Getting the Most Our of Your New Kitchen Appliances

As you may know I am in the process of renovating. Our house is currently a gigantic mess of dust and beams and electrical wiring. The architect’s drawings are what I hold onto to keep me sane. I also hold on to the tile samples, paint chips and the vision of my new kitchen appliances – White Ice Appliances from Whirlpool Canada. The thought of these sleek new machines in my crisp white kitchen keeps my panic at bay.

One’s kitchen is the hub of their home.

However, as we all know, appliances are more than just a pretty face. These are the hub of any home and the key to keeping a busy family running smoothly. The efficiency and use of one’s appliances can have a huge impact on time which for me is a commodity I value greatly. So, when chatting with the folks at Whirlpool I learned a bit about how using one’s appliances properly can save you a lot of time and money.

Here are my Top 10 Tips for getting the most out of your new kitchen appliances:

1. Many dishwashers now offer time-saving features that make upkeep simple. If you use your dishwasher frequently, run cycles with heavily-soiled dishes or have a busy lifestyle, look for dishwasher models with the convenience of self-cleaning filters and hard food disposers.
2. If you have a microwave with non-stick interior coatings, it will make daily clean up faster and easier. These non-stick interiors do not require special wipes or cleaners for the microwave oven’s interior, an especially helpful feature if your microwave gets a lot of daily use or if you have children using the oven. The Whirlpool White Ice over the range microwave is a great example. The industry’s first silver metallic, non-stick interior cleans even cooked-on spills and splashes with a damp cloth or sponge. Now you can clean up all types of splatters quickly and easily.
3. For those cooks who often struggle to juggle multiple pans when preparing a large meal or entertaining, double ovens – both built-in and freestanding – can cook two dishes, such as a main course and dessert, simultaneously. Moreover, the top oven can act as a toaster oven, freeing up valuable counter space and keeping foods warm before they are served.
4. 

   Whirlpool’s New White Ice Appliances.

   A good rule of thumb when buying a refrigerator is eight cubic feet of fresh-food storage for every two people plus an added cubic foot for each additional person. For freezer storage, the recommendation is four cubic feet for every two people plus two extra cubic feet for each additional person. Ever have a hard time locating space for tall items like 2-litre pop bottles or large items like salad bowls? The fold-away shelf in the Whirlpool White Ice French Door refrigerator is adjustable and the front part slides away to make room for tall or bulky items. No more juggling!

5. Save money and energy! Use pots and pans on your range with flat bottoms that fit the burners. A 6” pot on an 8” burner wastes over 40 percent of that burner’s heat. Using the right sized pot can save up to $36 annually for an electric range, and $18 for a gas range. Also try cooking food in as little water as possible to save energy preserve nutrients.-  Don’t open the oven door during cooking; each time you open the door, you can lose about 25°-30° of heat. Try cooking with a full oven too, and using the broiler when possible, which uses less energy and does not require preheating.
6. Keep it clean: Load spoons and forks in the dishwasher with some handles up and some down so they don’t nest. Load all knives with handles up. Also, small bowls may be loaded so they stand “at attention” in the center row of the top rack. Those in the rear section should face forward and those in the front section should face backward so the center sprayer reaches all of them. Some dishwashers are designed to clean even baked-on foods or large pots and pans without soaking and scrubbing. Whirlpool’s PowerScour(tm) uses 40 targeted spray jets in a designated wash area to scour away baked-on foods and features larger jets that deliver two times more coverage. So you can clean everything from casserole dishes to pots and pans simultaneously – without using an additional drop of water.
7. Be space savvy: Refrigerators are designed in three broad configurations: Top Mount (freezer on top) is best for freezer accessibility; Bottom Mount (freezer on bottom) offers the most refrigerator space; and Side by Side which provides the most overall space and organization.
8. Keep it smelling fresh: Microwaves can produce the same flavourful, juicy results as a traditional convection oven, and research shows that nearly 60 percent of people use their microwave on a daily basis. With such active use, there are plenty of opportunities for spills and splashes to coat the interior. It is important to clean any residue off the walls, turntables or bottom, or it may alter the smell and taste of future foods prepared or heated in the microwave.
9. Work within a reasonable price range. Today, many appliance brands have integrated some of the best, and in some cases, even luxurious features into entire product lines. No matter the budget, it has never been more affordable to have a premium look and top-of-the-line amenities such as water filtration and icemakers. A great choice is the Whirlpool White Ice Kitchen Collection which has a premium look and costs less than stainless steel.
10. Consider practical features along with design. Select appliances that suit your family’s needs as well as your creative vision!

For great information and advice on your kitchen appliances, go to www.instituteofkitchenscience.com.

This post is sponsored by Whirlpool Canada.