“It’s time, once again, to reach into my virtual mailbag to read what a handful of my Dear Readers have written.
Dear Mary: I need a new robot vacuum. Which one do you recommend? — Hilda
Dear Hilda: My pick for Best Inexpensive robot vacuum goes to the Eufy Anker BoostIQ RoboVac 11S. It is super thin, which means it is not so prone to getting stuck under furniture. It is quiet, has great suction power and works beautifully on wood, other hard floors and medium-pile carpet. Hope that helps!
Dear Mary: In response to “11 Quick and Easy Ways to Get Rid of Pesky Ants,” I find the best way to kill ants is with an artificial sweetener such as Sweet ‘n Low. I suppose you can’t print that, but it is most effective. Just sprinkle a little on an anthill, and soon, all little creatures are gone. — Mary D.
Dear Mary D: I can print this, and look, I just did! And if that works as you say, it’s a great tip that I’ll bet other readers will enjoy knowing. Just keep in mind that Sweet n’ Low is not particularly inexpensive.
Dear Mary: A year ago, we moved into a condo with all electric appliances. All of them are good except the range. The oven is awful. It’s not only slow to preheat but also dries out the cookies before they bake completely. My famous cinnamon rolls never get baked in the middle of the pan. Brownies and cakes do not bake enough in the middle to do anything but sink.
I love to bake, and I am more than disappointed. Can you help me? — Hopefully, Nancy
Dear Nancy: I feel your pain. If your oven temperature is too low or too high, it can adversely affect the outcome of almost everything you bake. My first guess is that your oven needs to be recalibrated. To do this, purchase a basic, inexpensive oven thermometer, either online or at a local grocery or hardware store. Steps for recalibrating
Steps for recalibrating your electric oven:
Set the oven thermometer on a rack in the center of the oven at 350 F. Once it preheats, run the oven for at least 30 minutes. Check the oven thermometer to see if it reads 350 F. If not, make a note of what the thermometer reads. (If your oven is more
(If your oven is more than 50 degrees off, whether it’s too low or too high, you may need to call a professional to replace the oven thermostat.) Once the oven has
Once the oven has cooled, pull the oven temperature knob off from the stovetop temperature control area. You may need to use a flathead screwdriver or butter knife to gently lift it off.
The thermostat calibration dial will be located on the back of the knob. Once you locate this, you will see there are clips or screws locking it in place. Loosen these clips or screws, and adjust the dial as needed to increase or decrease the temperature.
For most electric ovens, the dials have slash marks or “clicks,” and each mark or click is for 10 degrees F. You should be able to see the words “Low” on the left of the slashes and “High” on the right. Or yours may show “+” or “-.” Adjust accordingly, and put the clips or screws back in place. Then replace the knob back onto the stovetop control shaft.
Turn the oven back on, and retest the oven for 30 minutes to see the difference that your adjustment has made. If the oven thermometer still does not read 350 F, adjust the calibration dial again, and retest the oven.
Note: Some ovens can’t be set perfectly, so don’t drive yourself crazy trying to get the temperature exactly right. In that case, set the temperature to be about 5 or 10 degrees too high rather than too low, because most recipes — especially bread — give better results when baked a bit faster rather than too slowly.
Mary invites questions, comments and tips at EverydayCheapskate.com,