Category Archives: Appliance Design

HOW TO: buy a window air conditioner

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Don’t expect any reprieve after the weekend’s hot, humid weather. Today’s supposed to see record high temperatures in the 90s.

Excessive Heat Warnings have been issued for this afternoon and early tonight for Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

Here at Warners’ Stellian, that means sweaty, sleepless customers start shopping for window AC units (or wall air conditioners).

If you’re shopping for a window air conditioner but don’t know what to look for, check out our air conditioner buying guide.

Don’t try to sweat it out, either, thinking you’ll save money. Buy early in the season, because window air conditioning is a seasonal item and runs out at nearly every store every summer. TRUST. ME.

I fielded far too many calls from desperate families looking for window air conditioners later in the summer after stores had sold out of normal window air conditioner BTU units (the only units left were the more expensive, 20,000-plus BTU units). My heart broke for families pleading for help for their elderly parents, etc. But once they run out…

Buying bigger than you need isn’t a great idea, either, or moisture won’t be removed from the air. From our buying guide:

In addition to cooling, air conditioners also dehumidify a small amount of moisture from the air. So it’s important to buy an air conditioner with cooling power appropriate to the size of the room it is in. If the air conditioner is too powerful, the room will be cooled too quickly for moisture to be removed. This results in a lower room temperature with high humidity levels. This kind of environment can cause the air conditioner to cycle on and off, ultimately creating a room that feels damp and clammy.

In terms of figuring out how many BTUs you should buy, Good Housekeeping has a great online calculator to take the guesswork out of it.

Of course, Warners’ Stellian can do the calculating for you if you come prepared with your square footage and room information.

Liebherr cigar humidor blows no smoke

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We’ve seen growing online interest in Warners’ Stellian’s Liebherr Cigar Humidor in the past month. I figured I’d learn about this product that’s enjoyed such a spike in orders.

Liebherr is a German company known as a high-end refrigeration specialist. Its XS 200 is a quality glass-front humidor that not only delivers the electronic humidor preservation a cigar lover looks for, but its styling looks totally distinctive.

When I think of a cigar humidor, I think of a wooden box-style humidor of my dad’s that used to sit on an end table in our house. (Not the most attractive showpiece.)

The XS200, on the other hand, has Liebherr’s sleek, European styling and a stainless steel — not wood — cabinet. Spanish cedar wood is used for the shelving and is removable if desired or for cleaning.  After its recent European launch, the XS 200 won a prestigious red dot award for design.

But prettiness aside, humidity and temperature control are the main reasons for a humidor. Without humidity and temperature control, your cigars could suffer an outbreak of tobacco beetles, whose voracious appetite could ravage your collection.

How do you feel about sharing your cigar collection with this cuddly fella?

Liebherr’s MagicEye control system, with three control circuits and four fans, allows individual settings for humidity (between 68%-75%) and temperature (between 61 degrees and 68 degrees).

The integrated water tank holds distilled water regulated by sensors and a visual display, which alerts the owner to refill. Liebherr’s humidor responds to a change in humidity and temperature within minutes, which is important because constancy is crucial in cigar preservation.

Other key features include:

LED lighting — not only does it look better than standard lighting, it emits virtually no heat to compromise your collection. (And the dimmer function helps you choose just the right “mood lighting” for your cigar collection display — whatever mood that may be.)

Activated charcoal filter — ensures fresh, clean air flow

Glass-front door — allows owner to monitor temperature and humidity control display to avoid frequent door-opening that could affect conditions inside the humidor

Water reservoir — insusceptible to mold and rot, easy to clean, and holds 3 months worth of water at a time

Liebherr’s XS-200 measures 24-1/8″ high, 16-3/4″ wide and 18-7/8″ deep.

Warners’ Stellian currently offers the XS 200 for $2,599, which includes free shipping to anywhere we can sell Liebherr (peach-colored states).

10 Sneaky Ways You’re Wasting Money in the Kitchen

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burningmoneyYou bought your kitchen appliances on sale. Bonus: they’re Energy Star, so you’ll save money in water and energy costs.

But did you ever think that the way you use your appliances can really affect your utility bills?

Here are 10 energy-wasting choices to avoid:

1. Making your dishwasher heat up cold water

Run hot tap water before you run your dishwasher it doesn’t have to heat up the water as long.

2. Setting your refrigerator and freezer too cold

Your fridge section should be set at 37 degrees to 40 degrees, and your freezer section should be set at 5 degrees. A deep freeze should be set at zero degrees.

3. Using an uncovered pot to boil water

Think of all the heat  — and time — lost without a cover on  a pot of heated water. Instead, a cover traps the energy in.

4. Selecting “Heat Dry” on your dishwasher

If you don’t wash a lot of plastic dishes, or lots of dishes in general, choose the “Air Dry” setting or simply prop your dishwasher door open after the rinse cycle.

5. Leaving foods uncovered in the refrigerator

Uncovered foods release moisture, causing the compressor to work harder. Instead, cover all liquids and foods.

6. Prewashing your dishes

Not only will it decrease the effectiveness of your dishwasher detergent, prewashing your dishes is unnecessary and wastes water. Just scrape off the big pieces of food.

7. Ignoring the gasket on your refrigerator

Close your refrigerator door over a piece of paper or dollar bill so it’s half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull it out easily, your door seals aren’t airtight.

Try moistening the gasket with a thin layer of Vaseline, which should create a better seal. If that doesn’t do the trick, you might need to replace the gasket altogether.

8. Cooking with dirty burners and drip pans

Clean burners and drip pans will reflect the heat better, cooking your food faster and saving you energy.

9. Placing small pans on bigger burners

Match pans to the size of the element. Otherwise, you’re using energy to heat a bigger burner only to let it escape around the sides of the smaller pot or pan.

10. Barely stocking your refrigerator

It seems backwards, but a full refrigerator holds temperature better than a poorly stocked refrigerator. Just don’t pack food so tight as to block the airflow.

Cooking With Gas vs. Electric

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Hands down, the majority of people would get a gas cooktop or range if given the choice.

We watch celebrity chefs use them on TV, we’ve heard about the power and for some, we like seeing the flame getting bigger or smaller when we turn the knob.

But what’s better? You might be surprised.

When our sales associates attend product training, some brand representatives place pots of water on adjacent gas and electric cooktops with the question, “Which will boil faster?”

Does Gas or Electric Boil Faster?

The newer associates often balk at this question and quickly answer gas.  But lo and behold, the pot on the electric burner boils first (that’s generally the case until you get into pro-style cooking).

Electric? Really?

Yes, really.

It doesn’t look as cool, but the power is there.  Gas still trumps electric cooking in the responsiveness of its burners.

Responsiveness of Gas Burners

For example, if a recipe calls for a dish to be brought to a rolling boil and then be brought down to a simmer, it will take an electric burner longer to decrease its temperature down to the lower heat setting. So, you could find yourself moving your pan to another burner so you won’t ruin your dish.

In gas, you turn the burner down to simmer, and the heat decreases.  Some gas burners also can simmer at a lower BTU, which can be important for cooking sauces and melting chocolate.

Induction Cooking

The real winner, though, is induction cooking.

Frigidaire Induction Cooktop With Pot of Water Boiling

Induction cooking delivers the best of both worlds: speed, responsiveness and power.

Plus, because induction cooking only heats the pan, there’s very little heat loss, making induction often the most energy-efficient choice.

The smooth, electric surface is also a lot easier to clean than ceramic grates.  Downsides do exist in induction cooking.

The price point is a little higher, you can only use magnetic pans (ex: coated cast iron), it’s not as professional looking as gas, and there are fewer options available per brand — especially when purchasing a range.

If choosing gas or electric (or induction), it’s good to consider your lifestyle. Do you mostly prepare quick meals or do you cook more complicated and delicate recipes? Is ease of cleaning a concern?

What cooktop type do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.

How To Clean and Season a Griddle

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Cast iron pans and griddles are often passed down in families, becoming more and more seasoned. And you can taste the difference in the food.

We recently learned that some Wolf appliance owners panic a little when their griddle starts turning more brown than silver. But that is what it’s supposed to look like. For a perfect season, follow this advice.

How To Season Griddle

You want to season the griddle before ever using it. Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or peanut oil (not olive oil!) per 11 inches in the center. Spread the oil with a dry paper towel.

Turn the griddle on to 350 degrees and heat the oil until it begins to smoke. Then turn off the heat, wait until the griddle is cool enough to touch and wipe the excess oil off with a paper towel.

Repeat.

How To Clean Griddle

Now, to clean the griddle, pour sparkling water on it while it’s hot. Excess oil and food scraps will bubble up and off.  Use a metal spatula to scrape everything off.

Once the griddle’s clean, pour a teaspoon of vegetable oil or peanut oil on the surface and spread it with another dry paper towel to reseason it.

What are your best seasoning tips? Share them in the comments.