Miele Offers $1,000 Gift-With-Purchase Program

June 16, 2010

Miele is now offering two gift-with-purchase programs to its customers from now until November 30. With the purchase of specified combinations of Miele products, consumers will get a matching gift, valued at $1,000.

The “Fresh Clean Offer” entitles any buyer who purchases any refrigerator, freezer or wine storage appliance and any dishwasher (my FAVORITE dishwashers) to a free S7 vacuum cleaner and a year’s supply of AirClean filter-bags.   

The second program, the “Fresh Green Offer,” gives a free Zwilling J.A. Henckels TWIN Select 11-piece cookware set to those who purchase any Miele wall or island ventilation hood and induction cooktop.

Peggy

GE Recalls Front Load Washers Due to Fire and Shock Hazards

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affair

Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 10, 2010

Release #10-259

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 345-4124

CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772

CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

GE Media Contact: (888) 240-2749 

GE Recalls Front Load Washers Due to Fire and Shock Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: GE Front-Load Washing Machines

Units: About 181,000

Manufacturer: GE Appliances & Lighting, of Louisville, Ky.

Hazard: A wire can break in the machine and make contact with a metal part on the washtub while the machine is operating, posing fire and shock hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: GE is aware of seven incidents in which flames escaped the units and caused minor smoke damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves GE front-load washing machines without auxiliary water heating. Model and serial numbers are listed in the chart below. Recalled washing machines were manufactured between December 2006 and February 2010. The model and serial numbers are located on the bottom right side and on the bottom door frame of the washers.

Brand: GE

Model Number Begins With: WBVH5

Serial Number Begins With: AM, AR, AS, AT, DM, DR, DS, FM, FR, FS, GM, GS, HM, HR, HS, LM, LR, LS, MM, MR, MS, RM, RR, RS, SM, SR, SS, TM, TR, TS, VM, VR, VS, ZL, ZM, ZR, ZS

Sold at: Department and various retail stores nationwide from December 2006 through May 2010 for about $700.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled washers, unplug it from the electrical outlet and contact GE for a free repair. Consumers should not operate the washer until it has been repaired.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact GE toll-free at (888) 345-4124 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.geappliances.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10259.html

Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2010
Release #10-255 Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 544-5513
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7601
Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Dishwashers

Units: About 1.7 million in the United States

Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich.

Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher’s heating element can pose a serious fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Maytag®, Amana®, Jenn-Air®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. The affected dishwashers were manufactured with black, bisque, white, silver and stainless steel front panels. The brand name is printed on the front of the dishwasher. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label located inside the plastic tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening. Serial numbers will start or end with one of the following sequences.
SERIAL number STARTING with

NW39, NW40, NW41, NW42, NW43, NW44, NW45, NW46, NW47, NW48, NW49, NW50, NW51, NW52, NY01, NY02, NY03, NY04, NY05, NY06, NY07, NY08, NY09, NY10, NY11, NY12, NY13, NY14, NY15, NY16, NY17, NY18, NY19

OR SERIAL number ENDING with

JC, JE, JG, JJ, JL, JN, JP, JR, JT, JV, JX, LA, LC, LE, LG, LJ, LL, LN, LP, LR, LT, LV, LX, NA, NC, NE, NG, NJ, NL, NN, NP, NR

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from February 2006 through April 2010 for between $250 and $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire and contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm’s website at www.repair.maytag.com


Picture of recalled dishwashers

Picture showing location of model number

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

Q & A On Ductless Ventilation

Q.

Hello, I just discovered your blog-LOVE it!

We are re-modeling our 16 year old kitchen. My husband is doing all of the work himself. We currently have gas range topped by a micro with a recirculating fan-no other ventilation.

We can not vent to the outside-there is not duct work in place now and the stove wall backs up to the living room wall. The kitchen is on the ground floor with rooms above so there is no way to run an exhaust pipe up through to the roof.

Is there a ductless hood in existence that can do a decent job of cleaning the air?

Thanks!
Charlotte

A.

Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for your question.

My first reaction is to advise you to bring in a good HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) expert to assess your problem and figure out how to get a duct out of the kitchen to vent to the exterior.

One thing you might consider is a beam containing the ductwork across the ceiling with some false beams to balance it out. Another often used ploy is to build a soffit (basicly an empty box) over the upper cabinets and run the ductwork in the soffit. Either of these options would function better than a ductless system, if the ductwork was well designed and properly installed.

It's funny you should ask if there are any quality hood manufacturers offering hope that a ductless hood might do more than blow hot air in your face. Just a few days ago, I saw an ad in an industry publication announcing a new ductless system by Vent-A-Hood. They are a well respected company.

Here's their pitch, dated January 27th, 2010:

“We’ve launched a whole new category of range hood,” said Skip Woodall, president and CEO of Vent-A-Hood, about the ARS series. “Thanks to superior engineering and design, we offer the one real solution for residents in lofts, condos or highrises who have suffered with recirculating hoods that do nothing to clean the cooking air.”

Unlike conventional low-quality ductless ventilation products on the market, Vent-A-Hood’s new Air Recovery System includes a unique four-phase technology with four times the cleaning power to effectively collect the rising gases, separate the grease, contain the odor and trap the smoke for complete cooking air recovery.

The ARS series features an active canopy to capture cooking contaminants. A centrifugal blower then extracts the grease. The air is pushed through an activated carbon bed with 50 times more exposure to cooking air than flat carbon mats in traditional ductless hoods to reduce odor. And lastly, a large accordion microfiber filter makes Vent-A-Hood’s design the only hood to address smoke when not venting to the outdoors.

“The Air Recovery System is a green technology to take pollutants out and put clean air back,” Woodall said. “It is the only range hood worthy of the Vent-A-Hood name that will clean and recover good air when ducting to the outside of a home is not an option.”

The Vent-A-Hood ARS series, offered in two stainless steel designs, is now available across the U.S. and Canada. For more information or to find a Vent-A-Hood licensed dealer near you, visit www.ventahood.com, call 1-800-331-2492 or email: customer_service@ventahood.com.



























I did say Vent-A-Hood is a well-respected hood manufacturer. However, I have no personal experience with this product. It is so new it's not even on their web site yet.

I still encourage you to make a real effort to solve your problem with a vent to the exterior. If you DO decide to buy the Vent-A-Hood product (which will certainly be pricey), please let us all know how well it works.

Peggy

New Dacor "Distinctive" Double Oven

Dacor has just introduced a new double oven for the masses.

"With the introduction of the Distinctive Series in 2009, Dacor opened up the world of luxury cooking to a broader base of consumers,” said Steve Joseph, Vice President of Marketing at Dacor. "The Distinctive Wall Ovens continue our tradition of offering consumers the premium performance and distinctive styling for which Dacor has been known for more than 45 years.”


























I have been specifying Dacor ovens ever since the eighties and never been disappointed with their performance.

I hope the new products are as reliable as the old.

Peggy

How to Shop for Kitchen Appliances

Consumers think that the first thing they need to do when they want a new kitchen is to go shopping for cabinetry, and in many cases that can be true.

You folks with the great layouts and acres of counter space can just shop those cabinet and appliance stores 'till the cows come home. That's OK. You earned the easy way by buying (and probably paying more for) a home with a great kitchen to begin with.

For the rest of you, I think that the first thing should be to research and select a kitchen designer...But I'm prejudiced.;-D

The fact is, you need a plan to know what appliances you are shopping for.

There are four ways to get such a plan:

1. Yourself or a friend
2. An architect or building designer
3. A kitchen designer or interior designer
4. Some contractors (not all contractors draw plans).

Just remember, we kitchen designers do this for a living every day, so you just might get a BETTER plan by opting for one of us.

99.9% of the kitchen projects I do in the San Francisco Bay Area are remodeling projects, and most of them are what I call "difficult" kitchen spaces. After all, why hire a designer like me if your existing kitchen is laid out exactly the way you want your new kitchen to be?

People come to me BECAUSE they have difficult kitchens. Poor traffic flow, not enough counter space, not enough storage, no dishwasher, not enough light, not enough anything! It is up to me to present ideas and choices that wouldn't even occur to someone less experienced. And because their kitchens now are not anything like they could be, it is very difficult for them to imagine where their appliances are going to go or what size they need to be.

Yet, I can't tell you how many times I have been faced with a request for a 48" pro range in a 10x12 kitchen. Worse yet, it's stored in the garage because it was such a great deal! I am constantly faced with clients who have made their appliance choices, and even bought their appliances for their as yet unplanned kitchen, before contacting me.

Back to my point: If you have such a "difficult" kitchen it's best to plan the design before making appliance choices. Because each choice you make, and cast in stone, reduces the options your designer has to help you create a new kitchen that is the very best kitchen it can be; for you, the space, and your home.

Next: No kitchen design can, or should, be "finalized" without a complete, and finalized, appliance selection list. Most especially this applies to the ordering of cabinetry.

Appliances are not uniform in size, in spite of what most consumers think. They vary by fractions of inches to inches, in height, width, depth and installation foibles. Appliance manufacturers include many restrictions on how their products may be installed. And building inspectors always refer to the manufacturer's installation instructions whenever there is a question (which can hold up your project) about the installation of an appliance.

I'll guarantee you that virtually all kitchen designers with any experience whatsoever will agree that changes in appliance choices after a design is finalized cause their biggest headaches. Yet, in spite of written cautions on our design drawings and repeated verbal reminders that appliance changes are a no-no. Consumers continue to make changes and not tell anybody until something doesn't fit and we have a CRISIS.

So:

1. Get a plan you'll love (Detailed elevations and specifications later)
2. Shop for the appliances in your plan (this includes sinks, faucets, disposals, air gaps, etc.)
3. Order everything.
4. Don't change your mind without notifying your designer and cabinet person to ask what the impact will be. Then remember to notify your contractor about the change from the existing documents.

Peggy

Liebherr Refrigerator Recall

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2010
Release # 10-122

Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 337-2653
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Liebherr Recalls Built-In Refrigerators Due to Injury Hazard; Door Can Detach

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Liebherr Built-In 24-Inch Wide Single Door Refrigerators

Units: About 2,700

Importer: Liebherr-Canada Ltd of Ontario, Canada

Manufacturer: Liebherr-Hausgeraete Ochsenhausen GmbH, of Germany

Hazard: The refrigerator's door can detach, posing an injury hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Liebherr has received 13 reports of doors detaching, including two reports of injuries involving bruising and strains.

Description: This recall involves Liebherr built-in 24-inch wide single door refrigerators with model numbers R1400, RI1400, RB1400, and RBI1400 sold individually or as a component of side-by-side refrigerators. The refrigerators come in stainless steel and various custom finishes and are built into the kitchen cabinetry. "Liebherr" is written on the top interior control panel. The model number can be found on a label located behind the bottom drawer on the left interior side of the single door refrigerator. The side-by-side refrigerators were marketed as model numbers SBS240, SBS24 I0, SBS245, SBS24I5. This model number is not found on the product.

Sold by: Appliance and specialty retailers nationwide from January 2005 through November 2009 for between $2,500 and $3,200.

Manufactured in: Germany

Remedy: Consumers with recalled refrigerators should contact Liebherr immediately to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should check their refrigerator immediately to see whether the door hinge pin has become loose. If the hinge has not become loose and the door is functioning properly, consumers may continue to use the refrigerator until it is repaired.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Liebherr toll-free at (877) 337-2653 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT or visit Liebherr's Web site at www.liebherr-appliances.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products and diagrams of the hazard, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10122.html

Solar Water Heater Rebates on Tap in CA

The San Francisco Chronicle had an article called Rebates for solar water heaters approved this morning.

this is exciting news for homeowners bent on making their homes as energy efficient as possible, because heating water consumes up to half of our monthly gas bills.

A typical home solar water system costs from $5,000 to $7,000. Rebates will be available for $1500 toward this cost as the program rolls out. Consumers will get less as the years go by and the funding is depleted, so it's best to get started planning soon. The program will run for eight years or until the funding is used up, whichever comes first.

Funding will come from utility customers, through a surcharge on natural gas bills. The surcharge is estimated to be 13 cents per month.

Here's a link to the California Public Utilities Commission's press release with more details: CPUC ESTABLISHES INCENTIVES FOR INSTALLATION OF SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS

Peggy

Fridges Keep Growing and Growing

Those 60's twins' heads are indicative of a long standing trend of refrigerators growing taller and taller. The fridge in the picture is probably 60-62" tall. Back in the 80's they were typically 69" high, now they are 72" on average.

Since I have been designing lifetime kitchens for clients for the last 27 years, I find myself dealing with this problem quite a bit these days. Previous clients call me when their choice of a new fridge won't fit under the cabinet above built in on "refrigerator legs" (That's what we call those panels that enclose the refrigerator on each side).

In response I have learned to place a shorter cabinet with a removable valance below over the refrigerator in anticipation of further "growth".

Dealing with the refrigerator cabinets in the kitchens that were designed before my "revelation" is harder. They always need to be replaced, since 69" high refrigerators of any decent quality don't exist any more, and the idea was that they look built-in. The only fridge that is the same height as it was in the 80's is the Sub-Zero (Thank YOU Sub-Zero!).

No matter how the existing cabinets are finished, it is a problem matching the old with the new. Kitchen cabinet finishes yellow and mellow (darken) over time, with exposure to light and cooking fumes. So, even if we have a perfect stain or paint sample to match what they looked like originally, it will take a year or so for the new to age to the look of the old. Getting a sample to match that has been shielded from light and fumes is difficult too!

There is also the issue of matching the door style: Only the better cabinet manufacturers keep any sort of record of the edge details and insert panel profiles of cabinet doors they made 20 years ago. Neither do the clients. But I do.

Doesn't sound much like glamorous kitchen design. Does it?

Peggy

Thermador Oven Recall Expanded

January 21, 2010
Release # 10-118

Firm's Recall Hotline: (800) 701-5230
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

BSH Home Appliances Corp. Expands Recall of Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Thermador(r) Built-In Ovens

Units: About 37,000 (42,000 built-in ovens were previously recalled in June 2007)

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: The ovens can have gaps in the insulation where overheating can occur and when used in the self-cleaning mode it can cause nearby cabinets to catch fire. This poses a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received three additional reports of incidents, including two that resulted in fires that damaged surrounding cabinets. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall involves Thermador Brand built-in double ovens with model numbers C272B, C302B, SEC272, SEC302, SECD272 and SECD302 and serial numbers between FD8403 through FD8701. Model and serial numbers are located on the underside of the control panel.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty stores nationwide from June 2004 through July 2007 for between $3,000 and $4,400.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the oven's self-cleaning mode and contact the firm to schedule an inspection and free repair, if necessary.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Thermador at (800) 701-5230 24 hours/day, 7 days/week, or visit the firm's Web site at www.thermador.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10118.html

Jenn-Air No Preheat Oven

Jenn-Air is touting its JJW3830WS double oven as No Preheat needed.

What a concept! Imagine that you could throw the forgotten biscuits in this baby and have them done in 10 minutes. My current oven would take 20 minutes to preheat to 450 degrees before I could put the biscuits in there.

Now that's a real reason to buy a new oven!

Peggy

Kuppersbusch Slim Gas Cooktop

Here's another single-line-4-burner cooktop. This one in gas and glass (which I personally LOVE - So easy-care), from KuppersbuschUSA.

Only in black...wish there was white too>:(





















Dimensions: Width: 43 5/16, Depth: 14 9/16, Installation Height: 3 3/16 (That means you can have a working top drawer underneath).

The Model # is GKS11740.0

DOE Appliance Rebates

The U.S. Department of Energy 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act established a State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program for select residential appliances.

You can get more information and find if your state is participating and what products are covered by clicking the link above.

California's rebates will begin about March 2010. Their web site is:

Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program and ENERGY STAR® Recovery Funding

Be sure to read all the fine print on rebates. ie:

{Program information subject to change. Rebates may be offered for a limited time only. Before purchasing a product, check with your program sponsor to ensure rebates are available, and to confirm product eligibility and program requirements. Products purchased must meet efficiency criteria as established by the state.}

Remember, you can combine rebates from different sources to maximize your return.

For current California rebates check Flex your Power Rebates, Incentives & Services where you can track available rebates from all sources by zip code.

Sears has also notified me that they have put up a web site to assist consumers all across the nation with a one-stop place to find rebates. Just go to www.sears.com/energystar to find your state's rebate program.

Peggy