Original photo by Yuganov Konstantin/ iStock
Is your stove keeping secrets from you? It’s quite possible. Manufacturers of modern appliances have packed their products with new and useful “hidden” features that may not be apparent unless you pore through the entire manual. Here are some secret hacks you may not know about your everyday appliances.
Dishwasher: Bottle Jets
If you throw everything but the kitchen sink into your dishwasher, you may appreciate this. Many dishwashers now come with dedicated bottle jets that make cleaning bottles with long narrow necks an absolute breeze. (This feature is especially beloved by homebrewers who bottle their own beers.)
Microwave: Safety Lock
Curious children and appliances are a bad mix. As of March 2023, UL (formerly known as Underwriters Laboratories, which certifies products as safe) has a new standard that requires microwaves to have “a two-step process for opening microwave doors to help mitigate the risk of children being burned or scalded by cooked food.” (UL standards aren’t legally required, but manufacturers who want their certification must comply.) Some regular (i.e., nonmicrowave) ovens also have lock settings.
Sabbath Mode
From sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday, observant Jews are prohibited from doing any “work” on the holy day of rest (Shabbat). Manipulating electricity (by, say, switching a light off or on) is defined as work. Enter, appliances that can be set to “Sabbath mode.” In this setting, refrigerator lights will not come on when the door is opened, water and ice dispensers are disabled, ovens remain at a constant temperature, appliances do not beep or display temperature, and elevators stop at every floor.
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Washing Machine & Dryer: Reversible Doors
Many (but not all) modern front-loading dryers and some washing machines offer flexibility and convenience by having reversible doors. If your laundry room setup doesn’t work with your current appliances and you’d like to reverse the direction the door opens, simply consult your manual and move the hinges to the other side.
Oven: Removable Doors
Cleaning an oven is enough of a pain without contorting yourself around the oven door. Fortunately, most ovens and ranges have doors that are designed to lift off easily for better access, so you can clean and make minor repairs without awkward bending. Look for the latches attached to the hinges at the bottom of your door, disengage them, close the door about three-quarters of the way, and then simply lift up and out!
Stovetop: Melt & Hold
Many modern electric and induction cooktops now boast “melt and hold” functions. Melt allows for slow, gentle warming of things like chocolate, bringing them slowly to the desired temperature without the fuss of a double boiler or constant stirring. The “keep warm” function — often a small, separate burner toward the back of the cooktop — then keeps things nice and toasty … perfect for nacho cheese sauce while watching the big game.
Oven: Steam Cleaning
Everyday spills and build-up disappear quickly and easily when using the steam clean feature on your oven. Operating at a lower temperature and for less time than a regular self-cleaning cycle, this function simply requires putting a cup or so of water in the bottom of a cold oven, selecting the setting, and then walking away. An hour or so later, oven grime is loosened, softened, and ready for wiping easily away.
Cynthia Barnes has written for the Boston Globe, National Geographic, the Toronto Star and the Discoverer. After loving life in Bangkok, she happily calls Colorado home.
