Category Archives: Kitchen

5 Tips for Keeping a Cool Refrigerator this Summer

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You owe your refrigerator major props for keeping your food from spoiling and always having a cold one (beer, water, lemonade – whatever your preference) waiting for you at the end of a long day. To show your appreciation, take these steps to help your refrigerator keep its cool during the dog days of summer. Your energy bill will thank you.

1. Check the Seal

Make sure your refrigerator seal (gasket) is airtight. An easy way to do this is with the dollar bill test. Close a dollar bill (or just a sheet of paper if you don’t carry cash) in the fridge door. If the door holds the dollar securely in place, then the seal is tight. If the dollars falls out or can be removed easily, the seal is too loose.

Before replacing the gasket, look for any obstructions that may be causing the faulty seal. If that doesn’t do the trick, repair your refrigerator seal with Vaseline by applying a thin layer on the part of the seal that connects to your fridge or freezer.

2. Clean the Coils

Dust and dirt accumulates on your fridge coils over time, and rather quickly if you live with shedding pets. New refrigerators have self-cleaning condensers, but for older fridges, you need to remove the dirt yourself. You might have a vacuum attachment that will work on the coils, but if not, purchase a coil brush. Then clean your coils; your fridge will breathe a sigh of relief!

3. Stock the Fridge

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Photo via Thermador

I know it sounds counterintuitive; more food seems like more work. But that’s not true! It actually takes more energy to cool an empty fridge. Of course you don’t want to stock more than you can eat or load it up with groceries before taking a summer vacation.

Quick tip: Fill those empty spaces with pitchers of water. Then you’ll always have a cold, refreshing drink when you need it!

4. Set the Temperature

Make sure your fridge and freezer are set to the correct temperature – cool enough to keep your food safe, but not working harder than needed. The recommended temperature for a refrigerator ranges from 35 to 38 degrees. The ideal freezer temperature is between 0 and 5 degrees.

5. Change the Filter

Your filtered water won’t be very clean if it’s pulled through a dirty “filter.” Your fridge might have an indicator that tells you when to change the filter. Either way, your refrigerator water filter should be changed about twice a year (follow manufacturer guidelines for frequency). Change the filter if it’s time. Not only will you benefit from cleaner water, your ice maker will run more efficiently.

Featured image via Beko

What tips do you have to help your refrigerator keep its cool? Share them in the comments!

How Much Money Do You Spend on Your Daily Coffee?

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Got your coffee, calculator and maybe a note pad?

The average time spent waiting in line at popular coffee chains is 4 minutes, which doesn’t count surprises like getting stuck being the guy ordering four blended vanilla frappes.

If your frequent store is a high-traffic chain, you dedicate approximately 25 minutes each week, 100 minutes each month and 20 hours each year to morning lines. That’s considering coffee on workdays alone, and it doesn’t include the time it takes to make your drink.

No, staring at your watch really hard doesn’t actually slow down the little hand so you get to work on time (most of us have tried).

Now the big kicker…

Have you considered the amount of money spent over time on these completely necessary and delicious coffee drinks? The average American coffee fan spends $1100 per year.

Skip the Lines With a Built-in Coffee Maker

The silver lining is that you can redirect that disposable mocha money into a smart and classy investment. Built-in coffee machines pay for themselves in two years, and they come in various easy-to-use models that are designed to make basic espresso or lavish drinks in under two minutes. You choose the temperature and strength, and there’s no more awkward frothing with a stick.

JennAir Built-in Coffee System

This Jenn-Air built-in coffee system allows you to customize your perfect from the strength of the brew and the foam on top. It has 13 different levels for grinding beans, preferred water temperature settings and a frothing system for milk.

Fisher & Paykel Built-in Coffee Maker

We also have a Fisher & Paykel built-in coffee maker, and it has 13 different beverage options! It also features a self-cleaning function, a conical burr grinder and LED lights.

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Miele Built-in Coffee Machine

Or check out one of our Miele built-in coffee machines. This one comes with DirectWater perfectly combinable design with CoffeeSelect + AutoDescale for highest demands. It features a large touch display with movement sensor, individual coffee enjoyment with 3 bean containers and two coffees at once at the touch of a button.

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Gaggenau Built-in Coffee System

Meet the Gaggenau 24-inch built-in coffee system with Wi-Fi and TFT touch display. Looking for something that hooks up to plumbing so you don’t have to fill up the water tank? Here you go! Built with a  warming plate, Bluetooth, frothing nozzle, and it’s easy to clean.

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Wolf Built-In Coffee Maker with Cup Warming Drawer

Lastly, you might want to check out the Wolf built-in coffee makers with the cup warming drawer. Your cups are held at the ideal temperature warm enough to maintain the temperature of your drink while still cool enough to hold comfortably. this brushed stainless steel drawer front coordinates perfectly with the 24” Wolf coffee system in stainless.

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As for those fabulous scones your coffee shop carries, Warners’ Stellian can suggest the best appliances for making those yourself too. You can treat yourself with your own home barista and enjoy the time and money saving benefits.

What’s the first coffee drink you would make on a built-in coffee system?

Wine Storage Tips

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Happy #NationalWineDay! We want to assist whether you’re planning a party or getting a gift for yourself to celebrate.

Pop quiz: What are the best temperatures for storing wine?

It’s OK to admit it. Not a lot of people have the temperatures memorized for their Gewürztraminer versus their Chianti, so we’re going to tell you our recommendations.

Standard Wines:

  • Assorted Wine: 54°F (12°C)
  • Red Wine: 64°F (17°C)
  • Sweet Wine: 42°F (5°C)
  • White and Rosé Wine: 50°F (10°C)

Other Wines:

  • Champagne: 46° (7°C)
  • Sake: Below 68°F (20°C)
  • Port: 60°F (15.5°C)
  • Light Mead: 49°F (9.5°C)
  • Dark Mead: 64°F (75.5°C)

For optimal serving temperature, do not let wine get above 68° for reds and 55° for whites. Temperatures dramatically affect taste and smell, and you need that spicy, cherry-like aroma to breathe when pouring a Grenache through your decanter.

Also, don’t use the freezer anymore! You can keep your bubbly ready for any occasion without risking explosion from freezing, and you can stop ruining the crisp taste of your homemade honey mead.

Vibration, light, and humidity are additional factors that affect quality. Fortunately, there are wine and beverage storage appliances that are technologically designed to both protect and keep consistent storage temperatures.

Are you a collector? Chef? Host? At-home winemaker? Occasional wine drinker that buys bulk for economic advantage? Maybe you need a special place with the right consistent temperature to age a 1974 Château Latour.

Wine and beverage storage appliances  make perfect gifts for any style. When wine leaves an appropriately pre-set cooler, it is already within optimal serving temperatures. These appliances also make excellent assets for entertaining, and they provide amazing aesthetic value to your home.

Here are a few examples that might work for you.

This JennAir Under-Counter Beverage Center features independent temperature zones, 6 temperature presets and automatic interior LED lighting. It can fit up to 14 average sized wine bottles.

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One of our most popular beverage storage units is the Frigidaire Gallery 52-Bottle Wine Cooler with a convertible shelf, LED digital control and decorative wood trim for a sophisticated look.

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For serious prize collectors, the True Residential 30″ Wine Column preserves, protects, and flaunts up to 150 of your favorite bottles. It also features dual-zone True Precision® Control, extendable smooth-glide racks and LED lighting.

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We assume you love wine because you’re reading this, but these coolers are good for any home. Add a modern look to your bar or kitchen, keep bottles on hand for guests or use them for something else entirely. Are you a beer drinker?

Still, we’re pretty sure you love wine.

How Quiet Should a Dishwasher Be?

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Dishwasher-makers aggressively tout the quietness of their dishwashers by dBA ratings. A dBA rating expresses a weighted decibel level that puts in human context to how loud or quiet a sound is to our ears, because humans perceive sound differences less sensitively at volume extremes. With dishwashers in the marketplace ranging from 37-64 dBA, what really matters when it comes to quietness and what’s simply hype?

We speak at about 60 dBA, light rainfall registers at 50 dBA, a quiet suburb at night registers at 40 dBA and a whisper registers at 30 dBA. Check out Bosch’s interactive “Understanding Decibels” feature on its website to better understand common noise levels.

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Dishwashers used to average about 65 dBA. Now, the majority of dishwashers have dBA in the low 50s to the 40s, so somewhere between dinner table chatter and scattered showers. Not only is that a vast improvement over what you likely have in your kitchen, but I bet it will clean way better too.

The most quiet dishwashers compete on just one or two dBA levels – a difference that is unnoticeable or barely so. The Miele Futura Diamond dishwasher comes in at 37 dBA when used in its Extra Quiet Program mode; otherwise, it’s rated at 42 dBA. The Bosch 800 Plus comes in a close second at 38 dBA “in normal operation,” which I think means with clean dishes.

Miele explains that dirty dishes often lead to louder operation in competing brands, because the dishwasher has to work harder than during testing. The lowest difference between testing its competitor’s dBA claims using both clean and dirty dishes was about 3 dBA levels, which is barely noticeable.

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In the real world, we call this splitting hairs, so such a slight difference should not be your deciding factor. Alternatively, you will likely notice 10 dBA levels, which is the point at which audible sound doubles.

However, how quiet does your dishwasher really need to be not to interrupt your life? Current trends in home layouts have kitchens much more open to the rest of the house, but what the dBA levels don’t remind you of is that sound dissipates with greater distance.

Are you home-schooling your children at the counter or for some strange reason installing a dishwasher in your nursery? If you’re not carrying on important tasks near your dishwasher, take the ratings with a grain of salt and consider price, racking and performance as also very important.

How To Buy a Stove

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Whether you call it a stove or a range, you’re going to want to keep these considerations in mind when shopping for a new … oh I give up.

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Though freestanding ranges are the most commonly used, slide-in ranges are growing in popularity. Featuring unfinished sides and controls on the front, this style lends a more built-in look, great for islands, and featuring decorative backsplashes.

Pro-Style Ranges

Professional ranges mimic the performance and appearance of a true commercial range. Pro-style ranges use the most durable components and achieve high temperatures for rapid boiling as well as extremely low temperatures for delicate and precise simmering.

Larger models (36”, 48” or 60” wide) can include built-in griddles and grills. Their ovens offer convection and high-temperature broiling. Convection ovens use airflow for even heat distribution and consistent baking, even with multiple racks. When cooking meats, convection fans sear the skin to retain moisture.

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Gas vs. Electric Ranges

Professional and aspiring chefs usually prefer gas due to a common misconception of all-around superior performance; In most cases electric ranges boil liquid just as quickly and frequently. Electric burners reach extremely low temperatures for delicate and precise simmering. But the heat-retention qualities of electric coils and ceramic surfaces cannot range from high to low heat instantaneously as gas cooktops can. But glass surfaces of electric ranges are the easiest to clean and maintain.

When it comes to ovens, electric responds quicker to temperature changes, providing less heat variance overall for more consistent baking results. However, gas ovens provide more “moist heat,” which is better for meats and vegetables. For cooks who want the best of both worlds, the dual-fuel range has the flexibility and control of gas burners on the cooktop with the accuracy and precision of an electric oven.

Induction range burners use magnets to directly heat cookware and leaving the surface cool to the touch, combining an unmatched degree of safety with high power and the responsiveness of gas.

Hot Stove Features

  • Warming Drawer – functions as a keep-warm area.
  • Second Oven – additional cavity functions as a separate oven. Perfect for cooking short items such as pizzas, pies, casseroles, etc.

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  • Split Oven Racks – can be partially removed as needed for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously.

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    Split racks accommodate simultaneous baking of tall dishes.

    Featured image via Café