Book Reviews

KITCHEN APPLIANCES 101 What Works, What Doesn’t and Why - A Book Review by Lee Boucher

The back cover of Kitchen Appliances 101 by Donald Silvers, CKD, and Moorea Hoffman reads, “After 25 years of kitchen design, I still hear ‘Don’t worry about it. They don’t cook anyway’. That lie has been repeated for the last twenty-five years. It’s time to put that myth to rest. Americans like to cook. According to a survey published in Time magazine in 2002, 85% of Americans say they cat home-cooked meals three or more times a week. That number is up 11% from 2001, indicating the trend is towards home cooked meals, rather than away”.
“This book is a primer for the Consumer, Kitchen Designer, Interior Designer, Architect and the Appliance Salesperson. It’s for everyone who feels the need for his or her kitchen to cook beautifully”.

We’ve all heard kitchen designers say, “My goal is to produce a beautiful kitchen that is functional for my client”. Silvers writes, “Appliances are the heart of the kitchen. Like the heart to the body, appliances are the engine that drives what a kitchen does: cooking, cleaning, and preserving with a lot of living mixed in”.
Selecting the right appliances for a new or remodeled kitchen is mind-boggling. Almost every domestic or foreign manufacturer of major appliances claims that their product is superior to competition. After attending cooking demonstrations from 3 or 4 brands it is no wonder that shoppers leave just shaking their heads. Many kitchen designer clients leave the appliance selection to the CKD thinking he or she must know what’s best. But is that a wise decision? That is why Kitchen Appliances 101 is a must read.

The book covers Cooktops, Ovens, Microwave Ovens, Ranges, Refrigeration, Dishwashers, Trash Compactors, Hoods and Ventilation Systems. There are numerous subtitles in each category. For this review I am going to whet your appetite by quoting some of the sidebars written for each appliance.

COOKTOPS - “Tip: Many consumers are intimidated by so “professional” cooktops because of the terrible name. In reality range tops should be called multipurpose cooktops. Although they have the reputation of being a high-end extravagance, the truth is they benefit every cook, whether he or she considers her cooking “gourmet” or simply utilitarian.

OVENS - “Tip: One last note is that any recipe that calls for preheating at 375 degrees and baking at 375 degrees, should be preheated at 425 degrees because in the process of opening the oven door and putting the product on the rack the oven will easily lose 50 degrees of heat.”

MICROWAVE OVENS - “Tip: Never defrost food, especially meat, in a microwave oven. While it may be the fastest way to thaw food, it’s also the fastest way to ruin a good piece of meat before you even have a chance to cook it.”

RANGES - “Tip: Oven racks are a design feature where there is a lot of difference from model to model. A clear sign of superior construction are racks that can be pulled out as far forward as possible. Some even slide forward on ball bearings.

REFRIGERATION- “Tip: Not every container you own will fit into a built-in refrigerator. You will most likely have to give up large square and round containers for rectangular ones. If you are really concerned, measure your favorite brands and compare them with the interior dimensions of the models you are considering.”
“Tip: - You should check food items for decay at least weekly because spoiled vegetables release ethylene gas that will increase the speed of spoilage in fresh produce.”

DISHWASHERS - “Tip: - Premium dishwashers have the ability to heat water to the proper temperature for sanitation and dissolving detergent, regardless of the incoming water temperature.”

TRASH COMPACTORS - Donald Silvers does not like trash compactors because “they create odors and attract insects and sometimes rodents, even when they are kept meticulously clean.” I agree that if you put food or unclean milk cartons in the trash compactor that may be true, but if you use it like it’s supposed to be used - i.e. like a wastebasket there is no problem.

HOODS AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS- “Tip - The height of the bottom of the hood is most appropriately determined by the height of the tallest cook- the increased height will not affect the efficiency of the hood, as long as it had sufficient CFM’s to draw out all the waste and is at least six inches wider than the cooktop.”
In addition to detailed information, including diagrams of the appliances, the book analyses the possible installation problems that can be avoided. I know the title of this gem is Kitchen Appliances 101, but it is much more than that, in my opinion. After reading it you will he reminded of things you have forgotten and be informed of many valuable and instructive sales tools that will help your customers make the right appliance selections.

Lee Boucher can be reached by writing to 20 Valencia Ct., Portola Valley, CA 94028
Phone/Fax (650) 529-0601 - e-mail jeanellebo@aol.com