BillyKnowsBest

Air-o-Swiss Travel Humidifier

It's that time of year when the "which humidifier should I buy" requests start coming in.  I wrote about the Honeywell HWM-500 last year at this time -- its UV germ-killing feature addresses the main problem with most humidifiers -- if you don't clean the tank often, bacteria growth can actually make the air in your home less healthy.  The Honeywell is still a great option, but I'm adding the Air-o-Swiss Travel Ultrasonic AOS 7146 this year.  The compact Air-o-Swiss is designed for travel -- instead of a dedicated water tank, you use an ordinary plastic water bottle -- so all you need to carry with you is the small base unit.  And instead of cleaning the tank, you just recycle and replace it.  Buy it for $49.99 at Amazon.com.

The Best Coffee Makers

Two years ago, I wrote about the Krups Moka Brew, arguably the best home coffee maker.  My most serious coffee junkie friends love it, but the one I gave to my dad sits in the cupboard: it's just too complicated for him and my stepmom to bother with.  So for them, and the rest of you who can't really handle the complicated German engineering before the caffeine kicks in, here are the top eight machines from the slightly jittery product testers at Real Simple magazine.  Read their complete reviews in the September 2009 issue.
Automatic Drip, 1st Place: Zojirushi EC-BD15 $85
Automatic Drip, Runner-up: DeLonghi DCF212T $50
Grind and Brew, 1st Place: Krups KM7000 $180
Grind and Brew, Runner-up: Cuisinart DGB-550BK $94
French Press, 1st Place: Bodum New Kenya $25
French Press, Runner-up: Alessi Cactus $195
Percolator, 1st Place: Dualit Cordless $99
Percolator, Runner-up: Cuisinart PRC-12 $60

The Best Humidifier

My friend Clint asked me to recommend a humidifier for his apartment. As winter approaches, many of us in less-humid environments look to humidifiers to easy dry skin and asthma.  Ironically, humidifiers can be a source of allergens and mold that can worsen breathing problems if they're not cleaned properly or often enough.  Consumer Reports didn't provide advice on which models to buy, but they did say  don't buy one if you can't commit to cleaning it regularly.  Now that involves rinsing and drying the tank each time you refill it, and de-scaling (with vinegar) and disinfecting (with bleach) the humidifier "often," or "according to manufacturers instructions."  That sounded like too much work for me, let alone for Clint who has a full time job on top of a full-time school schedule.  And frankly, I can hardly imagine anyone having the patience for such maintenance.  So, while I can't really name one "best," I'm recommending the Honeywell HWM-500.  It uses UV light to kill bacteria, mold and spores, which for me, justifies the relatively higher price.  Buy it online for $75 at the Amazon Marketplace, $89 at JR.com, or $64 at iallergy.com.

The Best Vacuum Cleaners

As penance for my long posting absence, I'm tackling a really tough subject.  Vacuum cleaners.  I've had almost as many requests to write about them as I've had vacuums themselves.  The simple truth is that a lot of vacuums suck. And not in the really good way we want them to.  I've bought lots of them - uprights and canisters, at every price level, from less than $100 to more than $1,000.  And still I don't have one I love, nor a stellar recommendation.

Someday, I'll live in a home with a central vacuum system.  Until then, I  have some valuable observations, and a few really good options. 

Important Observation #1:  The lighter the better.  If you look at the vacuums used by cleaning professionals, they all have one thing in common. They're light.  If just getting the vacuum out of the closet is a chore, you're not going to use it as much as you should.

Canister vs. Upright: Conventional wisdom generally holds that uprights are best for carpets, and canisters are best for bare floors.  What if you have both? Uprights that have a beater brush you can turn off work fine for floors.  And canisters with a motorized beater brush option work on carpets. 

Bagged vs. Bagless: Vacuum bags are a small price to pay for never having to see that mess of dust, dirt, pet hair and god-knows-what again.  I have yet to see a bagless vacuum that didn't make a mess when you emptied it.  Do you really want to take the vacuum outside to empty it?

Luxury Vacuums: Yes, the Miele is like the BMW of vacuums.  It's manufactured with German precision, it's powerful, quiet and comes with all sorts of available options -- like a radiator cleaning tool.  But functionally, it's no better than the models I've recommended below. 

Best All-round Vacuum: Electrolux Harmony/Oxygen
My mother and grandmother had the original Electrolux, a workhorse of a vacuum that lasted forever.  The company that made those vacuums is now called Aerus, and the Electrolux name is now on vacuums made by Eureka.  But Eureka vacuums rate highly, and their premium Electrolux-branded vacuums are stylish, feature-rich, well-priced, and not too heavy.  I have the Harmony at my house on Fire Island.  It has an air-powered carpet brush, which is suitable for low-pile carpets.  If you have deep pile, you'll need to go up to one of the Oxygen models which have a powered brush head.  The Oxygen rates #2 at Consumer Reports, despite highest cleaning performance ratings, because of noise and ease in maneuvering.  I still prefer it. Buy the Harmony for $228 at Amazon.com.  Buy the Oxygen for $359 at buydig.com.

Best Upright Vacuum: Sears Kenmore 35922
Top-rated by consumer reports, it's hideous, and a little unwieldy at 21 pounds.  But if you like the convenience of an upright, and don't have to carry it up and down stairs, it's a great option.  On sale through November 3 for $269.99 at Sears.com, where you can buy it online, and pick it up at the store with out waiting!

Best Mid-Priced Upright Vacuum: Eureka Boss 4870
Another hideous and heavy option; this one is a Consumer Reports Best Buy.  It does have a carpet/floor switch, though there are an inordinate number of reports of problems out-of-the box (covered by warrantee/return policies) and high repair costs on this feature (after 1-yr warranty; 3 yrs with Buyer's Advantage) .  Get it for   $149.99 at Amazon.com with free shipping and no tax.
 

Best Budget Vacuum:  Sharp EC-7311
This compact canister vacuum is a real winner.  I use it in my NYC apartment.  It has great suction, is easily maneuvered and has the essential on-board crevice and upholstery tools.  Read more about it at epinons.com, buy it for $81 at vacuumcleaners.net with no tax outside of New York.

Best Budget Upright: Hoover Tempo Widepath
This upright is relatively lightweight (at 16lbs), and rates a Consumer Reports Best Buy.  It has on-board tools, extension wands and an allergen filtration system, though the brush does not turn off, making it less suitable for bare floors.  Buy it for $59.84 at Amazon.com with free shipping and no tax.

Best Ultra-Lightweight: Simplicity F3500
I have to admit.  I loved my Oreck XL upright. It was so light.  (Re-read Important Consideration #1, above).  And it really went to town on the deep pile carpets in my former apartment.  The Simplicity F3500 (formerly the Riccar RSL3, about $380) is higher-rated, less expensive, and 2 lbs lighter.  The big down side: Like the Oreck, it only works on floors. No attachments, no detachable hose. If you need to vacuum furniture, drapes, crevices -- anything other than floors -- you'll need a second vacuum. Simplicity is super protective of their sales dealers, and does not allow online sales or out-of-state shipments. You'll need to locate a dealer near you to buy one.  When I have to do it again, this is the combination I'll choose. A super-lightweight upright for every-day (okay, every week) floor cleaning, and a small shoulder-canister (like the Simplicity Sport or Oreck Housekeeper, $199) for occasional furniture, crevice and, yes, radiator cleaning.

The Best Steam Iron: Black & Decker Digital Advantage D2030

Back in the late '90s, Black & Decker introduced a revolutionary line of kitchen appliances called KitchenTools.  It failed miserably (in part, because the very expensive ad campaign arrived months before the products appeared in stores), but the legacy of functional design lives on at Black & Decker.  While many manufacturers are selling appealing to upscale consumers with fancy appliances to do mundane tasks -- witness the $1,000 vaccuum or $250 toaster -- good performance always trumps status in my home.  This Black & Decker Iron has few bells and whistles other than a digital display and an audible temperature signal, but it does what an iron should do, better than many irons twice its price. Just under $50 from drugstore.com or amazon.com.

Buying Guide: Under Counter Refrigerators

Once the province of college dorms and motel rooms, under-counter refrigerators have evolved into full-fledged appliances, driven by the trends of modern kitchen design.  Combined with the rise of the home wine cooler, the resulting number of options are staggering, as are the prices.  A built-in refrigerator the size of a dishwasher can easily cost $1,000.  If you're outfitting a dorm room, look for a compact refrigerator. You can buy one from amazon.com for under $200.  If you're looking for a sleek built-in model, read on.

Almost every under-counter refrigerator is 24" wide.  And most are available in a variety of finishes and door styles, including custom panel options to hide them. The big differences are the interior configurations: the GE Monogram brand alone has 10 different options. Your decision should be driven by what you plan to chill. 

If you're just planning on chilling wine, models labeled wine coolers will offer racking that maximizes the number of bottles you can store.  Slide-out racks make accessing your bottles easier. 

If you're chilling a variety of beverages including wine, models called beverage centers usually include one or two wine racks, plus shelves for sodas and beer.

If you want ice or an ice maker, you have a number of options to consider. 
1. A freezer section is least recommended.  These are plagued by poor freezing, frost build-up and manually-filled ice trays. 

2. A freezer compartment solves those problems on the Sub-Zero 245, but the freezer capacity is small and deceptive:  I have cleaned many exploded soda cans from that lowest door shelf, despite the label indicating that it's part of the freezer.

3. A refrigerator/Ice-maker combo.  This is my current favorite, and I've just ordered a U-Line CO75 from HomeClick.com  for our pool house. It has a large refrigerator section, and an automatic icemaker.  It's the perfect solution for a ready supply of cold drinks. If you want ice cream, walk to the kitchen.  U-Line also makes a combo that combines a refrigerator with a full-fledged clear-ice maker.  Clear ice is frozen from the inside out, so it has no air bubbles, thus making it clear.  It's what stand-alone ice makers produce.  But unless you're using a lot of ice daily, they're very energy inefficient and also require a drain line, since they constantly make new ice and melt old unused ice.

4. Refrigerator/Freezer Drawer combo.  Sub-Zero and U-Line both offer this option, with or without an icemaker.  This is the best configuration for dependable freezing capacity if you want to keep ice cream or popsicles.

If you're tight on space, there are 15" width refrigerators, and if you're looking to make a grand statement, Perlick offers 48" and 72" multi-configurable options that include vinyl-coated extension racks that are well-suited for chilling fragile glasses.

Most manufacturers offer glass-door options on beverage centers and wine coolers.  I'm fond of this option both for the way it looks, and the practicality of easily seeing when you need to re-stock.  GE even offers a gimmicky "privacy glass" that can be clear or blacked out at the flip of a switch.

Outdoor refrigeration is the final frontier, with a number of manufacturers offering units designed for installation in your outdoor kitchen or backyard grilling island.  Viking is heavily promoting their "outdoor kitchen", but the leader in outdoor refrigeration options is Perlick.

The Best Washing Machine: Kenmore Elite HE4t

I confess. I enjoy watching clothes go round in a front loading washer. So I was really bummed when my Kenmore Elite HE3t washer arrived with smoked windows. But given the machine's stellar performance, I can live with the mysteriously dark windows.  Consumer Reports agrees, and ranks its successor, the HE4t at the top of its ratings. It is expensive (list price $1,500, often on sale), but it super efficient, easy to use, and most impressively, clothes come out of this washer/dryer pair cleaner and remarkably wrinkle-free. (The latter must have more to do with the dryer, but it's truly remarkable!) Even my painfully non-domestic mother enjoyed doing laundry during her recent visit. That alone was worth the extra $$. 

A word about Kenmore and high-efficiency washers. Kenmore is the private label brand at Sears, manufactured by various appliance makers, such as Whirlpool and GE.  There isn't always consistency between their products. That said, the top Kenmore products, now marketed as Kenmore Elite, usually rank very highly at Consumer Reports.  Sears is currently promoting a new top-loading high efficiency washer called the Oasis HE, which includes among its features, a clear lid on the washer, a clear door on the dryer, and a light in the dryer that turns on during operation. Clearly, I'm not the only one who likes to sit on the laundry room floor and, um, meditate. I bought Sears' first high efficiency top-loader, the Calypso about 5 years ago. And while I've had no trouble with it, that new agitator-less technology was plagued with problems and a class action lawsuit.  I can't recommend racing out to get the new Oasis HE, despite the viewing features and the more affordable price. If price is a sticking point, check out the Kenmore HE2. Consumer Reports rates it a best buy. And whichever you buy, be sure you buy a Buyer's Advantage membership first. It's the best extended warantee program available.

High efficiency washers save money and the environment in many ways. In addition to using less water, detergent and energy, they generally spin faster, extracting more water from your clothes, making your dryer more efficient. And they're gentler on your clothes, so those last longer. Some utility companies offer rebates for these machines; even if yours doesn't, for the sake of your clothes and the planet, if not the meditative value, it's worth getting one.

Kenmore Elite Induction Cooktop

Although induction cooking technology has been around for a long time, it didn't catch on when it was first introduced in the USA. Now, it's back, more powerful and affordable than ever.  Here's what you need to know, and why you should consider it if you're in the market for a new cooktop.

1. Induction works by creating a magnetic field that causes steel or iron pans to become hot, which then heats the food inside them.  The smooth glass cooktop doesn't get hot.

2. Induction is much more energy efficient than gas, and just as responsive. You can go from high heat to the lowest simmer and back again instantly.  A 2,000 watt induction burner compares in heating ability to a 15,000 btu gas burner.

3. Induction doesn't work with aluminum, ceramic, glass, copper or some clad pans. If a magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan, it's induction-capable.

4. Although Induction cooktops are mostly offered by pricey manufacturers: Diva, Wolf, Gaggeneau, Viking (who has a unique combination Induction/Radiant model) and Kuppersbusch, Sears has released a stylish Kenmore model (manufactured by European appliance powerhouse Electrolux) for $1799.00, and it's on sale this week for $1620.

How To: Choose a Dishwasher

Despite the seemingly endless choice of dishwasher models, choosing one is relatively easy. The good news is that it's hard to make a bad choice.  Most dishwashers perform the basic task of washing dishes exceedingly well, when paired with an enzyme-based detergent. So most of the choices come down to budget and personal preference. You can get a damn fine dishwasher for $350. At $600, you can get a great one. Everything more expensive than that is styling and fancy options you probably don't need.

Plus, while there appear to be lots of different brands, lots of that "difference" is cosmetic.  A few manufacturers make dishwashers sold under multiple brands.  At the high end, Bosch, Gaggenau and Thermador are all different skins over the same body. A quick look at things like detergent dispensers, control placement and silverware baskets can help you determine what's what.

Consumer Reports offers lots of general buying advice, and has consistently given high marks to Bosch and Kenmore models, but here's my simple solution to finding the best dishwasher:

Choose the dishwasher that's easiest for you to load.  The better your dishes fit in the dishwasher, the better it will clean them and the happier you will be.  How can you tell:  Bring a box of dishes shopping with you. My tall glasses, my favorite 13x9 baking dish, a couple place settings and a few cereal bowls are the best testing tools for choosing a dishwasher. 

In the last six years, I've bought and used Maytag, Bosch, Kitchen-Aid and Fisher-Paykel dishwashers in my homes.  My current favorite:  Kitchen-Aid.  I love the way it loads. For my new home, I've chosen the S-Series, because I really like the Pro-Scrub feature: an area at the back of the tub that concentrates a powerful spray against really dirty dishes -- like my 9x13 baking dish! The top-of-the-line U series is the same, just a few decibels quieter. Which doesn't really matter to me, cause I leave the kitchen when it's running.

FEATURES and TIPS
Forget the 12 different cycles.  How many different cycles do you use on your current dishwasher? Here are some features that might make a difference to you:

Self-Cleaning Filters
Surprisingly, you won't find these on the expensive European-made dishwashers.  They're basically a built-in food disposal that grinds large food particles and sends them down the drain.  The Europeans eschew them because they make more noise.  I'd rather have the noise than have to check and rinse the filter weekly.

Delay Start Timers
These sound like a great idea, but there's a little problem.  Dishes wash best in hot water, and I find running the hot water before starting the dishwasher so that the first cycle fills with hot water makes a difference.  If you like the idea, be sure you pair it with a model that will also heat the water.

Stainless-Steel Interiors
They look nice, but have no impact on cleaning performance, and standard plastic tubs will generally long outlast the mechanical components of the machine.  You're paying for the appearance.

Dirt Sensors
Consumer Reports says that dishwashers with this feature really do no better than those without.

Sound Insulation
If you're in the room while you run the dishwasher, the "premium" sound insulation found on higher-priced models may be important.  Also, choosing a European model without a "self-cleaning filter/food grinder" will help

Fully-Integrated (Hidden Controls)
With all of their controls in the top of the door, you put a cabinet front on these models and they "disappear" into your kitchen. Personally, I like to see the controls and a timer countdown on the front of my dishwasher.

Miscellaneous Brand Notes
KENMORE: The store brand at Sears is manufactured by a few different manufacturers.  Their top-of-the line models often rate as a consumer reports top choice or best buy.

BOSCH: Often top rated, I like but don't love mine, simply because my glasses don't fit well in the upper rack, and my bowls don't fit well in either rack, And the separating slots in the silverware basket are too small for my knives. Cool new feature: Their newest "fully integrated" model has a "power beam" light that projects on the floor to let you know it's running.

MAYTAG: Formerly my favorite, their innovative three-rack design was a bust -- currently being discontinued. They also manufacture Jenn-Air, Amana and Admiral.  Amana rates well among budget brands, but I wouldn't buy a Maytag until the company's acquisition and integration into Whirlpool is complete.

ASKO: Makes a compelling sales pitch in that practical, earth-friendly Swedish way, but terrible repair records, and a high cost/feature benefit ratio.

GE: Has a new model in their Profile brand that holds a full bottle of liquid detergent, automatically dispensing it, and alerting you when it needs more. Kind of a neat feature, but powdered detergents generally work better and are less expensive.

FRIGIDAIRE: While I can recommend their ovens, cooktops and namesake refrigerators, their dishwashers don't cut it.

Miele:  Distinguished by it's  topmost utensil rack, which some people prefer to a standard cutlery basket -- and yes, if you care about keeping your flatware scratch-free, by all means, get one. Otherwise, forget it. I like the patina of worn cutlery.