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Maytag Mom: My final thoughts

19 Feb By 4 Comments

Last year when I was invited on the Maytag Moms campaign I was really excited.  Getting a kitchen upgrade is a dream for most people and as we already had (and liked) Maytag appliances, I knew it would be interesting to check out all the advancement in technology and the different ways these newer appliances made life in the kitchen easier. If you missed any past posts, you can read them here:

As you may have noticed the past few months, MomDot has yet to publish anything about the stove. Unfortunately when I first received my new stove,  I noticed it had an issue. The stove seemed to heat up on the outside as well. With an infant in the house I knew that was going to be an issue. I gave it some time thinking it was me doing something wrong but eventually I contacted Maytag and they agreed that that should not be happening. They were very forthcoming with getting the stove out and replacing it.

A few weeks later, Maytag sent over a new stove model and it was a double oven!

I was major MAJORLY excited. Thrilled.

Gemini® Electric Double Oven Range with EvenAir™ True Convection

Whether you’re cooking snacks or multiple courses for a special gathering, this double oven uses the industry’s largest available capacity2 at 6.7 cu. ft. to cook several items at the same time. Perfect the rest of the meal using the Power Center cooktop with a 3,200-watt Speed Heat™ and a 12″/9″/6″ Triple-Choice™ elements that handle almost any size pan. Keep the process efficient with EvenAir™ True convection in the lower oven that roasts up to 30% faster than a thermal oven and Power Preheat which preheats the upper oven 40% faster than a conventional 5.3 cu. ft. conventional oven.

stove

As you can see, it’s quite attractive.

I went from an all black kitchen to stainless steal.

maytag-fridge-review

But it pains me to say this….the new double oven broke within days of having it. I noticed when I turned on the regular portion of the oven (the large area), I was experiencing loud bangs. I recorded it and sent it over to Maytag and they sent out a repair person. He let me know that the fan was broken and they had to order the part. Of course this was over the Christmas holiday so while they were very helpful, and so was Maytag, I was out of an oven over the holidays.

Now that I have had a chance to use my new oven for the first time in a few months from the beginning process till now, here is what I have learned.

The Positives:

1) Having a double oven has its benefits. Being able to make two completely different meals with two temperatures at the same time is fantastic. You can ready rolls, a separate meal for the kids, side dishes and all while the larger portion of the oven is still cooking.

2) Speed heat on the range is very fast. That means a lot when the kids are hungry NOW.

3) The convection helps in keeping the baking even. Even last night when my spouse attempted to make dinner and forgot about something he put in, the entire thing was burned…evenly.

4) The range space is used in a really great way. One of the range spots for a pan is adjustable, so you can use a small pan, medium pan or large pan. All you do is turn the knob to the dial of the pan you use.

The Changes I would make

1) The seal around the edge gets caught with food a lot..it’s pretty hard to clean out unless you use a butter knife. I think this is just an aesthetics thing but if I were redesigning, I would make that area nonexistent.

2) Putting the big oven on the bottom seems like a poor design. If you are pulling a turkey or heavy casserole out, bending way over and getting it isn’t practical. If you are older or have bad back/knees, this can be a real issue. The larger portion is REALLY low to the floor.

3) My last Maytag had a slide lock on it, this one only locks when you clean it. That means my son has discovered he can OPEN the oven. I think locks should be standard features on all ovens.

4) This may be a quirk of mine personally but I am constantly turning on the wrong burner. The one on the far left seems to line up to me on the top burner, but it actually goes to the bottom burner.  The second burner to me lines up with the front burner but actually goes to the back burner.

stove-knobs

Recommendations

Out of everything, I would say my Dishwasher was the best kitchen improvement.  I have yet to find one dirty dish in the time I have been using the new dishwasher. And while we still load like wild animals, the dishwasher seems to get around that and keep the dishes clean.

Maytag_Jetclean_plus

Overall I was pleased with Maytags customer service. I got to experience what happens when an item isn’t exactly as expected. Lets face it. Mistakes happen, transport issues happen, installation issues happen, and at the end of the day a company that takes responsibility and assists you ever step of the way till its right is what counts. You can learn more about Maytag and get to know all their products here:

The Maytag Page
Maytag’s Twitter Page
Maytag’s Facebook Page

I want to thank Mom Central and specifically Kasey for her patience and assistance and Maytag for constantly checking up and making sure that all my questions were answered. Thank you also to my audience for allowing me to share with you about these appliances and assist you in the features and deciding what is right for your house hold.

~Trisha

I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.

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“My Grandma’s Maytag couldn’t do THAT!”

20 Jan By 11 Comments

This months theme “My Moms Maytag Couldn’t do that” fits perfectly in my lifestyle. As you know I am a Maytag Mom and have been working to let you know all the new features on my Maytag appliances. If you missed any past posts, you can read them here:

Now why does that theme work so well, Trisha? Well, because I cant even remember HAVING a dishwasher growing up. The kids WERE the dishwasher, kwim? It’s hard to remember a time before amenities, but its true. And even if you are knew to the dishwasher world, it doesn’t mean that you should settle for a super basic model. Finding the right features is more important in today’s kitchen than anything else.

Do I really have time to pick stuck food OFF my dishes after they were supposedly clean? Um. No. Not with this zoo I call a household around here.

I want to set it, forget it, and pray someone else remembers to empty it. And for the most part that is true…at least the set it and forget it.

(I still often end up emptying the dishwasher on my own though)

What the experts say:

Maytag® Jetclean® Plus Dishwasher with 100% Stainless Steel Tub Interior

The Jetclean Plus Steam cycle utilizes high-pressure spray jets and increased temperatures to power through stuck-on food while reducing spots on glassware. There’s no need to rinse off dried-on food thanks to the ToughScrub™ option and a powerful 4-blade stainless steel chopper. For even more cleaning power,the Jetclean® Plus Steam cycle blasts off food particles with high-pressure spray jets and then adds the finishing touch of steam to clean and reduce spots on glassware. The Auto Clean cycle also uses sensors that monitor soil levels to help get dishes clean. Plus, the 100% stainless steel tub looks great, fights corrosion and improves drying performance.

What Mom says about the Maytag® Jetclean® Plus Dishwasher

My favorite part? Other than the no “cleaning before cleaning” stance that actually DOES work? The fact that Fingers McGee aka Phoenyx cannot reset the dishwasher every time its on! As you can see from my old Maytag, just about anyone, including the dog, with the right amount of pressure could stop or start the process. Now the buttons are located in a nice parents only spot that closes away from any prying hands.

Maytag_Jetclean_plus

And while I would love to tell you all the arranging power the dishwasher has….well, here I will show you what it SHOULD look like according to standards.

maytag_loading

The REALITY of the situation is this:

dishwasher_loaded

It’s like wild animals dropped their dishes and ran.

The irony being that in the early part of my marriage my husband would literally take every dish out and redo the dishwasher till it looked like a military laundry session. He has gotten lax in his old man age.

The dishes come out spotless so all is well and moms have to pick their battles.

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Maytag Over-the-Range Microwave with Stainless Steel Interior

Go ahead and put that casserole dish in the microwave. Not only will it fit in this 2.0 cu. ft. over-the-range unit, but the WideGlide™ tray is designed to move throughout the microwave for uniform cooking results – even in cookware as large as a 10″ x 15″ pan. The powerful 1,000 watts of cooking power ensures your food will be heated all the way through, while sensor reheat means you can warm your meals without worrying about cooking times or power levels. The stainless-steel interior looks great and cleans easily, while the four-speed ventilation fan will help keep your kitchen clear of cooktop smoke and odors.

I also wanted to take a minute to touch on our Microwave.  We are actually a low maintenance home when it comes to microwave. Our last one had the handle broken off so I am happy to have a handle back, but other than the occasional vegetable steaming, the defrosting of meat, and maybe some milk warming, the microwave has little usage in our house but a really nice looking decor piece.

For some reason I will never understand, I cannot get behind “leftovers” so I only cook what we eat and that is that. I can tell you that I have grown super fond of the “quick defrost” button as its usually 3pm before I am considering dinner thoughts.

maytag_defrost

I also think the sensor reheat is a really cool feature. You can reheat meals without cook times or worrying about what level of power to use, but as we do not eat leftovers, this is something I have yet to try.

Of course if you are considering a kitchen change or upgrade or want to get to know more about Maytag appliances, please learn more by visiting Maytag at

Or visiting other bloggers and their experiences here:

~Trisha

I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.

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Organizing your new fridge…it takes some time!

26 Nov By 17 Comments

Hey Guys!

I am back, refreshed, and ready to push out the remainder of the year with all of you! I know you are hard at work on Cyber Monday shopping,  but the past week while Thanksgiving was running a muck, I had a chance to really give my new Maytag Fridge a run for its money and wanted to tell you about it..just in case you are out shopping for a fridge! With $400 worth of groceries, plus everything else I already had in there, the Maytag® Ice2O® French Door Refrigerator with Easy Access Refrigerator Drawer aims to help you organize your foodie life.

The real question is…can it?

Specs for the Maytag® Ice2O® French Door Refrigerator with Easy Access Refrigerator Drawer from Maytag:

Finally, a refrigerator that handles snack attacks. This 25 cu. ft. Ice2O® refrigerator features the Easy Access refrigerator drawer with flexible storage for up to five bags of groceries. Using the exterior refrigerator drawer saves energy by keeping the refrigerator compartment closed while frequently used items are accessed. It’s perfect for after-school or midnight cravings. As expected from Maytag brand, it’s designed with long-lasting components including refrigerator drawer glides 2X Life tested to 300,000 openings and closings and Strongbox™ door hinges.

Easy Access refrigerator drawer

The Easy Access refrigerator drawer fully extends, holding up to 5 bags of groceries and providing accessibility even in the back. Two removable, adjustable dividers and one organizer create flexible storage options. Plus, this convenient counter height drawer is easily accessible to the whole family, including children.

How is the Maytag® Ice2O® French Door Refrigerator with Easy Access Refrigerator Drawer working in my home?

The idea behind this fridge is to keep snacks in the middle drawer. Basically the items your kids and you grab the most, keeping the rest of the fridge efficient and cooled for items that do not need to have constant access. Unfortunately there are a few flaws to this design in my household.

1) Maybe my kids are not the right age, but my 7 year old is in and out of the fridge as quickly as I am and she rarely goes in except for a drink as it is. That means access to the main part of the fridge as all of our drinks are much taller than the pull out drawer. We don’t drink a lot of individually packed items like juice boxes, so our “snack” drawer is being used as a main part of the fridge. Namely for the vegis.

2) Speaking of vegis, the snack drawer is not really meant for that. It’s pretty cold, which is good, but not so good for fresh. From my research online, it appears to be 35 degrees, which is exactly why my vegis with water in them seem to freeze up and crystallize. To be honest, I cannot figure out where fresh vegis go at all in the fridge. The drawer inside the main part is super small and would not house lettuce, much less more than one vegi. I have found it to be a bit of a logistical nightmare for someone who eats at on of fresh fruit and vegis that need to be cooled, but not frozen.  Mom Suggestion: Having a temperature adjuster in the middle drawer would give the fridge a huge variety of usages.

3) The drawer in the fridge we are using to hold our sandwich meat and cheese, but again, its not a huge drawer.This is causing me to have to run to the store more often on an item that is used daily in my home. I am not a fan of putting meat with the rest of the food so I just have to restrict how much I buy.  Mom Suggestion: Deeper drawer

4) The ice bin takes up a lot of room, but I am OK with that as I really REALLY love having the water and ice in the front. I love how it counts the water oz so you know how much you are drinking and that it’s filtered.  The ice is an oblong type shape so you can use it in water bottles as well, which is great for the kids and will come in handy over the hot summers here on the gulf coast. Mom Suggestion: None, its pretty good and the ice bin isn’t too loud.

5) I love the freezer bins. This isn’t my first time around the block with a lower freezer and my last brand had just two long open bins (one top/one bottom). It caused for a ton more mess. This one has two separate lower bins and two separate upper bins (so four food areas), which has been a lot easier to organize. Mom Suggestion: None. This is done really well and much better than my last fridge.

6) While the doors on the side DO allow for milk (gallon) storage, we generally have up to 4 gallons of sweet tea and milk in our fridge, so we keep it all inside. We also have a ton of condiments and its hard to see them if shoved into the fridge, so we keep those in the doors. Mom Suggestion: A special spot for the eggs would be great!

This is how Maytag envisions it being organized:

This is my actual home:

 

All in all it has some pluses for my home and minuses for my home, but overall I grade the fridge a B-.

It is not perfect for me, but it is roomy, has tons of ideas and slots for food types and shapes, and the water/ice in the door and freezer organization has a major plus. However what I have learned in this process is that how you would like a fridge laid out will really be according to the type of food you buy. So when making an appliance selection, you need to open it up and imagine where the majority of your food purchases will sit. The great thing about Maytag is that it is a dependable long lasting brand that has a warranty and stands behind their product(s). They also have a large selection of other fridges if this one isn’t the right fit for your family’s needs.

You can learn more and discover all the new technology for your kitchen by going to Maytag, Maytag on Facebook, or Maytag on twitter!

~Trisha
See pasts posts of mine at My Kitchen is Getting an upgrade and installation at Out with the old, in with the new Maytag.

I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.

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