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Induction Cooking

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Induction Cooking

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. In the world of cooking appliances, the least expensive purchase can be the most expensive to run. Standard electric ranges, while they cost less to buy and install, are slower to heat up and much less energy-efficient. Electric is only half as efficient as gas. But induction cooking is 85 percent energy-efficient, which is why it s been so popular in Europe and Asia for years. Induction election cooktops are powered by electricity, but instead of radiating heat to the pan, the burner works like an electrical transformer. Coils generate an A/C current which, when it s met with a pot or pan containing iron, heats it by magnetic friction. The pan essentially becomes its own heat source, but nothing around it heats up. You can actually put your hand on the ceramic glass cooking surface after lifting the pot without burning yourself. And since nothing will cook onto the surface, it s a breeze to clean. Because it s not really hot to the touch, an induction cooktop is safer around kids and can be controlled more rapidly and precisely. You do need to have iron or steel cookware. Aluminum, Pyrex and all-copper cookware won t work, but Grandma s old cast-iron frying pan, for instance, is perfect. Basically, if a magnet sticks to it, it ll work for induction cooking. And if it s the heating power of a restaurant-style gas stove you crave, look no further. A 2,000-watt induction range delivers as much heat as a 15,000 BTU deluxe gas range. Since induction cooktops are available up to 3,700 watts, you re covered. Induction cooking is expensive upfront. Four-burner cooktops can cost $3,000 to $4,000 and your home needs to have 220V electrical service, which could mean an upgrade. But imagine using half the energy for the same if not more cooking power. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

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Gas Range Cleaning Tips

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Cleaning a gas range requires a little more effort than cleaning an electric range, but neglecting to do so can render it inefficient and eventually useless. Spattered, cooked-on food can clog the openings of the burner assembly, making it burn inefficiently. After a while, the burner can fail to light, driving some people to break out the matches. Your best bet is to wipe up spills with warm soapy water right after they happen. Avoid abrasive cleansers that will scratch the porcelain or glass finish on your appliance. Just like a car, you should check under the hood every few months. You can lift up the whole top of your range by pulling out or up on the front corners of the top panel. There are small openings on the burner assembly that keep the flame functioning properly. Use a straight pin, a paper clip or fine wire to clean but not enlarge them. Check the flash tube opening, the pilot opening if your range has one and the flame openings in the crown of the burner. Don t use a toothpick or anything else that could break and clog the hole. Gas leaks are potentially very dangerous. If you ever smell gas, check that the burners are all turned off. If your stove has a pilot light, check that it s lit. If that isn t the problem, leave the house immediately and call the gas company. To catch early warning signs, carbon monoxide detectors must be installed in homes with gas appliances. Cooking with gas costs half of what it would cost to cook on electric ranges. Keeping your range clean will keep it that way. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Childproofing a Kitchen and Stairs in the Home

Bob moves to the kitchen in the Melrose remodeling project and talks with Jay Martel from the International Association for Child Safety about kitchen safety for toddlers. Martel reviews new products that can help make the kitchen safe. Martel shows an adhesive latch to prevent a child from opeining the refrigerator. Martel then shows a product that magnetically latches cabinets and prevents pinching. When activated, cabinet doors will not open until a magnetic "key" is used. The product can be disengaged by adults with a flip of the switch. For stove safety, Martel recommends parents use the backburners with handles turned away to prevent children from spilling heated foods and liquids. Martel explains that dishtowels draped over the stove's oven handle often invite children to pull on them and should be removed to prevent an accident. Stove knob covers should also be put in place. Martel shows how electrical outlets can be replaced with sliding covers that automatically slide shut when electrical plugs are removed. Bob and Martel then move to the staircase to review baby safety gates that have been installed. Martel says nothing is more important for children's safety than installing gates at the tops of stairs. Martel shows how the swinging gate requires two motions to open, a squeezing action followed by lifting. Martel reviews how the gate has been properly installed with affixed mounting hardware and inswinging action.

Discussing the Silestone Countertops

Dick Deshant from Counter Intelligence gives Bob the lowdown on the new countertops. They will be made of Silestone, which has the best qualities of granite without the maintenance. Silestone is a maintenance-free material composed of 93% quartz, the first hardest substance in nature. The Italian creators of Silestone have figured out a process to extract the quartz and combine it with polymers and pigment for cohesion and coloration. The end result is a maintenance-free countertop. There are close to 40 color choices, some of them incorporating mica chip for a sparkling effect. Silestone comes with a 10 year warranty and is stain resistant because of its density and lack of pores. It is scratch resistant to the point that you will dull your knives cutting on it, and it is heat resistant enough to withstand a hot pot coming directly off the stove. If there does happen to be a mar or chip in your Silestone it can be repaired using an achimi product that is standard in the industry. The pricepoint of Silestone is a little under that of entry level granite.

Kitchen Appliances and Finishes for Brooklyn Apartment

Bob tours the kitchen. Pointing out the complementary use of materials from Cherry Craftline Cabinets to stone counter tops, as featured in Show 1409, to stainless steel appliances. The appliances from Dacor include a dual fuel stove and an extra-wide 30-inch dishwasher.