Fri - July 22, 2005

delta waterfall faucet




Posted at 12:24 PM     Read More  


Thu - July 7, 2005

interesting faucet



Kohler Forte (trenia_z on yahoo, melnnoa at gardenweb)

Posted at 11:30 AM     Read More  


Mon - July 4, 2005

Faucet Basics



You should decide whether you want a single handle or 2. That will narrow down your choices a lot. Singles win out a lot because you can operate with one hand, obviously, while holding a pot or dish or veggie to be washed with the other. It's also much easier to adjust the temp with a single handle than with 2, although we do it all the time in our bathrooms, but there, we are not usually holding anything else at the time.

Some like the pullout sprayer because they have one less item on the sink. I got a faucet based on the design, with a high arch so I could get any pot under it, and it came with a side sprayer.

Finish is important too. Oil rubbed bronze, satin nickel and chrome or stainless are very popular, as is copper.

Faucets can be really cheap or really expensive, but the more expensive ones are usually solid brass, well constructed, often with lifetime guarantees, and beautiful finishes that will last well. You can find a faucet you want, then shop online for better prices.

============
Steve_o wrote:

You want a quality faucet. The very best faucets use lots of cast brass and are heavy for their size. They have ceramic disks instead of cartridges or a ball valve. There are good faucets that have some plastic parts and cartridges or ball valves, so don't forego a faucet for these features if it otherwise meets your needs. Note that finishes beyond chrome or stainless steel really can drive up the price of a faucet. You might also consider how well that finish might match similar finishes on other products in your kitchen.

I prefer one-handle faucets myself -- easier to deal with when your hands are full or dirty and they are a better match for my contemporary house. I might think twice about a single-lever faucet in a Victorian house, though, for esthetic reasons.

As for side-sprayers vs. built-ins, I think diykitchen covered it well; I will add that most plumbers and honest dealers will tell you that a pull-out faucet will not last as long as a non-pull-out faucet before it needs repair, and it will be significantly more expensive (or impossible) to replace that pull-out part than to simply buy and connect another side-sprayer.

A couple of other tips: There are several lesser-known brands; many of them are discussed on this forum. Buying a lesser-known brand is not a bad thing. But look for a brand that has fairly wide retail distribution. I'm skeptical of the quality/level of customer service I'll get with a brand available only from a big-box store or on eBay. There are some excellent deals on eBay, BTW, so you might want to check there. Make sure you know what you're buying, though. As for faucets at big-box stores, some will tell you that these faucets are inferior to those available at plumbing-supply houses. That's not necessarily true. Compare part numbers; if the part number for the big-box-store faucet is exactly the same as the plumbing-supply-store faucet, it is the same faucet. If they're not, make sure you understand what is different.

==============
* Posted by: HeyPearly on Mon, Jul 4, 05 at 9:21

Quality of "lesser known brands" can be better than the top of the line well known brands. I am thrilled with the form and function of my Cucina faucet. Italian made, heavy weight solid brass, with a Tuscan Bronze finish that is PVD protected and appears to have a "living" finish. Delta and others PVD coatings look like a big dip in the plastic pot! Not inexpensive but not insane either. The Herbeau I was interested in ran about $1200.00, the Cucina equivalent with MORE options went about $600.00. Google The HICO Group and you should find it. Home base is Chicago, VERY nice and VERY effecient customer service. They sent me a sample of the metal finishes overnight. Think I bought it from Homeclick. Just love it!

Posted at 05:12 PM     Read More  


Wed - June 8, 2005

alternatives to HomeClick



~ plumbingexpress.com
~ faucetdepot.com .. sells on ebay as "faucetdepot".
~ irawoodinc.com
~ homeannex.com .. sells on ebay as "homeannex".
~ ewdir.com
~ faucets4cheap.com .. sells on ebay as "faucets4cheap"

Posted at 10:02 PM     Read More  


Sat - May 28, 2005

Kindred sink details



Going directly to Kindred web site doesn't work well with my configuration, use this link (/nav.html) to get to navigation bar.

When we only had 30" for the sink cabinet, I was going to settle for Kindred 25" sink. That's the size we have in basement and it seems fine. But now we have more space (since we added 6" in that area) and we are doing custom cabinets, so maybe we should get a 30" model instead.

The "platinum" series is 18 gauge stainless steel. The "gold" level uses 20 gauge SS, but mentions a sound-deadening undercoat layer. However, it looks like the largest single sink at that level is 25".

The US1930/90L/E is just over 30" dimensions, says it requires 36" cabinet. Is that because it is undermount and they need to leave space for frames/sides? The top mounted version has model number S2230/90ML/4E and it requires a 33" cabinet.

They also have a "granite" series that is some kind of acrylic composition. That line includes a 33" sink (30" interior; model SW050 for white) that can be drop-in or top-mounted. Note that it doesn't have holes for faucet, etc - does that mean they're supposed to be deck mounted (mounted on counter)? And if so, does that work for a laminate countertop?

Hey, maybe their US1813_70L_E would work for coffee sink! (wait, that one is undermount - we want top mount - not sure they have a narrow enough top-mounted sink - there is a 15x15 model but it claims to need 18" cabinet.)

Posted at 04:29 PM     Read More  


Sun - February 6, 2005

dishwasher detergents (from CR)



The March 2005 issue of Consumer Reports has articles on dishwashers and detergents. Here's a summary of the dish detergents:

Enzymes rule! ALl enzyme based detergents were judged as very good to excellent. The non-enzyme formuilas rated merely fair. Gels are not very effective. Seems that the enzymes are just not compatible with gels.

Some of the best brands were house brands: Trader Joe's, Kirkland (Costco) and WalMart.

The top 8 were almost identical in scores.

Cascade 2 in 1 Action packs
Trader Joe's
Cascade Complete
Cascade Pure Rinse Electrasol 2 in 1 tabs
Kirkland (Costco)
Great Value (WalMart)
Electrasol Dual Action Tablets.

There is a little difference with the next 4 brands, which all did score as Very Good, almost excellent:
Seventh Generation
Kroger
Ecover
Cascade Complete gel

The last few differed mainly in the way they worked with hard water (spotting problems) and soft water (etching). The top 8 scored the same all the way. Looks like it will be easier to choose if your DW has a rinse-aid dispenser, in which case, you don't want the formulas with added rinse aid.

Posted at 10:15 PM     Read More  


Wed - December 29, 2004

KitchenAid Dishwasher?



Have you looked at the Kitchenaid website ? It describes the features of the different dishwashers and helps you choose the model based on features and appearance. There are 3 different interior configurations which have differences in racks, cycles and sound insulation. Sears should have an example of each of these for you to compare. The s series has the most sound insulation and cycles, but the bottom rack has movable/ removable tine racks instead of fold down tines. Besides the interior, you choose the appearance, i.e., color and console style.


I've had a KA "S" model dishwasher for over 2 years and I'm extremely pleased with it. It's got a large interior, cleans well, and is very quiet. The "S" model is the quietest series. It may not be as quiet as a Miele or a Bosch but it's extremely quiet - I've run it during parties and my guests are not even aware it's running. I don't think the grinder is a big deal - cleaning a filter is not a big deal - my previous Whirlpool had one and there was hardly anything in it. With any kind of dishwasher you should definitely scrape your plates but not rinse them - the enzyme detergents work best if the dishes aren't pre-rinsed.

Posted at 11:02 AM     Read More  


Fri - October 8, 2004

air switch for garbage disposal



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=42022&item=5924339737&rd=1
(seller: ritejob1, ebay store: Bobs Faucets N Things)

Posted at 01:28 PM     Read More  


Mon - August 23, 2004

kenmore dishwasher



* Posted by: Sandra_zone6 on Mon, Aug 23, 04 at 14:14

I have a Kenmore Elite #16989 which as far as I can tell is similar to the #16499, could be wrong. When I bought it, it was 2nd to TOL. I chose it over the Bosch for it's larger size, better rack arrangement and what I felt was a better drying option (I can air dry or use the heat depending on my needs at the time).

I love my DW!!! It is quiet, it has worked wonderfully for us, it cleans exceptionally well. I can stock it up and run it every other day with our family of 5. The loss of 3 inches depth with the Bosch turned me off. Make sure you bring some dishes with you when you shop and play with loading them into anything you are interested in. I have no problems loading large bowls, dishes, etc,. I use my air dry feature most of the time since the heated drying isn't really necessary.

Posted at 09:59 PM     Read More  


Sun - August 22, 2004

Miele dishwashers



Miele dishwashers have a third rack, up top, for loading the silverware. Intriguing. They are kind of expensive, though.

Here's something at ePinions, "how to buy a Miele ".

* Posted by: GizmoNike on Sat, Aug 14, 04 at 16:40

We were afraid the Miele top cutlery rack would be a PITA, but after staying in a friend's condo with one, we're converted! The cutlery gets very clean, there's room for cooking tools like whisks & spatulas, & it solves the handles up or down issue. Cutlery can even be tossed onto the tray if you don't like the idea of setting each piece into a slot. It makes putting the cutlery away very fast & easy.


* Posted by: buffalotina (My Page) on Thu, Aug 19, 04 at 7:58

Just to update... I got my Miele 894SC installed this week......almost had a heart attack at the bill......but after seeing this thing in place and using it for 2 days I can say I will NEVER have anything but high quality appliances, preferably Miele, again. It is AWESOME!!!! You are right, the cutlery tray is a miracle....I was worried I would hate it because we don't have regular meals but rather "graze"... thus everything gets loaded item by item throughout a couple of days. I have to open the DW just to throw in one fork or knife all the time. I ruled out KitchenAid and others which had the silverware basket at the side because I would hate to have to pull out the whole lower rack each time. The Miele is great though - the tray is right at the TOP so I can pull it out easily and put the odd knife in without bending. After 2 days I find I can "throw" the cutlery into that rack as quick as I could into a basket...and as has been pointed out it is SOOOO much easier to unload it and put it away. Plus I love it that I can put small items up there as well as cooking utensils....LOOOOVE the cutlery tray! Everything else too about this DW is a dream....it is actually too quiet! For me I do not need a quiet DW as we are rarely near the kitchen when it is running. However the high price of the Miele is worth it for the quality of this machine alone and the racks are the best I have seen in termes of flexibility and loading. I am SO happy that the Bosch I had delivered did not fit....I have the feeling I would never have found out how good a DW could be and I might well have been unhappy with the Bosch.


* Posted by: GizmoNike (My Page) on Mon, Aug 16, 04 at 17:12
about Miele "Incognito" line (ones that need a cabinet panel, I think)

The 863 has a water turbidity sensor, meaning it keeps using the water unless it is really gunky; the others dump & refill, using more water. It also has a vase insert included.

The 863 & 858 have similar cycles, racking, & convection fan drying.

The 843 dries from the trapped heat. If you open the door too soon, you'll need to wipe dry or air dry. It also has different (basic) racking.

Otherwise, all three are the same box & the same size.

-----
I also read that all the Incognitos have this "convection" drying rather than heated dry, and in order for it to work well you have to (a) make sure it is hooked to cold water, and (b) use a rinse aid. Not sure what I think about the rinse aid business...

Posted at 09:44 PM     Read More  


Fri - August 20, 2004

Copper Arts & Crafts style faucets



Moen copper faucet (Aberdeen Pulldown) - I like this simple look
Strathmore 9" Swivel Spout from Concinnity (looks too colonial to my eye)
Whitehaus Collection Vintage II Bridge - pricey! not sure I like the look...
Kind of like the Stella or Florence on this page - Stella comes in copper

I like this faucet - is this the Vinnata that I've read about so many times?
This Herbeau (is that brand or model?) is also interesting... (it's Herbeau Ostende Copper/Brass)

Posted at 11:32 PM     Read More  


Sun - June 6, 2004

corner sink photo



Beth (from gardenweb) has a corner sink in her kitchen. Neptune sink by Elkay, 25x22x7.5 inches deep.

(If the photo link doesn't work, go to the gallery and find sink photos.)

"Since we had a sink in the corner, I decided to get a 21" wide cabinet to put in between the sink and the dishwasher. This prevents me from getting trapped in the corner when the dishwasher door is open."

Posted at 09:31 PM     Read More  


Sat - June 5, 2004

Dishwasher important features


from BH&G Kitchen & Bath Ideas, Summer 2000, p 36

• Multilevel water sprayers: bottom, middle, and top for American-made models. European don't usually have top sprayer but work just as well b/c the water pressure is higher [among other things].
• Thermostatically controlled internal water heaters.
• Ultrafine filtering systems
• Dual pumps - one for washing, one for rinsing - ensure that clean and dirty water never mix
• How quietly it operates depends on type of motor and pumps, and how well it's insulated. Look into the side of the machine for a felt blanket over the top and bottom of the washtub. Felt is the best material to muffle the sound. Also look for a coating of black, rubbery mastic in better machines. Quietest motors are usually ball-bearing or induction types. (Beware of in-store demonstrations - can be doctored to minimize sound.)
• Stainless steel tub "sheets" water out of the machine more efficiently after the final rinse, allowing drying cycles to concentrate on dishes.
• Nylon coated racks better than vinyl. Best racks are nylon-and-graphite composite

Posted at 11:41 PM     Read More  


Thu - May 27, 2004

Narrow Dishwasher



Would an 18" dishwasher fit to the left of the sink, or would we still have the knee knocking problem? Then again, if I'm worried about an alcove limiting options, this does it as well. On the other hand, it might be easier to fill in one day....
Danby at CompactAppliance
the GE model GSM1800J which also has a stainless steel tub, probably fewer features than the Danby (only two wash arms i.e.) but may be easier to find or get service for.
and finally, Miele (at perhaps 4x the price of the Danby)

Posted at 07:29 AM     Read More  


Tue - May 25, 2004

pros & cons of large single rectangular sink


(someone considering 18" wide 10" deep sink)

* Posted by: cowgirlpajamas on Tue, May 25, 04 at 15:15

I had a 6.5" deep, 30" wide single bowl sink. It took up too much counterspace. In my recent remodel, I replaced it with a single bowl 18" wide x 10" deep sink. Huge improvement. More counterspace, no loss of capacity in sink. In my opinion, a single bowl sink is more than adequate, especially if it's as deep as you're thinking of going. I personally don't get the appeal of double bowl sinks. As someone pointed out above, you can't put big items in them, unless you get a humongous double bowl sink and then you're out counterspace.


• posted by [marjerie?]

Need a sprayer to clean all corners of a single sink. {Which leads Tricia to ask: Why would it be more necessary??)


* Posted by: Talley_Sue_NYC on Tue, May 25, 04 at 15:44

due to space constraints, I lived for 13 years w/ a single-bowl sink--25x15? I can't remember today.

It was absolutely perfect. Even when we DID wash dishes, we didn't run two sinks worth of water (rinsing in standing water isn't very clean, and it's certainly not sanitary). We ran water into a dishpan, set the clean-but-not-rinsed dishes in the space to the side (not huge, but not dinky either), and rinsed them off w/ running water once several of them had built up.

Once we got a dishwasher, we NEVER needed two sinks. Ours is big enough that you can set the grapes in the colander off to the side, and set a dirty pot in the other side. I've never had a garbage disposal, and couldn't fit one in there, due to plumbing constraints.

But I also like being able to lay a cookie sheet flat.


* Posted by: barrianne on Tue, May 25, 04 at 22:13

I realized my post was misleading. I don't have my Kindred yet! What I should have said is that now, pre-renovation, I have a rectangular sink, non-undermount, 7.5 inches deep, and slightly smaller than the Kindred KSS7U. I like it so much I wanted to replicate it in an undermount, so I just got a slightly bigger one.

Keep in mind my kitchen is really small and I would lose proportionally more counterspace if I used a double bowl.

Regarding other sinks, I almost got an Elkay and then realized I could get a bigger similar Kindred. And I was thinking about the D-shaped Kindred, KSSXU, because it had more front to back depth, but then I compared it to the Kindred Big Sink and didn't think I would gain that much. Plus I'd probably have to put my faucet (planning on Grohe Ladylux Plus) in the corner, which I don't want to do.


* Posted by: rmclean on Tue, May 25, 04 at 22:36

I used to have a double bowl sink, both the same size. I hated it. It was hard to wash large items. Now we have a sink that is the same size overall as the double bowl, but its only a single bowl. Its much easier to wash the big stuff.

That being said, my sister has a double bowl franke sink where the second bowl is smaller. It has a colander insert which she likes. If you have the space and $$ for doing plumbing in both, I'd go for one that has one large enough for cookie sheets, etc. with a smallish one on the side-but not too small.

In my new kitchen, I'm going for one single bowl, slightly smaller than the one I have currently. It'll have rounded corners so I can mount my faucet on the side and not have to clean around the back.


* Posted by: elsieCat on Thu, May 27, 04 at 0:46

Yet another Kindred KSS5U owner -- the way I reason it is that you can always separate out a single big basin into smaller subsets, but you can't cut out the divider between double bowls to make one big bowl when you need to wash something really big (there was one specific thing, a glass cutting board we use all the time, that I wanted to be able to put in the sink). Single is flexible, double less so.

Posted at 11:29 PM     Read More  
Size of Sink Matters
nice looking sink
Dishwasher Details
Sink Article
Inverted Sink Base ??
Kindred - sink finish
does sink matter?
Tapmaster
neat faucet
second sink

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