The Story of Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom - Interview with Chuck Ewing

CEO and owner of Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom is Chuck Ewing. He talks about his journey of starting his business and the companies success today. Watch the video to learn how he got started and how you can truly save money buying appliances from Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom.



Chuck Ewing at age 25 first started selling music equipment. He one day tried to sell a washer and dryer by putting an ad in the newspaper. The washer and dryer sold much more quickly than music equipment. He first started selling used appliances and focused on the service side of the business.He opened up his first storefront on the early 90s called East Colfax Appliances and started selling crated GE merchandise and then added new boxed appliances.

He changed the name to Appliance Factory Outlet and added offered a couple more brands including Frigidaire, Jenn Air, and more. In 98', Sears opened up the Great Indoors which was a department store catered to home decor and stated that the appliance business is growing. Chuck at this point moved to focusing on the sales side of the business spending 80% of his time on sales and only 20% of the time on service.

He opened up a second store in Colorado Springs and soon had 10 more stores to follow. Once they opened up the store in Grand Junction, he and the business started to learn tons about business operations.

In 2010, the company started to sell mattresses. Chuck noticed that they had extra room in the stores and they wanted to fill it with more inventory and decided that mattresses would be the best option.

The company has grown this year by adding 3 stores in the Midwest making a total of 19 stores in 2019. HH Gregg has closed down some of their stores in the Midwest and had started to go out of business. On the other hand, Appliance Factory is very strong and decided to adventure into the Midwest markets.

Chuck is proud of all the great buys that he can provide to customers. He is running a great quality organization. The company recently did a survey on appliance reviews with the big box stores including Sears, Home Depot, and Best Buy and found that their reviews are very low (1.7 star ratings) compared to Appliance Factory's reviews which are 4.5 star average ratings. This is true evidence that customers are happy with the service from the company.

The company has different divisions including Wholesale Distribution which focuses on the property management industry and Fine Lines which is the builder division specializing in more luxury appliances. With all of the different divisions Appliance Factory has over 500 employees.

Chuck talks about how the appliance business is a stable industry and recession proof. This makes the appliance industry a long term career path. The hardest thing about the appliance industry is getting people in the door. This is why he works with North Media and does different things to advertise. Appliance Factory is the primary sponsor of This Dream House radio show and Colorado's Best Kitchens magazine. They also have a company chef, Celebrity Chef Mark Kalix.

Chuck ends the interview by thanking all of the people in Colorado that have supported and trusted the business over the years. He also thanks all of his employees for all the great work that they do for the company.

How to Trick your Washer into Filling with more Water

Kieth is here today to show you an awesome hack with you washer. Some people talk to us about wanting to have more water in the drum when they do a load of laundry. If you have a top load washer, this is a great hack for you.

Before we dive into this hack, lets first talk about the amount of water that your washer uses. Some might think that the washer is not using enough water, but in reality, it probably is using just enough water especially with the new Energy Star High Efficient washers. There are only a few reasons why you would want to add more water to your load. If your cotton fabrics come out dirty or nearly dry straight out of the washer, or if you are washing a big comforter. These are indications that your machine needs more water.



Before you do a load follow these steps to have more water in your washer:
1. Load your washer with the clothes that you want to clean.
2. Pick any cycle and have the drum fill up with water.
3. Drain the water out and leave your clothes in the washer.
4. Turn off the machine and turn it back on.
5. Select the cycle that you would like to run and let the washer complete the cycle.

By following these steps, you have tripped the amount of weight of the clothes by making them wet. The agitator at the bottom scenes the weight and will fill up the washer with water depending on the weight of the clothes.

This hack only works for top load washers and cannot be done with a front load washer. Front load washers have a limit on how much water it can hold and if it goes more than a certain amount it could leak and cause other issues.

Always use the recommended amount of detergent every time.

Other tips that you can do before you add more water to your washer:

• Have smaller piles of clothes in a cycle to allow more room for the clothes to move around and get clean.
• Use a more aggressive cleaning cycle like heavy-soil or heavy duty cycles.
• Try using the steam settings if you have them.
• Pick a better laundry detergent, but use the recommended amount.
• Pre-treat tougher stains before putting the clothes in the washer.

NEW Striking Cafe Appliance Color Combos 2018

Richard is here today to talk about the new and exciting Cafe appliance line up. The new lineup has new colors and accessory colors to add style to your appliances which will make your custom kitchen one-of-a-kind.



GE Cafe has always been big with an industrial look with powerful ranges and refrigerators with plenty of space and  Keurig K-Cup brewing on the door. With the new Cafe lineup they are changing the game and showing us how your appliances can have personality with style.

There are two main color options, matte black and matte white. The matte black color is great for rich and Earthy toned kitchens.The matte white can give an elegant feel to the kitchen and can match any color in the room.

The really neat thing about this series is that there are 4 hardware finish options:

• Brush Copper- The warmth of copper without too much gleam gives your appliances a rosy glow.

• Brush Bronze- Bronze is back. This muted version mixes well with almost any color palette.

• Brush Black- Sleek and moody, this black has a slight sheen to make your appliances shine.

• Brush Stainless- A gentle shimmer of stainless steel sets a subtle, modern kitchen mood.

You can now change the handles and knobs on your appliances to match the rest of your kitchen hardware. These options can make your appliances speak loud with more contrast and can give your appliances a custom look. The other great thing is that you can change them out when ever you want. There is also a small copper cuff on the handles with their logo on it that just completes the look.

Stop by one of our stores today to check out how awesome the new Cafe appliances are. They will make you want to rethink your whole kitchen design!

What's Best: Counter Depth or Full Size Refrigerator

Kevin Drako is here today to explain the difference between counter depth and full size refrigerators.

If you look closely at your current refrigerator, you may notice that it sticks out beyond the counter. Most refrigerators are like this and is called full size or standard depth refrigeration.

Counter depth refers to where the refrigerator alignment with the counter tops. This means that the refrigerator front is flush with the counter that is next to the refrigerator. The only thing that will stick out is the doors when you open it all the way. This option is all about looks and people that might be particular about things lining up just perfectly. The disadvantage with this refrigerator option is that there will actually be less usable space in the refrigerator and the cost of counter depth is usually more than standard depth. You may want to consider counter depth if you have less room in your kitchen as it frees up space.

Stop by one of our stores to see the difference yourself and to decide which options is best for you.

The Difference Between French Door vs Side-By-Side Refrigerator

Kevin Drako is here to show you a few things to consider when deciding if a French door or side-by-side refrigerator is best for you and your family.

The great thing about both units is that French doors and side-by-side refrigerators both have options of having a water and ice dispenser in the front with control panels. Both have options to not have this in the front. The other great thing is that both units come in different finish options. You can match your other appliances with different colors such as white, black, stainless steel, slate, black stainless steel, and more. 

The big question that you should ask yourself is "does my family eat more frozen foods or fresh foods"? This question can determine if you need a unit with more freezer space or refrigerator space.

If your family makes a lot of big dishes with over-sized baking trays, you will need that extra room in your refrigerator and a French door option might be best. If you eat tons of sandwiches and pack on a bunch of meat, cheese, and veggies the deli pantry and refrigerator doors in a French door might be very useful for you. If you eat tons of fruits and veggies (like your suppose to) and more natural foods, a French door is going to be a great choice.

On the other side, if your family makes a lot of frozen foods such as frozen pizza, lasagna, or other frozen meals, a side-by-side might be a better option. With a French door, you have to stack your frozen foods on top of each other, making it hard to reach things or even see some of the foods that you have in your freezer. You may also get into situations where you have to bend over or get on your knees to maneuver through the things in your freezer.

If you have children, there are a few things to consider. If you want them to learn how to be independent and grab their own snacks and help out with dinner, think about how tall they are and that it might be a little harder for them to get things that are in a French door fridge. A side-by- side is nice in that you can see and grab things from both the freezer and refrigerator side equally and more easily than a French door. You can also see and grab all of the frozen foods a little more easily.

Can you fit a frozen turkey in a side-by-side? Maybe a small one, but probably not a big one. You may want to consider having a chest freezer in the garage or basement. If you have a side-by-side and make a big casserole, you might not have enough room to put it in your fridge and may consider getting a second fridge and keep it in the garage or basement. If you choose a French door, you might need more freezer space and need to get a chest freezer or second fridge.

The options are endless. After watching this video which option is best for you and why? If you have more questions, stop by one of our locations and we can answer any additional questions or concerns you may have. It's always best to see these options in person.

Laundry Pedestal Options and More Innovative Technologies

Today, I would like to introduce the latest accessory innovations with the LG Side-Kick Laundry Pedestals and Samsung Flex Wash. But before we go into details, let's first start with the basics and explain what a pedestal is in the first place.

Traditional Pedestals

With front load washers, it can sometimes be daunting for people to bend down to place and remove laundry. Pedestals were made to make things a little bit easier.  A pedestal goes underneath the washer and dryers. It raises the appliances off of the floor of about 12-16 inches. This makes it easier to place and remove clothing inside the washer and dryer.  This will put less strain on your back by not having to bend down as much without a pedestal.

The other convenient thing about pedestals is that  it is a great storage area to make your laundry room not seem cluttered with it being in a drawer and almost blended into the look of your washer and dryer. You can keep your detergent, fabric softener, bleach, dryer sheets, and other supplies in here. 

Just remember that not all pedestals are the same and that you will need to make sure that you get ones that is the right size, shape, and color as your appliances.

You can find traditional pedestals in every brand of appliance. Find one for your laundry set here. or you can call one of our stores to make sure that you get the exact one that works with your washer and dryer. 

LG Side-Kick Pedestals

   This innovative washer mounts neatly beneath your LG front-load washer is a great alternative to the traditional pedestals. This pedestal option enables you to wash two separate loads of laundry at the same time.  This unique washer is specifically meant to handle your smaller, more delicate items in a smaller load.  You can now do a giant load of towels, and a smaller load of hand-wash items at the same time.

    This new idea can be a real time, water, and energy saver for you and your family when it comes to laundry day or when you need to do an emergency small load.

Take a look at theis LG SideKick Pedestal: WD200CW

Samsung Flex Wash

Samsung makes Flex Wash which is similar but is actually a 2-in-1 machine instead of a separate machine in a pedestal form. The Flex Wash has the small washer on the top of a front-load washer at a 1.0 Cu. Ft Capacity and can do faster cycles than a traditional washer and has the option of steam wash and dryer options.

Check out this Samsung model: WV60M9900AV.

See these options yourself at Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom. We can help you find the perfect pedestal option for you. We can take it  one step further by showing you the LG Side-Kick and Samsung Flex Wash options to optimize your washing and drying experience. Ask our team questions that you may have bout laundry and we can show you the best laundry innovations that are available and find one that fits your needs.

Give your laundry day a kick, with the new LG Sid- Kick laundry pedestal or become a little more flexible with Samsung Flex Wash. The choice is yours, but we can help you through the decision.

Why You Should Clean Your Dryer & Vents

Keith is here today to talk to us about cleaning your dryer and vents. You might not think that cleaning your dryer is a very big deal, but is actually very important and can even save you from having a fire start.

Cleaning out your vent trap after every dry is a great habit to have an keep. If you don't already, start cleaning it every time! This is important because build up lint can actually get under the cabinet of the dryer and ruin the machine.  

Even when you clean your lint catcher every time, lint can still pass through and carry to the back of your machine and into the vents that lead to the outside of your home. A ton of buildup in these areas can be very bad. Lint is a cluster of small fibers, dust, and debris which is very easy to ignite. If the lint builds up with the 150 degree or so hot air flowing through can actually cause it to catch on fire. Many of us have heard of dryers catching fire. The lint is actually what starts it. This can be avoided by checking and cleaning your dryers.

It is very important to check and clean the back of your dryer and vents once a year. If it's not too clogged, you can clean it yourself. If it's really bad or if you don't want to deal with it, we recommend to have a company come out and professionally clean it for your safety. A local Colorado company that we would recommend is Brand Source Appliance Service & Repair.

We hope that you have learned why it is so important to clean out link in your dryer and vents. Go check and clean them today!

Insider Tip: The Best Time to Buy Appliances

Have you ever wondered when the best time to buy appliances are? Today Kevin is here to teach us about who dictates major sales in the appliance industry.




You would think that the relaters have most of the control with when sales are, but in reality, the manufacturers are the ones who dictacte when there are big sales and prices. Most of the big sales are surrounded by the six major holidays including:
Martin Luther King Day
President's Day
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving)
X13 (around the holidays at the end of the year)

Around these times, is when you will find the best deals. Good luck and give us a call to check prices or stop by one of our stores to see them yourself.

How To Clean Your Washing Machine

Keith, one of our technicians, is here today to share with you how to clean and maintain your washer so that it will last longer and save you money.



Surprisingly, your washer needs to be cleaned frequently throughout the year. For front-load washers we recommend to clean it 3-4 times per year. If you do more loads, roughly once a day, we recommend that you clean it about 6 times per year.

Affresh Washer Cleaner and wipes are what we recommend to clean your washer. Especially for front load washers, bacteria can build up and cause your washer to smell and even have your clothes not clean as well.

For top-load washers, you do not have to clean them as often. This is because there is more open space by the lid for water to evaporate. You can use bleach to kill bacteria, but it won't actually remove the bacteria which is why using professional cleaners like Affresh is better because it will kill and completely get rid of the bacteria.

Let us know if you have any questions about cleaning your washer or other appliances. You can give one of our stores a call to order your cleaner today.

Convert to Gas or Induction? The Choice Is Yours

Many people come into the store wanting and dreaming of converting to gas.  A lot of times this involves a big kitchen remodel project and can come with hefty costs.  There is a great alternative to the time, money, and effort that this takes to switch to gas.  Welcome to the world of induction ranges!

Take a look at the pros and cons of both and it will help you determine which option is best for you.

Gas Ranges

Most professional chefs prefer cooking on gas. Once ignited, the burners respond faster and you do not have to wait for the burners to warm up with conventional electric cooktops or ranges. They are also a little bit easier to clean and maintain. With electric, there seems to be a huge mess after cooking and you have to clean it with a special product and elbow grease. With gas, you just have to remove the steel grate and wipe the crumbs and food way more easily, but not as easily as induction. Gas allows you to use different types of cookware and have your food cook pretty evenly and keeps your pans flat-bottomed.

Benefits of Gas

• Better control
• Fast boiling
• Can use different types of cookware

Drawbacks of Gas

• Tougher cleanup than induction
• High cost of conversion
• At altitude the effectiveness is reduced
• Can have a gas leak

Top Gas Choices

Ranges

• Viking VGR5606GQSS
• Samsung  NX58H5600SS
• GE JGB660SEJSS

Cooktops

• Thermador SGSX365FS
• Bosch NGM5624UC
• Maytag MGC9536DS

Induction Ranges

An induction range uses electromagnetic field to heat pots instead of radiant heat that standard electric ranges have. You have to make sure that you have the correct cookware for it to work properly which is magnetic or induction-capable. With induction, your cooking time can be reduced dramatically. The technology allows you to boil water 2 to 4 minutes faster with 6 quarts of water. The surface of induction cooktop stays cooler than the standard smooth top. This will make cleaning easier. Don’t get me wrong, your pot will still get very hot, but with the heat transfer technology, the surface below and around the pot won’t get as hot. Once you take the pot off the heat element, the heat stops and the surface won’t be super hot making it a very safe option, especially if you have kids.

Benefits of Induction

• Boils water in less than 90 seconds
  
• Better control than gas
• Easy clean up
• Safe option
• No conversion or remodeling needed

Drawbacks of Induction

• It just doesn’t have the flame
• You need specific cookware
• There is a buzz sound

Induction Choices

Ranges

• LG LSE4617ST
• Samsung NE58K9560WS
• Frigidaire FIF3054TS 

Cooktops

• GE Monogram ZHU30RSJSS
• Jenn-Air JIC4536XS
• ElectroluxEW36IC60LB

4 New Year Appliance Trends & Colors

As 2018 is upon us it is time to start looking at some new appliances. See what will work with your existing products, imagine what would look great in your kitchen as an upgrade, or maybe it’s just time for a full overhaul of the kitchen! Let’s dive in to the New Year and see what the latest and greatest trends and colors are in kitchen appliances!

1. White Ice

What’s old is what’s new, but white is making a comeback! The Whirlpool brand has a white ice color that is very modern.  This color allows you to still use color schemes that are fitting for people who are in love with the white kitchen trend that most people enjoy. The white color can match the white cabinets and/ or countertops, but allows you to look more up-to-date than your basic white appliance color. With these appliances you can go with a modern look or you can even give your kitchen a vintage- style.

2. Black Slate

A great addition this year is the GE Café black slate. This style has joined there standard slate color palate as a hot option for 2018. This deep charcoal color is nice as it allows anyone to match nearly any décor or color palate, but elegant enough to grab attention. The matte color hides fingerprints, easy to maintain, and almost eliminates smudges. This makes your appliance look extremely clean for its lifetime.

3. Black Stainless Steel

Additionally, all the different black stainless models are available from most brands out there so it’s a colorpalooza in appliances now as far as an option.  Brands that carry the black stainless steel finish are Kitchen Aid, LG, Samsung, GE, Whirlpool, and more. This finish was extremely popular last year and will be a favorite this year and beyond. This color is a mixture of a brushed metal with a glossy bold black hue. The finish helps resist fingerprints and still gives a very modern and elegant feel to the room.

4. Smart Appliances

Like everything else in our modern world, digital and ynch are now both a big part of appliances. Digital features such as the Smart Hub from Samsung, Chef Connect from GE, SmartThinQ from LG, along with many other brands have these same or similar options that allow you to connect your appliances with other devices and to your phone. You can preheat your oven, check what is in your refrigerator, schedule your dishwasher for a cycle, and do much more. You can even connect your appliances with popular gadgets such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home for even more convenience. If you’re a tech savvy kind of person than 2018 is going to be a great year for you to look into new appliances. The 2018 line ups from almost all the manufactures will have something that is of interest to you so go in to your local appliance store and see what catches your eye!   

The Best French Door Refrigerator for Your Family!

Pam from our Greeley location is here to show you all the great features of the Kitchen aid 26 cu. ft. 5 door French door refrigerator. Watch the video to see all the amazing features.



Some of the features include:

• Water and ice dispenser with adjustments and presets
• Ice maker is in the door with a larger capacity bin.
• Removable drawers.
• Adjustable shelves
• Grey interior
• LED lighting throughout
• Herb Storage
• 2 independent cooling systems
• Crisper drawers
• Air flow throughout
• Easy close doors
• Pizza freezer area
• Extra freezer drawers for organization
• Sleek stainless steel and black stainless steel finish options
• Kitchen Aid handles with red badges at the ends

If you are in love with this refrigerator, please give one of our stores a call or you can check it out here.

Why Choose Black Stainless

If you’re looking for something bold and shiny for your kitchen, then black stainless is definitely a good way to go.  Black stainless has been available for a few years now from major appliance manufacturers like Kitchen Aid, LG, and Samsung.  Even other brands like Whirlpool and GE have their own version of black stainless. This newer trend is here to stay!

The question is, what is black stainless exactly?                     

Black stainless as it reads is a bit misleading since there is no such thing as black stainless. In most cases, they are created from stainless steel and then coated in black oxide. Black oxide not only darkens stainless steel, but it also offers a bit of added protection. Often black oxide is added to ferrous materials and steel to add protection against mild corrosives. This is why many black stainless

steel appliances offer smudge-proof coating as an included benefit. In addition, black oxide offers protection against mild abrasions. Older refrigerators were coated in paint, so it only a matter of time before they were covered in chips and scratches. Since these refrigerators aren’t painted, but are instead oxidized, there’s no chance of them chipping – unless of course you take a hammer to it!

So why choose black stainless?

In addition to the durability and smudge proof of black stainless, it looks really sleek in all kitchens no matter the color palette.  Since this is a newer color in the industry, it is only found on the newest models. These models will feature some of the latest technology: Door-in-Door, Easy Clean, fingerprint resistance, dual door range, and 4 &5 French door refrigerators just to name a few.

If you are looking to upgrade your kitchen, I would definitely suggest considering going with black stainless. The fact that black stainless pairs well with just about any kitchen color under the sun and overall durability are 2 good reasons to upgrade today.  These appliances will be around for a while and can be in your home for a very long time.

Come check out black stainless for yourself at one of our stores. You will be amazed at how it looks.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Black Friday

Next week, as soon as our pumpkin pie dishes have been cleared away from our Thanksgiving dinner table, our thoughts will inevitably turn to the holiday season ahead. Specifically, it will be time to start thinking about how to get the best holiday gifts for our loved ones without spending a fortune. Enter Black Friday- a truly American holiday with roots going back as far as the 1950s, the day after Thanksgiving is famous for being the biggest shopping day of the year! Stores slash prices with reckless abandon, each trying to outdo one another for the best deals in town. Eager consumers line up as soon as their Thanksgiving dinner is finished and wait in line overnight for the chance to score a big-ticket electronic item or hot toy of the year at a deep discount. In recent years, Black Friday has actually started on Thursday, as more and more retailers open their stores to the public on Thanksgiving night to begin the annual buying frenzy. But where did Black Friday come from? Here’s a little history behind modern capitalism’s favorite holiday, so you can impress your friends while you’re waiting in line at 4 AM for a 4K TV at 50 percent off!

Why is it called Black Friday?

You’d think a holiday where shoppers can save untold amounts of money on holiday gifts for their friends and families would have a slightly less morbid-sounding name. After all, “Black Friday” sounds so ominous, like something one would equate with a stock market crash or a dark day in history. Actually, the origin of the name “Black Friday” includes both of those things! The term “Black Friday” was originally used way back  in the 1800s, and did not have anything to do with holiday shopping at all- in fact, the original Black Friday, September 24, 1869, was the day the U.S. gold market crashed, sending the country into financial crisis.

In the 1950s, the term was used to describe the day after Thanksgiving by police officers in Philadelphia, when the annual Army-Navy football game held the Saturday after Thanksgiving would result in a flood of tourists and shoppers to the city. The police would have to work all day, taking no time off, in order to deal with the bedlam and chaos that ensued. By 1961, the Black Friday name had caught on in Philadelphia, with retailers cashing in on the phenomenon by marking down their merchandise considerably for one-day doorbuster sales. Though marketers tried unsuccessfully to change the name to “Big Friday,” so as to make it sound more consumer-friendly and upbeat, the name Black Friday had stuck, and everyone in Philadelphia more or less treated it as a city holiday to kick off the Christmas season.

Black Friday as a concept didn’t spread to the rest of the country until about 1985, which is when retailers came up with the “official” origin of the term- since the day after Thanksgiving is one of the biggest shopping days of the year, it is a chance for stores to get “out of the red and into the black,” meaning that they can turn a profit even if sales have been slow for the year. Since the re-branding of Black Friday took place in the 80s, a decade known for its rampant consumerism, shoppers took to the new spin on the old holiday and used it as an excuse to boost the economy while enjoying tremendous savings. (In reality, the Saturday before Christmas is officially the biggest day of the year for retail sales, but it doesn’t have quite the notoriety that Black Friday does, thanks to the magic of marketing.)

Black Friday has gone on to spawn several other “shopping holidays” based on its popularity, including “Cyber Monday” (the Monday following Thanksgiving where online marketplaces slash their prices for unbelievable deals) as well as “Small Business Saturday/Sunday” (the weekend after Thanksgiving dedicated to supporting local businesses). Like it or not, Black Friday is truly an American tradition, and will be part of our holiday rituals for years to come.

In the market for incredible Black Friday deals on all your favorite brands of appliances? Want to give yourself the gift of a good night’s sleep every night with a great new mattress? Check out the Black Friday savings at Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom!

Special thanks to history.com for research on this article.

High Efficiency Top-load Washers vs Front-load Washers

Chuck Ewing, the CEO of Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom, is here to help you understand the efficiency in top-load washers and front-load washers. You will also find out which one is more efficient than the other. Watch the video to get information.

Top-load Washers
To get the highest efficiency, you need to use less detergent, less water, and less hot water. The washer will spin the cloths fast making clothes go up. This is not the most efficient way to wash your laundry.

Front-load Washers
Because the drum sits on the side, there is less water need to wash clothes. Clothes spin more evenly making sure everything gets wet. Because there is less need for water, you use concentrated detergent as your soap.




We hope that this video helps you make the best decision for buying your new washer and dryer appliances.

Let us know if you have any questions about efficiency in appliances. Leave them in the comments section.

Freezer Needs for Storing Your Home Garden Harvest

So, it’s that time of year again….you home garden needs to be harvested, you’re planning your fall hunting trip, you need to stock up at the grocery store….and you need a new freezer! 

  There are a few things to consider when purchasing your new freezer.  Here are a few questions to answer to help you decide what your freezer needs are:

1. What types of foods are we putting in this freezer?
2. How long will the food be in the freezer?
3. Where will the freezer be located in the home?
4. Should we get an upright, or a chest freezer?
5. Frost-free, or manual-defrost?
6. What size should we get?

    If you are looking for a freezer to use for your regular day-to-day grocery needs, then a frost-free upright unit might be good for you.  These units do not build-up with ice and are best served for the foods that your family will go through on a regular basis. If you are looking for more long-term storage, then a manual-defrost chest type freezer would be best.  These units keep your food deep-frozen, while the unit may build up with ice, your food will not get freezer burned.  When you open a chest freezer, the cold air stays down in the freezer.  When you open an upright freezer, the cold air tends to escape.  Chest freezers can hold a lot of food; however, some may find that keeping an upright freezer makes it easier to organize your groceries.

    If you are going to put your freezer in the garage, make sure that where you put it doesn’t reach below -5 degrees F or above 110 degrees F.  Put it along a joining wall with your home.

A freezer will hold approx 35 lbs of food per cu. Ft., so a 15 cu. ft. chest freezer should store approximately 525 lbs of food.

Chest freezers come in a variety of sizes from 5 cu. ft. all the way up to 25 cu. ft., and range anywhere from $145-$799.

Upright Freezers are usually in the 14-21 cu. ft. size and range between $399 & $899.

Come see your home-town appliance team today so that we can help you pick out the right freezer for your family.  We have standard sizes available, but can special order any size freezer that suits your needs.

Let us know if you have any questions about freezers and storing your food. Leave it in the comments section.

Kiss Ironing Goodbye with These 5 Great Laundry Tips

Hate to iron clothes? You’re not alone! Pressing blouses, shirts and slacks can be a very tedious, time-consuming process, but you don’t want to be a wrinkled mess at work and it can cost a fortune to have the dry cleaners handle it! What to do? Luckily, we have some tips that can take the wrinkles out of clothes without the assistance of an iron, so you can look great without having to spend a lot of time dealing with them. Now you can enjoy wrinkle-free clothes without the hassle of ironing- everybody wins!

Set a Timer

It can be tempting to load clothes into the dryer, walk away, and forget about it until it’s time to fold. But this method can make clothing even more wrinkled, especially if you’re doing a large load. Set a timer for 20 minutes. When it goes off, pull out all the items you normally would need to iron, and lay them flat to continue drying, or hang them on a drying rack in your laundry room. They’ll be naturally wrinkle-free when you’re done! If you have a connected appliance, you can sink your dryer time to your phone and either stop it at any time or have the alarm go off when your clothes are ready. 

Use Dryer Sheets

Besides the added bonus of making your laundry smell fantastic, dryer sheets can make clothes come out of the dryer less wrinkled by softening the fabric. Nothing could be easier than throwing a dryer sheet into the laundry, and it is a good first step to an ironing-free lifestyle. Try Downy April Fresh dryer sheets for a nice, light scent that is not overpowering.

Release the Wrinkles!

After your clothing has dried, spray it with a wrinkle releaser and hang it in the closet. A wrinkle releaser does just what it says on the label- releases wrinkles by making the fabric hang straight. We like Downy Wrinkle Release in April Fresh, so the scent can match your dryer sheets!

Know When to Fold ‘Em

Leaving your laundry in the basket unfolded after it’s been taken out of the dryer is a great way to get many wrinkles on all your clothes. By folding the laundry the second it comes out of the dryer, you can smooth any wrinkles that would have needed to be ironed out. Bonus: you get to touch nice, warm clothes fresh out of the dryer!

Hang Up

No matter how careful you are with your clothing when you take it out of the dryer, it can all be for nothing if you don’t hang things up as soon as your laundry is done. Let gravity work for you by hanging your items on a hanger to naturally release the wrinkles. This will make your garment look great for a very small amount of work!

Got any more ironing tips (namely, ones that allow you to opt out of ironing)? Let us know in the comments section.

Chocolate Truffle Tarts

Every week I bring you a video recipe and this week I'm in the Jenn-Air kitchen at Contract Appliance to share my favorite dessert, Chocolate Truffle Tart. Don't be intimidated by fresh pie dough, watch my video for tips on how to make, roll and fill pie dough. With a little practice you might find that making pies and tarts to be your go-to dessert.

• 1 Cup heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 large egg yolk

Preheat an oven to 325 degrees and position an oven rack in the center.

To prepare tart shell: On a lightly floured work surface; roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Using a large spatula, place into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing slightly to cover the bottoms and sides. Trim the dough to be flush with the rim and chill for 10 minutes.

Cover shell with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights blind-bake in the oven until pale golden brown, about 15 minutes, and allow to cool.

To prepare tart filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and milk and place on the stove over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Using a whisk, stir until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk in the egg with the egg yolk and then whisk in 1/2 cup of the chocolate cream. Thoroughly whisk this custard mixture into the chocolate cream in the saucepan.

Transfer the filling into the prepared tart shell and bake until set around the rim but still slightly jiggles in the center, about 30 minutes.

PIE DOUGH
It’s as easy as 3 2 1

• 3 - Part Flour
• 2 - Part Butter
• 1 - Part Water

This technique is based on a ratio of twice as much flour as fat by weight. The fat is rubbed into flour to create a loose mixture that is then bound using a small amount of ice water, rolled out, then shaped and placed to create the top or bottom of a tart or pie. Using butter adds flavor while using lard ensures optimum texture.

Have a cooking or baking question? Leave it in the comments section and Chef Mark will get back to you!

4 Smudge-Proof Finish Options

    So, it’s been a while since you’ve upgraded your appliances and you’re thinking that with the Holidays coming up that this might be the right time to do it.  In looking for appliances you will find that while stainless steel is certainly the most popular, and available finish, it may not be the right finish for your household.        

                 

    Stainless Steel, while very attractive, can be a challenge to keep looking great.  Black & White appliances are limited in availability…and may actually cost you more! 

Never fear, new finishes are here!

  There are several new finishes available in a variety of brands that can offer your kitchen a luxurious look, without the luxurious price. Here are 4 different finishes to look into:

 Frigidaire Gallery

  A very “Family Friendly” appliance.  Nice features at an affordable price, with a very popular smudge-proof stainless steel finish. For the families that cook!

Frigidaire Professional

 This line offers a smudge-proof finish, while offering a “Pro-Style” look. For the households that entertain.

LG Black Stainless

This new finish offers an “acid-treated” stainless which is then coated with a smudge-proof outer coating.  Very luxurious and family friendly.

GE Slate

GE offers 90% of their line of appliances in this rich new finish, perfect if you prefer more of a Satin Finish, not a High Gloss.

There are many more options to choose from, I have only listed a few.  Come see us today so that we can show you more options in Samsung and Kitchen Aid, we hope to see you soon!

What happens when we put a DVD in the microwave?

Ever wonder what really happens when you put things in the microwave that your mom and dad told you not to ever put in there?

Here at Appliance Factory & Mattress Kingdom, we have done some pretty fun and dangerous experiments to see what really happens when you put different objects in the microwave.

Please don't try this at home.

This episode shows you what it looks like when you put DVDs in the microwave...



Hopefully this video blows up your world with imagination.

What would you want to see put in the microwave? Leave your suggestions in the comments section and we will try it out!