Kate Owen - Articles

Choosing free standing electric cookers
Free standing electric cookers are a neat, easy to install appliance for the family kitchen. Whilst they do need hard wiring and can’t just be plugged in to a normal socket, free standing electric cookers don’t need much by way of installation. They don’t need to be built into your worktops and they don’t need a gas safety registered engineer for installation. Therefore, relatively quickly you can have a new cooker installed in your kitchen. Read
By: Kate Owen | 12/11/2009 | Home & Family

Green tips for condenser dryers
Machine drying is notoriously bad for the environment and it can cost you a lot of money. Tumble condenser dryers typically need more upkeep than their vented counterparts to ensure they run as efficiently as possible. To help keep your appliance healthy here are some tips which, if followed, should give your appliance a new lease of life. Read
By: Kate Owen | 10/11/2009 | Kitchens

What size washer dryer?
Washer dryers are available in a range of sizes, from the very small to the all consuming. You should make your decision based on three factors. 1. How big is your family? 2. How big is your house? Can you fit individual in an individual washing machine and dryer as two appliances allow you to dry whilst washing a second load, thus saving you time. 3. What are the occupations of you and your family? School uniforms need a lot of washing and if you have several children you’ll require Read
By: Kate Owen | 30/10/2009 | Home Improvement

Freestanding cookers v built in
Your cooker is probably the most important element of your kitchen so when you’re looking for a new one you want it to be right. Do you want freestanding or built in? There are some distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on your needs and the look you’re trying to achieve. Read
By: Kate Owen | 30/10/2009 | Interior Design

History of the washing machine - sand, streams and no fabric softener
In 1797 the first washing machine – the washboard - was invented, changing laundry as we knew it. No longer did people have to rely on abrasive sands, rudimentary homemade soaps and natural streams. 1797 hailed the dawn of the “wash board era” which, while a huge innovation at the time, was still remarkably time consuming and incredibly hard work. Read
By: Kate Owen | 27/10/2009 | Home Improvement

Top tips for choosing cooker hoods
In days gone by cooker hoods were little more than an afterthought when adding a new cooking appliance to the kitchen. There were limited designs available and so cooker hoods came in one of two fashions – the canopy, or the chimney. Today the range of cooker hoods is far more extensive. Materials used to manufacture the product range from glass to stainless steel and their design can make or break the theme of your kitchen. The humble cooker hood can no longer be neglected, or left until the l Read
By: Kate Owen | 23/10/2009 | Kitchens

Vented v condenser tumble dryers
When you’re choosing a tumble dryer there are two distinct varieties you should investigate; the vented tumble dryer and the condenser tumble dryer. The main difference between the two is fairly self explanatory as the vented tumble dryer requires a vent to outdoors whereas the condenser tumble dryer does not. Read
By: Kate Owen | 21/10/2009 | Kitchens

Which hob? Electric ceramic hobs, gas hobs and the induction hob
Hobs come in three distinct categories, each of which has its own benefits. When you’re choosing a hob you will face the decision of whether to use: 1. Gas 2. Electric 3. Induction Read
By: Kate Owen | 20/10/2009 | Kitchens

Washing machine appliances - quick ways to clean your clothes
Waiting for the washing machine to finish can be a trial for the best of us, whether we’re waiting to wear the clothes or planning on putting the next load in. For a full wash many machines take more than an hour. Recently there has been an influx of washing machines appliances on the market which offer short programmes claiming to wash clothes in as little as 15minutes. Whilst this time saving innovation may please us in our busy lifestyles, does it deliver the best results? Read
By: Kate Owen | 16/10/2009 | Home Improvement

How to get the most out of your tumble dryer
Autumn is here and it’s time to get out your woollens and wrap up warm. Even the sunniest days don’t take away the chill of looming winter and you find yourself relying more and more on the tumble dryer to get through the week’s laundry. Below is a list of fundamental, easy to implement maintenance tasks to help your tumble dryer work to its fullest potential, give you the best results and save energy even in autumn and winter. Read
By: Kate Owen | 16/10/2009 | Home Improvement