Appliances consists of all household machines using electricity or some other energy as input. There are two majors classes
(1) Small Appliances
(2) Major Appliances
Small appliance refers to a class of home appliances that are portable or semi-portable or which are used on tabletops, counter-tops, or other platforms in the United States of America (in the United Kingdom this class is called ‘Brown Goods’ due to their original use of wooden cases). Such items are contrasted with major appliances, which are typically fixtures that cannot be easily moved. All appliances are intended to perform, enable, or assist in performing a job or changing a status, such as the humidity of a room. In this way, they can be differentiated from other portable electrical items that provide only entertainment. Some items not typically considered appliances, such as lamps, can be used as appliances if they are used to cook or warm food.
Many small appliances are powered by electricity. The appliance may use a permanently attached cord which is plugged into a wall outlet or a detachable cord. The appliance may have a cord storage feature. A few hand-held appliances use batteries, which may be disposable or rechargeable. Some appliances consist of an electrical motor upon which is mounted various attachments so as to constitute several individual appliances, such as a blender, a food processor, or a juicer. Many stand mixers, while functioning primarily as a mixer, have attachments which can perform additional functions.
A few gas-powered appliances exist for use in situations where electricity is not expected to be available, but these are typically larger and not as portable as most small appliances. Items that perform the same function as small appliances but are hand powered are generally referred to as tools or gadgets, for example a hand-powered meat grinder.
Some small appliances perform the same or similar function as their larger counterparts. For example, a toaster oven is a small appliance that performs a similar function as an oven. Small appliances often have a home version and a commercial version. The commercial, or industrial, version is designed to be used nearly continuously in a restaurant or other similar setting. Commercial appliances are typically connected to a more powerful electrical outlet, are larger and stronger, have more user-serviceable parts, and cost significantly more.
Small appliances can be very inexpensive, such as a basic can opener or coffee maker which may cost only a few U.S. dollars, or very expensive, such as an elaborate espresso maker, which may cost several thousand U.S. dollars. Most homes contain several cheaper home appliances, with perhaps a few more expensive appliances, such as a high-end microwave oven or mixer.
Small appliances which are defective or improperly used or maintained may cause house fires and other property damage, or may harbor bacteria if not properly cleaned. It is important that users read the instructions carefully and that appliances that use a grounded cord be attached to a grounded outlet. Because of the risk of fire, some appliances have a short detachable cord that is connected to the appliance magnetically. If the appliance is moved further than the cord length from the wall, the cord will detach from the appliance.
Major Appliance, or domestic appliance, is usually defined as a large machine which accomplishes some routine housekeeping task, which includes purposes such as cooking, or food preservation, whether in a household, institutional, commercial or industrial setting. An appliance is differentiated from a plumbing fixture because it uses an energy input for its operation other than water, generally using electricity or natural gas/propane. An object run by a watermill would also be considered an appliance. The term white goods or white-ware is also used for these items, primarily where British English is spoken, although definitions for the term “white goods” can differ. In the United States, the term white goods more commonly refers to linens rather than appliances.
Major appliances are differentiated from small appliances because they are large, difficult to move, and generally fixed in place to some extent. They are often considered fixtures and part of real estate and as such they are often supplied to tenants as part of otherwise unfurnished rental properties. Another frequent characteristic of major appliances is that they may have substantial electricity requirements that necessitate special electrical wiring to supply higher current than standard electrical outlets can deliver. This limits where they can be placed in a home.
Major Appliance brands include such companies as AEG, Siemens, Bosch,Hitachi, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Haier, Whirlpool, GE, Electrolux, Zanussi, Hotpoint, Mabe Mexico, Inglis, Kenmore, White Westinghouse, Indesit, Fogor, Samsung, Beko, Blomberg, LGand Fulgor. A smaller number of distributors control groups of these brands.
Major appliances have become more technically complex from the control side recently with the introduction of the various Energy Labelling rules across the world. This has meant that the appliances have been forced to become more and more efficient leading to more accurate controllers in order to meet the regulations.
