Think about colour. Have a real think. You see it every day. It makes such a difference to the world. So why can’t it make the same difference to your home?

Well it really can. Some people are happy choosing colours like beige. Any why not. It’s neutral and safe. But that’s the problem. Who wants to be safe all the time?

It’s becoming clear the kitchen is shaping up to be an integral part of home design. We seem to spend more time in the kitchen than ever. We eat dinner, we catch up after work. We even do the dishes there. Crazy I know. But New World have decided it’s time to spice things up a bit with their ‘Colours’ range.

Models like the NW601FP built in electric single oven now come in a variety of bright finishes that are ready to take centre stage.

The vibrant red trim on the outside is unique and probably isn’t something you find in most kitchens. But that’s the point.

It allows you to be daring, bold and audacious. When your best friend says “Wow! You’ve got a red oven!”, you can glibly reply “Yup, because that’s how I roll.” You see, it’s something that will immediately draw the eye and provoke conversation.

And even if red isn’t your thing, there are 5 other colours and finishes to choose from, including cool green and funky purple. But I’m not saying its all style and no substance. Far from it!

New World has been making British-born appliances for over 20 years. Their proud heritage and quality is their substance.

The NW601FP offers great features and is really easy to use. Simplified controls make cooking quick and effective. No confusing switches or masses of dials. What you see is what you get.

Inside there’s a 63 litre capacity, which makes it a good size for 1 or 2 people. There’s a programmable timer which gives you more precise planning of meals. Plus theGyrofan oven moves the hot air around, so you get an even temperature on all levels.

This means faster cooking, which can come in handy if you’ve finished work a little later than you’d hoped and you’re starving. I know sometimes when I get home from work, I just want to bang a pizza in there and eat before I drop dead on my feet.

A great investment when it comes to simple, tasteful home design, a New World ‘Colours’ oven really does add a splash of the modern to your kitchen.

Water. It’s very important don’t you know. Sadly, we can’t live without it. It covers 71% of the Earth’s surface and indeed, the human body is almost 60% water. It’s essential to keep properly hydrated and it seems that a lot of major appliance brands agree.

We may be 60% water, but there’s a 90% chance this is Vodka.

Many fridge freezers come with water dispensers. This provides a quick, convenient way to get chilled, refreshing water. There are generally two types:

Non-plumbed models - A container is filled with water so there is no outside supply line. Appliances that are non-plumbed include the Beko CDA563FS and the LG GWL227HSYA. Non-plumbed models are great as you can place them wherever you want. A disadvantage is that you must refill them once empty, but it’s hardly the most pressing of tasks is it?

Plumbed models – A more traditional method which involves connecting your appliance to a water mains supply via a pipe or tube. Models such as the Samsung RSH5UBMH and the Whirlpool WSF5574ANX will need to be secured to a mains water supply in order to provide water.

Not just a pretty face. It also has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature.

Tips for installing

In this instance we’re going to take a basic look at Samsung American fridge freezers. Bear in mind that although most water lines on other brands will be connected in a similar manner there will be some differences. This information can be found in the user manual of your appliance too.

Right let’s check you’ve got all the bits and pieces you need. Usually this comprises of:

• Water Line Fixer and Screws
• Pipe Connector
• Water line
• Clips
• Water filter
• Allan key
• Screwdriver

Once you’ve shut off the main water supply to your home (usually via the mains stop tap), you can check the installation kit for water line instructions.

Put simply, you need to attach the water line to your mains supply. The other end should be connected to the appliance at the appropriate location.

Also, please note you need to check if hot water will come out of your mains supply. Make sure it’s connected to the cold water pipe.  If you accidentally connect to a hot water pipe it could cause some damage, so remember to double check for your own peace of mind.

Use the fixers, screws and pipe connectors to secure in place. You may need additional tools such as an Allan key and screwdriver for this so it’s helpful to have those beforehand.

Ensure all connections are as tight as possible to prevent leaking. To test, turn on the water supply slightly to check for any leaks. Once satisfied, you can turn the supply on fully. Run off at least 1 litre to clear and prime the filter.

Ah yes, the filter. Some models will provide a water filter. This can be screwed in or attached either internally or externally. A filter can clear the incoming water of most water toxins you might normally find in standard tap water. Of course this is a personal preference and a filter may not always be needed. 

If it doesn’t look like a Pink Floyd album cover you’re doing it wrong.

If everything has gone according to plan, your appliance should have running water and ice now (if your appliance also comes with an ice maker). You can relax knowing that you now have access to chilled refreshment at the push of a button! Enjoy those hot summer days without fear as you can now hydrate to your heart’s content!

Ta-ta

2012. It’s newer than 2011 so it must be better. It’s a time to start fresh and make those all important resolutions. You know. The ones you are never going to keep. That gym membership card may as well be an ice scraper for your windscreen for all the use it’s going to get.

What you can’t hear is the sound of a hundred treadmills quietly weeping.

The football transfer window started in January, so I thought I’d share the most recent transfers to team Appliances Online. These newly added players have been released within the last few months and are definitely on the ball, sure to be worth every penny. Let’s take a look at our cooling appliance starting line up....

Siemens IQ-100 KG36EAW40 Fridge Freezer
This stands out because it’s relatively affordable and has amazing stamina. It’s A+++ energy rated, which makes it the most efficient on the market. You’re making an investment which should stand to save you a few quid for the life of the appliance.

But its passing skills need developing.

Samsung RW52DASS1 Wine Cooler
With chiselled looks and a body to die for, this is the perfect appliance for keeping your wine chilled. It’s got a stainless steel finish and has 2 temperature zones, so it’s very flexible on the pitch as white and red wine can be kept at the same time. It also doesn’t make a fuss with the ref, seeing as it’s extremely quiet with a compressor that causes less noise and vibration.

You won’t be ‘whining’ about this model. See what I did there? Ok, I’ll get my coat...

Smeg Left Hand Hinge FAB28YG1 Fridge
A definite presence on the pitch, as you’ll notice the unique strip is a vibrant, bright yellow. Its retro design is very impressive and efficiency has been increased to A++ from the old model of A+. This makes is around 20% more efficient, which gives it the added boost to perform well, and give you your monies worth.

You should see it do the limbo.

Yes, there are a few players to keep your eye on in the coming months. All offer amazing value and are designed to look great and give an amazing performance. No early showers for this lot.

Note. This ‘player’ is not the kind we are talking about.

Christmas time. You may have heard it’s a place for mistletoe and wine. With logs on the fire and gifts on the tree. And I agree it’s a time where everyone treats people a little nicer, we all smile a little easier.  So I hope you had a very merry one.

With the New Year rearing its head you’ve probably got a lot of food leftover. We always seem to overstock during the holiday period and we often use way too much. You don’t have to throw it all away. Santa would be very upset don’t you think?

You can still take advantage of leftovers and there are a few things you can do to extend the shelf life of your products:

• Remember, freezing food keeps food safe for a long time. A 4 star rated model such as the Bosch GTM30A00GB chest freezer can preserve your turkey, chicken or beef for up to 12 months. Just remember to let it cool naturally and then store in a tightly sealed container.
• Anything left overnight in the open should be thrown away. Bacteria will have all the time they need to grow and multiply on any food that’s left out. If you want to keep it, then it must go in the fridge or freezer.
• Remember to slice any meat off of the bone before storing. This makes it much easier to handle (plus it’s not as messy!)
• If you’re freezing something, and your freezer has a quick freeze setting, then activating this could preserve your food a little faster.

75% of the people asked say they organise their fridge so certain foods are stored in certain places. This is a good thing. Meat is best stored at the bottom as it’s usually the coolest place. If you have efficient and effective multi level cooling, like in the Samsung RL58GREIH, then all areas of your compartment will be just as cool (but it’s still a good idea to keep your meats at the bottom!).

Some ideas for your food when it is time to tuck in include:

• Take two buttered Italian rolls, sprinkle some garlic salt on. Fill with turkey and a little dab of gravy. Voila! A sandwich St Nicolas would be proud of.
• Tasty turkey casserole dishes can be created by adding leftover rice and meat. Simply add some stock and bake for 20 minutes at around 170 degrees until the it bubbles. Quick and delicious.

Remember, waste not, want not, so let your fridge freezer take care of you in the new year.

Today, it’s rare for people to want less space.  Life is more about having enough room to fit in everything you need - from a bigger house, a bigger car, or even a bigger wardrobe.

But sometimes you just don’t have the room and, when it comes to appliances, Samsung recognise that you can’t always have bigger. Their G-Series fridge freezer range uses clever insulation technology to give more space inside, whilst keeping the same dimensions outside.

Impressive, but it doesn’t stop there. A model like the RL58GREIH is one of the most advanced out there, so what else makes it stand out from the crowd?

Let there be light.

To me, it’s all about the detail. For example, the lighting that actually enables us to see food inside the fridge is often taken for granted. You forget how useful it is, especially at night when you’re rummaging around for some snacks. Samsung’s G-Series fridge freezers come with stylish LED lighting, which not only provide a brighter and clearer illumination, but are massively more efficient on the energy front. Compared to conventional lighting, you’ll use up to 75% less energy, which doesn’t mean a lot in the short term but can make a overall difference to your electricity bills further down the line.

Frost Freedom.

One of the biggest gripes of household cleaning is defrosting the freezer. It takes time. Effort. It’s messy and afterwards there’s often a puddle of water on the floor you can could go jet-skiing on.

The G-Series freezer comes with a brilliant No Frost benefit, where cold air is constantly moved around. This not only keeps your food in peak condition, it also prevents ice from settling. And no ice means.....yup, no frost! A brilliant benefit, you have to agree. Now you could be doing something much more interesting with your time. Like.... pretty much anything else! An additional bonus is you keep the original capacity of your freezer, as no space is taken up with ice build up.

I guess the beauty of this fridge freezer lies in its technology. When you’ve got an appliance that not only looks good but performs so well you don’t have to do any extra work, you know you’ve got something pretty special on your hands.