New York Renovator

Remember the old days when companies in the United States wanted to build things bigger and better? Ever upward! Remember? EVERYTHING was “new” and “improved”!

American companies built products with exceptional quality, just because THEY COULD do it!!

I’m not so old that I can’t remember those days. It seems like a million miles away, now. How on earth did we get to where we are right now?

Stuff just doesn’t last anymore. It seems that companies are now backtracking. Instead of building products with better and better quality, they are making them as cheap as they possibly can and still get paid for it.

Our sump pump died last week. It was only FOUR MONTHS OLD. It’s the third pump we’ve been through in two years, and all those died in a matter of months. These aren’t inexpensive pumps, either– these babies cost hundreds of dollars. But they are made in China and they contain plastic parts. Needless to say, we were grossly disappointed when another pump failed this week and the basement flooded again. It was only a few inches so it’s manageable. But SHEESH.

Because we are in “winter preparation mode,” I’m having to buy expensive things, things beside the regular cheapo pair of $10 Chinese-made sneakers or the $5 cheapo umbrella that fails after one gust of wind. No, I have to buy snow tires! $500 for snow tires, that we use for only half the year! The time my husband got snow tires, they only lasted half a year. The treads wore down very quickly.

So I don’t get it. Why are products more and more expensive and less and less durable? I can only conclude that the companies are skimping on their manufacture. And what can the consumer do? Can we petition the companies, perhaps? Think they will listen? Hmmmm…

Maybe this is a sign of getting older, LOL. I’m remembering the “good old days” when stuff lasted, sheesh, at least a year or two or more…..

I would think that the “green” movement would help with this situation, but it has been strangely silent. You’d think that someone would protest the rising junk dumped into landfills, as Americans clog the land with discarded, broken junk. It would be more productive to pressure companies into making more durable products than forcing Americans to use one toilet paper sheet at a time. Weird.

What do you think? Do you think products are better made today, worse made or no difference? Am I alone in thinking that we CAN manufacture better, more efficient products at affordable prices? We did it once before! Why can’t we do it again?

I have wanted a dehydrator FOREVER. We all like to eat dried fruits, but the prices at the grocery store are excruciating. For years, I kept promising myself (and the kids) that we’d get a dehydrator… someday.

Well, I recently got a bonus at work, and shelled out the big bucks for the Nesco GardenMaster Dehydrator. I got it online for a little over $100. I hope the fruit tastes good, at least good enough to make the big expense worthwhile…

The dehydrator is huge– I didn’t expect it to be so large– and comes with a nice recipe book and a package of spices for making jerky. I haven’t scrutinized the recipe book; it’s pretty basic, though. I was eager to try dehydrating some fruit (before it rotted away!) so I skipped the recipes to simply try out the dehydration machine.

The machine comes with 4 trays and 2 plastic tray liners. The trays are made of plastic, resembling netting. After a lot of use, I could see these becoming brittle and cracking. Nice thing is that replacement trays are available. You can also stack additional trays if you have large loads to process.

I decided to dehydrate my rapidly ripening papaya, and a few very over-ripe Anjou pears. The instructions say to avoid under-ripe and over-ripe fruits, but what do they know. (haha)

The dehydrator has a temperature control (95 to 155 degrees F) and on/off switch. It has no timer or automatic shut off (a real bummer). Since most loads take anywhere from 8-12 hours, you have to get your own timer and make sure you are home (or awake) to turn off the dehydrator. To do four trays of pretty juicy fruits, I set the control for 145 degrees, and ran it for 10 hours.

The dehydrator fan is NOISY. You know how noisy an uninsulated dishwasher can be? It’s about that loud. If yo can, run it at night, or expect to holler through your kitchen duties. It’s noisy.
The fruit turned out pretty good! I think I sliced the papaya a little too thin, but it’s still good. They are crunchy and feel like paper. But stil very edible and they are terrific with mixed nuts and raisins. The pears are magnificent. They are chewy and so sweet, with a slight taste of wine about them.

The Nesco Gardenmaster can dry fruits, vegetables, herbs, jerky, granola, etc. I am looking forward to trying the jerky, and experimenting with fruits like bananas and mangoes. For $107, it is pretty pricey. If you don’t use a dehydrator often, a smaller unit would do just as well.
So far, so good. I like this appliance and it works well for me. If anything develops, good or bad, I’ll be back to report. Thanks for reading!

Note: I was not given this product nor compensated in any way for this review. All the opinions are mine and the facts are true to the best of my knowledge.

I don’t know about you, but I hate paying extortion prices for appliance repair. My whole household is disrupted when one of the major appliances breaks down (I work full-time, so a disruption like that is a major headache for the family)– not to mention my budget. JUST to have the appliance repair dude step into my house is $200, and that doesn’t even include the repair yet. :-p

Well, one of the benefits of writing how-to articles online for a home and garden website is that I get to learn about all KINDS of nifty tips, tricks, and online resources, like appliancepartspros.com. Woo hoo! I no longer have to rely on the repair dudes for stuff like this! We recently got a new GE washer (more on that later, as I plan to write a review on it), and it’s comforting to know I have access to all the parts should I need them. Another nice thing about researching appliances and getting parts online is that you can haggle with the repair dude (I do this all the time with the plumber). For example– if your dryer belt tears off and you need a new one, but don’t want to pull apart your dryer to fix it, ask your repair dude if you can get the parts if he will install them. My plumber does this for me, and it’s a win-win situation. It saves him the hassle and time of going to get parts for my appliance, and it saves me money because I do the legwork. And if the parts are online, you can have the mailman do all the legwork!

Anyway, repairing the appliances are expensive enough. I recommend that you do a little research yourself– find out what’s wrong, buy the parts if you need them, and maybe even install them yourself if you can. Believe me, it saves a TON of money.

Steam cleaners are the “new-fangled” cleaning appliances today. I have only heard of them recently, in the past year. I think of them as something akin to an electric mop! They are light-weight, energy-powered machines designed to steam floors. They do not use chemicals or cleaning agents to clean floors– only steam. It’s a very unique concept, I think. I dislike using bleach and other toxic chemicals in my home, so the steam cleaners sound like a marvelous idea.

We received a free Gruene Steam Cleaner and the Haan Steam Cleaner in exchange for a review of our opinions on the products. We made a video; here’s what we found:

Steam cleaners are only for certain floor types. You CANNOT use steam cleaners on vinyl plank floors (which is what I recently installed in the kitchen and dining room). And technically, you should not use steam cleaners for laminate flooring, although I do steam clean my laminate floors VERY lightly. I haven’t seen any problems. Steam cleaners are terrific for sheet vinyl flooring. Some steam cleaners even come with special attachments to clean carpets, windows, furniture, etc. The goal is not to saturate the fabric.

Anyway, I like the steam cleaners, and we will be using them on our vinyl floors (we have one dedicated for the dog room now!).

Some of you readers know about my unusual background: in the mid-80s, my folks ditched the corrupting influences and expenses of suburban life to go live on a mountain. As a teenager, I helped log trees for firewood, harvested edible weeds for eating, and learned how to make my own clothing, conserve energy and water, and etc. We never got “off the grid,” so to speak, but we learned to be frugal, be wise with what we had, to create as little waste as possible, and to learn to live off the land and our own resources. We eventually sold the property as we kids grew older, but it was a really rich experience for me then. It was unique, too– while the rest of society was looking toward Yuppiedom, we were becoming Hillbillies, lol.

Well, we didn't exactly go THAT far...

But today, saving energy and reducing waste is BIG! I’m so glad to be able to be a part of it. I have long believed that we must be good stewards of God’s good earth and of all the good things He’s given us. We’ve really tried to incorporate good stewardship with what we do here in this house and yard. We try to keep an eye toward future technology, but only future technology that helps us to serve God better, to be smarter in our consumer choices, and to reduce waste and inefficiency.

With that said, it was my extreme pleasure to ask a few questions of home safety expert John Drengenberg, the Consumer Safety Director at Underwriter Laboratories (UL). Since we are going to be renovating this summer (kitchen, dining room, and installing new plumbing and electrical wiring), I asked John’s advice regarding these things. I tried to keep you guys in mind, based on comments and articles you have brought up in the past.

Here are the questions I presented:

1. I’ve seen ads on the Internet for a small rooftop windmill device that the homeowner can install on their house roof. Are these for real, and could they truly generate enough energy for the homeowner to make this worth their time and effort?

2. Regarding “vampire” electronics, those appliances that use power even when they are “off” (such as televisions and DVD players): my readers and I hate these things. Is the manufacturer required to label the appliance as an energy hog? How/where can we find a list of appliances that do not continue to suck energy even when off?

3. How accurate is the Energy Star rating? I’d heard through the grapevine that the majority of appliances were receiving the rating, even when these appliances were not truly energy-efficient. Is this true?

4. I’m renovating my kitchen this summer (I have an 1855 house and the last plumbing and electricity updates were in the 1940s). It’s a 100% DIY project- we’re doing the electric, plumbing, installing cabinets, etc ourselves. My readers are going to experience everything we do as I blog about it. I’m looking for ways to make my home more energy efficient, and also have an eye toward the future (appliances, wiring, design). Do you have any recommendations as to what I can do or include in my kitchen to make it (and my home) energy efficient?

Check out John’s answers to my questions in the video. And John– THANK YOU so much for taking the time to answer my questions! Your information is so helpful.

If you go to the Underwriter Laboratories website, you can find a ton of information about energy-efficiency, buying and using products safer for the environment and families, and get information about terrific community projects. There are videos, too. I have found the folks to be very generous with their advice and attention– do check them out whether you are remodeling or not. I know you will find something helpful.

Wow. Surge protectors are getting pretty spiffy these days. I saw this monster on sale at Buy.com. It’s called the Monster Cable MP HTS850 Home Theater PowerCenter!

I have a few big surge protectors– but not enough and definitely not one as beefy as this baby. It’s a very smart thing to buy surge protectors for your electronics. That $2,000 HDTV or $1000 computer and monitor can fry in a second’s notice should your electrical system experience a power surge. We’ve had some pretty close calls here. The power system is sometimes unstable (and it doesn’t help that people slam into the telephone poles). We’ve had a few surges and all I can say is THANK GOD we had surge protectors.

This particular monster is specially designed for the home entertainment system. I think it’s very nice– it’s cool that surge protectors are now coming with special organization; I hate cord clutter! This has colored tabs for the VCR, DVD, TV, etc. No more guessing what cord belongs to what appliance, either! Nice. It’s on sale for $40, down from the typical retail price of $130, which is a terrific price for a surge protector this big. It comes with data surge protection, and a nice guarantee!

Get a surge protector for your electrical appliances! Thunderstorm season is coming soon… not to mention that down the street, we had a transformer explode last week….

To keep the budget very trim for our kitchen renovation, I’m going to stick with the appliances I have. They are older, but are in good shape and I see no need to waste money on new ones when I am in desperate need of new plumbing and electrical! I’m at the point right now where I DON’T CARE whether I can afford new cabinets– I’ll use tables and stack dishes on those! But I MUST have new plumbing, electrical, and insulation. My kitchen is so unworkable that modern electricity, proper lighting, and a drain that works is luxury to me!!

One appliance I will make room for is a dishwasher. For a time, I was washing dishes by hand for TEN people, three times a day. It was pretty rough, especially with my plumbing the way it is! I have longed for a dishwasher for many years, and I hope to get one this time.

So I’m looking around at dishwashers. I haven’t operated one since I was a girl, for (OMG) 28 years!!!! Yes, people, THAT’S how long I’ve been starved for a dishwasher! That was back in the days when we read books, walked to the library or school, and used a corded rotary phone to talk to people. Wow. I feel so old.

Anyway, the “new” models puzzle me. Must they be so complex? I remember when dishwashers had three settings: wash, rinse, dry. I don’t know where to begin with these new-fangled monsters. I don’t even think I can read such tiny print anymore. Look at all those choices!

Whoa.

That monster looks like it also cooks eggs, will do my banking, and provide my life insurance lead. Hm, on second thought, maybe it’s not too bad…. haha

Seriously– do you ladies with dishwashers have these kinds with all the buttons? Do you make use of all those buttons and doodads? I’m a simple lady with simple needs. How many different ways can a dish be washed, anyway? Are the more complicated dishwashers truly better than the “wash, rinse, dry” models? Things sure have changed in 30 years….

I’m one of those women who LIKES getting housewares and appliances for gifts. I never liked chocolates, nor perfume, nor flowers (although I always like the intention behind them!). I do like the practical stuff, stuff that makes my kitchen and housework a little easier. So… *HINT HINT* to you(s) know(s) who(s)— check out this smashing item on sale from Buy.com: a Range Kleen wrought iron pot rack! And it’s a SHELF mount, not the kind you hang from the ceiling!

I do not like the ceiling ones, because I have a double dilemma: my kitchen has 9-foot ceilings (too high for me) and I have a 6-foot-1-inch high son, whose head (poor guy) is always dangerously close to my low-hanging chandeliers and hanging baskets! Seeing that I like the kid and would like to have him around for a long time, I’m avoiding heavy iron fixtures with swinging metal cookware hanging from the ceiling! I know, I’m such a devoted mom!

This shelf mount hanging pot rack is all iron, painted RED. I love it! Buy.com has it on sale for under $44, and it includes free shipping. It’s so classy. It would look beautiful in my Soon-To-Be-Renovated Kitchen, don’t you think? It comes in black, too, but I like the red. Classy!

Buy.com is having a huge sale on a lot of stuff right now. Their prices are always good, but there are some special deals just in time for the holidays. Buy.com has helpful gift-idea lists, too, where you can shop for things under certain dollar amounts. Check them out, I know you will find a lot of items for gift-giving. Plus, Buy.com covers a lot of the everyday household supplies that you need: vacuum cleaner parts and accessories, batteries, software, and much more. I love Buy.com! Many things qualify for free shipping, too. Happy shopping!

I don’t know WHAT it is with me and kitchen appliances! They hate me! It doesn’t help that I *tend* to get the cheapo stuff– but I am getting better at that! Well, my one-year old bread machine broke, in same area as the last one- with the seal ring that holds the paddle at the bottom; it came out. I knew it was acting up when the last batch of dough had a ton of lubricating grease in it, from the paddle area. YUK. Will someone please tell me why bread machines have paddles at the bottom of the dough bucket?! They wear out so quickly, and the dirty, greasy spindle is in direct contact with the bread dough. My daughter brought up an interesting point: Why don’t they make bread machines with the paddle at the top? That way, the rotating mechanism won’t touch the dough; only the paddle will touch the dough.

Yeah, why don’t they?!

I responded, “Well, honey, what you’d have then is a stand mixer.”

And then I thought: HEYY!!! Maybe that’s what I should get! I checked out the sales going on at Buy.com, and whittled it down to two choices (I think): either get a heftier bread machine, or try a stand mixer for making dough. Both look good, and I can’t decide.

So I’m asking your advice. I need a bread machine to make dough– I don’t make bread with the machine, only dough. But do mixers make good dough? Do they perform well? I’ve also heard of horizontal bread machines; do they make good dough, are the paddles at the bottom?

Stand mixers are another matter– holy cow, the Kitchen Aid are upwards of $200, 300 bucks! I found a nice Sunbeam Stand Mixer for $135 and free shipping. (I love Buy.com!!!) If the mixer is a better appliance (I can do more things with it besides making dough), the money spent would be worth it.

If you have any opinion on either bread machines or mixers, please leave me a comment. I need to get something soon, before Thanksgiving. Thanks!!

Our old Gevalia coffeemaker was having problems… the clock and the digital timer on the screen would suddenly start sputtering and blinking, and the coffeemaker would suddenly turn on or off, again and again. I suspect it may be my less-than-adequate power supply here (the kitchen still has no electrical power, and we are “borrowing” power from a shared circuit). And I didn’t like the fact that the Gevalia was ALWAYS on– one of those “vampire” appliances we are always hearing about (appliances that continue to use energy, even when they are “off”). So I shopped around for a more basic coffeemaker that turned OFF when I turned it off and turned ON when I turned it on. And I didn’t need any fancy doo-dads like a digital clock, auto-programming, and etc. I just wanted a basic coffeemaker.

I got it with the Mr. Coffee 12-cup Coffeemaker. This is my first experience with Mr. Coffee. And I’m still “testing” it out (for example, at what point will the plastic basket start to smell like musty old coffee?). But I’ve been using it for a few weeks, and I really like it! And it’s SIMPLE!!! All is has is an ON/OFF switch. That’s IT. No blinking lights, no computerized features, no power-eating displays or lights. I’m a simple gal and I like my appliances simple. This fits the bill. And, at a price under $20, it was a good deal for me. So if you are looking for a simple coffeemaker, I’ve had good success with Mr. Coffee. It makes 12 cups which is *just* enough for the 3-4 coffee drinkers in the house.