Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM MAY 2016 18 metal interiors, adds a clean brightness to the interior. The intuitive OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) touch-screen offers precise temperature control plus advanced features like Max Ice. There is a dual compressor system—one for the fridge and another for the freezer—for optimum food preservation and advanced odor control. Two separate compressors mean the air stays chambered in the proper area so that the moist air stays in the refrigerator and doesn't mix with the drier air of the freezer. The result: Longer lasting, fresher tasting fresh and frozen foods. EFFORTLESS HOME ENTERTAINING: SEAMLESS COOLING TO COOKING The BlueStar ® Refrigeration Line offers unique features for the home chef and enthusiastic home entertainer. Designed for easy prep and entertaining, the refrigerator's fully extending bottom shelf fits a full-size commercial sheet pan—as does the freezer shelf. That way, extra-large pans prepped with pastry or hors d'oeuvres can go straight from the refrigerator or freezer into an oversized BlueStar ® oven, another brand hallmark. With a fully customizable design, shelves and bins easily can be changed to fit any entertaining need. When special occasions come around, from birthdays to holidays, the shelves and bins are fully flexible to handle large food trays or oversized cakes plus additional beverages. The refrigerator also offers extra-large, fully-extending drawers with soft, self-close glides, making it easy to access items quickly and easily. The oversized freezer provides plenty of storage in metal drawers featuring soft-close glides. UNMATCHED CUSTOMIZATION BlueStar's success comes down to how its products are made. Most ranges – and refrigerators – are mass-produced. BlueStar ® makes each product by hand after the customer orders it and customizes every little detail. Home chefs can order the ranges with any configuration of burners and other cooking surfaces like built-in griddles, grills and French Tops. The built-in refrigerator is customizable as well; it is available in stainless steel and more than 750 color and finish combinations to match BlueStar ® cooking and ventilation products. The refrigerator also offers the option of right or left side handles in 10 metal trims including stainless steel, brass and copper. With its flexible hinge, the unit can be installed as a true built-in or fully flush for a sleeker look. "From cooking and cooling to enticing and inspiring, the BlueStar kitchen now is fully equipped to help home chefs achieve restaurant- worthy results at home," said Sheffield. "BlueStar now has everything you need to gear up, get serious, cook and entertain like a pro." For information, visit www.bluestarcooking.com. FIRST NUGGET ICE MAKER FOR HOME USE LAUNCHES Dawn of a new ice age—GE's Firstbuild™ debuts countertop nugget ice maker: Opal™ Nugget ice, the popular soft, chewable ice especially favored in the South and associated with restaurant chains and convenience stores, can now be enjoyed at home with the affordable Opal™ nugget ice maker from GE's FirstBuild™. Available to purchase starting July 28 through Indiegogo (www. nuggetice.com), Opal is a countertop nugget ice maker designed by the FirstBuild community and priced well below other currently available nugget ice makers. Early bird pricing begins around $399 or less, with future retail pricing expected at $499. The ice maker will be shipped to Indiegogo contributors in mid-2016. FirstBuild is a new model of manufacturing that challenges makers around the world to ideate and help design innovations in home appliances. In March of this year, FirstBuild challenged its community to design a residential ice maker that would appeal to nugget ice enthusiasts. The design of Opal is a result of ideas generated by the maker community. I N D U S T R Y [ N E W S ]

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