Recently, front-loading washing machines have increasingly been coming onto the American market. Many people don't realize that front-loaders were in fact the original kind of washing machine, and it's top-loaders that came later. People in other countries will wonder what I'm talking about, because front-loaders have always been the most popular washers all over the world... except in the United States.

Adding an item - With a top-loader, you can add an item once the cycle has begun. Of course, that means it won't be cleaned as fully as everything else in the load. Some front loaders do not allow you to add an item once the cycle has begun. Indeed, some even lock the door so you can't accidentally open it and spill water. However, other models don't lock the door because the water line never reaches the level of the door, and you could add an item.

Gentleness / Harshness - Front loading washers are very gentle with your clothes. The tumbling action of a front-loader is actually gentler than hand-washing your clothes. Basically, it gently lifts the clothes out of the water, and then drops them back in, over and over. In contrast, most top loading washers have an agitator, which slaps and pushes the clothes around for the entire cycle. This is much harder on the clothes. Some agitators are harsher than others. Some are not quite but almost as gentle as a front-loading washer, while others (like, unfortunately, the one that comes with my apartment) are really clothes-mowers. Sadly, it takes a specialist to be able to tell the difference.

Water heater - Many front-loading washers have a water heater. This heater is used to ensure that the temperature of the water in the wash is correct even if the hot water coming from the home isn't actually hot enough.

Water usage - Front loading washers use substantially less water than top-loading washers with an equivalent load size. For the same size load, a top-loading washer uses about three times as much water as a front-loading washer. If you pay a water bill, the savings in cost of water can be substantial.

Detergent usage - Front loading washers require less detergent than top loading washers. A front- loader generally uses half as much detergent for the same size load, or perhaps even less. Indeed, too much detergent is more of a concern with front-loaders, because if the detergent causes too much suds, the suds will inhibit proper cleaning. So, a front-loading washer creates an immediate cost savings in detergent.

Energy usage - Front loading washers use substantially less energy. Because they use less water to wash a load, that means that they use less *hot* water to wash a load, which means they use less energy to heat water.

Cost of ownership - Between lower energy usage, lower water usage, and lower detergent usage, a front-loading washing machine is substantially cheaper to own than a top-loading washing machine. Indeed, a front-loader is so much cheaper to own, the savings (versus cost of ownership of a top-loader) will pay for the average front-loader within a few years.

Comfort in loading/unloading - Some people complain about having to bend over to load and unload their front-loading washers. However, this should be no worse than their dryer, and most people have to bend over to get clothes out of the bottom of the inside of a top-loader anyway. If you're interested in having a front-loading washer but are concerned about bending over, you can always have platform boxes made to place the washer and dryer on, to place them at a more comfortable height for you. A carpenter should be able to make such platform boxes fairly inexpensiely. You could even have drawers in them for additional storage.

Recommendation - Because of cost of ownership, quality of cleaning, and gentleness, I firmly recommend a front-loading washing machine.
Answer 2) Can I actually save money in the long run by buying new appliances? Back To Top

Efficient Appliances Save Energy and Money; Consumers get lower utility bills, and we all get a cleaner environment.

The major appliances in your home -- refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers -- account for a big chunk of your monthly utility bill. And if your refrigerator or washing machine is more than a decade old, you're spending a lot more on energy than you need to.

Today's major appliances don't hog energy the way older models do because they must meet minimum federal energy efficiency standards. These standards have been tightened over the years, so any new appliance you buy today has to use less energy than the model you're replacing. For instance, if you buy one of today's most energy-efficient refrigerators, it will use less than half the energy of a model that's 12 years old or older.

Of course, efficient appliances don't just save you money; they're good for the environment. The less energy we all use, the lower our demand on power plants, which means less pollution. The trick is to figure out which models use the least energy. Here are some guidelines.

Look for the Energy Star® label. Energy Star models are the most energy efficient in any product category, exceeding the energy efficiency minimums set by the federal government. If you remember only one rule when you shop, remember to look for the Energy Star label. In some parts of the country, utilities and state governments even sweeten the deal by offering rebates on Energy Star-rated models. Check http://www.energystar.gov for details.

Use the EnergyGuide label. Some uninformed salespeople might tell you that a model you're looking at is the most efficient because it has an EnergyGuide label. Not exactly. All new appliances must carry the EnergyGuide label, either on the appliance itself or on the packaging. The label allows you to compare the typical annual energy consumption and operating cost of different models of any type of appliance you're thinking of buying.

Get the right size. Make sure the product you're buying suits your needs. Oversized air conditioners, water heaters and refrigerators waste energy and money; in many cases they also don't perform as well.

Whenever possible choose appliances that run on natural gas rather than electricity. Usually it's more efficient to burn natural gas where it's needed -- in your home -- than to burn it at a power plant, convert the heat to electricity and then send the electricity over wires to your house. Look for dryers, stoves and water heaters that run on natural gas.

Think long term. Many of the most energy-efficient appliances cost more initially, but they'll save you money in the long run. Expect to keep most major appliances between 10 and 20 years. A more efficient appliance soon pays for itself; lower monthly utility bills over the lifetime of the appliance will more than offset a higher purchase price. In addition, the latest resource-efficient clothes washers and dishwashers not only save electricity, they also use a lot less water and can reduce your water bill.

Below is more specific information to keep in mind if you're in the market for any of the following major appliances.

Answer 3) How can a combo convection oven save me a LOT of time? Back To Top

For many people, the thought of spending all day in front of a hot range strikes as much dread as the turkey feels in thinking about his starring role at the meal.

Many people would prefer to spend their time socializing with family and friends instead of worrying about how long it will take to cook that turkey, stuffing and Grandma’s favorite pumpkin pie.

There is help out there, as major appliance manufacturers have taken heed of consumer pleas to help them cook 35 percent faster and often better on special holiday dinners and any other day they require faster cooking, such as for entertaining and extraordinary family occasions. According to the experts, the best option is to choose convection cooking – an option, which not only reduces cooking time but also actually improves the finished product.

“As the National Kitchen & Bath Association notes, convection cooking occurs when a fan moves heated air throughout the oven cavity,” says Jim Murphy, range product manager of Electrolux Home Products, parent of Frigidaire brand major appliances. “With convection cooking, the constant movement of hot air offers several advantages. Foods cook 25 to 35 percent faster than in a conventional oven and tend to brown more evenly. The even browning helps to seal in moisture for juicier and more flavorful results. In addition, the fan-driven airflow helps maintain an even temperature throughout the oven cavity. This means that the consumer can cook multiple foods, on multiple racks within the oven at the same time with excellent performance results.”

“In the past,” Murphy says, “the concept of convection may have caused some consumer confusion about adjusting recipes but thanks to innovations in control electronics, confusion is no longer an issue.”

The electronic oven control automatically adjusts the thermal profile of the oven for optimum cooking result. The home cook simply has to anticipate that the cook time will be 10 to 35 percent shorter than their conventional recipe calls for. There is a convenient chart in the owner’s guide that estimates the time decrease by food group.

A review of some tasty items on holiday tables shows the time savings cooking by convection can bring:

• Poultry (unstuffed) 30% - 3 hrs. 50 minutes vs. 5 hrs. 30 minutes
• Refrigerator Cookies 30% - 23 minutes vs. 35 minutes
• Rolls & Breads 25% - 34 minutes vs. 45 minutes
• Refrigerator Biscuits 25% - 14 minutes vs. 20 minutes
• Meats (Roast Beef) 25% - 1 hrs. 45 minutes vs. 2 hrs. 30 minutes
• Frozen Pies, Pastry 20% - 1 hrs. 7 minutes vs. 1 hrs. 30 minutes

One manufacturer offers another option. Frigidaire’s SpeedBake‘ Convection System, the consumer has may obtain the speed and performance of convection cooking but at a moderate price. SpeedBake‘ is a lower featured, manually initiated system: convection on demand. The user simply sets the oven temperature and with the flick of the SpeedBake‘ switch, she starts the convection fan, reducing cooking time by up to 30 percent and lessening the need for pre-heating the oven. It is available on both gas and electric Frigidaire ranges with price points from $ 599 to $ 999.

The Frigidaire EvenCook‘ and SpeedBake Convection Systems provide consumers with a convenient option to achieve the benefits of convection cooking—an option the turkey didn’t have! And it allows consumers to return to the party—away from the pots and pans—much more quickly.
Answer 4) What in the world is a refrigerated range? Back To Top

Combining an oven's high heat with the low temperatures of a refrigerator, Polara delivers high-performance cooking with high-performance cooling. It's the only range smart enough to keep a meal cool and fresh all day, then cook it—at the right temperature for the right length of time—just in time for dinner. The Polara's convection oven also lowers the temperature of just-baked foods to keep them warm. And the cooktop still functions normally even when the oven is in cooling mode.

• Refrigerated Range
• Sequence Programming
• Convection Oven
• Automatic Oven Light with Integrated Touch Pad Control
• AccuBake® Oven with Duo System® Heat Distribution Center
• EZ-Touch™ 650 Electronic Oven, Timer, and Clock Controls
• Delay Bake One extra-large 9 in./5 in. dual radiant element
• AccuSimmer® element
• Electronic Child Lockout Feature