Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog

• CPSC announces Billy Goat and Venmar recalls
  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on December 12, 2007, announced the recall of about 1,600 Billy Goat MultiVac outdoor vacuums because of a fire and burn hazard. And on December 13, 2007, the CPSC announced the recall of about 1,100 Venmar heat-recovery ventilators because of a fire hazard. The fuel tank on the Billy Goat vacuum (shown), made in the United States by Billy Goat Industries Inc, of Lee's Summit, Missouri, could crack and leak fuel. The vacuum ($1,500 to $1,850) was sold at outdoor-power-equipment and rental dealers nationwide from June 2007 through November 2007. The black-and-green vacuum has a red motor housing and the words Billy Goat appear on the vacuum bag; it is powered by a Honda engine. Affected models are the MV650H and MV650SPH, with the following serial numbers: 061107xxx, 061807xxx, 062507xxx, 070907xxx, 072407xxx, 073007xxx, 080607xxx, 081307xxx, 082007xxx, 082707xxx, 090407xxx, and 091007xxx. If you own a recalled vacuum, stop using it immediately and contact a Billy Goat or Honda Lawn and Garden dealer for a free fuel-tank replacement. For more information, call Honda (800-426-7701) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s recall page. On the Venmar heat-recovery ventilators (shown), the thermal protector units can fail, posing a fire hazard. The ventilators ($700 to $2,500), made in Canada by Venmar Ventilation Inc., of Quebec, were sold at heating-, plumbing-, and building-supply distributors nationwide from January 1991 through December 2001. A number of different brands and models are affected. Go to the CPSC’s recall page to see if your heat-recovery ventilator is affected. If you own a recalled model, turn off and unplug the unit and stop using it immediately. Venmar will provide you with a free safety device that will shut off the ventilator if the motor overheats. Contact the manufacturer (866-441-4645) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, for more information or go to the company’s recall page.
• Best home appliances for the holidays
  Unless you're hiring a caterer and a cleaning crew, appliances are essential for preparing for holiday gatherings and tidying up after them. If you need to update your arsenal of small and big appliances, check out this list of some of our best-performing products; they'll make the jobs go easier and give you more time to enjoy yourself.—Helen A.S. Popkin Best wine chiller to keep your top bottles in tiptop shape GE Monogram ZDWR240PABS, $1,400 The one-compartment, stainless-steel-edged GE (shown) stores 52 standard-size bottles, runs very quietly, and adjusts to desired temperatures with aplomb. This model is also energy efficient, though there are other fine models that cost far less. Kenmore and other brands are offering small, freestanding units for $300 or so. For more wine chiller-tips, check out our report and updated Ratings (available to subscribers, like all the Ratings below). Best blender to mix cheer-inducing libations Braun PowerMax MX2050, $50 This Braun was tops in our tests for smoothies and among the best for crushing ice. Pluses include a glass jar and a removable blade. It’s also less noisy than other models, making it the least intrusive during a cocktail party. Read up on blenders in our latest report and use the Ratings to find a model that fits your budget. Best refrigerators to store the fixings for holiday meals and treats Whirlpool ET1FTEXS[Q], $850 This well-equipped 21-cu.-ft. top-freezer Whirlpool features spillproof shelves and offers excellent energy efficiency and very good temperature performance. It’s also quiet. The eye-level freezer offers easy access, and the fairly wide refrigerator shelves make it easy to reach the back. Amana AFD2535DE[W], $1,700 This 36-inch-wide bottom-freezer offers French doors at a relatively low price. Other handy features include a pullout bottom freezer drawer, and more usable fridge capacity overall than most others in our tests. Bottom-freezer models are best for putting often-used items at eye level, and they're relatively inexpensive to run. GE GSH25JFT[WW], $1,000 This full-featured 36-inch-wide side-by-side comes at a relatively low price. Features include touchpad controls with digital display; built-in water dispenser and filter; a freezer light; gallon storage on door; an icemaker and dispenser; pullout shelves/bins; and a temperature-controlled meat/deli bin. Side-by-sides are best for kitchens that can't fit wide-swinging doors. GE Monogram ZICS360NR[SS], $6,400 This 21-cu.-ft. GE built-in cabinet-depth drawer-type-bottom-freezer is pricey but energy efficient and full of handy features, including touchpad digital controls, spillproof shelves, pullout shelves in the freezer, an icemaker and a water filter, and a freezer light. It’s also available with a stainless-steel look. For more information on refrigerators, see our latest report, buying advice, and Ratings of bottom-freezers, built-ins. side-by-sides, and top-freezers. Best food processor and chopper to whip up hors d’oeuvres KitchenAid KFP710, $80 This medium-capacity food processor was best at slicing and shredding, has easy-to-clean touchpad controls, and is relatively lightweight, making postparty cleanup a snap. Black & Decker Ergo EHC650, $15 This inexpensive 3-cup chopper was tops at chopping and good for puréeing, making it a handy tool for food preparation. Read our latest report and use the Ratings help find the right tools for your kitchen. Best ranges to cook gourmet festival meals Kenmore (Sears) 9421[2], $530 An excellent basic appliance at a low price, this 30-inch freestanding coil-top electric model (shown) still has plenty of handy features, including a warming drawer, six oven rack positions, and a cooktop that can contain spills. It’s also available in a stylish stainless-steel finish. Hotpoint RGB745WEH[WW], $550 If you prefer a gas range, the 30-inch gas freestanding model Hotpoint offers the most performance for the money. Features include one high-power and one low-power burner, five oven-rack positions, and steel grates. Use our buying advice and gas and electric range Ratings to see how the tested ranges boiled, simmered, baked, and broiled. Best microwaves to heat up tasty leftovers the day after Kenmore (Sears) 6325[2], $110 This space-efficient countertop model is easy to use and excelled in our defrosting test. Its 1.2-cu –ft. capacity make it ideal for thawing a medium-sized holiday bird. Detailed prompts for automated functions are a welcome aid when it comes to a potluck meal made from holiday leftovers. LG LMV2053[ST], $300 This 2.0-cu.-ft., 1,100-watt model is a very good overall over-the-range oven that’s also a good value. Features include sensor cooking, auto defrost and touchpad controls, and a wire rack. It scored very good at heating evenness and ease of use, excellent at defrosting. Read our latest report and use our buying advice and Ratings to find the best model for your kitchen. Best coffeemaker or espresso maker to create a quality cup of joe Black & Decker SmartBrew DCM2500, $35 This Black & Decker coffeemaker excelled in our tests. Features include a glass carafe and a setting that allows you to set the time the coffee starts brewing—a nice touch if you need that aroma to pop your family out of the turkey fatigue. Nespresso Essenza C100, $230 If you want a tasty cup of espresso with minimal hassle, the Nespresso C100 (shown) is the machine to buy. While it's relatively inexpensive for a pump-style model, you will have to buy the company's coffee capsules. But, because you don't have loose grounds or filter holders, cleanup is a snap. Learn more about coffeemakers and espresso machines and see our Ratings of drip, pod, and espresso models. Best dishwasher to clean party plates and dishes Kenmore (Sears) 1373[2], $580 This midpriced Kenmore provides excellent cleaning, flexible loading, and quiet running. It also managed to handle our most rigorous test (baked-on brownie mix) well with its normal cycle. That takes the worry and the work out of busy holiday dinners when you don’t have time to load the dishwasher right after the big meal. See our buying advice and read the latest news in “Models that carry the load.” Our Ratings list dozens of models. Best vacuum cleaners to tidy up after they’ve all gone home Kenmore (Sears) Progressive With Direct Drive 35922, $300 This all-purpose upright model excelled...
• Buzzword: Ruralpolitan
  Buzzword: Ruralpolitan What does it mean? In days of yore, a ruralpolitan might have been called a “gentleman farmer”—think of Eddie Albert’s character Oliver Wendell Douglas on the 1960s show Green Acres (shown). But in modern parlance, a ruralpolitan is a professional who has abandoned the urban dwelling for a rural lifestyle and lives on three acres or more, typically within 40 miles of a city. Be he—or she—a corporate lawyer, hedge-fund honcho, or other well-paid business type, a ruralpolitan might commute to work by rail or car or, if he embraces technology, telecommute from the comforts of a lavishly appointed home office. A ruralpolitan doesn’t typically work the land he owns but does profit from it emotionally through the pleasures of gardening, small-scale livestock raising, or just watching his kids gambol through a field of wildflowers. Why the buzz? Ruralpolitanism is tinged with romance, depicting a return to agrarian values and pastoral idylls. But country folk still hav