May 15th, 2012 by Keri Algar

A number of customers affected by a faulty and potentially dangerous Dome 5 Fin Oil Heater have voiced their grievances on the Appliances Online Facebook page, where a link reporting the recall notice was posted earlier today. 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 ... Read more

May 15th, 2012 by Keri Algar

A Dome branded oil heater has been recalled from Coles Supermarkets for potentially causing scalding and burns. 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 ... Read more

May 3rd, 2012 by Keri Algar

A new gadget called Twine can get appliances to text, tweet and e-mail you. For those with un-smart appliances, you know, the ordinary kind of oven that doesn't count the calories of the the food it's cooking, or the fridge which won't tell you when the milk is off, then Twine will bridge the gap from dumb to smart. Say it has been left on top of the ... Read more

April 27th, 2012 by Louise Carter

Back in the days when I was a poverty-stricken student, I lasted a whole Sydney winter without a heater – an experience I would not recommend. There are only so many pairs of wool socks a person can wear (three) before things become silly, let me assure you. Very silly. The irony is, it's easy to get an energy efficient heater that won't cost the earth to run. ... Read more

April 20th, 2012 by Keri Algar

After months of writing about appliance news, events, quips and quirks it's no wonder I have the odd appliance dream. The washing machine is yet to chase me down the road but there have been cases of the 'too traumatic to untangle vacuum hose' and 'the never ending wet washing basket' to make me wonder: is my subconscious saying I shouldn't vacuum any more (please, let it ... Read more

March 29th, 2012 by Keri Algar

It's time for some autumn cleaning! Keeping the air in a house clean is an even greater consideration with the approach of winter and the bugs and germs it brings along. Especially for allergy sufferers, as dusty, damp filters can be an excellent breeding ground for mould. Dirty filters on air conditioner units will not only run less efficiently but they can even push through and circulate disease, such ... Read more

March 28th, 2012 by Keri Algar

The most recent Canstar Blue survey has found that Australians are prepare to pay more for their air conditioner if the long term costs are reduced by being energy efficient. Almost two thirds of Australians said energy efficiency was their primary concern while 64 per cent said they would be prepared to spend over $1,000 on a new air conditioner that "would be kind to their power ... Read more

March 26th, 2012 by Sofia Fernandez

Dyson has long been recognised for it's innovative technology and the new Hot+Cool fan doesn't disappoint. The blade-less fan heater uses Dyson's famed Air Multiplier technology. What appears to be the miraculous gushing out of air is actually a motor with turbocharger and jet engine technology that draws in air from grills around the base and pushes it out the other side. With the Hot+Cool fan, Dyson has ... Read more

March 26th, 2012 by Keri Algar

The majority of Australians could be cranking up the heater earlier than expected, according to temperature outlooks from the Bureau of Meteorology. The east coast of Australia is more likely to experience cooler days this Autumn thanks to the warmer than normal waters over the Indian Ocean. The report said that the cooler Pacific waters associated with La Niña "have had a lesser impact". On the east coast there ... Read more

March 21st, 2012 by Keri Algar

There's no escaping it! The leaves are turning, the nights are cooler, the southerlies have just that little bit more bite. With the exception of the Northern Territory and those lucky sods in Queensland, the rest of us are well into autumn and preparing for the inevitable winter witch that follows. But it's not all that bad! It means that it's time for the opposite of a spring clean. It's ... Read more