3 Reasons to Buy A French Door Fridge

There are so many different options for refrigerators. There are top-mount, French doors, bottom mount, side-by-side, and more. It is hard to distinguish which one is the best choice. Here are three reasons why people like the conference of having a French door refrigerators.

1. Do you hate bending down to find things in crisper drawers way at the bottom of the fridge? And do you sometimes forget what is in there because you can't easily see into it? Not with a French door refrigerator. The crisper drawer's are high enough for you to reach in and see into the refrigerator more easily. You can find your food easier and you do not have to bend down.

2. Usable space is optimal in a French door style fridge. With the 2 main doors up top, the width of the fresh food section is the best possible set up! You can easily reach for a deli tray, cookie sheet, or a large pizza box right in the middle of the fridge.

3. Options!  French door fridges come in a variety of set ups that are more customized to your needs. You can choose 3 door, 4 door, or even a 5 door set up. Another great option that is nice with French doors is having temperature controlled drawers. This allows you to change the temperature of the drawers that can either be used as a fridge or a freezer.

Ultimately the decision is up to you with what type of refrigerator is best for your space and family size. Hopefully, we have answered some questions about the French door option that would make you want to pick this option.

Have any more questions about different types of refrigerators? Leave them in the comments section or give us a call and we can help!

5 Trick-Or-Treat Tips for Parents

Boo! Halloween has certainly snuck up on us this year, and your little ghouls and goblins are gearing up excitedly for their big trick-or-treating adventure. Here are some helpful hints for you and your kids to get the most out of your big Halloween night out so you can have a safe and happy Halloween.

1. Wear Comfortable Clothes- Parents, keep in mind that your little ones are full of excitement and energy (not to mention candy!) so you can anticipate at least a couple hours’ worth of roaming around your neighborhood during trick-or-treating time. Make sure to wear weather-appropriate clothes and comfortable shoes so you aren’t howling like a werewolf with every step of your Halloween journey!

2. Light Up the Night- Halloween is a dark and spooky night full of fun and mischief! Just make sure you don’t let it get TOO dark- keep yourself and your children well-lit and easy for passing motorists to spot as you cross the street. You can purchase cool glow sticks or adorn your children with light-up accessories to make them highly visible when crossing to the houses on the next block.

3. Skip Masks- Yes, we know Batman is nothing without his mask, and we admit that a Darth Vader without his iconic black helmet lacks a certain something, but masks can get in the way of safety and comfort during trick-or-treat time. Encourage your children to opt for mask-free costumes, or to use makeup in lieu of a mask for the desired effect. Not only will this increase their visibility as they walk through the neighborhood, but it will also help them to breathe better.

4. Inspect the Loot- Once trick-or-treating is through and it’s time to head home with your candy haul, make sure to look over all of your kids’ treats carefully. If you spot any unwrapped candy, or see anything that looks suspicious, remove it from your children’s stash and dispose of it. Stick with the mini candy bars and non-candy treats that are obviously still in their original wrappers, for safety’s sake.

5. Limit the Props- Unless you want to be stuck carrying Captain America’s shield, a couple of lightsabers AND a basket with Toto inside all evening long, encourage the kids to leave handheld props home. Your children will have their hands full with their trick-or-treat bags, and you can guess who will end up carrying all of their accessories! Not only that, but long props such as swords or a Grim Reaper scythe can pose a tripping hazard for both your kids and random passers-by.

The Interstate Appliance staff wishes all of you a safe and happy Halloween!

5 Ways to Help Organize Your Refrigerator for the Freshest Food

Are you sick of your milk spoiling a few days before the expiration date? The problem could be where you put your milk in the refrigerator. Take the extra time to stock your fridge carefully to cut down on food waste.

Depending on how old or new your refrigerator is or even the special features of your specific model or brand there can be areas that you should watch out for.  Areas like door bins and upper shelves tend to be a little warmer than the middle of the refrigerator or the bottom shelves.  Here are a few steps to help you with placing your food and drinks in the best possible areas to maintain freshness.

1. The Refrigerator Doors

The temperature in the doors can be a couple of degrees higher than the main compartment. This could be too warm to store milk and eggs in. Here are items that you should place in the doors that can handle the slight change:

• Condiments
• Juice
• Soda or soft drinks
• Water
• Butter
• Cooking oils

2. The Lower Shelf

The very middle of you fridge is one of the coldest areas to store food. This spot is best for foods that are more temperature-sensitive. Here are the foods that should be on the lower shelf:

• Milk
• Eggs (in their carton)
• Raw fish, meat, and poultry

Extra tip: You can use little trays to separate the meat from the other foods and they will also catch any drips or spills falling down into the rest of the refrigerator.

3. The Upper Shelf

This area of the refrigerator can get slightly warmer and you want to be cautious as to what you put in this area. Here are items that you should put on the upper shelf:

• Yoghurt
• Snacks like (fruit cups, hummus, etc.)
• Jelly and Jam
• Peanut butter
• Leftovers (store more in the front of the fridge so you don’t forget about them)

4. Veggie and Fruit Bins

Crisper drawers are designed for produce. In some refrigerators you can adjust the humidity for drier foods or moister climate foods.  If you do not have the ability to adjust the humidity, that is okay and you can organize your bins in a way that low versus high humidity foods are stored together and are separate from each other. Here is a list of fruits and vegetables you can group together:

High- Humidity Drawer

• Carrots
• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Broccoli
• Green Onions
• Leafy Greens
• Brussels sprouts

Low-Humidity Drawer

• Apples
• Mangos
• Pears, plums, peaches, nectarines
• Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Summer squash
• Avocados

5. Outside the Refrigerator

There are common misconceptions for a few foods that should not actually be placed in the refrigerator. Here are a few items that you should keep out on your counter-tops or food pantry:

• Garlic
• Coffee
• Bananas
• Bread (Organic bread should be refrigerated. All bread is okay to freeze)
• Tomatoes
• Lemons and limes
• Onions and Potatoes but keep them away from each other

We hope that these food organization tips help you keep your food fresher longer. Let us know if you have other issues with keeping your food fresh or other questions about organizing your refrigerator. 

Keep Up With These 3 Kitchen Trends

There are constant changes coming to kitchen design and it's a struggle to keep up. These changes are fresh and refreshing. Likely they will remain longer than a simple trend.

Horizontal wood grain is becoming huge for cabinetry in kitchens. This new trend is revitalizing traditional wood cabinetry. Less recessing and molding details on this style of cabinet and more flat. Horizontal wood grains actually makes the kitchen seem wider. Hardware is kept simple and understated. The most popular style of hardware is simple metal, horizontal pulls.  A huge benefit of installing this kind of cabinetry is that it can be paired with other types of wood. The cabinet grain is very prominent, easily pair a wood flooring that has a smaller visible grain. Also, run the other kind of wood grain in a different direction, preferably vertical. This will create a focal point with a clean look!

Another trend is to mix two kinds of cabinets to add dimension and interest. You can even add three different materials to create your own unique cabinet design. The key to pulling this off is to keep the cabinet design simple. Refraining from raised panels or ornate moldings on the cabinet doors. Each different cabinet material is in the same flat panel design, same design to link the cabinets together with different wood grain.

2017 is all about contrast which can easily be seen by the newest appliances coming out in dark but classic colors.  Contrast is the key to keeping a design looking unique and interesting. Monochromatic schemes can be great if done well, but beware of washing out the room. Details get lost in a monochromatic setting and everything just sort of blends together. Creating contrast is one of the best ways to add interest and dimension. Details are noticed and appreciated when contrast comes into play!

If you're looking to set yourself apart but still be trendy try out these ideas.

What is your favorite modern kitchen trend? Leave it in the comments section.

5 Summer Travel Packing Tips

Whether you’re hitting the beach with the family or gearing up for a girls’ getaway in Vegas, it’s important to bring a strong suitcase game to your next vacation. With ever-increasing baggage fees, the art of packing a lot into a little bit of space is more important than ever before! Read on for some helpful hints to improve your packing strategy before you hit the road.

This is How We Roll- Ask any travel expert and they will agree- rolling clothes instead of folding them is where it’s at. Not only do tightly-rolled clothes take up less suitcase space than folded clothes do, but they also emerge from the case a lot less wrinkled than their folded counterparts.

Make a List (Check it Twice)- In this world, there are two types of people: those who fly by the seat of their pants, and those who make lists of the lists they need to make. When it comes to travel, the advantage goes to the list-makers: by creating lists of everything they’ll need to be comfortable and happy during their trip, they’re less likely to forget anything important.

Get the 3-1-1- Have you heard about the TSA’s 3-1-1 rule? If not, get in the know: you are allowed to bring a quart-sizes bag of liquids on board, and these liquids are limited to 3.4 ounces or less per item. FYI- in this case, “liquids” also applies to toothpaste, aerosol cans, gels and creams, so make sure you only have small, travel-size portions of each item.

Layer it On- Pack your bag in layers so the TSA agents can get a better picture of what’s inside. Not only does this make the security check-in process go much more quickly, but it also minimizes the need for TSA to rummage through your bag to make sure it’s safe.

Hang Onto Your Valuables- Everything of considerable value, from expensive jewelry to electronics, should never be checked in the rest of your baggage- make sure to keep it with you at all times. This also goes for items of sentimental value- TSA is not responsible for lost or stolen items, and you will be absolutely heartbroken if you arrive at your destination and can’t find something special.

Travel enthusiasts: did we forget anything? Add your tips in the Comments section!

What is an Induction Range and the Benefits

Bob is here to share with you what induction ranges are. He has tree main reasons why you should think about upgrading to an induction range.



Three Benefits of Induction Ranges Include:

• Faster over all heating and boiling times
• Better control over your temperature 
• Easier to clean and up-keep

Do the benefits make you want to make the switch? Let us know in the comments section.

Toss It! Things You Should Throw Away During Spring Cleaning

We’ve all heard that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, and most of the time that’s true. “Upcycling” has become downright trendy, with people turning their dumpster-diving finds into one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture for their homes. Likewise, repurposed, recycled and reclaimed items are a badge of honor among the younger crowd. The “waste not, want not” mindset behind giving items a second life as something new and unique is commendable and fantastic. Most of the time.

Then there are those things you should absolutely toss in the garbage without delay- things that are so gnarly that they can’t be repurposed by even the most optimistic dumpster-diver. Here are a few household items it’s almost never a good idea to hang on to when you’re organizing your home for spring.

Old cosmetics- If you are or ever have been female, or if you have lived with a female member of society at any point in your life, chances are you are familiar with the Mascara Conundrum. Though common wisdom dictates that a tube of mascara, an eyeliner, or any other cosmetic that touches your eyes should be thrown out once every three months to avoid contamination which leads to eye infections, few women have the heart to actually go through with it. For one thing, cosmetics can be quite pricey, with even the drugstore brands of mascara costing upwards of $6 per tube. Secondly, when you are faced with the possibility of conjunctivitis or the prospect of chucking your limited-edition plum eyeliner sample you received as a free gift with purchase, a good number of women will roll the dice and opt to keep the eyeliner. Hard as it may be, you really need to purge your eye makeup at regular intervals to keep your eyes healthy and infection-free.

Expired food- There are probably no people on earth who need to be told to get rid of their spoiled dairy, meat or produce- at least we hope not! However, dry goods and spices are another story. Since you don’t have to refrigerate these items, people can mistakenly think they never go bad, or that they should be able to keep just fine for indeterminate periods of time in your cupboards or pantry. This is not accurate- there’s a reason for the “use by” dates stamped on most dry goods and non-perishable items. It may seem like a waste to toss out unused food because of an arbitrary date on the box, but you’ll be glad you did.

Broken toys- As your kids get older, it’s natural to want to keep some of their toys as keepsakes or mementos, or even put them away in case they want to pass them onto their own children someday. Additionally, any toys that are still in good shape can be donated to charity so they can be enjoyed by other kids. But there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to keeping toys that are broken. Dolls without heads, trucks without wheels, or puzzles that are missing pieces all need to find their way out of your attic and into a garbage truck ASAP.

If you have any spring cleaning tips, including suggestions for where to toss unwanted items, let us know in the comments below.

Recipe- Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Black-eyed peas have long been a traditional New Year’s favorite. This hearty and delicious soup is a great way to warm up this winter!

Ingredients:

• 1/2  pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound pork sausage
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cups water
• 3 15-oz. cans black-eyed peas, drained
• 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chili peppers (like RO*TEL), undrained
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ tsp. garlic salt
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1 4-oz. Can chopped green chilies
• 4 tsp. Molasses
• 4 beef bouillon cubes
• ¼ tsp. Ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven, cook and stir the pork sausage and ground beef with the onion over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, 10 to 12 minutes; drain off excess fat. Pour in the water, and stir in black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes, tomatoes with green chili, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, salt, canned green chilies, molasses, beef bouillon cubes, black pepper, and cumin until thoroughly mixed.

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Prep time: 15 mins. Cook time: 1 hr. Serves 8.

Self-Cleaning Ovens VS Steam Cleaning Ovens

These two types of cleaning options are the most popular methods for cleaning ovens today.

According to most reports, less than half of the consumers who own a self-cleaning oven actually utilize the self-cleaning feature.

Self-Cleaning Ovens:

This type of oven utilized extreme heat to clean the oven; temperatures can reach up to 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. This extreme heat allows the residue in the oven to be carbonized and literally turn to ash. The ovens smooth enamel coating makes it very easy to wipe away the left over ash created from the self cleaning cycle. While in the self-cleaning mode the range will become very hot to the touch and you need to make sure to keep kids away. The amount of energy required for this type of cleaning is extremely high and time consuming because the cleaning cycle will last around 4 hours where the oven is unusable until the oven temperature drops to a safe temperature. This cleaning method also gives off a very strong smell that many consumers dislike.

Pros:

• This is a very effective cleaning process that leaves the oven very clean.

Cons:

• Utilizes high energy to clean
• Extreme heat required for the job
• Long processing times
• Undesirable odors / smell from the process

Example:

• GE 27" Built-in Double Convection Wall Oven

 Steam Cleaning Ovens:

Like self-cleaning ovens a steam cleaning oven also utilizes heat to clean but only requires around 250 degrees Fahrenheit to do the job. This type of oven adds water to create steam that helps release the residue from the oven surface. This oven also uses a smooth enamel coating that makes removal of the leftover residue easy to wipe away. The cleaning cycle for this type of oven is usually around 1 hour making it easy to clean with more frequency. 

Pros:

• Very short time required for the cleaning (usually less than 30 minutes)
• No odor / smell
  
• More energy efficient due to utilizing lower temperature to clean
• This is a very effective cleaning process that leaves the oven very clean

Cons:

• Effectively cleans the bottom of the oven but struggles with the walls and back of the oven.
• My preference is the steam option but depending on your desires both have their pros and cons because who really wants to get on their hands and knees and scrub the inside of an oven with toxic chemicals?  

Example:

• Whirlpool 5.0 Cu. Ft. Single Wall Oven

Here is a detailed checklist about the proper way to use the Steam Clean feature:

• Do not use oven cleaners with Steam Clean.

• Use the Steam Clean feature as soon as possible after spills occur. The longer you wait the more difficult it may be to remove.

• Always allow the oven to cool before using the Steam Clean feature

• Do not open the oven door during the cleaning cycle because the water in the bottom is hot.

• Once the Steam cycle is complete, remove all remaining water and debris in the bottom of the oven.

• Wipe any remaining moisture from the oven door interior, oven cavity interior sides.

• For harder stains use a soft brush or nylon scrubber to wipe the oven interior.

Get in Shape for the New Year!

It’s the start of a brand new year, and if you’re like many people, one of your resolutions is to finally lose those ten pounds. But after the initial motivation of the new year has worn off, it can be tough to stick to your diet and fitness regimen and avoid temptations that can set you back from reaching your goals. Here are a few tips to keep you on track for the year so you can finally achieve the healthy lifestyle you want.

Set Your Goals and Stick to Them

Whether you seek to lose weight, build muscle, or simply improve your health by ramping up the level of fitness and good nutrition in your lifestyle, it is important to outline measurable objectives and milestones. This will not only help move you along on the road to wellness, but it can be very motivational to have mini-achievements on the path to the attainment of your overall fitness goals.

Do What You Love

Studies show that people are more likely to stick with a fitness routine if the activities that get them moving are something they actually enjoy. Don’t feel as though you have to be stuck on a treadmill in order to get in shape, unless of course that is something you legitimately like to do. While some people prefer high-intensity workouts such as boot camps and kickboxing, others may enjoy more low-impact cardio or dance-based aerobics like Zumba, or quiet, meditative practices like yoga. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, perhaps brisk walking or jogging in your neighborhood or hiking mountain trails is where you will find your fitness “happy place.” Whatever you do, if you make it something enjoyable that you look forward to doing, you’re less likely to find excuses to avoid exercise on a regular basis.

Make it a Habit

It has been said that in order for someone to form a habit of something, they need to do it for 21 days in a row. With this in mind, it is essential that you stick to your new fitness and diet plan every day when you’re first starting out. The rush of endorphins you feel from exercise combined with the feeling of accomplishment you receive from meeting your daily goal will become addictive in the very best way, and soon you’ll become one of those people who gets sad when they miss a daily workout. Making something a part of your daily routine and lifestyle is the easiest way to ensure that your healthy habits stick around for the new year and beyond.

Happy New Year! Share your resolutions with us in the comments section.

Why is Bosch 500 Series Dishwashers Rated so Highly???

Superb value is the simplest reason for the 500 series’ Bosch Dishwashers have high ratings. Here are 8 features that make these such a great value:

1. Low 44 decibel sound rating, one of the lowest in the industry.
2. “InfoLight”, a handy feature that projects a small red beam onto the floor beneath the dishwasher when a cycle is in operation. Since these are so quiet, this lets you know that it is on.
3. Convenience features like the optional split-apart cutlery basket, customized tines, and a 3^rd rack.
4. Three different handle designs and 3 different finishes make it very likely you will find one to fit your kitchen.
5. Each of these 500 series can be flushed-mounted with cabinetry to achieve a built-in aesthetic.
6. The 500 series dishwashers are made in the US, New Bern, North Carolina.
7. “AquaStop” leak protection, this will detect if the machine is leaking and automatically stop the cycle.
8. “Speed Perfect” cycle cuts average times in half. This cycle runs in about an hour, instead of the typical 2 hours. This cycle uses more water though. 

The 500 series comes in a variety of exterior colors. Check out this 24" Recessed Handle Dishwasher 500 Series in Black.