New home. Appliance selection thoughts?

jl_1978

15 years ago

Hi,

I recently discovered this site and it's already helped so much in deciding on appliances for my new house.

I was just hoping to get some thoughts/opinions on some of the choices I've made so far. We're trying to budget a pretty nice kitchen, but can't afford to go ultra high end so I'm trying to save money where I can. If you own any of the items below and could share your opinions, it'd be greatly appreciated.

We're planning to have black granite countertops with darker oak cabinets.

Cooktop: Thermador CIT304EM 30" Induction. This was the piece that convinced me to go built-in. I fell in love with the silver-mirrored finish and think it'll go great with the black countertops and other stainless appliances.

Wall Oven: Electrolux Icon E30EW75GPS single wall oven. Seems to have gotten very good reviews on here and looks amazing. We decided to get a single oven and a convection microwave with trim kit instead of a double oven. Thoughts?

Microwave: Panasonic Genius NNC994 Convection microwave. With a trim kit, I think this will look ok above the wall oven and we get the functionality of a small second oven as well as microwave at a cheaper price than a double oven and separate microwave.

Hood: Trying to save a bit here as I think the hood requirements on an induction cooktop are quite a bit less than gas. That said, the Electrolux RH30WC60GS looks great and is fairly reasonably priced. The only thing is, we'll have to pay extra to get an 8" duct put in our kitchen instead of the standard 6". I'm considering a cheaper Broan hood as well which also saves because it only needs 6". Any opinions here? Is 8" worth it to "future-proof" the kitchen?

Dishwasher: We're still old school and do most dishes by hand. We only use a dishwasher when we have a lot of dishes to do or are in a rush, so we're willing to go a bit cheaper here as well. However, we still want one with a stainless tub, so we narrowed it down to a Bosch Evolution 300 SHE43M05UC, or Kitchenaid Architect K Series KUDK03ITBS. They're among the cheapest ones with a stainless tub that still seem to get pretty good reviews. Which would you prefer?

Fridge: Originally, we wanted SxS (see, I know gardenweb abbreviations already!), but after some time here, I'm leaning towards French door. The Samsung RFG397AARS seems to get really good reviews and the 29 cu ft of space for a 36" fridge seems awesome. Also love that the water and ice dispenser is on the outside, although I understand that's the most likely part to give me trouble. Any other recommendations?

Washer/Dryer: We're really leaning towards the Samsung WF337/DV337 here. I like the WF448/DV448 as well, mostly due to the larger capacity and lower power consumption, but it seems like we're also paying quite a bit extra for steam, which I don't think we'd use much.

One final question about built-in cutout sizes. How exact do the cutouts need to be? A big worry about built-in for us is if something needs to be replaced, we don't want to worry about replacing our entire countertop for the cooktop or building a new storage unit for a wall oven. We notice that most appliances are up to about 3/4" different on height and width. I guess if the new appliance is bigger, we can always make the hole slightly larger, but if the new appliance is a bit smaller, will it be a big deal? Basically, we're hoping if something breaks down soon after the warranty expires, we won't have to spend additional money on top of replacing the appliance, but also don't want to be stuck having to buy the exact same model that just broke on us either. It's the only factor that may sway us back to just getting a standard range which would save us thousands overall!

Thanks and happy holidays!

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Comments (5)

jl_1978
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry, the fridge should be Samsung RFG297AARS
davidro1
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Good selections.

See the thread I have going about your fan if you stay with 6" duct size.
I calculated that I needed 150 to 250 CFM and not more.
--This is counterintuitive to someone reading the many GW threads on venting kitchen cooktops. It goes against what the threads all imply, that one "needs" a whole lot more CFM. I'd like to know what your conclusions are.

-david

Here is a link that might be useful: Right Sizing the Blower (Kitchen Fan)
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If you are looking to get any deals on any of the brands you listed, you are really not going to find any. Those brands have fixed pricing, meaning dealers are given the price they must charge by the manufacturer. I think as you read through the threads on this forum and the kitchens forum, you will find very few people stick to just one manufacturer for all of their appliances.. Most have several brands and do not try to come up with a kitchen that has only one brand as not all manufactures are good at making all appliances. \Personally, I think your budget is realistic for just appliances, especially if you want to go with good appliances and not just one brand. I noticed you do not have any ovens listed. Are you thinking a 48" range and not just a range top? Depending on your space, many people go with double wall ovens and separate cooktops. If you have just begun shopping, I would go to a large appliance dealer who sells many different brands, both upscale and average joe appliances. Home depot EXpo sells viking, wolf, thermador as well as ge and whirlpool. almost all brands. I would also try to find a place that allows cooing demos on the range or cooktop as well as one that has vents hooked up for you to use. It is worth the effort as many convection ovens are very loud, as well as the vents, but you won't know that unless you use them. You might also want a high output range, but find that you don't like standing over the hot ovens and cooking at the same time. I would really take the time to look through the finished kitchens blog too as you can look at the specific appliances you have in mind already installed in someones finished kitchen. You can ask specific people questions about their appliances from their sites too. It is important to pick the appliances before completing a kitchen layout as the appliances you choose will help determine the cabinet layout . Good luck, and read and shop a lot before making any choices. ( I am getting Fisher paykel double ovens, and induction cooktop, Miele dishwasher, Whirlpool Velos microwave, and a GE french door refirgerator. I determinded what would work best for me and nothing matches!)
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As I said, of course it's powerful enough. And I'm not saying Wolf ranges won't meet the needs of an serious chef. Especially the dual fuel - with the EXCELLENT oven (provided the enamel doesn't chip). When I tried out a demo unit of a Wolf sealed burner range, it did quite a respectable job. However, I was not at all impressed. That's because the burners barely did better than the cheap Frigidaire range in my rental. That cheap Frigidaire range is, to be honest, an excellent cooking tool, just as the Wolf is. But for the prices Wolf charge for their stuff, I would expect much more, not just build quality, customer service, and looks, but also performance. I liked the Culinarian the best when I tested, but I have to say I also really liked the Thermador sealed star burners. If you're worried about having to deal with a smaller open burner manufacturer, or you want something with better fit/finish than they have, I would definitely take a serious look at Thermador. I would far rather own one than a Wolf. I can't think of anything I couldn't cook on a Wolf sealed burner range that I could on a Culinarinan. But, cooking on the latter was just much more fun for me. There's just this awesome feeling when you have a ridiculous amount of power, far more than you need. Or maybe I'm just crazy and nobody else has the same feeling, I don't know. Re: customer service, yes there have been horror stories with the open burner manufacturers here, but I have also heard positive things about their customer service, as well as bad experiences with Wolf. All the open burner products on the market now are relatively new, and in the few years they've been out they have made HUGE strides in improving their products. I expect them to continue to do so.
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DH and I have been appliance shopping for our new kitchen for the last couple of weeks and after seeing what your builder is charging for upgrades, I'd be tempted to tell him where to go. Here is what we found from a local appliance dealership that carries several brands (KA, JennAir, Bosch, Electrolux, Wolf, etc.) First of all, JennAir is running a special that ends 12/31 for a $200 install credit per item as well as the buy rangetop and oven (or a range) and get a free dishwasher. Here's the link for the JennAir deal: http://jennair.com/promotions/your-purchase-your-reward Secondly, be aware that any griddle offered on a KA or JennAir is an electric griddle and not a gas one like Wolf or Viking makes. Thirdly, due to Viking's past reputation, we decided to steer away from them even though DH REALLY loved their D3 double oven with KNOBS. Prices we were quoted (in TN) were: JennAir 5 burner cooktop $1099 JennAir 36" rangetop $2699 JennAir 36" rangetop with griddle $3099 JennAir 30" double oven (convection on top only) $3399 Electrolux ICON 30" double oven $3099 KA 36" rangetop $2099 KA 30" double oven $2399 (convection on top only) Lastly, Viking is about to discontinue their 48" rangetop with double griddle in center. We found an awesome deal for it on Elite Appliances website with free shipping and no tax for $3599. Again, if we weren't worried about our griddle usage or past rep, we would've jumped on it. DH still is waffling somewhat because he really wants KNOBS on an oven...lol. In the end, our decision is to go with the KitchenAid 36" rangetop and 30" Electrolux ICON double oven. We already have our fridge and dishwasher but if we hadn't, JennAir would've been in the running. P.S. I think Viking also has a $200 per appliance rebate right now, too. I'd definitely check around with some local appliance showrooms and see what kind of deals you can get and really consider selling the builder appliances on craigslist, with the exception of the KA fridge, which seems to be an okay choice.
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jl_1978
Original Author
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi davidro1, thanks for the info. I read through your link and tend to agree. However, we're sticking with the 600cfm Electrolux for now because it has the look we want at a reasonable price (only the made in China brands are cheaper with similar styling).

For the microwave, we're now thinking of the Electrolux Icon E30MO65GSS convection microwave, which would match the wall oven better. This microwave comes with a trim kit, so it should work out to cost about the same as the Panasonic plus trim. However, I've read really good things about the Inverter technology in Panasonic microwaves... too many decisions =P
friedajune
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
As someone forced to live with a 6" duct, I wish every time I use my hood that I had 8". Since you have the luxury and opportunity to have an 8" duct, please go for it. You won't look back a couple of years from now and say, "gee, wish we'd gone with that 6" duct". OTOH, you WILL regret the 6" duct. It's not just that you will be constrained with the choice of hoods available, as most of them need 8". It is also likely that 6" duct will be noisier than an 8" duct, as more air is having to travel through a smaller passageway, creating noise. And of course, it's also that you won't get the higher exhaust cfm's. I don't understand people seeking to have a minimum amount of cfm's. Is erring on the high side of cfm's such a crime? Unless you are constrained by preexisting ductwork, like Davidro1 and myself, why the desire to keep cfm's to an absolute minimum? People re-doing their kitchens are spending multi-thousands on counters, backsplash, appliances, cabinetry, but they are concerned about the relatively small upcharge to go to higher cfm's. I don't get it. Davidro1, mark my words, you will regret your 150-250 cfms. At least get 300 with your 6" duct!

While induction does not have the gas fumes that may come with a gas cooktop, those gas fumes are a small percentage of what a hood's functions are. Really what you want a hood for is to exhaust smoke, grease, and steam from your cooking. The amount of smoke, grease and steam depends upon your cooking style and tastes, not upon whether you are cooking with induction or not. You should base your hood choice on whether you will be, e.g., cooking hamburgers in a fry pan, sauteeing fish, making stir frys, and the like, not on whether you have induction.

Regarding your built-in MW - there have been a number of threads regarding the shortened lives of MW's these days. When you have a builit-in MW, you may be heading for aggravation in 3 years or so, as it seems that 3 years is the life span these days of MW's. We know the older ones seemed to last forever, but not so today. Also, think about whether you want to be pulling hot sloshing dishes from an overhead MW. The Panasonics are really great, so that's a good choice, but think whether you want it built-in or not.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about Microwave Expected Lives
bob_f
15 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The Samsung 29 cubic foot French Door refrigerator is the same one that I've been considering.

See the link below for a recent thread discussing this model. My big concern right now is reliability and servicing.

Also search this forum for "Samsung" and you'll find several other recent threads on the 29 cf model.

On the dishwasher choice you might want to test fit some dishes in each model before making a final decision. My top two choices for a dishwasher a few years ago were a Kenmore Elite model and a Bosch model (SHU43?). These both had stainless steel tall tubs. When I test fit some dishes in both models it became apparent that the tub in the Kenmore was much larger. (Like KitchenAid, the particular Kenmore Elite model that I ended up buying was made by Whirlpool.)

On the choice of stainless steel finishes, be aware that these can be a royal pain to keep clean. Stainless can show everything, including fingerprints. This is more of a concern if you have small children and some faux and coated SS finishes are fingerprint resistant.

Best of luck with all of your choices!

Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: 29 cf FD Samsung Refrigerator Discussion

New home. Appliance selection thoughts?

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jl_1978
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davidro1

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friedajune

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New home. Appliance selection thoughts?

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jl_1978Original Author

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