Tamar Haspel who blogs at starvingofftheland.com writes about her’s and her mother’s appliance mis-purchases.

A Champion juicer is a big, heavy powerful appliance that reduces fruits and vegetables to their constituent parts: juice and sawdust.

A Champion juicer is not inexpensive. These days, they retail for a little over $200. Although other juicers cost less, other juicers do not have the power to juice the furniture.

When my mother got it, we tried it on everything but the furniture. I even wrote about it, in an article entitled, “How to Make the Most Mess with the Fewest Appliances.”

But it didn’t take. Before long, the Champion was relegated to the Closet of Appliance Mistakes, where it nestled up against the gelato maker. (First, of course, my mother offered it to me, but I’m not stupid enough to take a big, heavy appliance destined for the Closet.)

I’ve learned many things from my mother, and one of them should have been not to buy a Champion juicer. But when I saw a barely used one at a yard sale for $12., I couldn’t resist. Twelve dollars! That’s five percent of its retail price! Besides, I don’t live in a tiny apartment any more. When you have an entire Basement of Appliance Mistakes, you can branch out.

Still, I wasn’t sure. “I’m not sure,” I said to Kevin as we contemplated the juicer.

“If you don’t like it, you can put it on Craigslist and you’ll probably get your twelve dollars back,” he said. Although this was true, I think he just wanted to make sure I went home with something substantial, since he had just bought a windsurfer that came with three sails, two masts, a boom, and a harness.

I should mention that the Basement of Appliance Mistakes is also the Basement of Water-sports Mistakes. If this windsurfer joins the other two that are already down there, there won’t be much room for the Champion juicer.

The gist of starvingofftheland is that Ms. Haspel and her husband are attempting to feed themselves at least one food a day that they have a direct connection to. They might have grown or raised it themselves, or possibly fished, hunted or traded for it. In this spirit, the couple has begun raising chickens.

The chickens clinch the juicer sale. “What pushed me over the edge was the thought that the vegetable pulp, which still has considerable nutritional value, could be fed to the chickens. Everybody wins.

I forked over my twelve dollars, and took my juicer home. All the parts were there, and it hummed smoothly when I turned it on. We had half a bag of carrots in the refrigerator, and we used them for the test ride.”

We ended up with two glasses of carrot juice. It tasted exactly like the carrots it came from — fine but a little bitter. We also had a nice plate of carrot crumbles for the chickens, and we headed out to the run.

We expected an enthusiastic reception, but the chickens wouldn’t touch the stuff. They gave one or two experimental pecks, and then looked reproachfully at us. “This isn’t carrot,” they were obviously saying, “This is sawdust.” This, from birds that eat rocks, charcoal, and tree bark.

Apparently, you can’t drink your carrot and feed it to your chickens, too.

I’m not giving up on the juicer just yet. I’m very fond of beet juice with ginger, and I’ll give that a whirl. And if anyone out there has any brilliant uses for it, I’m all ears. But if you’re in the market for a Champion juicer, you might want to keep an eye on Craigslist.

The new luxury fully integrated dishwasher, ATAG VA6511NT brings the very latest technology and user-friendly features, delighting its owners and making them wonder, how they ever managed without it. Designed to meet demands of the most discerning buyers, this 60cm dishwasher can be sited either traditionally under a worktop or it can be easily installed at waist height in a tall housing unit by way of a smooth and fast assembly system.

Discreet in situ yet with a rock solid feel, the high quality, fully integrated dishwasher has a wealth of top class features to make life easier. Immediately noticeable are the quiet noise level around 48 dBA as well as the ‘AAA’ energy ratings and a water consumption of just 14 litres. ATAG VA6511NT cavity holds 13 place settings and has 4 programs including Intensive 70°C with pre rinse, Normal 65°C with pre rinse, Eco 50°C with pre rinse and Fast 45°C.

Among other key benefits of ATAG fully integrated VA6511NT dishwasher are
- height adjustable top and flexible bottom basket with 2 folding supports for pans and plates
- 3-in-1/4-in-1 automatic tablet function
- cutlery basket which can be split into two and third level knife holder
- automatic and special facility function
- end of program LED-floor-projection indicator
- audible program-end signal
- heat exchanger with no exposed heating element for efficiency and economy
- 3-6-9 hours delayed start to wash when electricity rates are cheaper
- LED salt-rinse aid indicator
- Aqua stop system for automatic water protection preventing overflows
The fully integrated ATAG VA6511NT dishwasher is priced at € 850.

Previously,
Caple fully integrated dishwasher
Integrated dishwasher by Baumatic
Miele integrated dishwasher
Neff slimline fully integrated dishwasher
LG SignaLight fully integrated dishwasher

The ATAG QuliMax is a new multi-functional, combination steam oven, combining sophisticated technology and Dutch design. Steaming used by the Chinese for many centuries is fast becoming the preferred cooking method as it brings many advantages to the table, preserving taste, nutrients, colour and texture with healthier results. In fact, steam ovens are just one of many healthy cooking appliances but certainly the most versatile. The QuliMax combination oven steams, bakes, roasts, grills, reheats and defrosts, offering the ultimate functionality for the busy household and additional programs to inspire the keenest of cooks. Moreover, this ATAG oven allows you to combine cooking modes. Roasting and baking can be accomplished using a combination of fanned heat and steam to achieve ideal humidity and heat for cooking meat and fish for a succulent, crispy finish as well as baking bread and cake for a shiny, crusty result.

The QuliMax also contains the steam and smells within, so is ideal for the contemporary open plan living areas we aspire to today. It also offers a further advantage, eliminating the use of extra pots and pans. Just one dish lets cook different types of food together without the transfer of smell or flavour. Other key benefits of 36 litre compact ATAG QuliMax with multiple cooking modes include,
- 40 pre-set automatic programs for steaming, roasting, baking, grilling and defrosting
- electronic temperature and steam control
- twin steam generation external to the oven cavity for even, rapid cooking
- flexible installation in a tall or base unit
- LCD screen with temperature, time and program feedback
- adjustable temperature from 40°C to 100°C for steaming and up to 230°C for oven combination function
- up to 10 hours delayed start
- reheating without drying out
- keep warm and defrosting functions
- 6 shelf positions
- can be installed independently of a water supply
- automatic cleaning and descaling function
ATAG QuliMax is available in stainless steel or graphite black for approximately € 2,200. Also Miele steam oven.

ATAG OX6211P is built-in stainless steel oven with a side opening reversible door, designed according to tough specs of ATAG Magna Design Line. The electric multifunction turbo oven offers the very best both aesthetics and performance wise. The door opens at a full 180°, so that users can reach into the oven without the interruption that comes from the depth of a drop-down door. The non-tilting, telescopic shelves that pull out of the oven cavity and stay in place while you are attending to dishes, improve accessibility even further. The 60cm wide built-in stainless steel oven is ‘A’ energy rated and comes with electronic controls, ventilated, triple glazed, cool touch oven door and 10 cooking functions, including turbo fan, top heat, top and bottom heat, grill, rotisserie, fan and grill, boost and defrost.

Other features of the ATAG OX6211P multifunction turbo oven are
- 58 litre capacity
- electronic temperature control to 250°C
- pre-heat boost function
- 12 automatic cooking programs for ease of use and convenience
- built-in thermometer to automatically turn the oven off when pre-set temperature is reached
- programmable electronic timer for automatic cooking
- built in or built under installation flexibility
- aesthetically styled to match ATAG Compact Oven line
Price for this built-in stainless steel oven is approximately € 1,100. See also Caple stainless steel oven.

The stylish 90cm wide Neff cooker hoods offer performance, functionality and design to satisfy the most discerning homeowners. The D99W44N0 wall mounted cooker hood can be used in ducted or recirculation mode and comes with simple to use push buttons that operate 3-speed motor with maximum air-blowing performance of 710 m³/h. Winner of 2009 iF Product Design Award, this hood is quiet keeping noise under 56 dBA, has dishwasher-safe metal grease filter, two 20 watt halogen lamps and carbon filter. Price is around £490.

The second of Neff cooker hoods is the sleek D99W45S1 hood with black glass canopy, Neff 7-segment display and SoftKey electronic controls. Designed for exhaust configuration only, the cooker hood comes with 4-speed motor including an intensive level with automatic reset and maximum suction rate of 640 m³/h. Noise levels are around 54 dBA. Other main benefits include double-entry high-performance blowers, automatic 10 minutes after-running, automatic revert setting, dishwasher safe metal grease filter, filter saturation indicator, two 20 watt halogen lamps, SoftLight and dimmer function with stepless brightness adjustment. Price is around £800. Neff.

Other hoods by Neff,
70cm wide extractor hoods
Stainless steel telescopic hood
Stainless steel range hood
Hood with rotatable glass canopy
Cube chimney hood
Canopy range hood

Not one but two new espresso machines from AEG are sure to delight coffee lovers. Cremapresso EA 250 and EA 260 bring the authentic Italian taste of espresso straight into your home. Whether you read the newspaper in the morning, afternoon or evening, these espresso machine will be there to give a little cheer after the meal. Cremapresso comes with a filter box for accessories with a semi-transparent cover integrated into the drip tray, making filters and a measuring spoon with an integrated tamper that comes with the machine always close by. The espresso machines also have a heated cup holder to keep your espresso nice and hot. Other Cremapresso extras are a pre-brewing function and a removable drip tray for easy operation and cleaning.

Both machines make coffee preparation a breeze. Three sieves come with either machine, one for a single espresso, one for a double espresso and one for espresso pods. Once ground espresso is pressed into the filter with the help of the tamper and the sieve holder is attached to the machine or once an espresso pod is put into the sieve, all that has to be done is to fill water into the 1.5 liter tank and determine how much espresso you wish to make. The EA 250 has a regulator and the EA 260 is equipped with a programmable button function for 1 cup or 2 cups. And you get an excellent espresso with wonderful crema. The special steam nozzle also lets you prepare other coffee specialities

Other Cremapresso key benefits include integrated thermal block for consistent coffee temperature and professional grade 15 bar pump. The EA 250 in black plastic sells for € 230 while EA 260 espresso machine in white with stainless steel elements is priced at € 300. AEG.

Now you can slurp up some broth and twirl some ramen all in one handy spoon meets fork kitchen utensil. This ramen spoon + folk was originally created for use at the popular sugakiya ramen noodle restaurant chains in Japan, but now you can have it at your home. The size of this spoon with folk is 7-3/4″ l x 2″ w and the cost is $7 per spoon meets fork.

Via Gizmodiva

New 90cm wide ATAG cooker hoods successfully blend modern aesthetics with quality and advanced technology, bringing additional flexibility and individuality to the kitchen. Designed to reflect the trends and ever fluid design dynamics, these cooker hoods are exceptionally quiet, with noise levels as low as 45 dBA, an important requirement with open plan living. The WS9092EM wall mounted Futura and the ES9092EM island Bloc hoods now come in Graphite Black, one of today’s hottest colours. They have soft touch electronic controls, and are powered by a high performance 4-speed motor with 610 m³/h maximum suction rate. Main features of these cooker hoods are
- use-controlled grease level indicator
- 15-minute over-run time
- 3 dishwasher-safe aluminium filters
- halogen illumination
Prices are € 810 and € 990 for WS9092EM and ES9092EM cooker hoods respectively. ATAG. Also ATAG plate warmer.

Previously,
ATAG Air Logic range hoods
Cooker hood from Elica
Stainless steel cooker hood
Baumatic designer cooker hood
AEG Visible cooker hood
Dual function cooker hood

ATAG built-in refrigerator the KD8122AF from MAGNA Design Line is perfectly made for the discerning consumer who aspires to a seamless look for their state-of-the-art kitchen. This 196 litre built-in refrigerator will make an excellent choice for open plan kitchens, creating that clean modern look today consumers are looking for. ATAG KD8122AF promotes the best of all worlds – performance, functionality, effortless good looks, and premium ‘A+’ energy efficiency using just 0.4 kW every 24 hours.

The ATAG ATAG built-in refrigerator brings a multitude of other benefits including,
- auto-defrost, for effortless maintenance
- electronic controls for accurate temperature monitoring and control
- FastCool to quickly refrigerate large quantities of food from room temperature
- adjustable, safety-glass shelves with MAGNA design stainless steel trim
- glass shelf with bottle rack for convenient storage
- precisely controlled fresh box for storing meat, fish and dairy produce
- precisely controlled fruit and vegetable fresh box with adjustable humidity
- two lidded compartments in the door
- door compartment with bottle stabiliser
- reversible door for installation convenience
You can buy this built-in refrigerator from ATAG for approximately € 1,100.

ATAG attractive and stylish plate warmer is now available in unique Graphite Black, and cleverly designed to blend into any surroundings. The WD2192C plate warmer is smart and versatile addition to your modern kitchen, fitting perfectly with current and future living trends where appliances are shrugging off their stereotyped image as exclusively kitchen products. Discreet styling and quietness of operation is enabling the kitchen to expand into other areas of the home as the traditional dining room threatens to become obsolete in the not so distant future. The quiet, sleek and very chic plate warmer is an ideal companion for ATAG comprehensive range of compact ovens, which fit neatly into either a 39cm or a 46cm high aperture and can be installed anywhere in your house. Key features of ATAG WD2192C plate warmer include,
- thermostatically controlled drawer
- hot air fan system with temperature selection from 30°C to 70°C
- anti-slip mat to prevent crockery slipping or sliding on opening and closing
- accommodates 30 dinner plates 28cm in diameter or
- 80 espresso cups or 40 tea cups
- illuminated on/off switch
- 90-minute timer with automatic switch-off
- designed to fit with ATAG 39cm compact oven
You can buy this plate warmer for approximately € 580.

ATAG also offers the BD0792C storage drawer to keep virtually all oven accessories It features push pull closure, telescopic tray guide and non-slip mat. Price is € 240.

ATAG gas hobs
ATAG Appliances range hoods
ATAG koffiemachine
ATAG Magna gas cooktops
ATAG range cooker