MICROWAVE OVENS

MICROWAVE OVENS

Till about a couple odd years back a microwave was only a heating appliance Indeed many houses still use it as such a useful appliance to heat up the leftover meal make some fast popcorn and to roast the odd papad but today it is used for fulltime cooking as well Depending on the model you buy a microwave oven can Brown roast and grill foods like a conventional oven Prepare specific recipes using a preprogrammed touch keypad Cook entire meals without overheating your kitchen Automatically shut off when a sensor determines the food is done Now a new generation of microwaves combine speed with versatility and technology to create a smart kitchen appliance that takes a lot of the chore out of cooking You may already have a budget in mind as to how much you would like to spend Microwaves range between Rs 3 500 to Rs 33 990 The type of microwave you buy its capacity and features will affect its price The capacity of a microwave oven defines the size of the oven and the amount of food that you can cook in it at one time To decide the capacity that best suits your needs you must consider the following The number of people in your family will directly affect your capacity requirement The larger the family the more food you will need to cook at one time Therefore the larger the family the larger the microwave oven you will require Whether you plan to use the microwave oven for actual cooking or to supplement your cooking these factors will affect the size of the oven If you only need a microwave oven to reheat and defrost food a small size oven will suffice. When buying a microwave oven, you are most likely looking for an appliance that will provide convenience. In the fast-paced societies most of us live in today, push button convenience is no longer a luxury for many. It is a necessity for some and a contributing factor to the successful lives of others. Those who aren’t bogged down by routine tasks and chores have more time to devote to creative pursuits, innovation, investments, and more. Who ever thought that buying a microwave oven might improve your success? Even if that sounds a little silly, think about it. Buying a microwave oven may help you cut hours from the time normally spent in the kitchen. This will free up time that can be devoted to other important areas of your life.On that note, what are some of the features to consider when buying a microwave oven? Programmability is one. If you make certain foods frequently, you might want to choose a microwave that allows you to program a setting for that item. With the touch of one button, you’ll soon be eating your favorite food.

When buying a microwave oven, you will notice that some have certain foods already programmed into the memory such as popcorn. Place a bag of popcorn inside, hit the button, and within a couple of minutes you’ll be able to have a warm snack. This is a handy feature, and is also one that has been further enhanced. When buying a microwave oven, look for one with “smart” sensors that will turn itself off when popcorn has stopped popping or will stop heating once liquids boil, instead of running for a set length of time.Another option to consider when buying a microwave oven includes ease of maintenance. Does the tray inside the microwave slide out easily for cleaning? Is it dishwasher safe? If the tray is also a “lazy Susan” type, which turns as food cooks, make sure the entire assembly is easy to remove for cleaning and easy to replace.When buying a microwave oven, one thing that often goes unchecked is the length of the power cord. Many microwaves have short cords, since they are generally used on counter or carts and a long cord isn’t essential. However, in some settings a longer cord may be necessary. Also, the cord may set to one side, subtracting several inches from the length if the outlet is located on the other side. Always measure the area between the surface where the unit will be placed and the outlet, and then measure the power cord, before buying a microwave oven.

FOOD PROCESSORS

FOOD PROCESSORS

A food processor is a must for those of you who either have too much to do in the kitchen or want to spend very little in the kitchen It is a blessing as it allows you to do more than one function and saves you tons of time

However before you invest in a food processor think about why you want to go in for a food processor How much of use it will be to your household If you have a large household or you like throwing parties at home or just plain experimenting in the kitchen you will make full use of the slicing shredding chopping pureeing crushing mashing functionalities of the processor If you only need the chopper theres no sense buying a whole food processor for it Also check the capacity that you will need No point buying something that is too small Youll end up wasting more time Also theres no point in buying something that is too big eventually you will realize it is too big for your use and therefore it will end up in the loft of your house So just check up on the available sizes and pick the one that will be enough for your family A food processor will offer functions like mashing pureeing wet dry chutney grinding whipping shredding crushing blending mincing grating and the like

BUDGET
Food processors are an easyonthepocket appliance The most it will cost you is Rs 10 000 and the cheapest one will come for Rs 2 000 Depending on the functions you want and the price youre willing to pay you can choose a food processor

Juicer Mixer Grinders

Were a spiceloving nation and most of us have moms who definitely believe in homemade masalas We are also a chutneycrazy country Basically this means that a mixergrinder becomes a musthave in an Indian kitchen However before you zero in on a model for your home you need to figure out the capacity size features that you need for your home For a small home of two people or for those who stay alone a small sized JMG will do as you wont require too much quantity But if you have a big household then you will need to buy a larger sized JMG or mixer grinders with bigger capacity jars Before you buy a juicer mixer grinder it is essential that you take the following factors into consideration You may already have a budget in mind as to how much you would like to spend Juicer Mixer Grinders range between Rs 895 to Rs 4000 The size and features affect the price

You can either buy a mixer grinder or a juicer mixer grinder A mixer grinder can be used to beat mix whip or reduce foods to smaller particles and a JMG will give you the added benefit of a juicer along with the mixer grinder If you like your early morning freshly squeezed juices then a JMG is the right option Theres no point in wasting money as well as space on a separate juicer

Having a Juicer mixer grinder that can operate with more than a single speed option allows you greater control while using different ingredients

Many times without realizing it people tend to put more material in the jar than recommended This results in the motor getting overloaded and eventually burning out Therefore a special relay known as a circuit breaker is provided which works like a common fuse in the house Having an overload protection function in your juicer mixer grinder can be useful from the safety and maintenance point of view

Number of jars
This refers to the actual number of jars available with the juicer mixer grinder The more the jars the more functions you can carry out with your juicer mixer grinder The different jars also offer variety in terms of size and capacity

Incher or pulse facility
The pulse mode is useful to chop delicate and soft food such as hardboiled eggs onions or parsley The incher pulse facility can be very useful when making whipping milkshakes

Locking system

The machine does not start till the jar is correctly locked on the basic grinder unit This is an essential safety feature that you should consider especially if you have children in your house

Type of switch
The available types are rotary and piano Some JMGs also come with press switches Piano type witches are the international style push button speed selectors which ensure more convenient usage They also give maximum speed at one go Rotary switches have dials which is what most of our mixers still have.

ELECTRIC CHIMNEYS

ELECTRIC CHIMNEYS

Exhaust fans are no doubt good but they are nowhere as effective as electric chimneys For one thing an exhaust fan will remove the fumes from your kitchen but not before it goes to your eyes An electric chimney on the other hand is your ticket to cooking wholesome tadka meals without suffering from watery eyes

The other advantage is that it will save the ceiling area right above the gas from being marked with everything youve cooked in the week There are two types of chimneys that you can choose from traditional and designer The traditional is for the utilitarian users who want a chimney purely for their smoke absorbing abilities while the designer chimneys are for those who along with the utilitarian aspect want a chimney that enhances the decor of their kitchen

You may already have a budget in mind as to how much you would like to spend However electric chimneys cost anywhere between Rs 3 490 to Rs 78 843 This comprehensive price range includes both the traditional as well as the designer chimneys

Air Suction Capacity
This refers to the motors capacity to suck the odour and oily vapour and is measured as m3 per hour An electric chimney with a higher air suction capacity is ideal for an Indian home as the cooking involves a lot of frying

DISH WASHERS

DISH WASHERS

You might find the energy to rustle up some dinner for the family after a long days work but scrubbing those dishes can really be a pain This is where the dishwasher steps in It really simplifies your life Even for those with maids a dishwasher delicately washes off all the grub from your delicate crockery as well something you wouldnt trust your maid with However before you invest on this wonder machine there are few things to be considered Firstly depending on the number of people in the household you can pick the capacity you want ie capacity in terms of the number of utensils This also depends on your food habits Those from the old school still eat in big thaalis and drink from the big lassi glasses in which case you will automatically require more space than the standard dinner plate size Higher capacity machines are able to accommodate more utensils in one wash load Dishwashers currently can wash a maximum of 116 utensils When youre at the dealers place the dishes in the dishwasher so you definitely know what kind and how many dishes fit into the dishwasher youre aim to buy The minimum capacity a dishwasher offers is 4plate settings highend machines have 12 or 14 plate settings Machines with 4plate settings can accommodate up to 32 utensils So you dont have to worry about the postparty scene at home The price of a dishwasher is largely dependent on its capacity In all probability will have a rough budget in your head reserved for a dishwasher Just in case you dont a dishwasher can cost you anywhere between Rs 11 000 to Rs 45 000 The other determinant for price is the number of features included in the dishwasher

This refers to the total time of any selected wash cycle just as in washing machines Naturally this will differ depending on how greasy your utensils are as also on the type of vessels in the dishwasher For instance if youve put heavily greased pans then you will need a bigger cycle time One advantage is that even in a wider or longer cycle you can manually adjust the timing based on the wash load thus saving electricity consumption

Number of wash programmes is the number of preset programmes available in a dishwasher More options are always good as it will facilitate easy and fast washing of utensils However more the number of programmes more the cost so in case youre pinching pennies you can take a call on the programmes you need the most and go for a dishwasher that offers those limited wash programmes Usually most entrylevel dishwashers offer at least 3 preset wash programmes whereas highend ones offer a maximum of seven

Temperature range
This refers to the range of temperature of water that is available with the dishwasher Since dishwashers have inbuilt heaters to heat the water it is useful to have a wider temperature range If you have a load of lightly soiled dishes you can conserve electricity by setting a lower temperature

COOKING RANGES

COOKING RANGES

A cooking range can really simplify your life Its a boon for the early morning rush multiple burners and variety of options such as cooking baking sometimes grilling too Knowing the diversity of our mass here are cooking ranges of all sizes available at affordable prices Today you can buy a cooking range for as low as Rs 12 500
You would go for a cooking range because you have a large family and a regular gas oven is not enough

It is ideal for those lavish dinner parties as it allows you to cook bake as well as grill

It saves space in you kitchen You can do two things at the same time bake your sons birthday cake along with preparing breakfast

As always knowing how much you want to spend on a cooking range will help you narrow the choice Also it would be wise to know what features you would want in your microwave as your price is directly proportional to the features A basic cooking range with triple triple or four burners will be extremely affordable with an OTG it will be featuring in the midrange category a range with hot plate OTG grill and so on will naturally be highend Similarly features like pilot or auto ignition system oven capacity gas burners affect the price of a cooking range

Typically cooking ranges cost between Rs 12 500 to Rs 60 300 A pilot ignition range needs a lighter to light up the burner will range between Rs 12 500 to Rs 19 100 These are obviously cheaper than the automatic ignition ranges which can cost you anywhere between Rs 13 250 to Rs 60 300

Gas burners
A cooking range can have all burners or a combination of burners and a hot plate Hot plates are used for heating food and they work on electricity Having a hot plate can be very useful especially if you run out of gas

Oven capacity
Oven capacity refers to the size of the oven cavity where you place the container to cook bake or heat A larger capacity oven is essential if you have a large family and often need to bake or cook large quantities of food

Temperature range

This refers to the minimum and maximum temperature at which the cooking range can operate measured in degree celsius Different functions require different temperature levels for example baking requires much less temperature as compared to grilling A wider temperature range would
give you the flexibility of cooking various food items

Medium burners
These are useful for mediumsized vessels Basically this will use the regularly used burner as most of the daily cooking for any household requires medium sized vessels

VACUUM CLEANER

VACUUM CLEANER

With so many different floor care machines it can be difficult to choose exactly what is right for your floor The first thing to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner is the size of your home While we have a preference for at least a mid size vacuum cleaner which will handle effectively most peoples needs most of the time a full size canister may be more appropriate for a very large house and conversely the student with a dorm room or an elderly person with a studio apartment needs a smaller sized vacuum cleaner to get the job done One important decision to make is whether you prefer an upright or canister design Uprights are easier and more compact to store in a closet They often provide more suction power at a lower price than the canister vacuums if carpet vacuuming is your main concern The other option is a canister vacuum cleaner This model has a central unit which contains the powerhouse and collection bag The central unit of a canister vacuum cleaner may be carried manually or allowed to roll on casters or wheels

A hose extends from the motor and various attachments perform specific vacuuming jobs cleaning crevices curtains floors and ceilings A powered sweeper may also be attached to the hose for general floor vacuuming A canister vacuum cleaner may be ideal for those who need a generous selection of attachments and are comfortable with the physical demands of vacuuming A canister vacuum cleaner can be bulky to store and attachments may have to be changed frequently while using one When cleaning carpets the revolving brush dislodges dirt and dust from within the carpet However on bare floors it can kick dirt behind the vacuum cleaner before the airflow suction can pick it up A bare floor switch stops the revolving brush beneath the vacuum allowing for bare floor cleaning with straight suction

Power measured in amps tells us how much energy the vacuum cleaner uses When choosing a vacuum cleaner dont rely on the amount of amperage as a deciding factor Amperage is the amount of electricity the motor uses not the suction power The suction power is determined by the air flow Suction control switches need to be available at finger tip control or by floor press controls since vacuuming drapes needs less suction than carpets This is where canister vacuums excel Different carpets have varying lengths and heights This feature adjusts the height of the brush to allow for easy movement and thorough cleaning Some models include a height setting for cleaning bare floors Height can be adjusted automatically or manually with a switch Some models include a height setting suited for cleaning bare floors A further element to consider when buying a vacuum cleaner is bag versus bagless Most canister vacuum cleaners have a bag where the dust and dirt is stored This bag is generally made of thick paper or synthetic material and must be changed periodically when it becomes full There are bagless models with dust and dirt storage compartments that must be periodically dumped out Bagless models eliminate the additional cost of buying dust bags It is better design for the dirt to be vacuumed into the dust bag first before it hits the blower fan This way exhausting allergens into the room is minimized By no means all machines are built this way Very often manufacturers have taken an existing design and just added a hepa filter but not positioning it in the optimal position Modern vacuum cleaner technology may have created yet another viable option in the form of a robot A selfpowered vacuuming unit with obstacledetecting sensors can now be used to clean an entire room without any help from a human Some models work on the principle of an electronic grid system while others prefer the less sophisticated keep going until you hit something approach These robotic vacuum cleaners may be ideal for casual housekeepers with large area of open carpeting and few obstacles Any of several attachments may be stored onboard or separate from the main unit A crevice tool is a long thin tool used to clean hardtoreach places A dusting brush is oblong and has bristles Upholstery and furniture tools are used to suction dirt from curtains cushions and other fabriccovered items Combination tools usually combine the features of two tools such as upholstery tools and dusting brushes Bare floor tools and wall brushes can clean hard surfaces Wands and stretch hoses can extend the reach of cleaning attachments