Category Archives: Appliance Design

How To Change a Refrigerator Water Filter

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Think of the children, won’t you? Replace your refrigerator’s water filter.

If your refrigerator dispenses water, chances are it uses a filter.

Most manufacturers recommend replacing the filter every six months to nine months, but certainly your fridge won’t blow up if you don’t. You might just drink some stanky water or notice a “decreased flow.” Or your ice maker won’t function as well.

Or you could just replace your filter when your status indicator light (or “change filter” light, as many customers call it) tells you to. Usually, this light lives on the temperature control panel. If you don’t have a change filter light, replace the filter based on the time frame recommendations outlined in the Use & Care manual you tucked away for safekeeping because you’re a responsible appliance owner.

Mostly, just use good sense, as the life of the filter depends on your usage and the quality of the water. If you notice a change in your water, replace your filter more frequently.

How To Replace Refrigerator Water Filter

For the filters like the one picture above left, rotate the cap counterclockwise until it’s vertical, and pull the cap and filter cartridge out through the base grille. Push the new filter cartridge into the base grille until it stops with the cap in the vertical position. Rotate the cartridge cap clockwise to a horizontal position.

For the filters like those on the above right, press the eject button and pull the cap straight out. Don’t twist the cap or it will detach from the filter. Push the new filter into the opening in the base grille. The button will pop out when the filter is in place, but give the cap a tug to make sure.

Maytag water filter

This kind of filter, found in the upper right corner inside the refrigerator, is pretty easy to replace. Just turn the filter counterclockwise until it come out, drain it into the sink and trash it. Next, remove the seal from the new filter, insert the filter into the filter head and turn it clockwise until it stops. Easy.

After Replacing Water Filter

Once you replace the filter, make sure you flush air from the water system, otherwise you’re going to have a drippy dispenser in your kitchen driving you absolutely nuts.

Hold a container to the water dispenser lever for 5 seconds, and then release it for 5 seconds. Repeat until water comes out. Continue holding and releasing the dispenser lever (5 seconds on, 5 seconds off) until a total of 4 gallons has been dispensed. You might get a little spurting as the air clears out, so beware.

Can’t get to the store for a new filter? You can still remove and use the water dispenser in bypass mode. You just won’t have filtered water.

True Refrigerator Beverage Center: Ultimate beverage refrigerator

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Have you ever pulled a can of cold beer or soda out of a beverage center only to discover it’s not really that cold?

True Beverage Center TWC-24

No, your beer refrigerator isn’t broken. It’s probably just not designed to get that cold.

In fact, most beverage center temperature controls only go as low as 40-45 degrees. (For perspective, consider that ideally, food stores between 35 degrees and 38 degrees.)

So a beverage refrigerator able to cool its cabinet to 33 degrees could store some really, truly cold beer.

That’s one reason I like True’s Beverage Center (TBC-24). Not only can they get super cold, but they can also reach that temperature more quickly and maintain it better. True is already well-known for its quality commercial refrigeration, so you know it’s a seriously heavy-duty product.

Constructed with commercial-grade stainless steel inside and out, the beverage center uses True’s exclusive balanced refrigeration system.

Basically, what convection does for the oven, balanced refrigeration does for refrigeration — in reverse. A fan moves the cool air through the refrigerator continually, eliminating hot and cold pockets to ensure one consistent temperature throughout the unit.

And True’s fan motor and blade force more air across a greater surface area (on its coated evaporator coil), making its cooling capacity efficient and consistent.

What does this mean to you? The beer on the top shelf is just as cold as the beer on the bottom shelf. Beverages cool down much more quickly and then maintain that perfect temperature until you’re ready to enjoy them. I’ll drink to that!

Plus, it’s UL-rated for outdoor use, so I’ll drink to that outdoors…

True Beverage Center Specs

Still not convinced? Other specs from the manufacturer…:

  • Available in stainless steel with glass door and overlay models
  • Two commercial-grade, adjustable wire shelves. 1 glide-out wine shelf and a floor cradle holds 13 wine bottles
  • Temperature is maintained at +1/-1 degree of the set point throughout the cabinet
  • Commercial-grade, 300 series stainless steel does not absorb food odors like other plastic liners, providing a sophisticated look while also prolonging the life of the cabinet
  • Anti-racking technology on glide-out shelves minimizes vibrations
  • Highest quality, white LED lights illuminate the interior without UV rays, helping to maintain a consistent interior temperature
  • Stay-open door hinge allows for easy loading and unloading
  • UV-tinted, double-paned, low-e glass door minimizes UV exposure
  • Exclusive blue LCD performance display shows the real-time temperature, not just the set point
  • Adjustable and removable shelving system can be modified to meet your needs
  • 2” thick door with commercial-grade insulation for more consistent and efficient cooling
  • Factory set at 35°F, temperature controls range from 33° to 65°F for complete flexibility
  • Standard built-in lock provides added security (stainless steel only)

What Refrigerator Noises Are Normal?

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Image: maxabout.com

If you’ve replaced your refrigerator within the last several years, your shiny new model might be making its presence known in noisier way.

Why?

For one, foam insulation — often used to make these appliances more energy-efficient — lacks the sound-baffling capabilities of fiberglass insulation incorporated into previous energy hogs.

Here’s some other “normal” sounds to expect, along with their abnormal counterparts:

Evaporator coil

A boiling, surging or gurgling sound as the compressor starts and stops. Also, a pop as the evaporator expands and contracts after defrosting.

Evaporator fan

The sound of air being forced through the unit is normal, but a continuous ticking or even intermittent squealing is abnormal.

Defrost heater

Sizzling or hissing sound from water dropping onto the heater during defrost cycle

Compressor

Newer fridges’ compressors are much more efficient and run much faster, giving off a high-pitched hum, whine or pulse. But watch out for clicking during start up (especially if the lights dim), banging or knocking during start or stop, a ping or snap followed by the compressor stopping.

Cold control and defrost timer

A snapping or ticking sound as the refrigerator turns on and off

Plastic liner

Cracking or popping as the temperatures change

Drain pan

Running water during or after the defrost cycle

Water valve

Buzzing, clicking or running water as the icemaker fills or water is dispensed

Icemaker

Cracking of ice and cubes dropping into the bin

Condenser fan

Air being forced over the condenser is normal, but squealing from the motor is abnormal.

Condenser

You should hear a surging or gurgling sound from the flow of refrigerant when the compressor runs, but an improperly placed drain pan could cause rattling.

If the normal sounds bother you, consider a piece of rubber-backed carpet for underneath the fridge. You could even put sound absorbing materials inside the cabinet if the refrigerator sits in an enclosure.

Is Your Bagless Vacuum Bad For Your Health?

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If you have a bagless vacuum, you’re probably familiar with the smell (or taste!) of dust when you empty the bin after vacuuming.

Probably when you’re knocking it against the side of the garbage can, trying to hold your breath? Gross, I know.

If you can smell that dust, it means you’re inhaling fine, lung-damaging particles, according to information released today by German appliance-maker Miele.

But, aside from that, bagless vacuums — even those with HEPA filters — can’t truly contain all the dust and dirt as well as a Miele.

From the release:

An independent laboratory confirmed that Miele vacuums capture and retain 99.99% of harmful pollutants – on average 21x better than the HEPA-filtered bagless rival. On average, the leading bagless HEPA-filtered vacuum emitted over 175,900 lung-damaging particles per minute during the test.

This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about my love for Miele vacuums. But truly, if air quality matters to you, you’ll appreciate Miele’s air-tight design. A spring-loaded collar locks shut when you remove Miele vacuum bags, trapping in particles and eliminating that dusty smell/taste — which means you and your kids aren’t breathing them in.

And perhaps this seems a tad dramatic, but what you’re breathing in (fine particulate matter) has been linked to bad health effects such as including chronic bronchitis and premature death, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

For families with children or elderly, sufferers of asthma and/or allergies or other health problems, a Miele vacuum is a sound investment. Plus, we ship all vacuums for free, and we also offer free shipping on accessories (bags and air filters) orders over $50.

>> see more information on Miele’s vacuum filtration study

What’s your favorite finish? White, black or stainless steel?

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I really like the contrast of the white appliances against the black cabinets here. And it surprises, because we now expect stainless steel. Image courtesy theletteredcottage.net

Appliances historically have been white, but how do you feel about colors like black or alternative finishes like stainless steel?

Tradition makes white classic, but it also makes anything different stand out all the more in a kitchen.

Trendy right now are stainless steel appliances, which followed the popularity of commercial-style ranges and cooking appliances that were always made of stainless steel. Their clean modern looks makes it hard to argue against their popularity.

houzz.com

But stainless steel appliances usually cost more, and in some cases a great deal more (though right now through Aug. 1, GE is offering a free upgrade to stainless steel from white and black).

I think when I replace my appliances, I’ll probably choose stainless steel because my sense tells me it will add to the resale value of my home, which I don’t plan to live in for more than seven years.

Plus, it’s hard to match commercial cooking products to colored finishes, leaving me to lean toward the even more expensive integrated (or paneled) looks.

What do you have now: black, white or stainless steel? What will you replace it with when the time comes and why?