need to vent over appliances grrrr!!!!

[smilingcat]

A test engineer at my office reminded me to
use a surge protector on appliances.

If your appliance has a computer control, use a surge protector. This is true for your TV, computer, radio, washer, microwave, gas stove with digital control, refridgerator... If you see any kind of digital readout get a surge protector. And make sure it can handle the load. Dryer and electric stove would be difficult to install a surge protector since they run off 220/240V

My new washer is plugged into a surge protected outlet.
My computer is plugged into a "line conditioner" it protects against surges from lightening strikes and from brown outs.
My fridge which will be here next week will be plugged into a surge protected outlet.
Microwave is also surge protected...
And down the list it goes. For the money, its well worth it.

my public service announcement.

[Ritamarie]

Hijack: You need to let your husband know that cookie baking goes a lot quicker if you get some large-sized cookie sheets.

Well, those pizza pans filling in as baking sheets just go to show (along with our 55 year old stove) how much baking we do. My husband has a use-it-til-it-can't-be-fixed mentality. It's mostly good that he can keep almost anything running indefinitely. Sometimes bad if you want to buy something new, just to have something new.

[Tuckervill]

My husband says that you can put a surge protector on your whole house for about $100, at the breaker box.

Karen

[smilingcat]

Thank you Karen for the information.

Well. saga finally finished today... xcept I'm not happy with the monstrosity in my kitchen. I've got a tiny kitchen... There isn't much room...

Anyway, the day after my fridge died, we went and ordered a new one. Said it'll deliver Monday 28th.

Called to find out whats going on... They tell me ??? computer is down so no info.
called later in the day... "oh what? your order is scheduled for delivery on Jan. 22 2010."

What ever happened to delivery no porblem on the 28th?? (never trust a salesman)...
TRIED TO CANCEL THE ORDER... that was a long story in itself.

Well managed to go to a big box store of sort and ordered another fridge. much cheaper and unfortunately much bigger size... tells me no problem for delivery on 29th.

I'VE GOT IT NOW!!! They had to take the fridge apart out on the street so it would fit in my house and have it reassembled in my tiny kitchen.

It reminds me of "little shop of horrors" FEED, ME!!! yikes. Why can't I get a nice smaller fridge? Why does it have to be MEGA-SIZED, never mind the super-sized??

I need a stool to reach the back of the top shelf.

[SlowButSteady]

Grrrr. Last year I replaced our original dishwasher (1993 model).

Earlier this year, the microwave. About 3 weeks ago, the "Start" switch on the microwave stopped working. I'm not ready to buy another microwave!!!

Fortunately, my son is 13 and has figured out a way to trick it into working without a start button.

[OakLeaf]

My toaster which is less than 6 years old has just started toasting unevenly. Burnt on the left, just right on a small space in the middle, barely warm on the right. Not an expensive item, but I hate the waste.

[Tuckervill]

I never think about the toaster that I got for Christmas 12 years ago. I just expect it to work. We only use it about once a week. I hope I don't have to buy a new one, for the same reason, Oak.

Karen

[ginny]

Smilingcat, when I read your original post, it sounded like something I would write. I HATE spending money! Fortunately, I haven't had appliances issues, but I live in an eighty something year old house (no problem with door hardware and we have original cabinets in the kitchen still), but we need to upgrade the insulation (cha ching), and we put in a really efficient wood burning stove insert (our furnace is old and pretty much due to die at any time; while the wood burning stove is more a luxury than a necessity, it is a back up furnace and good peace of mind) (CHA CHING), then we got a great deal on a trip to Maui (free lodging and one plane ticket free from my credit card points) - let me tell you, there is NO good deal on a trip to Maui. The trip was great and fun and fabulous, but holy cow! It was EXPENSIVE! ....and we even cooked most of our own meals there! I laid awake last night ruminating over all the money I have spent in the last couple of months... now I'm sleepy and grumpy. Since misery loves company, I'm glad to hear others are frustrated about how much it costs to live.