The electrical appliance thread

[Bob The Badger]

For some while now, I've been concerned about the entire lack of an electrical appliance thread on this board.

So rather than storm off, I thought I'd take the bull by the horns and start one myself. This way we can all share our electrical appliance stories, concerns, questions,  observations, and of course, hilarious stories.

I have a couple of questions/grumbles.

1. I thought our Zanussi hob was faulty because it switches itself off so easily. Merely sliding a pan back and forth vigorously in the traditional pan sliding method used when stir-frying etc always results in it switching itself off. Even less vigorous sliding can do that too and it's really annoying. Especially as I then have to wait upward of 25 seconds for it to reset.

I'm starting to think all induction hobs do this. Am I right?

2. WTF is going on with coffee makers?

In the US our coffee maker would keep the coffee warm for up to 4 hours before switching off. But apparently, you cannot buy one in this country that will stay on for more than 45 minutes. It's actually a law. Or am I being fed erroneous information? Does anybody know of a coffee maker that burst into flames after 55 minutes?

 

[Wolfie]

7 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

For some while now, I've been concerned about the entire lack of an electrical appliance thread on this board.

So rather than storm off, I thought I'd take the bull by the horns and start one myself. This way we can all share our electrical appliance stories, concerns, questions,  observations, and of course, hilarious stories.

I have a couple of questions/grumbles.

1. I thought our Zanussi hob was faulty because it switches itself off so easily. Merely sliding a pan back and forth vigorously in the traditional pan sliding method used when stir-frying etc always results in it switching itself off. Even less vigorous sliding can do that too and it's really annoying. Especially as I then have to wait upward of 25 seconds for it to reset.

I'm starting to think all induction hobs do this. Am I right?

2. WTF is going on with coffee makers?

In the US our coffee maker would keep the coffee warm for up to 4 hours before switching off. But apparently, you cannot buy one in this country that will stay on for more than 45 minutes. It's actually a law. Or am I being fed erroneous information? Does anybody know of a coffee maker that burst into flames after 55 minutes?

 

The coffee thing is law. It's to stop people just leaving them on for hours (like I used to). Not sure if it's due to energy saving or safety reasons though. Maybe both.

[FindernRam]

1. No: our hob switched the "plate" off if it detects no pan for several seconds, but it flashes to warn you so replacing the pan gets back to normal. Its a NEFF.

2. I thought it was law but caused by EU energy saving rules rather than safety.

What is equally worrying is the lack of Electrical retailers in central Derby. Higher authority wanted to see some Airfryers before buying. As we were in town we thought we would see what was available. With Lakeland gone there is nowhere in town that does that sort of thing anymore. Sometimes you want to see something rather than rely on the internet! In the end we risked the Kingsway traffic and went to Currys (who price matched Amazon). But the point is there is no real choice or competition.

[Wolfie]

12 minutes ago, FindernRam said:

What is equally worrying is the lack of Electrical retailers in central Derby. Higher authority wanted to see some Airfryers before buying. As we were in town we thought we would see what was available. With Lakeland gone there is nowhere in town that does that sort of thing anymore. Sometimes you want to see something rather than rely on the internet! In the end we risked the Kingsway traffic and went to Currys (who price matched Amazon). But the point is there is no real choice or competition.

Same everywhere.

I went into Currys in Newark recently, for the first time in ages (which tells a story in itself) and they don't keep anything like the stock or variety they used to have. They've even removed a whole mezzanine floor, which used to have the larger white goods on display. I would say 90% of the people in the store were there for click & collect online purchases.

The only shop I can think of in the town centre where you can view and buy electrical home goods (and only the cheaper brands) is Boyes & maybe Wilko's (who might not be around much longer due to financial difficulties). Argos has also got rid of all their goods on display.

[RoyMac5]

43 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

2. WTF is going on with coffee makers?

In the US our coffee maker would keep the coffee warm for up to 4 hours before switching off. But apparently, you cannot buy one in this country that will stay on for more than 45 minutes. It's actually a law. Or am I being fed erroneous information? Does anybody know of a coffee maker that burst into flames after 55 minutes?

 

I can only imagine it's a taste thing for the Europeans, who wants to drink hot 4 hour old sludgey coffee?

[Mucker1884]

On a semi related theme...

Whilst I fully understand (and agreed with) DCFC's decision to (electrically) isolate one of a pair of adjacent hand dryers during the whole covid social distancing thing, I am seriously hoping they have finally got around to switching them all back on again in readiness for the big kick off.  They didn't bother last season!  🙄

The dryer queues were bad enough pre-covid.  One dryer per 3 wash basins... when everyone "goes" in the same 15 minute period... just doesn't cut it, I'm afraid!  Particularly as they ain't the most modern/powerful dryers anyway, which slows the whole process down even further!

Encouraging folk (who don't need a lot of encouragement, to be fair... The dirty b*******!) to not bother washing their hands as they can't be arsed to queue for the dryer (singular) ain't the way forward!  

 

#Switch 'em back on!

 

[Wolfie]

31 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

On a semi related theme...

Whilst I fully understand (and agreed with) DCFC's decision to (electrically) isolate one of a pair of adjacent hand dryers during the whole covid social distancing thing, I am seriously hoping they have finally got around to switching them all back on again in readiness for the big kick off.  They didn't bother last season!  🙄

The dryer queues were bad enough pre-covid.  One dryer per 3 wash basins... when everyone "goes" in the same 15 minute period... just doesn't cut it, I'm afraid!  Particularly as they ain't the most modern/powerful dryers anyway, which slows the whole process down even further!

Encouraging folk (who don't need a lot of encouragement, to be fair... The dirty b*******!) to not bother washing their hands as they can't be arsed to queue for the dryer (singular) ain't the way forward!  

 

#Switch 'em back on!

 

Dry your hands on the back of your jeans like a normal person!

[Mucker1884]

3 minutes ago, Wolfie said:

Dry your hands on the back of your jeans like a normal person!

Seriously Dude!  Come on now!  Don't be so disgusting!

 

... Do I really come across as someone who would wear jeans!  🤣

 

 

[FindernRam]

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

I can only imagine it's a taste thing for the Europeans, who wants to drink hot 4 hour old sludgey coffee?

If its warm, wet, brown and not diarrhoea I'll drink anything! 

[FindernRam]

42 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Seriously Dude!  Come on now!  Don't be so disgusting!

 

... Do I really come across as someone who would wear jeans!  🤣

 

 

A skirt?

[ariotofmyown]

2 hours ago, RoyMac5 said:

I can only imagine it's a taste thing for the Europeans, who wants to drink hot 4 hour old sludgey coffee?

Exactly what I was thinking. Those American series/films when they go into diners and they pour out the coffee that has been waiting there for days!

@Bob The Badger slightly off topic, but how did you rate the food in America? My experience of the States is very small, but was not overly impressed by the food I did have. 

[TimRam]

9 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

Exactly what I was thinking. Those American series/films when they go into diners and they pour out the coffee that has been waiting there for days!

@Bob The Badger slightly off topic, but how did you rate the food in America? My experience of the States is very small, but was not overly impressed by the food I did have. 

Think everything is sweeter than we are used to including the bread?

[Mucker1884]

54 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

...slightly off topic... 

"slightly" my arse!  get outta here!  🤣

[Wolfie]

3 hours ago, Wolfie said:

Same everywhere.

I went into Currys in Newark recently, for the first time in ages (which tells a story in itself) and they don't keep anything like the stock or variety they used to have. They've even removed a whole mezzanine floor, which used to have the larger white goods on display. I would say 90% of the people in the store were there for click & collect online purchases.

The only shop I can think of in the town centre where you can view and buy electrical home goods (and only the cheaper brands) is Boyes & maybe Wilko's (who might not be around much longer due to financial difficulties). Argos has also got rid of all their goods on display.

...and just after typing this, it's announced that Wilko is likely to go into administration. Sad but not unexpected.

[ColonelBlimp]

I shall ask my wife if she has any appliance issues.

[Bob The Badger]

1 hour ago, ariotofmyown said:

Exactly what I was thinking. Those American series/films when they go into diners and they pour out the coffee that has been waiting there for days!

@Bob The Badger slightly off topic, but how did you rate the food in America? My experience of the States is very small, but was not overly impressed by the food I did have. 

Overall, better than here. By here, I do mean Cornwall though. 

Orlando is very cosmopolitan so we could get anything. 

Chinese food was a LOT better if you found a good one. 

The same goes for Mexican and Tex/BBQ as you can imagine. 

Fish and chips awful, even if British owned. And although we eventually found a good Indian, we ate a lot of dross first. 

We also had phenomenal sushi restaurant and I'm not arsed about that normally. 

At the fine dining end I'd say it's on a par and the fast food was the same. But I'd say it's more consistent in the US. We rarely had a bad meal and even chains like The Cheesecake Factory we're usually very good.  

 

[Bob The Badger]

3 hours ago, TimRam said:

Think everything is sweeter than we are used to including the bread?

Very true. I commented on the bread within a week of moving there.

[Bob The Badger]

1 hour ago, ColonelBlimp said:

I shall ask my wife if she has any appliance issues.

Good grief, can you not read the room?

You should ask your butler like @Anag Ram would.

[Anag Ram]

15 minutes ago, Bob The Badger said:

Good grief, can you not read the room?

You should ask your butler like @Anag Ram would.

I’m afraid Simpkins is tending to the stove, drawing and boiling water for family bath night.

He may be available after he’s served breakfast tomorrow.

[Steve How Hard?]

6 hours ago, Mucker1884 said:

Seriously Dude!  Come on now!  Don't be so disgusting!

 

... Do I really come across as someone who would wear jeans!  🤣

 

 

 

5 hours ago, FindernRam said:

A skirt?

Flared brown corduroys?

Edited August 3, 2023 by Steve How Hard?
Missed letter