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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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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Now I know why someone associated with House Beautiful yesterday said to me “We love bloggers!” This post will have taken me about 6 hours to produce by the time I’m finished. Why? It’s the images! I’m not even going to tell you how how many I took…but maybe I’m the worst editor, or maybe there are just WAY too many inspiring vignettes in this beauitful kitchen/living space. In either case, maybe I was a little obsessive. That’s ok, I surrender to it and you benefit.
Ok, let’s talk about the kitchen. There’s A LOT going on in this kitchen, a lot to talk about. I think I’ll be organized about it. Yes, Susan, that’s a good concept.
OVERALL DESIGN
The kitchen design, by Robert Stilin in close collaboration with Ina Garten, was meant to replicate Ina’s East Hampton kitchen for House Beautiful’s Kitchen Of The Year 2009. The kitchen of the year can be viewed at Rockefeller Center (you can’t miss it) until July 24.
You’re hearing it more and more…the kitchen is the new living room. The drum beat is getting louder. I think we were shocked by the financial crisis into rediscovering the [...]
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One question that often comes up is, should you buy a range or a cooktop?
In short, it is really a personal choice, based on your budget, space limitations, looks, and needs.
Budget
Prices for cooktops, ovens and ranges vary a lot because the prices are changing constantly due to special offers and sales, brands are priced differently to start with, and they also depend on which of many different features they offer.
However, a separate cooktop and wall oven will always cost more than a range, and will also require electrical or gas plumbing to each unit.
Space Issues
With a cooktop and separate oven you are installing two appliances, therefore they will take up twice the space of a range. Building codes may also require you to install a vent over the cooktop. Also, you may lose some cupboard space to allow for the built-in oven.
Gas or Electric?
However, the first thing you should consider when buying a range or cooktop is whether you want the gas or the electric type. With the drastic increase in natural gas prices recently, many people are changing to electric appliances.
If you are simply replacing your existing equipment, this is no problem. If, however, you [...]
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