The majority of appliances are now designed with you, the family, in mind. There are many models on the market which are good quality, family friendly and most of all affordable. It can be extremely overwhelming and challenging sifting through the mass of information online and knowing what features to look for. I write this to give you the tools and knowledge to find the best model for you.
Choosing the right features to keep your family safe
Look out for child locks on appliances. The child locks on ovens and hobs are designed to prevent children tampering with the programmes or accidently turning on a hob.
Dishwashers and washing machines also come with a child lock; locking the door and preventing the control panel from being tampered with while in operation.
If you have a larger budget there is one appliance which is a must have. The induction hob is a safe, energy efficient and downright cool appliance. It works by creating an electromagnetic field which doesn’t heat the hob itself, just the pan, so the surface of the hob never gets hot and so fingers can't get burnt. Some models have an automatic pan recognition system so the hob will only activate once a compatible pan of the right size is placed on the zone.
Another feature to look out for on hobs is a heat residual indicator. This will act as a warning to you and your children when the hob is still hot, helping to prevent any accidents. There are many affordable models on the market with this feature.
Keeping clean to stay safe
Cleaning is a factor to consider when thinking of your family's safety. The easier an appliance is to clean the more likely you are to clean it. The more you clean it the more hygienic your kitchen will be. Pyrolytic cleaning, for example is a self-cleaning system for ovens available on higher-end models. The oven heats to approximately 500°C which burns off any deposits from baking, roasting and grilling. You will be left with a perfectly clean oven and a residue of fine ash that is easily removed with a damp cloth.
If you are looking for a mid-range cooker with cleaning features, I would recommend an oven which comes equipped with catalytic stay clean liners which absorb dirt and grease. When your oven is run at a high temperatures the dirt is burnt off meaning you don’t have to scrub anything.
If you are on a tighter budget you could simply look out for ovens and hobs with either an enamel or ceramic finish, as this makes the surfaces smoother and easier to clean.
When looking for a dishwasher you might want to check that it comes with a hygiene extra option which is great for cleaning baby bottles as it kills 99.9% of bacteria. It is also great for cleaning glass jars, cooking utensils and chopping boards.
Another great feature to look out for in fridges are anti-bacterial liners. The antibacterial liners are built into the fridge to prevent the growth of potentially harmful bacteria and reduce odours.
Silent Night
We know that a quiet appliance makes a family friendly appliance as there’s probably already enough noise in the house! The decibels (db) an appliance is given is something to look out for and as a general rule the lower the decibels, the quieter the appliance.
Some washing machines come with a specialised motor which dramatically reduces noise levels. Unlike traditional washing machines the LG Direct Drive motor works without a belt and pulley system to reduce wear and tear to increase durability. Magnets are used to reduce the amount of friction and therefore vibration, leading to a far quieter washing machine.
On average a dishwasher should be between 50-70db. 50bd is equivalent to a conversation; the quietist model on the market at the moment is 35db. A quiet fridge should be around 37db and a quiet washing machine 50db.
I hope this helps when buying your appliance. Just remember it’s all about working out which features are the most important for you and your family without breaking the bank.
Save Time and Effort
The best way to get things done when you're a busy parent is to get them done quickly. With the Hotpoint Aqualtis range you get a massive 11kg drum, which holds up to 55 t-shirts. You can do one big wash a couple of times a week, instead of lots of little ones. And with 16 programmes you'll have the perfect wash for whatever needs cleaning.
The washing machine saves you money on your energy bills with an A+++ energy rating; that's 50-70% of your annual energy bill.
The icing on the cake is the duvet cycle. You're able to wash your duvet, bed sheets and towels all at home, making life that little bit simpler.