Laundry
Where are Roper Appliances made?
Who makes Roper appliances, where they are built, whether Roper is a good brand, and how long Roper washing machines usually last.
Mime Petit
A home appliance enthusiast and creative writer.
Articles by Mime Petit
Kitchen
What size is an Apartment Stove?
Apartment stove sizes from 20 to 24 inches wide, how much one weighs, the clearance and hood size you need, and how powerful a small stove is.
Fridges
13 Telling Signs That You Need a New Refrigerator
Thirteen signs it is time to replace your fridge, from loud noises, condensation and ice build-up to rising repair bills and an energy-hungry compressor.
Fridges
11 Benefits of French Door Fridges
Why French door fridges are worth it: more usable space, eye-level fresh food, a pull-out freezer, better temperature retention and a 14 to 17 year lifespan.
Fridges
How Much Weight Can a Refrigerator Shelf Hold?
How much weight fridge shelves can hold, why glass shelves crack, how cantilever shelves work, and what refrigerator shelves are made of.
Kettles
Best Kettles in 2020
Stylish kettles worth buying, from the retro SMEG and the Fellow Stag pour-over to De'Longhi's Icona, plus a tough stainless kettle for camping.
Running costs
Are Clothes Dryers Expensive to Run? A Comprehensive Overview
What a clothes dryer costs to run per hour, month and year by wattage, how long a load should take, and the cheapest ways to dry your laundry.
Kitchen
Do Sinks Come in Standard Sizes?
Standard kitchen sink sizes for single and double bowls, which is better for a small kitchen, and the main sink types from drop-in to undermount.
Running costs
Are Dishwashers Environmentally Friendly?
Are dishwashers better for the environment than washing by hand? Water and energy use compared, eco-friendly detergents, and how to keep a dishwasher efficient.
Laundry
Do Clothes Dryers Kill Bacteria?
Whether a tumble dryer kills bacteria and germs, the wash temperatures that do, how well washing powder and dry cleaning work, and how to sanitise laundry.
Fridges
Why do Ice Makers stop working? Top Reasons and Solutions
Why an ice maker stops working, from a misplaced arm or clogged filter to a frozen water line, and how to fix each problem before calling for repair.
Running costs
Top 15 Home Appliances That Use The Most Electricity
Which home appliances use the most electricity, from heating and water heaters to TVs and microwaves, with yearly kWh and cost estimates and ways to cut them.
Kitchen
20 Thoughtful Appliances for Wedding Gifts in 2020
Twenty appliance wedding gift ideas beyond the usual toaster: espresso machines, air fryers, stand mixers, sous vide cookers, robot vacuums and more.
Home & care
Do TVs Lose Brightness Over Time?
Do TVs get dimmer with age? How long LED and LCD screens last, why a picture goes dark, and the brightness settings that look good and last longer.
Fridges
Do Wine Coolers Freeze?
Can a wine cooler freeze your wine? The temperature wine freezes at, ideal storage settings, humidity control, and how long different wines should age.
Fridges
Why Do Fridges Make Noise?
Which fridge noises are normal and which mean trouble, how to quieten a noisy fridge, and how long a refrigerator usually lasts.
Heating & cooling
Do Air Conditioners Use Water?
Whether air conditioner water is safe, why AC units drip, how much water they produce, and what a technician charges to clear a clogged drain line.
Heating & cooling
Why Do Fans Have 3 Blades?
Why most fans have three blades, whether 3 or 4 blade fans work better, and how many blades are best for a ceiling fan in your room.
Laundry
Why do Washing Machines Lock?
Why a washing machine lid locks during a cycle, what to do when it stays locked, whether unplugging resets it, and why a washer fills but won't spin.
Home & care
Why Do Hairdryers Have a Cold Setting?
What the cold shot button on a hairdryer is for, whether drying with cold air is better for your hair, and if cold air can set or straighten a style.
Laundry
Why Do Irons Leak Water?
Why a steam iron leaks or spits water, whether to leave water in it, how to empty it properly, and how to clean scale out of the soleplate.
Laundry
Why Do Tumble Dryers Make Fluff?
Where tumble dryer fluff comes from, how to reduce lint, why a dryer may stop collecting it, and whether dryer lint can be reused or recycled.
Kitchen
Why Do Toasters Toast Unevenly?
Why toasters toast unevenly, which designs toast evenly, why the top setting burns bread, and what the bagel setting actually does.
Kitchen
Do Dishwashers Need Salt?
Why some dishwashers need salt, what happens if you skip it, how often to refill the softener, and how to add salt without getting it in the wash.
Home & care
Why Do Vacuum Cleaners Lose Suction?
Why a vacuum cleaner loses suction, how to restore it by clearing filters and hoses, when a repair is worth it, and how long a vacuum should last.
Kitchen
Do Kitchen Islands Need to be Centered?
Does a kitchen island have to be centered? How to place one, the clearance you need around it, and whether it should match your counter height.
Kitchen
Do Microwaves Block Wifi?
Why a running microwave can slow your WiFi, why both use 2.4 GHz, and simple ways to reduce interference, such as moving the router or switching to 5 GHz.
Kitchen
Do Immersion Blenders Work for Smoothies?
Can an immersion blender make smoothies? What a stick blender handles well, whether it crushes ice, how it differs from a jug blender, and models to consider.
Kitchen
Are Garbage Disposals Worth It?
The pros and cons of a garbage disposal: environmental impact, whether you need a plumber to install one, safety, and when it is worth the money.
Fridges
What Size is an Apartment Refrigerator?
Apartment refrigerator sizes: typical width, height and capacity, how much an apartment fridge weighs, and the clearance to leave around it.
Kitchen
Do Blenders Destroy Fiber?
Does blending destroy fiber or nutrients? What blending really does to fruit and vegetables, how long smoothie nutrients last, and whether it raises sugar.
Kettles
Are Kettles BPA Free?
Whether your kettle contains BPA, how to check the label and recycling codes, the safest kettle materials, and if boiling water in a plastic kettle is safe.
Kettles
How Does a Smart Kettle Work?
How smart and WiFi kettles work, what they can do from your phone, and whether they work with Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Kettles
Why is a Kettle Made of Metal?
Why kettles are made of metal, what else they are made from, what heating elements are made of, and how electric and stovetop kettles differ.
Kettles
Why Do Kettles Get Limescale?
Why kettles get limescale, how hard water forms it, whether it is bad for you, and how to remove and prevent it with vinegar, citric acid or filters.
Kettles
What are the Different Types of Kettles?
Electric and stovetop kettles compared: how each type works, their pros and cons, materials, and which suits your kitchen and how you make tea.