| U.S. freezer sales buck overall appliance downturn |
| | As in many other industries, appliance sales have suffered as the U.S. economy has slowed and consumers spend less. Major-appliance shipments declined 7.4 percent for the year through August, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. But there's one bright spot in the market: stand-alone freezers. Shipments of freezers were up 3.5 percent for the first eight months of the year and rose 13 percent in August over a year earlier; upright models saw an annualized sales jump of nearly 17 percent in August; chest models, 10 percent. Rising food prices could be a factor in the growth of freezer sales. From 2005 to 2008, the overall cost of food for home consumption was projected to climb 4 to 5 percent, according to this Wall Street Journal report. The ever-increasing tab at the checkout line has spurred more Americans to buy in bulk at warehouse clubs such as Costco and Sam's Club, likely creating a need for more freezer space. If you're considering getting a stand-alone freezer, use our buyer's guide to get the right unit for your needs. Avoid placing the freezer in the garage, where fluctuating temperatures can force the compressor to work extra hard. If you find that after a while you're not using your separate freezer, consolidate frozen foods in your primary refrigerator-freezer and turn off the stand-alone freezer. As for what goes into the freezer, don't fill your new appliance with high-fat, high-calorie foods. As we reported in the July 2008 "Can Appliances Make You Heavy?" kitchen appliances could encourage poor eating habits. (Some freezers have dedicated storage compartments for pizza and ice cream, for example.) Visit ConsumerReports.org/health for diet and nutrition advice.—Daniel DiClerico Essential information: To determine which appliances you should fix and which you should nix, read our updated repair-or-replace advice. Then find out about the best places to buy new appliances. |
| | 10/27/2008 11:55 PM (507d 21h 56m ago) |
| General Electric Acknowledges Plan to Sell Appliance Unit |
| | The venerable GE Appliances business is up for sale. Fairfield, Connecticut-based General Electric Co., is looking to offload the century-old appliances unit in a move to invigorate the parent company, which has more than $170 billion in annual revenue, according to news reports that initially surfaced on May 14, 2008.GE has hired investment bank Goldman Sachs to run the auction for the appliances group, which is based in Louisville, Kentucky. Possible buyers, according to The Wall Street Journal, include Germany’s BSH Bosch, Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH, Mexico’s Controladora Mabe SA (GE’s partner in that country), China’s Haier Group, and private-equity firms.Whether you are on the short list of potential GE Appliances buyers or just in the market for new appliances for your kitchen or laundry room, read how GE products stack up against the competition in a few key appliance categories: |
| | 5/18/2008 2:47 PM (670d 7h 4m ago) |
| Rebates and Tax Credits Can Lower Appliance Costs |
| | While you might have back-burnered your plans for a kitchen remodel or a new laundry room, you can’t ignore an ailing dishwasher, a struggling refrigerator, or a washed-up clothes washer.Fixing these appliances could be an option—see our repair-or-replace-it guide (available to subscribers)—but when you decide to replace appliances, consider more-energy-efficient models. This is one way to spend your federal economic-stimulus payment. And, as unlikely as it might seem, you can also turn to your utility company and the state and local government for some financial relief.As of mid-May, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, maintained by North Carolina State University’s Solar Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, lists 732 utility rebate and loan programs for consumers who buy energy-efficient appliances or other home systems. (The DSIRE's map is shown.) The site also includes details on 35 state rebate and loan programs and 13 personal-income-tax-credit or tax-holiday plans.You’ll also fund information on rebate and tax-credit programs from utilities, states, and partners at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Partner Activities search; if you don’t see a program listed for your area, look on your utility bill for more information or contact your state taxation office.Read more about rebates and tax credits. |
| | 5/15/2008 2:31 PM (673d 7h 20m ago) |
| Solid State Lighting Last 10 Times Longer Than CFLs with NO Harmful Mercury |
| | Solid-state lighting, or SSL, could be the next big thing in residential lighting. SSL refers to a type of bulb—or lamp, in industry parlance—that uses the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material to generate light. The semiconductor is in a solid block form, hence “solid state.” Because there’s no filament that heats up (and eventually burns out), SSL is up to 50 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, claim manufacturers. SSL is also said to last as much as 10 times longer than compact fluorescent lighting and contains none of the potentially harmful mercury that has brought CFLs image down to earth and made recycling them a hassle.Read the full Consumer Report. article. |
| | 5/02/2008 7:36 PM (686d 2h 15m ago) |
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| Consumer Reports New Feature: Refrigerator Video Buying Guide |
| | If you're in the market for a new refrigerator and are on a tight budget, you're in luck. Relatively basic $500 refrigerators now come equipped with rimmed glass shelves that catch spills and gallon-size-storage on doors. And more manufacturers are adding an icemaker to their models.Before you head out to shop, watch the Consumer Reports' new video buying guide and read its latest refrigerators report, learn about the real capacity of these appliances, and refer to its ratings of bottom-freezers, built-ins, side-by-sides, and top-freezers. |
| | 7/25/2008 10:43 AM (602d 11h 8m ago) |
| Review: Are built-in refrigerators more prone to repairs than other types? |
| | Consumer Reports past surveys have found that built-in refrigerators were more repair prone than other types. But a recent analysis by the Consumer Reports National Research Center (CRNRC) shows there's been a change. When the CRNRC looked at reader responses to the Annual Product Reliability Survey about refrigerators bought between 2003 and 2007, it found that built-in refrigerators have NOT been more repair prone. Note that the survey did indicate that Sub-Zero built-in refrigerators have been repair prone.Built-in refrigerators like the highly rated KitchenAid KBFC42F[SS] shown offer a sophisticated, sleek look—at a high price. |
| | 4/03/2008 9:56 PM (714d 23h 54m ago) |
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| Six Maintenance Steps will Prevent Most Refrigerator Breakdowns |
| | It’s hard to believe, but six simple maintenance steps will prevent almost 100 percent of refrigerator breakdowns and eliminate those service calls. Take these steps and you can forget spoiled food, lost time waiting for repair people and shelling out $70 an hour plus parts for the repair itself. In this story, we’ll show you how to keep your fridge humming and trouble-free. And we’ll also tell you what to check if a problem does occur.1. Clean the condenser coils (5 minutes)2. Clean the condenser fan (5 minutes)3. Wipe down the door gasket (2 minutes)4. Clear the freezer vents (5 minutes)5. Set the temperature controls to the middle settings (1 minute)6. Clear and clean the drip openings (2 minutes)Visit The Family Handyman for more details, instructions and visual aids. |
| | 10/13/2008 4:08 AM (522d 17h 43m ago) |
| 10 Questions for . . . Joan DesCombes, Certified Kitchen Designer |
| | In this installment of 10 Questions for . . . , Consumer Reports Senior Editor Daniel DiClerico speaks with Joan DesCombes, CKD, principal of Winter Park, Florida–based Architectural Artworks Incorporated. Here, DesCombes, who received the 2008 Pinnacle of Design award from the National Kitchen & Bath Association in April, talks about her winning project, where kitchen design stands today headed, and what her clients want in their new kitchens. |
| | 5/14/2008 3:09 PM (674d 6h 42m ago) |
| Tips & techniques: Refrigerators & Freezers Purchasing Tips |
| | Ask for an ENERGY STAR model. When buying a refrigerator or freezer from a retailer, request an ENERGY STAR qualified model to ensure it is energy-efficient. Check the yellow EnergyGuide label to determine how much energy is used to operate the model, compare the energy use of similar models, and approximate annual operating costs. Purchase an appropriate-sized refrigerator or freezer model for your needs. Generally, the larger the refrigerator or freezer model, the greater the energy consumption. The most energy-efficient refrigerator models are typically 16-20 cubic feet. The most energy-efficient freezer models are typically chest freezers. Consider buying a refrigerator model with a top freezer. Top freezer models use 10-25% less energy than side-by-side models. Consider doing without an ice-maker and dispenser. Automatic ice-makers and through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14-20% and raise the purchase price by about $75-250. Look for a refrigerator with automatic moisture control. Models with this feature have been engineered to prevent moisture accumulation on the cabinet exterior without the addition of a heater. This is not the same thing as an “anti-sweat” heater. Models with an anti-sweat heater will consume 5% to 10% more energy than models without this feature. Manual defrost models use half the energy of automatic defrost models but must be defrosted periodically to realize energy savings. Frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running. Don’t allow frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch. You may also be interested to know that you can reduce the amount of energy your refrigerator or freezer uses, whether with a standard or an ENERGY STAR qualified model:Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window. To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and... |
| | 4/01/2008 2:56 PM (717d 6h 55m ago) |
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