We have an Asko DW--not that model, but still, an Asko we got 7-8 months ago. No problems at all, it's great. Well, other than the problem of the installer wrecking the vinyl flooring in front of it, but that's another story! The dishwasher itself is great. The KA fridge you chose was on my shortlist, though my shortlist later went from three fridges to two (KA 72" and E-lux French door counter depth), and ultimately we got the E-lux. People seemed to like the 72" KA better than the 69", but that was solely because they liked the drawers or the space or whatever, not (as I understand) because the 72" was more reliable or anything. If you've seen the KA 69" in person and like it, then I say go for it. Downdraft ventilation doesn't work nearly as well as overhead ventilation, but sometimes it's your only option given the layout of your space. Is there any way your design and your budget would permit an overhead hood? If not, don't sweat it, but just wondering. Have you looked up these items on AJ Madison or Amazon to see people's reviews? That can be helpful, although keep in mind that people who are mad about something ("my goddamn lemon of a fridge!" etc.) are more likely to post a review than people who are totally fine with what they bought. Also, have you priced out extended warranties? I always buy them on expensive appliances. Microwave, no; disposal, no; but if it's over $1000, it's getting a warranty, in my book.

piegirl, I admire your tenacity. We are trying to finish this remodel over the next month, (an agressive goal) because it was already pretty close to the end when I resumed it with this new contractor, or so I thought. That was BEFORE GW! Now that I know so-ooo much more, everyone is in Real Trouble! The next few months are the busiest of the year in my profession. When I resumed the idea of finishing the bath in late November, I thought we might have it done by Christmas. When I decided to change tubs, (I learned about GW somewhere in here) I was sure it would be done by January. Once I learned about Panasonic WW, Kerdi, heated floors and towel racks, February has eluded me! Ah, March through May ... my busy season. When we a photographing high school seniors for their graduation invitations and photographing their Proms, and they are 'ravenous' to get their 'stuff '! THAT'S WHEN I AM FINISHING MY BATHROOM! Pretty smart on my part, huh? :( I would have been much smarter to wait until summer, but I was fearful that something else would happen to deter me. And besides, I PROMISED my daughters a soak in that wonderful Tub! So if you guys notice me 'going a little crazy' over the next few weeks when I write in to vent, just say to yourselves, "she's gonna be awright, it's her busy season, you know!" So piegirl, if you spent 'hours' researching for a whole house over a year's time, you will be my inspiration! I will try to remember that this is just part of the process. And you're right, those victorius AHAH! moments are awesome! hamster, I laughed out loud at the "task lighting" brand of lighting products. It IS wonderful to have some place to go to ask even the simplest questions. I have a feeling that when I show my 'doubting Thomas' friends some of these posts, they will just tell me that I have found a bunch of electronic friends who are just as anal and nuts as I am! They, too, will not be invited to the "Bathwarming Party"! I think everyone who has worked as hard as we have should throw one! Mommielady

I'm going to assume that money does not factor into this question as I answer it. The reason being....you didn't mention it :oP And many custom cabinet makers don't charge like cabinet companies (ie my beaded insets were a 19% upcharge). Partial overlay have gone a bit out of style (IMO) you don't see many in new kitchens. You do see a few....but not as many so I'd steer away from those instantly if I were doing your kitchen. Now the question of the full overlay or inset. I'd like to share a few pics of my cabinets and see if I can help there. Not knowing what an Rh door style is LOL I have to guess....but I have a little of everything so pics might help you. First beaded inset doors are a very old style, and you don't often see them with "fancy" (ie lots of detail) doors. Most often they're done with Shaker style doors or slab...fairly simple door styles. They are in my opinion, very classic styles, traditional would also fit, but they're normally very simple doors so that the wood frames and details are shown off with the simple lines (although the majority are actually painted) but it's still about simplicity. Here are mine...they're basically a wide shaker style door with just a tiny bit more detail on the top and bottom trim pieces: (My house is still in progress so there are missing trims, etc....please don't mind the mess): The above are inset, beaded, shaker style doors with glass panels. Again same cabinets, with the lower, which are shaker style doors, inset with beaded edges, and just an fyi on all of my solid doors...they're all reverse raised panel. Inset drawers with glass are in the above. Another choice you have to deal with is your drawer style. I like a mix (the above are five panel...with the glass) and I also have slab. My panels are so big that on a basic inset drawer, you'd just have an eyebrow of flat wood, so I prefered the look of slab: This cabinet in the dining room is a full overlay. It is MISSING the trim which will make a picture frame around the edge (we're talking about the cabinet on the wall not the stand alone china hutch...which by the way is a mix of full overlay and inset...and it was made in 1940...note the simple lines of the doors) ANyhoo, cabinet in the wall: The door style in the dining room wall cabinet is a bit more detailed than the kitchen. The full overlay allowed the biggest expanse of glass available, which I wanted so I could display a collection of venetian glass. I would not personally do this style as an inset. I think it's too busy for inset. Just for fun, this dresser has inset drawers. They have a bit more detail, but not much (a little bit of rounding on the edges) than my kitchen insets: These are full overlay cabinets. They're not finished in this pic (doors are missing while the glass blower makes the glass for them). But you can see the nice lines full overlay gives you: I wouldn't do that in an inset either. They're too much detail. You didn't ask...but here is one more choice you'll have to consider...the hinges. My kitchen (well all of my cabinets except this one) are hidden hinges. We did that because they're adjustable and our house moves alot since it's on pilings. But we had to do one cabinet with exposed hinges because it wasn't deep enough for the hidden ones (these doors open up to a flat end of the island, painted as a chalk board for my 3 year old to keep busy on): My son's bathroom cabinets are highly detailed carved doors, reverse raised panel, full overlay. I fell in love with them but they didn't go with the style of the kitchen, so I put them in his bathroom...rediculously expensive cabinets for a child's bath LOL But I really loved the doors and had to use them somewhere: and with glass: And last but not least (I told you I had a lot to share for options Heh heh) these are full overlay slab drawers and a simple shaker style or even slab type door with glass. They are in my master closet and I wanted to keep the details down given the small size of the room: A few choices you will also need to ponder are the debth of your counter overhangs. With inset you do 3/4" overhang and with standard doors, you do 1 1/2, but with a heavily carved deep door like in my son's room, I had to do 2" to cover the carving (you want 3/4 or so out from your doors so in case of spill, it does not run into your cabinets). I hope that helped :) And now...good luck! YOU'LL NEED IT!!! heh heh

@somedude - I like a range of burner output. There is no question that an open burner with star configuration will give even heat. The issue is with control of the lowest output burner -- complaints have come up repeatedly on this for BS and Culinarian. Not to say there aren't exceptions or work-arounds. With due respect to M, I don't want to adjust a burner grate to simmer. I absolutely require a 100% dependable simmer burner which I use every day for something as simple as sweating a soup base, or making a quick sauce for fish, simmering tomato sauce or beans, cooking oatmeal or cream of what without lumps etc. Also, say I'm reheating 2 portions of soup or a serving of beans. I use a 1 quart saucepan for that and I don't want that tippy or tricky on a monster burner. With little ones that can become an issue since reheating food happens in small quantities for their meals. This is top of the market stuff. Things should work as promised. Service should be excellent if needed. You had mentioned a griddle. With that, there are only 4 burners. So high power burner front left; simmer burner front right. I don't think a 22K burner is useful in back. I would want 15s there. Here's why: whatever you're cooking, high power and low power cooking requires more attention. Once that's done, the pot/pan can usually move. With 6 burners, then the high outputs would be on either side and simmer in the center with medium output in the back. I would never need more than a single 22K burner because I rarely saute and never deep fry. I'd use it for boiling water for pasta, for searing, and for cooking large pots. Usually I grill inside or out and oven roast. Even heat is very important. But I can tell you from learning to cook when no residential stoves had high output burners, good cookware can make a huge difference. A single French copper saute pan or a Deyemere saute will make any high heat cooking task easier and smoother. Also how much anyone is cooking at a time makes a difference. I certainly understand have a larger number of higher output burners if someone is cooking for six or eight people or more all the time because quantities are large. Then you give up some of the control for the output. Seems like the pivot is: how important -- given your needs now and going forward -- is another 7K on any single burner vs better control and excellent service should it be required down the line? Re Hollandaise and melting chocolate. The first can be done in the food processor without any cooking on the stove. The second is easiest in the microwave. Anyone using a top for those is working too hard with too much clean up. I view those as marketing ploys.