August 13th, 2012
A spate of house fires across Sydney over the weekend has prompted authorities to urge households to remain cautious for the last month of winter. The blazes saw firefighters called out to three separate incidents in the Blue Mountains - as well as a burnt-out home in Sydney's south - since Friday (August 10). According to Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Paul Bailey, while the cause of the ... Read more
August 10th, 2012
An innovative new washing machine which automatically measures and dispenses detergent has been launched by Siemens. Developers at the German brand claim the new i-Dos technology calculates the precise dosage of liquid detergent required depending on the load size, soiling and fabric type. Combining intelligence and design, the fully-integrated 8kg iQ 800 Master Class with i-Dos has been hailed for its ability to deliver up to 39 washes ... Read more
August 9th, 2012
It may still be months away, but before you know it December will be here and we'll all be scrambling for gift ideas. Luckily, Sunbeam looks set to deliver a range of affordable appliances in time for Christmas. We were lucky enough to get a sneak peak at what's in store for Sunbeam customers - and it looks like there'll be something for everyone! From a new line of ... Read more
August 8th, 2012
While it may not feel like it just yet, summer is just around the corner. Whether you enjoy feeling the sand between your toes during the day or prefer to make the most of the longer nights by entertaining guests outdoors, the warmer weather means one thing - heading outdoors. However, eating outdoors often involves extensive planning, hauling food and equipment to your scenic destination But all of ... Read more
August 2nd, 2012
Remember the $1 million gold vacuum we told you about last month? Well the manufacturer of the GoVacuum GV62711 appears to now be taking a slightly different approach, reconsidering its outrageous $999,999 pricetag and is now accepting offers from interested parties in a bit to increase sales. “It's perplexing to me, but as of now we've not sold a single vacuum," creator and vice president of sales and ... Read more
July 31st, 2012
Products with the latest state-of-the-art features or a strong advertising campaign can only do so much when it comes to influencing the purchasing decisions of Australians. Consumers are more aware than ever, and use trust in a brand to help them choose between different products. The results of the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands 2012 survey are an indication of the importance Australians place on trust, and the 2,468 ... Read more
July 31st, 2012
A few weeks ago we told you about making a coffee using your iPhone, so it was only a matter of time until more kitchen appliances could be operated by your mobile phone. Consumer electronics pioneers LG launched its latest microwave oven in Korea yesterday (July 30), boasting the ability to be controlled remotely by a smartphone. Considered a world first, the Smart Studio Wave Oven combines microwave, ... Read more
July 30th, 2012
When it comes to cleaning around the house, vacuum cleaners are among the tools we come to rely on the most to get the job done. But when it comes to comparing makes and models, how do you decide? According to the results of a new Reader’s Digest survey, trust is one of the greatest influences when it comes to purchasing decisions - even when it comes to ... Read more
July 27th, 2012
A kitchen staple in the 1950s, Mixmaster is synonymous with classic recipes and bonding time between Mum and the kids. While technology has changed over the decades, Sunbeam has decided to bring the household favourite back and embrace the retro charm Mixmaster products offer. Almost 65 years after the launch of the original appliance, both the Mixmaster Classic and Mixmaster Hand Mixer have been re-released - allowing households ... Read more
July 25th, 2012
Between the frosty mornings and chilly evenings, we all need a little help trying to stay warm this winter. But just how safe are the products that we use as a source of heat? To give households a helping hand when it comes to safety, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its top winter product safety tips after a number of popular items were recalled, ... Read more
July 24th, 2012
While consumers have known for a long time that the world of online shopping is growing at an exceptional pace, a new survey shows just how fast things are changing. Released today (July 24), the PwC and Frost and Sullivan Global Retail and Consumer report indicates that 53 per cent of Australian consumers over the age of 15 are making purchases online. While lower prices, avoiding crowds and a more comprehensive ... Read more
July 20th, 2012
All this talk about today's throwaway culture has inspired a French art student to design small appliances fashioned from cork. Gaspard Tine-Beres, a student at the Royal College of Art in London, is looking into a business model where a range of small appliances can be made from cork, recycled borosilicate glass and recycled electrical components. For the some of the same reasons cork has been used for ... Read more
July 19th, 2012
A side by side fridge, a top mount, and two new top loader washing machines will enter LG's home appliance arsenal this week in Australia. Side by side refrigerators are a popular style when it comes to fridges in Australian kitchens and LG has ensured that alongside fashion there is function. An irksome issue with water and ice dispensing fridges is the plumbing. The new LG GC-L247ENSL is non-plummed. This makes ... Read more
July 19th, 2012
Stumbling across a Warhol-inspired Campbell's Soup Can rangehood has changed the way I look at my kitchen. What I once thought of as elegant, clean, streamlined and simple has become conventional, boring, plain and pitiful. A rangehood iteration of the American artist's iconic subject from the 1960s has been fashioned in a kitchen metalworks shop in the US southern state of Georgia. While it is a one-off piece, ... Read more
July 18th, 2012
Self-cleaning clothes will give us another reason to smile when the sun is out. In the future, a sunny day might be all we need to clean our clothes, according to a study by Chinese scientists. Mingce Long and Deyong Wu have worked to produce a fabric with a coating of nanoparticles that kill bacteria and break down dirt, in other words, they clean. It works when exposed to sunlight, ... Read more