Kitchen Deals -> Small Appliances

By law manufacturers must disclose the energy efficiency of their appliances, rated A to G. These are usually displayed prominently in showrooms. The better the rating, the more energy efficient the appliance is - good for both the environment and your pocket.

There seems to be little difference between hard wood and plastic cutting boards from a safety standpoint, as long as they are properly washed and sanitized after each use. Personally, I like the feel of solid wood. One piece of advice--buy large cutting boards. Don't bother with these tiny boards that everyone seems to have in his or her kitchen. They are not user friendly. Once you get down to serious cutting or chopping, the small boards are always woefully inadequate and downright maddening!

No new fridge or fridge/freezer should contain CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) or HFCs (hydroflourocarbons), which have been linked to the "Greenhouse Effect". However your old fridge may contain them, so please dispose of it thoughtfully. Your local authority should be able to give you some advice and guidelines.