Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Choosing the Right Pan For Your Cooking

Cooking while using All-Clad copper core collection of kitchenware is an event every cook would enjoy. This cooking collection, decorated with a mirror finish exterior and complimented by a band of copper looks absolutely stunning. Its utility is also unequaled. All-Clad is a premium kitchenware manufacturer that has been making an excellent product for generations. It commands a global reputation and its wares are highly regarded because of their celebrated performance. A great option within this line is the All-Clad Copper Core 10-inch Fry Pan.

Originally the All-Clad copper cookware was designed for professional chefs however currently it has many followers in the domestic markets as well. This designer is in the company of the most renowned makers of kitchenware on the planet and has retained its title as a leader for the previous four decades. There appears to be no other outstanding fusion of good looks and utility that can compete with the All-Clad line of kitchenware.

The most important advantage of the All-Clad pots and pans is the copper core, which is an efficient conductor of heat, and that helps to cook food fast in this cookware. Moreover, the heat is evenly spread out along the complete cooking surface – even the sides. You use less natural gas, and the food thus cooked will usually be better tasting and better for you. Another nice option is the All-Clad Stainless 12-inch Fry Pan.

The stainless steel nonstick cooking surface guarantees easy cleaning. The All-Clad copper core pots and pans have a 5-ply bonding that is a unique feature of the copper cookware of this company. You cannot look for such superior engineering in any of the competing kitchenware produced by other companies. Because of this, the cookware of this company have been used in some of the most admired restaurants today.

The stainless steel cooking interior is certified as food grade so you should never fret about any chemicals on the surface of the cookware reacting with the food while you are preparing it. Most of the kitchenware produced by other brands could possibly be covered with substances that could even become part of the cooking ingredients at high temperatures. Nevertheless, it is always suggested to wash the surface of new cookware thoroughly many times before preparing food in it for the first time. The inaugural bit of food prepared in the kitchenware may be disposed of. You can easily see the craftsmanship of the copper core. Besides this type, you should also look into the All-Clad Stainless 10-inch Nonstick Fry Pan.

The cookware comes with sturdy stainless steel holders that are made to offer you a steady control of the cooking equipment even when it is particularly hot. The handle is solidly connected to the main part of the pot and it does not sever easily. Usually, All-Clad products are  designed for heavy usage. It is particularly bulky and is rather pricey. Because of this, many of the hobby chefs can ill afford it, even if they may yearn to possess it.

Friday, January 16, 2009

For Healthy Air, You Need an Air Cleaner

You might not be aware of it, but the truth of the matter is that most of the air you breathe isn't very clean. And worse than that, it's not likely to get any cleaner in the future. Even your own home isn't a safe haven. The amount of polluted air in modern homes is so bad that it can put your health at risk.

For this reason you have to make certain that the air you breathe is as clean as it possibly can be. Happily, it's easier to accomplish this than you might think. When you use an effective air cleaner, it can have a big impact on the quality of air in your environment.

Air cleaners are very useful for eliminating dangerous particles that can be found in the air around you. These include chemicals, dust, pet dander and all manner of other potentially dangerous allergens. This can help to forestall various ailments like the common cold, the flu, pneumonia and bronchitis, as well as other respiratory problems.

You can also eliminate many common household smells with a home air purifier. These include tobacco smoke, gases, pesticides, cat litter and aerosols. Substances such as glue, paint and varnish give off volatile smells and an air cleaner will eliminate these too.

Air cleaners are also excellent at combating microorganisms like antigens, bacteria, mold, pathogens, and even viruses that are regularly found in the air indoors. These pollutants can lead to health problems if you breathe in too much of them.

There is a range of air cleaner technology to choose from. These include the HEPA air purifier, the ionic air cleaner or the UV air cleaner. These air cleaners are able to purify the air to a great degree, as well as eliminate vapors and odors.

Once you realize the reasons why you should get an air cleaner, you need to start looking for a specific kind that addresses the particular situation in your home. Another way to help along the situation is to make sure your home is well ventilated. So you should make sure you let the stale air out from the rooms within your home to get the best possible performance from your air cleaning equipment.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Ionic Air Purifier Technologies - Scientific Fact or Science Fiction?

Introduction

Ionic air purifiers hold the promise of clean air, purified of all known harmful contaminants that threaten our health. The harmful impurities in the air are not visible to our naked eye. Invisible weapons against invisible enemies seems the obvious answer. Intuitively, the logic appeals to me. Unfortunately, there is no simple solution as google throws up an avalanche of controversy within seconds. Even though I am tempted to quickly get an ionic air purifier to clean the air I breathe, it is clear that more time and effort is needed. Safety, more than effectiveness, must be given higher weightage in the selection of an ionic air purifier.

The recent China melamine saga that killed infants also serves as a reminder to us that in buying into any technology or any product, all claims by manufacturers and distributors must be screened to the fullest extent that our resources permit. This is even more critical when the key reactive agent is unseen to the human eye. Investigating ionic air purifier technologies falls within this ambit as the reactive agents are invisible ions.

In this article, I am laying out the roadmap as I look into the existing ionic air purifier technologies in the global marketplace. Trying to understand the science behind the technologies seems to be the logical place to begin searching for the ideal ionic air purifier. A dominant current trend appears to be the creation of an invisible but potent defence shield against airborne molecular contaminants. The prime threat being closely monitored by scientists all over the world is the avian flu virus.

Types of Ionic Air Purifier Technologies

Broadly speaking, air purification technologies can be deployed in either passive or active modes. Under passive technology modes, reactive agents are contained in the air purifier whilst impure air is drawn in for cleansing before being pushed back to the environment. Conversely, in active mode, reactive agents are pumped into the impure air environment. It is not unusual to find combinations of both passive and active modes in many ionic air puriifers.

In the global market today, ionic air purifier technologies include the following categories:

(A) Ion generator - positive and negative ions
(B) Ion generator - negative ions only
(C) Photocatalytic Oxidation (POC)
(D) Electrostatic filter
(E) Combos

Ion Generator - Positive and Negative Ions

This combination of positive and negative ions appears to show the most promise for the future of ionic air purifier technology. Developed by Japanese ingenuity, Sharp Corporation to be exact, they are known as plasmacluster ions.

Sharp Corporation's marketing efforts focus on the ability of plasmacluster ions to surround and cling on to harmful airborne bacteria and viruses. When clumping occurs, hydroxyl is produced. Hydroxyl, also known as nature's detergent, is a powerful reactive species that destroys airborne particulates by plucking out hydrogen molecules from their organic structure. This chemical reaction generates harmless by-products, the main of which is water.

This technology uses a differential ion generator, comprising a positive and a negative ion generator which can be powered in alternate cycles to control the type of ions generated.

Advocates of the positive and negative ions combination claim that a balance of both these ion types is to be found in places like waterfalls and pristine forests, i.e. this is the real state of the natural environment. Diametrically, believers of the negative ions technology take the view that negative ions dominate the space in natural habitats and that positive ions are actually harmful. As I progress with my research, I shall be looking for independent scientific studies that support either of these two opposing views.


Ion Generator - Negative Ions

The traditional ionic air purifier produces only negative ions. Currently, this technology dominates market share but it is under serious threat from Sharp's plasmacluster positive and negative ions technology.

It is claimed that nearly all harmful airborne particulates like dust, smoke and bacteria etc have a positive charge. Negative ions from the air purifier attach themselves to these particulates until they get weighed down and fall to the ground. These impurities are simply removed by vacuuming. Critics of negative ion technology charge that the weighed down particulates are not destroyed and the mere act of walking around the room kicks them back into the air that we breathe.

It seems that there are several ways to produce negative ions. It is critical to know the various methods as each may have different by-products, some harmful and some which are not. These methods include:

(1) Water method - this employs what is known as the waterfall or Lenard Effect. Onto an electrically-charged metal plate, water droplets are splashed. This splits the water droplets, a process in which large numbers of negative ions are produced. It is claimed that no harmful by-products are produced by the water method.

(2) Electron radiation method - this is based on a single negative discharge electrode needle. Applying a high voltage pulse to the electrode results in the production of millions of negatively-charged electrons. This process does not generate any ozone. This is attributed to a "smaller" energy pulse being applied.

(3) Corona discharge method - this is based on a dual electrode model, a sharp metal electrode and a flat electrode. Between the two electrodes, a high voltage is applied. The movement of electrons between the electrodes ionises the air in that same space. An inherent weakness of this method is the production of harmful by-products like ozone and nitride oxide.

Photocatalytic Oxidation (POC)

This technology is commonly applied in a passive mode. The key reactive purifying agent is hydroxyl, nature's detergent.

Germicidal ultraviolet (UV) light is commonly shone on a catalyst (usually titanium oxide) to produce hydroxyl, oxygen and peroxide, all of which are potent oxidising agents that are very effective at destroying the organic structure of micro-organisms and gaseous volatile organic compounds.

The key pillar of POC technology is its comprehensive coverage. Proponents of this technology claim that POC inactivates ALL categories of indoor pollution, including:

(1) airborne particulates i.e. dust, pet dander, plant pollen, sea salts, tobacco smoke, industrial and car pollution, etc

(2) bioaerosols i.e. contagious or infectious biological compounds (e.g. pathogenic bacteria and viruses) or non-infectious and non-contagious (e.g. non-pathogenic bacteria, molds, cell debris)

(3) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) i.e. gaseous chemicals or odours - benzene, styrene, toluene, chloroform, hexane, ethanol, formaldehyde and ethylene all common emissions from everyday products of our modern home.

Critics of POC zoom in on the power effects of hydroxyl, claiming that they cannot differentiate between the organic structures that make up molecular contaminants and our lung tissue, eye cornea or nose membranes.

Electrostatic Filter

This technology appears to have originated in heavy industries which produced abundant pollutants. The typical electrostatic filter ionic air purifier includes two electrodes sandwiching a porous dielectric material. Dielectric materials do not conduct electricity while metallic electrodes are excellent conductors that transmit and receive electricity.

As impure air is drawn into the electrostatic purifier, it passes through the dielectric material which acts as a sieve. Electrostatic forces between the electrodes causes airborne particulates i.e.smoke contaminants, dust, etc, to adhere to the dielectric surface. Purified air is pushed out of the purifier and re-circulated.

Quite often, an ion source is placed before the electrostatic filter to impart an electric charge to the airborne particulates. Charging the impurities make them adhere more effectively to the dielectric material.

Criticism of electrostatic filter technology focuses on ozone as a by-product, commonly assumed to be produced in all ionisation processes.

Combo Ionic Air Purifiers

To cater to the various adherents and critics of the diverse technologies, combos incorporate all or some of the above types of technologies. Combos may include:

(1) adsorptive materials such as activated carbon or oxygenated charcoal (known for its extremely porous large surface area) are added to POC technology to enhance the removal of VOCs;

(2) oxidizing catalysts like titanium oxide are coated on various components of all types of air purifiers to enhance VOC elimination;

(3) reducing catalysts such as manganese dioxide are coated near the exit outlets of many air purifiers to reduce reactive species like ozone and nitric oxide which may be harmful;

(4) generating ions by differing methods such as using microwave, UV light, radio frequency waves, and direct current;

(5) tweaking the specifications of any ionic air purifier technology so as to attain the well-known HEPA status without actually using HEPA filters.

Obviously, the process of selecting the most efficient and effective ionic air purifier involves analysing a deluge of information. And I have not even touched on the safety aspects of each technology. I have also not examined in greater depth the claims of each technology. It is natural to want to quickly want something that promises to improve the air quality in your homes, offices, factories, schools etc. But I urge you to do your homework and don't forget to visit me for updates as I continue my search for the ideal ionic air purifier.

To easily receive updates on new articles, subscribe to The Ionic Air Purifier Blog today.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Astounding Dishwashers Online

If you should be surveying the market-place for a cracking offer on Dishwashers, looking on the internet can be a marvellous way to save cherished time & currency. If you’re tired of hauling yourself around high street retail outlet after shop looking for your families brand new dishwasher then why don't you get to your laptop and online and begin searching.

You really should constantly buy your new appliance from retailers you very much trust, but nevertheless, when faced with some strange firms online picking can be problematic. A fabulous tactic to stave off utilising rubbish retailers is to purchase with online stores who also own a prevalent physical location. You certainly should additionally be sure to extensively look over the terms and conditions of every one of the sites you are seriously considering acquiring your dishwasher from.

Yet another additional tactic to distinguish a trustworthy on-line store if you are searching for high quality dishwashers is to check whether the website own a dispassionate and elucidative shoppers guide. Doing this might furthermore throw up a disturbing number of considerations you might well not have ordinarily considered if you were merely perusing without help and advice. The aforementioned may well include; power consumption, further features and storage capacity amongst other things.

Be wary of obfuscated charges – VAT and delivery charges which are added on at the payment stage can commonly transmute that initial terrific price you found for your dishwasher into something wholly unremarkable.

a worrying number of online retailers are quicker than others – if the speed at which you receive your dishwasher is really not an issue then this will probably simply not concern you a great deal. Though, if you would rather not be manually washing the knifes and forks and pans over Christmas then you might often want to pick a retailer who gives you guaranteed delivery times.

Dishwashers can ofttimes look the business when they are sat in a display room or on a website but wind up disappointed when they reaches your families house. So be doubbly sure to check the returns policy of the web-site you’re ordering from. Looking for dishwasher is easy if you go to the right online store.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Choosing The Best Stove Cooktops For Your Green Kitchen

When it comes to designing a green kitchen, evaluating stove cooktops for their energy efficiency can cause you to make a decision between convenience or your preferred method of cooking and being eco-friendly.  But, if you really want to conserve energy and help to reduce your carbon footprint, your stove cooktop is something you need to consider in your kitchen design.

Unless you are going to cook in your fireplace over an open flame, you've got to consider the energy usage of the model of stove or cooktop that you buy. Most cooks prefer a gas cook top. With gas, the heat is easier to control and this can make cooking a lot easier.

The problem is that gas stoves use a fossil fuel (natural gas) and this is not good for the environment. On the other hand, the electricity that powers electric cook tops comes mainly from coal burning power plants which, once again, are not that environmentally friendly. So, what’s an environmentally sympathetic cook to do?

When it comes right down to it, choosing stoves and cooktops that are practical and good for the environment boils down to one thing - the efficiency of energy usage.

Which Stove Cooktops Are Most Energy Efficient?

When looking for energy efficiency, the electric cooktops are going to beat the gas ones hands-down. So if your priority is the environment, chose electric over gas.

But, there are many different types of electric cooktops that you'll need to evaluate for your green kitchen. In today's electric cooktops, there are many choices between the surface elements. These include induction elements, halogen elements and the traditional electric coil that seemed to be almost old-fashioned today.  Each of these has it’s advantages and disadvantages and they are not all equal when it comes to energy efficiency.

Needless to say, the newer technology cooktops are going to be more costly but they will also be more energy-efficient. The induction stove is the most energy-efficient because it transfers energy electromagnetically right to your pan. Of course, these are the highest priced.

The ceramic glass cooktops that use halogen elements are the next best when it comes to using energy, however if you don't have very flat pans, you will be wasting energy because they do not work efficiently if there isn't good pan to cooktop contact.

The electric coil stove is the least expensive, but also the least energy efficient!

When considering stove cooktops for your kitchen, you're going to have to weigh your budget with your desire to lower your carbon footprint. Just like most things in life, you have to compromise to achieve your goals.  Going with a higher-priced and more efficient model might cost you more upfront but can save on your energy expense as well as your impact to the environment over time.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Health Benefits with the Most Effective Home Air Purifiers

Air purification is a growing marketplace as more and more people realize the inherent advantages of taking in cleaner air. They are pretty affordable as well with many ot the assorted varieties of purifiers in the 100 dollar range. When you take into account all of the health benefits you gain from utilizing an air purifier in your house that seems a very moderate cost. Even So, there are a few very real differences in air purifiers that you ought to be aware of before making a final decision about which model is right for you. In fact, you may be happy to find out that the most beneficial home air purifier isn't inevitably the most costly version on the market.

A New Technology

Ionic purification functions by attaching ions to contaminants and employing a collecting plate to to extract them right out of the air. It's a recent technology that has good potential yet, and it will proceed to be developed as the years pass. Unfortunately, numerous brands create ozone as an effect. While you may think that ozone is beneficial for the environment if you recall the big panic near the end of the twentieth century with the gaping hole in the ozone layer, ozone is unhealthy. Therefore, the most healthful home air purifier is one that doesn't make ozone, which can exacerbate allergies and even increase the chance of an asthma attack.

Rather, the most effective home air purifier ordinarily uses HEPA filters (at least for now, until ionic purification techniques are improved and healthy enough to be applied in the most effective home air purifiers). For those unfamiliar with the term, HEPA refers to high efficiency particulate air, and reports about these filters have claimed a 99.7% reduction in the pollutants from the air. HEPA isn't a make so much as a label, and these best home air purifiers need to meet the government's HEPA standards for efficiency, so you know that you're getting the best.

Using one of these premium home air purifiers allows you to breathe easier recognizing that you are not taking in all of that pollution. People suffering from ailments caused by allergens will acknowledge the health gains almost instantly.Pollen, dust, and different allergens will no longer have the same life halting results as before. Beyond that, the most effective home air purifiers make your home smell nicer, a tremendous benefit for tobacco users or house owners with pets. Too frequently individuals get engrossed with pills, dieting, and exercising exclusively for quailty wellness, but clean air is every bit as important.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Better Cooking with a Quality Food Processor

If you are  looking for food processors, take a look at the Cuisinart 7-cup Food processors.  These food processors are inexpensive and uncomplicated to use.  They also clean up quickly.  The cylinder can process 7 cups of chopped vegetables, nuts, batter or just about anything else you wish to put in to your meals.  You may use it to mix, chop, slice and puree just about anything. 

The Cuisinart 7-cup food processors have lots of different blades that can perform all kinds of chopping and mincing.  You can get rid of your vegetable knives once you are able to purchase a food processor that does everything your family requires with precision and speed.  You will never need to be concerned about hurting a finger when employing the Cuisnart 7-cup food processors.  The specially designed safety features allow you to put in vegetables or other things that you need be chopped without endangering your fingers. 

You can fix nearly anything in a food processor. It is truly the only kitchen appliance you will want for chopping and mixing.  You can even use it to blend thicker items like gravies and sauces.  The 7 cup size is about right for the average family.  You may prepare all the vegetables that you want for your dinner and have them ready in a manner of minutes. 

We are constantly told that we do not have time to cook proper meals for our families.  This is mainly because of the process of cutting vegetables, which accounts for a good amount of the preparation time.  However, when you have one of the Cuisinart 7-cup food processors, preparing vegetables for your meals will be quick and easy.  If you have time, you might chop double the amount, and store the unused vegetables in a freezer container.  Later on, you won’t have to chop them when you are ready to cook again.  This is healthier for you, because the frozen vegetables contain no preservatives.
This is also quite cost-effective. It is much cheaper to prepare and freeze a bag of vegetables with the Cuisinart 7-cup food processors than to buy a bag of frozen vegetables in the store.

Most of the components of the Cuisinart 7-cup food processors are dishwasher safe. So, when you are finished, you can disassemble the appliance and put it right into the dishwasher for quick cleaning. Afterward, you can put the item either on the counter or in your cabinet. Once you begin preparing your meals with one of the Cuisinart 7-cup food processors, you will find countless uses for this appliance.

Air Cleaners Purifiers: Lots To Learn And Much To Pick From

Nowadays, well-nigh everywhere that you look individuals are turning to ideas that will help them live a more wholesome life and whether it is naturally produced meats and veggies or exercising regularly, the newfound way of living is a bunch different to what our fathers were accustomed to. Today, people seem obsessed with even breathing clean air and so setting up air cleaner purifiers is the rule instead of the exception.

Efficient Or Not

It of course pays to know how efficient air cleaners purifiers are as well as being educated about these air cleaners purifiers before you head out to buy one|pick one up]. This can spare you from becoming befuddled what with all the different trade names to pick from and because there are so many  different types to find out about.

You also need to be positive that putting in air cleaner purifiers will truly service you whenever the atmosphere within your house grows so awful that only purifying systems can make the atmosphere breathable once more. Answering a a couple of questions about different attainable purification systems at the very beginning will compensate valuable dividends because you can ascertain which type of air cleaner purifiers to look for and likewise whether they will suit your finances.

The fact of the matter is that humans have been breathing non purified air for ages and the industrialized revolution and modernized technology unitedly have added to fouling the air, and as a result the caliber of air that we respire today is not what it should be. We get a lot of our oxygen from floras, which are naturally the most dependable variety of air purifiers. This raises the question of why air cleaner purifiers are so critical and how can they do a better job than plants and what role do they actually fulfill.

The truth of the matter is that there are quite a few divers air filtration and purifying appliances available and of them the primary kind is the HEPA filter system that can demonstrate to be accommodating in cleaning our air very efficiently. The popular HEPA filter systems function by drawing in air through a filter and then blowing it back into the room, while the ozone air purifiers operate differently because they give rise to more ozone molecules into the air that you breathe. Other makes of air cleaner purifiers include ionic air cleaners and electrostatic precipitators as well as electrostatic filters.

With all these choices available, obtaining a suitable air cleaner purifier should not prove to be excessively difficult. And by testing the measure of allergens drifting around in the air in your dwelling, you can form a more educated decision founded on which air cleaner purifiers can get rid of these allergens the best.

Read more on air purifier reviews