home appliances

14 Stories

Our Oh-So-Fancy Appliances Don't Last as Long

So many functions, so many things that can go wrong

(Newser) - The Wall Street Journal points out an odd discrepancy in the world of home appliances: Prices actually decreased from 2013 to 2023—and yet Americans on average spent 40% more on them last year ($558) than in 2013 ($390). What gives? A big part of the answer is that our...

A Pandemic Darling Falls Into Bankruptcy

Instant Pot is in trouble as sales wane

(Newser) - The all-in-one pressure cooker Instant Pot became a smash hit during the pandemic. But that meteoric growth couldn't be sustained, and maker Instant Brands filed for bankruptcy Monday, reports the Wall Street Journal . The newspaper sums things up succinctly, noting that the move reflects "the difficulties that Instant...

COVID Forces a Lifestyle Change in India

Suddenly, long-unpopular dishwashers are a must-have product

(Newser) - COVID has brought an unexpected change to India: Suddenly, everyone seems to want a dishwasher in their kitchen. As a post at daijiworld.com explains, the kitchen appliance has never been a big seller in the nation, in part because cheap domestic labor is so plentiful. But the pandemic has...

Bad Press on Bad Press Leads to Juicero Refunds

Those who prefer to squeeze juice with their bare hands can get their $400 back

(Newser) - The company that once hawked a product vying to be "the most technologically advanced thing in the kitchen" is now offering refunds for the uber-appliance, Fortune reports. The $400 Juicero machine, a WiFi-enabled juicer billed as the "Keurig of juicers," received $120 million in startup funds, but...

Why Consumers in India Will Love This Washing Machine

Panasonic washer has a 'curry' button, 'daily sari' setting

(Newser) - Consumers in India may have to pay a little more for a just-debuted Panasonic washing machine, but those desperate to get a certain type of stain out may find the appliance worth the extra outlay. In what Gizmodo UK calls the "corporate holy grail" of customer-tailored service, the electronics...

Cuisinart Recalls 8M Food Processors Over 20-Year Span

Recall warns of blade damage that could cause tiny metal pieces to fall into food

(Newser) - You may have to temporarily eat your tuna salad in chunks rather than pulverized to a fine pulp if you own one of the 8 million food processors Cuisinart is recalling. Per CBS News , the voluntary pullback involves processors sold for the past 20 years (from 1996 to 2015), and...

Old Refrigerator May Be Source of Oakland Fire

'Disaster waiting to happen'

(Newser) - Investigators searching for the cause of America's deadliest building fire in 13 years are focusing on appliances at the rear of the first floor of the "Ghost Ship" warehouse. "On that back wall, there was a 45-degree-angle burn, and they need to look at that area very...

Americans Waste $4B to Run Dryers, Every Year
Americans Waste $4B to
Run Dryers, Every Year
in case you missed it
Jun 15, 2014 1:30 PM CDT

Americans Waste $4B to Run Dryers, Every Year

DOE working on new energy efficiency standards

(Newser) - Get our your clotheslines. Turns out your trusty dryer is one of the most energy-sucking appliances in your house—with a typical electric model using as much energy as an energy-efficient fridge, washing machine, and dishwasher combined, according to a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Americans could save...

Ding! The Microwave Is Done
 Ding! The Microwave Is Done 
Mar 23, 2014 1:34 PM CDT

Ding! The Microwave Is Done

Quartz looks at the fall of microwave sales

(Newser) - Microwave sales have tumbled, or remained static, for more than a decade since the peak sale days of 2004, reports Quartz , which, after diving into a bit of microwave history, comes to the conclusion that "America is tired of the microwave." Sure, the dip in sales could have...

Here's Hoping Apple Tablet Is Like a Car
Here's Hoping Apple Tablet
Is Like a Car
opinion
Jan 26, 2010 2:42 PM CST

Here's Hoping Apple Tablet Is Like a Car

Computers should be as easy to use as vehicles, appliances

(Newser) - Computers can do amazing things, but as anyone with a technophobic parent knows, they’re still way too complicated. That’s why Farhad Manjoo is hoping Apple’s new tablet will be “the first fully powered PC that is as simple to use as a kitchen appliance.” Sure,...

New 'Cash for Clunkers' Targets Appliances

Feds hope next consumer perk will boost sales

(Newser) - A new federal version of the Cash for Clunkers program will soon target appliances in a bid to convince consumers to replace their leaky dishwashers and grinding refrigerators. The $300 million Cash for Appliances program will offer rebates to buyers who replace worn out appliances with energy efficient models. Just...

Next Clunkers You Can Cash In On? Appliances

(Newser) - If you missed out on cashing in on that clunker in your driveway, your next chance may be no farther than the kitchen, USA Today reports. Stimulus funds that will give consumers rebates as high as $200 for replacing old, inefficient appliances with newer models are due to start flowing...

Top Kitchen Gadget ... the Cell Phone?

It won't make coffee or dice, but can download recipes, call Mom

(Newser) - Forget about trying to buy newlyweds the ultimate kitchen appliance: They almost certainly already have two. For both everyday cooks and professional chefs, the cell phone has become the go-to gadget, the New York Times reports. What other tool could combine the functions of timer, measurement converter, recipe generator, shopping-list...

Internet Hookup Would Make Appliances More Efficient

Linked fridge, for instance, could adjust usage automatically

(Newser) - Electric bill breaking the bank these days? Your fridge might be able to help, when developers start bringing Internet-ready appliances to market, GigaOm reports. Proactive dashboards could control energy usage to save money and conserve by telling wired appliances to reduce power during certain time periods without human input, and...

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