Home Resource Page
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Blogs
General
- Lowe's -- the store has helpful home project information and some product buying guides.
- Home Depot Know-How -- Home Depot's guide to how to do just about anything around your house.
- Do It Yourself -- DIY projects for everything in the home.
- BHG's Home Improvement Encyclopedia -- Better Homes and Gardens tells you how to fix stuff.
- Home Improvement Share Wiki -- A Wiki site where you can search and share Home Improvement projects.
Decorating
- Interior Decorating at About.com -- About's decorating tips and advice. Check out the article on paint colors.
- Rental Decorating -- information specifically geared towards decorating rentals.
- Essortment -- variety of text articles on a wide range of topics.
- Get Decorating -- requires a subscription to view hundreds of photos of decorated interiors, exteriors and homes.
- Home and Garden Makeover -- lots of articles about how to redecorate, including budget interior design.
Appliances
- Air Conditioners
- ConsumerSearch -- a meta-review of air conditioners -- scroll down for a table giving the number of BTUs you need for a given room size.
- Air Purifiers
- Allergy Buyers Club -- only reviews HEPA filters, as the other two kinds aren't that useful for allergies.
- Air Purifiers America -- conducted their own tests, has an extensive buying guide w/ FAQ.
- ConsumerSearch -- extensive information summarizing many different reviews; detailed information about many models; describes in detail the lawsuit brought by Sharper Image against Consumer Reports for a series of bad reviews for the Ionic Breeze line of air purifiers.
- Sharper Image -- response to the poor reviews for the Ionic Breeze in Consumer Reports. Doesn't respond to the Air Purifiers America review.
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning -- information on carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Epinions -- an expansive (and negative) critique of CO detectors.
- Clothes Dryers
- ConsumerSearch -- clothes dryer reviews and buying tips.
- HowStuffWorks -- how dryers work.
- Dehumidifiers
- ConsumerSearch -- comprehensive.
- Allergy Buyer's Club-- geared to consumers with allergies.
- Dehumidifier Basicsand Dehumidifier Features -- two pages from EnergyStar about dehumidifiers.
- Flashlights
- Flashlight Guide -- More detailed info.
- Freezers
- Ezine Articles -- How to choose a freezer.
- About.com -- Saving money with your freezer.
- American Council for Energy Efficient Economy -- Top-rated freezers.
- Irons
- ConsumerSearch -- reviews of irons and product recommendations.
- Extreme Ironing -- the latest sports craze started in the UK. You have to see it to believe it.
- Ovens
- Lowe's -- simplified guide to the important features.
- Choice -- Australian guide to buying an oven -- still applicable in US, except for dimensions given in centimeters.
- Aki's Kitchen -- an amateur chef with an extensive opinion on buying ovens.
- ConsumerSearch -- a review of the reviews of specific models.
- Smoke Alarms
- Residential Fire Safety Institute -- information on placement of alarms, alarm maintenance, and other FAQs.
- How Stuff Works -- how smoke alarms work.
- Space Heaters
- What You Should Know About Space Heaters -- more safety information.
- Vacuums
- Knowledge Hound -- information about buying a vacuum.
Arts and Crafts
- Knitting
- Stitch 'n Bitch -- website for the popular book -- with patterns!
- WoolWorks -- a free resource for knitters.
- Knitting Techniques -- with animations.
- Yarn Lover's Room -- knitting and crochet pattens, and how to interconvert the two.
Cleaning
- How to Clean Anything -- just like the name says.
Furniture
- Beds
- Australian MSN -- Why a good bed is so important.
- eHow -- How to buy a good bed and mattress.
- Total Bedroom -- Glossary of bedroom terms.
- Furniture 123 -- A helpful glossary with pictures and explanations.
- Computer Desks
- Buyer Zone -- How to buy a quality desk.
- Healthy Computing -- Buying a comfortable desk.
- Lighting
- How Stuff Works -- Learn all about how different light bulbs work (as well as lots of other science).
- Mattresses
- ConsumerSearch -- Good mattress comparisons.
- Simmons -- They have several articles on "better sleep basics".
- Mattress Hotline -- A giant comparison index of brand name mattresses.
- Better Sleep -- A primer on the main mattress terms.
- What's the Best -- Another intro to mattresses with a handy instructional on mattress production, sorted by brand, price, and quality.
- A Bed -- What's best, depending on your sleeping preferences.
Home Decor
- Classic Vase Styles -- Provides insight into the types and shapes of popular vases.
Kitchen
- Cheese Graters
- Coffee
- Sally's Place -- learn about different kinds of coffee makers.
- Capresso -- online manual if you lost your print copy.
- Cutting Boards
- Wood V. Plastic -- Pro-plastic
- Wood V. Plastic -- Pro-wood
- Dehydrators
- Healing.About -- more information on commercial dehydrators.
- Mother Earth News -- Choosing a food dehydrator.
- About.com -- Details on types of dehydrators.
- Food Dehydrator Store -- How they work. (Poorly edited, but informative.)
- Food Dehydrator Store -- The best dehydrators.
- Dry Story -- Dehydration FAQs.
- About.com -- How to know when your food is dried.
- Egg Coddlers
- Martha Stewart -- She knows how to make coddled eggs for four. Don't doubt her.
- Teri's Kitchen -- This lady looks like she knows her way around coddled eggs. Impressive.
- Fondue
- About.com -- Many links to recipes for all kinds of fondue.
- Juicers
- Macrobiotics -- Interested in learning more about the health benefits of juicing, especially as part of a macrobiotic diet?
- Knives
- The Knife Outlet Kitchen Guide -- Interesting article about knife construction, along with the distinction between Eastern and Western knife-making philosophies.
- Chef's Resource -- Lots of different knife styles to check out as well as other cookware.
- Furitechnics -- Demonstration of knife technique by a professional chef!
- Korin Trading Company -- Introduction to Western and Japanese knives.
- Taunton Press -- Choosing great knives.
- Amazon -- How to buy great knives.
- Amazon -- Types of knife blades.
- Hormel -- Types of kitchen knives.
- ConsumerSearch -- Kitchen knife reviews.
- Knife Sharpening
- Korin.com -- info on stone fixers.
- Korin -- On sharpening.
- Korin -- A DVD on knife sharpening!
- Books on knife sharpening
- Korin -- More info on sharpening stones.
- World Knives -- A guide to knife sharpening.
- Measuring Cups
- Infoplease -- handy chart giving kitchen measurement equivalents. They also have a kitchen unit converter.
- Wikipedia - Pyrex -- all about Pyrex glass.
- Microwave Ovens
- Pasta Makers
- Pizza Cutters
- Williams Sonoma -- gourmet pizza supplies.
- Water Filtration
- ConsumerSearch -- Reviews of all the major types of water filters.
- Kinetico -- Company that specializes in reverse osmosis filters. Check their website for dealers near you.
- Whisks
- Cooking.com
- Amazon.com sells whisks in sets.
Tableware
- Chopsticks
- How to Use Chopsticks -- Still confused about how to eat with chopsticks? Follow this how-to guide. It also has Japanese eating etiquette tips.
- Wikipedia - Chopsticks -- For usage, trivia, and more general information
Kitchen Storage
- EHow -- More tips on how to free up counter space!
- Knife Storage
- Am-Wood -- build your own knife block.
- Furitechnics -- safe knife storage.
- Spice Racks
Linens and Bedding
- Linens
- QVC -- Their linen guide, as seen on TV.
- Better Homes and Gardens -- Some information on bath linens.
- Pillows
- Allergy Buyers Club -- A comparison of several top, hypoallergenic pillows.
- The Company Store -- FAQs for general linen and pillow softness.
- Land's End -- another pillow guide.
- Back Designs Guide -- a guide to properly fitting your pillow.
Outdoor Accessories
- Grills and Smokers
- About.com -- Before you buy a gas grill, read this.
- About.com -- Before you buy a smoker, read this.
- Barbecue Smoker Grill -- Smoker FAQs, including temperatures for specific meats.
- Smoking Meat -- The complete smoking meat guide.
- Patio Heaters
- How to Buy a Patio Heater -- Tips and hints on purchasing a patio heater.
- Patio Heater FAQ -- Provides indepth information on patio heaters.
Power Tools
- Lathes
- Mini-Lathe -- A very detailed photo schematic of a lathe. It's a few years old, but makes the whole lathe process very clear.
- Sawdust Making -- Explains the parts of a lathe with a nice picture.
- Wikipedia -- Introduction to the lathe
- Mini-Lathe -- An in-depth documentation of all the things a lathe can do to metal.
- Planers
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety -- What do know before using a planer.
- Consumer Guide -- People are raving about the Rigid 13 inch planer. See it for yourself.
- Power Saws
- The Center to Protect Workers' Rights -- A guide to power saw safety.
- eBay -- Guide to power saws.
- Lowe's -- The index to all their buying guides on power tools.
- Pressure Washers
- ConsumerSearch -- Full Story -- The most comprehensive discussion of pressure washers you could want, with brand recommendations, detailed buying tips, safety tips, recall information, and loads more.
- Lowe's -- A more generalized buying guide.
- Popular Mechanics -- Another buying guide along with product evaluations (only six products tested, however).
- Shapers and Routers
- Sawdust Making -- Glossary of woodworking terms.
- Occupational Health and Safety Administration -- Guidelines for woodworking safety on the job.
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety -- Safety guidelines for shaper usage.
- General Power Tool Resources
- Cordless Combo Kits -- reviews.
- Dust Collectors
- Generators -- reviews.
- Levels -- reviews.
- Power Drills -- buying guide.
- Power Saws -- buying guide.
- Power Tools -- buying guide.
- Sanders -- buying guide.
- Power Tool Institute -- A comprehensive glossary for all power tool terms.
- Professional Power Tool Guide -- Cheaps vs. expensive power tools.
- Professional Power Tool Guide -- Overview of power tools.
- Popular Mechanics -- Guide to buying power tools.
- Sawdust Making -- Power Tools 101.
- American Woodworker -- An index to buying advice on all tools concerning woodworking.
Utility Closet
- Duct Tape
- Duct Tape Guys -- they are wise in the ways of the Force (of duct tape).
- Wikipedia -- history of duct tape -- be sure to check out the links at the bottom, too.
- 101 Uses for Duct Tape -- the count isn't accurate, but then, some of these shouldn't be tried at home.
- I Did It With Duct Tape -- did you know you can fix turtles with duct tape?
- First Aid Kits
- REI -- outdoor supplier with useful info about buying first aid kits.
- House Painting
- Paint and Coating Resource Center -- Hundreds of "Ask the Expert" questions about house painting
- Al's Net Biz -- House painting tips, techniques, tutorials, and how-to. Apparently, with paint quality, you get what you pay for.
- FactsFacts -- Listings of some of the best paints for specific interior jobs (How to cover other paint, water resistant, etc.)
- Painting Your House -- How to pick the right paint
- Do It Yourself -- Why you should spring for the higher quality paints
- Al's Net Biz -- Dozens of FAQ's about fixing, improving, remodeling, and decorating your home.
- Do It Yourself -- Even more FAQs about finding the proper brush, etc.
- Do It Yourself says that all you need is a 2 inch angled brush, a 2 inch trim brush, and a roller brush with an extension pole (to make it super long).