Category: Home Appliances


How to Replace the Motor Coupler on Your Clothes Washer Made by Whirlpool, Kenmore and KitchenAid

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Sep.02, 2010

Ok, so your washer will not agitate or spin but you can hear the motor is running. There is a good chance that the motor coupler on your washer has broken. The motor coupler is used on Whirlpool made direct drive washers and it serves as a replacement for the washer belt. This is a common repair for Kenmore, Whirlpool, Roper and KitchenAid direct drive washers.


First, unplug the washer before you begin any repair. Next, you will have to remove the console but there are several ways to do this depending on your model. The most common is to remove the end caps from each side of the console. Firmly pull forward at the top of the end cap until it snaps free. You will then see one screw on each side of the console that will need to be removed. Pull forward and flip up the whole console gently and let it rest backwards. Next, unplug the lid switch connector harness. There are two cabinet top clips on each side that need to be removed next. You will need to use a flathead screwdriver and leverage to make this easier. Pry forward on the top clips to snap out and remember the position of these clips for reassembly. Now with the clips removed lift the washer lid, reach in and pull the whole cabinet forward and set it out of the way.


The pump is held to the motor by two retainer clips. Using the screwdriver, pry these clips free from the pump and remove the pump from the motor positioning it to the left and out of the way. You do not need to remove the pump from the hoses. Next, remove the motor wiring harness. Using a 1/4″ nut driver, remove the screws from the two retainer clips that secure the motor to the gear case bracket. Again, use the screwdriver to remove the two motor retainer clips. Pull the motor free and you will see parts of the motor coupler attached to the motor and the gear case.


Install the new motor coupler gently using a rubber mallet and the nut driver. One of the plastic pieces of the motor coupler will go on the motor and the other to the gear case. Then attach the rubber center piece to the gear case coupler and you are ready for reassembly.


Begin reassembly by first installing the lower motor retaining clip. Next, you will have to align the motors plastic coupler piece to the gear cases rubber piece as they will fit together. This may take several tries before you are able to get them to fit together because this is very tight. Once you have the motor in place, snap in the lower motor retainer clip and then the upper motor retainer clip to secure the motor in place. Reattach the pump and its two clips. Finally the motor harness can be reconnected.


When reinstalling the cabinet, remember the front bottom of the cabinet slides under the washer frame first, and then the rest of the cabinet is gently set backwards. The sides of the cabinet also need to lock into tabs on the washer frame so it may take several tries to get this positioned correctly. Reinsert the top cabinet clips by placing the end into the hole first and firmly pushing down on the front of the clip. Finally, connect the lid switch wiring harness, pull the console forward and screw down.


At last, you have finished replacing the motor coupler on your direct drive clothes washer. Now select a spin cycle to make sure it spins OK before you begin a regular cycle.

Andrew J Mandel is an appliance repair technician.
Minneapolis Appliance Service provides appliance repair service and maintenance throughout the entire Minneapolis area.

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Mixer Grinder – Easy to Use

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Jul.28, 2010

In a country where homemade food is preferred, the kitchen must have a mixer grinder for all the various purposes loved by the family. In this place where all the family loves to have chutneys and different types of curries with spices that are finely grinded, you will find mixer machine which is of great help and assists you in all the kitchen chores within seconds. However before zeroing on a particular model or brand for your kitchen, you must consider some important aspects of the machine.


If your family consists of only two people or you are all alone then go for a small sized Mixer Grinder, because very less quality will be prepared in the kitchen and a big family with many people will need a larger Mixer Grinder with big jars. The other factors that need to be determined are the budget, the type of machine and the particular features which you need. If you have a low budget in mind, it will certainly affect the performance and the features of the Mixer Grinder. The more expensive the machine the more and better feature you will find. The mixer Machine prices may range from Rs. 995 to Rs. 4, 345 approximately.


The types that come in the machine are the mixer grinders or the juicer machine. The mixer grinder is used to mince, whip, beat or mix the food or reduce the food to a smaller size. Consider the speed of the machine before buying as the one with more speed option provides you with better control over various food ingredients. Look out for a circuit breaker in the machine that is used as a common fuse and provides protection from overloading of food which may cause burning of the motor. This overload protection is good as a safety measure and for maintenance.


Check out the number of jars that are available with the machine. The more the jars, the more chores would be carried out. The jars come in different sizes and volumes for a variety of food. The machine should also consist of a pulse mode to help chop the soft food like the hard boiled eggs, parsley and the onions. Even the whipping and the milkshakes can be very well done with this feature.


The locking system and the type of switches are also important while you choose the type of mixer and grinders. So do not overlook these points while purchasing the same.

Devika Rajpali is a well known author and has written articles on Electronic Appliences and mixer grinder, Hard Disk Drives, Bajaj Mixer, Orthopedic Equipments, online shop and many other subjects.

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Built in Double Oven – Space Saver and Precision Cooking

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Jun.13, 2010

The built in double oven is the perfect answer to cooking many dishes at the same time. Juggling plates of food in and out of the oven to cook them at different temperatures and then keep food warm has always been; well, a juggling act.


These ovens are a little smaller and since they are built in, they allow even smaller kitchens to still be roomy yet have the best in cooking technology. These stoves will steam, roast, bake, broil and keep dishes warm just as any single stove but they do it better.


These ovens are available in gas, electric or a mix. Yes you can find a built in double oven that has an electric convection oven and a gas stove top. This is definitely the best of both worlds.


The double oven is the answer for many different needs. A big family has an obvious use for 2 ovens that will cook a lot of food at different temperatures at the same time. Holidays such as Thanksgiving are a great time to utilize the ovens to cook many different dishes that require different temperatures. Impress your guests by having all of their favorite dishes done and warm at the same time and much faster. If you’re a cooking fanatic that likes to grill and bake different plates at the same time, the double oven is the ticket.


Most of the ovens feature the smaller oven above the larger one. Each oven has separate controls which allow for separate cooking types and temperatures. These controls are usually digital now.


Many of these ovens are quite slim at around 24 inches wide which allows them to easily fit into any kitchen and go along with your remodeling plans. Most double ovens are self cleaning with precision preheating features and elements for baking, grilling, or whatever. Electronic clocks with timers are normally standard. The oven doors are also primarily fitted with heavy duty hinges and the doors are quite heavy duty and durable also.


The discussion regarding gas or electric depends on what your preference is. You can find a built in double oven in either gas or electric. Many cooks prefer electric as they feel that the air temperature within the oven is the same throughout and thus the food cooks or bakes more evenly. You can probably attain the exact temperature you require a little easier with the gas model but again it comes down to personal preference.

To help with your buying decision on a built in double oven, get more information at http://builtindoubleoven.org

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Commercial Vacuum Cleaners – These Can Stand Up to Constant Use

Filed Under: Home Appliances
May.14, 2010

The commercial vacuums that are on the market were designed and built for daily use. These units are generally made of steel or a metal alloy that helped to make them be more durable and longer lasting than most household vacuum cleaners. This does not take way from the quality or abilities of those vacuum that are made for the home, just that they are not intended to be used 8 to 16 hours a day.


The vacuum cleaners that are used commercially do have to withstand different structural forces than ones intended for home use. This is why they are housed in the metal alloys. The drawback is they are heavier units to use. The motors have to be larger to withstand the rigors of constant use but the particles they pick up are generally the same.


The vacuums that are made for the American household are just as dependable and powerful as their commercial cousins. The main differing points are the housings they are constructed with. These are generally made of light weight polymers that reduce the overall weight of the vacuum cleaners. This makes them easier to use and to maneuver in the tight confines of your home. This does nothing to interfere with their power. The high powers of the commercial units are still available with the home units.


These commercial units are made of every configuration that is available to all consumers. There are uprights, canister models, in-building, and handheld models. The one style of commercial cleaners that has not made its way into the home is the back-pack version. But this is for obvious reasons.


When purchasing commercial vacuum, it is true they cost more because of the job they are intended to be used for.

There are so many choices out there when it come to selecting a great vacuum cleaner. Many people just buy vacuum cleaners without knowing the first thing about them, and end up paying way to much. Don’t make a mistake and invest in the wrong vacuum cleaner for your family. Find the best type of vacuum on the internet at http://www.bestvacuumdeal.com.

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Industrial Chic – Baumatic Cookers For the Modern Home

Filed Under: Home Appliances
May.01, 2010

Looking for a cooker that adds the finishing touch to a modern functional kitchen? Baumatic range cookers do the job in spades. Baumatic cookers offer the clean lines and shiny steel of the here-to-stay industrial trendy look, whilst retaining a “traditional” high street price and big helpings of useful features.


Most modern kitchens strive for the mechanical funk popularised by the ubiquitous TV cookery show: programmes like Ready, Steady, Cook; Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook; and the output of famous chefs like Jamie Oliver and Heston Blumenthal. British viewers have taken these shows to heart, buying the books in droves, feverishly following the recipes as they unfold live on screen and attempting to emulate the environments the chefs work in. The result: the British homeowner doesn’t want a white plastic box with four hobs; he or she wants a sexy looking cooking machine placed in a clean, functional environment. The Baumatic range cooker is the perfect piece of kit for the job.


Baumatic range cookers offer an excellent range of functions in their trendy shells. Cooks can choose from dual fuel (electric and gas) models, which give the even cooking of a gas hob and the safety and speed of a fan assisted electric oven; or single fuel according to preference. Size isn’t a problem, either: unlike most range cookers, which are attractive enough but stupidly big, Baumatic cookers come in a series of shapes designed to fit with the more quotidian requirements of real domestic environments. For a big kitchen, where the Baumatic cooker can be something of a centre piece, buyers can choose a double-wide beast equipped with multi function ovens, dedicated grills and a fearsome array of hobs; while the more normal kitchen is well served by Baumatic range cookers of a less ostentatious girth. These smaller Baumatic cookers don’t skimp on versatility – they simply shrink the available settings of the American style monsters to something better fitted for a smaller space.


The finish on a Baumatic range cooker sits equally well with the super trendy “scientific” kitchen – the type of kitchen where pots and pans, restaurant style, hang on hooks from a circular ceiling fixture – and a more homely but modern look. All Baumatic cookers are done in brushed steel, which ensures no colour clashes and allows the kitchen to look as scientific or modern as the owner wishes. Unlike coloured range cookers, which necessarily limit the choice of decoration for the rest of the room, Baumatic cookers serve more as an embellishment – a shiny punctuation mark for the kitchen of its’ owner’s choice.


Price wise, Baumatic range cookers sit rather surprisingly in the middle top end of “normal” cooker ranges: and with some stunning deals to be had (there has to be some benefit to a credit crunch, after all), they can currently be picked up for even less. UK retailer Big Appliances is currently selling three types of Baumatic range cooker at discounts that knock them down to the £700 mark – making them as affordable as the flimsy white hunks of junk one would usually associate with Iceland (the store, not the volcanically irritating Scandinavian country). With summer calling, and entertaining at home the only viable option in the wake of the worst economic crisis ever, there can be no better investment for a food loving home.

Do you think a Baumatic range cooker is right for you or are you interested in Baumatic cookers if so then visit Big Appliances who specialise in big kitchen appliances.

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Sanyo Rice Cookers – Technology and Quality

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Apr.02, 2010

If you are about to hit the market to buy a rice cooker, read this article as I believe it will bring some extra information that might be helpful on your final decision. I think the Sanyo rice cooker might make a good purchase for several reasons.


If you have already read about some features of these cookers, you are already aware that they share some common features. For example, they all can cook several types of rices and steamed vegetables. Not only the Sanyo cooker cooks tofu, but it also has a bread baking function. Now, isn’t this unique? Rice cooker, steamer and bread machine. Talk about versatility! This is a good purchase for people who have small kitchens.


The automatic warmer mode is also another common characteristic among competitors. This ensures that the rice, once it is done, will not get overcooked. Instead, it switches automatically to the warmer mode. What this machine adds is the possibility of keeping soups, stews and curries warm. After you set the cooker, you are free to serve yourself as you need. The Sanyo also has a 24-hour freshness for rice after cooking, while brands such as Zojirushi or Panasonic only claim 12 hours.


The Sanyo cooker can also prepare foods in advance. You can setup your oatmeal in the evening before, and it will be ready to consumption at the time you previously schedule. The same goes to rice: you can set it all up in the morning, and the rice will be done by the end of the day.


The inner bowl and lid both come out, so you can clean the cooker quite easily. What the Sanyo offers is an interior coated with titanium, which makes its non-stick coating a lot better than the competition. The special design of the bowl ensures uniform heat distribution, allowing evenly cooked rice.


All that, unfortunately, comes with a slightly higher price tag than most rice cooker brands. After all, Sanyo rice cookers make more use of computer systems to cook your rice. Even so, this is a small difference to invest in exchange for brand reliability, product performance, better quality and more versatility. Think about it all when making your decision!

Max White lives in Japan and maintains BestRiceCooker.org, a site devoted to help foodies find the best rice cooker. If you are interested in a detailed Sanyo rice cooker buyers guide or other rice cooker brands, make sure to click one of these links.

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A Buyers Guide For an Air Purifier

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Mar.13, 2010

Considering the fact that people spend almost 80% to 90% of their lives indoor, an air purifier is an essential household requirement these days. Aren’t we all happy that our houses are sealed up making our houses comfortable and energy efficient? Well, this also means that there are chances of the air indoors being almost 10 times polluted than the air outside.


Buying an air purifier is not an easy task to achieve. As a matter of fact, choosing a wrong air purifier can prove to be more harmful than actually not having one! Quite a few of the air purifiers in the market today release ozone as a by-product.


The ozone is very harmful people to people suffering from asthma. It acts as a trigger for asthma attacks as it irritates the lungs. With the kind of variety available on the market, choosing the right one can be quite difficult as one has to weigh in a lot of factors. This guide helps you to understand the key factors to consider before buying one.


The first thing to decide before buying an air purifier is to decide which pollutants you need to eliminate. Different purifiers are used to target different pollutants.


Pollutants are classified into following 4 major categories:-


1. Airborne Particles: Airborne particles come in various sizes right from 100 microns to.03 microns. Pollutants like spores, fungi, pollen, pet dander, dust mites and mold are considered airborne particles. They are a major cause of allergy and asthma attacks. The best method to get rid of these pollutants is to use a HEPA air purifier.


2. Gases & Odors: These include anything from tobacco smoke, aerosol, pet litter, pesticides, etc. These kind of gases and odors need to be adsorbed (adsorption is a process by which materials attach via a chemical reaction. Activated carbon filters are best for these kind of pollutants.


3. VOCs( Volatile Organic Compunds): VOCs are a part of a variety of common household products like disinfectants, adhesives & glues, cleaning supplies, paints, building supplies, varnishes and even a new carpet. VOCs cause nausea, headaches, irritate the throat, nose, eyes and even causes damage to the nervous system at times. A purifier with an activated carbon filter is apt for VOCs.


4. Micro-organisms: These include viruses, bacteria, pathogens as well as antigens. These everyday germs are a main cause for many illnesses. Antibacterial and Germicidal Filters are the best for these.

Visit it my site at http://VicksHumidifierFilter.com.


A vicks humidifier filter works great if you need one in your home or wherever it is needed in your everyday life.

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Why Hot Tub Chemicals Are Essential

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Dec.09, 2009

Discover why you need chemicals in your hot tub and what to use. No-one wants hazardous water-borne bacteria in their hot tub do they? So the best way to keep them at bay is by using hot tub chemicals. Although chlorine is used in swimming pools it is not recommended in a hot water environment, for keeping your water sanitized, as it loses it’s bacteria fighting properties at temperatures over 80 degrees. There are chemicals that are specifically designed for use in hot water and have the dual benefit of keeping the water crystal clear.

You will need hot tub chemicals that will safely remove any of the following that definitely are, or may be in your hot tub water:

  • Tanning lotion – do you get in and out of your hot tub between sun bathing or sunbed sessions?
  • Natural body oils and sweat
  • If your water supply is hard then calcium and lime deposits will clog up your hot tub with the potential to ruin the pipework and the water pump as well as making the water look dirty much in the same way that they will clog up your washing machine and leave deposits in your kettle
  • Moving water caused by jets of pressure causes foam to form

You will need to get into a routine of adding hot tub chemicals on a daily basis, checking the water and then adding the chemicals to keep the levels up to the desired rate.
If you like your water to be clean and clear, and who doesn’t? Then maintaining the pH factor factor of the water will be an essential part of your routine. The hot tubs guidelines suggest that you want an optimal pH level of between 7.2 and 7.6. You will find that there are many brand name products to achieve this and their product names will give you a clue as to their function e.g. pH-Plus or pH-minus.

Based on the list above you can buy chemicals to deal with each of these events:

  • Tanning lotions, natural body oils and sweat require water purifiers which will break down the oils and remove them from the water
  • You can prevent calcium and lime deposits from building up using specialist chemicals, which can also be used to break them down and flush them out of your tub
  • Lime scum is removed by specialist cleaners which come in paste form
  • Foam can be prevented using anti-foaming hot tub chemicals or if you need to get rid of foam that has already formed then there are chemicals especially for this too which are fast acting

As you will see it is important to keep your hot tub clean and free from bacteria and other water borne contaminants that will spoil your enjoyment of your hot tub. So keep you and your hot tub healthy with the regular use of hot tub chemicals.

Lynsey Leigh operates the website http://www.HotTubsAdvisor.com. For more hot tub tips visit: http://www.hottubsadvisor.com/tag/inflatable-portable-hot-tub/

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Refrigerator Cleaning and Care

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Dec.08, 2009

Refrigerators are a lot like air conditioners they remove heat to provide cold for our food. That means that refrigerators have the same working parts that your air conditioner has and should be taken care of in the same way so they will last as long as possible. The refrigerator has an evaporator built into the back of the cabinet. It has a heat rejection device or condenser in the form of copper coil in the bottom of the cabinet where the compressor, fan and other electronic components are located. There are several important things you can do to help your refrigerator do the best job of taking care of your food. Proper cleaning, proper storage, proper operation.

Proper cleaning of your refrigerator consists of more than just whipping out the vegetable drawer, although that is important. You should clean up spills and leakage on regular basis and you should unplug the refrigerator remove all the food and remove all shelving, drawers, etc. Whip down the inside of the refrigerator with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 quart of warm water and whip dry. Hand wash the shelving, drawers, etc. in warm soapy water. Make sure to rinse thoroughly and whip dry. Do not use hot water the glass may break and the plastic will melt into an unusable shape. Also be sure and clean the door gasket to insure a good seal. While you are waiting for the inside and the removable parts to dry it is a good time to remove all the artwork, magnets and sticky notes from the outside of the cabinet and give it a good cleaning with warm soapy water. Whip dry and begin putting the removable stuff back inside. Now that the inside and the out side of your refrigerator are clean and dry lets focus on what makes it purr. At the bottom of the cabinet in the front you will see a grill, it will unsnap from the front, now look down and oooh ugh look at the size of those dust bunnies.

Get a vacuum with a wand attachment and stick it in there and vacuum all that dirt, dust, dead critters, all manner of hair human and animal out of there. You may want to pull the refrigerator out and vacuum it from behind as well to make sure you have really got all of it out. Your refrigerator will really thank you because now it can breathe. Do this yearly unless you are a crazy cat person then you should clean it out every 3 months.

Have you ever wondered why even though you keep turning your refrigerator temperature down it still does not seem any colder, well, when you reach into turn the dial can you actually see the dial or is your refrigerator so crammed full that you have to feel your way in. As important as it is to keep the outside clean it is equally important to keep the food properly stored and not over stuffed. The cold air has to be able to circulate around the inside of the refrigerator in order to keep the food cold. If you over stuff the refrigerator it will not be able to circulate and the food will get warm.

How you operate your refrigerator is also very important. Never run frost-free refrigerators with freezer compartments in unheated areas with air temperature below 60 F. unless specially designed for such conditions. When the air temperature goes below 60 F. the compressor runs less, keeping temperatures in the refrigerator compartment cold enough for fresh food but not cold enough in the freezer compartment to keep food quality there. At air temperatures below 40 F. the compressor stops running, so the freezer compartment rises to air temperature and food thaws and spoils. Also below 32 F. water melted during the automatic defrost cycle may freeze again and block air passages.

For seasonal homes with heat left on at very low temperatures, or long winter vacations with heat turned down in home, remove all food, unplug, clean thoroughly, dry, and leave door ajar so air can circulate. Be sure no child can get into empty refrigerator in your absence and become trapped! If you cannot use up all the food, give it away or throw it away; food that spoils in a refrigerator can create odors that may require discarding the refrigerator!

For short vacations, leave refrigerator on but use up or discard perishable food, and if you have ice makers, turn off the mechanism and water line following your manual directions.

Remember treat your refrigerator well and it will treat you well.

I have spent the last 25 years in the service industry and you can find this and many other home maintenance tips for the do-it-yourselfer at http://www.homemaintenanceworld.com

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Terms Used About A Filterless Air Purifier

Filed Under: Home Appliances
Dec.07, 2009

If you have thought about searching out information on air purifiers, you may have gotten overwhelmed at the amount of units on the market and which one is the best. The internet is a reliable and informative place to do your searching. You may want to consider a filterless air purifier as you will not have to replace the filters which can become costly. This could save you money in the long run. This article will explore some possible terms you may encounter as you research an air purifier and talk about a filterless air purifier and some of the different types out there.

If air purifiers are new to you then you will encounter some possible new words as well. For example, the word absorption means to soak up, to absorb. The word adsorption means to suck up or take in. You will notice the letters CADR on any filterless air purifier. This stands for clean air delivery rate and it was established by the Association of Home Appliances Manufacturing. It is similar to a UL sticker designed by Underwriters Laboratories. It categorizes the different air particles into three categories. The higher the number rating means the faster the filterless air purifier cleans. You will also notice CFM, this stands for cubic feet per minute and it is talking about the volume of clean air that is put back into the room.

The word filterless simply means it can be washed or wiped off. It does not mean it doesn’t use some type of filter system. A filterless air purifier can come in many different models and types. There are different ways to filter the air and still be a filterless air purifier. Hepa is a filter technology used quite frequently in air purifiers, but you need to understand that it is not a brand name, it refers actually to the filtering aspect. Ionic traps positive ions by adding more negative ions to the air. These units are designed to just wipe clean. There is also a filterless air purifier that uses ozone to clean the air. Ozone is unstable oxygen and it is not really safe to your health if used in too high levels. If you are thinking of purchasing an air purifier that uses ozone, make sure of the ozone levels it is using and that it will actually be safe for you to use.

No matter whether you are trying to get rid of dust, dust mites, pollen or tobacco smoke, there is a filterless air purifier out there that will fit your needs. All you have to do is spend a little time researching and you will be on the road to a cleaner, safer environment in which you can breathe easy.

For more information on Air Cleaners and Purifiers for your home or business try visiting http://air-cleaners-and-purifiers.com, a website that specializes in providing helpful tips, advice and Air Cleaners and Purifiers resources to include Filterless Air Purifier and more.

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