There are a few kinds of bar fridges.  Some are meant to hold only beverages like cans or bottles.  Others are made specifically for wine.  Still others are designed for a combination of food and drinks, like a mini bar.  Although sizes vary, usually bar fridge dimensions range from very small with a capacity of under 2 cubic feet to quite large, although a bar fridge for sale usually doesn’t get much bigger than 5 cubic feet or 3 feet tall.  Any bigger than that, and you can just get a normal upright fridge.  Here are the types of bar fridges available and the best models.

Normal Bar Fridges

For everyday normal use, there are lots of bar fridges to choose from.  You should think about what you might want to put in the fridge before you choose one.  If you are primarily going to use it for cans and bottles, you might want to get one without drawers, so you can fit more beverages inside.  Here are some of the most popular models available:
The Sanyo SR-3770S is a great little refrigerator.  It is quite large, standing at counter height, which is almost 3 feet.  This Sanyo is a stainless steel bar fridge, which means it will look great anywhere you put it.  It features a built-in vertical can dispenser and plenty of space both inside and on the door.  Another great feature that this fridge has is a full-width freezer, which comes in very handy when you need some ice.  A small bar fridge usually won’t have a good freezer like this.

The Glass Front Bar Fridge

There are great bar fridges available that are specifically designed to hold lots of cans.  These fridges are called “beverage centers”, and are a great solution

if you need to chill lots of cans.  They are used in all kinds of places, from snack bars to boats to workplaces and schools.    This type of refrigerator is rated according to how many cans it can hold.  Sizes vary from 60 cans up to 150 or more.  The Haier 150 can beverage center is a great little fridge.  Its bar fridge glass door lets you see what is inside without having to open it.  If you are looking for a light-use commercial bar fridge, this type would work well.  It is reasonably priced as well, at just $200, although you can get cheaper beverage centers that hold a smaller quantity of cans.

Mini Bar Fridges

The mini bar fridge is the most common type of bar fridge.  These are the ones that you see in practically every decent hotel room in the world.  Although they are technically just a mini fridge, they do have some distinctions that differentiate them from their little cousins.  The biggest feature that sets them apart is that the good ones use a different method to produce cold air. While other refrigerators use compressors to chill the air, a good mini bar will use what is called the absorption technique.  The result is a completely silent mini bar fridge.  Hotels don’t want noisy refrigerators waking up their guests, and they are willing to pay a lot of money for these silent fridges.  One of the leading manufacturers of mini bar fridges is Summit.  The Summit mini bar fridges features the silent technology and a door lock.

Other Types of Bar Fridges

There are a few other types of bar fridges that are designed for specific uses.  One of them is the wine bar fridge.  Unlike the beverage centers, these fridges are specifically designed to hold bottles of wine.  They come in various sizes, ranging from 6 bottle to 28 bottles or more capacities.  They also have glass doors and thermostats that are far superior to normal fridges.

Another type of fridge is specifically designed for use at a bar.  There are models that are built more sturdy and can hold up to heavy everyday use, such as a back bar fridge.  You can also get an under bar fridge that fits right under your bar, making it conveniently out of sight from customers.

Tags: Appliances, Refrigerators by Jeffrey
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Reasons to Have a Propane Oven

Having a propane stove and oven in some places is simply a no-brainer.  The biggest reason why most people choose them is because propane gas prices are cheaper than electricity in their area.  If you are wondering if this is true for where you live, the answer is usually yes.  Unless you somehow have very cheap electricity, such as a solar electric system or some other cheap or nearly free source, the price of propane to run your oven will usually be cheaper than using electricity.  Anything that heats up or cools down is a major electricity user.  While this is fine for things like a microwave, toaster oven, and other appliances that are only in use for a few minutes at a time, baking with an electric oven can really use a lot of electricity. The exception to this is for people who simply don’t use their stove and oven very often.  If you just use the burners once in a while, switching to a propane oven probably isn’t going to make much of a difference.  If you do cook a lot though, this is where the savings will add up.  Our family switched out our old electric stove and replaced it with a propane oven, and we immediately saw our electric bill drop by almost $20 the next month.  As for the propane usage, we put a large propane tank right outside the kitchen, fill it up about every 8 months for $80.

If your electric bill isn’t sky high, and propane prices in your area aren’t rediculously low, it basically comes down to a matter of choice.  Some people prefer the electric stoves and ovens, especially the flat-top kind.  Others grew up with propane ovens and are used to them.  All in all, electric ovens are cheaper to buy than propane ovens, but propane gas ovens usually cost less to operate.

Types of Propane Ovens

There are a few different types of propane ovens, and some of them are great for specific uses.  Most people know about the common propane stove oven for the kitchen, but there are some other types as well.

Propane Camp Oven

Propane camp ovens serve a very useful purpose in places where electricity simply isn’t an option.  For this reason, propane powered appliances make cooking easier in the outdoors.  You can even get a gas fridge to keep things cool without needing a generator.  Camp ovens have evolved over the years to the point that you can now cook pretty much anything you would at home in them.  From a small oven meant for feeding a few people to a large one capable of cooking up meals for a small army outdoors, you can get them.  For a small propane camp oven, This Outdoor Camping Oven by Camp Chef is definitely among the best.  It sits right on a tabletop, has 2 burners and an oven, and operates very efficiently on a small amount of propane.  No need to carry around a heavy propane tank either.  The oven can run for 5 hours on a small, 1 pound propane canister (the ones that you use with little propane burners).  This portable propane oven is a great choice for car camping, and can easily be carried around by one person.  You can even buy a carrying bag for it.

Propane Pizza Ovens

Because of the extreme popularity of pizza, it is not surprising to see many people opening up their own restaurants, or mobile kitchens selling slices of pizza.  If you are going to bake pizza, you will need a good propane pizza oven.  Most people choose propane for heavy duty use because it is pretty much always turned on and the electricity costs to run an electric oven for that long would be too high.  If you just want a propane pizza oven for home use, there are some great little ones that won’t cost you a fortune.  This new and innovative pizza cooker from Presto only costs about $50.  Click Here To See Some of the Most Popular Pizza Ovens.

Tags: Appliances, Outdoor Kitchens, Ovens by Jeffrey
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If you are in the process of buying a new microwave and are considering whether or not to get a Magic Chef microwave oven, this guide should help you make that choice.  You might be a bit surprised to read about who actually produces the products labeled Magic Chef and how similar different brands actually are.

Who Owns Magic Chef?

These days, appliances are sold under brand names that the average person knows very well.  The funny thing is that few people seem to know who actually owns the brands.  As for Magic Chef, the Maytag Corporation (famous for its washing machines and dryers)  bought it back in 1986.  We haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet though, since the entire Maytag Corporation was bought a few years ago, in 2006 by the Whirlpool Corporation, famous for all sorts of household appliances, from the integrated dishwasher to the bar fridge.  The good thing is that Magic Chef products are produced under the watchful eye of a mega appliance making company.

Magic Chef Microwave Ovens

Magic Chef microwaves come in pretty much every shape, size, and model that have been designed for microwaves.  Whether you need a basic countertop model, or are looking for an over the counter  microwave, you will be able to find a Magic Chef version of it.  One thing to keep in mind is that these days many appliances like microwave ovens are produced under contract by large factories overseas.  This means that the same factory is very likely to produce microwaves for a number of different companies.  Yes, the brand name will be different, and the design a little unique, but many microwaves are essentially the same these days.

The Best Cheap Magic Chef Microwave

The least expensive microwaves tend to be the small, compact ones.  Magic chef makes a mini microwave with a capacity of .7 cubic feet for around $60.  If you just need a microwave for everyday ordinary things like re-heating food, this one will do fine.  A surprising amount of people buy a magic chef because they are one of the few companies that produce one in the color red.  Take a look at the red microwave post for more information.  Too bad they don’t make a pink microwave, since lots of people want that one and have a hard time finding one.

If you have space on your kitchen counter, this 1100 watt Magic Chef Microwave Oven costs just $99 and is more powerful and roomier.  If you are looking for a combination microwave, which will serve as a range hood and a microwave combined into one clean unit, you won’t find any under the Magic Chef brand name.  But you will find plenty that are made by Whirlpool and Maytag, which own Magic Chef and are basically the same thing.  If you like Magic Chef, then you can get a Whirlpool or Maytag microwave that is very similar.  If anything, Magic Chef carries the cheaper product lines and Maytag and Whirlpool products are more expensive.

Magic Chef Microwave Parts

As most people have learned the hard way, pretty much any appliance you get will either fall apart or malfunction at some time.  Unlike some other appliances though, microwave parts are pretty hard to find, no matter what brand.  You can look online for blender parts, but for microwaves you won’t find anything.  The reason is partly because these machines aren’t meant to be opened up, and are produced overseas and shipped.  Whirlpool most likely isn’t going to stock a room full of microwave parts for every model they produce.  They would rather have you buy a new one.

Having said that, if your microwave broke down soon after you bought it, but you can’t return it to the store, here is the company info so you can call them directly:

Magic Chef Corporation:

United States:  1-800-688-1120
Canada:  1-866-587-2002

www.magicchef.com/  (not much at all on their website)

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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Types of Candy Floss Machines

There are 2 basic types of these machines.  The first kind is meant for home use, and is a pretty simple and inexpensive machine.  The truth is that making candy floss is in fact very easy.  All you really need is a motor and a heating element.  Home candy floss machines usually cost somewhere in the range of $40, and are small, lightweight, tabletop units.  All you need to do is get some of the special colored sugar, turn on the machine, pick up a stick, and twist the sweet stuff yourself.

The other type is the kind that is used by people selling candy floss at festivals, street fairs, or pretty much anywhere lots of people congregate.  This type is obviously more elaborate than the home-kitchen models, and therefore costs a bit more.  If you want to get serious about making large quantities of candy floss quickly, then I recommend getting a good commercial candy floss machine.  They cost around $300 for good quality units, but in a busy place you can make your investment back in a single day!  As far as mobile kitchens go, candy floss machines can really rake in the profits, since it only costs a few cents worth of sugar to make a big stick that you sell for a couple of dollars.  This makes it 99% profit, among the best mobile kitchen business models.

If you only need a large machine for one event, consider a candy floss machine hire.  They are available at most large equipment hire and rental businesses, and are a good way to make some extra cash for a weekend fundraiser or event.  Alternatively, check on the online bulletin boards like craigslist.org for a candy floss machine for sale.  You might be able to pick up a great machine at a price of about what it would cost to rent one for the weekend!

After you get your candy floss machine, you are going to need some of the sugary stuff too make it.  You can either order this online, buy it from a rental shop along with your rental, or get it from a candy supplies shop.  These days, you can even make sugar free candy floss, but as with any sweets that are sugar-free these days, they are indeed sweetened with a sugar substitute, so make sure you find out which one it is, since some of them aren’t so good for your health (such as aspartame).  Find candy floss sugar online here, and a selection of candy floss machines here.

The carnival has always been a place for festivities primarily for kids.  But since kids cannot leave the home unaccompanied, adults are their ever faithful companions.  And more often than not, they enjoy twice the fun that their kids took pleasure in.  Kids find joy in every ride and chow booth that a carnival offers, plus the fact that they can bump into school friends or maybe make a few new ones.  While the adults – enjoying a ride or two that could fit them in would suffice, but the joy in their children’s eyes can never equate to a price tag.

Some parents really will do anything just to keep the smile on their kids’ faces.  So having a personal carnival machine that spews out a fluffy, pink, and sweet concoction at home is pretty easy to do these days.  It would have been almost impossible back in the day, but now that candy floss machines for the home are already out in the market, and you can make everyday a celebration.

A candy floss machine is your typical candy floss maker that was made famous by carnivals and now has been hitting homes everywhere.  For a quick treat for the sweet tooth, having one at home would be a good idea, especially for families with quite a few kids.  This machine would be great not just for whipping up an after school delight, but for parties that you plan on having right at your own home.

Most of these machines were designed under the classic color premise of pink.  Candy floss had pink as its standard color, although other colors may be incorporated into the mixture.  The tabletop machine may vary in design, from having the vintage box-on-wheels look or one in a simple round form.

Candy floss is basically a web of sugar.  Although sugar may ring high in a diabetic’s or dentist’s ear, if taken in moderation, you won’t be stuffed with a load of calories.  The resultant size of a local fair serving may be a big lump of wool, but it does not offer as many calories as one would think.  The size doesn’t equate to tons of sugar.  Tartrazine is the dye responsible for its color, which may come in any available color that you could imagine, so you can keep a bunch of different colors on hand to create a rainbow of candy floss.

It may not be advisable to have eat this stuff on a regular or daily basis, but people can satisfy a good craving once in a while.  Probably a weekend family bonding moment would be an adequate reason for your candy floss machine to leave its storage corner.  And when we say “bonding moment,” the doses are obviously not just for the kids, but for the kids at heart as well.

Tags: Appliances, Mobile Kitchens by Jeffrey
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Try mentioning Frigidaire and refrigerators will automatically come up in your mind.  But for those in the know, Frigidaire is not just about refrigerators.  It has carved out a niche in the appliance industry and has joined the few appliance manufacturers that produce consistently good products.  The Frigidaire empire focused primarily on products like the bar fridge and dishwasher in the early years and has evolved over a number of decades to cover most large appliances.  The company now boasts of a wide variety of appliances, including the Frigidaire microwave.

Indeed, they have withstood the test of time.  As time evolves, technology moves forward as well; and this would mean appliances of better.  Through the years, they have come up with high-quality products and moved out of their refrigerator comfort zone.  Today, the Frigidaire brand is one among the most trusted manufacturers of appliances, one of which is the now-indispensable microwave oven.

Frigidaire microwaves are available in different sizes and models designed to fit the needs of today.  Their colors may be limited to the usual white, black and stainless steel or silver hues, but this does not compromise their function at all.  They are user-friendly and time-saving; meal preparation has never been so effortless.  If you are looking for a color that stands out a bit more, like a pink microwave, you probably won’t find it made by Frigidaire.

Quality and efficiency are prime factors in choosing appliances.  But the name itself is perhaps one of the main reasons why people have chosen the Frigidaire microwave over other available brands.  Being a pioneer in the appliance industry, the brand alone commands superior respect from consumers.  The Frigidaire insignia silently spells out outstanding performance and superior durability which they have exhibited for generations through the millions of appliances that they have manufactured.

There are a number of microwave lines to choose from.  The Frigidaire Gallery Microwave is part of the new Frigidaire Gallery series that showcases the latest features.  Another great thing about them is that if any case the need for repair arises, Frigidaire Microwave parts can be purchased online and through affiliated stores.

With the advent of modern technology, preparing meals in a smaller amount of time has been made possible.  A touch of a button is powerful enough to pacify hunger pangs.  Frigidaire’s legacy and solid reputation continues to echo to this day, simplifying life for people in millions of households, schools, offices and other establishments.  Of course, there are other quality appliance companies but this one tends to do a good job providing quality products at an affordable price for most people.

Tags: Appliances, Microwaves by Jeffrey
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