Based on the chatter in our appliances forum, prices for washers and dryers are falling fast. One member is seeking help deciding between LG and Whirlpool Duet models. Feel free to toss in your own opinion on these brands.
It pays to remember that choosing the best laundry appliances for your home includes a number of factors, not just the overall score in our Ratings of washers and dryers (available to subscribers). These include capacity, cycle time, vibration, water and energy consumption, brand repair history, warranty length, style, and more.
You’ll also want to remember these mistakes to avoid when buying a washer and dryer, which could save you a bundle. Once you have your new washer at home, these repairs for your washing machine can help extend its life, saving you even more money and the hassle of shopping for a new machine.
Essential information: Visit our washers and dryers product pages for buying advice for these laundry appliances.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
Before we get too far into 2009, we thought we’d look back at the most popular posts on the Home & Garden blog from 2008. The 10 blogs below generated the most buzz last year.
Inside CR Test Labs: Sewing machines
This sneak peak at our March 2009 report on sewing machines (shown) generated quite a thread in the comment box. Around 150 readers chimed in, including the commenter who implored, "please don’t lump in embroidery machines with general sewing machines." Roger that, as you’ll see in the full report, coming in the upcoming story, whose issue is on sale and online in February.
Own a tankless water heater? Take our survey
Some 1,200 readers answered that call (another 100 commented directly to the item). The results of the online survey informed our October 2008 report on tankless water heaters, in which we revealed significant variations in installation costs, energy savings, and overall satisfaction.
Mold can be a problem for some front-loading washers
Here, we reported on the buildup of mold that many readers told us was occurring in the rubber gasket of the door to their front-loading washer. Sixty commenters jumped into the issue, some supporting the claim with tales of foul-smelling clothes, others reporting no complaints with their front-loading washing machine.
Why Consumer Reports doesn’t rate specific models of mattresses
Not everyone rested easy with our explanation of why we don’t rate mattress models. Wrote one commenter: "I subscribed to CR specifically for a mattress report and instead get a report on why you don’t do a mattress report." Visit our new mattress product page for more details on mattress shopping.
Buying Advice: Portable air conditioners
Cooling the air was obviously hot on readers’ minds when this blog posted on June 20. Our take on portable air conditioners is lukewarm at best—not only do they deliver less relief than manufacturers claim but the units also tend to be pricey.
Greener cleaners go mainstream
The launch of a line of natural cleaners from Clorox prompted this March 24 post.
Buyer’s guide to pellet- and wood-burning stoves
Surging home-heating costs in recent years has fueled interest in alternative ways to keep warm during the winter. Hence the flurry of comments to this buying guide. In fact, there’s been so much interest that we’re now planning a testing-based report on these products.
Buzzword: Radon
Of all our 2008 Buzzwords, none resulted in as many comments as this entry on radon. Several weeks later, The New York Times ran a story covering concerns about radon in countertops, raising the buzz again.
Tip of the Day: Don’t get ripped off by an alarm company
Dozens of readers responded to this blog with their own experiences with alarm companies, crooked and credible alike. One unlucky homeowner tells how she was swindled out of $360.
Are EdenPure space heaters just a lot of hot air?
That question spurred significant interest from readers. Some defended their EdenPure space heater, others didn’t recommend these appliances. Read our report on space heaters for more information.—Daniel DiClerico
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
If your New Year’s Eve plans include watching the festivities on TV, be sure to tune in at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, when a bigger, brighter, and more energy-efficient ball will start to drop over New York City’s Times Square. I saw the ball up close during its unveiling last month, and it’s a stunning spectacle.
The first Times Square New Year’s Eve ball drop took place in 1907, when a 700-pound wood-and-iron ball signaled the start of 1908. This year’s ball is twice as big as any previous version, a geodesic sphere that weighs nearly 12,000 pounds (shown). It’s covered in 2,668 Waterford crystals and powered by more than 32,000 Philips Luxeon Rebel lights. These LED lights can create more than 16 million colors and billions of patterns, producing a magical kaleidoscope effect. The ball consumes the same amount of electricity per hour as it takes to heat two ovens, making this the most energy efficient ball ever, Philips claims.
The ball will be on display throughout 2009, so if you plan to visit New York City next year, stop by Times Square at night to see the ball.—Kimberly Janeway
Essential information: Learn more about LED lights and check out our Buzzword on solid-state lighting.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Libby Langdon, a New York City-based interior designer who appears on HGTV’s Small Space, Big Style; her new book, Small Space Solutions, is due out in March 2009. Here, Langdon reveals her favorite paint colors, shares several space-expanding tricks, and talks about the latest in lightbulbs.
What’s your attraction to small spaces?
While traveling the country for my first show, Design Invasion, I saw that people have space constraints everywhere you go. I realized that I have a lot of tips for people who are intent on making their tight quarters feel larger and function better.
What are a few of your favorite tricks of the trade?
• Use full-scale shelves and cabinets. Pieces that go all the way up to the ceiling visually draw the eye upward making the ceiling seem higher and your space feel larger.
• Put your walls to work by mounting shelving to display collections and store items that would otherwise waste precious table space and create clutter.
• When hanging drapes, mount the rod where the ceiling meets the walls. This will also expand the space visually.
• Avoid using all wood furniture, which gives a room a clunky feel. Mix in glass-topped tables to give the room a lighter, airier and more open appearance.
• Position a large mirror on the wall directly opposite a window or a door with panes in it. This will amplify the available natural light.
Can color be used to expand a space?
People are often petrified to paint a small space a color because they think it’s going to make it look smaller. That can be the case if you paint all four walls a bold hue. Instead, choose an accent wall, maybe the wall that your headboard is on in the bedroom (see picture) or that your sofa is on in the living room. Paint that accent wall a rich, wonderful color and keep the other three walls a neutral, mellow color, like a soft tan. What happens visually is that the dark wall recedes and it tricks the eye into thinking the space is bigger than it is. (Learn more about specialty paints.)
What advice do you have for choosing paint colors?
Flip through a few design magazines to find colors you like. Nine times out of 10 they’ll list the names of the colors in the resource guide at the back of the magazine.
What role does lighting play in opening up a space?
Layers of light add depth and dimension and make a small space seem visually much larger. This might mean a combination of overhead fixtures, undercabinet lighting, wall sconces, and table lamps. Always try to light all four corners of a room. If you can’t see a corner, it’s as if it isn’t even there. I can’t tell you how many times I go into small rooms that are lighted by a single lamp. Even in a small room, four or five lights are not too many. You also want to think in terms of tall, large-scale lamps. People tend to fall into the "small space, small accessories" trap. But a tall lamp will spread a lot of light, while again tricking the eye by creating a sense of scale and height.
You use a lot of lights. Are you a fan of compact fluorescent lightbulbs?
I do like CFLs for efficiency but not always for the quality of their light. I prefer LED lights, which manufacturers say last up to 60,000 hours. I find the quality of LEDs to be brighter and truer. I’ve found some that are around $40, so they’re starting to come down in price.
(The quality of light from CFLs has improved. CFLs labeled "soft" or "warm" white will more closely resemble incandescent lightbulbs, while those tagged "bright white," "natural," or "daylight" will give off a whiter, crisper light.)
Speaking of efficiency, are we seeing the end of the McMansion?
Houses
are absolutely getting smaller as people realize they don’t need so
much house. Why pay to furnish and heat and cool all that square
footage? There’s a misconception that living in a small space means
living with less. But it can actually be the ultimate luxury. When you
come home and your space is functional and organized, you don’t feel
pulled in a million directions. You feel focused.
January is Get Organized Month. What advice do you have for people who want to start the New Year with a clean slate?
I
first try get to people to put their clutter in perspective. I ask
them, ‘On a scale of 1 to 10, with one being total minimalism and 10
being total chaos, where do you want to be? If you’re a 10 now and want
to be a 5, that means you need lose 50 percent of the stuff. Most
people are around a 7 or 8 and they want to get down to 5, which means
they have to lose 20 or 30 percent of the clutter.
Once you have the clutter in perspective, you need to identify your
worst space. But don’t put all the pressure on yourself to clean it up
in one day. Instead, set a timer for 45 minutes and start organizing.
Come up with your "pitch" pile, your "donate" pile, and your "need to
organize" pile. You need to be a little ruthless. But most people find
that decluttering is contagious. Clutter stops us from moving forward
and doing what we want to do. After 45 minutes, 1 out of 100 people I
work with actually stops. It feels so good to get rid of things that
they want to keep going.
Which areas of the home tend to attract the most clutter?
The
three pressure points for clutter are the entryway, the kitchen, and
the home office. The trick is to create systems for each that are going
to work for your lifestyle. If you have kids, don’t put a beautiful
table in the entryway. It might look good, but it’s totally
impractical. Instead, create a storage system there to prevent the
clutter from reaching indoors. You don’t have to spend a lot of money.
Inexpensive towel bars with S-hooks are great for coats and backpacks,
then you can do some floating shelves above them for your keys,
wallets, cell phones, and so on. In the kitchen, rollout organizers are a great way to maximize storage in cabinets.
What advice do you have for freshening up guest rooms?
A
quick, inexpensive way to update a guest room is to hang
floor-to-ceiling drapes behind the headboard. That creates a luxurious
feel while drawing the eye upward and making the room feel larger.
Another thing I love to do in guest rooms is replace the nightstands
with two small chests. This balances the room and provides additional
storage for guests.
Essential information: Hear what experts from other fields have to say by reading past interviews on the 10 Questions for . . . page. And learn about closet and garage organizers.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has stepped up its fight against global warming with the recent approval of the scoping plan for Assembly Bill 32. The state agency wants to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in California to 1990 levels by 2020, a reduction of about 30 percent; by 2050, the goal is to drop emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels.
A key element of AB 32, known as the Global Warming Solutions Act and signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, is a cap-and-trade program covering 85 percent of the state’s emissions. CARB estimates these measures could save each household $400 to $500 annually by 2020. Several measures could affect consumers directly:
• New codes and standards call for tougher building codes and appliance-efficiency standards.
• A solar-roofs program requires publicly owned utilities to drop the costs of these systems by implementing incentives for solar power. (Learn more about incentives for alternative-energy systems, including solar.)
• Smart-meter technology will provide real-time energy-use information to consumers to help them use less electricity. (Read more about demand-response pricing.)
• Water-use measures will boost efficiency and conservation efforts.
• Weatherization incentives will encourage consumers to insulate their homes, upgrade heating and cooling systems, install high-efficiency windows, and more.
State officials hope the plan will be a stimulus for California’s economy (and perhaps decrease smog in Los Angeles, shown above). "By moving first in the nation, California maintains its position at the front of the line in attracting venture capital, and positions us as a leader in the race to develop the clean technology products, patents, and projects the global market demands and needs," said Mary Nichols, CARB chairwoman.
Opponents aren’t so sure about the economic impact. As part of a peer review of CARB’s plan, Robert Stavins, Ph.D., a professor at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, wrote: "I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the economic analysis is terribly deficient in critical ways and should not be used by the state government or the public for the purpose of assessing the likely costs of CARB’s plans."
"We stand by our macroeconomic analyses," says CARB spokesman Stanley Young, who suggests that AB 32 is as much about safeguarding public and environmental safety as it is about dollars and cents.—Daniel DiClerico
Essential information: Read about CARB’s and the EPA’s efforts to lower emissions from lawn mowers and tractors.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
If you live in a cold-weather climate, you don’t need a thermometer to know that winter and its cold weather have arrived. (That said, the temperature exceeded a balmy 60°F at my New York City suburban hometown yesterday.) Even as home-heating fuel prices have dropped, you’ll still want to trim your wintertime utility bills.
A friend swears that wearing sweaters and other warm clothing is the best way to save, so he turns the thermostat way down. He definitely saves, though his stinginess makes his house uncomfortably cold—so chilly that his mother-in-law refuses to visit. Perhaps that frostiness mirrors the relationship he has with her. . . .
You don’t have to take such measures to save. The U.S. Department of Energy recently launched EnergySavers.gov, which features free and inexpensive ways to lower energy costs and a guide to do-it-yourself energy audits. Your utility company might also provide a free or low-cost energy audit; if you need to hire a company, use this directory of certified professionals and learn what a professional audit should entail.
If you or someone you know needs help paying their heating bills this winter, check out the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.—Kimberly Janeway
Essential reading: Use our experts tips to save energy and money. And learn how cutting your utility bills could boost the value of your home.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
Our recent "Tip of the Day: How to safely use a generator during a weather emergency" provided you with details on the importance of generators during a power outage.
But what if you don’t have a generator like those covered in our ratings-based review of these emergency-power supplies? A December 23, 2008, post on the Green Inc. blog from The New York Times detailed how a Massachusetts homeowner rigged his Toyota Prius (full model information available to subscribers) to provide electricity to his storm-battered home.
This novel use of the hybrid car got me to wondering about weather-related emergencies and what types of system(s) you might have jerry-built to cope with the situations. It also struck me that maybe our trusty vehicles can be more than just people movers.
If you’ve got an interesting tale to tell, share your experiences by posting a comment below. Meanwhile, I’m going to explore ways to turn my mundane minivan into a profit-making venture, perhaps as rolling drive-in theater for families of five (popcorn and soft drinks not included).—Steven H. Saltzman
Essential information: Visit our Storm & Emergency Guide for expert advice on coping with natural disasters.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
If you’re of a certain age and grew up in the New York City area, you probably remember watching the Yule Log on WPIX on Christmas Day. Channel 11 used to show a fireplace aglow for hours on end, a goofy yet—if not literally—warming looping log.
Some of us used to look for the spot where the loop ended and started again—perhaps not the most exciting thing to do on a holiday but if the bowl games were boring or the weather too nasty to go outside, this detective work did provide a diversion.
While most wood- and pellet-burning stoves won’t allow you to watch the burning logs, they clearly have grabbed the interest of many consumers who are looking for less expensive ways to heat their homes. If you’re considering adding one of these devices to your home, read our buyer’s guide and these blog posts on an innovative pellet-delivery system and the fluctuating price of fuel for these stoves.—Steven H. Saltzman
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
The Btu ratings of the burners on ranges and cooktops seem to have increased, and induction cooktops are becoming more popular. Does the performance of these high-output appliances justify their higher prices?
That depends on the amount and the type of cooking you do.
Our latest report on gas ranges included models with gas burners rated at 18,000 Btu/hr.: GE PGS975SEM[SS], $2,500, Electrolux EW30GF65G $2,000 and EW30GS65G $2,300; and dual-fuel Dacor Epicure ER30D, $6,000. Each brought a 6-liter pot of water to a near-boil in 15 to 16 1/2 minutes. "But less expensive gas ranges with burners rated at 15,000 or 16,000 Btu/hr. offered comparable water-boiling performance," says Tara Casaregola, a program leader in the Consumer Reports Technical division. "High heat is also useful for stir frying large quantities," notes Casaregola.
Gas ranges are now being outperformed in some areas by induction cooktops, which use electromagnetism to heat iron-based cookware while leaving the heating element itself relatively cool. High-output induction elements bring water to a boil faster and are better for certain specific cooking tasks than other electric burners. In our latest tests, the GE Profile PHP900DM [BB], $1,650, and the Thermador CIT302D[S], $1,725, brought 6 liters of water to a boil in less than 8 minutes. The Thermador’s overall performance and versatility—it excelled at simmering and combines induction and electric elements—earned it a spot in our top 100 products of 2008 (available to subscribers).
A recent First Look on the Kenmore Elite 9991 range (shown) points to why induction appliances are generating a buzz. The induction cooktop on the Kenmore boiled water rapidly and did well in our low-heat test, melting chocolate on its lowest-power element without scorching and holding tomato sauce below a boil on its largest element at a lower setting.
But induction might not be for you. "If you’re choosing between a high-powered induction cooktop and a gas range, you still can’t beat the ‘feel’ of gas," says John Macchia, a senior laboratory technician in our technical division who studied at the Culinary Institute of America. "If you cook on a regular basis with gas, you’ll know what I’m talking about."
Macchia is talking about the visual cue you get when cooking with gas, the ability to see the size of the flame and gauge the amount of heat being pumped out. His sentiments are shared by many participants in the induction-cooking discussion on our appliances forum, where a growing number of induction users have been sharing their experiences. Drop in and tell others about your favorite cooking appliance.
Essential information: See our updated product pages for more information on gas and electric ranges and cooktop and wall ovens.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
What it means. In the early days of Web search engines, SERP—search engine results page—was only part of new-media pioneers’ jargon. In today’s wired world, we all encounter SERPs countless times a day when we google someone (to find out what became of a high-school flame) or something (to check out the price of the bottle of wine you got from your boss).
A SERP, a listing of Web pages returned by a search engine in response to a query, in a way serves as an up-to-the minute measure of what people are looking for online; how well a Web page is optimized (the ever-important search-engine optimization, or SEO); and which search terms companies are paying for (the sometimes pricey search-engine marketing, or SEM).
Every organization with a Web site pays attention to SERPs, be they derived from internal or external searches. At Consumer Reports, for example, we’ve seen that many of you are searching for information on wood- and pellet-burning stoves. We’ve done a buyer’s guide to these increasingly popular devices and have covered news surrounding them in the Home & Garden blog, like these posts on their rising sales and a new pellet-delivery system. We’re also planning a testing-based report on these product.
Why the buzz? SERP plays a big role in the Web 2.0 world, which emphasizes social networks and interaction. (A related buzzword, reputation economy, highlights the user review nature of this new model). Still, as valuable a pulse-taker as SERP is, it’s not always a reliable measure of quality. Consider the recently published "Looking for a Vacuum?" item on AOL.
After some breezy if not exactly exhaustive buying advice ("Most people want something light-weight with great sucking power . . . "), the author provides a list of the most searched vacuum cleaners on AOL. They include, in order from 1 to 10, Dyson, Shark, Rainbow, Kirby, Hoover, Eureka, Oreck, Dirt Devil, Miele, and Bissell.
This search-term popularity contest not only omits leading nameplates Kenmore and Electrolux but also isn’t an accurate measure of how the 10 brands perform. In our latest report on upright vacuums, canister vacuums, and handheld vacuums, for instance, Dyson models didn’t rank as highly as the AOL Dyson search did. (Ratings of canister and upright vacuums are available to subscribers.) Kirby is another highly searched brand on AOL, and people interested in that company’s vacuums will be happy to know that it was among the highest-scoring—but priciest—upright vacuums we tested.
The discrepancies between popularity and performance are many, and we haven’t even touched on brand reliability. This is not to say SERP is useless. The wisdom of the crowd can be a good starting point in your search for information. But when it comes to vacuum cleaners and other major appliances, be sure to cross-reference the cyber chatter with the test-based findings of our engineers.—Daniel DiClerico
Essential information: Read our Value Index for cordless drills, a new tool designed to help you get the biggest bang for your buck.
Written by larrylarr on January 4th, 2009 with no comments.
Read more articles on news.
« Older articles
No newer articles
