There are few chores that most husbands hate more than taking the trash. Even people with the best memories somehow find a way to conveniently “forget” to take it with them when they’re on their way out. That’s where a trash compactor comes into play. A trash compactor can reduce your waste volume by up to 80%, turning six bags of garbage into one—that’s five less trips to the garage! But that’s not the only advantage to a trash compactor. If you have to pay by volume at the dump, a trash compactor will also save you money and furthermore, it will save the township valuable landfill space, taking up five times less space. For these reasons and more, a trash compactor is a valuable investment. We’ve put together some of the main things you need to look for when purchasing a new trash compactor to make the experience less pressured.

The first step is to decide what type of trash compactor is best suited for your unique needs. There are three main types of trash compactors:

• Freestanding – The freestanding trash compactor doesn’t need to be installed under a counter. Instead, you can position it alongside your counter for additional workspace—some even come with cutting boards on top to use as an island. It’s an attractive option for anyone with a larger kitchen.
• Under the Counter – Under the counter trash compactors fit underneath the counter, inside a convenient cabinet such as the one under the kitchen sink. This is a great option for people that are used to keeping their garbage under the sink as well as for anyone with limited kitchen space.
• Convertible – Convertible trash compactors offer you the ultimate flexibility and can be used either as freestanding units or under a cabinet.

Power
Trash compactors are available anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 pounds of ram force in the compacting walls. Anything above 2,300 pounds is usually more than enough for most households. There are basically two different types of compressor systems, the cork screw drive and the scissor drive, the cork screw being the more reliable of the two.
Versatility

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Popularity: 14%

Frigidaire Window Air Conditioner

With summer on the way, it’s time to start thinking of ways to keep cool. If you aren’t planning on setting up a tent next to the refrigerator, it pays to make sure that you have the most efficient air conditioning system for your needs to keep both the temperature and the bills as low as possible. There are a number of different types of air conditioners on the market today so we’ve put together a helpful guide to buying a new air conditioner to help you stay cool while shopping.

There are basically two general categories of air conditioners, namely room air conditioners and central air conditioners. Before beginning your search it’s important to decide which option best suits your needs. The main difference between them is already discernable in their names. A room air conditioner cools only one room at a time, whereas a central air conditioner provides centralized air that is delivered to each room through a system of ducts, thus cooling the entire house at once. If you live in a small house or apartment, or are renting, room units are the best option, however if you have a large house and are operating on an equally large budget, a central air conditioning system is probably for you.

Here is a break down of the pros and cons of the different types of air conditioners to consider:

Window Air Conditioners:
These are the most popular and economical option on the market. The majority of us are most familiar with this type of air conditioner where the unit is mounted directly in a window. Window air conditioners are by far the cheapest units on the market and they are relatively easy to install even by yourself (depending on the weight and size of the unit) or with the help of an untrained handyman. Simply screw in the brackets provided by the manufacturer, hoist the air conditioner onto the window sill and secure. It’s that easy.

One of the negative sides of window air conditioner units is that they are fairly noisy, making them undesirable for use in a bedroom. Before purchasing one, it pays to try it out in the store since some items are louder than others. Furthermore, all room air conditioners use up a large amount of energy and are not particularly efficient to run. Nonetheless, they are substantially cheaper to run than central air that has to cool an entire house. Some people also prefer built-in units since window air conditioners have to be removed each winter and stored away until the next summer. Finally, and most importantly, window air conditioners require a window—so anyone without a properly situated window in the room they seek to cool, can rule out this option. They also block up part of your view and add a bulky look to the room. Window units have also been known to provide easy entrance for burglars, so it’s important to speak to a security expert in your area to discern if this will pose a problem for you.

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Popularity: 1%

When it comes to stovetops, induction ranges are definitely the wave of the future. Using state of the art technology, induction ranges transfer heat directly to the pots and pans through electro-magnetic fields without the need of gas flames or electric coils—they’re literally magnetic! There are a number of different advantages and disadvantages in induction cooking. We’ve put together a brief outline of the various pros and cons to help you decide if induction cooking is right for your unique cooking needs so that you can buy your new range without getting burned.

Viking 30' W. Induction Range

PROS:

Efficiency
In induction cooking, the heat goes straight into the cooking vessel without the need to first convert the energy into heat as found by conventional cooking methods. Therefore induction cooking saves a lot of energy. Gas and electric ranges are only 40-50% efficient, meaning that the remaining 50-60% of the generated heat is wasted and goes out into the air, heating up the kitchen in the process. On the other hand, 84-90% percent of the energy used in induction cooking goes directly into the food, with the rest used in the electrical process and not as wasted heat. This means that even the stove top directly next to the “burner” stays almost completely cool, not to mention the rest of the kitchen!

Safety
Since the surface of an induction range in the immediate vicinity of the cook pad or “hob” doesn’t heat up, one can actually touch it without getting burned! Furthermore, if sauce spills over onto the stovetop, it won’t burn and harden, making cleanup all that much easier. You can even clean up immediately since it’s not hot, so you don’t have to scrub an already hardened spill, allowing for a cleaner, more manageable kitchen. Hobs shut off automatically when pans are removed, so there’s no concern of burners accidentally being left on. Many models also include safety features that automatically shut off heat if the pan is empty. Just as with a standard electric burner, there’s obviously none of the risks that go along with a gas burner such as pilot lights or gas leaks [link to article on ranges]. Research is currently underway to create zone-less induction ranges which essentially allows you to place any shaped cooking vessel anywhere on the cook-top surface.

Cooking Speed
Due to its energy efficiency, induction cook tops heat up food much faster, saving electricity in the process. An average gas burner takes about 36 minutes to boil 5 gallons of water, whereas a much less powerful induction unit will boil the same amount of water in only 22 minutes. Induction cookers also have an immediate response time similar to a gas burner, allowing for very accurate control, unlike with an electric range, making them an option for professional chefs and homeowners alike. It’s also possible to lower the hobs to a very low heat for simmering purposes, something that even many gas burners are unable to do.

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Popularity: 10%