What do the numbers on your toaster really mean?

As technology continues to enhance Kiwi lives, burning questions remain over how we can get the best out of our everyday appliances.

From how to stack cutlery in the dishwasher, to what the numbers on the toaster really mean, and even questioning our washing machine's honesty.

Nathan Rarere spoke to Consumer New Zealand's James le Page on First Up to find out all the answers.

Why is the washing machine always wrong about how much time is left?

You are not alone if you think your washing machine's cycle tends to go on longer than the displayed time.

Le Page, like many other Kiwis, can attest to their washing machine seemingly pretending to have stopped, only for it to start spinning again, but there is a good reason for that.

"It all comes down to the fact that modern washing machines are smarter than what we give them credit for, and that two minutes there is your washing machine saying 'hey, look, in the best case scenario, I am going to finish the load in two minutes', but certain parameters need to be met," he said.

"The machine will detect if all the detergent has been rinsed out, and all the water has been spun out as well. If you think about it on the flip side, if it just stopped after two minutes, and everything was still soaking wet, or still had suds on it, you would be slapping the door closed again, and probably kick it.

"It is quite a good thing, but it is annoying for us, the users of the machine, that they are smart, but they still do not send you an apology text afterwards for lying to you."

What do the numbers on the toaster really represent?

It is a question as old as time - do the numbers on the toaster indicate the time, or how toasty you want your breakfast?

As le Page reveals, unless you are investing a lot of money into your toaster, the one you will find in your kitchen more than likely falls under the latter.

"There are three types of toasters in the way that they work," le Page said. "There are timer toasters out there, but they are very rare, and they are very expensive.

"In New Zealand, you can buy one, it's from a company called Rowlett. They are a UK manufacture, and it's a beautiful toaster. It is $517 and it is a stainless-steel beast. It has a manual timer on that you ratchet around, and it clicks down.

"But for the most part, what you will get and what the numbers actually represent on your toaster you would pick up at Briscoes, Kmart, Warehouse, wherever … the numbers represent more a level of toasty-ness and that's because these toasters are known as a capacitor toaster.

"When you click it down, it charges up like a battery, and once it is fully charged, and the circuit is complete, the toast pops up again. The dial on the side increases the resistance in the circuit, so once you dial it up, it will take longer for the capacitor to charge up, the bread is exposed to the element for longer, and it gets toastier.

"That is what you're going to find when you go out shopping for a toaster, because a capacitor toaster is the cheapest, and most manufactured."

Why are there no left-handed microwaves?

If you are in the unlucky 10 percent of the New Zealand population, you have most likely had to put up with right-handed microwaves your entire life, and wondered why.

Le Page admitted he had to scratch his head a few times, but eventually concluded it is just one of things that is just because.

"That is because 90 percent of the population is right-handed, and small appliances are made for the masses, so the 10 percent camp like myself, I am a southpaw, but I am left having to scrounge around in the right-hand side.

"There are other appliances, like fridges, clothes dryers, washers that you can flip the door around, but there is a safety element with microwaves. You can't go ripping the door off and blasting your chest while you are doing it at the same time and cooking yourself. You can't leave it up to the consumer to do it themselves, and so, you kind of have to do it that way.

"I did actually find a right-hand hinged microwave for you Nathan, it's from Gaggenau, I am not sure if you have heard of it, but it's the ultra-premium. If you're putting in a $200,000 kitchen, you will be using Gaggenau appliances.

"It was $3000 this microwave, it hinges on the right, but the buttons are down the bottom underneath. It is a built-in one that will sit above your oven in the wall. But it is not available in New Zealand yet, but I am sure if you ask someone nicely, they will happily import a $3000 microwave," he said.

Why don't fridges have butter conditioners anymore?

This is probably the easiest to answer, and as le Page revealed, you can direct your blame firmly at the government for that, but their decision is for good reason.

Mandatory energy labels came out in the early 2000s, as well as the minimum energy efficiency requirements for regulated products, with one of those being refrigerators.

"To have a small heater inside of the refrigerator box wrecks efficiency and that is basically what a butter conditioner was, just a little thing that made things warmer in that area, but it just killed the efficiency of the fridge itself", le Page said.

"It is the equivalent of sitting in your lounge and turning on the air conditioner, and going 'it's a bit cold", and turning on a heater in the corner to balance things out.

"That's why they had to disappear, because they could not find a way to manufacture these things and have them efficient enough for sale.

"It is a shame, but you can get around it. You can cut what butter you might need from the block and leave it in the pantry."

Cutlery in dishwasher - up or down?

If you are finding yourself at odds with your spouse or family over if cutlery should be placed up or down in the dishwasher, you are certainly not alone.

While the answer is relatively simple, as le Page revealed, it is not something he or many other Kiwis adhere to enough in the name of safety.

"Anything that is pointy, knives, forks, they should be pointing down," he said.

"Things like spoons are the exception to the rule, they are not particularly pointy anyway, but if you stand them up all the same way, they will literally spoon together, and they will not get clean. You should probably alternate the spoons, but everything else, chuck them down.

"The basket will keep everything separated, and the water will still get through and clean everything. You don't need to worry about that sort of thing.

"But what I would recommend everyone to do is check your dishwasher if it has a cutlery tray, because you can just open it up at the top and lay everything down side by side in there. It's more regimented and easier, use the tray."

Toilet paper - hang over or hang under?

While there are no consequences of doing it either way, other than possibly being on the wrong end of a scorned partner, the answer is simple - hang over.

"The definitive answer came out a few years ago when the original patent design came out," he said.

"The original inventor was a guy named Seth Wheeler, and the patent diagram is from 1891, we are going back a few years now.

"I also like the fact the toilet roll was invented by someone with the surname Wheeler, I find that very amusing.

"The diagram itself shows that the toilet paper rolls away from the wall, and that is what you should do. If you have friends or family do it against the wall, you should probably think about cutting them out of your life."

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