Not Your Grandmother’s Icebox
If money is not a major concern, then
designing your kitchen with built in features is a popular choice for many consumers.
Refrigerators and other appliances can be recessed right into the overall layout of your
kitchen. This gives the kitchen a sleek and uniform look with no large appliances jutting
out into the room. If you do have to watch the budget like most of us, then these basic
refrigerator models should be considered.
Side By Side
Wide Side By Side
Top Freezer Model
Bottom Freezer Model
Today’s side-by-side models allow for
more overall capacity for food storage. Many models offer separate temperature controls
for multiple zones inside the unit. Which may include controls for the crisper and meat
storage areas. Since different foods often require different settings for the safest and
longest storage, these features are worth considering.
Many models allow you adjust the storage
layout to accommodate foods and beverages. Features may include gliding shelves for ease
in reaching items. Spill catching shelves are very popular because they are specially
designed to contain spills to the shelf itself instead of spilling all over the rest of
your refrigerator. Just think of the time and effort it takes to clean up a major spill
inside the unit and you will definitely want to insist on spill catching shelves. You can
also look for shelves, which can be moved higher, or lower so taller items will fit easily
inside the refrigerator.
Other Bells And Whistles
Many units offer crushed ice and chilled
water without having to open the refrigerator door. With this feature, ice is always
available without your having to worry if ice trays have not been refilled. A bottom
freezer refrigerator may be right for you if you use your freezer less frequently. You can
get at the items in the refrigerator a little easier if the freezer is out of the way. On
the other hand, some consumers don’t like having to bend down to take frozen items
out of the freezer. You may want to solve the problem altogether by keeping a separate
freezer unit available that is about the same size as a standard refrigerator.
It’s All About Convenience
Just as some people would not buy a car
without a cup holder, many people want refrigerators with wide and generous sized door
shelves. Many models offer room for gallons of milk right inside the doors.
Turn On The Heat
The real staple in any kitchen is the oven
of course. If you are a dedicated cook, you may want to consider a convection oven for
your kitchen. A convection oven has a fan installed inside that circulates the air in the
oven around your food for more thorough cooking. Convection ovens are almost always found
in professional kitchens and eliminates the need to rotate food as it cooks.
Unfortunately, you will probably still have to rotate your food even if you choose to
purchase a home convection oven. This is because smaller ovens will almost always have hot
spots inside which may prevent food from cooking as evenly as you would like. For the
serious cook, you may want to consider a convection oven all the same. Even if you have to
rotate your food during cooking cycles, you are still likely to get a better result in the
end.
Settings Can Lie
An overlooked fact about ovens involves
temperature settings. You may have always noticed that your oven temperature varies and
that it takes some experimenting to figure out the true temperature settings for your
particular oven. An oven with standard gauge or hand-turned controls can be inaccurate by
up to 25 degrees. This will certainly result in overdone or underdone foods and can cause
a great deal of frustration for the intrepid cook. To solve this problem, you may have to
spend a bit more money, but it will be worth it if great results matter for your recipes.
Consider purchasing an oven with electronic or digital controls. This allows you to set
the oven temperature within a range of as little as five degrees in relation to the
setting that your dish calls for.
Mind If I Vent?
All ovens have steam vents to allow steam
built up inside the oven during cooking to escape. Steam build-up can ruin many dishes
that you attempt. If the steam vent is not positioned properly, the steam can damage your
stove’s electronics over time. If you’re in the market for a new stove, make
sure that the steam vent will cause no damage to your control panel or other electronic
components. You want your appliance to do the job you bought it to do while protecting
your investment at the same time.
No More Coils
Of all the kitchen features that can make
life in the kitchen easier, radiant and halogen burners may be the most beneficial
innovations on a day-to-day basis. Many older and current stoves today still have those
old style coil burners on top of the oven. These are dangerous and difficult to clean when
food inevitably spills onto the coils. Cleaning coils and the elements inside take a long
time. Wouldn’t you rather have a stovetop that can be cleaned with one easy wipe of a
cloth? Radiant and halogen burners are fitted underneath in a smooth glass top surface.
The heating element never comes in contact with your food and makes for easier maintenance
and a more attractive look for your kitchen. These kinds of stoves are more expensive, but
ridding yourself of the danger and mess of exposed stovetop coils is certainly worth the
expense. Features now available in the modern kitchen have never been more convenient. The
kitchen can now bring more happiness and togetherness for your family than ever before.
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