Kitchen Appliances FAQ’s

Every day we rely on our trusty kitchen appliances. With their daily use, we’re bound to experience issues. Today we address the most frequently asked questions about your kitchen appliances. From installation, cleaning, and common problems, we tackle it all.

What is the best way to clean stainless steel appliances?

Sometimes the best way to do something is the simplest. The best way to clean your stainless steel appliance is with a bit of warm water and dish soap. Why is it the best? It’s safe, cheap, and effective.

Before we get into the how to’s, first let’s go over what not to do.

Do NOT:

• use abrasive cleaners such as bleach and chlorine.
• use steel wool or tough scrubbers.
• leave water or soap residue on your appliance.
• use cleaners that your manufacturer tells you to avoid.

Stainless steel can be scratched, damaged, or stained if you do any of the above.

Below are some simple steps to ensure your stainless steel appliances remain clean and shiny:

1: Mix one part dish soap to 4 parts warm water. 

2: Dampen a microfibre cloth with the solution, and wipe your appliances with the grain.

3: Dampen another clean microfibre cloth with warm water and wipe away the residue.

4: Use a dry microfibre cloth to dry and buff. Remember to wipe with the grain.

For even more shine, you can use a microfibere cloth to wipe in olive oil or baby oil. This will help protect the surface from smudges and mask previous scratches, as well as add extra shine.

Tips To Clean Your Stainless Steel Appliances Like a Pro:

• Cleaners with added essential oils are great for removing smudges and adding shine.
• Glass cleaner is good for removing fingerprints.
• Always wipe with the grain to avoid streaks.
• Always do a spot-test when using commercial cleaning products.
• Use filtered or distilled water to avoid water marks.

View our collection of sleek stainless appliances, including American style fridge freezers, fridges, freezers, fridge freezers, range cookers, ovens, microwaves, and much more.

Is it OK to have an oven next to a refrigerator?

Whether or not to place your oven next to your refrigerator is a very important question to answer when designing your kitchen layout. But the answer isn’t a straightforward yes or no. Sometimes it’s OK, but most of the time we’d recommend against it.

Reasons Not To Place an Oven Next To a Refrigerator

For many years it was advised to never put an oven next to a refrigerator. The main reason for this is that the heat from the oven would transfer. This would then cause your refrigerator to work harder,  drastically shortening its lifespan.

Another reason it’s advised against is because of the working triangle, or kitchen triangle. This refers to the working space created between the oven, fridge and sink. If you place your fridge directly next to the oven you’ll reduce the size of your working area. This will make cooking feel cramped, and can cause logistical problems when more than one person is cooking in the kitchen.

Finally, another reason not to put your oven next to your refrigerator is the need for a landing space. A landing space is a designated space on your countertop next to your stove or oven to place hot pans or trays. Without this space, you’ll create a hazard by travelling a further distance with these dangerously hot items.

When Is It OK?

As mentioned above, sometimes it’s OK to place an oven next to a refrigerator. But, it’s only OK under certain circumstances.

First of all, you’ll need to ensure that you have a landing space next to your oven. This is for safety reasons so that you’re not moving hot trays across a large area.

Secondly, your oven will need to be built-in. You should never place a range cooker or stove top next to a refrigerator. This is because a stove produces a lot of heat that will directly impact any appliances around it. But, a built-in oven is usually built with a ventilation system that pushes heat away from the oven and its surroundings.

You will still need to check with the manufacturer as not all built-in ovens are made the same.

Finally, you should check that your refrigerator is well insulated. An integrated refrigerator would be best, as it gets a lot of insulation from the surrounding kitchen cabinets. Otherwise, you’ll just need to ensure you have a well made refrigerator with great insulation.

Our Recommendation

Although it can be OK to place an oven next to a refrigerator when proper considerations are taken, we would still not recommend it.

Although heat transfer can be avoided with good ventilation, problems can still occur. It’s always best to take extra precautions to not overwork any of your appliances. It’s also important to allow yourself a larger working area to give yourself room to breathe, and plenty of space to cook.

If you have a large enough kitchen to design a layout where they are separated, this is what we would recommend you do. However, if your ideal kitchen layout involves placing them together, remember that you will need to have a built-in wall oven, a well insulated refrigerator, and enough space to open your fridge without hitting your oven door.

Can a washing machine be overfilled?

Yes, you can overfill a washing machine. You should always follow the directions in your washing machine’s manual when loading the drum. This usually means filling it until it’s about ¾ full, or when you can still fit your palm between the top of your laundry load and the top of the drum.

When you overfill your washing machine, your clothes don’t have enough room to move about and will not be effectively cleaned. Overfilling can also lead to leaks in your washing machine.

Why does my microwave shut down?

There are a few possible causes for your microwave turning off after running for a couple of seconds. This includes:

1. Clogged vent

Microwaves have an air vent which helps to keep it from overheating. If this vent becomes clogged with grease and dust, your microwave will automatically shut down for safety reasons. 

To fix or prevent this problem, you can clean out the vent with a brush.

2. Faulty door switches

For safety reasons, your microwave will only run when the door is closed. Your microwave’s door switches is how your microwave knows that the door is properly closed. If these are faulty or loose, your microwave will turn itself off. A broken seal around the door can also cause this to happen.

If you believe your microwave has faulty door switches, or a broken seal, we recommend having these professionally repaired.

3. Defective touch-pad or control panel

Your microwave suddenly turning off may be due to a problem with your control panel. Touch-pads are more technically advanced than knobs and dials, however they can be more sensitive. Your manufacturer may be able to replace this for you.

4. Malfunctioning voltage transformer

Another cause of your microwave shutting off whilst running is a short circuiting high voltage transformer. The high voltage transformer creates a high voltage to charge the magnetron. This is what emits radio-waves to cook your food. If you believe this is the cause of your microwave shutting off, you will need to call a professional to repair it. 

5. Faulty cooling fan

To keep the magnetron and other components cool, there is a cooling fan inside of your microwave. If your fan doesn’t turn on when your microwave turns on, it will automatically stop for safety reasons. You will need to call a professional to fix this problem. 

A few other causes of your microwave turning off is a blown fuse, or other defective components. If you’re unsure of the problem, or have a problem that requires professional help, you will need to contact a professional to fix it.

Attempting to fix it yourself may result in further damage, or voiding your warranty.

Looking for a new microwave? View our microwaves here.

Is a leaking kettle dangerous?

Yes, a leaking kettle is dangerous. Not only could you burn yourself on boiling hot water, the water could come into contact with electricity. Water and electricity do not mix, and you may get electrocuted.

To first determine that your kettle is leaking, first check that the water isn’t coming from elsewhere. Overfilling the kettle will cause the water to spill out of the lid. You should always avoid overfilling for this reason. Water may also spill out of the top if there’s a large build-up of limescale inside of your kettle. Cleaning this out should fix this problem. Finally, you may accidentally spill water over your kettle, or accidentally dip it in sink water when refilling it. Always ensure you wipe your kettle down after filling so that the exterior remains dry.

If after checking this you determine that the water is definitely caused by a leak, you should stop using it immediately. If it is safe to do so, unplug it from the wall.

It usually isn’t possible to fix a leak in a kettle. If your kettle is still under warranty, you should reach out to your manufacturer for a replacement.

Looking for a new kettle? View our kettles here.

Why does my kettle not stop boiling?

To answer this, you should first know how a kettle knows when to stop boiling. 

Inside of your kettle there is a tube that runs from the top, and (usually) down to the base. Once the water begins to boil, steam is forced down this tube and blows on something called a bimetallic switch. This will then heat up and trip, turning off the kettle. 

The three most common causes of your kettle not boiling is overfilling, limescale build-up, or a defective bimetallic switch.

Overfilling Your Kettle

If you have overfilled your kettle and it has resulted in your kettle not turning off, it’s probably because water has gotten inside of the tube. This water will prevent the bimetallic switch from tripping, so your kettle won’t turn off. To fix this, completely empty your kettle, and dry it with a towel. Leave the lid open on your kettle for 24 hours so that the tub can completely dry. After this time, your kettle should be back to working normally. If it’s not, you’ll likely need to replace your kettle.

Limescale Build-up

Limescale build-up could also be the cause of your kettle not automatically turning off. If the limescale has built up inside of the tube, steam will be unable to enter and trigger the switch. To fix this, you can remove the limescale with either descaler or vinegar. A cotton bud will help you to get the solution into the tube. Be sure to rinse it with water afterwards and allow it to completely dry before testing your kettle again.

Defective Bimetallic Switch

If after ensuring you’re not overfilling your kettle and that there’s no limescale build- up, it’s likely that your kettle has a bimetallic switch. We would never recommend taking your kettle apart. This could further damage your kettle, cause you harm, or void your warranty. If your kettle is still under warranty, we would recommend that you contact your manufacturer for a replacement.

Looking for a new kettle? View our kettles here.

How often should you replace a coffee maker?

A coffee maker will last anywhere from 3 to 10+ years. How often you need to replace it will depend on the quality of your coffee maker, and how well you maintain it.

Regularly cleaning your coffee maker is important for extending its life, and keeping your coffee tasting its best. You should regularly descale your coffee machine to prevent mineral build-up. Running it through with equal parts water and vinegar will also allow you to kill any mould. 

Mould loves moist and warm environments, which unfortunately makes your coffee maker a target. Vinegar will sanitise, decalcify and remove mineral buildup.

Regular maintenance also includes replacing water filters and drip trays. Your manufacturer’s manual will have recommendations for how often these should be replaced.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the daily reliance on our kitchen appliances is why it’s important to address common issues. From cleaning and maintenance, to installation considerations, you can optimise your appliances performance.  Understanding common causes of appliance issues also allows you to know when to repair or replace.

If you have any other questions that we didn’t cover here, you can call our friendly appliance experts on 0115 965 1937.