AHAM's Blog

Research Shows Increase in Coffeemaker Usage

A new consumer research study published by AHAM details the impact of the US economy on portable appliance usage among owners of small appliances.

According to the research, 26% of espresso/cappuccino coffeemaker owners stated that they have used their appliance significantly more in the past 1-2 years due to the economy.  Also, 21% of single-serve coffeemaker owners have used more on this appliance more due to economic conditions. Only 9% of auto-drip coffeemaker owners have used their appliance more frequently. 

57% of espresso/cappuccino coffeemaker owners said that they somewhat or strongly agree that they use their appliance to save money over coffeeshop prices.   Espresso/cappuccino coffeemaker owners may be saving up to $1,000 per year by brewing their coffee at home! 

AHAM’s new Portable Appliance Saturation and Usage Study is based on a nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 households and was conducted by The Stevenson Company for AHAM members.

Also, check out Good Housekeeping's take on low-cost espresso makers.  They also give their ratings to 19 different models that are all under $100.

Frozen Food Safety

NBC 4 in Washington, D.C. recently broadcast a segment on frozen food safety where consumer reporter Liz Crenshaw tested a variety of frozen food products.  She reminds consumers that it is essential to follow the manufacturers' instructions when cooking a frozen meal in the microwave or conventional oven.  Some foods may need to sit after cooking to ensure the proper internal temperature is reached.  Know your microwave wattage, use a thermometer and follow the instructions exactly.   Watch the video below to see the full segment:

AHAM has more information about microwave ovens under the consumer information section of our web site.

Toaster ovens do much more than toast

If you ever need to cook dinner in a hurry, or maybe you are only feeding one or two people, a toaster oven may provide you with added convenience to bake, broil, toast and roast smaller portions in a flash.  This small appliance is capable of much more than cooking frozen food for college students to eat during late night study breaks.  In the Washington Post article "The little oven that could" Joe Yonan describes several gourmet toaster oven recipes inspired by well respected chefs.  He notes that over 40% of households own a toaster oven, according to NPD Group, so read through the article and realize the full potential of your tiny oven!  Your taste buds will thank you for it!

AHAM Supports Annual LifeSmarts Championship

The 2009 National LifeSmarts Championship was held in St Louis, MO, where a team of high school students from Wisconsin took home the grand prize.  AHAM was proud to sponsor a portion of the grand prize for the second year in a row, which included scholarships, savings bonds and gift cards for the winners. 

LifeSmarts is a national competition for high school students hosted by the National Consumers League.  According to the NCL, LifeSmarts "competitively tests high school students’ knowledge of consumer awareness, with subjects including personal finance, health and safety, consumer rights and responsibility, technology, and the environment."  

Watch the short video below to see how LifeSmarts has helped more than 20,000 teens across the country.