Among the benefits of being home-improvement journalists in print, radio and television is the opportunity to attend the building-industry trade shows that feature the latest and greatest in building and remodeling products and services. One that we just attended was the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show.
While we don't have space in this column for all the cutting-edge products and technology that we witnessed, we'll tempt you with some special appliances that are in step with the new millennium.
Convenience, comfort, space and energy savings are what manufacturers had in mind when creating each of the three state-of-the-art appliances that we'll discuss. Fasten your seatbelt as we take you into the next generation of home appliances.
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, more than two-thirds of American Homes contain a 30-inch freestanding slide-in range. Traditionally, this appliance has consisted of a four-burner cooking surface, a single oven and a pot drawer below. Incidentally, rarely is the pot drawer used for pots. More often than not, it is full of lids.
The greatest disadvantage to this space-efficient appliance is the fact that it contains only one oven. This can be a negative during holiday entertaining when more than one oven is critical.
Enter Maytag's new Gemini Range. It's one-of-a-kind two-oven design lets you cook two different foods at two different temperatures. Best of all, it fits in the same space as the traditional 30-inch range, but with more cooking capacity.
The cooking surface on the Gemini Range has a sealed-burner system for safe-and-easy cleaning. And, the unit has the latest in digital controls and an LED readout that makes you feel like you're behind the controls of a 747 with none of the confusion, yet all the power. Possible disadvantage: Loss of storage drawer below. Solution: most of these drawers are not used efficiently anyway. Put the pot lids somewhere else - perhaps a decorative pot rack.
Maytag's Gemini Range retails for $1,399.
Did you ever wish that you didn't have to carry that heavy pot of pasta-filled, boiling water from the stove top to the kitchen sink to drain and rinse and then back to the stove top again to finish it off? Your wish is Kohler's command. Kohler, a leading manufacturer of products for the kitchen and bath, has just the answer - its new PRO CookCenters and PRO CookSinks.
These revolutionary products meld stovetop cooking with the kitchen sink to create a high-performance, multitask unit that eliminates the boundaries of traditional kitchen task areas. The result is an enhanced kitchen sink that provides an efficient, compact space in which to clean, cut, steam, boil, poach and braise food - improving the overall efficiency of food preparation and cooking, while providing a professional level of cooking quality.
No more dangerous water transfers from stove to sink; effortless, push-of-a-button drainage of cooking water; improved kitchen workspace and a conversation piece when entertaining at home.
How do these appliances work? In simple terms, PRO CookCenters features a cooking vessel in conjunction with a kitchen sink. You get the best of both worlds. It is a sink that you can cook in located next to a sink that you can use as you would any traditional one. PRO CookSinks, on the other hand, features a standalone vessel ideally positioned near a stovetop. The 8-quart cylindrical, 18-gauge stainless-steel cooking vessel is located beneath the counter with its opening flush to counter level. In either case, a 240-volt power circuit and a standard-base cabinet are the only requirements for easy installation.
Cooking at home - for the everyday cook to the gourmet chef - will never be the same again with these additions to the kitchen. Comfort, convenience and safety don't come inexpensively. Depending upon what you want and can afford, prices for these products range from $375 to $2,900. Add another $550 to $838 for a high-tech faucet designed especially for use with these appliances.
If you live in a small home or apartment, you know that there is barely enough room for you to hang your clothes, let alone have a washer and dryer to keep them clean. The Equator Corporations EZ-3600 Clothes Processor is a combination washer/dryer that can be installed freestanding or under a counter. This compact unit is only 23 and one-half-inches wide (about the size of an automatic dishwasher). It loads from the front, connects to a single water source and features a space-age ventless drying system.
The hot air used to dry your clothes is water-cooled internally and the condensed water is then flushed from the machine by the water pump. Thus, no dryer vent is needed - another plus. However, this ventless method results in longer drying time.
Another bonus: The manufacturer reports that many electric utility companies throughout the country are offering energy-saving rebates ranging from $50 to $375.
For more information, contact Maytag at (877)-436-4642 or visit them on the web at www.maytag.com.
For additional information, call 1-800-4-KOHLER or visit their website at www.kohlerco.com.
For more information on the EZ-3600 Clothes Processor, call the Equator Corporation at 800-935-1955 or visit their website at www.washerdryer.com.
