Gadgets - iRobot…floor cleaner

I know, this isn’t strictly a renovation gadget, but as I was leant one to test out, I thought an exception could be made.

This little beauty is brilliant. I unpacked it, added some cleaning fluid and warm water and pressed a button -being a bloke no manual was read, but frankly no manual is really needed. It starts in the middle of the room (kitchen) and circles it’s way around the floor. Firstly it vacuums the mess, then scrubs the floor and then dries the floor - all in one go.

I was stunned….and so were the cats. We all just stood there watching this 12inch wide ‘bug’ find it’s way around with tensors, getting under tables and around chair legs. The finish was fantastic too with the added bonus that it is always putting down clean water and sucking up the dirty.

At £300 it’s a little steep but I would go out buy one tomorrow if I had the funds. The only draw back was that I had to give it back and now the humble mop just doesn’t cut the mustard.

For more information go to http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=95. I used the scooba to do the testing.

Scores on the doors? 8.5/10

Gadgets Kitchen

Tips - Kitchen Planning

Draw up a scale plan to try out different layouts. Cut out squares the size of the units and appliances and move them around the plan to get the best design. Alternatively, use the free 3D planning service offered by many kitchen showrooms.

Try to keep your sink, cooker and fridge close together to maximise efficiency. When you draw up your plan, place these first and draw three lines to connect them. This usually results in a triangular shape. The smaller the triangle, the easier it will be to make the most of your kitchen.

The sink, washing machine and dishwasher should ideally be placed against an outside wall so that waste pipes can be plumbed in easily.

Don’t put the fridge next to the cooker as the difference in the temperatures of the two appliances will make both work less efficiently.

Don’t put an appliance in a corner where it might block adjoining cabinets, and don’t position a cooker or hob (especially gas) under a window.

source: Which/ Home renovation

Kitchen planning Tips

Tips - Kitchen and Bathrooms

Kitchens and bathrooms require similar expertise for checking and installation of plumbing, hot-water systems and electrics. In both rooms, plan space for opening cupboards and appliances and, in kitchens, allow for comfortable movement when using sinks or preparing food.

We recommend you design your kitchen around a compact working triangle that links your fridge, cooker and sink (see ‘Planning a kitchen‘). Changing the position of taps, showers, power points and waste pipes can be complicated and increase cost, so it’s important to plan your space carefully.

You can’t afford to be without a kitchen or bathroom for long, so plan ahead and remember that the best tradespeople are often booked months in advance.

Regulations

Radiators, underfloor heating or hot-water systems should be installed by a Corgi-registered plumber, and a Part-P registered electrician should be used for all electrical work in these rooms.

You’ll also need building regulations approval for a new waste pipe as well as for ventilation, drainage, structural stability and fire safety.

However, you won’t need planning permission if you’re just taking out old kitchen units or bathroom suites and replacing them.

Cost and timings

Expect to pay between £11,000 and £120,000 for a built-in kitchen or, if you have experience and time, use a budget self-assembly kit within your remodelled space to keep costs down. These cost from around £600.

Bathrooms can cost between £4,000 and £40,000, including removal of old suites and installation of new units, fittings, flooring, tiling and decoration. Costs for both will vary greatly depending on materials and style.

A complete kitchen refurbishment can take two to three weeks and upwards, depending on size and complexity, while a bathroom should take two to eight weeks.

Insider tips

Mike Lawrence, author of the Which? Book of Home Improvements:

• Always get at least three quotes and insist on paying against specific jobs completed to your satisfaction.
• Always check past workmanship. Cheapest isn’t always best; enthusiasm and commitment to a project are important.
• Doing some of the finishing work yourself can save a lot of money, but make sure you can do it to a professional standard.
• Work on sloping sites can mean unexpectedly costly groundwork and extra work to match existing floor levels.

Home-improvement expert Alison Cork:

• Always get the detail in writing. It’s not enough to rely on the ‘goodwill’ that may exist between you and the contractor.
• Trusting a single-line quote is a recipe for disaster. Quotes should be detailed. Break the job into logical components.
• Anything to do with foundations has potential for complications. Allow a 20 per cent margin of error in your budget for this.

source: Which

Bathroom Kitchen Tips

Gadgets - Boiling water from the tap?

Is this the end on the kettle? Quooker have come up with an alternative in the form of a tap that delivers constant boiling water. Cold water flows to the tank, then heated to 110C. It’s purified and stays sterile. Then the water cools off to 100c as it flows out, and starts to boil. Calcium conversion takes place (no more tea scum). 

It costs a whooping £690 and costs 2p a day to run. But this isn’t just for tea, this speeds up cooking as a whole.

More information can be found at www.quooker.co.uk

Gadgets Kitchen

Gadgets - 3 in 1 for the kitchen

I thought I’d seen everything, but when I lived in a poky studio flat I could have done with one of these. Candy have designed a 3 in 1 cooker - Hob, Oven and dishwasher. The hob can either be gas or ceramic depending on the model and the dishwasher can take a full 6 place setting.

For more details go to their site http://www.candy-domestic.co.uk/trio.asp

Next Page »