Want to learn how to Cook Light? How about learning from the Chef at Cooking Light Magazine?
His name is Chef Billy Strynkowski, and he will be at Yale this weekend
The guy is really worth the trip(yes even to an appliance store)
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Do This NOT That
Let's say you cannot vent your dryer. You live in a condo in Boston or any other city. For LEED and PassiveHouse certification, its pretty common. Now you have really two options. Either you buy a washer with a separate condenser dryer (turns steam into water) or a washer and dryer combination in one unit. My strong recommendation:
Do this: Bosch washer and condensor dryer
Not that: Any combination washer and dryer
Why: First the dryer in a combo is 110v, so it is notoriously slow. Secondly the rate of repair is far better with a condenser.
Big Tip:
If you have purchased a condenser set, run a water line from the dryer to the drain in the washer. The water will then be drained from the dryer therough the washer, so it does not have to be emptied (my drivers taught me that).
Do this: Bosch washer and condensor dryer
Not that: Any combination washer and dryer
Why: First the dryer in a combo is 110v, so it is notoriously slow. Secondly the rate of repair is far better with a condenser.
Big Tip:
If you have purchased a condenser set, run a water line from the dryer to the drain in the washer. The water will then be drained from the dryer therough the washer, so it does not have to be emptied (my drivers taught me that).
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Bulbs
So many bulbs, so many choices...LED, Low voltage, halogen, incandescent. Let me explain.
Incandescent: Regular light bulb still renders (at 2500K) the best in terms of quality of light. It is however, really bad with 10% efficiency, 7 month life and 300 degree heat emission.
Halogen: Halogen is an incandescent bulb with halogen gas on the filament. It is a whiter beam, which is desirable in kitchens (2700-3000 Kelvin), but it is an incandescent so it is generally an inefficient bulb.
Low Voltage: Low voltage is another incandescent white light. The light and the beam can be controlled more readily, because it is converted to 12 volt from 120. Although there are a few high quality low voltage bulbs with life of up to 18,000 hours it has the characteristics of the aforementioned bad incandescent light.
CFC: Compact fluorescent bulbs have a better longevity at 7 years with less heat emission. You can buy dimmable, color rendering fluorescent bulbs, but typically a basic fluorescent cannot do either.
LED: Light emitting diodes (LED) are the best with a 20 year life, zero heat emission and 90% efficiency. It even renders similarly to an incandescent. Payback is 2.5 years, but the initial outlay is expensive. Be VERY careful with LED lights: buy them with a CREE chip, so the quality of the light is good.
This post is somewhat complicated, but search LED and Kelvin posts for a better understanding
BTW, thank you to Christine from Canton...appreciate the Twitter mention.
Incandescent: Regular light bulb still renders (at 2500K) the best in terms of quality of light. It is however, really bad with 10% efficiency, 7 month life and 300 degree heat emission.
Halogen: Halogen is an incandescent bulb with halogen gas on the filament. It is a whiter beam, which is desirable in kitchens (2700-3000 Kelvin), but it is an incandescent so it is generally an inefficient bulb.
Low Voltage: Low voltage is another incandescent white light. The light and the beam can be controlled more readily, because it is converted to 12 volt from 120. Although there are a few high quality low voltage bulbs with life of up to 18,000 hours it has the characteristics of the aforementioned bad incandescent light.
CFC: Compact fluorescent bulbs have a better longevity at 7 years with less heat emission. You can buy dimmable, color rendering fluorescent bulbs, but typically a basic fluorescent cannot do either.
LED: Light emitting diodes (LED) are the best with a 20 year life, zero heat emission and 90% efficiency. It even renders similarly to an incandescent. Payback is 2.5 years, but the initial outlay is expensive. Be VERY careful with LED lights: buy them with a CREE chip, so the quality of the light is good.
This post is somewhat complicated, but search LED and Kelvin posts for a better understanding
BTW, thank you to Christine from Canton...appreciate the Twitter mention.
Labels:
Compact Fluorescent,
LED Lighting,
Lighting
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Down On The Farm
Ah, the farm sink....a beautiful adaptation to what must have been on a farm back in the day. Whereas most sinks are undermounted or hidden under granite, this sink is pronounced and in your face.
Have a look...
Big tip: If you want one of these, you must plan it early. The design of this sink impacts cabinets....But this is a really unique (and expensive starting at $1,000) sink.
Have a look...
Big tip: If you want one of these, you must plan it early. The design of this sink impacts cabinets....But this is a really unique (and expensive starting at $1,000) sink.
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