Recommended appliances for kitchen

[schcrookston]

Looking for all new kitchen appliances with budget not for the highest end items but refrig. in that under $2800 price, stoves, ovens, cooktops in that range under 2400 for whatever combination and dishwashers that provide great results. What do you cooks in my price ranges like best? Pros and Cons?
What to avoid, etc. I am unsure if I should go gas stove top, but want an electric oven for sure. Used to a smooth top electric.
All advice is good, I need it very soon.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Are you looking to make all your purchases at one supplier? Or willing to spread it around? What have you researched so far?

 

[Andy M.]

How big a fridge? Stainless finish? Ice Maker? Ice and water on the door? Which door configuration?

Range - gas or electric? High output burner(s)? Stainless finish? 30" or 36"? How many burners? How many ovens? Dual fuel or not?

What about an exhaust fan and hood?

 

[CharlieD]

I'd say in situation like that I'd go to Sears, tell them how much you want to spend, what you have now and see what they would recomend. I did just that when we bought new house 13 years ago. I'm still happy with what I have, though I would love to upgrade.

 

[schcrookston]

We are building new home and I am designing the kitchen so
quite a bit of freedom. Our thoughts so far are:
Stainless appliances.
French door refrigerator with bottom freezer, likely a 36" wide.
Haven't had the water and ice before, but think the ice would be good and
possibly the water. We are waiting for water tests to come back but possibly
iron in water and am wondering if that would impact these features then a lot. Same if the water is hard, but would use water softener.
Cooking surface 30" or 36" haven't decided if I should go gas or not
Oven prefer an electric. Would have a hood/fan above stove top. Have thought of going with a wall oven and wall microwave. Convection in one or both would be nice.
If the price wouldn't get too high I might consider the range and a wall oven and wall microwave. We are doing custom cabinets so can have more flexibility then too. I read someplace that someone was talking about having to take the cabinet doors when using the self-cleaning feature on her wall oven????? It was on this site. Is that true? Can't imagine wanting to do that all the time.

Dishwasher, believe it or not haven't had one before - didn't want to sacrifice space for it, could be a different brand because it will be in the island and I really don't care if it is same brand. Probably go with the same brand stove and refrig., but again would depend on what direction we go and if they would like a set or not.
Lots of decisions to make and limited time.
Any advice is great. Thank you for your quick reply!

 

[Andy M.]

I was just looking at a Samsung 26 Cu Ft French door fridge. It's priced at $1,500 in a color stainless would be a little more. It's not loaded with features but has an ice maker, spill catching shelves, a good storage layout and a roomy freezer.

Larger models are available. You should be able to find a nice one in you budget.

When looking for major items, I search online for product reviews. Then you can compare features and read ratings.

I never considered having all appliances of the same brand as important.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I just bought all new appliances when my stove went Tango Uniform. The insurance company offered to either repair the stove or give me a cashout, and due to circumstances I won't go into right now, I yelled "I'll take the cash, Monty!"

Well, nothing in my kitchen matched when I bought the house three years ago, white stove, yellow dishwaser that didn't wash dishes but refused to die, and harvest gold side by side refrigerator that you couldn't get a frozen pizza in, so I decided to replace everything.

I went to Home Depot, where I bought all stainless appliances (stove, microwave/vent, referigerator and dishwasher), all Maytag. I chose Home depot because I have a charge account there and payment is deferred for a year, and I chose Maytag because they have a 10 year parts warranty. When I first bought the house three years ago, I bought an LG washer and dryer, and I am totally disappointed in them and will not buy that brand again, ever!

 

[taxlady]

I would seriously consider not putting the dishwasher in the island. I have been told that it is much harder and more expensive to put plumbing in an island.

 

[schcrookston]

Any thoughts why that would be? They are putting sink and dishwasher there.
Cabinet maker, contractor, etc. didn't say anything against it. My kitchen is going to have basically 3 sections. 9'10 wall with refrig. located right behind the 9'6" island and then adjacent on a different wall will be a 3'6" pantry with 13'10" cabinets with the range on that side. In front of the back wall and island is a breakfast nook. So I wanted to be able to look that direction as I did things on the island and used sink area. I think they already have done some work in the basement area for the sink/dishwasher draining so will have to be that way.
Thanks for your input though.

 

[schcrookston]

As I read through materials on the appliances I have concluded it would be nice perhaps if not so many choices! All the various models, etc. makes for a confusing decision making process. I appreciate all that you have been sharing. Look forward to reading a few more posts before I make my decisions this month.

 

[taxlady]

Any thoughts why that would be? They are putting sink and dishwasher there.
Cabinet maker, contractor, etc. didn't say anything against it. My kitchen is going to have basically 3 sections. 9'10 wall with refrig. located right behind the 9'6" island and then adjacent on a different wall will be a 3'6" pantry with 13'10" cabinets with the range on that side. In front of the back wall and island is a breakfast nook. So I wanted to be able to look that direction as I did things on the island and used sink area. I think they already have done some work in the basement area for the sink/dishwasher draining so will have to be that way.
Thanks for your input though.

I heard it on This Old House. It has to do with venting the drain. It's easier to do in the wall. The vent has to go to the roof.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I heard it on This Old House. It has to do with venting the drain. It's easier to do in the wall. The vent has to go to the roof.

I would think that is a consideration if you are just installing an island, not building a complete kitchen. If everything is gutted you can make plumbing and electrical changes all over the place without adding much to the cost.

I really envy this project, I would love to be doing it. Lottery dreams I would finally get my professional kitchen.

 

[LPBeier]

I really envy this project, I would love to be doing it. Lottery dreams I would finally get my professional kitchen.

We have the same dream, Princess! Tell you what - if I win our $50 million lottery and don't have to share it with 49 people, I will fund your kitchen for you!



But don't hold your breath, we don't buy tickets often and my pastry instructor won it a year ago!

 

[Bigjim68]

i just redid my kitchen appliances, and bought them all at Sears Scratch and Dent, or whatever it is now called. I am happy with all but the gas cook top. Mine is impossible clean. It is black enamel with non replaceable rings. It is a Whirlpool. Next time I would get a smooth top range, definitely gas, although with my copper cookware, I wish I had lower heat settings. The grates looked good, are very heavy duty cast iron, but very rough and scratched my pans. Fixed it with a sander, but for the price, the factory should have done that.

The scratch and dent store carries new and return appliances, and at least here they will bend over backwards to make sure you get all the parts and the unit works. In my experience, the cost was about half of the retail stores.

I also have an LG dishwasher. That is a brand I will stay away from in the future. Had nothing but trouble.

 

[LPBeier]

I think all the ideas you have been given have been great.

One thing about dishwashers - we just bought a new one a year ago Christmas when we did our mini make-over. The stainless models have metal interiors which are more sound proof than the plastic interiors. We bought a white Kenmore from Sears that on sale was in our price range. My best friend moved into a new house about the same time and picked out the same style just up a couple of models and stainless. It had the metal interior and while ours is not loud at all, hers is virtually silent!

 

[Kayelle]

What a happy chore you have!! Congratulations. There would be a few things on my dream list if I were as lucky as you.

I'd want the best gas stove on the market, like Wolf or Viking, even if I had to budget tighter on other appliances. It would also have sealed burners. The fact that every professional cook uses gas should say something.

I would not opt for stainless steel appliances, as I think it will date today's kitchens like "avocado" or "harvest gold" did in the past.

I would never again have a side by side, or top freezer refrigerator. Your choice of the french door, bottom freezer is ideal.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Any thoughts why that would be?

The only problem I could imagine is if your house is built on a slab. Very hard to run plumbing through existing concrete.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Here is the stove I want...in Yellow...

48 6-Burner, Electric Ovens, Self-Clean | Bertazzoni

 

[Claire]

I've had to do this before; that is buy appliances from scratch. I agree with CharlieD, that is go to Sears. Go ahead and buy one warantee (I didn't renew). I always thought they were a waste, but believe it or not, a mouse couple attacked my stove and they came out and spent hours on it, no charge to me, although the problem was not Sears' fault. To this day if I have a problem with a Sears appliance, they come out and enjoy the mouse story. It was a decade ago.

I happen to like my smooth-top electric, for many reasons some don't get; that is to say my kitchen isn't air conditioned. The heat goes from stove to pot which is a lifesaver in the summer. It is also wonderful for cleaning compared to gas or coil electric.