Columnist Muriel Stevens: Spring is time for home issues

Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002 | 8:16 a.m.

In the spring, it's been said, a young man's fancy may turn to love, but mine turns to sprucing up the house and seeing to all the things that can no longer be ignored, such as replacing the garbage disposal.

When a leaky pipe under my sink broke recently, it not only caused a mess in my kitchen, but water seeped through the wall and caused quite a bit of damage and mess in the living room.

I'm still working on replacing the living room carpet and dismantling and moving a wall unit (after emptying it, of course). The carpet and padding under the unit could still be wet and cause black mold to grow.

I was willing to take a chance that all of the water had dried, but when both the carpet company and the repair people said the carpet and padding had to be removed before they would do the work, I had to bite the bullet and agree.

Black mold is nasty stuff, so I'll bow to the experts and once again start packing.

Next on my agenda? Finding a silent, efficient disposal that includes good safety features. The search is on.

Consumer Reports best buys: "Consumer Reports 2002 Best Buys For Your Home" ($9.99) is a good source for the skinny on just about everything for the house. The monthly Consumer Reports magazine has evaluated products for more than 60 years. The information in "Best Buys" is based on the testing and expertise of Consumer Reports editors who regularly report on products for the home.

They did not, however, evaluate garbage disposals, but there are ratings for more than 850 brand-name products, from air conditioners to washing machines. The recommendations and notes at the end of each evaluation are invaluable.

I always like to check out what CR has to say about products I'm qualified to evaluate, such as pots and pans. We agree that before investing in an expensive set of cookware, the buyer should heft each piece to see how it feels in the hand.

Matte, dark-gray anodized (such as Calphalon brand) cookware should never be put in the dishwasher. Any warranty is cancelled if this is done. And the cookware cannot be salvaged.

Design is another factor. Long before I read CR I advised a young friend against purchasing certain All Clad cookware. All Clad is a top-of-the-line cookware company. Most of its products are excellent, but the All Clad stainless non-stick pieces I hefted have uncomfortable, poorly balanced skinny handles that even empty I had trouble controlling.

CR's findings were the same. For dependable information, the latest trends and more, the "Best Buys" feature is a reliable source.

Spring for fashion: Reading fashion magazines these days is almost as titillating as reading Playboy. In the current issue of Vogue, it's a tad difficult to figure out just what it is that Ralph Lauren jeans is selling.

It's more amusing than offensive, this bare-bosom advertising, but does it sell the product? I don't think so. I've noticed more fully clad models than in previous issues. What's more, there's more nostalgia in the designs. Fully clad models, bathing suits that are more than a string -- what will they think of next?