Avoid Samsung induction stoves like the plague. We had 4. Same $3500 model. Sequentially. #1--electrical malfunction that could not be fixed, which was replaced with #2--oven door would not shut when oven racks were in place, which had to be replaced with #3--big hob kept turning itself off in the middle of cooking, which had to be replaced with #4--which EXPLODED. The glass top exploded just after I turned it off after ~8 minutes of use on a medium heat. Samsung customer service was hopeless. Given the ordeals with the company we simply requested a refund. Nothing else. The saga went on for a year and I finally had to take them to small claims court, for which they hired a law firm to represent them (which had to cost more than the stove did). They lost in small claims court but not a pleasant experience. Details on Consumer Protection Agency website. Currently have an Electrolux indction range, which is fine. I cannot get very excited about it (since its predecessor tried to kill me). Ugly. I hate the back panel that rises up with an arched top so nothing can be put on top. I also hate the panel and where the controls are. Too busy and even after 1.5 years I have to search for the right control as they are not intuitive and indistinguishable. But it cooks food. And is pretty easy to clean. Oh and it is black and stainless. I hate black in my kitchen and I'm not a huge fan of stainless. Basically ugly but serviceable.

I'm glad I stumbled into this forum. I was researching subway tile on Google. I must say I enjoyed getting sidetracked into reading the entire forum about kitchens. To start, I own a beautiful 1913 bungalow in the midwest. I am so grateful that all of the original atributes are intact and in fantastic shape. Douglas fir built-ins and collenades, floors and woodwork. Original wavy glass and plaster and lath. I knew this was where I was going to retire when I first toured it. The first thing I did was tear out the 2 layers of old and very old vinyl in the kitchen and have all the floors sanded and refinished, bringing the kitchen back to original also. I have repainted rooms with nice neutral colors I like from Sherman Williams. The only room I did not paint was the bathroom on main floor, it was very nice and I liked it. It has original honeycomb tile with a marble sash between it and the wood floor in next room and of course a clawfoot tub. I have very nice wool area rugs and runners throughout. The kitchen was to be my last project. I took out old painted over wainescoting and put in new oak 4 feet high as before with 2 coats of poly. Put in new wide crown molding painted white to match ceiling. I'm a white ceiling guy. I also have white appliances. I have always liked a yellowish kitchen and went with Fun Yellow. There were beautiful antique Farley and Loetscher solid wood cabinets that I painted Dover White. Sticking with the original hardware also, did not like the different options I saw, was looking towards glass. I guess the only thing that upset me about the house was somewhere along the line someone painted the woodwork, door frames and windows white in the kitchen. I repainted them Exreme White. I just finished putting in a new high definition laminate countertop and reused the sink and faucets, good Delta stuff. I had decided to go with a bicuit subway tile with some 1 inch tannish and brown glass highlights. Started questioning this after I started reading this thread even after I have everything bought. Will be sticking with the subway tile with a mocha grout. I beleive every room compliments the next and the kitchen will fit perfectly with my old house. Also made some changes to appliance configuration so I could have an eat in kitchen, there is a formal dining room off the kitchen also. Glass doorknobs throughout match the antique glass highlights I am so fond of searching out. The topper is the Heritage Lace valances over the vintage 2 inch wood blinds and lace panels on transoms and full view beveled glass oak doors. I am glad I have made myself happy by keeping it a timeless period piece. Now to start my tiling job...

Back to trends - I would like very much to see a trend in induction cooktops/ranges. Whenever the subject comes up, I tell everyone to get an induction cooktop/range, and everyone I know who has is happy. (Fortunately, no one I know has yet had a lemon experience, unlike the poor person whose GE crapped out in May and GE still didn't repair or replace it by July. For shame, GE. But "one bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl.") I understand if you can't afford one, and I understand if you prefer to cook on gas, and I definitely understand if you experience a lot of power outages where you live, but I'm hoping that induction will eventually catch on as it has in Europe. And not just among the kitchen intelligentsia on Gardenweb.

I'm here JensWrens! Are you just curious about the Kitchen you posted or are you planning a new Kitchen yourself? The Kitchen I remember from 2008/2009 (JensWrens' Finished Minnesota Kitchen from 2009) had a long bank of windows behind the sink - are you planning to redo your Kitchen again or are you building a new home? Regarding the layout you posted, unfortunately, I have to agree with the others that it's not very functional. The prep sink has no workspace around it and faces the wrong way (it should face the range) There's no real Prep Zone - there's a "wannabe" Prep Zone, but no real one. With the prep sink all by itself and all usable workspace either behind it, across the aisle in the other small island, or across the aisle and off to the left or right of the range. The MW and Speed Oven (I assume that's what SO stands for) are located far from where they would be useful The "Butler's Pantry", if that's what it truly is, should be located where it's useful - usually b/w the Kitchen and DR. Instead, it almost looks like a secondary Kitchen (for the cook? or for a caterer?) or, maybe, a baking kitchen - except the ovens are on the other side of the wall in the main Kitchen. The Cleanup Zone is in the outside island where the seating is - and where the dirty dishes can be seen far and wide, as well as those dishes being "in the face" of anyone sitting there. Where is dish storage? I'm assuming in the small islands behind the cleanup island - but the one across from the DW appears to be all sink or all butcher block with shallow & narrow drawers - so those won't work. The other small island might work. Where is the DR? Would the dish storage be convenient to the DR and any other table space? If you must have two rooms, then I would create a scullery for the Cleanup Zone and have everything else in the main Kitchen - including move the MW and SO into the main Kitchen. But, that now means a long walk to clear the table or set the table. It also means that the main Kitchen, where you spend most of your time (over 80%) is spent in the less-desirable location - an interior room with no natural light other than the light from the scullery or other, distant rooms. The food storage appears to be split into two separate pantries - and they are widely separated from each other. (As are the refrigerator & freezer, but that isn't necessarily an issue.) Where will groceries be brought into the Kitchen? Most likely, one of those pantries and either the refrigerator or freezer are going to be quite a hike from the entrance - if not all of them being too far from the entrance. The aisles are too narrow - they look like around 39" or so. The five island seats are all lined up like ducks in a row - not very conducive for conversation. I'm not convinced the depth of the seating overhang is at least 15". Even if it is, I recommend deeper - at least 18" - b/c seating behind the Cleanup Zone will subject to splashing as well dirty dishes in front of them. That little stool on the end of the cleanup island doesn't look like anyone except a very small child would fit The DW is in the way of getting to the prep sink from the top pantry (if it's open while someone is prepping/cooking) Personally, I'd rather remove that wall and incorporate all those windows into the main Kitchen. Here's an attempt to show you the zones in a zone map. It's difficult to place the primary Prep Zone b/c there really isn't any good one. Zone Map: . Workflow: .