Hi Everyone,
As promised, I am continuing with reviews of my kitchen appliances, plus sources! If you’ve already read part 1, please click the link below to skip to part 2. If you’re landing here for the first time, please continue reading from the top.
Part 2 Begins Here
Hi Everyone,
Ugh, I’m sick. However, I’ve wanted to begin a full list of everything I purchased for my renovation and review each purchase.
So, I’ll begin with something relatively easy: the kitchen appliances.
Please note:
At the end of the post, there will be a widget with the kitchen appliances. If you click on the image, you’ll be taken to a source where you can purchase it online.
Please know that these are unbiased opinions about my kitchen appliances. I paid full price for everything except for the Zephyr Monsoon Connect range hood.
The Zephyr range hood, I actually won in a contest back in 2017.
I could’ve given it to Mrs. F for her kitchen but had forgotten about it. The deadline to claim my prize had long expired. However, I contacted the rep, who didn’t hesitate one second to send me whatever I wanted.
I knew I needed a 30 “insert to go inside my cabinet. It also needed to have recirculating capabilities. Although the one I got, the Monsoon, is not inherently recirculating, there is an adapter one can purchase. We had a pleasant surprise during installation: the hood is vented to the outside.
The Zephyr Monsoon Connect is a fantastic kitchen appliance.
I’ve never had a range hood like this. It’s the Maserati of range hoods. My former range hoods were 2-stroke engine leaf blowers. The Zephyr has five settings, from whisper quiet to, yes, Monsoon level. That would only be necessary for pot burners like me.
For normal cooking, two or three is adequate and easy to listen to.
Some say a range hood isn’t necessary. It is if you want to keep grease out of your lungs and off of your cabinetry and walls!
Underneath the range hood is a glass top electric range by Bertazzoni.
Several of you tried to talk me into getting the induction range.
Several of you should’ve tried harder. haha
Now, don’t get me wrong. The electric is about as good as they come in terms of radiant electric ranges. However, when I stayed at my neighbor’s last summer and used her induction range, I realized I had made a mistake.
1. You already know it takes only seconds for water to boil. It’s the freakiest!
2. When you turn the burner off– it’s OFF!
3. The range top isn’t hot; only the pots get hot.
4. It’s a cleaner, much more efficient way of cooking.
Alas, I bought the range early on in the process and was worried about how far my money would go, so I figured it would be fine.
It’s the same with the induction glass top, but I think it’s worse on the radiant electric. The glass top gets grody if you look at it. However, I discovered Weiman’s glass cleaner thanks to a woman who left her cleaning products on my patio. (My door was busted for a couple of weeks, and she had the audacity to leave her stuff there!)
Still, it’s a joy not to have those little metal pans not to have to clean. And also nothing soupy can boil over into the inner workings of the range top.
The other advantage is when I’m not cooking, the glass top makes a great counter.
But, otherwise, it’s by far the nicest range I’ve ever had. Two things. I wish it would state the temperature. You can set it, but it doesn’t actually say what temperature the oven is. I do like a clock and timer on my ovens, but I guess that’s considered declasse.
In addition to the Bertazzoni, I got a Breville compact countertop oven last fall to go inside the kitchen pantry.
The kitchen pantry is where I made another avoidable mistake.
In all fairness, I was often overwhelmed and couldn’t always focus on minutiae, like how much space I had inside my kitchen pantry. Well, I’m human. The pantry really needed to be at least 3 inches wider. Yes, it would’ve been possible. There is enough wiggle room with some small, doable adjustments. I was determined to keep the pantry and fridge the exact same size.
I mean, like, does anyone care?
No.
Would anyone ever notice?
Absolutely not!
In fact, they ended up NOT being the same size, anyway.
The pantry is about an inch and a half smaller than the fridge cabinet. No, it should’ve been 1.5″ bigger.
The problem is that there is far less choice for countertop ovens and microwaves that are 18″ or less.
Still, I adore my little Breville compact convection oven. It works very well and the convention feature heats items up more quickly.
Truth be told, I rarely use the big oven. I don’t need to heat up that huge box for my Trader Joe’s frozen dinner or a single baked potato. It’s also a terrific toaster. It does take a little longer than a conventional upright toaster, but the browning is quite even and it can toast up to six slices at once.
Okay, let’s move on to the next of the kitchen appliances – the microwave.
I got this one because it said it was 17.6″ wide, which is perfect, and I thought it would like charming in the pantry.
The only problem is that these things protrude on each side, making it about 19″ wide. So it doesn’t fit by about 3/4″.
All of these measurements are incorrect! However, I was going on the ones I saw below the image.
The machine is more powerful than my old Nostalgia, but it’s also a bit noisier and has a cheap feel.
That’s because it is cheap. lol
I should’ve sent it back. However, I was enamored by the fact that I could stop the bell from beeping by opening the door after the first beep, and I got it the day of my kidney biopsy. However, there’s a light on whenever the door is open. I only want the light on while cooking. After making something steamy, I like to leave the door ajar for a few minutes to let it dry out, but the bloody light is still on.
I’m not thrilled with it being on the counter, so I will save my nickels for a better appliance. Maybe the Midea Commercial microwave in the widget below.
Okay, I’ve run out of steam, *although I am feeling better; therefore, let’s continue the rest of the kitchen appliances on Monday.
* Below is undoubtedly the reason I’m feeling better.
This is my son Cale’s “witches’ brew!” It consists of dried beech bark, fresh sliced ginger and turmeric, black peppercorns, lemon, and honey. All of that is boiled for several minutes and left to steep. Then, it can be reheated, and you can add more water and reheat it a couple of times.
Below is the widget I promised you.
xo,
*********************************************************
Part 2 Begins Here
Tuesday, 2.4.2025
Hi Everyone,
Hope you’re all doing well this first week of February.
It’s my birthday week! I was born on February 7, 1956.
Anyway, my son Cale is gone, and my cold is mostly gone, too. Hooray! It’s weird, though. I had a lot of energy on Sunday, and today, Tuesday, I’m dragging. Oh well. I’m sure that tomorrow will be better again.
Okay, let’s continue with the remainder of my kitchen appliances, beginning with a true story.
Once upon a time in the year 2022, Laurel believed that many vendors would be overjoyed to give her free products in exchange for publicity.
Laurel was wrong. Not only were they not willing, most were completely dismissive.
I am sharing this because I had decided long ago that I wanted a Bertazzoni range.
1. I love the look of them. They get an A for style.
2. Nancy Keyes (of the gorgeous home and kitchen) told me she loves the brand.
3. They are high-end but not in the stratosphere of a LaCanche.
In 2022, I had a connection who was 95% sure we could get a deal with Fisher & Paykel.
I know. F&P is a wonderful brand. And I had actually cooked on Mary’s beautiful range, which was fantastic! Yes, Bronxville Mary, whom I helped with her kitchen.
So, there were some problems with this. That deal would’ve included a fridge and a 24″ dishwasher or their cool dishwasher drawers. While waiting for them to make up their minds, I worked diligently on the kitchen design.
The only way I could do the 24″ dishwasher would’ve disturbed the symmetry of the design I wanted for my new kitchen. And boohoo, F&P doesn’t make an 18″ dishwasher. As an aside, I’m super happy with the kitchen’s layout. All the time I spent designing it was worth it in the end.
Another problem with F&P’s 24″ refrigerator is that it is really 24.”
I know that sounds funny. But not all 24 inchers are the same. In fact, there are a few that are under 22″ wide, and that size worked better for my design.
So, I decided that the same contact could pursue Bertazzoni, and I’d happily take their more narrow fridge and an 18-inch dishwasher.
After all, their ranges are so terrific, so how bad can their refrigerator and dishwasher be?
Well, I have the answer to that one now. However, Bertazzoni jerked us around mercilessly. But— I had to tell Mel at Crown Point what appliances I was using for their specs. So, I figured I would do the Bertazzoni appliances.
Finally, after four months, Bert said, “Sorry, no deal.” However, it was too late for me to tell my kitchen designer at Crown Point Cabinetry that we were switching appliances.
But, if I knew in the summer of 2023 what I knew six months later, I would never have ordered the fridge and dishwasher from Bertazzoni. That’s because the answer to how bad can they be is:
Nightmarishly bad.
Let’s begin with the easier of the two lemons, the dishwasher. It’s easy because I never used it. It wasn’t even fully hooked up. That’s because it was discovered to be dented in numerous spots. In addition, it looked and felt cheap. And it doesn’t have a third rack. Because of the damage, Wayfair didn’t hesitate to give me a full refund. They told me: “You can do whatever you want with the dishwasher.”
Yes, that’s what they said.
But then, there was the Bertazzoni sliver of a fridge. It, too, felt cheap, but not just cheap. It was a child who couldn’t and would stop whining at all hours of the day and night. I could hear it from the other side of the living room. Many of you will recall my complaints.
Aside from the constant noise, the freezer was a total joke. I took out both of the drawers to make more room. But the interior was still teensy and ridiculously shallow.
After months of back-and-forth, including a visit from their repair guy who said the POS it was a write-off, I finally got a refund for about 3/4 of what I paid.
However, there was another potential headache:
That was finding a much better refrigerator that would also fit in the space allotted by the built-in cabinet.
Melissa of the charming NJ kitchen (please see more, here.) who helped me for several years before retiring 100%, has a Blomberg and loves it.
I measured and remeasured more times than I care to admit. Yes, they had one that would fit. It came pretty quickly.
And Brendan and Eugene installed both the new Blomberg fridge and Bosch 18″ dishwasher.
The biggest miracle is that the panels custom-made for the two original kitchen appliances fit the new ones perfectly. Oh, that was another problem.
The DW panel that was made with the Bertazzoni specs didn’t even come close to fitting, but it fits perfectly for the Bosch.
So, how did these two replacements turn out?
Both of these kitchen appliances are fantastic! The Blomberg has a much more solid feel. It is quiet as can be, and the drawers and shelves come out and back in super easily. It’s a beautifully designed kitchen appliance.
And while the freezer is the same height as the Bertazzoni, it is at least 3 inches deeper. That extra depth makes a world of difference.
I am equally happy with my Bosch dishwasher. It is whisper-quiet and does a terrific job.
Don’t you have trouble fitting in big pots in that tiny dishwasher, Laurel?
Well, I had trouble fitting in my big soup pots in the 24″ too.
It isn’t a problem. I don’t need the silverware thingy as I use the third rack. In fact, I far prefer it to the 24″ because I run it almost every day, and it’s much easier to empty. It holds quite a bit.
So, there it is for the major kitchen appliances.
The only appliances left are the stackable washer and dryer, also by Bosch. I’m happy with them, too. The dryer is ventless so like all ventless dryers, it does take longer to dry, but it’s such a pleasure having the machines in the privacy of my home.
Below is the widget again.
xo,
***Please check out the recently updated HOT SALES
There is now an Amazon link on my home page and below.
Please note that I have decided not to create a membership site. However, this website is very expensive to run. To provide this content, I rely on you, the kind readers of my blog, to use my affiliate links whenever possible for items you need and want. There is no extra charge to you. The vendor you’re purchasing from pays me a small commission.
To facilitate this, some readers have asked me to put
A link to Amazon.com is on my home page.
Please click the link before items go into your shopping cart. Some people save their purchases in their “save for later folder.” Then, if you remember, please come back and click my Amazon link, and then you’re free to place your orders. While most vendor links have a cookie that lasts a while, Amazon’s cookies only last up to 24 hours.
Thank you so much!
I very much appreciate your help and support!
Related Posts
The First Renovation Tour Of The Upstairs Living Areas! (Parts 1 & 2)
The Best Lighting Ideas You Can Steal! (from me)
Little Known Secrets On The Design Process
How Much Does A Whole House Renovation Really Cost?
Little Kitchen Details That Make a Huge Difference!
My Extensive Renovation. Here’s Why I Did It.
The Bright Light at the End of the Renovation Tunnel
65 Responses
Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s really helpful to hear how your kitchen appliances are holding up over time—especially when so many look great on paper but don’t always deliver in day-to-day use. I’ve been researching a few options myself, and insights like this definitely help narrow things down. Appreciate the honest take!
Happy birthday Laurel—you and I were born in the same year… I have a few months to go. In high school,? I would’ve been insanely jealous of your February birthday, because you would’ve gotten your drivers license four months before me.!! your kitchen turned out beautifully! I have a Bosch dishwasher and in fact my last three dishwashers have been Bosch -and they have lasted- I’ve been the one that moved!
HI Laurel!
Your kitchen looks beautiful! Happy you got the Bosch dishwasher. We have had 3 and like them quite a lot.
Our Atlanta house keeps showing up on these “design” blogs and so many people accuse it of being AI. As you know it isn’t, but every once in while one of your kind followers puts the link to your blog to give me credit! So a gift that keeps giving as you have always been so generous on your blog. Stay well XOXO Nancy
Hi Nancy,
I guess it’s a sort of back-handed compliment that people think you used AI to update your home.
I’m grateful to you for allowing me to share it!
Happy Birthday, Laurel! Hope your day is filled with happiness and peace – and of course some well deserved fun!
We purchased Frigidaire Professional appliances when we built our new home. This was Covid and we had very little to choose from. I wanted the Bertazzoni but was not possible with the supply chain issues.The stove is good, love the look and after 2 years, would purchase again. It’s a glass top, which I have had great experiences with. I rarely use chemicals to clean, just water and a good microcloth but in a pinch, I really like Bar Keepers Friend, cooktop cleaner. Works like a charm and is at a great price point, using just over a bottle in 2 years.Now the refrigerator is another story. We ordered a small model without water in the door. I think they delivered at least 4 and all had dents in the left side of the door. Frigidaire was aware of this issue but of no real help. After months of back and forth, the store did give us a credit and we are thankful of that but so disappointed in the brand. We did a custom kitchen, specifically using that model and the suggestion or solution they all could come up with was to use a magnet to cover the dents. So helpful! The dishwasher is good, works very well but the top rack does not dry but there is a light that shines on the floor when the cycle is finished and for some reason, I really like that. The dishes on the 2 other racks come out perfect and I don’t pre rinse. I have the microwave in the pantry and although pricey, works for me. I’m not sure I would pay that much for a microwave again.
All this to say, I long for the good old days of customer service and Sears but they are gone forever. I was talking to a repair man not long ago and he said that most of the appliances are all the same, to buy the lowest price model, forget about the bells and whistles and when it breaks get a new one. What does that say for the environment but his take was for appliances like mine 5 to 7 years, if you’re lucky.
Some higher brands were better but no more cost effective.
The washer/ dryer is LG, I like them but too many settings, I use 2 of 14
You have done such a wonderful job with your new home. This post is especially helpful right now. I looked in your early postings and couldn’t find it…could you please tell me the dimensions of your kitchen? Trying to help my daughter plan a reno. She lives in Cambridge. Hers is a teeny galley and needs to stay one. But you’ve managed to get so much in a small space yet have it look spacious. An inspiration!
Happy Birthday tomorrow, Laurel!
You really went through a lot to get a functioning kitchen, what a horror story!
Since I’m not in the US, not much point commenting on appliances. But I took great pleasure in reading a comment on the problems with an Aga range, as the British devotion to Agas is one of my pet hates. They were a great invention in 1922, but that doesn’t maker them great now.
For what it’s worth, I think that one should go for what a given company specialises in. I have the heating stuff from Gaggenau (separate double wall oven, now 42 years old) and induction hob (nearly 20 years old), the cooling stuff from Liebherr (small freezer, now 30 years old, two refrigerators) and the washing machine — don’t have a dishwasher — from Bosch. Small appliances from Philips (blender and electric beaters, both excellent) and mini food processor from Cuisinart, and that’s the lot.
No point commenting, I said, but I’ve done it all the same (!), might be useful to a few people.
Laurel,
Happy Birthday. Thank you for reviewing your appliances. I purchased the 18 inch Bosch panel-ready dishwasher in a prior home and it worked great.
In 2020 my husband and I purchased a new house. The came with a 25 year old subzero refrigerator, non-induction electric range, a Kitchen Aid dishwasher, and a microwave over the range. My husband ordered a new 30 inch GE Cafe stainless steel double oven slide-in induction a few days after closing on the house. Due to supply chain issues it took almost a year for the range to arrive. It is fantastic! The range top is easy to clean. My husband prefers a concoction of primarily distilled water. I can use my Le Creuset dutch ovens on the cooktop. The double oven is very useful. As for the other kitchen appliances the microwave recently died and a countertop unit is being used for the time being. The Kitchen Aid dishwasher doesn’t dry the top rack well. This is probably the next appliance we will replace. We had the 25 year old Subzero serviced two years ago and fingers crossed it still works well.
I almost got that same Bertazzoni…but I got an AGA induction instead. I need to make a PSA for your readers. It was nearly 50% off because the color was being discontinued (it’s a cream color that they replaced with…cream). That means it was still absurdly expensive but the looks drew me in, and I figured something that pricey would work well. Induction is great, the AGA is not. It looks great–simple, no gadgets. But the burners are tiny (they don’t spread to the outside of the pan well, not even with cast iron), and while I love that the top looks all black–no tacky speckles–it’s SO hard to see where the burners are. The oven is no better than the 1990s Kenmore it replaced. It blows hot air out, the convection tends to burn things, not bake them more evenly, the light isn’t automatic so I have a tendency to forget to turn it off (there’s no oven window), and the knobs are upside down–in order to see if it’s at 350 I have to squat down to the floor to see the numbers. The racks are a pain to remove and adjust. And the whole thing is weird–the door is a different color (slightly) than the warming drawer, it’s a little offset and the tech couldn’t fix it, etc.
I have a Bosch 800 series dishwasher too. It’s quiet and works pretty well. We got it way discounted because it was a scratch-and-dent…but it’s panel-ready, so I never figured out what was dented.
Thanks, Jill for the AGA information. I had a client years ago who had one and hated it, but I didn’t ask her why. I did know about the hot air blowing out. I’ve heard that in the UK, they use that heat to help heat the house, but here, that’s most likely redundant.
Hi Laurel, thank you for sharing your home with me. Just beautiful!! Can you please share a photo of the inside of your cabinet where your toaster oven is? I’d love to do something similar in my pantry but am not sure how to set it up and the electrical part of it. You are the best! Thank you!
Hi Holly,
I’ll try to do that soon.
Happy Birthday on Friday! I hope your day is special Laurel.
I loved watching your remodeling progress along with feeling sympathy for the trials and tribulations encountered (which we all have experienced). Your place looks soooo lovely. Would you consider having a professional videographer take a video of the entire home and perhaps put it on YouTube? I’m sure many of us would watch that more than once! Thank you.
Hi Jean,
One day, when the place is more finished, and if the funds are there. Right now, everything is still very precarious with my little business. (This website) And I have to be mindful not to overdo it.
Hi Laurel,
Happy birthday!!! And glad to see you’re on the mend.
First off, what a beautiful kitchen. It’s my dream kitchen. I’ve been following along how you’ve transformed it. You might have mentioned this in a previous post, but I’m just wondering if you can share your floor tile source. 20 yrs ago when I did my kitchen this was exactly what I wanted. But I chickened out and went the terracotta route (very Martha Stewart) bc I worried that it would be too busy to use 2 diff tiles. I’m now planning to redo the kitchen and I’m going to go for it.
Thanks.
Hi Tina,
Well, I gladly would share it, but the floor is wood, not tile. It should’ve been tile, but at the time, NOTHING was happening and I figured it could be painted. It was supposed to be painted, but… I can’t even go there. I’m still traumatized.
Hi Laurel,
We have the same dishwasher. Did your guys make you a custom removable toe kick for it?
I had never heard of Blomberg appliances. I need to look into those. I want to be ready & informed in case one of my appliances quits working. If only Speed Queen made kitchen appliances.
I hope you’re feel 100% by Friday. Happy birthday!!
Hi Mary,
No, there’s no toekick, only the panel cover.
Thanks for the details. When I do the second phase of my kitchen update (new countertops and backsplash last year) I’ll be getting the microwave from above the range and getting a proper hood with a real vented fan. The zephyr looks great.
BTW…you have me by 359 days! My birthday is Feb 1, 1957. Happy almost birthday, Laurel.
Happy belated birthday Mary T!
Hi Laurel! Can you take the light bulb out of the microwave? I am sure there is a way to do this. You will have no light, but that is ok, and it will no longer be annoying.
Hi Laurel, Glad you’re are the mend. Your condo is looking so lovely, amazing touches.
Wanted to say, we got a Bertazoni, 6 burner, gas stove/oven, 3 years ago. My view: I find the knobs controlling the flame very touchy. Providing either not enough flame, too much or they click away with no flame. I may need to get them adjusted. Or take a lesson from Mr. Bertazoni. I find the inside oven grates are not user friendly. They all don’t slide the same. The outside gauges are not user friendly. No sign of what oven temperature you are dealing with. After using the oven and turning off, the fan keeps humming to cool it down. Not quiet. That said, I don’t know how you test all these appliances unless you personally get experience using them. You hope for the best. Take care, please keep us posted as you use this stove over time and what your thoughts are. All the best.
Your kitchen is absolutely beautiful.
Laurel, you certainly had more than your “fair share” of hassles during the renovation, but I know how grateful you are for how everything has turned out. Your kitchen is sublime! It was fun to revisit the post about Melissa’s kitchen. With Nancy Keyes’ help, how could she go wrong?!
Fun trivia: the very first post I ever read of yours was the one featuring the exterior “makeover” of Nancy’s starter home. That was from Nov 26, 2016. I was hooked on your blog from that moment, and I took the time to binge-read every single post from the beginning! Not only have I become much more knowledgeable and uncovered my passion for interior design, but I’ve been fabulously entertained for HOURS! You are the best, Laurel. And glad you are feeling better :]
I ran into the same problem when in 2024 when replacing appliances in a rental house. The Thermador refrigerator is not of the same quality as the line’s gas stove, oven, and microwave. It’s so cheap looking and feeling…the plastic parts are terribly thin and wobbly! And it was not cheap in cost.
To amend something I said earlier; apparently, beech is medicinal in small quantities. I like the idea of making using turmeric, lemon, etc.
There’s a very educational Youtube video about things to know before buying an induction range. It’s by Helen Rennie. It’s called “Induction Stoves – Watch Before You Buy One”. I learned a lot. Helen teaches cooking classes in the Boston area.
When I was kid back in the early 1970’s, my parents bought one of the first glass top stoves. It was made by Corning – a pioneer glass ceramic cooking surfaces. It was Harvest Gold with a white cooktop. I’ve owned a glass top stove since I bought my first home in 1995.
I cook on it everyday and I clean it with Weiman glass top cleaner after every use. I’m don’t agree with the comment about it the cleaner being expensive – I get a 15oz bottle at Walmart for $5 that lasts me about 18 months. You don’t need to use a lot.
Hi SDC,
I agree. I only use a small squirt of the Weiman cleaner. It works well on my nickel faucet and fridge handles, too.
Hi Laurel,
You have a loving son to help you out while you are so sick. Would you be willing to post a link to where you buy the dried beech bark? I have not been able to find it. Thank you!
Hi Brenna,
I don’t buy the beech bark. Cale harvests and dries the bark himself, and hands me a bag with the beech bark when it’s ready to become tea. I just throw in the boiling water and let steep.
I’ve had a glass smooth top since 1998 and it has no noticable scratches. I spritz with a generic cleaner and scrub with a cloth. The Weinmans does make it sparkling. I’m switching to induction this summer! I have the Breville and love it. It does get super hot to the touch. I like the idea of a monsoon vent hood. Open the windows and put the thing on high! Also came in handy when my dog got skunked and came inside.
I have been following your renovation news with keen interest and so appreciate your fresh and honest communication style. I am big on “witches brews.” One suggestion – you might not want to heat the honey with the rest of the ingredients, but add it to the warm liquid after steeping, as that will maintain the healing antibacterial components, antioxidants and enzymes in the honey. Wishing you well and all the best!
Hi Oona,
Thank you for pointing that out. You are so right. The honey is added once the tea is in its cup. I like maple syrup too. Sometimes I add both. One thing about some teas that is horrible is that they make me nauseous unless I have food in my stomach. But this tea with or without ginger never makes me nauseous. It’s quite soothing and slightly sweet on its own. But, not sweet enough for me. haha.
Just diagnosed w/ flu from my Dr office. Put me on anti-viral -Theraflu ( best to use within 24 hrs onset).
5 days later, 80% improved✅
Making chicken soup now !!
This A -flu virus really kicked my arse 🫏. lol
Be Well 🦋
Feel better, Janet! This is so weird. Normally, I am sick with a cold for at least a week if not two weeks. Only 48 hours ago I had a fever over 100. Super achey, congested, headache, malaise. I could barely drag myself up the stairs.
Today, the cold is 90% gone. No fever. No headache. No body aches, or runny nose. I walked four miles and went up and down the stairs all day long!
I love the idea of a witches’ brew which seems like a way to stay healthy, in general. Whenever I feel the first signs of a scratchy throat, I take Dr. Shen’s Yin Chiao, to head off a cold and then go to bed.
I read, with interest, your experience with Breville. I had the Air Fryer but it was taking up too much real estate on my countertop so I gave it to a friend. I would like a smaller version.
I, too, have a glass top stove and wish I had gotten an induction…waiting for a few years for that. I use Mrs. Meyer’s baking soda cream cleaner to clean my stovetop and it is great on my stainless steel sink, as well. I love the idea of using distilled water, thanks, Nancy.
I love following your adventures in remodeling. You have been through so much but you have inspired me in my own remodel. I was first inspired by your yellow room with wonderful screen. Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for the tips, Mary Anne.
I’ve heard that a smoothtop stove can’t handle heavy pots, like banners, bc they crack. I miss my smooth top, and really dislike gas. Am saving up for a kitchen remodel and will hold out for an induction range!
Hope you feel better soon, Laurel, and thanks for the recipe! I’ve been adding garlic to all our soup broth this week – my dad had asthma, and after he started downing a clove every night, he told me he never had an asthma attack again (not sure what my mom thought about it tho! 😂)
Thanks for sharing – I’m looking forward to the rest of your product lists!
I had an early model electric glass top range and i broke the glass when a cast iron skillet i was using at high heat stuck to the glass and broke it when I finally was able to pull it off. Is this still an issue with glass tops – induction or electric? My mom broke hers also but still uses it…
Hi Anna,
Good question. I don’t know the answer. There’s probably a Reddit forum discussing it, however.
Sorry to hear that you’re sick. Rest up and get well soon. ❤️
Thanks, Gail. I do feel better! And yes, I decided to do as little as possible on Friday.
I love my induction and so thrilled not to be cleaning a gas stove ever again. Plus breathing the fumes never again. I also love my Breville toaster oven like yours. I know you can find a small enough microwave out there if you don’t need it to be fancy or super powerful.
Did you consider a drawer microwave? I really like mine and haven’t had any trouble with it. Opens up so much countertop space.
I have loved following your remodel and refer to your posts ofter during my home remodel!
Hi Devon,
Yes, I did, but there’s no space for one.
My understanding is that the Breville exterior gets too hot to use while inside the pantry. Have you noticed that or do you pull it out when using?
Hi Cara,
Yes, it does get hot, but it’s on a sliding shelf and I pull it out all the way and leave it out while it’s cooling off.
In my late in life kitchen guy remodel I was going for a wolf range. Meanwhile I was using an induction hob in my basement temp kitchen. I pulled the plug on gas and totally redesigned kitchen. Today my “range” are 4 Breville control freak induction hobs. Love them! Not cheap. No regrets. Love the breville air fryer toaster oven. Hope the witch’s brew does its job!
Hi Laurel,
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. I’m sure the weather isn’t helping.
After living in my home for almost 3 years, not getting an induction range is my biggest regret. I was on a tight budget & thought a gas range would be more affordable. And the previous homeowner had a gas range so no additional work had to be done by my contractor. He had mentioned that an induction or even an electrical range would require wiring. That was money I preferred at the time to go towards wallpaper. Yes, I was young & dumb.
Where’s your blue microwave that you used to have? It was cute.
Hi Mary,
The old micro is on top of the mini fridge under the stairs. So cute! I’ve only used it once. I try to make myself go upstairs if I want to reheat my tea.
I have cooked on high-end gas stoves and induction cooktops. There is no comparison—induction is much faster, more responsive, and significantly cleaner. The off-gassing from a gas stove can cause or at least exacerbate asthma, especially in children. Induction is also very easy to clean, and you don’t need a gas hookup or a propane tank attached to your house
Love that you call it witches brew! I have done something similar except no birch bark and it is helping. And I don’t simmer the honey; I add a bit to each mug as I drink it. We have Bosch appliances and their manuals say to use 409 spray on the stainless. I was surprised at how well it works and it doesn’t take much IF I use a high quality microfiber cloth (I get mine from Flylady). I also use a microfiber cloth with a very small amount of water on the glass top (induction) range like Nancy and it works great. Will have to try distilled water. Once a week or so, we polish the glass top with the Weiman.
Hi Elle,
Yes, my bad. There’s no honey in the brew until it goes in the cup. In addition to losing some of it’s benefits by cooking the honey, if it’s in the pot, and I spill, or I should say when I spill, it would only make everything very sticky.
Laurel, so you like the Weiman glass cleaner – me too! I use their products – I especially like their granite and solid stone cleaners. They have 2 – one that cleans and disinfects and the other cleans, seals, and polishes. I have used both with great satisfaction – so if you are still looking for something to clean your marble counters, you might like Weiman’s. And am sorry you are under the weather, feel better and stay warm. Our Massachusetts weather is Arctic lately.
Hi Marlene,
Thanks, I’ll look for the marble cleaner.
Also, Soft Srub is what I use on my glass top range.
The Breville air fryer pro is an amazingly versatile appliance…
Hi Leonard,
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t fit in my cabinet. I was also looking at their three in one, but that too, is too wide. Oh well.
Thank You for the marvelous tips and the “witches brew” recipe. My significant other is having a tough time getting over his winter sickness and I’d love to try to make this concoction but I can’t seem to find dried beech bark, can you tell me where Cale purchases the dried beech bark?
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
Cale doesn’t buy it. He harvests and dries it himself. He has made rumblings about starting a business, but as of yet, I do not see any hint of an entrepreneurial spirit. But, you never know.
Good Morning, Laurel,
Have you ever tried ionic zinc drops in water as a “cure” or to lessen the effects of a sore throat or cold?
It comes in a dropper bottle and 12 drops in about 16 ounces of water is my “brew” of choice.
I buy it online. It can deter a cold at the outset or lessen the length of time it hangs on.
Just another idea for you.
Hope you get well soon.
Hi Allyson,
No, I’ve not heard of that one. Thanks for sharing, and yes, I feel much better today.
Thankful the Witch’s Brew made you well enough to share your invaluable reviews and tips. I’m trying the distilled water on all my stainless appliances!
Laurel, you don’t have to waste the expensive Weimar cleaner for the induction cooktop every time you need to wipe it down. Have on hand a small spray bottle of distilled water. You can spritz on as soon as you get a splatter and wipe up with a paper towel. Unlike tap water, which will leave a residue if you try to wipe up while the cooktop is still warm, the distilled water will clean while the mess has not had time to bake on and leave no hard water residue.For really greasy splatters, wipe with a warm soapy sponge, then finish off with the distilled water spray.
I bought the Weiman cleaner, but it is still mostly full after a year because the distilled water trick is sufficient most of the time.