appliances Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Summer Parties – 6 Tips to Greatness

Paula — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 09:04:40 +0000

This post was sponsored by Hamilton Beach Canada. I received product for consideration here. This post contains affiliate links. Summer parties are a big part of our lives when the warm months finally get here. Sure, my family loves winter and all the fun it has to offer, but living in Canada, we’re so ready for the warmth when it finally comes. That’s why we have as many summer parties as we can when the weather is with us. Tips for Smashing Summer Parties Because I know how much we all love having family and friends over for those warm months, I’ve put together a few tips to make your parties total winners this summer. Set the Mood, Don’t Ruin Yours Summer parties are always more fun when you set the mood. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, though. All you need is a nice table cloth from the dollar store and some fresh flowers to make your space pop. Pick a nice (and cheap) table cloth, and decorate the table with pretty flowers in small steel buckets. It gives a summer feel, and it’s easy to do. Seating. Lots of Seating Make sure you have plenty of seating for your guests. No one wants to stand around throughout the entire party. You can find cute folding chairs at almost every department store. Stock up so everyone has a place to relax. In the summer all of my parties take place outside near my pool so pool floats are good too. Shade. Lots of Shade We all love the summer sun, but too much of a good thing is just too much. Summer parties take a real nosedive when everyone is wilted from the heat and blaring sun. If you have a shade-free yard, consider getting some shade umbrellas that you can stake into the ground to provide shade for guests. Make it a Pot Luck Great food makes for a great party, but honestly, all that cooking and prep is cringe-worthy. Rather than do all the work yourself, make it a potluck! Almost every member of the family has that one dish that everyone else can’t get enough of, so why not have everyone bring that dish? When everyone arrives with one dish, you end up with a big, tasty buffet, and you only had to make one thing. When it’s all over, you also only have to clean one thing. Games are Always Good Summer parties practically require outdoor games and toys. They make for great fun, conversation, and boredom crushers. Some classic games to have on hand are bags, horse shoes, and even sack races. If you have a pool you can play Marco Polo or simply toss rings, a volleyball or inflatable ball in the pool. Party at the cottage or the lake?Grab one of these floating islands and make a splash. Stay cool and don’t forget sunscreen too. Keep the Drinks Flowing Whether virgin or hard, drinks are one of the best parts of summer parties. Have a drink station on hand with water, cola, anything else that will keep all your guests happy. And if you want to get fancy, consider making shakes and soda fountain drinks for your guests. WE also love these tumblers for the patio. Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Drink Mixer If you choose to make mixed drinks, get yourself the Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Drink Mixer. It’s the perfect companion to summer parties. This beauty makes it easy to mix up shakes and floats in no time flat. Its 28-ounce capacity means you don’t have to worry about wimpy portions or big messes from mixing. It’s tough, as well, so you won’t have to worry about it breaking after a few uses. It even features a tilting head for ease of use, mixing, and serving! Here are the specs so you can see what it has to offer. Durable, stainless steel mixing cup Two speed settings Tilting mixing head Detachable spindle for easy cleanup Chrome finish Summer Parties, Summer Fun! Good food, drinks, and games make for great summer parties. The warm weather is finally here, so use these tips to plan some epic summer parties for your friends and family this year. And if you love shakes and floats, snag a Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel mixer to serve up some cold, tasty treats! Get in on the Giveaway If you like the sound of this mixer, then enter to win! I’m giving one lucky reader their very own mixer to make their summer parties even better. Entry-Form

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LG QuadWash Steam Dishwasher is my New Favourite Appliance

Paula — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:09:50 +0000

This post has been sponsored by LG. The new LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher has a lot going for it. When the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher arrived I was excited to see the new features, bells and whistles incorporated into the design and function of this heavy duty kitchen appliance. I am a technology loving girl at heart. So, when technology improves something I already use every day, and adds to the performance of an appliance, that gets my heart racing a bit faster and I have to see it in action. This month I have been putting the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher through its paces to see what it can do. Happy to report it’s easy to use with a few truly exceptional features and my dishes have never looked cleaner. First Impressions Let’s face it, how an appliance looks matters. I like the design of my kitchen and want any new large or small appliances to look as if they belong. This new LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher is sleek, modern and minimalistic and it fits in well with the look and feel of our kitchen. It matches the LG fridge we bought three years ago, so that’s ideal and it makes me happy. Use these dishwasher tabs with the steam dishwasher. One of My Favourite Things When we moved into this home 4 1/2 years ago we inherited an old dishwasher which eventually died. As I was researching products available I learned a lot about what’s out there and what I like or want. I loved the idea of a third rack for silverware. The third rack on the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher is adjustable and it’s one of my favourite things about this model. I’m thoroughly enjoying the third rack on my LG QuadWash Steam because it affords a lot of room and flexibility with our dishes. It offers an adjustable, half and half design which allows me to lower half of it to accommodate larger utensils like spatulas, scoops, big spoons, big knives, etc. Also, the grooves on the trays are angled perfectly to cradle your silverware. Even our water bottle lids fit just a little bit better in it! It’s the most functional third rack I’ve ever had. EasyRack Plus Is Another Feature I Love! We have huge Fiesta plates and bowls and we really like them. I mean they are gorgeous and great quality. But they never fit quite right in our old dishwasher. EasyRack Plus in the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher means we don’t have that issue anymore. You can pretty much set the inside of the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher up to be any configuration you need. It has folding tines for maximum flexibility on the top cup rack and the bottom plate and bowl rack too. Plus there’s on-the-fly rack height adjustment which is extremely useful. LG QuadWash Steam Delivers Clean Dishes Even though our last dishwasher wasn’t all that old, I was keen to see what LG QuadWash Steam could do. Basically it gets my dishes and glasses cleaner than ever before. It’s impressive actually. They sparkle. No water spots are left at all. How does it do that? Steam is released at a very high temperature to effectively sanitize dishes. Energy Saving? There are a few energy efficiency features I look for in new appliances. There’s an energy saver setting on the LG QuadWash Steam that I have used a few times already. Happy to note that the energy saver setting doesn’t compromise the cleanliness of the dishes. In Ontario, energy use and electricity is rated according to time of day. So costs are cheaper at night. With the delay start function and the app that allows me to control the dishwasher from my phone, I can ensure that it only runs in the late off hours at cheaper times of the night. Auto Cycle The Auto cycle is a smart feature I am impressed with too. I started using normal cycle because it seemed super simple and it was, but then I read about auto, which automatically senses the load size, soil level and optimizes for the best cleaning. That is a great feature. And night dry is unique too. Set the dishwasher for night dry and the fan runs periodically to help vent steam from the tub. The tub light is just the kind of technological advance and function I have come to expect from LG appliances. It’s a small thing, but it means you can clearly see to load or unload the dishwasher late at night. LG QuadWash Steam Specs If you’re like me, you enjoy seeing the specs of a device, machine, or appliance in addition to hearing about it. So with that in mind, here are a few more highlights of this amazing dishwasher. Steam Technology Reduces pre-washing Addition of steam helps hit all nooks and crannies Reduces water spots by 60% QuadWash Multi-Motion spray arms spin and rotate to hit every angle of every dish EasyRack Plus Folding tines for maximum flexibility On-the-fly rack height adjustment Smart Technology Control your dishwasher from your phone. That is the kind of fantastic feature I welcome in my home and frankly wish my other kitchen appliances had similar smart technology. So Does It Pass This final test? Some of you know my husband, Jim. He’s the real force behind much of the cleaning here, so I was curious to see if the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher would win him over. The truth? I was won over with the amazing third rack and the other bells and whistles like the folding tines. The technology, the tub light and even the delightful music the dishwasher plays when a cycle is finished, all are winning details. My husband can be extremely particular with dishwashers, washers and dryers. But just a few days ago, out of the blue he said: “I’m not sure how it does it, but this dishwasher gets the dishes cleaner than any other we’ve had.” So there you have it. Our new LG Quadwash Steam dishwasher even meets the fussy spouse test. LG QuadWash Steam Dishwasher is Truly Awesome I have had several dishwashers over the years, and I can say with no hesitation that this LG QuadWash Steam is the best one we’ve had. I love the connectivity, flexibility, and styling of this machine so much. Plus the features on the LG QuadWash Steam are outstanding.

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Perfect Coffee at Home with Breville Precision Brewer

Paula — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:13:26 +0000

Waking up to perfect coffee that’s ready to drink is pretty much the best way to start any day. Now you need not be a barista to be able to make the perfect pot of coffee. Great coffee at home on demand is the name of the game with the Breville Precision Brewer Thermal. There are a few things I am constantly striving to perfect here in my home. One is meatloaf. My family likes meatloaf and it’s simple so I enjoy making it, but am always striving to get the perfect balance of flavours and spices. The other is the perfect cup of coffee. Perfect coffee just for me is the goal daily. Too strong and I’m not happy. Too watery and also not happy. To me life is too short to waste on a substandard coffee. Which is why I am enjoying my new Breville Precision Brewer Thermal. From hot black coffee that packs a punch in the morning, to an iced coffee later in the day, it’s all good with my new gorgeous new coffee machine from Breville Canada. If you have visited this site before then you know Breville Canada makes some of my favourite small appliances. We own several of their beautiful pieces. Up until this month we have been a one cup single serve coffee family. My husband has been wanting to get back to making the perfect pot of coffee again. Single serve can be costly and wasteful. So when the Breville Precision Brewer Thermal arrived we were both excited to try it out. Do you appreciate a good cup of coffee? Is your coffee maker dated, maybe even an eyesore? Well, here’s the thing. Your brewing skills are also limited to the brewer you use. Hey, I’m no barista over here. I’m just a busy mom who enjoys coffee. That’s why I’m excited to tell you about Breville’s Precision Brewer Thermal. This lovely small appliance allows you to make cafe-quality coffee at home. Perfect Coffee with Top of the Line Coffee Machine You can’t get the best coffee if you use any old brewer. Many machines just aren’t made to deliver that gourmet-quality experience. They’re made to get the water hot and soak ground coffee with it. That’s it. I mean, it’s good enough if you just want a kick of caffeine, but if you really love coffee for its flavor and aroma as well, then you need this precision coffee maker. The Breville Precision Brewer was created to deliver the best in cafe-quality coffee at home. Breville used years of experience to create a machine that does everything right for coffee lovers. The Precision Brewer boasts the world’s fastest 12-cup drip and is the very first coffee maker to offer precise, adjustable temperature control for brewing craft coffee at home. The Precision Brewer is able to make perfect coffee because it was designed with the four key principles of top cafes in mind. It delivers precise temperature control and the optimal water flow/contact time to ensure that every ounce of flavor is extracted from our coffee. Its Gold setting adheres to the Specialty Coffee Association’s high coffee quality standards for the perfect cup of coffee, ensuring that you get the best cup every time we brew. What’s more, this machine allows you to easily brew pour-over, cold, and other specialty brews with ease. What I like about this machine: Breville Canada makes extremely high quality attractive small appliances. Love having a 12 cup carafe. Great option for dinner parties and family gatherings. The carafe keeps the coffee warm much longer than I expected. I had a cup and then went out to do my group fitness class, ran a couple of errands and returned easily 2 hours later. (I had my second cup of coffee and it was still perfect temperature. Speed – this machine is quick. It’s a beautiful looking machine. The stainless steel finish is perfection. Breville Precision Brewer is fast and quiet and it makes a great cup of coffee. Set it and forget it if you wish. You can set the timer to deliver your carafe full of perfect coffee in the morning or for whenever you wish. Dual filter means you can use either cone filter or basket filter. Comes with some paper filters to get started and a reusable basket filter as well. It doesn’t let off a lot of steam. (This might seem inconsequential to some but I hate when cupboards get steamed up. I always worry steam does my cupboards damage. Not so here at all.) The 12 cup coffee maker will save money over the single serve brewers. Discs and K-cups are costly. Less waste, especially if you use the reusable basket filter and wash it out every time. Digital temperature control with display. One Tall Detail: The Breville Precision Brewer is a fair height and actually might be a bit too tall for some kitchens. Perfect Coffee at Home Still trying to figure out how to make the perfect pot of coffee? The answer is here. All you need is the Breville Precision Brewer. It’s the next best thing to having a live-in barista. Its advanced brewing technology ensures that every cup is the best cup of coffee and it allows you to get creative too. Learn more here – > Breville Canada Precision Brewer. One of my readers will win a Breville Canada Precision Brewer Thermal of their own. Follow instructions below for a chance to win. You must have a Canadian mailing address to be eligible. I received product for consideration here. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. Entry-Form

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Electric Spiralizer – A 3-in-1 Powerhouse #Giveaway

Paula — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:20:25 +0000

The Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer is even better than the original. As always, you can make fun veggie noodles, but this 3-in-1 model also features two other blades – a ribbon cutter and a grater – making the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer a multi-function tool in the kitchen that helps make healthy meal prep easier. 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer Makes Healthy Cooking Easier With this handheld spiralizer, healthy cooking just got a lot easier, and I absolutely love that. I try to eat a healthy diet. Not only will it extend my life, but because I have GI tract issues, it helps keep me feeling better on a regular basis. Using this machines spiral cutter blade, I can cut out un-needed gluten, carbs, and empty calories and add an extra kick of veggie goodness by substituting zucchini noodles for traditional pasta. I can also make potato gratin – made with more healthy alternative ingredients – look super fancy by using the ribbon cutter to give it an interesting look. And with the grater blade, I can easily grate anything I want! [tweetthis]Enter now to win the Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 Spiralizer. Canada only. [/tweetthis] The 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer also makes healthy cooking more comfortable than ever. This hand held motorized slicer features a comfortable grip handle, and because it’s electric, there’s no manual turning or cranking required. That saves a ton of post cooking hand and wrist aches, and I love that. With an extra long 5 foot cord, 2 speed control, and easy cleanup, This 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer makes life easier on the cooking and cleanup front. You can’t ask for more than that! All Kinds of Cooking with One Machine Although I’m using the Spiralizer to cook more healthy options, you can really use it for almost anything, and that’s important. I can’t tell you how many kitchen gadgets I’ve put in “the giveaway box” because they did one thing and just weren’t worth the space that they took up in the kitchen. That doesn’t happen with the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer. It’s compact size means it takes up a minimal amount of space in my kitchen, and its versatility means anyone can use it for just about anything they desire from my zucchini noodles to vegetable salad, cucumber ribbons, curly fries, and more. It’s such a great, multi-function tool. If you’re looking to simplify your life, consider the Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer. Ease of use, versatility, and easy cleanup make the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer a must have kitchen gadget for anyone who loves to cook. And it’s fantastic at giving families more options for nutritious meals. I have one of these to give to one of you as well. Follow the instructions for a chance to win. I received product for consideration here on this site. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. Entry-Form

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Breville Quick Touch Crisp Inverter Microwave Revolutionizes Microwave Cooking #QuickTouchCrisp

Paula — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 11:39:34 +0000

This post contains an affiliate link as a service to readers. The Breville Quick Touch Crisp Inverter Microwave is a thing of beauty, which makes microwave cooking fun. I am very familiar with Breville Canada appliances and I have several here that I love. Recently I was invited to a Breville Canada event in Toronto that showcased seven of their newest products. The Breville Quick Touch Crisp inverter Microwave was one of the showstoppers because it turns microwave cooking and baking on its head and makes your kitchen fun again. Here’s what you need to know about this awesome new kitchen appliance. Breville Quick Touch Crisp Inverter Microwave This new small appliance uses inversion heating technology for more even heating across the board. In fact, the Breville Quick Touch Crisp inverter microwave is amazing. That inversion heating is combined with an integrated crisper pan and a built-in preheat function working in conjunction with the microwave to prepare foods that normally become soggy and gross in normal microwaves. Pie, quiche, pastry, and pizza taste better when the crust is crispy. All That and More Of course the Breville Quick Touch Crisp inverter Microwave can do the usual reheating and thawing, but this crisper microwave does much more – in fact it cooks food beautifully. Plus it reheats foods that normally get soggy from microwaving and makes them crisp instead. So you really can cook almost anything with them. Smart Button Technology Another feature of the Quick Touch Crisp inverter microwave that I love – and that I’ve been making use of – is its smart button technology which allows for one-button, automatic power levels and times. These favorites make it simple to cook with the most commonly used microwave methods like cooking, reheating, defrosting, grilled cheese, and more. My Favourite Buttons The Quick Touch Crisp inverter microwave even has a chocolate button and a soften butter button! I’ve been using those two a lot. But best of all for me is the crispy pizza crust. I love the difference. And also, for your information we witnessed roasted pine nuts and gourmet grilled cheese being done perfectly also in this microwave at the event. More Even Heating One of the best side effects of this style of microwave cooking, for me as a parent whose old microwave was typically a mess, is the fact that the microwave heats so differently it rarely splatters. The inverter technology regulates power for more even heating. Essentially, it heats slowly, efficiently and cooks the food well. The Breville Quick Touch Crisp inverter microwave is the smartest microwave you’ve ever had. The Breville Quick Touch Crisp Inverter Microwave You can adjust the power level any time during cooking It has one touch auto buttons independent grill function preheat crisper pan button ensures food is browned quickly and evenly. 30 second instant start A Bit More button adds additional time to a cooking cycle (I love that. I could have used that all my life.) Programmable favourites button Kitchen timer Crisper pan is dishwasher safe. It browns and crisps food for added flavour and texture and is only for use in this Quick Touch Crisp. Consider it a specially designed microwave safe metal pan with adjustable legs that allow the pan to get close to grill. This is a 900 watt microwave with a 1000-watt grill element for power with brains that back it up. 8 one touch auto buttons. That girl @SharkAinsleySchuck and I made pizzas tonight #yum #food #instafood #love #kids #tweens #happy #pestochicken is mine and #cheese for @payton_schuck and pepperoni for Ainsley. A photo posted by Paula Schuck (@inkscrblr) on May 13, 2016 at 5:26pm PDT The crisper pan is a revelation in microwave cooking. You have to see it, or use it, to believe it. Truly a smart invention that adds value to this microwave. No longer am I using my microwave just to pop popcorn and warm up leftovers, or reheat my tea that I forgot sitting on the counter! Now I can actually bake and make my meals magnificent with the Breville Quick Touch Crisp. [tweetthis]A bit more button is one of my favourite features on Breville’s Quick Touch Crisp.[/tweetthis] A Crisper Microwave Like No Other I am in love with my Breville Quick Touch inverter microwave. Not only is it great for everyday microwaving, but it’s a magical unicorn of a microwave when it comes to anything crispy. So far, I’ve enjoyed crispy pizza in my Breville, as well as made full use of this crisper microwaves function buttons. I’ve been impressed by the Breville Quick Touch Inverter Microwave. It’s the nicest looking microwave I have ever owned. It has a pretty brushed stainless steel finish on the outside and a polished stainless steel on the inside. I love the beautiful digital display which fits beautifully with my two newest kitchen appliances – a fridge and dishwasher we upgraded this past year. Funnily enough, the handle on the door matches our brand new third rack dishwasher in stainless steel. That was not planned at all, but it makes me happy. Read more about the product here – > Breville Canada PESTO Chicken Flatbread pizza Recipe Pesto Chicken Pizza that will reheat to perfection the next day in your Greville Quick Touch Crisp I was given a Breville Quick Touch Crisp inverter microwave to use here. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful. You can buy one of these beauties at many major retailers and at Amazon via the links on this post.

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The Oreck Venture is Literally a Cleaning Machine

Paula — Mon, 09 May 2016 05:52:48 +0000

I recently got my hands on an Oreck Venture Bagged Canister Vacuum, and I’m enjoying giving it a whirl. I’ve already vacuumed my office a few times, and the house has had a good once over, as well. My Oreck Venture is getting a workout, and my home is getting cleaner which is increasingly important as spring brings allergens and dust in the door. Oreck Venture – Powerful and Practical When I got this vacuum, I was eager to start using it, but I wasn’t eager to put it together. I’m not a “some assembly required” kind of girl. BUT I put my vacuum together in all of 1 minute, so that tells you how simple this was. That’s how easy it was to assemble the Oreck Venture. That’s important to me. I want to use my vacuum, not decipher 3 pages of assembly instructions. I also love the look of this vacuum. It has a super sleek design of nice smooth edges, a black body and vacuum head, and chromed handle. It looks like a sports car for my carpeting and floors. It’s super easy to use, as well, and it was designed for working around furniture. It can lay almost completely flat for cleaning under furniture, and its side brushes work with the 7,000 RPM direct suction head to clean both the deepest pile carpeting and baseboards. And with a HEPA filter, this bad boy grabs 99.97% of dust and allergens. Oreck Venture Bagged Canister Vacuum Specs SlimSwivel design lies almost completely flat for easy vacuuming around and under furniture. Sound baffling design to keep the noise down. Straight suction nozzle for powerful hard floor cleaning. HEPA Media Filter traps 99.97% of dust, dirt, and pollens to 0.3 microns. (That’s important because at least 3 of us have diagnosed environmental allergies and a minimum of one of us sneezes non stop starting any time now until say September 22nd or so.) Above floor cleaning up to 3.35 meters 7 meter auto cord rewind. Crevice tool, dusting brush, hard floor brush, and telescoping extension wand included. (I like that they tuck away nicely inside the machine. But there’s one of the larger brushes that won’t fit. Sometimes I wish all of the tools fit inside the machine neatly. 5 year repair only warranty. Redeem at any Canadian Tire store. The Oreck Venture Sucks (In a Good Way) After using the Oreck Venture Bagged Canister Vacuum for a week now, I can say that it’s a great vacuum cleaner. We also have an upright that is a different brand. Every vacuum does something a little bit unique not unique cars. The Oreck Venture has great power, portability, and flexibility, and it looks great, too! On top of that, the cord and hose length make it easy for me to hit every area of the room from top to bottom. [tweetthis]The Oreck Venture Bagged Canister has great power, portability, and flexibility, and it looks great, too! [/tweetthis] If you’re in the market for a new vacuum, I encourage you to give the Oreck Venture Bagged Canister Vacuum a look. It’s been nothing but fantastic for me from super fast assembly to super thoroughly cleaning. I received an Oreck Venture for consideration here on Thrifty Momma’s Tips. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful.

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Keep a Clean Dishwasher with Affresh

Paula — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 09:58:20 +0000

A clean dishwasher is a better functioning dishwasher. A dishwasher is supposed to clean your dishes, but it can’t do that effectively when it’s full of gunk. Affresh dishwasher cleaning tablets ensure that your dishwasher works at its peak performance. A Clean Dishwasher is a Better Dishwasher Cleaning the inside of your appliances is one way to ensure that they perform at their very best. Did you know that only about a quarter of Canadians have cleaned the interior of their dishwashers in the last year? That means that three quarter of Canadians are washing their dishes in dishwashers filled with hard water and mineral deposits. It’s going to be difficult for a dishwasher to perform when it’s hampered by dirt and buildup. affresh combats hard water and mineral build up in all brands of dishwashers, is dish safe, and is the recommended brand for a clean dishwasher by KitchenAid, Whirlpool, Maytag, Jenn-air, and Amana. I discovered affresh several years ago when I needed to clean out my new front loading washing machine. Affresh worked well for that for years before I discovered that affresh had a product for dishwashers too. I trusted affresh for washing machines so it wasn’t a big leap to make when I bought it to use for my dishwasher too. I used affresh for both appliances in our old home and now I use it in the new house too. My Decrepit Dishwasher and affresh My dishwasher is on its last legs. We moved in to our current home about two years ago and we inherited a dishwasher that matched the kitchen beautifully, but sadly the dishwasher is now 11 years old. It’s almost done… but I haven’t found one that is affordable yet to replace it. That’s why I’m doing everything I can to make the current model last longer. And while affresh isn’t going to make my dishwasher last forever, it could make it more efficient with the power it still has left. Last week I used affresh again here in this dishwasher. I am embarrassed to say that the cleaning tablet loosened up a tonne of hard water buildup and gunk. It made it easy to wipe that out with a damp cloth after just one clean with an affresh tablet. This dishwasher will never be good as new but it will be working better for a while and it’s so much cleaner inside. Dishwashers take a lot of abuse. And if you are like us at all your dishwasher has to be a workhorse. We rely on ours every day, so it’s important that it be clean and in good working order. Affresh tablets are easy to use. Pop one into the empty dishwasher, place in detergent compartment and run the cycle as you normally would. Some older and extremely dirty machines might need two tabs. [tweetthis]Did you know that your dishwasher should be cleaned once a month?[/tweetthis] A Clean Dishwasher at an Affordable Price In my opinion affresh is an excellent dishwasher cleaner, and it’s more affordable than many others. In fact, I save over $2.00 per use with affresh vs. Finish. So I’m keeping my old faithful in as good a working order as I can, and I’m saving money. You can’t beat that! Check out the affresh website for more information on their dishwasher cleaner and other great products. This post was sponsored by affresh. My opinion is all my own and it is 100 % truthful.

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Breville Scraper Mixer Pro Hits The Mark #TMMGG2015

Paula — Mon, 30 Nov 2015 09:20:49 +0000

Whoever said don’t give appliances for Christmas wasn’t talking about the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro. This little beauty is as sparkly as any jewel in my books. If you have a person who loves to bake, the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro is the gift that will make them light up this holiday. I have been asking Santa for a big beautiful blender mixer for two years. It never worked out….I thought I was getting one last year potentially…I mean I was good and everything. I rarely made the naughty list…but sadly husband was completely overwhelmed by the stand mixer options when he went shopping. He literally said: “I had no idea which one you wanted. There were too many.” Oh, don’t worry too much about me. I got some lovely gifts in its place – Pandora charms also make me happy. But still I almost gave up on my dream to own a proper mixer for baking. So despite being a brand ambassador for a couple of food brands this past year, the months flipped by speedily and I continued baking with a $30 hand mixer we were gifted 20 years ago when we got married. It was not a great match for creaming or blending substances like butter. From time to time I have worked with Breville here and been super impressed with their gorgeous and efficient small appliances. I still adore their waffle maker and I also have one of their juicer blenders called the Hemisphere. Come to think of it either one of those would be a great Christmas gift for a very good friend or family member too. Anyways, around September Breville approached me with some holiday gift catalogue ideas. And then this fall the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro landed here in my office. This week I unboxed the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro and had some fun in the kitchen doing Christmas baking. Just in time for Christmas. I decided I wanted to make festive cheesecake squares because I really needed to give them scraper beater a crazy workout and I knew cream cheese was up to the challenge. The cream cheese was smooth within about 4 minutes of blending. I played around with the settings too because there are so many. Also can I tell you how much I love the LCD screen with timer? I heart that. Here are 10 features I adore about the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro. Tilt release button: Located on the body of the mixer, this button means that you can easily manipulate the mixer head into the tilt back position and access the bowl or remove the bowl or add ingredients as needed. Internal cord storage: How tidy and organized is that? It tucks away when you are done. Gently feed it back into the base of the mixer. LCD Screen with timer: You can see how long you have been blending and that allows for more precise blending and baking. 5 quart stainless steel bowl: That’s a great size and you don’t need to worry about goods slopping out the sides. There’s a two piece pouring shield included in case you are worried about making a mess when pouring, mixing or adding ingredients. Load sensing technology: Pause there a moment. Technology in my kitchen makes me happy. That is all. Mixer automatically sense the load and adjusts the power to maintain speed accordingly. 12 speed control dial: 12 speeds beats the three I had on my 20 year old beater. Breville Assist Plug: This is a tiny but sweet Breville feature. Their plugs all have a finger hole on them so you can easily plug in and out. The scraper beater attachment: this is for creaming butter and sugar and mixing sticky ingredients or folding eggs. The design of it means it perfectly scrapes the bowl sides and blends magically. Three other attachments: Flat beater is for normal to heavy mixtures. The wire whip is for incorporating air into mixtures, like eggs, candy, chiffon, meringues, dressings. And the dough hook is for mixing yeast and dough recipes (also good for horsing around with your daughter pretending to be Captain Hook while baking. DO TRY this at home. LOL.) Now do you see why I wanted to celebrate? The Breville Scraper Mixer Pro is my favourite of all my children. Plus it listens to me…Just kidding, I don’t actually talk to it…I do however call it my precious! Don’t judge me. It’s that awesome. This is what I made with my new Breville Scraper Mixer Pro. [tweetthis]The Breville Scraper Mixer Pro is a beautiful addition to any kitchen. #TMMGG2015[/tweetthis] You will love the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro. Trust me. I can’t find any fault with this beauty. It is heavy but it is also a workhorse and I love it. The Breville brand has increasingly become part of my family and I enjoy their innovative, efficient and sleek small appliances. They are sturdy and functional and they look good. And there’s this – a common theme I have noticed about Breville products is that they always focus also on making less mess in the kitchen. Take a look at my pictures in this post. See my backsplash? See my stove? Clean. Despite the fact that I was baking all morning they both remained clean because the Breville Scraper Mixer Pro is designed to keep the ingredients in the 5 quart stainless steel bowl. This item comes with a one year limited product warranty. Plus they make kitchen time a bit more fun! Each one makes me happy. (But this one is my favourite.) Here is my Festive Cheesecake Squares Recipe just in case you are looking for something to make with this baby. A traditional cheesecake in a square format with just a tiny hit of Christmas on top! Now do me a favour and go buy this for the person you love who adores baking. Get it for the person who has been hoping and waiting for the right stand mixer. This is the one. My Precious! I was provided with this product for purposes of review. My opinion is all my own.

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Win a Breville No Mess Waffle Maker for #MothersDay ARV $170

Paula — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 02:40:47 +0000

We had a PD day here last week so it was the perfect time to unbox our brand new Breville No Mess Waffle Maker and put it to the test. I mean you can’t have waffles just any day of the week. They are a special breakfast or brunch treat. So you simply must have a brilliant occasion to indulge. Waffles are perfect for a weekend, for instance, or a PD Day. A birthday or Mother’s Day. This gorgeous little number would be beautiful as a gift for Mother’s Day. You can gift it to your Mom, unbox it and make her some special waffles for breakfast. [tweetthis]Breville’s No Mess Waffle maker is a great gift for any occasion.[/tweetthis] Homemade waffles make me feel a bit like I am on a luxurious vacation. One of my favourite things about family travel to all inclusive resorts is the breakfast spread. There’s almost always a make your own waffle station. When I see that on my first morning at a resort, I know I am going to enjoy my vacation meals. I remember one resort outside Orlando that was entirely unremarkable, but for the breakfast station with several waffle makers and the water slide at the pool. Now we don’t need to wait for vacations to have waffles. Neither do you. The Breville No Mess Waffle Maker is compact and a lovely small appliance for your kitchen. It’s not a clunky piece at all. In fact I quite like the look of this one. There is nothing extra to put together on opening the waffle maker and it’s easy to use. The secret to the no mess waffles is the moat around the waffle iron. But, as I quickly learned you need to remember not to overfill the reservoir where you put the batter. I am enjoying this Breville no mess waffle maker and so are the kids. We won’t ever buy the pre made waffles again because this little machine is fantastic and efficient. I can’t wait to try several other waffle variations. Breville was founded in 1932 in Australia and is now an iconic Australian brand delivering quality appliances to 30 countries around the globe. Now you don’t have to leave the country to get fresh homemade waffles. You can get them at home every day if you so desire. Oh and did I mention that the no stick surface makes clean up extremely simple. I just wiped the plates with a damp cloth after the appliance cooled off and then I locked it and put it away. A few things you might want to know about the Breville No Mess Waffle Maker: Breville No Mess Waffle Maker has Thermal Pro™ die-cast aluminum PFOA free heating plates that provide optimal heat distribution, while the seven browning options control colour and texture—allowing you to customize your waffles from light and fluffy to crispy, deep golden brown delights. The high quality non-stick surface allows you to easily remove your waffles without a fuss, providing seamless transition from appliance to plate for perfect presentation. The unit also features a ready indicator that lights up when the surface is heated and ready to use. The locking latch allows for easy storage. Breville is generous and wanted to gift one of these no mess waffle makers to one lucky reader of Thrifty Momma’s Tips. So pay close attention to the details and enter to win. Entry-Form

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