The Art of Household AppliancesHow Everyday Machines Shape Better Food, Lower Costs, and a Smarter HomeR. A. CalkinsEvery home runs on quiet partners: ovens that brown, refrigerators that chill, washers that spin, and countertop machines that rescue weeknight dinners. Most of us press buttons, hope for the best, and call a repairman when guesswork fails. This book changes that.The Art of Household Appliances treats appliances as systems—heat, airflow, timing, cleanliness, and wear—and teaches you to work with those systems so food tastes better, utilities cost less, and machines last longer. You don’t need to be a technician. You need a few reliable tests, a short inspection checklist, and practical habits you can use immediately.Inside you’ll find:• A clear, systems-based introduction to how everyday appliances actually work, and why that matters for cooking, storage, and energy use.• Practical buying guidance—when new is worth the price, when used makes sense, and a short inspection checklist that catches common failures.• Hands-on home tests (safe, simple, and reliable) for ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry machines, microwaves, coffee gear, air fryers, and more—so you can diagnose problems before they become expensive.• Plain maintenance steps that pay off: clean coils, check gaskets, run the right cycles, and other small routines that prevent most failures.• Decision-making help: when to repair and when replacement is wiser, plus negotiation and delivery tips to avoid surprises.This book is for homeowners, renters, cooks, landlords, and anyone who wants appliances to be dependable tools instead of sources of stress. It’s jargon-free, practical, and built to be used: keep it by the toolbox, the counter, or your phone when you shop or troubleshoot.If you want fewer surprises, lower bills, and better meals from machines you already own, this book will teach you how to stop fighting your appliances—and start getting quiet, reliable service from them every day.