With cash for clunkers for appliances on the horizon, appliance retailers are looking for Black Friday boost

The recession has slammed the appliance industry. Year-over-year shipments of major appliances, for example, were down 17 percent in September, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

The $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program is being ballyhooed as one way to unleash pent-up demand for refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, heating and cooling systems, and other major appliances. And though the U.S. Department of Energy will have finalized funding plans for the cash for clunkers for appliances program on November 30, the rebate programs in many states won't take place until 2010.

So appliance retailers are looking to Black Friday to boost their bottom line and kick-start sales throughout the 2009 holiday season. Here's a sneak peek at what some of them have in store:

Best Buy
Good through November 28, Best Buy's Black Friday specials cover large and small appliances, including the Dyson DC17 Animal vacuum for $350. The upright vacuum, which normally retails for as much as $550, was excellent on bare floors and very good on carpet in our tests. At 21 pounds, it’s among the harder vacuums to handle among those we've tested. If you need a new vacuum, check out our free buyer's guide to vacuums.

Home Depot
Home Depot is keeping mum about its holiday sales, but like many retailers and manufacturers this big-box chain encourages you to sign up for e-mail alerts about special promotions.

Lowe's
Black Friday discounts on kitchen and laundry appliances will run through November 30 at Lowe's stores nationwide. One highlight: Save around $400 on a matching Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6340WW high-efficiency washing machine (similar to the tested WTW6300WW washer) and WED6200S[W] electric dryer. Both units did a very good job overall in our tests. If you're in the market for a new laundry gear, check out our free buyer's guides to washing machines and dryers.

Sears
Sears' 15 percent off all appliances deal covers a wide variety of appliances and brands. The offer expires at 9 p.m. on November 27. Our appliances hub has links to our buyer's guides for kitchen and laundry appliances.

While the big-box stores dominate the marketplace, you might want to consider shopping at independent retailers. As covered in our survey-based feature on the best places to buy appliances, independent stores beat out big-box retailers thanks to superior service, easier checkout, and more-knowledgeable staff.

Learn more about the Amish heater and EdenPure space heater

The calendar indicates that heating season is  upon us, but the Home & Garden blog team doesn't need to look at a thermometer or watch the Weather Channel to know it's starting to get colder here in the New York City metro area and elsewhere around the country.

Nope, all we've got to do is look at the traffic to and comments about heating appliances on the Home & Garden blog and ConsumerReports.org. Specifically, readers are looking for information about the Heat Surge Roll-n-Glow Electric Fireplace (aka the Amish heater), EdenPure space heaters, and pellet stoves.

• If you're considering the Heat Surge appliance, read our review of the Amish heater as well as our post about some consumer complaints to the Better Business Bureau. And remember, although Heat Surge claims its heaters will help you save on your heating bills, the only way to do so is to employ zone heating. (Note: According to a customer-service representative at Heat Surge, heaters made in 2009 were updated with a stronger blower and other changes affecting heat distribution. The company also says it plans to add a thermostat on future versions, possibly in 2010. The model we purchased and reviewed early this year might have incorporated some or all of the updates.)

• If you're pondering buying an EdenPure space heater, read "Are EdenPure Space Heaters Just a Lot of Hot Air?"
 
• If a pellet stove seems like a viable heating option, learn more about these appliances in our October 2009 report and our previous buyer's guide to pellet- and wood-burning stoves.

Essential information: "Don't Let Energy Savings Go Up and Out the Chimney" covers proven ways to save energy during heating season. And learn about space heaters, programmable thermostats, and weatherizing your attic. If you're in the market for new heating equipment, get up to speed on the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

Fire and burn hazards prompt recall of 665,000 Perfect Flame gas grills sold at Lowe's

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission yesterday announced the recall of about 665,000 Perfect Flame gas grills, which were made in China and sold exclusively at Lowe's stores nationwide from September 2005 through May 2009 and in Canada from December 2007 through May 2009.

According to the CPSC, the grills pose fire and burn hazards—burners on the grill can deteriorate and the lids of some models can catch fire. As of the recall date, Perfect Flame had received about 40 reports of fires from the burners deteriorating and about 23 reports of the lids catching fire.

Recalled models include the SLG2006B, SLG2006BN, SLG2006C, SLG2006CN, SLG2007A, SLG2007B, SLG2007BN, SLG2007D, SLG2007DN, and SLG2008A (shown).

Get more details on the Perfect Flame recall and some of the background surrounding it by reading "Fires and Burns Prompt Recall of 665,000 Perfect Flame Grills Sold at Lowe's" on our Safety blog. | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're planning to grill your turkey for your Thanksgiving and holiday meals, follow our advice for safe grilling. And if you're in the market for a new gas grill, check out our free buyer's guide to gas grills.

The loads keep on spinning in the Consumer Reports washing-machine lab

The folks who test and rate washing machines for Consumer Reports have been doing a ton of laundry. Make that almost two tons over the past five months, as they measure the cleaning performance, water and energy efficiency, and other criteria of the machines in our continuously updated ratings of front-loaders and top-loaders (available to subscribers).

Among the washing machines we've recently covered for our Inside Consumer Tests Labs posts are the:

• Maytag MVWC6ES, which determines how much water is needed for a load;

• Estate ETW4400W, Whirlpool Cabrio WTW6500W, and Whirlpool Duet Sport WFW8400T, all of which proved tough on laundry;

• LG WM2010C[W], a real mover and shaker;

• Frigidaire FTW3014K[W], which automatically advances a load from the soak or prewash cycle to the wash and extra rinse cycles;

• LG SteamWasher WM2801H[W]A, which can hold a whopping 21 pounds of laundry; and

• Whirlpool Duet Steam WFW9750W[W] and Duet Sport WFW9150W[W] and Maytag Performance Series MHWE950W[W], which are designed to prevent laundry from developing an odor in case you've left it sitting in the washer.

As the testing continues for our February 2010 report on washing machines, we'd like you to tell us what you love and hate about your washer, speak about the features that matter most to you or seem superfluous, inform us of which cycles and detergent you use, and describe your dream machine. Leave your detailed comments below.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guides to washing machines and dryers and find the best laundry detergent. If you're in the market for new laundry appliances, learn about the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, aka cash for clunkers for appliances.

Weekend Project: Plan ahead for the Thanksgiving holiday

With Thanksgiving just over a week away, this weekend my wife and I will put the finishing touches on plans for our holiday gathering. We'll check on the wines in the wine cellar and clean the stemware, add the extra leaves to the dining-room table, get the house in order for the big day, and take care of a few other odds and ends.

When it comes to the holiday meal itself, I'm a pretty traditional guy, but this year I'm going to change things up a bit. Since one of my kids has become a "fishetarian"—that is, she eschews beef, chicken, and turkey but eats fish—I'll make a poached-salmon dish to accompany the turkey instead of a rib roast. And I'm considering grilling the bird outdoors instead of roasting it in the oven. Even though I have double ovens, I'd like to free up some cooking space for the array of side dishes I'll prepare.

Turns out I'm not alone when it comes to not oven-roasting the bird. According to a recent poll by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, more than 70 percent of respondents said they won't use the oven to cook their turkey: 18 percent plan to grill, 25 percent expect to smoke, and 28 percent intend to deep-fry. (Americans are expected to cook 46 million turkeys this year.)

These alternative cooking methods appeal for a number of reasons, says a National Turkey Federation survey. Fifty-four percent of respondents are looking to try something new; 54 percent think grilling, smoking, or frying produces a more-tender or juicier turkey; 53 percent want to free up oven space; and 52 percent envision easier cleanup. This last one sounds like another compelling reason to grill the turkey.

Here's hoping your Thanksgiving is a joyous occasion. The advice here might help with the planning and take some of the stress out of your day:

• If you need a new grill to cook your turkey, check out our free buyer's guide to gas grills.

• If you want to smoke your bird, take a look at the Traeger Lil' Tex BBQ070 pellet-fueled cooker.

• If you're considering deep-frying a turkey, don't miss "A Safer Way to Fry a Turkey" and watch the accompanying video for important safety advice. You can also "deep-fry" your turkey without oil.

• If you need some basic wine advice for the holiday, read about the right wines to serve.

• And if your knives have seen better days, read our ratings-based report on kitchen knives.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

More turkey talk: • Time- and money-saving steps for a better Thanksgiving • Holiday eating without the guilt • Turkey tips for Thanksgiving and beyond • Lab-tested turkey advice • Learn how to sharpen your knives (video) • Find an accurate meat thermometer

Essential information: Stay on top of the news surrounding Black Friday by reading Tightwad Tod on our Money blog.

Product Preview: Toro Power Clear 180 gas-powered snow blower

If you're in the market for a new snow blower—perhaps one tested for our October 2009 report on snow blowers (like our full ratings, available to subscribers)—you probably don't want to wait too long to buy one. One morning soon enough you'll wake up to find your driveway and walks blanketed by a thick layer of snow that needs removal. Just ask the folks in Colorado who were recently greeted by a major snowstorm.

At the 2009 Green Industry and Equipment Expo, outdoor-power-equipment makers announced many new electric- and gas-powered snow blowers, one of which in particular caught my eye: the Toro Power Clear 180 (shown), which costs about $400 and is sold at Toro dealers and some Home Depot stores. The 180 is one of several Power Clear models Toro announced, and we hope to provide our first impressions of it soon.

The single-stage, gas-powered Toro Power Clear 180 replaces the Toro CCR Powerlite 38182, which we had judged a Don't Buy: Safety Risk because it and the similar 38172 lacked a key safety feature, a handlebar control to stop the auger when released. The Power Clear has a bail that stops the engine as per a voluntary industry safety standard, and releasing it should eliminate the safety risk associated with the 38182/38172. (The company has discontinued the 38182 and 38172, though they might still be available through some online retailers and on eBay.)

The Power Clear 180 has some other enhancements over the 38182/38172. It's powered by a four-cycle overhead-valve engine and provides an 18-inch clearing width, 2 inches wider than that of the 38182/38172. As with other single-stage snow blowers, the design of the Power Clear keeps the blades in contact with the ground, propelling the unit, and this model has a locking deflector on the chute, which means the snow leaving the chute stays at the set height. Finally, both the chute and handle on the Power Clear fold down for easier storage.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guide to snow blowers for more details. And to find the right model for your home, use our interactive feature "Snow Blowers: Which Is Right for You?"

Video buyer's guide to string trimmers

String trimmers are ideal for dealing with grass, weeds, and brush in areas your mower or tractor can't reach, keeping your property tidy and eliminating inviting homes for insects, rodents, and other critters.

If you're in the market for a new string trimmer for next spring or for the last bit of yard work you'll do this fall, check out our free buyer's guide (ratings available to subscribers) and watch the video from our recent tests of string trimmers (right).

The video features advice from Peter Sawchuk, a senior project leader in our Tech department and our go-to guy for testing outdoor power equipment, who discusses the basic types of trimmers and the pros and cons of straight and curved shafts.

Sit down longer with Peter as I get to do, however, and you can get additional details that can make a big difference in how much time you spend on your trimming chores. Take two- and four-cycle. Four-cycle engines are touted as cleaner (less smoke) and more convenient (no need to mix of oil and gas) than two-cycle engines. But results from the four such trimmers we tested demonstrate that four-cycle technology in string trimmers isn't the panacea you might think.

Another consideration relates to the head housing the monofilament line, which does the actual trimming. Fixed-head units use two or more precut pieces of line. Bump-feed models let out line when you bump the head to the ground. And automatic models release more line by themselves when needed.

As part of our Spring 2010 report on string trimmers, we'll look at models whose very designs tend to wear out line sooner than you might expect, others whose manufacturers have learned how to keep tall growth from wrapping around the shaft, and one that couldn't seem to keep its head together.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our "Fall Lawn and Yard Checklist" for details on tending to all facets of your property, and keep your power equipment in shape with our "End-of-Season Lawn-Equipment Guide." You'll find other tips on our Fall Cleanup Guide page.

What's new in Consumer Reports: Home content from the December 2009 issue

The December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports is loaded with coverage of items that will make practical gifts or spectacular additions to any household. (Some items below are available only to subscribers.)

Low-cost, high-performing coffeemakers. We found excellent coffeemakers that cost $20, $40, and $70; the top-rated model topped out at $100. And for $80, you can buy an excellent brew-station type that lets you fill cups directly from the machine.

Lack of versatility dogs pet-hair vacuums. Many vacuums are specifically marketed as the solution to pet-hair problems, but we found none provided a universal panacea. Instead, two mainstream Hoover models stood out for being excellent against pet hair, very good on bare floors, and excellent at cleaning carpets and limiting emissions.

Microwaves that do more. Want convection and speed cook modes? Countertop models from Kenmore and newcomer-to-the-field Cuisinart and an over- the-range model from Samsung offer both; the Cusinart and Samsung also offer grill modes for a taste of summer during the cold months. We also took a look at the innovative Sharp SuperSteam Oven AX-1200[K].

Ranges that make the grade. Induction models are hot, but our tested ones remain pricey at $3,000. Instead, we found four under-$800 ranges from Kenmore and GE that outscored pricier ranges from Dacor and Viking. Move up to the $1,500-to-$2,000 price point, and you'll get a range with a second oven or cooking drawer.

Paper towels in store. Our tests confirmed a similar trend among foods, where store brands outperformed national brands. So you might want to pick some up when you're buying wrapping paper. We also found something for greens to celebrate: One brand of recycled paper performed very well overall. Watch the video on how we test paper towels (above).

Light's (you should toss) out. Discard holiday lights after three seasons. Here's a checklist of things to look for and safe practices to follow when hanging holiday lights.

The evolution of Frigidaire's logo and brand identity

Frigidaire's new look gets a cool reception from one blogger

If you're into graphic design and/or appliances, you might enjoy "Ninety Years of Refrigerators, and Logos," an interesting post on Brand New, a site that covers corporate-brand-identity strategies. In the item, author Debbie Millman focuses on Frigidaire, tracing the appliance maker's logo from its original crown design with embedded "F" through cursive versions to the current all-caps iteration (shown right).

The latest look doesn't seem a winner for Millman: "The placement of the red triangle results in breaking the word Frigidaire into two separate words: Frigid and Ire. Given that these products are specifically marketed to moms, this messaging system is likely not going to appeal to anyone."

Logo design aside, product performance and brand reliability are what probably matter most to you. Like other brands, Frigidaire has gone up and down in these departments through the years, no matters its logo design. I can't help but think of this quote from renowned quipster Will Rogers: "Let advertisers spend the same amount of money improving their product that they do on advertising, and they wouldn't have to advertise it."

If you're in the market for new appliances, stay up on the news related to the $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, also known as cash for clunkers for appliances. And see how Frigidaire stacks up against the competition across all appliance categories, using our ratings and brand-reliability data.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check our Kitchen-Planning Guide for expert advice on remodeling your kitchen.

Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Latest tests of string trimmers

In the market for a new string trimmer for next spring or even now? If you live in the Sun Belt, you're still likely actively tending to your property, with those of us in northern climates taking one or two last passes at overgrown areas of the property during fall cleanup. Here's what's new from our tests of more than two dozen new string trimmers.

One interesting new battery-powered model, the Black & Decker NST2036, is intended to be the first such trimmer capable of handling the tougher cutting jobs normally reserved for gasoline-powered trimmers. Powered by a very large 36-volt nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery and equipped with a dual-string head, it's capable enough to rival some of the less-powerful gas models at trimming, including on tougher tall grass and weeds. But at 14.5 pounds, the NST2036 is among the heaviest string trimmers we tested, and with a price tag of $250, it's among the most expensive. What's more, recharge time for the NiCd battery is 12 to 16 hours, and a replacement costs $100. (Visit the Call2Recycle Web site or call 877-2-RECYCLE to find a local recycler of spent rechargeable batteries.)

New this year are propane-powered string trimmers with cleaner-burning, environmentally friendly fuel. But at $210, the Lehr ST025DC (right in photo above) and $290 Craftsman 79212 (left) are among the most expensive we've tested. And at 16 and 17 pounds, respectively, these trimmers are 4 to 5 pounds heavier than most gasoline models, and that doesn't include the nearly 2-pound screw-on propane tank you have to use.

Using pressurized propane gas, which come in containers sold at hardware stores, home centers, or sporting-goods stores, you might expect near-instantaneous starting. What we experienced, however, is that these engines often required one or two more pulls of the starter cord than did most two-cycle gasoline engines we tested. Also, the hose connecting the propane tank protrudes from the trimmer and can bang or catch on anything you brush past.

An additional concern, especially if you tend to ignore instructions, is that the owner's manual for these trimmers and a sticker on each product instruct you to disconnect the fuel line from the propane tank after each use. If you don't, the trimmer might leak and create a safety hazard.

When considering string trimmers, buy a model that not only feels right in your hand but also does the best job, considering your property's needs and your budget. For the most power against the toughest growth, the Stihl HomeScaper Series FS 45, $150, and FS 45 C Easy2Start, $170 (full ratings available to subscribers) remain among our top picks.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out our free buyer's guide to string trimmers and make easier work of fall cleanup and end-of-season equipment maintenance.