Consumer Advice September 2009
Post comments, questions and answers in the Consumer advice section of Candis Chat.
Dishwasher magic
Find a dishwasher with the right features and you'll save yourself money on running costs as it will be more energy efficient. Here's what to look for:
-
Digital sensors
assess how dirty the dishes are and work out exactly what level of
detergent and water are needed as well as setting the correct
temperature and washing time. - A triple A rating show it's reached the top rating for energy efficiency plus washing and drying performance.
- Adjustable baskets and racks so you can stack the machine in the most effective way.
- Indicator lights for the salt or rinse aid mean you keep it topped up, which means more efficient service.
- Programmes that suit the way you use the machine - does it have half load or economy programmes for instance?
- Start-delay for putting the machine on at night, which means you use a cheaper Economy 7 tariff (if you're signed up to it and have an Economy 7 meter installed).
If you're not looking for a new dishwasher right now but want to make the one you have more energy efficient try to fill it fully before switching on; stack it properly to ensure the items get thoroughly washed (or you'll have to wash them again) and use the recommended washing product and rinse aid to get the best results - all-in-one tablets are a good bet but you may still need to add salt.
You'd think a squirt of washing-up liquid and a bit of elbow grease would be more energy efficient than putting the dishwasher on but to clean a full 12-place setting by hand would use a lot more water than an efficient machine.
For all round good looks, efficient washing and reliability
AEG-Electrolux always scores well.
And we've arranged an exclusive Candis members discount of 5%
on any dishwasher bought from Candis Electrical, see offer details
below.
Q&As
Cheaper
voicemail
Q: I'm very happy with my contract with T-Mobile, which gives me slightly more minutes and texts than I need each month for £20. But I find it infuriating that I have to pay outside of the contract at 10p a minute to pick up voicemail messages. Is there any way round this?
A: Yes! With any network provider if you're paying extra for voicemail calls, dial your own number from your mobile and get through to voicemail that way. It will count as your minutes rather than a separate call. If you're on pay as you go, check what the charges are. On T-Mobile it's 10p a minute for voicemail and 8p to other T-Mobiles so you will still save if you call your own number to pick up voicemail.
Prints charming
Q: The memory
card on my camera is almost full. What should I do to get my
pictures printed?
A: It's really easy to get them printed online. If your camera came with a CD, run it on your computer for it to be able to recognise and deal with the camera. Then plug the small end of the lead that came with the camera into your camera and the USB end into your PC. Then choose to 'import' or 'upload' your photos, with a further option to delete the originals from the card - probably a good idea if you're running out of space.
Now use one of the online services and follow their instructions to get your selected images printed and posted to you. See the exclusive Snapfish offer below.
Post comments, questions and answers in the Consumer advice section of Candis Chat.
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