Archive for the ‘Ranges’ Category
August 8, 2011
I visited this summer with a homeowner on the upcoming AIA Homes By Architects Tour who loved to cook. Wolf Range makes the go-to cook’s range, but she hated the way it looked.
She loved the look of the GE Cafe dual fuel range, which also happens to be quite a bit more affordable, at $2799. It’s worth taking a look at, due to its professional styling and features:
- Dual fuel means combines the precise temperature control of gas on the stove top and even heating of electric in the oven
- Convection system promises even air and heat circulation, plus it converts temperatures for you automatically.
- Super big (5 cubic foot) oven cavity with meat probe, ideal for large roasts and — since it has convection — multiple racks of dishes
- PowerBoil 18,000 BTU gas burner means water boils really quick, plus high heat for more professional-style cooking
Tags:AIA, convection oven, dual fuel, GE, GE Cafe, range
Posted in Appliance Design, cooking, Ranges | Comments Off
June 23, 2011
If Sisyphus existed in modern times, his eternal punishment would be achieving a clean stovetop. Because it’s almost impossible.
If your stove top is white, you can never quite remove every last discoloration. If you’re cleaning a glass top stove, you’ll rue the day you ever overboiled a pot or cooked atop existing food residue. Black glass top ranges seem to attract dust every night.
Miracle in a sponge.
I’ve blogged previously about how to a clean stove top using Barkeepers Friend and a razor blade, but if you could only buy one tool, make it the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or (if you’re cheap like me) its generic copycats.
Made of melamine foam, whose tiny particles act like extra-fine sandpaper when moistened, magic erasers do as named and erase otherwise persistent stains from hard surfaces. You might want to test a small area if you’re nervous about scratches, but I’ve never run into any problems.
I use mine to remove hardened food the discoloration around the burners on my white gas range, but it multitasks in my porcelain sink and especially on shower tile soap scum and grout mildew.
Am I missing anything? I bet there are tons of creative uses for these.
Tags:cleaning tips, Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, stovetop
Posted in Cleaning, Ranges | Comments Off
May 9, 2011
The biggest step toward making your house energy efficient is choosing Energy Star appliances. Energy Star appliances offer 10-50% energy savings compared to standard, new appliances.
So, I’m not even talking how much energy savings you’ll get from unplugging your decade-or-so old refrigerators, washers, freezers and dishwashers.
But just because Energy Star only rates those four appliance categories, doesn’t mean you can’t be energy efficient on your stove and dryer, for instance.
Here are six ways to further reduce your energy bill by staying mindful of ways you can save on home energy use.
1. Stop rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, which wastes up to 20 gallons of water. Energy Star dishwashers use only 4 gallons of water on average.
2. Water heating consumes about 90% of the energy it takes to operate a clothes washer. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut energy use in half. Using the cold cycle reduces energy use even more.
3. Use the moisture sensor option on your dryer, which automatically shuts off the machine when clothes are dry, saving energy and reducing wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying.
4. Choose the right-sized pot on stove burners and keep it covered to cook more efficiently and keep your kitchen cooler.
5. Move your refrigerator away from the stove, dishwasher, or heat vents. Make sure the door seals are airtight. Also, keep your refrigerator and freezer stocked to hold temperature better and operate more efficiently.
6. Microwaves only use about half as much electricity as regular ovens, so using them is already a smart alternative. But you can save even more energy if you defrost food in the refrigerator instead of the microwave and cook food in its serving dish save the cost of the water used to do twice as many dishes.
Tags:Appliances, energy efficiency, energy efficient, Energy Star, home energy use
Posted in Dryer, Energy Efficiency, Energy Star, Microwave, Ranges, Refrigerator, Sustainability, Washer | Comments Off
May 2, 2011
Induction burners heat only magnetic surfaces (like cookware) and nothing else.
While visiting a home in my neighborhood on the Minneapolis – St. Paul Home Tour yesterday, a tour representative said this homeowner’s renovation included switching from an electric stove to a gas stove and how much the representative wished she had a gas stove top in her own home.
“Well, what about induction?” I asked her.
It’s no longer just a choice between gas or electric stoves; homeowners with electric hookups can enjoy all the power of gas plus more responsiveness.
What do you lose with induction? All the wasteful energy loss. Cooking with induction is 70% more efficient than gas and 20% more efficient than electric.
Clean up is easier than smooth top gas ranges because spills don’t burn onto the surface. You can stick a hundred-dollar bill between an induction burner element and a pot of boiling water without worry
Why? Induction burners only heat magnetic surfaces (so you’ll know if your pots and pans are compatible if a magnet sticks to the bottom!), which also make induction cooktops popular choices for kid- and pet-safe kitchens.
Due to its recent rise in popularity (induction has been around since the ’70s but only took off recently), brands now make induction ranges in addition to induction cooktops.
More chefs and gourmet cooks are choosing induction; we put a Thermador induction cooktop in Midtown Global Market’s Kitchen in the Market just this year. I can’t wait to see more people delight in the ability to cook like they’re using gas without the cost and hassle of switching from electric.
Tags:electric stove top, energy efficiency, gas cooktop, induction, induction cooktop, Kitchen in the Market, Thermador
Posted in Cleaning, cooking, Cooktops, Energy Efficiency, Innovative Features, Ranges | 3 Comments »
March 9, 2011
We’ll have thousands of appliance deals on hand for Warners’ Stellian’s (now-famous) Extreme Warehouse Sale, taking place 7 a.m. to 5 :30 p.m. Saturday, March 12 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13.
Though there’s absolutely no early shopping allowed, I can give you this little preview of the appliance discounts smart shoppers will be snapping up at our St. Paul appliance warehouse (550 Atwater Circle, 1 miles north of I-94 & Dale).
See my tips on how to shop for appliance deals. Aside from the products pictured below, look for:
- Electrolux laundry pair (gas dryer) for $1399
- Up to 80% off professional built-in cooking products
- A whole truckload of Bosch dishwashers
- Up to 30% off blemished Frigidaire freezers
- $249 for Dyson refurbished vacuums
- $600 off our best-selling French-door refrigerator
All prices are good only while quantities last.
$349 GE stainless steel dishwasher with steam pre-wash
$399 stainless steel Frigidaire gas range with electronic oven controls
$399 (white or black) or $499 (stainless steel) 18.2 cu. ft. refrigerator with glass shelves. 66-1/8"H x 30"W x 29-7/8"D
$599 stainless steel KitchenAid dishwasher with 4 stainless steel wash arms and stainless steel interior
$799 stainless steel gas KitchenAid range, with 5 burners and electronic oven controls
$799 stainless steel electric KitchenAid range, with 5 burners and electronic oven controls
$799 Frigidaire washer (4 cu ft) and electric dryer (7 cu ft, gas dryer $70 extra). Buy one pedestal, get one free (with this pair purchase; $220 value)
$999 STEAM Frigidaire washer (4.2 cu ft) and electric dryer (7 cu ft, gas dryer $70 extra). Buy one pedestal, get one free (with this pair purchase; $220 value).
$1099 (stainless steel) or $899 (white or black) 19.7 cu ft French-door refrigerator. Spill-proof glass shelves and icemaker. 68-7/16"H x 29-7/8"W x 31-3/4"D.
$1499 LG STEAM washer (4.5 cu ft) and electric dryer (7.4 cu ft, gas dryer $70 extra). Pedestals available at additional cost.
Tags:Appliances, Cheap appliances, Discount appliances, dishwasher, dishwashers, Dryer, Dyson, Electrolux, Extreme Warehouse Sale, freezer, Frigidaire, KitchenAid, LG, range, stainless steel appliances, Warners' Stellian, washer
Posted in About Warners' Stellian, Budget-wise, Discount appliances, Dishwashers, Dryer, Ranges, Refrigerator, Washer | Comments Off
March 4, 2011
If you haven’t registered yet, you still have three days left to cash in on the 2011 Appliance Stimulus.
The deals are pretty exceptional, seeing as you get at least a $100 rebate on most dishwashers and refrigerators and our average customer buying a washer and dryer pair is getting a $150 rebate ($50 each, plus a bonus $50 for buying a qualifying pair).
Plus, that stove or dryer you needed last March that didn’t qualify for a rebate? This time it does. You can get at least a $100 rebate on most stoves.
See our appliance stimulus webpage for full details on rebate amounts, participating brands and — most importantly — how to register.
Tags:Appliance rebates, Cash for Appliance, dishwashers, Dryers, mnappliancerebate, Ranges, rebates, refrigerators, Washers
Posted in About Warners' Stellian, Budget-wise, Cash for Appliances, Discount appliances, Dishwashers, Dryer, Events, Ranges, Refrigerator, Washer | Comments Off
February 23, 2011
We WERE the news for a couple days.
My appliance career peaked too early, last March to be exact.
The apex of discount appliances happened March 1, 2010 when the “Cash for Appliances” appliance rebate reservations began in MN.
The appliance stimulus, as we refer to it, promised money back on refrigerators, freezers, washers and dishwashers.
I was in heaven for that week. People got as excited about appliance deals then as we are every day here.
Many tried to take advantage of those appliance rebates, but only about 30,000 got to cash in their appliance “clunkers.” Many others were left without the appliance deal and are still waiting to replace.
Our appliance sales remained good in the months that followed, don’t get me wrong, but people still asked about the possibility of getting a big rebate for replacing an appliance. And we missed 
having a appliance rebate stimulus, too, frankly.
So we made our own 
Beginning now, you can reserve a Appliance Stimulus Rebate at Warners’ Stellian, good Feb. 26 through March 6.
What’s different?
- We decided to included non-Energy Star products so people could get rebates things like ranges/stoves, dryers, ovens and cooktops that didn’t qualify for the government appliance rebates.
- You’re not limited to just one rebate, which means you can get up to $1,200 total in rebates. Buy a laundry pair and get rebates on both the washer and dryer (and grab an extra $50 on qualifying pairs!). You are, however, limited to one rebate per appliance category with the exception of cooking; for instance, you can get a rebate on both a cooktop and wall oven.
- Most major brands are participating, though we can’t offer rebates on UMRP products (see store for details)
- See more details here
You must register for a rebate online so we can e-mail you a confirmation page. Print it out and present it at any of our 7 Minnesota kitchen showrooms, and we’ll help you get a super good appliance deal on something you’re just going to love putting in your home.
Here we go again!
Tags:Appliance rebates, Appliance stimulus, Cash for Appliances, Discount appliances, Minnesota, Warners' Stellian
Posted in About Warners' Stellian, Cash for Appliances, Discount appliances, Dryer, Energy Star, Events, Ranges | Comments Off
February 17, 2011
This post is the latest in the series “How long do appliances last?”
Yup, you're stuck with it for the next 16 or 17 years. So you better be sure it's the right fit for you and your family (see how I just made another baby-with-appliances pic happen?).
The average lifespan of an electric range and gas range is 16 years and 17 years, respectively, according to data published by Appliance Magazine in 2010. The life span reflects how long the first owner of a range owned it, which doesn’t necessarily mean that it broke down.
Considering your range, statistically, will be able to drive before you kick it out of the house — the longest lifespan of any appliance in this series — you should probably invest the most in it.
(Or at least that’s my rationalization. But you may borrow it.)
I love comparing appliances to cars (here, here and here just to name a few), and this reminds me of my Toyota Corolla, which I hate. I shared my feelings with my dad, who asked, “Then why did you buy it?”
Being practical, I of course bought it for the reliability.
Being wise, my dad replied, “That just means you’re going to hate it for longer.”
Dang him being right.
The good news is our sales associates do a pretty good job asking you the kind of questions that really get at what you like, don’t like and really need in a new appliance. I like to think we’re the eHarmony of appliance retailers.
Verdict: Buy a range you love, because you’re going to be loving it for a long time. Or else you’ll end up cooking on my Toyota Corolla…or something like that.
Tags:Appliance Magazine, appliance shopping, Appliances, Electric stoves, Gas range, lifespan, Toyota Corolla
Posted in Appliance Design, Ranges | 1 Comment »
January 21, 2011
Dramatization. Warners' Stellian responsibly recycles all replaced appliances.
Replacing a broken down appliance ranks among our least favorite situations as a retailer, because our customers might not be so excited to getting a new refrigerator as we would hope. Instead, these shoppers meet us in many points along the appliance mourning spectrum (denial, anger, bargaining, depression).
I recall countless conversations consoling those bereaved, especially, of more “recent” appliance purchases — which, though a bit longer than 10 years ago, struck owners as not lasting as long as they should. Or certainly, not as long as “the old one.”
“They just don’t make ‘em like they used to,” I offer, and most agree and move into the last stage of appliance grief: acceptance.
What we didn’t generally get into was how they make ‘em today. Specifically, how long should your appliances last?
Over the next few (indeterminate unit of time), I will get into that. And I will throw in some other fun number factoids (bonus!).
Tags:Appliances, lifespan
Posted in Appliance Design, Dishwashers, Microwave, Ranges, Refrigerator, Washer | 2 Comments »
January 20, 2011
I've got you covered on cleaning conundrums.
Drip pans for stoves rank among the toughest cleaning jobs in the kitchen.
Grime on aluminum burner pans, which fit under the electric coils on your range, often seemed to me to be resistant to scrubbing.
And they probably are, if you’re using regular cleaners and scrubbers.
Look familiar?
But my two tricks for cleaning drip pans — one for weekly cleaning and one for deeper cleaning — will keep them looking new and thus, keep you from replacing them so often!
Bonus: Clean drip pans for your electric stove don’t just serve cosmetic purposes; keeping the surface reflective ensures the most efficient use of heat, meaning you’ll use less energy when you keep your burners and drip pans clean.
Spot cleaning burner pans
For day to day drips and stains, make sure the burner’s completely cooled and pull it up and out from the stove top (see photo below). I usually remove the drip pan to my sink to avoid peripheral messes. Wet the drip pan and sprinkle on a liberal amount of my co-favorite household cleaner, Bar Keeper’s Friend (name the other in the comments for a gold star). Use a rag to work the cleaner into a paste and polish off the mess. Rinse and dry thoroughly before replacing the pans.
Carefully remove the electric burner before cleaning its drip pan.
Deep cleaning drip pans
Pick a time when you don’t need to use your sink or stove for several hours, like right before bed or work. Again, wait until the stove is cool and remove the burners. Put each burner pan in separate gallon plastic bags. Add 1/4 cup of ammonia to each and fill the remainder with hot tap water. Close the bags and let them sit overnight (or for several hours).
Then, drain the bags and scrub off the loosened mess. Rinse well before applying any other cleaners, as ammonia can create toxic fumes when mixed. Rinse and dry thoroughly before replacing.
Let me know if you try this and how it worked for you!
Tags:Ammonia, Bar Keepers Friend, Burner pans, cleaning tips, Electric stoves, Green cleaning, Maintenance, Stove tops, Stoves
Posted in Cleaning, Cooktops, FAQ, HOW TO, Ranges | Comments Off
