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What's New:
Q&A: Should we replace our old refrigerator?
 We recently moved, and our refrigerator seems a dinosaur. Will we save money by replacing it with a comparably sized new model?
As we covered in “Cash for Clunkers Moves to Appliances. Money Back for Your Old Kelvinator?” now might be a good time to buy a new refrigerator and take advantage of the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. (Read our survey-based report to find the best places to buy appliances.)
With their better compressors, improved [...]
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Technivorm Moccamaster KBT-741 makes great coffee but isn’t a perfect machine
Being able to take home a coffeemaker that we’re testing for a report on these appliances is among the, um, perks of my job. I recently got to use the Technivorm Moccamaster KBT-741, a $265 machine that’s a favorite of many coffee aficionados.
But for all its prowess at achieving the prime temperature the vital for great brewing—195° to 205°F, held for six minutes—during our ongoing testing for an upcoming report on coffeemakers, the 10-cup Moccamaster KBT-741 hasn’t impressed when it comes to convenience or carafe handling. Granted, extracting [...]
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Tip of the Day: Find the best freezer for your home
Freezer sales rose last spring, as more Americans apparently made bulk to purchases to stretch their food-buying bucks. But an inefficient freezer that delivers inconsistent temperatures will melt away your savings through higher electric bills and damaged food.
Our new video buyer’s guide to freezers (right) details the strengths and weaknesses of some popular models of chest and upright freezers we tested. For more details on these appliances, check out our latest report on freezers, free buyer’s guide, and ratings of 20 models (available to subscribers).
Once you’ve chosen a model, find [...]
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Q&A: How frequently do I need to reseal my granite kitchen countertops?
My contractor told me I should reseal my granite countertops periodically to protect them from stains. How do I know when it’s time to reseal them?
Granite, limestone, and marble countertops are all different, so check with the fabricator to see what the recommended time period for resealing is. But if your kitchen countertops get a lot of use, the general rule of thumb is to reseal them every six months, according to Andy Graves, of the Fabricator Network trade group. Graves suggests you do a water-absorption test [...]
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Q&A: How do I recycle my old cookware?
I just bought a new set of cookware. What’s the best way to get rid of my old pots and pans?
Selecting the right cookware is easy, but getting rid of an old
set, especially a 10-piece ensemble, isn’t so obvious. You can donate usable pots and pans to Goodwill or the Salvation Army or list them on Freecycle. If the cookware is unusable, you contact your municipal department of public works to ask about recycling.
Now, if you buy Calphalon’s new Unison cookware, you can send [...]
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Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: The LG WM210C[W] front-loading washer is a real mover and shaker
 Because front-loading washing machines spin so rapidly—up to 1,200 revolutions per minute—and their drums rotate on a horizontal axis, the vibration and noise these machines produce can be a nuisance for users, especially when a front-loader is used near main living areas or on a second floor in a home.
Our testers have seen plenty of front-loaders that produce a lot of vibration and noise, though no front-loader has ever actually moved [...]
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Tip of the Day: When ordering appliances, carefully check the specs
 Carpenters live by the adage, Measure twice. Cut once. The same advice can apply to ordering appliances and equipment for a kitchen remodel, says one New Jersey homeowner who recently undertook a top-to-bottom makeover of the 300-square-foot kitchen at her 1960s Cape Cod house.
Because Helaine W.’s new kitchen includes a bank of windows on the exterior wall, the plans called for an island vent hood—a wall-mounted hood with through-the-wall venting wouldn’t fit the design. What’s more, the hood had to [...]
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Mastering the art of everyday cooking
 Meryl Streep has been acclaimed for her performance as Julia Child (shown) in Julie & Julia, a charming film about the legendary cooking-show host/cookbook author and Julie Powell, who in one year cooked her way through the 524 recipes in Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and blogged about the experience.
But the movie’s real star is the food—the boeuf bourguignon, the sole meunière, the butter. It’s enough to inspire you to speed home from the theater, scour your cookbooks or an [...]
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Q&A: Is cooking with nonstick pans bad for your health?
I’ve read reports that say cooking with some nonstick cookware can make you sick. Is that true?
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical used in making nonstick coating for cookware, can cause cancer and birth defects in animals and might pose a risk in humans. Cooking with nonstick cookware at very high temperatures can break down the nonstick coating, emitting fumes that can kill pet birds and possibly cause flulike symptoms in humans.
Our past testing of nonstick cookware over moderate temperatures provided largely reassuring results. Working with an outside [...]
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Q&A: Should I buy a stand mixer based on the wattage?
 I’ve read that more watts are better. Is that true or am I just wasting my money?
Don’t buy a stand mixer based on wattage. It’s usually the power used, not produced. But be sure to check the warranty as they vary. Also consider:
• Buying the biggest bowl available if your recipes frequently call for lots of flour
• Buying an extra bowl, for around $50, if you make two-step recipes so you won’t have to scrape and rinse between steps
• Checking Websites for rebate information. KitchenAid is offering $40 [...]
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