Today's mail brought the Frontgate catalog, which featured their professional grill. It looks capable and seems nicely priced at $2,299. I wish I could see one locally, as there's no way I'd make such a major purchase sight unseen. Is anyone here familiar with this grill? Does anyone know who makes it? I wouldn't be surprised to learn that it's another product of the Lynx factory. Unmatched Construction:  Non-corrosive 304 stainless steel will endure for seasons  Painted 38" ceramic brick firebox  Distinctive granite work surface is highly scratch-resistant  Double-walled hood construction guards against heat discoloration  Heavy-duty locking casters provide safe and secure mobility  10-year warranty on primary burners Peerless Performance:  107,000 total BTUs  Four 13,000 BTU cast stainless steel primary burners  Two 12,000 BTU side burners  18,000 BTU infrared searing burner  13,000 BTU infrared rear burner with included rotisserie kit Premium Features:  Push-and-turn electronic igniters for effortless grill lighting  Convection-style cooking vents for enhanced heat distribution  Stainless steel warming shelf removes for easy cleaning  Spacious utility drawers store your cooking utensils  Full-width stainless steel drip pan for easy grease management  Commercial-quality stainless steel grill grates  Under-hood interior lights keep you cooking after dark  Included all-weather vinyl cover guards grill from the elements Here is a link that might be useful: Frontgate Professional Grill

Having cooked with gas and electric cooktops, I can't think of any reason to choose electric other than price. Gas gives you much finer control over temperature, and it is great to be able to transfer pots and pans from burner to burner without waiting for them to heat up. Fringe benefit: you can cook during a power outage. The 2003 blackout was a lot more pleasant than it could have been :) However, I can't think of any benefit a gas oven has over electric other than the cost of the fuel. I have used several gas and electric ovens over the last few years, and I always found it frustrating cooking in the gas ones. With an electric oven, you have a dry environment with the option of adding humidity if what you're baking requires it. The gas ovens I've used are always humid inside because of the natural gas, and there is no way to control this. I am genuinely curious to know if there are any other benefits to a gas oven.

Ceramic tiles. There is no other flooring type that has the design flexibility of ceramic tile or natural stone. There are multiple shapes, sizes, installation patterns and color ways that give ceramic tile and natural stone endless design choices. This is just one of the many benefits of ceramic tile and natural stone. Ceramic tile and stone are practically impervious to claw scratches and potential damage from, ahem, accidents. The glazed tiles clean easily, so they're easy to keep looking good year in and year out. Ciciliot

I purchased a used Quadrafire Castile pellet stove for the basement. I have a high efficiency heat pump and strips but wanted something for back up that would run off of a small generator if we have an extended power outage. I purchased 2 tons of pellets last winter and when the temps were below 30 or if we were in the basement we ran it on low which is around 1lb or 7500btu/hr. I would turn it to medium when was below 20 and ran it on high when it was in the teens or below and the heat pump was locked out which is 8lbs per hour. The warm floor made the house feel more comfortable which allowed the stat to be a little coolder. It is not hastle free by NO means. It requires regular cleaning and maintenance and the pellets can be a pain for some to deal with. I enjoy going down stairs and sitting in front of it after being outside and freezing all day. I grew up with heat from a wood furnace once you get used to that warmth a heat pump or even heat strips doesn't compare when it is in the teens outside. If the cleaning and maintenance is not kept up then the efficiency will head toward the toilet. There are some models that can go a week or more with no problem and others that need the ashes dumped daily. It isn't horrible by any means but it is not just a pour in the fuel and forget it device. The ability to have a heat source that will operate on stored fuel and less electrical power than a 200 watt light bulb it is pretty hard to beat.