I'd argue that the main takeaway here should not be debating whether spontaneous combustion of potting soil is possible or extremely rare or impossible (although fire marshals say it is, and it is pretty well established it exists in other circumstances/other materials, so can't be ruled out). The main takeaway is: some types of potting soil (esp peat) are extremely flammable and should not be stored in places where they would cause fire damage, even in a garage or greenhouse or shed. Whether combustion is from some unknown spark or biological or chemical reaction or other, it can burn - even if it seems almost impossible. From some experience with peat - it can be very flammable; it can smolder unnoticed for quite some time (with not much, almost no, smoke showing); heat can build up inside due to it being tightly-packed (structurally); there may be unexpected situations like it being at high temperature internally - smoldering - just waiting for enough air to flame up. It just shouldn't be stored like this, even if likelihood is low.

Okay, I have had a Bosch 800 series Evolution (SHE68M05UC) for a little over four years and am not terribly happy with it. First, it has had an odd chemical smell since day one. I've read reviews that mention this smell and often it just goes away in time. How much time? Will it take another four years? It is indeed gets the dishes clean and runs very quiet but unfortunately is punctuated with a most annoying beep beep beep that goes on incessantly until you get up and open the door. Well, a lot of good it does to have a quiet running DW that wakes you up or otherwise interrupts conversation, TV time or projects because the dishes are done. The dishes are clean, they will keep until *I* decide it's time to put them away. Sheesh. I've contacted Bosch twice about disabling the beep. They claim it can be done but the instructions they sent me did not work because they sent me instructions for another model even though I sent them a photo of the control panel and model number plate. Instructions I found online did not work either. So, we can only do dishes when we have nothing else planned, like sleeping. yawn. We also have Bosch wall oven and microwave and they too have annoying beeps that cannot be disabled unless you don't mind losing the timer beep sound. Found that out the hard way when I put something on the stove, set the microwave timer and went into the next room. The smell of smoke alerted me that something was burning. The timer had been set but did not sound off because I had disabled the bleeping beep that indicates whatever you are cooking in the microwave is done. And it reminds you every minute or so, again, until you get up and open the door. grrr. On the up side, I do love the nice clean European lines of Bosch products which are perfect for my simple, zen-like kitchen. Just wish I could get rid of the bleeping beeps. Jodi-

Also do not recommend a Blue Star. Had a Lacanche for 11 years and loved it. Moved to a new home with a 36" blue star and it is really terrible. The burners flame out, the oven is 36" wide but not that tall making it a pain to put dutch ovens in it and out, takes FOREVER to heat up, roast veg just don't turn out that well (typically undercooked), it's hard to get a low simmer. Yes, the burners are powerful but they have no meaningful range and the power isn't necessary. My Lacanche made great stir fry. Also have to rotate food more in oven to prevent burning. Some of these problems may be oven size and not blue star specific but I've cooked on other 36" ovens in rentals long ago and didn't have as much trouble with the oven. It seems to be made with solid materials but the putting together of those isn't that well done. I'm glad I got a Lacanche all those years ago when we remodeled out first kitchen. Our new home wasn't as lucky. Missing my Lacanche Volnay.

"All of those people who bought what they thought was stone only to find out the plastic particles became marred and damaged. How sad is that. I'm sure they spent a lot of hard earned money thinking they were buying REAL stone." I have quartz counters. I don't have PLASTIC counters. I have no "marring". No staining either - there is nothing that I have not been able to easily remove. I bought my slabs knowing full well that this was engineered stone. I cannot imagine ANYONE that would come to the conclusion that estone is a natural stone. All you have to do is LOOK at samples in a store and you can see that this is a manufactured material. No stone yards orf fabricators, that I know of, try to pass off quartz as natural stone - it's simply a no-brainer to see that it is a manufactured stab. You WILL find lots of stone yards, however, that will attempt to pass off marbles as quartzites and granites. Perhaps that is what you are referring to. There are LOTS of threads here on HOUZZ about that exact issue, and how to avoid it.