Appliances
What to Consider when Buying Kitchen Appliances
By: Kelly Goldthorpe
Buying kitchen appliances is a big purchase. They’re expensive, supposed to last you a long time, and they are large pieces in your kitchen which draw attention. Whether you’re redoing the whole room or just replacing one appliance, you should keep in mind some important tips.
Think about what you want, opposed to what you need. When you get to the store there are always going to be the latest and greatest new items, but do you need the holy water rinse cycle or silverware separator? Identify what you’re looking for in the appliance. Do you need a separate knife holder – that is something many people enjoy once they have it and then couldn’t go without. It’s probably imperative that your coffee maker has an automatic shutoff if you typically forget to turn it off. However, the built-in television in the fridge probably isn’t a necessity. One way to do this is to think about your current appliances. What do you like about them? What bothers you? Then ask a sales associate if they have something that meets all your needs. Be wary when they try to up-sell you though. Some features may seem nice, but realistically you might never use them.
Most importantly though is that your appliance fits the space you have for it. It may be perfect, but if it is too big then it wasn’t a practical purchase. Measure before you go shopping. The ideal situation is if you can find something that is the same size as your old appliance – that way you won’t have to alter anything.
Remember, appliances are one of those purchases where “you get what you pay for”. It may be cheap, but that doesn’t mean it will last. Does it come with a warranty? That is something you should investigate before the item breaks down! Examine brands ahead of time. Do you want to stick with brand-name GE or go with an unknown? Also when considering the price, ask about installation fees. Those may push you over your budget and typically aren’t something you can avoid unless you know what you’re doing. Although this may not seem like a top priority, check out the energy efficiency rating. If it has a low rating you may end up spending much more on your utility bill than you expected. If the appliance is cheap, it may come back and get you in the end!
Of course, appliances are also decorative pieces, so you’ll want to decide ahead of time what style you would like. If you’re going for an entire kitchen remodel you will be deciding what all of the appliances will be like, as most people like consistency. White is a classic, but can seem cheap. Black has become trendy recently, along with stainless steal. The downside with stainless steel is that it smudges easily. Also popular are copper appliances. These look very hip, but may date quickly. That green oven was in style once too, but has lost all appeal by now.
Colored appliances can make your kitchen pop and are very festive. They are quick to go out of style though. Consider the longevity of your appliances, and if you plan on keeping them for an extended period of time perhaps you should go with a more classic look. Also, if the stove breaks and needs to be replaced it may be hard to find the exact same color again. If that happens, your kitchen will end up looking mismatched and haphazard. Colored appliances also tend to be more expensive.
Plan ahead, buy what you need, and be practical when buying appliances. This way you will get what you’re looking for and avoid pricy alternatives or unnecessary amenities.
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Kitchen Appliance Must-Haves and Wish Lists:
What you need and what you can skip when you’re on a budget
By: Kelly Goldthorpe
If you watch a lot of the Food Network your dream kitchen is probably very extravagant and fully loaded with every appliance under the sun. Realistically, when you’re on a budget there are many appliances that may seem useful that you simply don’t need. Of course an oven, stove, and refrigerator are all essentials, but what about a dishwasher – is that critical? How about a standing mixer, juicer, or bread-maker? Below we’ve analyzed the major kitchen appliances and how practical they are for families on a budget.
You can break kitchen appliances down into several categories: major kitchen appliances, small kitchen appliances, and secondary kitchen appliances.
Major Kitchen Appliances:
Sure, a fridge is a definitely necessity in homes today. However, when you go to buy a fridge you’ll find that they frequently have upgrades and accessories that can add hundreds to the price tag. Consider you current fridge before you go to buy a new one. Do you really hate having a freezer on the top or bottom? If so, perhaps you should get a refrigerator that opens from the middle with the fridge on one side and the freezer on the other. There are also refrigerators that have everything from a television to a water dispenser. Determine if these are really essentials for your home. If you’re on a budget perhaps it is worth it to just get your water from the sink. If you go in with pre-determined needs it will ensure you don’t get swept up in the luxury appliances.
Ovens and stoves are also considered to be major kitchen appliances. A new trend is to have two ovens in your home. Around the holidays when you’re preparing big meals this may seem like a terrific idea, but do you want to forsake the storage space and extra money for something that will likely only get use a few times per year?
Now for dishwashers; these seem crucial but are they really? Think back to those college days when you washed (even if very rarely) all your dishes by hand. Not having a dishwasher can cut down on your utility bills. If you have children it can also be a great opportunity to have them build character. On the other hand, some households are now getting two dishwashers so one can be filled while the other one is washing.
Small Kitchen Appliances:
These items vary in necessity by households. Some families may find a blender imperative to their daily routine, while in other homes it just gathers dust. Small kitchen appliances include blenders, microwaves, toaster ovens, standing mixers, juicers, and slow cookers. Generally, these are pretty useful appliances. Before you spend any money though, think about your cooking patterns over the last month. Analyze how those appliances could help you or if they would actually expand your cooking repertoire.
Secondary Kitchen Appliances:
Secondary kitchen appliances are ones that actually help with food preparation. These are things like rice steamers, ice cream makers, and bread machines. If you want exceptionally high quality meal items, these are worth the investment. However they are expensive and have very specific purposes. You will not be able to get any additional value out of them besides what they are designed for. These can take up space and are used irregularly. The best way to buy these is through garage sale shopping. These small kitchen appliances are often purchased and then never used, so you can easily find appliances in excellent shape at a fraction of the cost.
If you’re on a budget start with the big things that you know you will use consistently. Consider borrowing other appliances from friends on special occasions. Then, if you find yourself frequently baking bread or creating smoothies, check for bargains around town. Small and secondary appliances are items you should never buy for full price! Ultimately, furnish your kitchen with appliances that help and inspire you create meals that your family will enjoy.
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Deeping Cleaning for your Kitchen
By: Kelly Goldthorpe
You probably clean your kitchen a few times a week, if not daily. No doubt you make sure you wipe away any lingering crumbs or pasta sauce splatter that make be on your counters or stove. However, what about those deep clean projects like your dishwasher, oven, and coffee pot? If you’re wondering what the easiest way to give those kitchen appliances a deep clean look no further for kitchen cleaning tips. These kitchen improvements can help extend the longevity of the appliances and increase the overall value of your home.
The best cleaner is something you likely already keep in the kitchen. Nope, not the dish soap. Vinegar and baking soda are two products that will make your kitchen sparkle without any dangerous chemicals. Of course you can always use soaps, sprays, and other products to follow up with.
The dishwasher might seem like a silly thing to have to do heavy-duty cleaning on, especially since it even has the word wash in the name. However, a dishwasher is more of a dish-sanitizer than a washer. Food can still get trapped, stains occur, and mold or mildew can show up in your dishwasher. While you don’t have to do this every week, you should occasionally take your dishwasher apart and clean it out. You might not think to clean out the spinning arms of a dishwasher, but debris can usually be found there. If you’re especially ambitious you should disassemble your dishwasher near the drain to clear out anything lurking there. Once you have cleared away any remaining food particles you can work on cleaning the appearance of your dishwasher. Use bleach for any mold or mildew. Try using vinegar to work out any stains in your dishwasher. Finally, use ¼ of a cup of baking soda in the detergent section. Run your dishwasher through a cycle. This will clear out all the bleach and vinegar, leaving your dishwasher looking spectacular.
Cleaning your oven can be a relatively easy process. If you have a self-cleaning oven simply lock the door and hit the clean button. This will heat any debris that may be stuck in your oven and turn it into ash. You can easily wipe this up once the self-cleaning process is done. A kitchen tip for you is that this process can take multiple hours depending on your oven, so plan on staying home throughout the day. Bring out the baking soda again for other types of ovens. Mix the baking soda with water in a spray container. Simply spray the mixture throughout your oven. Repeat this several times throughout the day before the baking soda dries out. Then you can simply wipe the debris away. Make sure you are using a cold oven though, not heated!
Coffee pot cleaning is a breeze compared to dishwasher and oven work. Simply run a mixture of one part vinegar and two parts water through your coffee pot. Run an additional pot of plain water to clear out the system. This process is easy enough that you should do it regularly.
Keep your appliances clean and if you need incentive to get the scrub brushes out than just consider it a home kitchen improvement project.
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Home Kitchen Appliances
Kitchen appliances range from large to small; they are key elements to a kitchen, like the refrigerator, the microwave oven, the range and many more items. It’s important to become familiar with each appliance to see if in fact you actually need it in your home. Read this guide to become educated on different appliances.
Small Kitchen Appliances
Many small kitchen appliances are needed to run a kitchen, even if you don’t use them as often as the large appliances, these serve of a major importance. Here is a few to take into consideration:
- Toaster Oven
- Blender
- Food Processor
- Countertop Grill
These are self explanatory with how they function. Each can ease your work in the kitchen immensely.
Secondary Small Appliances
“Secondary” is a keyword here, these kitchen appliances aren’t as important as others, but they exist and they make the cooking process much easier.
- Bread Machine
- Stand Mixer
- Rice Cooker
- Slow Cooker
- Ice-Cream Maker
Four Questions to Ask When Buying Kitchen Appliances
When buying appliances you should take into consideration the foods you are going to be making, the amount of space you have and the budget you are on. These are key elements when you are going to make a kitchen appliance purchase. Read More
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