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What's New:
Q&A: How do I recycle my old cookware?
I just bought a new set of cookware. What's the best way to get rid of my old pots and pans?
Selecting the right cookware is easy, but getting rid of an old
set, especially a 10-piece ensemble, isn't so obvious. You can donate usable pots and pans to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or list them on Freecycle. If the cookware is unusable, contact your municipal department of public works to ask about recycling.
Now, if you buy Calphalon's new Unison cookware, you can send your old set, no matter its condition or manufacturer, to Calphalon for free recycling. You pack your old set in a box that comes with your new cookware, attach the prepaid mailing label, and drop it off at a FedEx location.
 Calphalon will take nonstick and uncoated cookware. (Glass and plastic items are not accepted.) After sorting, the pots and pans are sent to a company that processes the metal for reuse.
Among other corporate recyclers, some Walmart stores [...]
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Q&A: Should I buy a stand mixer based on its wattage?
I've read that more watts are better. Is that true, or am I just wasting my money?
Don't buy a stand mixer based on wattage. It’s usually the power used, not produced. A stand mixer with high wattage may be powerful or may just operate inefficiently. But be sure to check the warranty as they vary. Also consider:
• Examining the mixer before buying. Look at the proportion of the beaters to the bowl. If the bowl holds 7 quarts but the top of the beaters only reach half way up the bowl, then the true capacity of the bowl is about 3.5 quarts. This is especially important if you frequently work with lots of flour
• Buying an extra bowl, for around $50, if you make two-step recipes so you won't have to scrape and rinse between steps.
• Checking Websites for rebate information. KitchenAid is offering $40 back on select 5- or 6-quart stand mixers (the KitchenAid Classic K45 has repeatedly been our top-rated model).
Most of the tested models have one beater that spins [...]
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Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: The LG WM210C[W] front-loading washer is a real mover and shaker
 Because front-loading washing machines spin so rapidly—up to 1,200 revolutions per minute—and their drums rotate on a horizontal axis, the vibration and noise these machines produce can be a nuisance for users, especially when a front-loader is used near main living areas or on a second floor in a home.
Our testers have seen plenty of front-loaders that produce a lot of vibration and noise, though no front-loader has ever actually moved from its spot during our vibration testing. Until now. In a recent vibration test on a wood floor, the $550 LG WM2010C[W] front-loader turned on an angle and moved forward about three inches when it had an 8-pound evenly distributed load . And when we repeated the test with a 1-pound unbalanced load, the LG again slid forward several inches.
LG offers a solution with the “SpinSense” function, which the manufacturer says “can be used to help reduce or eliminate vibrations, especially on wood floor installations.” When our testers [...]
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Q&A: Should I buy a stand mixer based on the wattage?
 I’ve read that more watts are better. Is that true or am I just wasting my money?
Don’t buy a stand mixer based on wattage. It’s usually the power used, not produced. But be sure to check the warranty as they vary. Also consider:
• Buying the biggest bowl available if your recipes frequently call for lots of flour
• Buying an extra bowl, for around $50, if you make two-step recipes so you won’t have to scrape and rinse between steps
• Checking Websites for rebate information. KitchenAid is offering $40 back on select 5- or 6-quart stand mixers (the KitchenAid Classic K45 has repeatedly been our top-rated model).
Most of the tested models have one beater that spins in one direction and moves around the bowl in the opposite way. The bottom-rated stand mixers have two beaters that spin against each other, just like a hand mixer.
 While these models were the least expensive, they were also mediocre or worse at mashing potatoes, mixing cookie dough, and kneading bread. We also found [...]
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Tip of the Day: Freeze summer fruits and vegetables
 With recent projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicating that prices for “food at home”—that’s all the stuff you buy at supermarkets, farmers’ markets, and convenience stores—will rise 2 to 3 percent this year and 2.5 to 3.5 percent in 2010, you might be more inclined to buy a stand-alone freezer, figuring that freezing food that you buy in bulk or cook in big batches might save you some money.
See our September 2009 report on freezers for news on and ratings of the latest models (ratings available to subscribers) and read our free buyer’s guide for freezers and shopping advice for refrigerators. (The photo shows freezer testing in our labs.)
Now’s also a great time to freeze summer produce in your refrigerator’s freezer or stand-alone freezer, whether it’s the bounty from your own garden or fruits and vegetables you pick up or at local farm stands.
Some vegetables aren’t freezer friendly because they become limp and soggy when thawed. The do-not-freeze list includes celery, endive, lettuce, parsley, [...]
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Tip of the Day: When ordering appliances, carefully check the specs
 Carpenters live by the adage, Measure twice. Cut once. The same advice can apply to ordering appliances and equipment for a kitchen remodel, says one New Jersey homeowner who recently undertook a top-to-bottom makeover of the 300-square-foot kitchen at her 1960s Cape Cod house.
Because Helaine W.’s new kitchen includes a bank of windows on the exterior wall, the plans called for an island vent hood—a wall-mounted hood with through-the-wall venting wouldn’t fit the design. What’s more, the hood had to be 24 inches deep or less so it wouldn’t overhang the counter.
To find the right-size hood, Helaine, her kitchen designer, and a salesperson from a local appliance store searched the Web sites of several major manufacturers and found the Franke FDF 367 1XS 36-inch-wide island hood. The Franke site indicated a depth of a little more than 19 inches, ideal for the application. An order was placed for the unit.
When the hood arrived four weeks later, the contractor notified Helaine that the Franke FDF 367 1XS was deeper [...]
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Tip of the Day: Be safe when grilling
Your grill might have served you well so far this summer, but a little bit of servicing now will ensure safe and effective cooking and protect its looks far into the fall and beyond. Here’s how:
If your grill has become hard to light or the flame isn’t as strong as it could be, check for blockages in the tubes that lead to the burner. Clear obstructions by using a wire or pipe cleaner and pushing debris through to the main part of the burner. Spiders love to build webs and nests in these areas; be sure to check for these, especially if you’ve just returned from vacation. You’ll also want to inspect the hoses for cracks, holes, and sharp bends and replace it if necessary. Then do the following:
• Check the grills for gas leaks by mixing a small amount of dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle. Spray the hose and connections, and with the hose connected to the propane tank, open the gas. If bubbles appear, you need to replace your hose or fix a loose connection.
• Have your grill serviced if the burner flames are not blue. [...]
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Cash for clunkers moves to appliances. Money back for your old Kelvinator?Will this fall’s federal rebate do for home appliances and heating and cooling systems what the Car Allowance Rebate System—aka cash for clunkers—has done for cars and trucks? The appliance industry certainly hopes so: Sales of dishwashers, refrigerators, and washing machines—the three appliances covered by the appliance-rebate program—have been off by some 25 percent from their peak during the last housing boom.
As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Obama administration is encouraging the purchase of energy-efficient appliances through an appliance-rebate program that will soon dole out money if you buy Energy Star-qualified models. Appliances that qualify
for Energy Star use roughly 10 to 25 percent less energy than the maximum allowed for that category by the U.S. Department of Energy, which runs Energy Star with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Unlike cash for clunkers, you won’t have to turn in your old appliance to get a rebate. But states are expected to have recycling plans for the flood of old appliances the program could unleash. And while the money is coming from Washington, how much you get [...]
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On AMC’s Mad Men, attention to detail includes appliances in the Drapers’ kitchen
 Much has been written about the painstaking detail that goes into every costume, set decoration, and cocktail on Mad Men, the hit drama on AMC about the advertising industry in the early 1960s.
We’ll leave it to the fashion scribes to decide whether the lapels on Don Draper’s suit and the furniture at the Sterling Cooper ad agency were appropriate in the season-three premiere on Sunday, August 16.
What we’re interested in are the appliances you see on the show. From that admittedly narrow perspective, a standout image from the premiere had to be the electric cooktop that Draper, played by Jon Hamm, is seen standing over in the opening sequence as he warms some milk for his pregnant wife, Betty (January Jones). The photo, courtesy of AMC, shows the Drapers’ kitchen.
The way the camera lingers over the glowing-red coils, the appliance definitely conjures a specific place in time. (As do those knotty-pine cabinets and the plaid wallpaper in the kitchen.) We didn’t test cooktops [...]
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Appliance sales lagging amid signs of recovery, according to new Consumer Reports Index
 While
there are signs that the economy is starting to recover, the appliance
industry may be among the last sectors to see any green shoots. That’s
according to the Consumer Reports Retail Index, one of several indices
used to create the newly minted Consumer Report Index.
As reported in “Consumers Aren’t So Upbeat, New Consumer Reports Index Shows,” retail data from the last 30 days shows that consumer purchases
declined, and small appliances and large appliances posted the largest
percentage drops out of the surveyed product categories comprising
the index.
Over the next 30 days, appliance purchases are expected to dip again relative to the prior month.
The Consumer Reports Index findings reinforce dismal shipping numbers
for the appliance industry in June, when year-over-year shipments of
major appliances fell 30 percent.
Appliance purchases relate to
another figure from the Consumer Reports Index: the percentage of
homeowners who have postponed a home-improvement project. That figure
peaked in July, when 27 percent of respondents said they put a project
on hold. For August, the percentage decreased to 26 percent.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | [...]
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By the Numbers: Washing machine capacities grow, but efficiency rises
9 percent
Amount the capacity of the average washing machine sold today has grown since 2000, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Despite that larger capacity, today’s average washer consumes 64 percent less energy than those sold nine years ago. Consider the Energy Star-qualified GE WBVH5300K[WW], covered recently in this Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs post. This 0 front-loader aced our energy- and water-efficiency tests and cleaned capably and quickly (cycle time was a brisk 69 minutes). e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook
Essential information: Use our free buyer’s guide to washing machines and buyer’s guide to dryers for expert advice on buying these laundry appliances. Get your clothes cleaner with the best performers from our latest report on laundry detergents. And read these tips for setting up a laundry room near living space.
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 Increase in usage reported by owners of espresso/cappuccino coffeemakers over the past one to two years due to the recession, according to new research from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.
The home-brewed approach is saving those consumers as much as ,000 per year, says AHAM. You can do the math, but given the high price of coffeehouse concoction, the you don’t spend every day on a mocha-frappe-la-di-dah will add up quickly.
People who drink just a regular cup of joe stand to save less, which may explain why only 9 percent of owners of auto-drip coffeemakers say they’re using their machines more often. Owners of single-serve coffeemakers reported a 21 percent increase in use since the recession began.
The Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian that topped the ratings (available to subscribers) in our latest report on coffee costs only 15 cents cup.
These are tough times for the appliance industry—year-over-year shipments of major appliances were down nearly 30 percent in June—so perhaps AHAM deserves a pass for reading too much into the tea leaves, [...]
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 Our latest ongoing tests of washing machines included three very different washers yet they had two things in common: All are made by Whirlpool and, more notable, they were tough on our test loads. See our newly updated ratings (available to subscribers) for more details on these and dozens of other top- and front-loading models and use our free buyer’s guide to washing machines for more expert advice.
Check out our July 24 post on three other recently tested washers. And look for more Inside Consumer Reports Tests Labs posts on washers, dishwashers, and vacuums in the coming weeks as we continue to test models on a rolling basis, providing you with information on the latest innovations and the newest models to hit showrooms.
The Estate ETW4400W[Q] top-loader, 0 (right in the photo), merited the lowest gentleness score of these machines—a poor—causing fabrics to fray. The Estate’s overall washing performance was very good—impressive considering that most conventional top-loaders we see tend to be mediocre at washing. Cycle time was 48 minutes, comparable to other top-loaders with agitators. And [...]
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 For apartment and condo dwellers or those who live in communities where gas or charcoal grills are banned, electric grills offer sizzle without a lot of fuss. No big bags of charcoal or heavy propane tanks to lug home, no gas leaks to repair. Just plug in the grill, let it heat up for about 15 minutes, and cook away.
To see how well the Weber Q-140 (left in photo) and the Dimplex PowerChef (right in photo) electric grills can cook, we grilled chicken breasts, salmon steaks, burgers and rib-eye steaks on them.
The Weber Q-140 (5; a rolling stand is sold separately) is a basic portable grill—it lacks shelves and a warming rack—that fits nine to 12 hamburgers. The single control knob has no settings, so you won’t be able to load the grill and cook foods at different temperatures.
This no-frills grill delivered very good cooking performance and was easy to use and clean. It served up chicken and salmon that was juicy and lightly browned and burgers that were evenly cooked. Flare-ups weren’t a [...]
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Buzzword: Pay As You Throw
 What it means. In most municipalities nationwide, households pay a flat annual fee to have their garbage hauled away once or more a week. The cost is often rolled into property-tax payments and doesn’t fluctuate regardless of how much waste a household generates. With pay as you throw, or PAYT, household waste is treated more like a utility, with each household getting charged for how much garbage its sends to the curb.
In most PAYT programs, households sign up for a specific containers—say one 32-gallon and one 64-gallon receptacle—and are charged extra when they go over that limit in a certain period. Other PAYT programs use logoed bags that consumers buy from municipal centers or participating retailers; these are the only bags they can use to throw out their trash.
 Why the buzz? As recycling grows—curbside programs are up 500 percent in the last 5 years, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—so does PAYT. It’s now in 7,100 communities nationwide, according to the Skumatz Economic [...]
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What’s new on ConsumerReports.org: September 2009 home-related content
 Summer got off to a slow start in much of the U.S., but some features
in our just-posted September issue will pay dividends during the dog
days of August and far into the upcoming year and beyond.
• Freezers are hot. Freezers have been the only appliance to post sales gains this year, and federal, state, and local utility incentives make it even easier to trade your old clunker for an efficient new model. Our latest report on freezers
found that upright models were more convenient than chest-type models.
But upright models also cost more, and during our tests manual-defrost
upright models couldn’t keep a consistent temperature in door shelves.
Our ratings (available to subscribers)
include four excellent chest-type models ranging from 0 to 0. (A
downside to these models is that you’ll have to bend to reach the Ben
& Jerry’s.) Recommended upright standouts cost from 0 to 0.
• Safer, better cookware. As our latest report on cookware
shows, nonstick sets from Emeril and Calphalon provided good
performance and value for under 0. Testers also found [...]
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Weekend Project: Install a new showerhead
 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to decrease bathing-related water use, and its WaterSense standards for showerheads
will call for flow rates below the current federal limit of 2.5
gallons per minute. The challenge for manufacturers is to meet that
standard without affecting shower feel, since an anemic flow can result
in longer shower times and greater water use.
If your showerhead isn’t looking its best or is delivering less than a
satisfying flow, read our latest report on showerheads (full story and
ratings available to subscribers), which covers single- and
multisetting models as well as shower towers.
Installing a regular showerhead is a fairly easy job. You unscrew and
remove your existing head and the plumbing tape in place, apply fresh
tape (usually Teflon tape) for a tight seal, and screw the new head in
place.
But when you’re installing a rain-shower model, installation might not
be as straightforward. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
Angle the showerhead properly. Because water literally falls from some
rain-shower fixtures, it will dribble out one side if the fixture isn’t
installed at the correct angle. You can [...]
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