Stainless Steel......Laundry?

A couple of new stainless steel introductions from LG

Its nice looking, but you won't buy it. Its a huge premium over white. Unless you plan on highlighting or placing it in your stainless steel kitchen, there is no reason to spend that kind of dough.

I should know. We sold the old pair off at a 40% markdown....roughly equivalent to white.

How to Light a Kitchen Part 3: Accent

Why am I spending so much time in the kitchen? When you watch TV in the living room or go to sleep in the bedroom, you are shutting the light down or off. Kitchens and baths are a different story and really the only true task applications in your house.

As the kitchen has become all encompassing to include the living space, there are many opportunities for different types of light. You may have artwork on the walls, pottery on a counter or crystal in a cabinet, which you would like to highlight. Accent lighting provides this function.

For example, Next time you are in a nice hotel and see a beautiful flower arrangement, look up. It will most certainly be highlighted by accent lghting. The most common accent lights (for now) are pinhole recessed, which looks like this(they can be smaller)...




Or track lighting




They both utilize a low voltage bulb, which is slightly whiter than an incandescent. This whiter light is great accent lighting. Crate and Barrel utilizes this light commercially better than anyone, especially glassware.

Off today...will respond to questions Monday.

Lighting a Kitchen Part 2: Decorative

So we have our task lighting, which is the most important. Most consumers, however, would believe the chandelier or decorative element is the most crucial. This is partly true, because decorative personalizes the space, but task lighting lights it.

Most people think otherwise. The old way was to size light, which was 24 inches off the table and 12 inches less in diameter. With islands and penisulas being the rage, finding a fixture with those specifications is not easy.

Forget convention, I am writing this at home. My chandelier is 36 inches off the table and way smaller. I think it fits the space. But here are some other ideas. Remember what I have said previously...Have fun with this.

Applications











We may as well show off a bit...Have a look at some new stuff.



Accent lighting is tomorrow. Then I am on vacation. We will finish and amalgamate a plan next week.

The End Of The Handshake Agreement

An unique agreement was forged in the 1920s. The founders of Whirlpool and the managers of Sears forged an almost 100 year alliance. Whirlpool would supply the washers and dryers marketed under the Kenmore name. As legend has it, this deal was first struck with a handshake (it was years before the class action lawsuit.)

This just ended...Now the winner of the contract was LG. Sears marketing(I suspect) will revolve around technology and steam. The machines will start looking like this:





Instead of this.





Now I have my opinions of LG, but for consumers like yourself, it should be interesting. Whirlpool has to keep the factories running without Sears' help. This can only mean one action in the very near future: Big time price drop.

I am a Bosch guy for now, because they are just dumping their product (previous post), but Whirlpool can really regain share by being similarly aggressive.

Small Spaces For Less

Meet Dave Kiley. Dave serves many purposes. He is (the best) part friend and part customer. Dave is also my next door neighbor and is a nut about home improvement, especially lighting and appliances.

He is also extraordinarily talented and perhaps the best contemporary renovator in Boston. Look what he does in a small space.



Samsung French door refrigerator, Miele dishwasher, Bosch cooktop, Thermador wall oven and Best hood.

Dave is a style conscious, upscale guy. In a $4500 per month rental, it is somewhat expected...but lets spend less and still have a great look.



By replacing the Thermador with a Bosch oven, Zephyr for Best, Bosch(or GE Monogram) for the Miele and LG for Samsung, we can save about $3500.

The Harder Side Of Service

Lets perform a little experiment....If you are so inclined, Google LG(or any other manufacturer) service and call the service providers. Ask if they perform service in warranty. The answer should be a resounding no.

The reason: For $80 per completed call, that provider must answer the phone, diagnose the issue, order and pay for any parts and then go to your house. If the original diagnosis is wrong, that provider must pay again for more parts and return to the house. For nothing.

Sounds like a deal....The hardest part of the appliance business is warranty service. The numbers are downright scary. The average technician is now over 60 and retiring, and the amount of stores actually providing service is now under 20%.

The purpose of this post is not to scare you. If you are investing in a new kitchen, ask this question:

Who will be providing warranty service? Then prepared to be shocked

How Things Change

Lets look at this Miele Washer and dryer.



I really like this company. Miele still manufactures every component, control and housing in Germany. Because they have such a tight rein on production and do have the best quality control, Miele has developed a cult following amongst its customers.

However, certain problems have developed for this company, which are beyond their control. The Euro has increase versus the dollar. This has inflated their price to the consumer. They have also been adversely affected by the shift away from super premium products in general.

They have also been affected by a factor within their control...Have a look at Whirlpool, LG, GE, Maytag and Frigidaire to understand.




These products are manufactured to be stacked or placed side by side. Miele cannot be stacked in their newer large series, so they have lost the increasingly popular second and third floor installations.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

LED recessed from Cree: First, for a $30-40 more per can, LED uses 1/5 the power, emits zero heat(saving HVAC and electric costs) and has a 20 year lamp life.




Bosch integrated refrigeration: Integrating a refrigerator is a great design idea. Bosch is the most affordable way of achieving the look.




GE Cafe French Door: GE refrigeration has staged a huge comeback in refrigeration. Dumping LG as the source may be a reason. Deciding to build a better product may be another reason. I am just speculating.




Frigidaire slide in: Frigidaire has not been hurt by the recession, because they manufacture nicely styled yet affordable products. This gas range has power and simmer burners as well as convection and warming drawer for about $600-100 less than their competition.




Induction: Any induction, really. Induction is 90% efficient versus 60% for gas and 55% for electric. The technology is vastly superior in heating, simmering, child safety and does not emit heat like the others. A hybrid unit starts at $1500, which is way less expensive than a Pro.

The $14,000 Mistake

Take a glance at this refrigerator....



This refrigerator was the first of the internet ready appliances. It has a TV, a jukebox, camera and an incredible interface.

It bombed for 2 reasons.

A. LG manufactured this product in Titanium only...Titanium does not match stainless steel or any other color for that matter.

B. They totally overestimated the market. People did not care about these features in a refrigerator.

It is certainly a cautionary tale for most manufacturers....for consumers buying appliances, I would ask: Do you need to spend money on unneeded features?

BTW, the refrigerator resides in our lunch room for the staff.

Cool New Stainless

Perhaps the fastest growth company in the appliance industry is LG. From 2002-2006, the company went from zero sales to achieving significant market share. Product innovation and style are the company's hallmarks.


However, there is a flip side of success. Support is needed with sales: parts, warehousing, technical support and logistics. In my opinion, this part of LG needs work. Without technical support and service, I probably would not offer LG.


They do have really interesting products....Have a look.

Steam It....Washers

The new feature in the appliance industry is steam...It is now an item in appliances like wall ovens, washers, dryers and dishwashers. I like cool new stuff, but only if it is usable...Lets look


Washers: Introduced by LG, steam is now a featured item for Whirlpool and Maytag as well.

French Doors 2.0

French doors (side by side refrigerator with bottom freezer) are amongst the most popular appliances sold. They currently outsell side by sides around 8 to 1


The reasons for the popularity are: full width storage, more refrigeration space and add the "coolness" factor, because consumers want form as well as function.


LG, GE, Maytag, KitchenAid and JennAir have new models with ice and water through the door...Here are a few snippets




Hint: For price, look at the Maytag unit. In July there are a ton of rebates on the model mfi2569. For state of the art, look at GE, interior LED and just a beautiful aesthetic

The Science of Steam?

Over the last few months, we have blogged about steam being a possible feature in ovens. Steam actually is the best way of cooking, because it does not bake out the nutrients.

It seems steam is being utilized for other appliances. First, there was laundry, where steam can (supposedly) power out stains and refresh clothes.

Now it is dishwashers. Maytag and LG have started manufacturing products with steam as a feature. Of course, they were not the first manufacturer to do so. Thermador featured steam 20 years ago. The theory is steam will loosen the baked on stains, which will be washed clean.




However, the by product of hot water is steam....Dishwashers already use it for washing and drying. Your money may be better spent elsewhere.

Shallow Depth Refrigeration Part 4

Last week and earlier this week, we covered the three styles of shallow depth refrigeration: Regular, professional and integrated.

But what do the space starved urbanites consider? LG used to manufacture a 24 inch 11 cubic foot bottom freezer, but not in stainless. Look at this stainless bottom freezer from Germany, Blomberg. This is a very good alternative for consumers who actually have no alternatives(other than to demolish their kitchen and start over)

Great replacement piece.

Shallow Depth Refrigerators Part 1

First of a three part series on shallow depth refrigerators. Shallow depth refrigerators have become the standard in upscale kitchens, because the chassis of the refrigerator does not protrude in the room. This leaves a more linear look in the kitchen.


Lets simplify the category and segment as well. Shallow depth refrigerators are available in three styles: Regular shallow depth, which is a basic refrigerator only shallow, professional or refrigerator with compressors on the top and integrated which is totally hidden. Lets review what I call regular shallow depth products in todays post.


The regular shallow is the least expensive and most popular of the three and is available in a side by side and French door. Brands available are Bosch, GE, LG, JennAir, KitchenAid, Viking, Dacor, Frigidaire and Electrolux

Some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Steam Laundry

Steam is the new feature in the appliance industry. You can even buy a steam wall oven(next post or so)

But what does steam actually do? After all, a by-product of heat is steam.

Steam assists in cleaning by blasting at tough stains. Another lesser known function is refreshing clothes without ironing.

There are two manufacturers actively producing steam laundry


LG: The first involved with steam. Great controls and capacity





Whirlpool/Maytag: Similar to the above, but Whirlpool has recently added steam to the dryer. Of the two, this pair would be my preference.

The Best and Worst(Repair)

No pictures today(I have an arsenal for the remainder of the week), but a pretty valuable post for appliance shoppers. In 2006, Yale completed 15,000 service calls under warranty.

As I have posted previously, there are also very similar products available. Thus, service records can be similar as controls are outsourced, and the same products can be packaged with multiple labels. Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag and Amana have an identical refrigerator with...an identical service record.


However, with such a large database, you can also see deviation between good and ..not so good. We will look at both.

The Best: Miele

Not surprising at all. When you manufacture the product and outsource nothing you can expect quality(or somebody will be fired). This company is so fanatical that all customer complaints are logged in New Jersey. The problem is then traced by serial number to the factory, the line and the people responsible. Imagine that.
Of course, without cheaper outsourcing(and the strength of the Euro versus the dollar), Miele is also expensive.


Not So Good: LG

First, I like this company. LG has become a major force in the appliance industry almost overnight as a brand. The product is innovative and stylish, but this result is hardly surprising as well. If the goal is to sell as much as possible quickly, then invariably product quality and customer satisfaction will suffer. Typically fast growing companies will outstrip their support capabilities(like parts, customer service, technical support, warehousing and logistics), and this is the case. You should still consider LG as a brand, but just find out if there is a repair agent in your local area.

LG French Door

First a quick review: Refrigerators and appliances in general are manufactured to fit cabinet sizes. The most common cabinet sizes are 30, 33 and 36 inches. Refrigerators are typically 29.5, 32.5 and 35.75 inches to fit into the respective cabinets.

French doors, as we described in previous posts, have a side by side top and a bottom freezer. When the french door was first introduced, it was exclusively 33 and 36 inches, LG has started manufacturing a 30 inch...

Have a look:

Gas Ranges Again

I was once in Tulsa for the grand opening of the new Whirlpool range plant. Tulsa is perhaps the quietest city in America, but there is real value to not having rush hour traffic ever.

Anyhow, you watch the ranges being built on the line. Almost immediately you understand the laws of production, which is the standardization of almost everything. On a range the cabinets, oven elements and backguards are identical.


Hence the subject of this post...What are we buying with a more expensive product?


To simplify, lets look at a basic versus the very best Frigidaire range.


The Plgfmz98 (great range)

European Convection
Double oven
5 burner
16,ooo BTU power burner(standard burners are 10-12)






The Fgf368

4 burner
standard oven
14,000 btu burner






There is no difference in oven size or in the bake and broil elements themselves. Often times people mistake better for better built. When you are buying an appliance of any type, it is features not the product itself that delineates standard from good and good to great.

French Door Refrigeration

But what makes this refrigerator, French?


Perhaps because the doors "kiss" together? With all due respect to French culture, one may ask why that is French.






A french door refrigerator is essentially a bottom freezer with a side by side refrigerator top. Its an advantage in an kitchen with an island since the refrigerator door is cut in an half. Thus, you have more space without opening a big door(as shown above)


This type of refrigeration is amongst the most popular selling products in the industry


Here are the favs:

JennAir, KitchenAid, Amana and Whirlpool: The same refrigerator for 4 brands is a good choice for larger units and shallow depth.






LG: LG was an early adopter of french door refrigeration. They have a wide variety of products including the only unit designed for a 30 inch cabinet






GE: GE refrigerators were manufactured by LG until this year. GE actually invested in something other than a jet engine. Technologically, it is an interesting product with LED lighting on the inside and a very cool icemaker on the outside