May 15th, 2012 by Keri Algar

A number of customers affected by a faulty and potentially dangerous Dome 5 Fin Oil Heater have voiced their grievances on the Appliances Online Facebook page, where a link reporting the recall notice was posted earlier today. The heater was officially recalled on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's dedicated recall website on 10 May 2012, prompting one affected consumer to say: "WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO RECALL? I ... Read more

May 15th, 2012 by Keri Algar

If the way into a person's heart is through their stomach then V-Zug is doing a swell job of enamouring Australians at this year's designEx in Sydney. Positioned squarely in the middle of the design show is a fully functional kitchen feeding bystanders with ridiculously delicious canapes: port infused figs wrapped in prawn and prosciutto, medium-rare scallops on filo pastries with home-made aioli, and that's just for starters. The premium Swiss appliance brand ... Read more

May 15th, 2012 by Keri Algar

A Dome branded oil heater has been recalled from Coles Supermarkets for potentially causing scalding and burns. According to the ACCC's Recall Notice, the heater is being recalled due to a potential safety hazard: units may rupture when turned on, allowing hot oil to spray out causing potential scalding and burns. The Dome 5 Fin Oil Heater (JY-1000XLb), which is supplied by HE Group, has been distributed nationally by Coles ... Read more

May 14th, 2012 by Keri Algar

At the Brisbane Design & Build show on Friday, Billi made sure that anyone who visited its stand left wondering how an ordinary old faucet could be so inspiring. SustainaBillity is a catchphrase Billi has put out there to make the market aware that energy savings extend to the kitchen sink. Sally Darling, an environmental sustainability consultant hired by Billi explains why and how their taps are Australia's ... Read more

May 10th, 2012 by Keri Algar

I wonder if some Mum's would prefer it if someone actually did the vacuuming, rather than buy her a vacuum cleaner for Mother's Day? Doing the chores for Mum this Sunday is one way to sweeten her up. But the weekly jobs are a short lived respite for Mum. So here are a few other house hold duties with more long term benefits: Give the refrigerator-coils a quick ... Read more

May 8th, 2012 by Keri Algar

Um, we're not really sure why you'd like to make anything BUT sweet, sweet ice cream. However, if the waistline is protesting or simply the novelty has worn off, here are a few alternative ways to create chillin' delicious fare with an ice cream maker. Frozen soft drink slushies: This is a very easy one. Whatever your poison of choice is, Coke, Fanta, or L&P, pour it in ... Read more

May 8th, 2012 by Keri Algar

A recent study has found that stainless steel sinks trump ceramic sinks for their durability and modern look. Kitchen sinks are the most hardworking and often underrated element in a kitchen. Sometimes they're piled sky high with dirty dishes, or they're used to wash and peel the spuds, scrub grubby hands... And it's true that stainless steel is a virtually indestructible surface, unlikely to stain or scratch badly, which is what ... Read more

May 7th, 2012 by Keri Algar

In Australia we seem to have the knack for cooking meat fairly down pat. Of course, we've grilled enough prawns to know a thing or two about that, too. But when it comes to boiling seafood, some of us revert to the old British culinary crime of overcooking. Over-boiling delicate crustaceans leads to rubbery, flavourless flesh; a tragedy that is easy to avoid. At the Sydney Seafood School (SSS) ... Read more

May 7th, 2012 by Keri Algar

Front loaders and top loaders have been the latest appliances under consumer scrutiny as part of Canstar Blue's most satisfied customer survey. Electrolux cleaned up the competition for the most satisfied customers award for front loader washing machines in front of Samsung, LG, Bosch, Fisher & Paykel, Simpson and Whirlpool. The brands were pitched against each other in categories including value for money, ease of use, noise, design, ... Read more

May 7th, 2012 by Keri Algar

Haier's presence is growing in Australia as it takes on a national sales manager and announces the release of new appliances. In 2010 Fisher & Paykel took over sales and marketing of Haier in Australia, offering its excellent after sales service as part of the deal. Since then, Haier has been able to concentrate on increasing its distribution and introducing new appliances into Australia. According to Haier, it ... Read more

May 3rd, 2012 by Keri Algar

For a change, today we look at a different sort of vacuum. Not a Hoover, nor a Dyson, but the vacuum that is space. The giant leap from an appliance to empty matter comes as a 1 in 10,000 year occurrence involving a vacuum has been witnessed. There has been a flurry of activity this week among astronomers after a team of professional star gasers in Hawaii found a ... Read more

May 3rd, 2012 by Keri Algar

A new gadget called Twine can get appliances to text, tweet and e-mail you. For those with un-smart appliances, you know, the ordinary kind of oven that doesn't count the calories of the the food it's cooking, or the fridge which won't tell you when the milk is off, then Twine will bridge the gap from dumb to smart. Say it has been left on top of the ... Read more

May 3rd, 2012 by Keri Algar

A squiz inside a family's fridge can offer some revealing insights to their culinary likes and dislikes. Is there a sweet tooth in the family? A carnivore, kids, or enough spicy sauces to harbour a Mexican mistress? There is a bit one can decipher from the contents, or lack of! Like the bachelor with his six pack of beer in an otherwise bare fridge. Poking around a couple of ... Read more

May 1st, 2012 by Keri Algar

With all the Mother's Day madness it's easy to forget the 12,000 stay at home Dads in Australia. What are their favourite appliances and which make life easier? Brett Lahman lives in Brisbane and takes care of his and his wife's two (adorable) children, Georgie (aged six) and Kai (aged four). This morning, Kai used three plates and three knifes for breakfast. So Lahman's favourite appliance? The dishwasher. "Everything goes ... Read more

April 30th, 2012 by Keri Algar

When selecting the right appliances for our kitchen we often look to the experts for guidance. What appliances do chefs find practical, easy to use, and efficient? A recent dinnertime debate between gas cooktops (the mother) and induction cooktops (the daughter) became muted when the daughter asked the table which famous chefs used induction. No one came to mind quickly enough, her point proven. (What is induction?) However, of course ... Read more