GeekSugar

Worth It or Waste: Common Household Appliances

Diana Nguyen — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:00:20 PDT

From designer jeans to gourmet meals, most of us enjoy the finer things in life. But where do we draw the line? How much money does it take for the practical to become impractical? When it comes to common household appliances, like trash cans and toilets, simplicity is expected. However, added benefits like a cleaner surface area or more comfort may be worth the extra cash. Check out the following eight common-turned-luxury household items and decipher whether the value justifies the price.

Do Tell: What Appliance Could you not Live Without?

DearSugar — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:00:00 PDT

When you go home from work tonight, think about all the home appliances you use on a daily basis. Everything from your dishwasher to your toaster, your Tivo to your blow dryer. We are very fortunate to have all these gadgets at our fingertips, most of the time not even realizing how trivial they are to our everyday routine. so ladies, do tell, what appliance could you simply not live without?!

Source

Knob Pours Music Into Your Shower

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 04:28:26 PDT

Bathrooms must be the trendy room to "geek out" in. From colored lights that illuminate your shower water, to luxurious waterproof TV sets, there's no gadget or trick too extravagant for the most die-hard geeks.

Slightly more natural than waterproof MP3/speaker combos is this music system that was made to look like a shower knob. It doesn't tout MP3 or CD abilities (it's only an AM/FM radio), but its discreet shape and $25 price will likely attract some geek on a quest to trick out his or her powder room. It’s being sold by Korea’s Funshop for about $32 bucks.

View 1 Photos ›

Source: Crave and Technabob

LG Refrigerator - TV, Remote Control, Kitchen Sink

GeekSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 10:00:44 PDT

If you've ever had the burdensome task of buying a major household appliance, you know it's not any fun. There is an alarming variety of models, features and wacky specs you didn't even know existed (seriously, who worries about refrigerator sound decimals on a regular basis?). LG's new Side-by-Side refrigerator offers far too many specs to mention, but caught my eye because it includes a built in 15" LCD TV with FM Radio, remote control, as well as a special Weather & Info Center that provides a five-day forecast for your area (where service is available).

Need to whip up an appetizer in time for your party? This bad boy comes pre-loaded with recipes and can store your favorite digital photos and anniversary reminders. The touch-sensitive digital controls also allow you to manage temperature in the refrigerator and freezer compartments as well as monitor room temperature and reset the water filter status indicator. Oh and if you're dieting or putting your better half on a diet - you can even set the door alarm. Looks like it costs about $3,500, but you have to remember you're getting a gazillion gadgets in one.

To check out more pictures of the fridge, read more

View 6 Photos ›

The LG Fridge That Will Help You Lose Weight

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:24:01 PST

LG's home appliance lineup will be getting a little geekier (and healthier) with new Smart Thinq technologies. In general, Smart Thinq connects your mobile device to your home appliances so you can monitor things like your laundry cycle and cooking times from anywhere, but new refrigerators may actually help you achieve your 2012 weight-loss goals with the inclusion of a feature called the Health Manager.

This feature will help you build a personal profile, then suggests recipes, daily and weekly meal plans, menus, and food selections based on age, gender, weight, height, and BMI. Dropping a few pounds gets even easier when you can select and send a shopping list to your phone, and send recipes to a LG Smart Oven, which will then automatically adjust cook settings. It's almost like having a digital butler . . . except you'll still have to prepare the food yourself. Bummer.

Stay tuned for pricing and release date information!

Hi-Tech Living at the Stovetop

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:30:50 PST

Want to add a futuristic edge to one of the more relatively primitive parts of the house? At CES, luxury appliance company Thermador introduced the Freedom Induction Cooktop, which is the first full-surface induction appliance to let you cook on any part of the surface. Position cookware of any size and shape anywhere on the stove, and get started on that complicated Winter soup you usually have too little space to make.

All those pots and pans now crammed on the Freedom Induction Cooktop are controlled with a 6.5-inch color touchscreen display that powers the heating level, cooking time, recognizes the location of each pot on the cooktop, and instantly updates as pans are moved around the surface. Now, a stove is the last place you normally want a touch panel, but the induction heating ensures the surface remains cool, while maintaining the same power as an ordinary gas stove.

The Freedom Induction Cooktop will be available July 2012, and with a $5,000 retail price, we'll list it among our luxury dream home must-haves for now. At-home chefs, would a hi-tech kitchen appliance like Thermador's new stove make it to your wish list?

4 Tips For Saving Money While Doing Chores

SavvySugar — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 03:05:40 PST

If you've hopped on the Spring-cleaning bandwagon take note: Training yourself to play with all those fancy buttons and think about the big picture can reap sizable long-term savings. The average home spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs, according to the Consumer Energy Center. Here are some of the CEC's most simple tips for cutting that bill and using your appliances wisely:

Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. Always use cold water to rinse clothes. (Save: 4 percent)
Line dry clothes whenever you can. (Save up to 5 percent)
When you need to use the dryer, run full loads, use the moisture-sensing setting, and clean the clothes dryer lint trap after each use. (Save: 0.5 percent)
Conserve energy by running your dishwasher only when it is fully loaded, and turn off the dry cycle and air dry dishes instead. (Save: 1 percent)

10 Dos and Don'ts of Christmas Gift Giving

Emily Co — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:07:05 PST

Christmas is coming up in about two weeks, and some of you may still be working on your gift list. Presents can be a big headache during the holidays because it takes a lot of time and effort to think of the right gift for someone. Before you finish your list, keep these dos and don'ts in mind:

Do set a budget. Christmas isn't a time to go wild and spend money on presents you can't afford. Sure, it's a time to be generous, but remember to be kind to yourself first and don't empty out your wallet. Start making a list of people you're giving gifts to and set a cap on how much you're going to spend on them.
Do consider giving homemade gifts. Personally, I tend to appreciate the gift more when it's homemade because it shows a lot of thought and effort on the gift-giver's part. Here are some ideas and stay tuned for more!
Do be smart about regifting. If you're planning on regifting, remember to avoid major no-no's such as giving a used item and giving the gift to a friend of a friend. Regifting a bottle of wine is always your safest bet, but do remember to do it with a personal touch like a small card.
Do get a gift receipt. If you're purchasing something for your friend, make sure you ask the salesperson to include a gift receipt. It's just a polite gesture, and you know your money won't go to waste because if your friend doesn't like the gift, she can just exchange it.
Do put thought into your gift. If you like something, it doesn't mean that your recipient is going to like it, too. Take some time to really think about what she likes and what her interests are. Here are a list of thoughtful gifts that won't break the bank if you need ideas. Don't get her a generic gift and reflect back on your previous conversations to see if she talked about a certain item she's been wanting to get. A good idea is to check out her Pinterest profile to see if she lists products she wants, and Etsy also has a gift recommendation feature that pulls information from Facebook profiles.

Read on for some Christmas gift-giving don'ts.

Bobbi Brown Snags a Penthouse in West Chelsea

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:00:59 PST

According to Trulia, Makeup mogul Bobbi Brown is the proud new owner of a sleek duplex penthouse in West Chelsea's art district. Bobbi purchased the 2,524-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo for $4.8 million. Designed by Della Valle Bernheimer, the spanking new, full-service building is just steps away from Chelsea Piers, the Hudson River Park, and Avenues School.

From the looks of the building, Bobbi's preference for a fresh face with natural looking makeup extends to her taste in architecture and interior design. Her new home features a host of minimal but exquisitely designed appliances, fixtures and finishes including custom-designed pieces by Rifra, Lualdi frame-less doors, oak floors and a mix of white lacquered and ebonized cabinetry.

The large elevator opens directly into an entry overlooking an expansive living room. An eat-in kitchen flooded with natural light is stocked with top notch appliances from Sub Zero and Thermador & Bosch. The master bedroom feels a bit more reclusive, nestled in a separate wing of the apartment. It includes a private bathroom with a stylish tub, separate shower, his and her sinks, and a heated tile floor. Aside from walls of large windows covering the apartment, an outdoor terrace provides stunning city views.

For a full tour of Bobbi's new penthouse, click through our gallery!

Source; Bobbi Brown Photo provided by Patrick Harbon

Tour Jenna Lyons' On-the-Market Park Slope Townhouse

Elka Karl — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:22:04 PST

Great real estate doesn't always ensure a great marriage, and that's sadly the case with J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons and her estranged artist husband Vincent Mazeau. It's looking quite likely that their separation will stick, since their absolutely gorgeous Brooklyn townhouse has hit the market for $3.75 million. The home, which was featured in lengthy spreads everywhere from Domino to LivingETC, was first purchased by the couple in 2004 for $1.3 million and extensively renovated afterwards. With seven bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths as well as a wine cellar and back garden among many other features, it's a truly amazing piece of real estate.

The Sotheby's listing for 178 Garfield Place notes,

This spectacular 1880s North Slope Townhouse, at 20’+/- wide with 4 stories plus a finished cellar, has been impeccably renovated to perfection. Every modern amenity has been added, while a complete restoration has preserved the integrity of the home’s original details. An open double parlor, beautiful (but not fussy) plaster cornices & medallions, aged pine floors, and 7 restored limestone mantels are just a few of the special details of this magnificent house. The casually chic home boasts 7 bedrooms, 3.5 luxuriously appointed baths, an eat-in cook’s kitchen with top of the line appliances, large private terrace off the master bedroom and a cellar that has been converted to a media room for entertaining. The ground-up renovation includes all new mechanicals, electric and plumbing, 3 zone CAC, new rear façade & roof. The house has a landscaped, irrigated South facing rear garden anchored by a mature Dogwood tree. Currently set up as a 2-family with renovated garden rental apartment.

Keep clicking to take a tour of the home.

All Photos Courtesy of Sotheby's