So if you live in Sydney and your old fridge blows up at 4 in the afternoon, you could hop onto appliancesonline.com.au, order a replacement, and have it delivered and connected the very next day! Plus we’ll even take the dead fridge away and have it recycled at no extra cost.

And if you’re extra lucky, you might even get it delivered in the shiny truck!

Many thanks to our awesome Silverwater warehouse for making this extraordinary service possible. This is just another step we’ve taken to offer the best possible shopping experience to our valued customers.

Stay tuned to the Appliances Online blog for more exciting announcements!

* Please note that this service only applies to NSW metropolitan areas, Monday – Friday.

So you had a quite a lot to drink with your mates last night.

You were feeling pretty peachey at the time. It was the advent of a new era of peace, love and understanding. You may or may not have spent at least an hour talking to a tree. And it was only decent and right to have those tequila shots. Hell, if you had refused, it would have seriously offended the tree who bought them for you.

But now it’s the morning after. The world suddenly seems a strange and forbidding place. You feel like you have a leaf-blower in your head. You need answers fast. You need five essential appliances to handle that hangover. Here they are:

1.  Coffee Machine: Some revisionists have it that coffee is one of the worst things you can have with a hangover. These people are nuts. If you are feeling a little like a family of howler monkeys are shrieking self-righteously at you about temperance and moderation, then you need caffeine – STAT!

Our pick at the moment is the Delonghi Nespresso Essenza Coffee Machine EN90GYPLUS (left). Don’t worry if you can’t open your eyes properly for fear a. you’ll be blinded by sunlight or b. you’ll catch sight of yourself in a mirror, the capsule technology is a cinch and will involve little or no frustrated screaming. We recommend putting the coffee into a cup rather than sticking your mouth under the dispenser, ‘cos it’s going to be piping hot, thanks to the superb thermoblock heating system.

2. Billi Home Water System: True, coffee is a bit dehydrating so you might want to suck down some H20 at the same time. We therefore recommend a Billi (right), which dispenses fresh filtered water at the touch of a lever.

It’s fresh, it’s cold, it tastes great. Drink this stuff for about half an hour or so, and you’ll feel less like a group of Irish dancers are using your frontal lobe as a rehearsal space.

3.  Juicer: Fresh juice is another sure-fire remedy in these situations.

We heartily recommend the Juicepresso (left) for your purposes. It’s approved to extract the juicy goodness from all sorts of things: fruit, veges, raw nuts, and wheatgrass – and is thereby able to handle even the most complex of hangover-cure recipes. And not only is it easy-to-clean, it’s also quiet.

And, bless, it does it all without judging you. 

4.  Sandwich Press: Naturally, you’re craving greasy food. But, again, time is of the essence – otherwise, as far as you’re concerned – you may actually die of misery.

That’s where the sandwich press comes in.

As a blog post by Louise “Appliance Queen” Carter once explained, these things offer quick-fire, no-fuss heat-ups of virtually anything … including (but not limited to) steak, chops, sausages and bacon and eggs. They do both sides of whatever you’re cooking at once and they’ll do it pronto. Just make sure you’re reasonably conscious while doing this (see coffee machines) – unless you particularly want to flambe your breakfast … and the rest of your house.

5. Hot Water System: Ultimately of course you’re going to have face the world in some way or other. A shower is a must. Something to cleanse the body and soul. Something to revive the spirit. Something to get the vomit out of your hair.

Well, you need a reliable source of hot water, such as a Rinnai Continuous Flow Hot Water System (left). Rather than keeping a set amount of water heated in a tank, these energy efficient hot water systems will heat up the water on demand – thus providing virtually unlimited amounts of hot water.

We say “virtually” because naturally you’re beholden to the limits of Earth’s resources. If you’ve been in the shower for two hours, it might be time to get out. And if you’re still wearing your clothes, it might be time to call in sick.

There you go, that’s our pick for the appliances that’ll get you through the toughest of hangovers. Hope that cheered you up – if not, chug a few bottles of Gatorade and take the rest of the day off. We here at Appliances Online feel your pain.

It was in fact a man who patented the idea even a hundred years earlier but yes, it was because of a woman that the dishwasher as we know it came to fruition. Not because she was tired of doing the dirty dishes, Josephine Cochran was tired of her servants chipping her fine china!

Let’s backtrack a bit. In 1850 Joel Houghton lodged a US patent for a for a wooden hand-powered device that sprayed water onto dishes. It didn’t really take off, until 1886 when one Josephine Cochran apparently proclaimed, “If nobody else is going to invent a dishwashing machine, I’ll do it myself.”

First Cochran measured the dishes before building wire compartments specially designed to fit either plates, cups, or saucers. They were placed inside a wheel lying flat inside a copper boiler. A motor turned the wheel while hot soapy water sprayed up from the bottom of the boiler.

Cochran had engineering and ideas in her blood: she was the granddaughter of John Fitch, the inventor of the steamboat. Being wealthy meant that she didn’t have to concern herself with manual labour, but since her servants weren’t doing a good enough job, Cochran developed a more advanced, practical, yet still hand-powered dishwasher. Later, it was exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World Fair.

It appears that for those not suffering the servant-inspired problems of ‘the one percent’, a mechanical dishwasher was not so important.

Cochran received requests for the machine from fellow friends, as well hotels and large restaurants, but it wasn’t until she founded a company to manufacture the washer did things really take off.

Cochran started the Garis-Cochran Manufacturing Company, which became part of KitchenAid, which then became part of Whirlpool.

Vinyl and wood are susceptible to scratches and scuffing, and depending on how deep the marks are, they can be tricky to repair. Small repairs to vinyl floors are relatively simple with fix it kits from hardware stores, but scratches on wooden floorboards may require sanding and then varnishing.

It’s best to avoid the hassle altogether by moving appliances with care. In the case of fridges, make sure that they are empty, to reduce unnecessary weight.

There are three tricks you can use to move appliances without damaging floors: cardboard and muscly men, a trolly with wheels and window cleaner.

First, tilt the appliance backwards enough to slip a thick piece of cardboard (or a piece of carpet) under the two front legs and as far back to the back legs as you can.

Next, wiggle the appliance forward a bit until the back legs sit on the cardboard. Now ask a lovely muscly man (or two) to shuffle it out of its location and lift it out of the house. If the heavy task has fallen to you, remember to bend your knees!

Alternatively, apply the cardboard method as above and once the appliance is out form its original place, use a trolly – a two-wheeled cart – with a small shelf that will fit under the tilted appliance. Then away you roll.

If all else fails, try window cleaner, best on vinyl floors, not recommended on wood. Spray the feet of the appliances with window cleaner and should slide out like butter.

R2-D2 USB Micro Fridge

Powered by The Force a USB port, this mini Star Wars themed fridge will keep one can of Mountain Dew nicely chilled, allowing you stay hydrated during your thirty-six consecutive hour World of Warcraft sessions.

To enjoy your cold beverage, simply remove the head of R2-D2, and hey presto! Refrigerated perfection will be yours faster than you can say ‘man child’.

Along similar lines, you can also get a mini USB fridge that vaguely resembles a Smeg FAB Fridge:

Enjoyed by humans and lolcats alike.

Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer

Is it a box? Is it a drawer? No, it’s a Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer!

Similar in design to the iconic DishDrawer®, the Izona CoolDrawer is basically like a giant filing cabinet for your food.

It fulfils several functions, switching from fridge, to freezer, to chiller, to pantry, to wine cooler at the touch of a button.

Plus it’s totally customisable, so if cowhide is your thing, well then giddyup cowboy!

Also available in candy stripes:

And the tiled version can be placed outdoors:

Check it!

See-through fridge

If people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, then people with transparent fridges shouldn’t let the month-old lettuce in their crisper grow spores.

Perfect for sharehouse living, this Japanese fridge will make it plainly clear precisely how little milk you’ve got left, and how many beers your housemate’s freeloading boyfriend has nicked.

Also on display at the same technology convention, a transparent washing machine!

Denim fridge

Yes, you read correctly. Seen earlier this month at the EuroCucina expo in Milan, the Smeg FAB denim fridge is the hottest thing since a Smeg pyrolytic oven. (That’s five hundred degrees C, baby!)

Bio Robot Fridge

An oldie but a goodie, this experimental fridge was a runner up in the Electrolux Design Lab competition.

In theory it’s amazing – it uses a non-sticky biopolymer gel which cools through luminescence (whatever that means). In reality it’s probably, well, not physically possible.

But who cares, it’s nuclear green! And it has the word ‘robot’ in it! I’ll take three.

Anyway, gotta run! Til next time…

Textpresso is a Jura espresso maker that has been adapted with a robotic arm and cloud-texting software to be able to receive a SMS and deliver a pre-programmed coffee.

Since reporting on the technology earlier this year, the ingenious inventors of this machine, Zipwhip, have made a video that clearly shows how the machine works.

The Textpresso coffee machine is currently servicing the office of its inventors, Zipwhip in Seattle, a city famous for good coffee and technology.

Zipwhip develops cloud-texting services that allow messages to be sent and receied from PCs. Textpresso was a way for them to show off the technology.

At the moment the company says it has no intentions of commercialising  the technology. So for now that cute barista can keep serving the coffee, with a wink.

Perhaps this is because my toaster is a fairly basic stainless steel model, without much personality.

If you ever wished that your toast could be more exciting, here are a few wacky toasters to try:

Watchmen toaster

Remember the movie?  Or the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons?  Well, now you can add a bit of deconstruction of the superhero genre to your breakfast with this Watchmen-themed toaster, coming soon.

Maybe you want to have Rorschach’s iconic mask logo burned onto your bread?  Well, you can’t.  You’re too late.

I ate your toast.  Thirty-five minutes ago.

Hello Kitty toaster

One of my former housemates owned this toaster.  While undeniably cute, it wasn’t quite… manly enough for someone as totally tough and rugged as me.  Plus, the Hello Kitty design on the toast left a soft and un-toasted section on the bread, leading to a very odd consistency.

When the toaster owner moved out, she took the toaster with her, and I thought that we’d be able to finally get a proper toaster.  Little did I know that my partner had been keeping a second example of the same toaster in storage for just such an occasion…

Sports logo toasters

Love your team?  Do you think about them, every minute of every day?  Wish there was some way you could even support them at breakfast?  Now you can!

Pangea Brands has a whole ProToast range available to burn your favourite team’s logo onto your toast.  Currently the only logos available are those of different American sporting leagues, but the technology exists; all we have to do is show demand.  So, where’s my St George Dragons toaster?

Notepad toaster

In a busy household, everyone has a different schedule.  Some people are up and about early, some later in the morning, and others such as shift workers may operate on a completely diferent timetable.  So if you need to leave a message for someone in your household, how can you guarantee that they’ll see it?

By leaving it on their breakfast, of course!

It brings new meaning to the phrase “eat your words” too…

Internet toaster

We all have a morning routine.  In between rolling out of bed, dressing and eating breakfast, many of us go online to check the local news and weather, Facebook or other updates.  If only there was some way to roll these together to save time…

Enter the Scan Toaster, designed for the Electrolux Design Lab competition.  The idea of this toaster is to connect to your computer via USB, and automatically print the (previously selected) content of your choice onto your toast, so you can catch up with the world while you eat.

While the design is undeniably awesome, we haven’t yet been able to find any examples on sale.  Man can dream…

Trebuchet toaster

When I was a kid, my family used to visit the same motel each time we went on holidays.  The place had a toaster with some seriously powerful springs, shooting toast about a metre into the air each use.  Us kids loved it, though I’m sure the adults thought it was a bit dangerous.

Someone else must have thought this kind of toaster was fun too, as the Ivo Vos Trebuchet Toaster is specifically designed to launch toast in the air, and angled so as to rain down upon your enemies across the breakfast table.  With settings to control angle and force of the launched toast, you can turn your breakfast table into an artillery range.

Tea and toast

Some matches are made in heaven.  Tea and toast just go together like wop bop a loo bop ba dop bam boom, so why shouldn’t their appliances?

With the Toaster Teapot, you can get the toast cooking in the top and the tea brewing underneath.  It’s only matched by the Toast N Egg from Tefal for offering convenient breakfast combinations.

Transparent toaster

There’s always a bit of guesswork involved in toasting.  You can set your toaster to the power level you want, but won’t know for sure how crispy or chewy the bread will end up until it pops back up from the murky, crumb-filled depths.

Enter the transparent toaster.  Not only does this allow you to know for sure exactly how toasty your bread is getting, it can provide plenty of breakfast time entertainment for those that love to watch the combustion process in action.

The design shown is just a prototype concept, but apparently a similar model has been sold in the UK…

Handheld toaster

As we’ve learned previously, many of our enterprising readers have attempted to toast bread and sandwiches on the road with the help of a motel’s iron, much to the despair of the motel owners that have to deal with ensuing smoke alarms.

But if you’re on the road and can’t live without toast, a better option would be the portable toaster, as seen previously on our list of World’s Weirdest Appliance Designs.

Defibrillator toaster

While not in the same league as coffee, toast in the morning can also be a lifesaver.  One designer realised this and came up with this defibrillator toaster design:

“His carbs are flatlining.  CLEAR!”

*sound of burning bread*

“It’s no good, Jim.  He’s toast.”

What kind of strange toasters would you like to see?  Please let us know!

The heater was officially recalled on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s dedicated recall website on 10 May 2012, prompting one affected consumer to say:

“WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG TO RECALL? I reported mine early last month as it sprayed toxic fumes and oil all over my 9 month old son’s room whom could have died from the fumes due to the heater being faulty… My son cannot sleep in his room, the burnt oil smell is stuck in the floor boards and nothing removes the smell. It has cost me over $400 to accomplish no better results. The company has never returned any phone calls but Coles was happy to refund….After the 1st report they should have been removed from our shelves.”

Another customer said that their heater was purchased two weeks ago and that days after the heater sprayed oil over the room, “the whole house is toxic.”

Appliances Online has contacted the supplier, HE Group for comment. A spokesperson has said that as yet they have not heard of any case where the faulty heater has caused injury to a person, and that every complaint has been replied to.

“We are endeavoring to get everything done possible,” the spokesperson said. “All the Australian product safety guidelines are adhered to.”

Consumers can expect to see the recall notice issued in-store at Coles Supermarkets as well as advertisements in the major daily newspapers, HE Group said.

The heater is being recalled due to a potential safety hazard: units may rupture when turned on, allowing hot oil to spray out causing potential scalding and burns.

The Dome 5 Fin Oil Heater (JY-1000XLb), which is supplied by HE Group, has been distributed nationally by Coles Supermarkets from February 2012 to May 2012.

It can be identified on the base of the oil heater, with batches 111210, 111220, 111231 or 120106 having been affected.

Positioned squarely in the middle of the design show is a fully functional kitchen feeding bystanders with ridiculously delicious canapes: port infused figs wrapped in prawn and prosciutto, medium-rare scallops on filo pastries with home-made aioli, and that’s just for starters.

The premium Swiss appliance brand is a year off its 100th anniversary, of which only the last 3 have been spent edging into Australian homes. V-Zug general manager down under, Mark Swan, said that they are the fastest growing kitchen appliance brand in the market. (Swan would know too, having spent most of the last decade in a similar role with rival Smeg.)

As the prawn melts in my mouth, the reason is obvious: quality appliances never compromise a cook nor their fare.

Swan demonstrates V-Zug’s latest invention, a stainless steel teppanyaki plate, where the prawns have just been seared by star chef Dominique Rizzo.

“It’s like having an indoor barbecue plate,” Rizzo says. “And it’s very popular because it’s perfect for quick and convenient cooking.

“It has a touch slide control and reaches 240 degrees, fantastic for fast cooking.”

Also on display is V-Zug’s trademark Combi Steam oven. This is where the scallops have been readied for public scoffing. According to V-Zug, a pressure-less steam cooker is the best way to retain vitamins and minerals, and we may benefit from up to 22 per cent higher vitamin content in our foods, and 36 per cent less fat.

However by this point I’m absent from the conversation as my eyes try to lock in with the waitress’: scallops over here please!

designEx is Australia’s largest interiors, design and architectural event, drawing thousands of trade experts through its doors over three days. It is open to the public tomorrow, 16 Wednesday 2012 from 10am to 5pm.

According to the ACCC’s Recall Notice, the heater is being recalled due to a potential safety hazard: units may rupture when turned on, allowing hot oil to spray out causing potential scalding and burns.

The Dome 5 Fin Oil Heater (JY-1000XLb), which is supplied by HE Group, has been distributed nationally by Coles Supermarkets from February 2012 to May 2012.

A report last week stated that the heater had been initially recalled for possibly emitting a sickening smell.

However, an upset consumer by the username ‘Samantha’ has left a comment on the online report saying that she was affected by the  heater.

“This heater ruptured in my children’s room at 3am this morning – if my son didn’t wake up they would be dead right now. My house is toxic and full of chemicals with a 4 week old baby. Considering legal action.”

Meanwhile, the Recall Notice has said that no injuries have been reported and that no other Dome branded products sold in Coles are affected.

The affected batch number can be identified on the base of the oil heater: batches 111210, 111220, 111231 or 120106.

The Recall Notice has said customers should immediately stop using the unit and disconnect it from the power supply before returning it to a Coles Supermarket. A full refund of the purchase price will be given to affected consumers.

Consumers have also been encouraged to call HE Group for more information on this toll-free service number: 1800 079 124.

Lux, who distributes vacuum cleaners predominantly through in-house demonstrations, is being prosecuted in the Federal Court.

The watchdog has filed proceedings in the Court against Lux, alleging that between the two years from 2009 to 2011, the vacuum cleaner distributor contravened the Trade Practices act when it engaged in “unconscionable conduct” selling vacuum cleaners to at least five elderly consumers.

According to the ACCC, Lux sales representatives called upon the consumers under the premise of a free vacuum maintenance check, but then used “unfair” sales tactics to pressure them into buying a new vacuum for a price of up to $2,280.

Some of the alleged victims were over 90 years old.

The sketch features numerous “Whitegoods in Disguise”, displaying their transformative powers amidst the general public.

We note the line-up includes a fairly stylish-looking Breville toaster. The costume is a superb representation of the kind of toaster this brand delivers, capturing the stylish stainless steel lines, the robust durability and its ability to conceal a hiding person.

For just one example, one our drivers (with sister company Winning Appliances) celebrated a delivery to Tamworth with this snap the truck alongside the Golden Guitar in Australia’s country music capital:

While everyone has heard about the Big Banana, Big Pineapple, and a few of their local examples from the long list of Australia’s Big Things, here are a few of our favourites, hopefully including a few unusual ones that you may not have heard of (we hadn’t!)…

Big Wine Bottle, McLaren Vale, SA

Aussies enjoy a good drop of the grape, and have built more than one enormous monument to celebrate this love.  Big Wine Bottles can be found in Pokolbin, NSW, and Rutherglen, Victoria.  A Big Wine Cask can be found at Mourquong, NSW, as well, for those preferring a less pricey option.

But taking the cake is the Big Wine Bottle in McLaren Vale, SA, constructed entirely from recycled wine corks.

The 10m sculpture is constructed from 55,630 corks, wired together with mesh.  That means the contents of approximately 208 large wine storage cabinets had to be polished off to build it.

The sacrifices we make in the name of art…

Big Coffee Pot, Deloraine, TAS

Need coffee?  Need… LOTS of coffee?  Then come to Tasmania, where you can find the Big Coffee Pot in Deloraine.

The Big Coffee Pot is located 4km out of Deloraine on the Deloraine-Chudleigh Road.  If its titanic appearance inflames a desire within you for caffiene or souvenirs, there is a cafe and a pottery shop nearby.

Of course, if you’re not prepared to travel, we can deliver a coffee machine to your door to provide a shot or two of the good stuff in record time.  Plus, many of them are designed to fit easily into most kitchens, which we think would be the Big Coffee Pot’s main drawback as an appliance for the home.

Big Tap, Cowes, VIC

Located on Phillip Island, approximately 140 km from Melbourne, this giant purple tap seemingly floats in midair.  Is it magic?  Technosorcery?  A sophisticated illusion?  You’ll just have to see it to find out.

Beneath the tap is A Maze ‘N Things, an attraction that’s all about mazes, optical illusions and (judging by its name) groan-inducing puns.

This Big Tap does demonstrate a good idea, though – most taps would be much more more convenient if they could levitate around the kitchen to where they were needed most.  We’ll drop a line to some engineers…

Big Fruit Bowl, Bilpin, NSW

We could go on and on about all the different kinds of Big Fruit found in Australia.  Bananas, pineapples, apples… if there’s a fruit, someone has embiggened it.

So to get as much variety as possible, try the Big Fruit Bowl at Bilpen in the Blue Mountains.

I can just imagine putting all that big fruit into a big blender and creating a big smoothie…

Big Beer Can, Cobar, QLD

After those Big Wine Bottles, and now this Big Beer Can at the Grand Hotel in Cobar, QLD, anyone would think that Australians were fond of a drink.  Hmmm…

This can was recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Largest Beer Can in 1991.  It’s understood that the can, which is 5m tall and 2.5m in diameter, would hold around 22,000 litres of beer if filled.

I’m sure that even an LG Blast Chiller would take more than 5 minutes to get this beer frosty and cool…

What’s your favourite Big Thing in Australia?  And what appliance would you use with it?

SustainaBillity is a catchphrase Billi has put out there to make the market aware that energy savings extend to the kitchen sink.

Sally Darling, an environmental sustainability consultant hired by Billi explains why and how their taps are Australia’s most environmentally sound.

“Billi taps have the smallest physical foot print in the market, and the smallest carbon footprint,” Darling says.

The taps are made in Australia out of Australian made components: every part is under ecological certification and stamped for recycling.

Then there’s the way in which energy is used to chill and heat water.

“The energy used to cool water is harvested and reused to preheat the boiling water, thereby saving energy.”

A seven day time switch, stand by modes and no cupboard ventilation also contribute to lower energy consumptions.

Also at the expo, Billi revealed their range of latest innovations, including the touch tap and remote controlled tap.

“With the remote access tap we can place the remote up higher on the wall so that children can’t access it. Or, we can place it lower on the wall or bench to make it easier for the elderly or disabled,” Darling explains.

Meanwhile, and across the way from Billi at the expo, Winning Appliances has sponsored a bar with some tempting tapas and comfortable looking chairs.

“We’re finding groups come and sit, have a drink and enjoy the ambience here,” a Winning waiter says.

“It’s also a good opportunity to display a couple of our eye catching appliances, such as the Qasair range.”

Appliances are so awesome it’s no wonder that they should inspire gadgets.

Even so, how much does one really enjoy ironing? Enough to be woken up by an iron every morning?

Apparently, some people do love ironing that much. We’re not sure if the alarm sounds anything like the steam-puff created in the act of ironing or the click of a thermostat reaching temperature, but this “creative” alarm clocked is at least shaped like a miniature iron.

It is a multifunctional novelty radio and alarm clock that can be connected to either an iPod, MP3, MP4, PC, or Notebook to play music. Time to rock out with your…iron?

It features a 12 or 24 hour time format display, FM radio and a speaker.

The Iron Alarm Clock iPod Speakers actually sells online for $36, at Chinagrabber.com, no less. It’s URL title is ‘cheap 3-in-1 Homade Mini Iron Shape Alarm Clock + FM Radio + Speaker’.

It is promoted as “a very cute item” and that “all buttons are real,” so that’s a bonus, real buttons.

Mmm, just in time for Mother’s Day?

The Manly Housekeeper is a blog by Mark Evitt. As he puts it, “Man. Evolved.” While his wife is at work as a lawyer, Evitt documents his escapades cooking, cleaning, gardening, and housekeeping.

Not only is Evitt a wealth of knowledge, he is excited by the novelty (to him) of it all and the enthusiasm presents well in the blog.

Evitt on whipping cream fast:

Which do you think would whip cream the fastest: a hand mixer, a stand mixer or a cordless drill?

Evitt set to the task to see which appliance/power tool would do the job fastest. I think secretly he was hoping the cordless drill would ace the ordinary old kitchen appliances, alas, the whisk attached to the cordless drill took the longest to whip cream. The hand mixer worked best, but then Evitt had had a “brain fart” and had been using the paddle attachment on the stand mixer, instead of the whisk attachment. As it turns out, the whisk attachment on a stand mixer beat the rest hands down.

On cleaning oil splatters:

A bit like fighting fire with fire, Evitt uses oil.

It will take a lot of soap and water (or any other type of cleaner) to get rid of oil splatters or oily dust. Instead, put a couple drops of mineral oil on a paper towel. Wipe the paper towel over the dirty surface, and watch the gunk come right off.

When you are done cleaning, simply wipe down the surfaces one more time with a new paper towel. This leaves the surface coated lightly in oil, which makes future oil splatters much, much easier to clean up.

 And dreaded soap scums and hard water stains:

This soap-scum-plus-lime-scale combination presents a problem for traditional household cleaners. Most general household cleaners are alkaline (or have a pH level greater than 7). The foundation of many cleaners is bleach, and bleach has a pH level of 13. Soap scum needs an acidic cleaner to break up its minerals.

Evitt tested out a range of different cleaners and found that those whose purpose is to remove lime scale were most efficient at cleaning the soap scum from his glass shower doors.

He also tested out vinegar, a non-chemical alternative but found it to be completely unsatisfactory.

One important note: You should never use an acidic cleaner to remove soap scum from stone, like marble. The acidic properties that remove the scum will also degrade the finish on your stone. Opt for ammonia instead.

Everybody loves a BBQ, right? Whether it’s a quintessentially Australian experience on a roasting hot summer’s day, or, as I am more familiar with, a battle under grey skies and umbrellas in the UK, there’s a Neanderthal excitement associated with cooking outdoors.

The varieties of food, the combination of smells and the sense of healthy eating is enjoyed in gardens and beaches the world over.

But when winter hits in Aus, and the covers are donned on the BBQ’s after another season, is there still an appetite that needs filling for charcoal cooked shrimp and steak…?

If yes, then how about taking that experience inside? Disclaimer: Do not now take your BBQ inside to try.

No, instead, check out this new design from Electrolux. It is, apparently, an industry first – a built in BBQ for the kitchen.

Sure some may say that’s just an oven. But this has the charcoal cooking option and flip grill functionality.

The appliance is a perfect fit into an integrated set up of 60×60 models, including an espresso machine and the oven range from Electrolux.

It features the same user interface (UI) as the other designs, framed in a smart glass package.

The griddle allows you to separate meats and vegetables, with cooking coming from the coals below and a down grill above. And with a built in extraction fan, wafting smoke should be kept to a minimum.

Electrolux designers admitted to Appliances Online at the EuroCucina show, in Milan, that they weren’t sure what sort of demand there would be, but were hopeful of bringing it to the market by the start of next year.

Watch the video below for a closer look at the built-in indoor BBQ, and let us know if it’s something you could see or use in your home!

Doing the chores for Mum this Sunday is one way to sweeten her up. But the weekly jobs are a short lived respite for Mum. So here are a few other house hold duties with more long term benefits:

Give the refrigerator-coils a quick brush off.

This can help Mum reduce the power bill! Coils work by removing heat from the fridge, but they have to work much harder – using more energy – as layers of dust, dirt and hair magnets are collected on them. Unplug the fridge and use a long-handled and bristled condenser brush to clean the coils.

Get rid of lint in the dryer.

It’s just one of those easy to do things that many of us never really get around to doing. But we should, as a matter of safety! Lint build up can lead to fires.

Clean up the microwave.

Microwaves are like gunk magnets. Exploding eggs, burst baked beans, spilt soups: they’re all up there, smattered on the inside, hard as rock, stuck on on like super glue. And it’s going to take a maverick effort and some serious elbow grease to get it all off. You’d do anything for your Mum wouldn’t you?! Get scrubbing! A lot of hot soapy water will loosen up the mess. Then try lemon juice and tackle it with a non-abrasive brush. Make sure to unplug the microwave first.

Give the dishwasher a once over.

Keep your Mum’s dishes sparkling clean by cleaning the dishwasher. Just like cleaning the washing machine, it’s a chore many overlook. Start by cleaning out any gunk that builds up in the areas that don’t get washed during the cycle: under the bottom of the door and the edges of the door. Then clear any debris out of the holes in spinning arms by using a toothpick. Check out the bottom of the dishwasher around the drain and clear out any scraps. After all that, run a cycle using a bit of vinegar to sterilise the machine.

Well, I’ve got news for you:

Winter is coming

No, that’s not an unnecessary Game of Thrones reference (well it is, but that’s not the point).  Winter really is coming, and some of the many changes the season brings affect how we do our laundry.

In winter, the weather is much cooler, meaning that line-drying your clothes takes much longer.  And while Australia doesn’t get much snow, winter is the rainy season for much of the country, which removes the option of outdoor line-drying.

Hanging clothes all through the house isn’t really a practical solution – people have to live there, and it’s hard for your guests to relax with a cuppa when your underpants are hanging in plain view.

Unless you’ve got a spare room handy, or a laundry big enough to hang a full load (rare, as laundries tend to prioritise efficiency over spaciousness), you may need to turn to the dryer.

Types of dryers

There are three kinds of clothes dryer to consider this winter:

Vented Dryers

Usually the least expensive and most energy-efficient option, vented clothes dryers dry clothes by blasting them with hot air and venting out the waste air.

In winter, you’ll need to make sure that this warm and moist waste air is well-managed, as it reacts with cool surfaces to create condensation.  My own vented dryer (which I inherited from my home’s previous occupants) fills my laundry with hot air each time it’s used, meaning that in winter you need to bring an umbrella to the laundry after each load – the effect is like a tiny localised rainstorm soaking every surface.

Many vented dryers are available with a flexible venting kit to send this hot air outside through a window.  Alternatively, vented dryers can be professionally installed with in-built venting flues out through the wall or even the roof of your home.  Make sure that a professional handles this though – don’t go knocking holes through your walls or ceiling.

Condenser Dryers

Condenser dryers avoid the condensation problems of vented dryers by extracting the moisture from the hot air once it’s been used to dry clothes and sending it to a collection tank or drain, making them very handy to have in the winter.

As condenser dryers don’t need an exhaust point such as a flue or window like a vented dryer, they be easily installed anywhere in the home.  However, they do tend to be more expensive and less energy-efficient than vented dryers.

If you plan to keep a condender dryer in your laundry, remember that they can’t be wall-mounted due to their weight, though they can be stacked with a matching washing machine using a stacking kit.

Washer/Dryer combos

A good option for if your laundry is really cramped – that way, you can get the whole cycle done in one go, minimising the amount of time you need to spend in the winter cold.

Most washer/dryer combos are condenser dryers, meaning they don’t need to be attached to a flue or venting kit – just a water supply for the washer.

Though washer/dryer combos are incredibly convenient, they a relatively small when compared to other varieties.  If you’ve got a large family with a lot of clothes to take care of, you may be better served by a higher-capacity washer and seperate high-capacity dryer.

Two more quick tips for winter washing

• Look for a washing machine and/or dryer with a delay start feature.  This will let you do the laundry at the times that are most efficient for you, so you can avoid having to leave your clothes to sit in the cold winter air, absorbing additional moisture.
• If you’re worried about your dryer doing terrible things to your power bill, try using the spin cycle on your washing machine to get as much of the water as possible out of your clothes before drying, so the dryer will have less work to do.

Got more tips for doing laundry in the winter?  Please share them!

The TimeLight function, unveiled at Milan’s EuroCucina, shows the exact remaining time when loading and unloading, without the need for a visible control panel on the front of the appliance.

Details about the remaining time, which programme has been selected, and what phase the cycle is on, are projected onto a 40 X 40mm space on the kitchen floor.

Bosch claim the display allows for better kitchen appliance planning, and is a progression from their current red InfoLight system on premium dishwashers, which simply advises whether the machine is running or not.

The new white light was selected so show up on all floor surfaces, including white, stone and wood, and a statement from Bosch said: “TimeLight is also much more than just an eye-catcher: It offers households in which exact time management is a high priority, the opportunity to plan better – without sacrificing the aesthetic benefits of a fully integrated dishwasher.”

Check out our full range of Bosch products here.

For more on the new TimeLight function from Bosch, click on the video below:

I know there are better uses of my time – such as exercising, socialising, or anything else – but as a fan both of food and watching people suffer, there’s just something about this show that floats my proverbial gravy boat.

That and I have a fetish for Matt Preston. It’s his fleshy jowls – they just do… something… to me…

Anyway. With Channel Ten clocking up a million-odd viewers every episode, I know I’m not the only one with a penchant for Preston. So butter your crème brulée pots and fire up your blow torches as I take you on a journey through the highs, the lows, and the deliciously cheesy in-betweens of MasterChef Australia – the most addictive thing since cupcakes.

Highlights so far:

The surreal opening sequence dating back to 1990

Here I was thinking that Australia had invented MasterChef – not true! Turns out it actually began in the dark days of 1990 in some little-known country called ‘England’.

Check out the original opening sequence! The saxophone! The state-of-the-art slow motion egg flying through the air from a totally impractical distance! Gold, I love it.

George having his own ‘When Harry Met Sally’ moment over spinach and ricotta gnocchi

A picture tells a thousand words (most of them unprintable):

"I gotta go home and change!"

Some dude having an emotional breakdown less than an hour into it

Upon being told he had a place in the top 50, this man (appropriately dubbed ‘Emotionally Volatile Guy’ by a writer far wittier than I) like, totally lost his sh*t. Keep it together, man! You’ve gotta pace yourself with the emotional outbursts. Save the tears for something worthwhile, like when you’re inevitably asked by Adriano Zumbo to construct an entire Boeing 747 out of spun sugar and then fly it into the sun. Until then, take it easy, geez.

So many emotions

A Canadian man chipping his tooth on a can during the first challenge

Contestant Kevin ‘Big Kev’ Perry learned the hard way that teeth are a poor substitute for can openers during the first big cook-off – chipping his front tooth during Monday night’s show.

How real men cook

But like a true hero, Kev soldiered on not only to finish cooking his cider-can-up-a-chicken’s-butt thing, but to win the challenge and thus a spot in the top 25.

Is this even legal?

Three episodes in and already there have been tears, injuries, and violated poultry – these are the sorts of dramatic moments that MasterChef naysayers are depriving themselves of.

BTW for those who are interested, Kevin’s weird chicken recipe is available on the MasterChef website.

But personally I prefer this blogger’s recipe for a kimchi ramen grilled cheese sandwich:

Nutritious AND delicious!

Stay tuned for more masterful MasterChef updates right here at the Appliances Online blog – the best thing since sliced ciabatta with a side of prosciutto and a drizzle of garlic aioli. (…IS IT LUNCHTIME YET?)

The figure – established in Canstar Blue’s latest washing machine survey - is four times that of baby boomers, who are more willing to use a bit of elbow grease.

Nor does the expense incurred through dry cleaners bother the younger generation.

“It seems hand washing may be a dwindling art for the Generation Y population, with 44 per cent of respondents from this demographic happily investing in dry cleaning over the manual art of hand washing despite tending to have lower salaries than Gen X and baby boomers,” Manager of Canstar Blue Rebecca Logan said.

“It was also interesting to see males were almost twice as likely to forgo hand washing, with 24 per cent of male respondents giving dry cleaning the tick of approval over hand washing compared with 16 per cent of females.

“However, overall the results show the majority of consumers surveyed make the time for hand washing which is reassuring given it is far gentler on clothes and kinder to the environment than dry cleaning.”

When it comes to cleaning non-delicate items in the washing machine, the survey revealed 40 per cent of respondents invested more than $800 on the appliance.

“It was interesting to see almost half our respondents going upscale by choosing to invest in high-end washing machines. It seems the battle to be king of the kitchen is alive and well,” Logan said.

The survey also showed that 68 per cent of respondents said energy efficiency was an important factor when purchasing a washing machine. 31 percent said that they made the time to recycle grey water from the washes.

Frozen soft drink slushies:

This is a very easy one. Whatever your poison of choice is, Coke, Fanta, or L&P, pour it in the maker and wait for a thick slush to be formed. Now all you’ll need is some fairy floss to make you feel as if you were at the fair.

Margaritas: 

If fairy floss at the fair and slushies aren’t your cup of tea, how about Mexican Margaritas?! A hard one to say no to indeed. Alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water, so it’s more efficient to throw in the Margarita mix into the ice cream maker and as for the slushies, wait for it to thicken up. Afterwards, add the tequila and tripple sec. Don’t forget to salt the rim of the glass.

Iced Coffee/Chocolate:

Pour the expresso shot and mix it with cream, milk and sugar to taste. Or stir the hot chocolate mix in a little bit of hot water and then add it to the milk. Either of the mixes are then poured into the ice cream maker and hey presto! Yum. (Why not try putting them both in for an iced mocha!)

Iced Fruit Juices:

Holy indulgent treats so far…how about a fruit or vegetable cleanse? For a good cleanse try beetroot, pineapple, apple, celery, carrot and ginger.  Firstly, juice the fruit or veg. Some peels can be left on, such as apple, carrot and beetroot. Then put it in the ice cream maker and voila, a chilled health drink.

“The superior finishes, stylish designs and innovative technology of the LG Signature Kitchen range will give Australians the opportunity to cook like a professional in the comfort of their own home,” Moran said.

The full range of LG’s Signature Series includes ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, cooktops, rangehoods and refrigerators.

Moran will star in LG’s new ad campaign which will promote the Signature Range in Australia.

“Moran is largely considered one of Australia’s best known and respected chefs so we are both proud and excited to announce our partnership with him and delighted that he will be promoting the new LG Signature Kitchen range as it launches in Australia,” said Fiona Irving, Corporate Marketing Manager, LG Electronics Australia.

“Moran’s innovative style and exceptional eye for creative detail is inspiring, and it is these characteristics which we saw as the perfect synergy with our brand and what the new Signature Kitchen range is all about. We look forward to working with him.”

Moran is the executive chef and co-owner of the awarded ARIA restaurant in both Sydney and Brisbane, and more recently CHISWICK restaurant in Woollahra, which opened earlier this year to celebrated reviews.

Meanwhile, those looking for their Moran fix can keep an eye on the new season of MasterChef, in which Moran will be appearing as a mentor to contestants.

Check it out!

With tastes and requests so specific it’s no wonder Philips Saeco has taken this on to develop an espresso machine as unique as a fingerprint.

The Philips Saeco Xelsius with digital ID actually uses fingerprint recognition technology to determine who the drinker is before it prepares coffee exactly how they like it, from bean to cup.

Perhaps James would like a cup of half strength decaf, soy if you please, shaken, not stirred?

Six different people can enter their unique coffee profile linked to their fingerprints and up to nine different coffees can be entered under each person’s profile.

How specific?

Blend and coffee length, intensity, temperature, crema and body structure can all be adjusted. What’s more, initial requests can be changed again as the cup is being poured, with a patented brewing system to that alters the crema and body structure as it flows into the cup.

And that’s just the coffee, next is the milk.

An “intelligent milk froth adjustment system” allows users to precisely choose how much froth they would like, if at all.

Here’s what Malcolm Russell from Saeco Australia has to say about the machine:

Philips Saeco has worked tirelessly to develop coffee machines that meet the needs of Australia’s discerning coffee drinkers. Now, this includes the ability to create a customised, café-quality beverage with ease.

The Xelsis Digital ID your favourite coffee is, quite literally, at your fingertips.

Kitchen sinks are the most hardworking and often underrated element in a kitchen. Sometimes they’re piled sky high with dirty dishes, or they’re used to wash and peel the spuds, scrub grubby hands…

And it’s true that stainless steel is a virtually indestructible surface, unlikely to stain or scratch badly, which is what makes it such a popular choice in kitchens.

Aesthetically though, the design of a stainless steel sink can also make or break a kitchen. Round edges soften a kitchen’s look, while square edges suggest a more serious, functional tone. It’s no surprise that professional kitchens use stainless steel sinks.

Take the Oliveri Solitaire Sink (pictured above). Its elegant, circular design may belie the fact that it’s made from genuine 18/10, 304 grade stainless steel, for optimum hygiene and durability.

The well designed bowl depth and capacity also makes it is easy on backs while handling almost any pot or pan.

Another example of a good looking, yet practically designed sink is the Franke Planar Sink. This square, modern looking sink inspires functionality. It has a single bowl and a food prep area on the side. It also features a deep bowl, and a basket waste.

Sound deadening pads reduce the clang of cutlery being thrown in too!

Like the Oliveri, the Franke sink is also made from surgical grade stainless steel: at 18 per cent chromium for shine and 10 per cent nickel for rust resistance.

How to look after a stainless steel kitchen sink

Even the most durable of materials require care and consideration.

Here are some substances to avoid on stainless steel:

Ceramic may be less practical, but it's very beautiful

• Bleaches with hypochlorite can attack stainless steel and cause pitting and staining
• Silver dip cleaners will do the same, and leave a permanent stain
• Some foods which are left on for too long may also cause corrosion, such as citric fruit juices, salt, vinegar, mustard and mayo

There is often a lot of hot air spoken about the difficulty of combining sleek design with functionality in kitchen appliances.

But Bosch has attempted to literally blow that away with the presentation of its new incline rangehood.

The latest design, showcased at EuroCucina in Milan, features a glass cover over a brush stainless steel surface which conceals the usually exposed fan filters.

The panel then drops down to act as an integrated splash back screen, and raises up smoothly thanks to an energy efficient motor.

Mattias Holmer, product manager for Bosch, told Appliances Online: “It’s all about having design with an integrated function.

“Instead of having the normal inclined hoods where you see the filters all the time, now instead you see a nice, ever-polished, surface.”

Check out our full range of Bosch products here.

For more on the eye catching incline rangehood from Bosch, click on the video below:

In between all the explosions, one-liners, and Robert Downey Jr stealing scenes, there are a few lessons we can learn about appliances.

Seriously.

If you’re putting together a kitchen, for example, you’ll need appliances that work well individually, but also come together as a team – assemble, if you will – to combine their unique powers and achieve cooking and cleaning greatness.

Here’s what I mean:

High tech innovation

The more modern variations of traditional appliances include a lot of whiz-bang technical bits that don’t just cover the surface with flashing lights to make it look tech-y and futuristic, but also provide some really useful functionality.

Many newer ovens and microwaves include specific cooking settings that produce the exact conditions required to perfectly cook particular meals.  They can also help prevent making mess, and sometimes even clean themselves up.

For example, this Bosch model combines the functions of an oven and a microwave, uses catalytic liners to help clean itself, has several safety features to keep your loved ones safe, and uses 20 different programs to perfectly cook your food without requiring constant attention.

It can be intimidating to have so many functions and special modes at your fingertips, but once you’ve mastered them, you’ll be able to start using them as creatively as a billionaire genius playboy philanthropist.

Raw power

Sometimes you don’t need subtlety or finesse. Sometimes you just need a lot of power to take on the big jobs.

If you know an appliance is going to have to handle a lot of work, then you’ll want the STRONGEST THERE IS.

If you want to SMASH the food from your dishes after cooking up a big greasy casserole, your dishwasher will need to be big to fit the plates, powerful to get through the grease, and tough to handle it all without stopping.

While most dishwashers stocked by Appliances Online are of a similar size on the outside, our mightiest models accommodate up to 15 place settings.  Many incorporate stainless steel sides for long-lasting toughness, and powerful wash settings to tear through grease and baked-on food like an enormous green rage monster with boxing gloves made of cars tears through a building.

Also, Smeg’s dishwashers come in a range of colours, though at time of writing, green wasn’t an option.

Energy efficiency and surge protection

High power bills?  Danger of electrical fires and short circuits?  I SAY THEE NAY!

All electrical appliances need power, and this power needs to be carefully managed to keep your bills low and keep your loved ones safe.  We’ve recently found out for ourselves how risky it can be to be sitting on top of a lot of energy.

So when choosing your kitchen appliances, consider their energy star ratings – the more stars, the better.  Kind of like casting a big-budget superhero movie – get plenty of Hollywood stars, and you should be onto a winner.

Unless your electricity is well-managed, it’ll be as unreliable as a god of mischief.  If you want to smite the threat of power surges damaging your appliances, consider investing in a good surge protector.  The overall lifespan of all of your appliances will be improved by having their energy use managed, and any unexpected surges will be knocked into Valhalla.

Long-lasting, reliable cooling

When we choose a fridge or freezer, we always want to find one that will last a long time, reliably keeping our favourite foods perfectly preserved until they’re needed.

One GE fridge managed to last without maintenance for 58 years – long enough to keep a two-fisted pulp hero in deep freeze right up until the modern day.

May newer fridges use innovations such as frost-free technology and temperature-controlled cool zones to operate efficiently and preserve the freshness of different foods as required.  This makes even long-term storage reliable, so you can buy ingredients in advance and have them on hand for when a day comes when you must call on them again.

Working as a team

Some appliances naturally play well with others.  Stocking your entire kitchen with appliances from a single brand will usually make sure they complement each other well.

But with the right leadership, even mismatched appliances can work together to overcome their differences and combine their strengths.

Consider the classic concept of the Kitchen Work Triangle, where the kitchen is arranged to make the most efficient use of your three most-used appliances – the fridge, the oven/cooktop and sink/dishwasher.

Your long-lasting fridge will keep your food and ingredients preserved until they’re ready to be cooked.  In a single effort, the meal can go into the oven or microwave, which can use its array of special features will take the hassle out of cooking, and do its part to clean up after itself, thanks to catalytic liners.  Once the meal is over, your dishes and any dirty oven trays can all be taken care of by your mighty  and powerful dishwasher.  And all the while, your surge protectors and energy-efficient appliances will keep your kitchen’s energy usage under control, and your loved ones safe from electrical accidents.

Sounds like a winning combination.

With celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee Festival (marking 60 years of the Queen being Queen) kicking into gear, a portrait of her majesty made from cake is set to go on display.

Apparently this royal sugar hit will be constructed from 3,120 individual cakes (each representing one week in her reign).

Handcrafted by the bakers at Konditor & Cook, a central London-based caked shop, it’ll require more than a 1000 eggs, 150 bags of sugar (150kg) and 36kg of marzipan. The final portrait will measure nine square metres across.

It will be on display from 3 June, Battersea Park south-west London. And for a small donation, the general public will have the privilege of eating the Queen’s face.

More celebrities immortalised in cake.

The Queen isn’t the first to be rendered in icing and cream, oh no. There’s an amazing amount of  celebrity cake portraiture out there.

Here are a few of our faves.

• Chuck Norris (right). Actually we had a lot of portraits of this round-house-kicking folk-hero to choose from. Some of which, we admit, look like a random blob of cream with a beard.

This one captures the essence of the man – and his attitude of lethal righteousness sets just the right tone for a birthday celebration.

• Tom Selleck (left). The artist shows a deep and profound understanding of their subject here. Irresistible blue eyes. Moustache you just want to get tangled up in. A fine pelt of chest hair, as lustrous as a dead badger.

Emma’s a lucky girl.

• Michael Jackson (right). A touching tribute to the late musical genius. A tasty treat in the best possible taste. Artfully framed by the silver baking tray.

Waters the mouth while bringing a tear to the eye.

• Mr T. (left) Yummy and terrifying. What more could you want?

And we pity the fool who thinks it looks like a lump of dung.

• Slash (right).

I don’t know what’s more perfect about this cake. The precision that’s gone into the tangle of rock-star locks. The nonchalant pout. The cigarette, we hope, is genuine – for that ultra-realistic touch.

This cake is so awesomely-pure rock you can imagine it arching its back during the squawky bits of a guitar solo, busting up with the lead-singer, and then making out with your sister.

Happy Birthday, Nick, indeed. Make the most of it – after this, the rest of your life will be a very bitter anticlimax.

To replicate any of these cakes you need some kick-ass cooking equipment. Head here to uncover the awesome range at Appliances Online. Happy Baking!

The ActiveWater Eco can clean up to 13 place settings in one cycle, and features the lowest water consumption figures on the market.

Showcased at Milan’s EuroCucina last month, the latest design uses intelligent technology to save up to 20,700 litres of water annually compared to hand-washing.

Bosch engineers claim the new high-tech model gets the most out of every drop of water. The special spray system, the effective motor, and the water management system combined with the clever arrangement of dishes ensure a perfect clean every time.

The machine has an innovative water tank which stores the final rinse water of the last cycle to use at the pre-rinse in the next washing cycle.

Bosch claims the design is a signal of their commitment to producing efficient appliances and shows a vast improvement in technology since 1975, when the average water usage was 60 litres.

Speaking to Appliances Online in Milan, Christian Holfelder, product marketing at Bosch, said: “It’s one of our main targets to have a water efficient dishwasher only using six litres, so it’s a very important feature and our main innovation on the Bosch booth.”

Check out our full range of Bosch products here.

For more on the ActiveWater Eco 6 litre dishwasher from Bosch, click on the video below: