Outdoor Dishwashers

kalamazoo outdoor dishwasher on kitchann style

As the popularity of Outdoor Rooms and Outdoor Kitchens grow, I often get asked by home owners if they should purchase an outdoor dishwasher.

Outdoor Dishwashers are different from the standard dishwasher you would install inside the home. They are specifically designed to hold up to weather extremes, dirt and have a special wash cycle for tough to clean items.

There are two manufacturers to choose from – Kalamazoo, which holds the bragging rights for being the first to introduce the outdoor dishwasher and Asko. (Note: Asko’s website also says they were the first but Kalamazoo debuted theirs at KBIS 2011)

Both offer dishwashers with stainless interiors and exteriors, adjustable racks that will hold 12 place settings, weatherproof electronics, water safety leak protection and winterization steps.

Kalamazoo offers separate finished sides and back for the dishwasher to build it into their stainless cabinets. The Asko model includes a finished stainless exterior so it can be built-in or free-standing.

So, should you include one of these in your plans to upgrade or add an outdoor kitchen?

Most homes have a single wall outdoor kitchen that has barely enough room for a grill, sink and undercounter refrigerator. So if you fall into this category I’m sure you’d rather have the refrigerator than a dishwasher.

kalamazoo-outdoor-dishwasher-back — Kalamazoo Optional Back

If you have a large outdoor kitchen area and plenty of storage space then the question comes down to the size of the budget. An outdoor dishwasher is about $4,000. That may be a quarter to half of the entire budget so it is a big decision.

If you have the space and money is no object then I factor in the location of the outdoor kitchen to the house.

If your outdoor kitchen is very far away from the home then you may actually want to consider using an outdoor dishwasher. A perfect example is a lakefront home.

If the outdoor kitchen is positioned near the water because that is where everyone hangs out and the home is set back from the water’s edge and possibly elevated; then carrying a lot of items back and forth may be very inconvenient.

One last note, you may be the ideal homeowner for an outdoor dishwasher but local building codes could also be a factor – especially in flood zones.

May 12, 2012

Whirlpool Ice Collection

Be on the lookout for the new Ice Collection from Whirlpool. This new streamlined collection of kitchen appliances will include refrigerators, wall ovens, ranges, and dishwashers. White Ice and Black Ice are the finish choices.

As best I can tell, Whirlpool doesn’t list the new appliances as an actual collection on their website so it’s best to do a search by finish. The new sleek appliances have cleaner lines and are unified by an arched stainless handle.

This new series could be a solution to a problem many remodelers face when looking at professional-grade appliances that bust their budget. If your goal is to find appliances that look clean and sharp and you don’t need extra cooking power, the Ice Collection may be the solution you need.

January 15, 2012

A Splash-Proof Tablet for Your Kitchen

The Qooq (that’s “cook,” get it?) was another gadget on display at the CES 2012 show. This French tablet, which already sells in France, is aimed at solving the problem of how to use a tablet in the kitchen where spills and greasy smudges are bound to happen.

This 10 inch tablet runs on Linux, not Android, nor Windows 8 and it will cost $400 when it comes to the states. This Linux distribution has been customized for the Qooq and it is loaded with many things a cook would want like recipes from renowned chefs, as well as related videos, an ingredient database, wine and cuisine tutorials and a regular culinary magazine.

As you would expect, it has built-in Wi-Fi, speakers and most other things you would expect in a tablet. It sports a 1GHz dual-core processor, on the side, it has an SD card slot, an ethernet port, usb port and a headphone jack. In addition to that, it’s also splash-resistant, spill-resistant and drop-resistant.

The Qooq comes is your choice of red, black or cream with a built-in kickstand.

Reports from the show say they poured wine over the tablet to show that it can take abuse. There is a subscription service for culinary magazine and 50 extra recipes a month.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luOHhw96V4Q&feature=youtu.be

January 12, 2012

Bertazzoni and Sub-Zero Wolf At CES 2012

Italian cooking appliance maker Bertazzoni was recently recognized for its Built-in Design Series, winning the prestigious CES 2012 Innovation Award for its Built-in Design Series double oven.

The Ovens are designed to combine the company’s traditional craftsmanship and design with precise, innovative controls inspired by the iPhone. Another look at the photo and you will see the handles are molded Venetian Glass – very luxurious.

Here’s a link to a great post about Bertazzoni from Dwell.

Wolf Appliance was also a 2012 Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Award Honoree for its E Series wall ovens, with enhancements that allows connectivity to home automation systems for more features and convenience. It features a dual convection logic control system and a touch control panel with LCD display.

The same home automation connectivity was added to Sub-Zero built-in refrigeration, which is also an Innovations Award Honoree.

Sadly, I cannot find more information on the home automation connectivity so I’m hoping a press release will be out soon.