NOTE:  If you live in Brampton, Ontario and are concerned that your fridge might be affected, please do not hesitate to contact me to chat about it.

Hazard Identified

An electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator’s compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard.Two incidents and no injuries have been reported in Canada. Outside of Canada, Maytag has received 41 reports of refrigerator relay ignition, including 16 reports of property damage ranging from smoke damage to extensive kitchen damage.

Corrective Action

Consumers should immediately contact Maytag to determine if their refrigerator is included in the recall and to schedule a free in-home repair. Consumers should not return the refrigerator to the retailer where it was purchased.For more information, contact Maytag toll-free at (866) 533-9817 anytime, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.repair.maytag.com.  Click Here to see if your fridge is affected.

Number Sold

Approximately 193,500 units were sold at department and appliance stores and by homebuilders in Canada.

Time Period Sold

The recalled products were sold from January 2001 through January 2004.

Breakdown of Model Affected 

Side by Side Refrigerators with Serial Numbers ending in: AA, AC, AE, AG, AJ, AL, AN, AP, AR, AT, AV, AX, CA, CC, CE, CG, CJ, CL, ZB, ZD, ZF, ZH, ZK, ZM, ZQ, ZS, ZU, ZW, ZY, ZZ AND Model Numbers beginning with: ARS, CS, JC, JS, MS, MZ, PS

Top Mount Refrigerators with Serial Numbers ending in: AA, AC, AE, AG, AJ, AL, AN, AP, AR, AT, AV, AX, ZK, ZM, ZQ, ZS, ZU, ZW, ZY, ZZ AND Model Numbers beginning with: AT, CT, MT, PT.

Are we finally going to get away from soldering and  all the problems that are associated with it? According to this post at Technician Brian.com – Sub Zero is demonstrating Lokring fittings. We’ve seen a couple of compression fittings on the Whirlpool fridges but no information has been presented on how to make the connection in the field. I would love to be able to use this, especially for a process stub to check pressures, etc.

As an aside, when guys find leaks on the Whirlpool compression fittings, they’ve been cutting them out and joining the ends together with a sleeve. Twice, I have simply heated the compression and soldered completely over it and not had any problems. It looks kind of ugly, but it works for me.

Completely natural and highly versatile, steam is one of the most effective cleaners and newest sensations in the laundry room. Now Maytag(R) brand brings the power of steam to the much-loved top-loading laundry category for the first time. The new Maytag(R) Bravos(TM) top-loading, high-efficiency laundry pair introduces steam in the dryer to relax wrinkles, remove odors and refresh clothing and household fabrics.

The Bravos steam dryer offers a variety of steam cycles, including the 15-minute “Rapid Refresh” setting, to quickly rejuvenate a single item or outfit. The “Custom Refresh” steam cycle is for larger loads and is ideal to de-wrinkle clothes left overnight in the dryer, or to refresh and deodorize throw pillows, comforters or curtains.

“It’s a new way of thinking about laundry,” said Blane Buckingham, director of Maytag brand marketing. “Many items of clothing, like sweaters or skirts that have only been worn once, may not need a complete wash and dry cycle or a trip to the drycleaners. The Maytag Bravos steam dryer quickly refreshes and deodorizes these items so they can be worn again, saving time and money.”

The Bravos dryer conveniently connects to the existing laundry-room waterline, so there is no reservoir to fill, just on-demand steam cycles with the push of a button. Inside the dryer, a small nozzle distributes a fine mist of water throughout the heated dryer as clothes tumble. The heated air combines with mist to form steam to help relax wrinkles and remove odors from dry clothes.

The Maytag Bravos washer and dryer adds the power of steam to its list of highly appealing features. The washer offers the preferred top-load design, largest capacity available (4.6 cu. ft.), and high efficiency functionality that saves 51 percent more water and 62 percent more energy than conventional top-load washers(1). The Maytag Bravos washer recently earned Tier II certification from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE).

As with all Maytag brand appliances, durable components and dependable features are at the heart of the Bravos pair — including an impeller wash system with Sensi-Care(TM) technology, commercial-grade stainless steel wash basket, and Gentle Breeze(TM) Drying System with IntelliDry(R) sensors — providing years of smooth and reliable performance.

“Maytag brand washers last longer than any other leading brand(2),” said Buckingham. “This is a level of dependability that has built trust with Maytag brand appliance owners for more than 100 years.”

Visit http://www.maytag.com for more information.

From the Whirlpool Press Release.

Miele, the world’s most innovative appliance company, is the recipient of two Woman’s Day Specials Kitchen & Bath KB Best New Product Awards. The company was awarded the top honor in the refrigeration category for its new Independence™ Series refrigeration products and in the ventilation category for the motorized DA 424 designer island hood.The competition attracted hundreds of products, which were judged on the basis of excellence in design and innovation. This year’s judges were Leslie Clagett, Senior Editor of Woman’s Day Specials: designer Arthur Tanturri, of Chelsea Fine Custom Kitchens and Bill Partsch, Associate Editor of Kitchens & Baths. “All products were evaluated on the basis of technological advancement and aesthetic appeal,” said Clagett.

All of the winning products were featured in the February issue of Woman’s Day Kitchens and Baths. Awards will be presented at the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) in Chicago, April 2008.

“We are proud to accept these prestigious awards from one of the most respected publications in the industry,” said Paul McCormack, Senior Marketing Manager at Miele. “It’s an affirmation of Miele’s commitment to producing high performance, quality products that are durable, green and packaged in an innovative design blending form and function.”

Independence™ Series – Judge’s Comments:
“Finally, we have a 30” counter depth, fully integrated, well-designed refrigerator – at the right price,” states Arthur Tanturri, of Chelsea Fine Custom Kitchens and judge for the KB Awards. “Hands on a slam dunk. Everything is flush and uniform, plus the size at 30” is the perfect width. In our world, 36” is too big and 24” is too small. Miele is really listening to designers when they bring new products to market. It makes our lives easier as high-end kitchen designers. We can finish our jobs with the right elements. We are selling aesthetics and practicality. Things like this product enable us a lot more.”

A feast for the eyes… Miele’s new Independence™ Series is here and luxury refrigeration, as we know it, will be forever better. Independence™ embodies Miele’s legendary quality and innovation… from its high performance dual-compressor system and intuitive MasterCool™ touch controls to its patented Wi-Fi RemoteVision™ technology that delivers total peace of mind as it protects valuable food and wine investments. Estimated retail price listed for a 30” bottom mount combination refrigerator / freezer with stainless steel door panels is $7,295.  Retail prices for the entire assortment will be made public in late April when the products are on retail display, but may be provided upon request for qualified news stories.

DA 424 V Ventilation Hood – Judge’s Comments:
“At last, a hood that won’t mess up sight lines as the telescopic hood elevates out of the way when not in use,” states Tanturri. “Our kitchens look like furniture and especially for open settings, you want to enjoy the aesthetic value. When you are cooking certain foods with a lot of heat, steam or smoke – you want the ventilation close to flame – but you don’t want to leave it there. Most ventilation is installed up too high because of the aesthetic – and then it doesn’t work effectively. This product just makes sense. It’s a really good invention. The best inventions are the simplest ones.”

Miele’s height-adjustable DA 424 V island ventilation hood showcases a unique motorized height adjustment feature, which enables the hood to glide up, out of the way, or down, closer to the cooktop when needed. A simple touch to the controls smoothly shifts the product to the perfect elevation to remove smoke and odors, or to a more ergonomic level for the cook. Estimated retail price listed as $4,099 and is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter 2008.

Today the company announced that it had double-digit sales growth in 2007 in North America, as it has since 2003. This growth is due in part to the large quantity of new appliances launched in 2007.

The BHS line of products are Thermador, Bosch, Siemens and Gaggenau. Much of the 2007 growth came from the new Bosch line of front-loading washers and dishwashers.

The company was also awarded the 2007 Excellence in Energy Star Promotion Award and 2007 Annual Flex Your Power Award. They were also ranked highest in customer satisfaction for the second consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates in the dishwasher category of the 2007 Major Home Appliance Study.

NEW Customer Service Companies, Inc. has purchased Servicebench. (NEW is a privately-held, independent third-party administrator of extended service plans, buyer protection services and product support programs.)  I’m not sure that we as service techs will see any changes though. My wish list for Servicebench is that they take advantage of the mobile technologies out there and make Servicebench more accessible from mobile communication devices. Maybe a new parent company will make this happen.

From the Servicebench Press Release.

About N.E.W. Customer Service Companies, Inc. (NEW)

NEW is the leading provider of extended service plans, buyer protection services and product support, providing coverage to more than 100 million consumers worldwide. Founded in 1983 with headquarters in Sterling, Va., NEW provides award-winning post-sale consumer care for leading retailers, consumer service providers, wireless carriers and financial services firms. For more information, please visit NEW at www.newcorp.com or call 1-800 WHAT’S NEW (1-800-942-8763).

About ServiceBench

ServiceBench is a leading provider of service management solutions that integrate post-sales service activities including service call management, field service management, parts management, claims management and service contract management. The ServiceBench on-demand system easily enables service transactions between manufacturers, retailers or extended warranty providers and their network of parts suppliers, distributors and service providers. ServiceBench solutions provide the essential foundation to manage the service chain for profit and competitive advantage. ServiceBench’s existing investors include JMI Equity, Valhalla Partners and NextGen Capital. For more information, please visit www.servicebench.com.

Yesterday, Whirlpool filed copyright infringement proceedings with the International Trade Commission against LG. The press release does not state the specific technology that Whirlpool feels has been infringed but it seems to be with their refrigerators.

The patents protect proprietary technologies associated with the fastest growing segments in refrigeration — French Door Bottom Mount, Bottom (freezer) Mount, and select Side-by-side refrigerators — Whirlpool products that deliver innovative features consumers want:

* Reliable external ice and water dispensing through the door
* Freezer drawer support structure that allows easy organization and compartment access

For more information see the Whirlpool Press Release.

The Whirlpool Corp. press release gives more information on the onboard computer systems planned for their refrigerator.

In addition to the Clio(R) Vu by Data Evolution (see previous post here), other included gadgets are:

CEIVA Digital Photo Frame

Designed for the centralpark(TM) connection, the frame is Wi-Fi ready and features an 8″ high- resolution LCD screen with a built-in card reader. With on-screen menus, the frame is easy to use and capable of automatically receiving photos sent by camera phone or through an online CEIVA account.

Brandmotion iPod Speaker System

Brandmotion, a current “Made for iPod” Apple licensee, and authorized iPod accessory manufacturer created a self-charging, high-quality iPod docking system with dual stereo speakers for use with the centralpark(TM) connection. The docking station is specifically designed for use in the kitchen with four large membrane-type buttons for easy use and cleanup. The docking station is manufactured to securely hold any size iPod and withstand the frequent opening and closing of the freezer door.

Cozi Family Organizational Software

Cozi, a free software and Web service which helps busy families manage their schedules, create shopping and to-do lists, organize household chores and stay in communication, is one of Whirlpool brand’s latest partners. When used with the centralpark(TM) connection, Cozi is able to provide easy-to-use solutions in the middle of the action, right on the refrigerator. In addition to Cozi’s calendar, photo and messaging features, Whirlpool consumers will find it especially helpful to add items to the Cozi Shopping List right from their kitchen and then receive the list as a text message on their mobile phone, when away from home. With Cozi, families stay coordinated, schedules are updated, groceries are purchased — all in an effort to simplify and enjoy family life.

Quartet(R) Qnote(TM) Message Center by Acco Brands

The Quartet(R) Qnote(TM) Message Center enables families to share and communicate important messages from the kitchen. Quartet, maker of visual solutions for over 50 years, designed the Qnote Message Center specifically for the centralpark(TM) connection. The message center, made of durable tempered glass, offers a superior dry-erase writing surface and ambient surface illumination to bring messages to light. Interchangeable templates offer customizable layouts to meet each family’s individual lifestyles and unique tastes. A digital clock with date and timer, and a sliding storage drawer to keep documents like schedules and menus handy, are all part of Qnote’s organizational features.

To see more about the Centralpark connection system goto whirlpool.com/centralpark.

This news came out a couple of weeks ago – but for those of you who don’t know, Leon’s has purchased Appliance Canada.

Here is a news excerpt from Yahoo Finance:

Leon’s Furniture Limited is pleased to announce that it has completed its purchase of the assets of Appliance Canada Ltd. and retained the services of their management and employees. Appliance Canada will operate as a separate division of Leon’s Furniture Limited acting as its wholesale distribution arm for sales of major appliances to builders and apartment landlords. It will also continue the retail selling of higher end appliances to the public.

Computer manufacturer Data Evolutions Corp announced today that they’ve won a contract to produce computers that are to be installed in Whirlpool refrigerators. Although computer technology has been used in appliances for years, this will be a little different as this computer will be there to assist consumers with their kitchen management.

From Marketwire:

Clio Vu, pre-loaded with Cozi family organizational software, helps clear refrigerators of sticky notes, traditional notepads and calendars, while keeping grocery lists and schedules organized. Equipped with Wi- Fi, the Clio Vu can be removed easily from the centralpark connection digital hub and brought on trips to the corner coffee shop or on other errands and activities. Using touch screen, keypad or handwriting input, consumers are easily able to update their schedules and keep track of their home happenings without the clutter. Clio Vu users also have the freedom to watch movies and look up recipes and other information online while working in the kitchen.

This product should be available later in 2008.