have recorded declining sales numbers all year.

All these numbers add up to a practical holiday gift season with significant values available. The kitchen remodeling may need to be done in phases, so let’s start with the things we know we need and can build around. Here’s another set of numbers that makes sense, the life expectancy of kitchen appliances, get out the trumpet and blow taps for these kitchen necessities if they are past their prime.

Then move on to some of the latest and greatest of practical household appliances. My once white, 15 year old dishwasher is showing its age and wrinkles. Even a simple white upgrade will do a lot to brighten the place up. One product appliance segment that reported increased sales was freezers and the speculation is that more people are buying in bulk to save money. A pretty practical idea and there is evidence of this from news articles that say “Sam’s Club’s strong sales during the March five-week period benefited from robust member demand for Sam’s value on food and consumables.”

Freezer from Curto Appliances

These practical household appliance necessities might not fit through the chimney, but the savings in this soft market can make up for a lot of tradition.

Here are a couple of appliance resources that use Manna’s High-Speed delivery to ensure your gift will be there for the holidays.

1. Curtos Appliances
2. AM Royal
3. Universal akb
4. Evvive

America Can’t Get Enough of Clunkers

The Cash for Clunkers program that drove Americans to turn in their old cars and spike new car sales is in play for appliances.   A couple of catches however: 1) the US Department of Energy is counting on the states to implement the program, and 2) it is likely you won’t have to bring in a clunker, energy hogging appliance in order to get the rebate.

The details are being worked out state by state. According to a report by CNET senior writer of the Green Tech blog, Martin LaMonica, rebates program should be in place by later this year or the start of 2010.

The appliances likely to be covered include energy hog refrigerators, dish washers, and washers and dryers among others.  The latest appliances to look for are those with the Department of Energy’s, Energy Star label.  That’s a 1992 program that identifies products that are typically 10 – 30 percent more efficient than comparable products.

Here is a state-by-state breakdown of available clunker cash State DOE funds

Mark Glover of McClatchy Newspapers writes that many retailers are gearing up for the appliance clunker cash program.

They are anticipating the same kind of consumer response as the car market, even though it is a fraction of the amount, $300 million for appliances compared with an estimate $3 billion (so far) for the cars program.

Given that this is a state program, it will be interesting to see how the program is applied for internet sales.  We checked an internet appliance etailers, Mike Luongo, president of AM Royal anticipates a program that will benefit consumers and businesses alike.  He is hopeful that common sense will prevail when regulators realize internet retailers serve customers in 50 states.  Trying to administer 50 unique state rebate programs is a large burden to small business.  “It should be as simple as possible to administer, for example a flat rate or single calculation per state that can be in a drop down menu.  A simple program will benefit consumers most because it gives them the greatest choice and competitive prices. That’s what ultimately will achieve the program’s goals of more energy efficient appliances in use and a push for the economic recovery that is just showing signs of beginning,” said Luongo.

Rebates for appliances have been around for a while. The California Energy Commission, for example ,credits its program for helping keep electricity per capita in that state essentially unchanged for nearly 30 years.

If you need a new appliance, now, or really soon might be a good time to be an energy saver.   Here is a list of some that will get you saving kilowatts faster with great installation:

The Industrial Look is in, in Your Kitchen

A recent trend in kitchens is to install professional or professional-like appliances that give you the confidence to cook like an Iron Chef. Ok, it will help if you have some skills to go with these solid ranges, ovens, and refrigerators. This look has several key elements:

1. Stainless steel
2. Larger knobs
3. Larger surface areas

The two major benefits of professional appliances are consistent cooking performance from the appliance, things like accurate temperature controls on ranges, ovens, refrigerators and freezers. Also more room to allow multi-course meals to be delivered at the appropriate temperature. That’s the area where I mess up the most, vegetables are too cold or items on the plate are not ready in unison.

I’m not saying you’ll be able to challenge Bobby Flay to a throwdown, but your family may appreciate dinner time. The operative word in that sentence is may.

The professional appliances being made in a consumer line include wall ovens, indoor grills, and sub-zero refrigerators. These comparatively small investments in the kitchen are sometimes the best values when looking to resell your home. There is nothing like having an open house with new shiny appliances. Penny for penny, it just may be the best purchase you can make with daily and long-term benefits.





Here are a couple of ideas

Bertazzoni
www.bertazzoni-italia.com
866-905-0010

BlueStar
www.prizer-painter.com
610-376-7479

Bosch
www.boschappliances.com
800-944-2904

LG
www.lge.com
800-243-0000

Cook like a Pro by Using What the Pros Use

Ever find a recipe online, follow it to a ‘T’, slave away for hours, and wind up with something that looks like your grandma’s casserole? What gives? Well, once you’ve ruled out user-error, you might take a look at your cooking appliances.

See, the test kitchens used to forge and perfect new recipes are using gas ranges that provide optimal control over cooking conditions, and therefore reap consistent results.

Don’t fret, however. Thanks to the miracle of a competitive market there are a variety of ways to have the commercial experience in your own home. Viking Ranges, for example, offers a complete line of commercial products, including this bad boy. And, of course, you’ll want proper ventilation, so your home doesn’t smell like a commercial kitchen.

If you already have the best equipment out there, and your you’re still churning out culinary atrocities, here are many handy tips from e-cookbooks.net. For example:

When buying a turkey – go for one in the 12-16 pound range. The little ones get blotchy (ew!), and the big ones can give you worms (double ew!)

After grilling – Cool leftovers as quickly as possible. Bacteria multiplies quickly between 45 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

To remove stains from cookware – Boil 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 cup of water for ten minutes. Before using the pan again, season it with salad oil.

The Real Scoop on Ice Machines

Buying a refrigerator is a bit like buying an automobile. We all know what to expect from an excellent refrigerator. Quality design, energy efficiency, temperature and humidity controls, shelf space. The best refrigerators have these qualities, and the worst ones don’t. Consumer Reports can tell you which is which.

And so, often times, buying decisions hinge on the little things. For cars, there are amenities such as cup holders and heated seats. For refrigerators, there is the ice maker. I love ice makers for the reason that I hate ice cube trays. Overflowing water, oversized trapezoidal cubes, weird little crumbs on the bottom (where DO those come from?), and if you want ice, but don’t have ice… Well, you can’t rush chemistry.

Apparently, I am not alone. Take this ranking of the best refrigerators available online cites the Maytag Side by French Door as the best refrigerator available. The criteria? Best icemaker.

The LG Stainless Steel Side by Bottom is relegated to second… Alas, it’s not good for tall glasses, though another LG model is cited for being the first to replicate the shape of the old ice cube trays. Um, that’s a good thing?

Oh, and for those who are interested in learning how refrigerators make ice, now you know.

Can’t Win a Contest? Improve on your Own.

People take their kitchens personally. A search for ugliest kitchen on YouTube yields hundreds of results, many of which are entries for this or that “ugliest kitchens” contest.

You know the kind. Some poor lady makes self-deprecating comments about her olive green stove, or lack of storage, and asks Oprah, TLC or HGTV to help them. Let’s face it, watching shows about ugly kitchens makes us feel better about our own not-necessarily-ugly-but-nothing-I’d-show-off-to-guests kitchens.

So I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is Oprah is not coming to save you. The good news is she probably isn’t going to need to. Replacing an ugly set of cupboards with a dishwasher, for example, can instantly improve your kitchen’s form and function.

Still waiting to win a contest? Go for it, but be warned… The competition is stiff…

).

Good luck. You’ll need it.

Stimulate Your Home With Energy Efficient Appliances

Congress giveth and Congress can taketh away. So you better taketh while Congress is givingeth. The new economic stimulus package includes a provision to increase the tax credit on the purchase of an energy efficient appliance from 10% of the purchase price to 30%.  This is no reason to leave the refrigerator open, but it makes a good case for upgrading your old kilowatt chugging appliances.

Energy efficient appliances are a smart purchase for a variety of reasons. They save on your energy bills, are long lasting, and improve the resale value of your home.

If you’re looking to get started on your energy efficient appliance search, Energy Star has sections devoted to each individual appliance.

Sexy Appliances

Now before you go thinking this blog post is rated R, let’s set the record straight. Most people will think the headline is an oxymoron, that sexy and appliances don’t go together, but here are a couple of images that turns that notion on its head.

The right design and planning can turn a dishwasher or oven into a work of art and beautifully integrate into your kitchen. The dishdrawers from Fisher & Paykel insure that users don’t need to bend to load or retrieve kitchenware.

Sure, style is associated with higher priced appliances like the ones from this Cool as Ice blog post from Trends in Home Appliances, but more traditional brand names are also taking on the styles consumers want.

Amana for example is completely rededicated their brand to focusing on style. In a recent post, they featured on Style File, you’ll be surprised to see a striped refrigerator. It’s a throw back to 70s fashion with a 21st Century fa

mily’s food storage needs in mind.

The start of the year is a great time to get terrific buys on appliances. Have fun shopping around 

with an eye toward design. You don’t need to remodel your kitchen to get a new look. One step at a time works, especially when you are watching dollars and sense.  Fashion sense that is.

Here are a few more resources for stylish appliances and good deals.