April 12th, 2012
To fix it or nix it? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to repair or wiser to replace...Yes, it's the appliance industry's existential question of all time. We must consider the age of the appliance, the cost of repairing versus the cost of replacement, the urgency of the situation and the environment. Of course a lot of it boils down to money; both are going to cost a ... Read more
April 11th, 2012
A lovely bunch of flowers and a cup of tea in bed is what Mum wants for Mother's Day, like, in 1924. Which is the year that a Sydneysider by the name of Mrs Janet Heyden began the tradition of Mother's Day in Australia by organising a gift giving affair for the women at the Newington State Home. Back then, Chrysanthemums - autumn flowers - were given as ... Read more
April 10th, 2012
Appliances Online has teamed up with classy Italian appliance maker, Emila, to give away an Emilia gas oven. Entering the competition is as easy as cooking with gas. The Facebook entry asks what you would cook with such a snazzy oven and hey presto, you're in to win. The 60-centimetre Gas Fan Oven (EMF61MVI) is a little beauty, too. Made in Italy, this oven usually retails for $1,299, although ... Read more
April 5th, 2012
A conventional gift won't cut the mustard all the time. That's because not all your friends have a white picket fence and 2.4 children with a perfectly mortgaged kitchen to match. Tea towels and toasters will do for that lot but quirky people call for kooky gifts and we have found five that should cover all the offbeat bases. Gift 1: We'll ease into the list with a ... Read more
April 4th, 2012
Not that you needed another excuse to pop another bottle of vodka in the freezer but as it turns out, filling up your freezer (not necessarily with vodka) saves you money. Filling freezers and fridges to capacity makes them more energy efficient because most of the energy goes towards cooling down air that comes in when the doors are open. When the freezer or fridge is full, less ... Read more
April 4th, 2012
Brussels sprouts? Urgh! Even Bear Grylls would rather eat an animal's balls. The mere mention of the little green balls can give kids nightmares and make adults shudder. Funnily enough it's that strong taste which hints at the nutritional punch a brussels sprout packs. So let's give them a break and see if we can find a few good reasons to give them a second chance. It's a matter of ... Read more
April 3rd, 2012
Celebrity chefs are a distinctive breed. And, let’s be honest, many are not cool. The ranks of TV cook-stars include foul-mouthed wannabes, obnoxious poseurs and confidants of Satan. So let’s sort the wheat from the chaff with Appliances Online’s 5 coolest celebrity chefs EVER! NB - We’re talking specimens of genuine coolness. Unselfconscious, unflappable, totally nuts. These guys are the real deal. Anthony Bourdain We give Bourdain kudos ... Read more
April 2nd, 2012
Most Australians would rather to anything to avoid the vacuum. We would rather run 10kms or skip a meal or even clean up dog poo, so says a survey. Which is hardly a surprise. It freaks the cat out, takes forever, is loud, requires effort, can be a bit smelly if the vacuum is old or the bag is full and frankly there are a million other ... Read more
March 30th, 2012
Did you know...vegetables aren't always boring!? The eclectic lives of the edible plants vary from those that have changed colours over the centuries, to stems that stimulate sexy hormones. Crikey! There's a lot more to veges than first meets the mouth! Carrots Long story short, the Dutch made carrots orange in the 17th Century in honour of their hero William of Orange. Before then, they were purple and ... Read more
March 30th, 2012
Small appliances have more uses than ever imagined. What do anchovies, capers, and garlic have in common? Apart from giving you bad breath they're examples of little things that pack a lot of punch. As it is with kitchen appliances. Large appliances are mostly essential workhorses: the fridge, dishwasher and oven. But it's the small appliances, often tucked under benches and in cupboards, that can make a big difference ... Read more
March 30th, 2012
Taking care of the housework can be a lot of work, though using the latest and greatest gadgets from Appliances Online can save you time and effort. But would those same appliances still be able to help you cook, clean and more without a few of the things we all take for granted, such as gravity, and regular day/night cycles? In other words - what appliances are used ... Read more
March 29th, 2012
It's time for some autumn cleaning! Keeping the air in a house clean is an even greater consideration with the approach of winter and the bugs and germs it brings along. Especially for allergy sufferers, as dusty, damp filters can be an excellent breeding ground for mould. Dirty filters on air conditioner units will not only run less efficiently but they can even push through and circulate disease, such ... Read more
March 28th, 2012
What's the difference between the 'use-by' and 'best before' dates? In Australia all packaged foods with a shelf life of under two years need to have either a 'use-by' or 'best before' date. More than anything, the dates stamped on boxes, wrappers or bottles will let you know how long the food will last before losing quality. Can I bend the rules? For 'best before' dates the short answer is ... Read more
March 26th, 2012
Bananas in the fridge turn black and look ugly. Good luck feeding your kids ugly fruit, right? So don't put them in the fridge. But what if you are a conscious consumer, the bananas are getting old, nobody is eating them, and you don't like wasting food? A banana's flavour and it's nutritional value won't be affected by the black peel unless the banana was unripe to start with. Why ... Read more
March 23rd, 2012
Ask a local Tasmanian if he reckons the island kind of looks like an upside down Australia and he'll say, "What? You mean to say, Australia looks like an upside down Tasmania." On a recent visit to a little known island off Tasmania I discovered that the only thing more delightful than a Tasmanian's down to earth character, is it's oysters. You either love or loath the slimy ... Read more