Archive for February, 2010
Panasonic has succeeded in evolving Turbo Defrost, which allows you to defrost foods even faster than previous Panasonic Auto defrost. Panasonic Inverter Turbo defrost technology is an advanced microwave sequencing system using the Inverter low-power delivery feature. It was developed on the basis of what scientists call Chaos theory. This design makes it possible to distribute microwave energy with the most appropriate combination of regularity and irregularity.
The Panasonic NNH965BF is, first and foremost, HUGE. Our old Kenmore was 1.6 cubic feet. This monstrosity is 2.2. Our old microwave was 1100 watts. The Panasonic is 1250. Our old turntable was 12.5 inches. This turntable is 16.5 inches. No more stacking TV dinners on top of each other to cook, huh?
The Panasonic NNH965BF has a rather gigantic footprint on the countertop. It’s wider (almost two feet!), taller (14 inches), and deeper (over 19 inches) than our old Kenmore, and there were a few moments where we feared it wouldn’t FIT in the usual corner. It does, but with a lot less space between the front of the microwave and the edge of the counter. Definitely something to keep in mind if you’ve narrow countertops or otherwise limited space.
As is usually the case with new gadgets, the touchpad was a bit intimidating at first. Being himself, my husband was “keen to experiment.” I, on the other hand, went for the user’s manual, which is pretty detailed and straightforward. The standard setting are quite intuitive, and the rest is easy enough to master. My mother figured out how to use it, and that’s saying a LOT. My mother is flummoxed by the most basic of electronics.
Using the keypad to set timing and power is quite easy—press the power button once for full power. Twice for 90%, three times for 80%, etc., all the way down to 10% power. The power level is clearly displayed on the bright, large digital readout. After selecting the power level, selecting the time is as easy as punching the buttons. Click start, and voila! You’re cooking with microwaves! The “Inverter Turbo” defrost setting is supposed to be more effective and less likely to underthaw or overcook. I actually DO see a difference, and our defrosted meats have yet to come up even slightly cooked. The auto-sensor setting scares me, but my husband has tossed in leftovers and had them come out perfect. I’ll work toward that. I’m not a technophobe, but I tend toward the wary sometimes. There are auto settings for popcorn and heating liquids, but I tend to set the timer/power myself according to the directions on whatever I’m preparing. Again, it’s that wariness thing.
The interior, in addition to being large enough to house a small family of badgers (please don’t put your badgers in the microwave, even if it is large enough!), is a breeze to clean. I discovered this when my oatmeal became an OATCANO and erupted all over the interior. That extra little 150 watts makes a difference with oatmeal. I cook it on 9 now. The interior wipes down easily with a damp sponge, and the giganto turntable (big enough to cook a camel!) lifts out easily for rinsing.
The exterior, like most black appliances, is a dust and fingerprint magnet. Daily wiping doesn’t keep it from looking ratty by the end of the day. But oh, well—it’s not a beauty contest, right? Too bad the exterior doesn’t clean as easily as the interior, though.
In all? Well, it’s certainly doing what it’s supposed to do, and it’s doing it quite handily at this point. Last night’s tamales rocked, and thus far everything we’ve cooked (oatcano aside) has come out the way we wanted it to, with no sogginess, spotty heating, or overdone/dryness. It’s not particularly loud, no freakish vibrations or green rays shooting out the door window (or the vents, either!). But we’ve only had it for a couple of months, and everything I’ve read about Panasonic microwaves leads me to believe that this baby isn’t going to be a 15 year microwave. It’s probably not even going to be a five year. And there’s the bitterness—we’re moving away, and we’re leaving my Mother with a microwave that’s not likely to last. We’ve tried to talk her into letting us take it back and getting something reputed as more reliable, but she’s determined that the Panasonic NNH965BF is THE microwave.
There’s no way for me to rate/recommend the way I want to with the space and options provided. I think this microwave is pretty good for now, but reading around the web tells me I can probably expect problems–so I can’t rate it highly knowing that, yet I don’t want to rate it down because I haven’t had any problems with it yet. And I DO recommend it, but not at this price. If it were fifty bucks cheaper, I’d call it a deal, but for what we paid, I’d like to have something with a better reputation and better chance at surviving for the long haul.
General Information
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
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Manufacturer Website Address: http://www.panasonic.com
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Brand Name: Panasonic
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Product Model: NN-H965BF
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Product Name: NN-H965BF Microwave Oven
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Product Type: Microwave Oven
Technical Information
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Oven Type: Single
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Oven Capacity: 2.20 ft
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Main Oven Capacity: 16.46 gal
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Cooking Method: Microwave
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Cooking Stages: 5 – Multi
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Power Levels: 10
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Turntable Diameter: 16.50″
Features:
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Auto defrost
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Delay start
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Auto reheat
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Timer Luxury full size Oven
Control panel:
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Button panel
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Auto cook menu
Controls/Indicators
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Controls: Touch Panel
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Status Indicators: One touch sensor
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Language Support: Spanish
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The Dyson DC31 Animal could be considered the handheld version of the Dyson upright and canister vacuums. It too has the root technology that its other siblings have, along with powerful suction, and sensitivity to allergens too. I have used many a vacuum in my years on this earth: Hoover, Kenmore, Dirt Devil, Miele, iRobot Roomba, Shark, and the Black & Decker Dustbuster, to name a few, and even the old school Electrolux. But until this past week I had actually never gotten my hands on a Dyson.
According to its inventor James Dyson, the DC31 handvac has the fastest motor in the world at 104,000rpm &mdash five times as fast as a Formula 1 race car engine! That’s cool, but what I really want to know is, does it bust dust cleanly and efficiently? I have been using its predecessor, the DC16, for about two years, and I’m sad to report that it has become virtually obsolete &mdash the suction is weak, the battery only lasts 2-3 minutes, and dust accumulates relentlessly at the nozzle. This review will not give an answer as to whether the newer DC31 will have a longer lifespan than that, but here’s what I think of it so far after a couple of weeks of use.
We received a review sample of the Dyson DC31 Handheld Vacuum.
The DC31 is lighter, smaller, and doesn’t require a giant docking station. These are all great improvements. It definitely has a lot more power than the 16 ever had &mdash it swept up everything from dog hair to human hair to wood chip fragments without hesitation. The .09-gallon bin is small but easy to empty, you just push a lever down &mdash I actually prefer it small because it urges you to empty it more often, which prevents old dust from hanging out in there for too long.
There are two problems I wish Dyson would fix in their next iteration of a handvac, though: 1. This thing is still pretty loud. I would be willing to give up some of that motor power for a more quiet dust-busting experience. 2. This might sound nitpicky, but there are air holes in the top back portion that blow out a significant amount of air while the nozzle is doing all its high-power sucking. That’s fine when you’re bending down to vacuum the floor, but when you’re working on a parallel or multi-tiered surface like on stairs or between furniture, this actually blows dust and hair away. Which is kind of annoying.
And then there is the meta problem of handvacs being inefficient to begin with &mdash they’re nice for daily upkeep, and I like having one in the house, but a device that only cleans a couple of square inches at a time with a 10-minute battery life that makes lots of noise may be a dying breed of gadgetry.
To clean the DC31 just bring it over a garbage can and slide down the red button which unlatches the clear bin and its dirt into the trash. But I had to make sure the dirt didn’t go above the line where it says ‘MAX’ or I would be stuck sticking my hand in the clean bin to clean it out thoroughly. The motorized brush attachments can also be cleaned thoroughly if it gets tangled with hair, which is common if you have pets.
Good: Really Powerful suction. Relatively quiet operation. Ergonomic design. Easy to empty clear bin.
Bad: Even though the design is actually very ergonomic, some may find the handle awkward. Would have liked the battery to have lasted longer.
Conclusion
Overall I enjoyed my experience with the Animal DC31. It is certainly the most unique handheld vacuum I have ever used and I appreciate that Dyson’s Root Cyclone technology was applied to this smaller device. The price tag certainly stings when you can buy at least 3 Dust Busters or a similar type of handvac for this price, but this is a Dyson after all. I certainly would have liked if the vacuum lasted longer than the 6 to 10 minutes depending on the suction power. Regardless, die-hard Dyson fans will love the ergonomics of the DC31 and its overall uniqueness. If you got the dough and you know someone who loves to clean, this should guarantee you a lot of kisses under the mistletoe this year.
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The Kenwood Chef is synonymous with traditional home prepared and baked food. It’s versatility has meant that for almost 50 years this has been the number one kitchen companion. The KM001 & KM005 models are very new to the Chef range.
They still incorporate all of the features which have made Kenwood chefs so durable but some new features have been added which – if possible- make them even better. The power has been increased even more, this model delivers up to 1,000 watts, and a new gear box has been used which has made the machine a little quieter but has also enabled our designers to fit in a third power outlet which will drive two new attachments (optional), a food processor and a citrus press One of the more recent changes to the chefs is electronic speed control which maintains the speed when more load is added – just like cruise control in modern cars.
There are 3 attachments included:
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the K Beater for cake mixture, Whisk for egg whites and whipping cream, and Dough Hook for kneading up to 5lb’s of dough, plus a 1.5litre glass liquidiser;
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the Chef uses a planetary mixing action which means that all of the mixture is captured in the bowl;
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the bowl itself is a 4.6 litre capacity is made made from stainless steel for easy cleaning, and another improvement is the addition of two carrying handles.
Product Features
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New exceptional 1000W powered motor maintains speed and power even for large quantities
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Amazing versatility with over 20 optional attachments: liquidisers, juicers, food processors, slicer and shredder, mincer, ice-cream maker and many more
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Finest quality cast stainless steel bowl tools k beater, dough hook and whisk
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Superior ‘planetary’ mixing action
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Large capacity 4.6 litre stainless steel bowl with splashguard
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Smooth head lift action
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Spring action front outlet cover
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Quieter running sound
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New gearbox incorporating a medium speed outlet
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Stuffer box incorporated for cord storge
Customer review
1. Love everything about it
The KM001 is a fantastic piece of kit. Not as big and bulky as I was expecting and certainly a good deal quieter (and more powerful) than my previous Kenwood Chef (which, incidentally was my mum’s purchased in 1977 – and still going strong – which she wanted back because she couldn’t live without it). The quality of the machine is really high and the accessories that it came with (glass liquidiser, k beater, whisk, dough hook and cook book) are all excellent. The additional accessories aren’t cheap but certainly worth saving up for. This machine would be excellent for anyone who prefers to prepare their own food rather than eat processed rubbish. Highly recommended.
2. Replacing a Kenwood A900 series
If you have a Kenwood Chef that has whisked its last, you may be considering this machine as a replacement. The KM001 is a great improvement over my old A901 – and that has been a reliable workhorse for 25 years. It is much, much quieter and -with the new electronic speed control set to “min” – ingredients for batters and bread doughs can be gently stirred together with no splashing or spills. The K-beater and dough hook are made of stainless steel and easier to clean.
Before purchasing this model, I contacted Kenwood to find out whether my old 900 series Chef accessories and bowls would still fit, and was assured that they would. Not quite all, it would seem! I’ve found that the A929 slicer and shredder doesn’t and there may be other accessories that fitted onto the high speed attachment at the rear of the machine that won’t any more. The KM001 has a “wall” around this area that prevents the slicer/shreader from fitting onto the drive.
I’m still very pleased with my choice and with the money saved on Amazon, I can afford to update my slicer/shredder attachment.
3. Just a brilliant machine – and so easy!
I’ve upgraded from a secondhand Kenwood to a new KM001 – it’s just brilliant – and means that I can now declutter my kitchen… all those individual appliances are now gone and one neat and stunningly attractive (easy to clean) item is out and on display. I too had an older high speed slicer/shredder – BUT if you phone Kenwood’s telephone number in the UK they will send you a part that should overcome the ‘high wall’ at the high speed outlet! However, I indulged and bought a new one (having passed my older machine and slicer/shredder to my sister!).
I thoroughly recommend purchasing any one of these Kenwood machines/stand mixers/all in one food preparation centres – whether first or secondhand… (if secondhand, get it serviced pre/post purchase, just to be sure it’s all ok). I would recommend this machine over others, stand mixers or food processors – just wish that I’d put it on my wedding list years ago!
Currently I’m using the slow speed slicer/shredder a lot (used to be the high speed one) and the potato peeler is just brilliant – I can leave the potatoes (or other root vegetables) to get peeled all on their own!, whilst I get on with other things. The multi mill is also useful, but the colander/sieve is also fantastic – super for batch processing baby food (purees etc). One last comment – it *really* is SO easy to make bread… AND I’ve got a bread maker too…ALL IN ALL – THOROUGHLY RECOMMEND IT – and then get the attachments/accessories over time – it’s great!
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The Bosch BSG72225GB Pet and Solution Specialist is perfect for those of you with carpets and pets. The turbo brush on this cleaner has rotating brushes for extra thorough cleaning of carpets, while the extra thick active carbon filter keeps smells from pets and cigarette smoke in the cleaner rather than in the room. An amazing machine!
Product properties
Type –> Cylinder
Cylinder: Are lightweight and versatile. They are particularly good for cleaning under furniture, curtains and cobwebs, but can be tiring when used on big expanses of deep-pile carpet.
Upright: Upright vacuum cleaners are by far the most popular type of vacuum cleaner in the United States. Uprights are excellent for homes that feature significant wall-to-wall plush carpeting. In recent years, many features have been added to uprights that make them better at cleaning hard floor surfaces as well as above-floor cleaning (i.e. drapes, stairs).
Uprights are available with a variety of tool configurations -from no tools to a complete set of on-board tools. On-board tools will make an upright heavier but they eliminate the need to own a separate vacuum for above floor cleaning.
Some uprights have a feature which turns off the brushroll. This is beneficial when using attachments or tools for above-floor cleaning. This feature also allows the upright to clean hardwood floors. With the brushroll turned off, dirt and debris are not scattered.
An upright is easier to use than a canister vacuum, but is not as light. They are usally also easy to store. Most uprights offer excellent filtration (electrostatic or HEPA type).
Capture Mode –> Bagged
This is information about how the vacuum cleaner capture and contains dirt and dust. Does it use dust bags, a tank or maybe a canister (which is common for bagless vacuum cleaners)?
Cleaning Mode –> Dry
This is basically the type of vacuum cleaner. The dry type is most common and to many referred to as a “normal” vacuum cleaner. A cyclonic type vacuum cleaner is very often without a bag. It uses an air stream which enters and runs thru a canister leaving dust and dirt as it passes. A steam type vacuum cleaner uses water to clean. Some products can even use both water and air to clean. These have a cleaning mode called wet/dry.
Bag/Cylinder Volume –> 5 litre
Filter System –> Air filter
Cord Length –> 32.8 ft.
Cord Length –> 10 Meter
Features
Additional Accessories Included –> Brossette, Flat nozzle, nozzle
Motor
No. of Motors –> 1
Motor Power –> 2200 Watt
This indicates the power of the vacuum cleaner in watts. Generally the more powerful the motor the better the cleaning performance, but for a more reliable indication of a vacuum’s ability to clean it is important to consider suction power.
Special Features
Manufacturer –> Bosch
