‘Dozing at the Wheel
Whether you have a large-scale remodel planned this year or you’ve scheduled nothing more than a little basic maintenance, these new products will give you a great start on the head-scratching buying decisions ahead of you.
These products were chosen by the editors of Today’s Homeowner magazine based on quality, innovation, value, style, ease of installation and use, and long-term reliability.
Quick-Change Tractors
Yard-Man AutoDrive lawn and garden tractors let you add and remove accessories, such as dozer blades and tillers, without needing an advanced degree in engineering. You simply snap the accessories on and off without tools.
All seven models feature an infinitely variable, foot-controlled automatic transmission with cruise control. Dual-link steering provides tight turns, while the sloped nose improves visibility and engine access. Overhead-valve engines range from 16 to 20 hp (lawn tractors) and 20 to 25 hp (garden tractors). Mowing decks go from 42 to 50 inches wide.
Other features include a welded frame and, on high-end models, a cast-iron front axle. Prices range from $1,400 for the 16-hp, 42-inch D604G lawn tractor to $3,300 for the 25-hp, 50-inch Z804P garden tractor.
MTD Products, (800) 800-7310; https: //www.mtdproducts.com
Counter Act
If you’ve been waiting for solid-surface counter tops that don’t require pro installation or a separate budget, your time has come. The Swanstone Molded Countertop ($50 per linear foot) is a prefabricated, solid-surface counter that’s a third to half the cost of shop-fabricated solid surfacing.
The one-piece counter is glued to a particleboard substrate and is installed much like prefabricated laminate counters.
The Swanstone counter comes in any of 12 colors and and in lengths up to 12 feet. Two prefabricated island counter tops are also available.
Matching sinks (drop-in and undermount types) are sold separately.
Swan Corp., (314) 231-8148; https: //www.theswancorp.com
Going Up!
The shelves in Twin-Fresh Refrigerators With Elevator Shelves from Jenn-Air (available in five sizes ranging from 22 to 29 cubic feet, $1,500 to $2,090) just won’t hold still.
They move up or down with the turn of a handle that lies flush with the front of the shelves. This ingenious setup eliminates the hassle of removing items from shelves to reposition them. And unlike conventional shelving, you’re not limited to a few predetermined heights.
The raised edges on the tempered-glass shelf floors contain spills. Other features include separate temperature controls for the freezer and refrigerator compartments, filtered water and, on select models, a door compartment that can be kept 5 to 10 degrees colder than the rest of the refrigerator.
Jenn-Air, (800) 536-6247; https: //www.jennair.com
