Photo courtesy AAA

WICHITA With warm weather arriving and states beginning to lift restrictions on non-essential travel, many families may have a vacation on their minds. Road trips can offer a safe and budget-friendly opportunity to travel. Whether journeys reach near or far, plan with safety considerations should be included in trip preparations.

The great American road trip is still one of the best ways to extend family bonding while exploring stateside destinations, says Shawn Steward, AAA Kansas spokesman. Regardless of where youre headed, planning ahead ensures your travel experience will be both safe and enjoyable.

AAA offers the following tips for planning a family road trip including aspecial map to navigate travel rules and restrictions:

Remember Safety First: Dont travel if you are sickor plan to travel with someone who is sick. Pack face masks, gloves and products to sanitize cars and surfaces for the trip. Plan to make as few stops as possible, but make sure to rest when drowsy or sleepy. Make sure everyone is restrained by seat belts or a child safety seat to prevent injury in case of a sudden stop, swerve or crash. Respect social distancing guidelines set by health officials.

Plan Ahead with A Trusted Travel Agent:Careful planning and preparation can make the difference between a well-enjoyed vacation and a travel nightmare. Leveraging the expertise of a travel professional has never been more important.With the list of AAA Approved and Diamond Rated Hotels, AAA travel experts can help you navigate the hotel recommendations based on acceptable cleanliness, comfort and hospitality for nearly 60,000 properties.You can also visitwww.AAA.com/Diamondsto find an inspector approved local hotel in the destination city that will meet your needs.

The Centers for Disease Control also recommends that travelers clean and disinfect all high-touch hotel surfaces. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, remote controls, toilets, and sink faucets. Bring an EPA-registered disinfectant and other personalcleaning supplies.

Check Destination Business Operations/Local State Restrictions: AAA has a special onlineCOVID-19 Travel Restrictionsmap of the United States to help travelers keep track of the ever changing landscape of rules and regulations, paramount to ensuring a SAFE and fun-filled family vacation. Review the operational hours and protocols of destination attractions, rest stops and more along your travel route. Closures, stay-at-home orders and quarantine rules vary greatly across states, and even among various counties and cities within the states.

Prepare Your Vehicle: Due to stay-at-home orders, many vehicles may have not been driven in months. Prior to a road trip, check out your vehicle by taking it to atrusted repair facilityto perform maintenance such as battery, tire, brake and fluid checks. Be prepared for emergencies with a mobile phone and car charger, a flashlight with extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a basic toolkit with reflectors or emergency flares, and drinking water and snacks for passengers. Families can also have puzzles, a charged iPad and books for kids to keep them entertained while in the car.

Limit Distractions: Keep attention on the road by pre-programing GPS devices and adjusting seats and mirrors before heading out. Allow a driver to remain focused safely on driving by enlisting the help of passengers. Dont use handheld or hands-free cell phones while behind the wheel.

AAA.com/RoadTripis a free resource to help travelers find inspiration, explore destinations, plan the perfect route and get their vehicle road trip ready. AAA Travel is also offeringVirtual Travel Eventswith expert road trip advice. VisitAAA Virtual Travel Road Trip Eventsto register for the free June 2nd or June 4th events.

. . .

About AAAAAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and nearly 347,000 members in Kansas. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.AAA is anon-stock, non-profit corporation workingon behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android.For more information, visitwww.AAA.com.

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The great American road trip: AAA offers tips on traveling - Salina Post

Beautiful landscaping and a sweeping verandah provide a fantastic space for outdoor entertaining. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA BENNETT, VHT STUDIOS

When a historic home is infused with modern conventions in the heart of Kenilworth, there are no words to describe it. But there may be music.

Known by its neighbors as the wedding cake house because of the beautiful plaster details on its dormers, this lovely home in one of the North Shores poshest suburbs was built in 1889 for a founding member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. And today, its been lovingly restored for modern family life.

This home is truly remarkable, says Dave Chung, the Compass listing agent for 337 Melrose that went on the market earlier this year. This is a historical house where you really dont know whats old or whats new. Even at 8,000-square-feet, this is an incredibly comfortable and livable space. Its very warm and homey you know that a family actually lives here. Its hard to find an older home in this pristine condition where the next family could just move in and not have to do anything to feel at home. This particular house is rumored to have been one of the first 10 homes built in Kenilworth and the current owners are only the sixth family to have lived here in 130 years.

The grand staircase features beautiful leaded glass windows and gorgeous original paneling.

The minute you walk through the front door, you know youre somewhere special. With a gracious foyer and soaring ceilings, a gorgeous paneled fireplace greets you.

The front hall welcomes guests with a beautiful paneled fireplace.

They dont build homes like this anymore, explains Chung. Even in new construction, you wont see this much space dedicated to a front hall. It was clearly designed for a family that did entertaining on a grand scale.

337 Melrose Avenue in Kenilworth combines vintage details with a modern and comfortable floor plan.

The foyer opens to an expansive floor plan that is perfect for the family who loves to host. The current family mindfully separated the formal living spaces from where they spend their time day to day. Once three separate rooms, the kitchen is now a wide-open space outfitted with a tin ceiling, custom cabinetry, marble countertops, and a generous eat-in area. A relaxed family room is immediately adjacent.

This is one of the familys favorite parts of the house, says Chung. When its warm outside, the doors from the family room open to the veranda and provide additional space for entertaining or just another way to enjoy this home with views of their beautiful landscape.

The living and dining rooms are flooded with natural light and maintained their coved ceilings even after the first floor was significantly renovated.

The living room is of museum quality with coved ceilings, gorgeous details, and is flooded with natural light.

The coved ceilings were intentionally designed for the first homeowners to create perfect acoustics for the musicians they hosted, Chung says. The current homeowners were interested in preserving some of the homes history by maintaining elements like this. Another example is when it came time to replace the hardware on the doors, they discovered that some of the hinges were original to the home. With some research and a talented craftsman, they were able to replicate them and have them installed throughout.

The second-floor master suite has a lovely five-piece marble bath and walk-in closet with custom cabinetry. Three additional large bedrooms each with their own en-suite bath complete the second floor. The third floor has two additional bedrooms, a fantastic full bath, laundry room, and a gym or seventh bedroom.

The lower level bar is beyond compare with a custom leather banquette, integrated refrigeration, and designer touches throughout.

As if the rest of the home isnt enough to have you swoon, the lower level will win you over for sure. With a large playroom with endless built-ins, a bar that would make Ralph Lauren or the Deer Path Inn envious, and an incredible media roomthis is truly where the family lives.

The lower level is totally unexpected because the same attention to detail that was paid upstairs was carried through down here, as well, Chung says. Even the media room, which is typically an uninspired space in a house, was designed to be inviting and comfortable for all members of the family.

For more information, visit 337melrose.com.

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Hitting the Right Notes - Daily North Shore

Las Vegas-based Boxabl wants to mass-produce low-cost housing.

The company released its first product, a 375-square-foot prefab studio apartment early this year, called the Casita. Some videos showing the unit expanding from a shipping container went viral on Twitter, and Boxabl reports huge interest in its products ever since.

Boxabl was started in 2017 by Paolo Tiramani, Galiano Tiramani, and Kyle Denman. After several years of prototyping and testing materials, the Boxabl Casita was introduced in early 2020, with plans to ship by the end of the year. Since then, the company says it has experienced a huge surge in interest. Boxabl told Business Insider that it now receives hundreds of emails a day, with 8,000 requests to buy the Casita. So far, 1,300 people have put down deposits to join the waitlist for the $50,000 house.

The company is looking for massive growth. Though the startup is small now, the goal is to create a large manufacturing facility akin to an automotive factory, constantly churning out standardized pieces that can be combined to create customizable buildings. A spokesperson told Business Insider that Boxabl is looking to raise $10 million to fund this growth, with a private offering coming up. They have already raised over $100 million from investors.

The company also has plans to release more sizes, which will likely be 20 feet by 30 feet, 20 feet by 40 feet, and 20 feet by 60 feet.

Take a look inside Boxabl's first product, Casita, here.

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Boxabl tiny homes fit into shipping containers and sell for $50,000 - Business Insider - Business Insider

The median age of the American home is 38 years old. Add to that the increasing price of new construction over the last decade and the growing popularity of television programs featuring dramatic home renovations, and its no wonder Americans spent an estimated $328 billion on home remodeling in 2019. During National Home Remodeling Month this May, we encourage homeowners to consider the benefits of a home remodel.

Remodeling offers numerous enhancements to homeowners who want to change their living environment, without uprooting their family and moving. Home improvements can add more space for a growing family or older parent, improve energy efficiency and increase the resale value of your home.

If you are considering a remodel, you should be aware of the projects that increase the homes usefulness, value, and make it better to live in. Housing market data reveals that small, smart remodels reward homeowners with better return on investment and can help update and customize a home.

Review these top five remodeling projects and begin planning to remodel during National Home Remodeling Month.

1. Remodel the kitchen

A minor kitchen remodel can improve the look and utility of the space without costing a bundle and yields a 75 percent return. Consider replacing backsplashes, cabinet fronts, countertops, and flooring. Installing low-flow faucets and energy-efficient appliances can also reduce water and energy expenses in a heavily trafficked room.

2. Remodel the bathroom

Payback on remodeling a bathroom can reach 65 percent with new fixtures, tile, toilet, vanity and lighting. Low-flow toilets consumer less water and can decrease the monthly water bill.

3. Whole house remodeling

Repairs and replacements of old components and the desire for upgraded amenities were cited as the top reasons for customers to hire a remodeler. Evaluate the use of the entire home to see if it fits your needs. Homeowners are repurposing spaces to fit their families and making more efficient use of their homes square footage and equity, rather than moving to a new home and mortgage.

4. Room Additions

Room additions can be added for a variety of reasons including a change of the number of people living in the home, multi-generational living, a desire or need for more space, or desire to increase the homes value, room additions have become increasingly popular in the last five years.

5. Replace windows and doors

Updating windows can also return a solid portion of the investment (73 percent for wood frames and 71 percent for vinyl). New, energy-efficient doors and windows also help reduce energy leakage from the home and can bring down heating and cooling bills.

Smart remodeling projects can make your home more comfortable for your lifestyle.

For more information about remodeling, visit http://www.ironsbc.com

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For years, dirty countertops, appliances, or bathroom fixtures were just kind of gross. But unkempt corners of your kitchen and bathroom arent just a sign of laziness anymore. Now, theyre a potential breeding ground for infectious disease.

You cant just limp through cleaning these days. Youve gotta get rigorous about it, which means its no longer acceptable to bring a knife to a gunfight. The Drill Brush Cleaning Supply Kit not only ups the ante on your household cleaning regimen, but it handles the task by repurposing one of your toolkit favorites, your trusty power drill.

This set included four different brush heads, each designed with unique shapes and bristle stiffnesses to attach to your cordless drill for specific cleaning jobs.

Snap on the 5-inch medium stiffness brush for getting stubborn dirt off your kitchen countertops or bathroom flat surfaces. Or switch out to the 5-inch soft brush to apply a lighter touch for items like carpet, upholstery, glass, leather, wheels, and more.

However, if you need to go big, this kit comes prepared. The 4-inch stiff brush really digs in, attacking dirt and other built-up filth on areas like tile walls and floors or even linoleum. Finally, the 4-inch scrub pad stands ready to step in when you need to clean stainless steel, porcelain, or composites like fiberglass or carbon fiber. The brushes are all even color-coded to help avoid the threat of any cross-contamination.

Youll also get a backer attachment to connect your scrub pads as well as a 4-ounce bottle of Drill-Tergent, a non-toxic clean solution that obliterates 99 percent of germs on all of your household surfaces.

Applying the power of your drill, you wont have to throw all that elbow grease into hand scrubbing and scouring with scratchy steel wool anymore. The Drill Brush was also created for handheld cleaning of cast iron pots and pans, even with baked-on food or grease. These brushes snap on and off easily and can be safely used on stoves, sinks, baseboards, ovens, oven racks, flooring, or basically anywhere that needs some serious cleaning attention.

With an impressive 4.6 out of 5-star rating from reviewers on Amazon, this set usually retails for $39. But you can save almost $10 off the price of the Drill Brush Cleaning Supply Kit right now and get the whole set for just $29.95.

Prices are subject to change.

Amazons new Chinese thermal spycam vendor was blacklisted by U.S. over allegations it helped China detain and monitor Uighurs and other Muslim minorities

Mark Di Stefano of the Financial Times is accused by The Independent of accessing private Zoom meetings held by The Independent and The Evening Standard as journalists were learning how coronavirus restrictions would affect them.

Hackers tried to break into the World Health Organization earlier in March, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread, Reuters reports. Security experts blame an advanced cyber-espionage hacker group known as DarkHotel. A senior agency official says the WHO has been facing a more than two-fold increase in cyberattacks since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Virus quarantines and shuttered restaurants sent millions of Americans back to their homes, only to rediscover the joys of firing up an oven and cooking something special for themselves. Whether by desire, necessity, or both, many of us have certainly been spending more time in the kitchen these last few months. And we havent just []

Now that the world is starting to re-emerge from its self-imposed COVID-19 quarantine, were all going to have to start making some adjustments to both short-term and long-term changes. And the questions Should customers be hounded out of a store if they arent wearing a face mask? Are crocheted face masks safe or not? And []

Maybe you had a piano teacher as a kid that drove you off the instrument forever. Or maybe you always wished for some serious training, but never found the time. Whether you have dreams of tossing off a Beethoven or Chopin piece at the drop of a hat or you have visions of being the []

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This brush set enlists your power drill in the war on germs and dirt - Boing Boing

If you've come to find the best toaster oven that you really ought to buy right this instant, I'm afraid I've got some rather disheartening news for you: Toaster ovens are, in my humble opinion, mostly terrible.

It's perhaps a hard truth to hear. For generations, the toaster oven has been a trusty, crusty countertop toasting and baking appliance-- an appliance that doesn't just toast bread, but also doubles as a second, small-sized oven -- and with faster heat (and reheat) times to boot! The problem? Most food you'd want to heat or toast, like bagels or bread, would be better off in a standard toaster, and most baking food would be better off sitting on an oven rackin your traditional oven. And good luck cooking a roast or other time-intensive and complicated foods in a countertop toaster oven, even if they do have the right temperature range. Either way, you're compromising from the get-go.

Most are bulky as hell, too -- and thanks to the rise ofInstant Pots,kitchen-friendly smart displays,food processors,sous vide cookers, and the like, the chances are good that you've got a better way to put that precious counter space to use than a large toaster oven.

Read more:Top bread machines for home bakers

Still, maybe you don't have a conventional oven and need a countertop toaster oven -- or maybe you just want one, dammit. I get it. This is a much-beloved kitchen appliance we're talking about, and my toasty hot take is probably a minority report. And despite my misgivings, there's still a lot to like about toaster ovens!

But splurging doesn't always make sense. Do you really need to add in modern luxuries like built-in food cameras, barcode scanners and smart cooking assistance? Techie toaster ovens from names such asTovala,JuneandBravacan cost anywhere from $350 to $995, but most of the extras found in a mini smart oven are above and beyond what an average kitchen needs.

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More reasonable are "upgrade pick" toaster ovens such as the fun, well-calibrated Panasonic FlashXpress, or a sturdy stalwart such as theBreville Smart Oven, both of which we reviewed -- and loved -- a few years ago. But at $127 and $299 respectively, those models, too, are outside the mainstream in a world where a regular toaster can be hadfor less than $20.

Read more: 4 signs it's time to replace your toaster oven

That's why I decided to take a look at some of your less expensive options to see if I could find a good value. I honed in on popular, well-reviewed models that cost between $50 and $100, and I used convection heating -- a trick that uses a fan to circulate the hot air and cook more evenly -- as a baseline, must-have feature.

Then, with six toaster ovens ready to go in our test kitchen, I set out to put them to the test to try to find the best toaster oven. Of these six, there were two we liked. But we're including the aforementioned Panasonic and Breville toaster oven in our buyer's guide here because they remain well worth the splurge.

We've tested all of those aforementioned upgrade picks here at CNET Appliances, but the only one any of us has ever bought for ourselves is the FlashXpress. It's a fun, quirky countertop cooker that uses an infrared heating element for tasks like toasting bread and baking frozen pizza with speedy precision, and it has an easily removable crumb tray. It might not be big enough for everybody (or for baking for everybody), but that also means that it won't take up any more counter space than it needs on your countertop. Even now, six years after we first reviewed it, it's still easy to recommend it as the best toaster oven for toasting or baking food, or even a countertop toaster oven upgrade. Read our full Panasonic FlashXpress review.

It definitely isn't cheap at more than $270, and there's nothing "smart" about the smart oven in a cloud-connected sense, but the Breville Smart Oven cooks just about everything about as well as you could possibly expect from a countertop convection oven. On top of that, the mini smart oven is sturdy, attractive, and has an easily removable crumb tray, and it's packed with extra cooking setting modes that you might actually find useful, including convection cooking. It's a great compact toaster oven pick if you don't have a smart oven or if you plan on using your oven toaster for cooking food just about every day. Read our full Breville Smart Oven review.

The Bialetti 35047 convection toaster oven offers the same 1,800 watts of cooking power as you'll get from the Breville convection toaster, but at $90, it costs less than half as much. You also get a modern-looking black stainless steel build with an easy-to-use digital display that lets you dial into your preferred level of doneness whenever you're toasting something for your meals. Easy is always a plus. Another little feature that I love? The "A Little Extra" button for those times when your toast or frozen pizza needs just a minute more or so. Just be warned: That extra power means that the Bialetti tends to cook food quickly -- and we've got the burnt pizza to prove it.

I hate that the door on this convection toaster oven opens down more than 90 degrees. The glass can crash directly against the corner of your counterotp if it isn't pushed all the way back against your backsplash.

Still, if you can forgive that design flaw, then you'll love the way this convection toaster oven cooks, whether you're toasting, baking or broiling. Available for about $60 at Costco, it was a top finisher in each one of our cooking tests. That sort of reliable, predictable cooking and baking is exactly what you want from your toaster oven.

More from Chowhound:10 toaster oven hacks you need to try right now

You've got absolutely no shortage of toaster ovens to choose from. Names like Black & Decker, Hamilton Beach, Oster and countless others have been cranking the things out for generations now.

The true bargain-bin picks cost less than $50. If you're willing to spend a little more, you should expect to get some form of convection heat and cooking, as well as perhaps a wider oven cavity, a few additional cooking preset options, digital controls, a non-stick coating on the bake pan or a nicer-looking design. The Bialetti and Toshiba models I tested come in black stainless steel, matching a modern large appliance trend, and the Toshiba model features a built-in rotisserie rack, too. The Nostalgia model offers a unique, red-bodied build, while lower-cost options from Hamilton Beach and Oster serve as simpler budget picks.

Testing toaster ovens requires an awful lot of cooking, so I donned my trusty tan apron and got to work.

Specifically, I set out to cook a wide variety of common toaster oven fodder. With the exception of the toasting tests, where I looked at each toaster oven's individual settings for light, medium and dark toast, I used standardized temperature and cook times, and followed the recommendations on the box for whatever I was cooking wherever possible.

More from Chowhound:How to Clean Your Toaster Oven

Bread made up the bulk of my test fodder -- after all, of all the foods most of us probably make most often with these things it's toast.

Most low-end toaster ovens use a built-in kitchen timer to set the broiling, toasting and cooking time. Typically, those timers include a couple of preset options for toasting -- medium toast, dark toast and in some cases, a setting for light, barely toasted bread, too.

Fancier models with an LCD display will usually let you dial into a specific doneness level when you're toasting. You'll typically get about six or seven settings to choose from with those, each with preprogrammed toasting times. That's more precise than turning a timer knob, and worth it if you're a stickler for the perfect shade of golden brown.

For my purposes, I toasted two slices of thin, white sandwich bread in each toaster oven at its version of each of the three common settings: light, medium and dark. After each test, I photographed the results and made sure to let the toaster oven cool back down to room temperature before testing again.

The main thing I was looking for was a nice, even color at medium settings, as well as the ability to easily adjust up or down from there.

The models with digital displays -- Bialetti and Toshiba -- were the easiest to use, since you dial into your preferred level of doneness on a six- or seven-point scale rather than guesstimating with a timer knob. Four out of 7 was a touch too dark for my tastes with Bialetti, but it'd be easy enough to leave it set at 3 (it was also the only toaster oven that visibly toasted the bread at the lightest toast setting). I also appreciated that it was the only toaster oven of the bunch to feature an "A Little Extra" button for those times when your toast needs another minute.

Meanwhile, the Toshiba's toast was a little too light at 4 out of 6, and too light at the darkest setting, too.

The other four toaster ovens I tested all use timer knobs with little markers for different settings. I'm not a fan of the approach, especially with a model like the Hamilton Beach 31123D, which puts tiny markers for medium and dark toast directly adjacent to one another on the dial. Though a full 3 minutes of toasting time separates them, you'll have to stoop down, squint and turn the knob very carefully if you want to hit anything in between the two with any sort of consistency.

The best of the manual control bunch? That'd be the Oster TSSTTVCG05, which consistently delivered satisfying golden brown toast at medium settings in less time than Bialetti, and which also features the best setting for folks who like toast dark, but not charcoal black.

Speaking of the darkest setting, I didn't begrudge the toaster ovens that burnt the hell out of my bread, because that darkest setting is often needed to toast from frozen. To put that to the test, I toasted several batches of frozen Eggo waffles in each toaster at the darkest setting. Predictably, the ones that had produced black toast at the same setting did the best job, though the Black & Decker toaster oven's Eggos were a little too well done at the darkest setting, too. That'll force you to search for a sweet spot between medium and dark on the dedicated doneness dial when you're toasting frozen food.

Meanwhile, the weakest toasters of the bunch -- Hamilton Beach and Toshiba -- weren't able to get the Eggos quite crisp enough. They might have benefited from Bialetti's "A Little Extra" button.

When following the instructions on the box, Black & Decker and Oster gave us the best-cooked frozen pizzas.

I also baked a bunch of frozen pizzas -- personal-sized pepperoni pies from DiGiorno, to be specific. The box recommends baking a frozen pizza at 425 F for 17 minutes, so that's what I did with each toaster oven.

The results were all over place, but not terribly surprising. The Hamilton Beach toaster oven was a little wimpy in the toast tests, and it followed suit here, too, with an underbaked pizza that needed another couple of minutes in the oven. Meanwhile, the toaster oven with the most power -- the Bialetti -- gave us burnt pizza that cooked a lot faster than you'd expect.

Toshiba burnt the pizza, too. That was more surprising since it had the opposite problem during my toast tests. Like Bialetti, it offers a dedicated pizza setting. With both models, the result was basically identical -- burnt pizza when following the box instructions.

The best-cooked pizzas of the bunch came from Oster and Black & Decker, while the bright red, retro-designed Nostalgia toaster oven baked a passable pie, too.

In addition to DiGiorno's, I made sure to test a number of other frozen snacks and foods, including mozzarella sticks (short bake time), Pizza Bagels (medium baking time) and waffle fries (long baking time). Again, for the most part, I was less concerned with how things tasted than I was with how much each toaster oven matched the recommended temperature and cook times compared with the user's manual. The results largely lined up with what we saw from the pizzas, but if you want to read more details, you can check out my full testing notes here.

My last tests were an office favorite: Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies. I baked five cookies at a time in each toaster oven at its convection setting and according to the recommended time and temperature settings.

The Toshiba toaster oven again produced an overcooked result, which fit the pattern -- it undercooked during toast tests and overcooked during baking and broiling tests. Bialetti and Black & Decker's cookies were slightly well done, too. Meanwhile, Nostalgia, Oster and Hamilton Beach produced our taste testers' top cookies (they passed the eye test with my Twitter followers, too).

Nostalgia's convection setting gave us the most even bake on cookies -- a notable difference from the standard baking tests, where Nostalgia tended to cook faster in the back.

In honesty, though, all of the toaster ovens did pretty well at the convection setting -- it's a feature that really makes a difference with baked goods like cookies. In fact, all of them can bake cookies or anything else just the way you like. The ones that overcook or undercook will just require more of a learning curve.

To that end, the Oster toaster oven emerged as my top pick from a performance standpoint -- it aced my toast tests and proved predictable throughout all of my baking and broiling tests, too. That said...

I've yet to test a toaster oven that makes foods taste any better than a full-size oven would. They're simply not designed to perform to that standard -- especially not for less than $100.

That's why I think you should take most toaster oven performance claims with a grain or two of salt. As long as your toaster oven doesn't overcook or undercook foods too much, and if it has enough power (1,500 watts is a good benchmark for average-sized convection toaster ovens), then you won't notice much of a difference in the way it cooks foods as compared with other models like it.

You will notice design flaws and clunky user interfaces, though, so if you can, head to the store and get your hands on the models you're zeroing in on before you buy. Open and close the doors, adjust the racks -- look for the little things. For instance, the glass door on the top-performing Oster model opens down more than 90 degrees, which means that the glass can clank directly against the corner of your countertop if you don't have it pushed up against your backsplash.

As for me, I hated the imprecise doneness dials on the Hamilton Beach and Nostalgia toaster ovens, and I was also bugged by the temperature dial on the Toshiba model, which starts at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and moves in 20-degree increments -- that means you can't hit a precise 400.

None of these countertop toaster ovens is perfect, but some in this price range look better than others, and feel much easier to use. Those are differences worth shopping around for.

You'll also want to think about what you'll be using your toaster oven for most often. If you like toast with your coffee each morning, prioritize a toaster oven with a precise preset. If you like to broil things like hamburgers, make sure you get a toaster oven with a high top rack position 2 or 3 inches underneath the heating elements. Many don't let you set the racks any higher than halfway up, which is too low from the heating elements for a good char.

One argument in favor of countertop toaster ovens is that they use less energy than a full-size traditional oven. That's true -- most full-size electric ovens will draw about 2,400 watts at medium to high heat, while the average toaster oven will draw around 1,500 watts. That means that every time you're using your toaster oven instead of your full-size oven, you're cutting your energy consumption by a little over a third.

What does that mean in dollars and cents? Let's walk through the math. Assuming an energy rate of $0.12 per kilowatt hour and an average use of 1 hour per day, the full-size oven will add about $105 to your energy bill each year. Unplug the oven and use a toaster oven instead, and that yearly energy cost drops to $65.

Your actual savings will vary based on use, and will likely be a lot less than $40. After all, most people who own toaster ovens will continue to use their full-size oven sometimes, if not most of the time, and hardly any of us will stop using our ovens altogether. So let's split the difference and say that using a toaster oven instead of a full-size oven at least some of the time can knock as much as $20 off of your yearly energy bill, provided you're baking something just about every day.

That's still pretty good, but it's also less than you might expect. Think about it -- the average 1,500-watt toaster oven offers about 0.6 cubic feet on the inside, while the average 2,400-watt electric oven offers about 5 cubic feet. The toaster oven is 85 percent smaller, but it's only using 35 percent less energy. If you've got a family to feed, or if you like to make multiple batches of cookies at a time, then you'll actually get more value from the full-size oven.

There sure are -- but it's very early, and they're very expensive. Unless you're an enthusiastic early adopter of smart kitchen tech with lots of cash to burn, they're tough to recommend, and I'd stick with a regular oven.

The first to arrive was the June Intelligent Oven, which now sells in a second-gen model for $599. It's a capable cooking machine that uses built-in cameras to identify what you're trying to make, and it offers cooking guidance and an abundance of settings to tweak in its companion app. It also isn't good at making toast.

The Tovala Smart Oven is another second-gen smart oven, and at $349, it's less expensive than June. It doesn't feature built-in cameras -- instead, this smart oven uses a built-in QR code scanner to identify specific Tovala meal kits or, thanks to a recent update, frozen food from Trader Joe's. From there, the smart oven automates the entire cooking process. You just put the food in and press start.

The Brava Oven is a capable connected cooker -- but it costs $995.

The third smart oven worth mentioning comes from Brava, and it's the most expensive of the three at $995. Among toaster oven upgrades, it's a bit like Frankenstein's monster -- you get the same infrared heating elements as the Panasonic FlashXpress, the same built-in cameras as June, and the same meals kit approach as Tovala. Like the smart oven itself, those meal kits are awfully expensive, with dinner for two ranging from $28 to $45.

I don't think any of these smart options are worth buying yet, but connected cooking gadgets are continuing to mature -- and with products like the Instant Pot proving that there's still a healthy appetite for well-featured kitchen tech and kitchen appliances, manufacturers are motivated to innovate.

That includes the market-movers. Just recently, LG announced that its smart ovens will support Tovala's meals kits -- though you'll need to scan their QR codes with the Tovala app on your phone. Whirlpool has a smart countertop oven of its own coming this spring; more are likely to follow suit.

Fresh competition like that might lead to something truly compelling -- and, at the very least, it should eventually help to bring prices down to more reasonable levels. When we get to that point, I'll update this section to include our top pick with its pros and cons.

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The best toaster oven is the one you'll hate the least - CNET

Countertops Dishwasher Market 2018: Global Industry Insights by Global Players, Regional Segmentation, Growth, Applications, Major Drivers, Value and Foreseen till 2024

The report provides both quantitative and qualitative information of global Countertops Dishwasher market for period of 2018 to 2025. As per the analysis provided in the report, the global market of Countertops Dishwasher is estimated to growth at a CAGR of _% during the forecast period 2018 to 2025 and is expected to rise to USD _ million/billion by the end of year 2025. In the year 2016, the global Countertops Dishwasher market was valued at USD _ million/billion.

This research report based on Countertops Dishwasher market and available with Market Study Report includes latest and upcoming industry trends in addition to the global spectrum of the Countertops Dishwasher market that includes numerous regions. Likewise, the report also expands on intricate details pertaining to contributions by key players, demand and supply analysis as well as market share growth of the Countertops Dishwasher industry.

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The Research projects that the Countertops Dishwasher market size will grow from in 2018 to by 2024, at an estimated CAGR of XX%. The base year considered for the study is 2018, and the market size is projected from 2018 to 2024.

The report on the Countertops Dishwasher market provides a birds eye view of the current proceeding within the Countertops Dishwasher market. Further, the report also takes into account the impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic on the Countertops Dishwasher market and offers a clear assessment of the projected market fluctuations during the forecast period. The different factors that are likely to impact the overall dynamics of the Countertops Dishwasher market over the forecast period (2019-2029) including the current trends, growth opportunities, restraining factors, and more are discussed in detail in the market study.

Leading manufacturers of Countertops Dishwasher Market:

Key market playersMajor competitors identified in this market include Electrolux, Whirlpool, Sumsung, Panasonic, Siemens, Haier, Bosch, Arcelik, Smeg, Baumatic, Indesit, Asko, GE, Galanz, etc.

Based on the Region:Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India and ASEAN)North America (US and Canada)Europe (Germany, France, UK and Italy)Rest of World (Latin America, Middle East & Africa)

Based on the Type:SingleDouble

Based on the Application:ResidentialCommercial

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Assessing the Fallout From the Coronavirus Pandemic New Report on the Countertops Dishwasher Market 2019-2027 - Cole of Duty

MOUNT PLEASANT, MI Temperature checks, face masks, fewer slot machines, Plexiglas partitions and a smoking ban are among the changes guests can expect when they return to Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant and Saganing Eagles Landing Casino near Standish.

Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe officials recently announced plans to reopen the two casinos to the general public on Monday, June 1. The reopenings come before Gov. Gretchen Whitmers stay-home order expires June 12, but with a variety of safety precautions in place meant to protect employees and guests.

New safety measures and policies at the casinos will include a smoking ban, face masks required for both employees and guests, temperature checks at entrances with either infrared cameras or non-contact thermometers, and other changes to promote social distancing.

Soaring Eagle is one of at least seven tribal casinos in Michigan that plan to reopen in the coming days. Others include FireKeepers in Battle Creek and Gun Lake Casino in Wayland.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, which owns the Soaring Eagle and Eagles Landing casinos, voluntarily closed Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, the Slot Palace & Bingo Hall and Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel on March 16 to support efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, in Michigan. The facilities are scheduled to reopen to invited guests only at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 29, and to the general public at 8 a.m. Monday.

Although the casinos are reopening, some amenities will reopen at later, undetermined dates, according to officials. At Soaring Eagle, those amenities opening later include a buffet, valet and shuttle services, coat check, spa and salon, pool and hot tub areas, poker games, tour bus groups, concerts and more. At Saganing Eagles Landing, amenities opening later include shuttle service, coat check, pool and fitness center.

Safety precautions casino guests can expect include:

As of Thursday, May 28, COVID-19 had infected more than 56,000 and killed 5,372 in Michigan. For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Gov. Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

RELATED STORIES:

2 more northern Michigan tribal casinos to reopen with coronavirus precautions

FireKeepers Casino to reopen June 1

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Soaring Eagle Casino shows new safety measures on eve of reopening - MLive.com

GLENDALE, Ariz. When you renovate your laundry, getting the biggest bang for your buck doesnt necessarily mean the cheapest initial costs, but how much value your mat gains over time for your money initially spent. Sometimes things that cost more in the beginning will save you lots of money over time.

Lets compare granite/quartz folding tables vs. laminate. A major home improvement store is selling custom quartz countertops for $50 per square feet, custom laminates (think Formica) for around $27.

So if you upgrade to quartz or granite, customers will rave about your folding tables to their friends for many years. At someone around double the cost, they will last far longer than any laminate. Amortize that extra cost over the years and it becomes a small number fora longtime silent partner selling luxury value.

On the other hand, if you are really looking to shave initial costs, the same home improvement store sells pre-made 8-foot laminate countertops with integrated backsplashes that dont look too bad.

A cost savings can be had by choosing rebuilt machines. Take care to find reputable vendors and ensure that equipment marketed as rebuilts arent simply used machines that have been spruced up cosmetically.

Also, keep in mind what year and model the rebuilts are. Theres little cost savings to be had if the rebuilts are too old to allow you to change water levels or number of baths. Some rebuilt models are for sale because they caused trouble for previous owners. I also never found any warranty for a rebuilt machine that could match a new machines.

Then, there are the tax benefits of buying new equipment over used provided through Section 179 expensing and Section 168 depreciation.

Washers can get new decals, buttons, knobs, etc. You know what also spruces up a front loader? Install new door glass gaskets. It can make a nice difference. So does changing the soap box lids, if they are rubber (but beware of cheap generics). If you want to go really cheap, remove the gaskets and soap lids and soak them in a chlorine bleach/water solution overnight.

Even if your equipment has stainless steel front panels, consider that you may be able to buy new panels with color.

Years ago, some creative mat owners used to send their front panels out to an auto body shop to be cleaned and painted. I also did that but changed the panel color from tan to white. Guess what happened? Many of my customers thought I put in new equipment!

Wait a few years and you can put the stainless steel panels back on. Dont forget to add new decals, buttons and knobs again to give the impression you upgraded to new equipment.

An old dryer rehab trick is to close your store for a day and have an appliance painter mask off the entire bank of dryer fronts and spray paint them. Keep in mind that the paint will not last as long as the machines original powder coatings.

I also called my dryer company and found out I could buy a kit of all-new powder-coated front panels and hardware. It was pricey but still much cheaper than new dryers, yet the panels and hardware made them look brand-new!

Walls can take a beating in Laundromats, especially the lower 4 feet where carts get slammed into them. A popular solution is to install aluminum diamond plate panels. They look great, will last for years, and arent too expensive.

Another alternative is peel-and-stick vinyl tiles. Theyre easy to install, are durable and somewhat flexible, and should last years if applied correctly (I would still apply good-quality, full-spread adhesive to the wall, depending on its material).

Think creatively. Perhaps install them diagonally.

Or you may want to put the new vinyl stacked rock panels on a non-contact wall.

Ive seen a lot of New York City stores with fiber-reinforced panels. Theyre cheap, are easy to cut, and can be installed over different types of walls. The panels are durable, waterproof, easy to wipe down, and come in various colors (white seems to be the best).

Try adding inexpensive unique designs such as murals or racing stripes around the store. Cant afford ceramic tile walls? How about just doing ceramic tile accent areas such as vertical support beams, or tiling just one wall?

Hanging mirrors is another great bang for the buck, especially if you have a small mat. A couple of large mirrors can make your mat appear bigger and classier.

Check back Tuesday for the conclusion!

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The Biggest Bang for Your Laundry Renovation Buck (Part 1) - American Coin-Op

SPONSORED:This three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom fee-free townhome is located at1151 S. Pennsylvania Avenue[GMap], near Mead Botanical Garden, the Winter Park Tennis Center and less than a mile from Park Avenue.

The property features a spacious living area with high ceilings, which flows into the dining room, all outfitted with unique architectural details including built-in shelving and custom plantation shutter doors.

The well-appointed kitchen features granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, travertine flooring, and a spacious eat-in breakfast area.

Upstairs, youll find the large master suite equipped with a balcony, a custom walk-in closet, and a newly-renovated master bath with dual sinks, ample counter space, and a large, spa-like shower.

The two guest bedrooms have their own custom closets and a updated bath. The laundry area is also located on the second floor.

Additional features include a spacious two-car, rear-facing garage, that is accessible via a private driveway. This home is zoned for Audubon Park K-8 school, and is close to popular shops and restaurants along Park Avenue.

The asking price is $625,000.

ClickHEREfor more information or contact Padgett McCormick, Kelly Price & Company, at[emailprotected].

All photos by Rickie Agapito.

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House of the Day: Winter Park townhome asking $625000 - Bungalower