Appliances 101

Look no further for a complete rundown on microwaves and what to look for. Whether you’re shopping around for a new one or looking to replace your old one, here’s all the information you’ll need on making your next purchase. Types Microwaves come in three main types: countertop, over-the-range and built-in. Countertop microwaves are the most common for their affordability. These are great to simply take out of the box and plug in for a no-hassle installation. Over-the-range and built-in microwaves on the other hand require some setup time and most likely a professional installer. These kinds of microwaves have additional benefits however. An over-the-range microwave can vent fumes and odor away from a range below. A built-in model will free up counter space and look more sleek in cabinetry. Countertop microwaves can often utilize a trim kit to get the same built in look. Size Once you decide the kind of microwave you’d like you can turn to the size. Establish how you’ll be using the microwave. If you’re just cooking for yourself then maybe you can opt for a smaller capacity model. Be sure to factor in the counter space you’ll be losing with countertop microwaves. Most models will have a 1-2 cubic feet range. External dimensions can also vary so always measure the desired location to make sure it properly accommodates for the size. Wattage For microwaves, wattage directly translates to power. A 1,000 watt microwave is a great baseline to start from. Anything less may result in slower cooking. In general, the higher the wattage the faster the cooking time. Keep in mind a high wattage microwave will be more expensive. Features Automatic defrost and pre-programmed settings can make your life easier when warming up snacks. Sensors can also calculate cook time based on the steam the food emits. This will help ensure your food heats exactly the way you want it to. Pay attention to safety features like a child lockout if there will be young children present. This feature will prompt for a sequence of numbers to operate the appliance. Check the microwave’s buttons and icons. If they are too small or close together you may accidentally press something you didn’t intend to. Smooth control panels will be easier to clean than buttons or knobs. Are you ready for your next appliance upgrade? Learn more about our microwaves here. Sources: Good House Keeping

One of our most popular and diverse product lines here at Cosmo are our range hoods. Range hood terms may seem confusing at first, but we’ve compiled a complete guide to master this appliance. These hoods can be a beautiful focal point in your kitchen that provide just as much functionality. Ventilation The main purpose of range hoods is to get odors, smoke and fumes away from your kitchen when cooking. This can be done in one of two ways, ducted or ductless. A ducted range hood should have ductwork from the kitchen all the way to the outside of your home. A non-vented or ductless range hood utilizes a filter and recirculates the air back into the kitchen. Often, the kind of range hood you choose will depend on the kitchen. A ducted range hood completely removes smoke and smells while a ductless build may be less effective in doing so. Installation Types You’ll come across mainly three different kinds of range hoods based on their installation method–under cabinet, wall-mount and island mount. An under cabinet range hood is mounted to the cabinets above a range. The wall mount doesn’t require any cabinetry as they are installed on the wall. Finally, an island mount goes directly to the ceiling and suspends mid-air. All three of these options can be ducted or ductless, depending on the kitchen. Size The standard width of range hoods are 30 or 36 inches wide. There are some pro variations that go wider and can handle larger quantities of smoke and fumes. If your kitchen allows for it you should always have a range hood that is equally as wide as the range underneath. Bigger tends to always be better. Strength & Noise You’ll come across the term CFM when looking at range hood airflow strength. CFM stands for cubic feet per minute and generally the higher the number the more air the hood can vent. A general rule you can follow is you should have 1 CFM per 100 BTU of the gas range underneath. If you do a good amount of cooking try to have a range hood with at least 350 CFM. The downside of a higher CFM would be the noise the hood creates. Features When checking for features, look at fan speeds. You’ll want a range hood with at least 2 speeds for low quieter venting and high but noisier venting. Another useful feature is an exhaust timer which automatically shuts off the hood after a set period of time. Built-in lights come standard in most range hoods, but the type of lights can vary greatly. Look for range hoods with light replacements that are easy to find in the future. At Cosmo, we carry a wide array of range hoods to meet your every need. You can see our complete catalog here. Sources: Apartment Therapy

Kitchen appliances will eventually have to be replaced. If you ever find yourself in the market again, we’ve compiled the tips and tricks you should know when replacing your next appliance. When to Buy You may come across some statistics that say appliances have a lifetime of 10 to 15 years, but this is actually based on when people replace their appliances and not how long they last. If your appliances are humming along just fine, there’s no need to replace them. A clear indicator you need a replacement is if the cost to repair your appliance is half or more than the price tag. What to Check If you ever come across a broken appliance, there’s some things you can check before calling on a repairman. Refrigerator. If your fridge isn’t keeping food cold enough, check the control dial to see if it was accidentally set higher. Next, check the door’s gasket by repeatedly closing the door on a dollar bill in several different spots. If the dollar slips out, you may need to reform the gasket by warming and shaping it. If the gasket is not reformable then you can install a new one. Lastly, clean the coils located behind or below your fridge. Unplug it first, pop off the grates and use a vacuum cleaner hose with crevice attachment or an appropriate long-handled coil brush. Oven. If the oven temperature isn’t accurate start by recalibrating the thermostat. This info can be found in the use and care manual of your appliance. Dishwasher. If your dishes aren’t coming out as clean as they should it could be due to a dirty filter. Check with your product manual to see how you can clean or replace it. Scoring a Deal How and where you buy your next appliance is just as important as the kind you get. If you’re not in a rush, shop around or wait for a sale. A good time to shop is around the holidays, like now! You can also look to see when new models come out if the older ones are put on discount. Take some time to compare prices across retailers and check if they offer any price matches. Don’t forget to take hidden costs into consideration such as delivery, installation and removal of your old appliances. Which Appliances to Get Even if saving the planet isn’t at the forefront of your mind, your wallet should be! Selecting appliances with energy saving features are critical to reduce your electric bill. Look for energy labels and energy star rebates to see how well these appliances will perform. Although retailers may offer you extended warranties, they aren’t always necessary. Manufacturers typically provide you with one that’s more than sufficient. Sources: The Kitchnn

Our single serve coffee makers are often the key to success for an easy morning with immediate coffee. Although these convenient and quick machines may seem straightforward, they require maintenance just like any other appliance. Regular cleaning will ensure your coffee maker will provide optimal performance for years to come. Many single serve coffee makers utilize water reservoirs which can be a hotspot for mold and mineral deposits over time. Regardless of the brand you use, there are some signs to look out for when it’s time to clean your appliance. Longer than usual time to brew Filling less than a full cup of coffee Extra grounds or granules in your coffee Unexpected moldy or mildew-y smells Mineral buildup on visible parts of the machine Most of the time a mineral buildup, visible or not, will be responsible for these problems. Here are the steps you can take to get that coffee maker in pristine condition. Empty any water from inside the reservoir. Remove the parts you can, and clean with warm, soapy water in the sink. Some coffee maker brands have dishwasher-safe components. If your coffee maker has any espresso or milk steamer attachments be sure to disassemble and clean those too. Next, take a small cleaning brush and dip it into vinegar. Go around and clean the base of the machine where the reservoir is as well as where the cup pods go. You’ll usually have some grounds trapped here. Reusable filters often have grounds congested in the mesh. Although these filters are usually dishwasher-safe, try soaking them in a cup of vinegar and use a small brush to loosen any granules in the mesh. Next comes the inside of the coffee maker. Reassemble all the parts and components, then fill the dry reservoir with 4 cups of white vinegar and 2 cups of water. Run the machine several times with no filter in place. Once you run a few cups of vinegar, let the machine set for a few hours and then run the rest of the cycles until the solution has run through the machine. Clean out the reservoir and fill with regular water. Run the machine with just the plain water to ensure the reservoir is clean and no vinegar is left behind. Your single serve coffee maker is now clean! Sources: HGTV

No need to strain yourself scrubbing away at these ovens. Self-cleaning ovens are an easy alternative to get a shiny interior all from the press of a button. Mistakes happen in the kitchen, learn everything you need to know about this function to save yourself from extra work next time. These ovens come in two types, high heat or steam cleaning. A high heat cleaning oven will greatly increase its temperature to burn away any residue inside. It essentially turns any bits to ash. On the other hand, steam cleaning works with heat and water to loosen soils. However it usually requires a manual clean afterwards. A steam clean may require more work than high heat, but it offers no burn off, lower temperatures and no odors. Each oven varies, but usually a self-clean should be performed every four to six months. This will fluctuate depending how often the oven is used and the frequency of spills. A self-clean cycle will take a few hours depending on the brand and type of oven you own. Before starting a self-clean cycle, here are the steps you should follow: Make sure any major spills are cleaned up. Unless otherwise noted in an owner’s manual, remove the racks to prevent discoloration and potential warping. Double check that the oven door is locked. Most ovens will lock themselves. The oven will cause odors while it’s cleaning. Ensure there is proper ventilation throughout your home. A hood or fan is ideal to remove any heat and odors caused by the burning. Perform the self-clean. Once everything is done and completely cool, take a damp towel and wipe down everything inside to clean up any remaining residue. If you’d like to stay on top of things and reduce the need for a self-clean, follow these steps to keep your oven in working condition. Clean up spills immediately. Use a damp sponge or a brush to get rid of any loose food bits. Always wait until everything is completely cool to work on an oven to prevent accidentally shattering any untempered glass. Remove racks for a more effective and comfortable cleaning. Use warm sudsy water or a quality oven cleaner. Rinse and dry before sliding back into place. The exterior oven door can be cleaned with warm, sudsy water and a sponge. You can also use a multi-purpose glass cleaner with a scrub to achieve a spotless finish. Rinse and dry afterwards. Sources: Good House Keeping

You may live in an area that could have power outages from natural disasters such as thunderstorms, hurricanes or earthquakes. It’s important to understand the foods in your refrigerator or freezer, and how long you should keep them if you lose power. Follow this guide to stay prepared in case you find yourself without electricity. First, look to see the temperature in your refrigerator. This will be critical to monitor in case of a power outage. It’s worth investing in a refrigerator thermometer. The temperature should be set to 35 to 38°F. If the power goes out keep track of how long it’s out. Keep the door to your refrigerator closed as much as possible to keep it colder longer. Once you pass four hours without power and the temperature inside your refrigerator increases past 40°F, your perishable foods will only be good for two more hours. Foods you should toss: Soups, stews, and casseroles Meat, poultry, and seafood Dairy: milk, cream yogurt, sour cream Eggs Sweets: Cheesecake, cream or custard pies, cream-filled pastries Vegetables: pre-washed greens, cooked vegetables, vegetable juice Pasta: Fresh pasta, salads Tofu Food you can keep: Cheese: hard, processed, grated hard cheeses Dairy: butter, margarine Fruit: fruit juice, canned fruit, fresh whole fruits Vegetables: raw Herbs Breads: Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, tortillas Sweets: Fruit pies Your freezer also has a recommended temperature you’ll want to keep track of. This is a bit easier as you just want to be sure the food inside stays frozen. A full freezer will keep its temperature for about 48 hours, while a half-full freezer will keep its temperature for about 24 hours. Once the power comes back on check foods to see if they have ice crystals. If they do, you’re safe to refreeze it again. Sources: Apartment Therapy

There are many terms regarding ovens you may be unfamiliar with, such as convection, conventional, or True European convection. These are the different ways an oven heats food as it bakes. Looking for all the info you need before making your next purchase? We’ve got you covered. Conventional. A conventional oven typically has two heating elements inside–one at the bottom and one at the top. The bottom element usually is the main source of heat, while the top element is reserved for broiling. The heat inside a conventional oven rises to the top as it bakes. This results in uneven cooking. For instance, cookies you bake in a conventional oven can come out half-burnt and half-blonde due to the various hot and cold spots inside. Convection. A convection oven includes an extra element to provide a solution to the conventional oven. A fan system located at the back of the oven creates a flow of air inside the oven to get rid of any uneven hot spots. This provides more even cooking while removing any excess moisture in foods. A convection oven will bake foods faster which is important to note in recipe instructions. While convection ovens may seem like an easy pick, it’s not suited for foods that are naturally light or airy, since they can be disturbed by the fan. True European Convection. The third oven type are True European Convection ovens. These ovens differ from standard convection in that the fan has an additional third heating element. Instead of just moving air inside the oven, the fan will provide heated air. This will distribute heat more efficiently and evenly than standard convection. A True European oven fan won’t just push around cold air inside since it’s also providing heat. This will in turn reduce the need for cooking time and temperature furthermore than standard convection. This is important to note in your recipes to prevent overcooking. Are you looking to upgrade your oven? Check out our product line here. Sources: Reviewed

Your microwave goes through a lot, and we usually toss food in it hoping for a quick meal above all else. Naturally, over time your microwave will need to be cleaned. Luckily you can follow some easy steps to get rid of any mess. A general rule to follow when cleaning is if it’s toxic to consume it’s probably not a good idea to use on the inside. Cleaning the Inside Take a microwave-safe bowl and fill it up with about 1 cup of water and add a few squirts of citrus, this can be lemon, lime or even orange. Add a few tablespoons of vinegar, either white or apple cider, and heat it on high inside the microwave for a few minutes. It should come to a boil. You really want the steam to build up inside the microwave, so leave it inside after it’s come to a boil for another three to five minutes. Once that’s done, remove the bowl and scrub away. If your tray is dirty take it out and wash by hand or in your dishwasher. Cleaning the Door Take some water and baking soda and apply to the door with a sponge. Be sure to use a damp cloth or paper towel afterwards to remove any remaining residue. You can also use vinegar and water to clean the door if it’s extra greasy. Cleaning the Outside Use water and soap on a sponge to tackle the exterior of your microwave. Although you may want to use something stronger like an astringent cleaner, your microwave shouldn’t need this. There’s some chance this cleaner can get inside your microwave, which is dangerous the next time you heat up some food. Wipe everything down with a damp sponge or towel and dry. You’re done! Are you looking to upgrade your microwave with Cosmo? Check out our complete line here.  Sources: Country Living