I have 4 very recent (last 3 years) toilet purchases, from a Jaccuzzi- not worth discussing, to a Kohler (Ingenium, I think), AS and Toto. I think one must distinguish old from new, 5 gal flush from 1.6 from even less... The latter 3 are all excellent. Differences are notable from water spot size, to noise, to clean bowl. BUT I would still buy any of those 3 again, the AS cadet and Toto Promenade are the most similar in function, but the Toto is much more quiet, for certain. I find that MaP thing a little cumbersome to read... antss- yes, studies must show their data: study size, confounders, statistical significance of results, etc., ;-). Where is the p value?!?! And to note, in allll the yeeaars of using CR, which has been very helpful, one does need to understand that the rating is definitely cost related- best value for the dollar. I have purchased things that were top of the list, but definitely not the top product. I have learned. They don't always prioritize the same as I would, and it can be difficult to pick apart that subtlety.

CaryScott, You bring up an excellent point and the very reason I would not place any credence on CR's reporting. The Miele products we purchased require proper setup including, but not limited to: water pressure, water levels, extended drying times with just air owed to geographic location weather conditions, etc. CR doesn't even take that into accountÃI don't even believe they understand or even know about these aspects, therefor, their reporting is flawed regarding these models of laundry equipment. This is the reason Miele strongly request, but does mandate, that you have an approved installer do your installation. Potential customers are by far better off following forums of interest, receiving feedback from actual users, feedback from people who service the machines, and feedback from people in the industry than they are some magazine that professes to provide valued information. But, I am not biased as I have no place for JD Powers, and the others either. I don't purchase my vehicles based on any magazine.

Our kitchen is 13'5" wide and we have an island. The narrower aisle is 36" from counter-top to counter-top, between island and DW/fridge. It works fine for me, but my husband hates it. If he had his druthers, we'd have an extra 12" between the area, but it works for me. We have to have a side-by-side fridge for clearance of the door-to-island, and that works well for us, too. I think you could have an island with a 12' wide kitchen, if the island is narrow, but it will be a tight fit and might make your kitchen look smaller. (I always think about re-sale) Use some blue painters' tape to mark it out and create a mock-up island from appliance boxes or foam board (office depot type stores sell it), as some other people have already suggested? This would give you ample time to place the mock-up island in your kitchen, live with it, and see if you think it is a good idea for you.

I just got a copy of the August issue that the Oasisowner posted about and it's quite a good article. First of all, it's a 21 page article about how to "Create the Perfect Kitchen For You" - with sections focused on making a plan, defining your style, and choosing your appliances. There is a lot of detailed information and an example kitchen remodel that ended up costing $29,482. A lot of the information in the article was similar to what I've read here on GW. However, with everything that the article covers, it can't really go in depth on any one subject. So, the section on countertops is very brief. There is about a 3 sentence summary of the most used types of countertops, and a ratings table. I'm not sure what rgreen48 was quoting earlier, but here's what the article actually says about soapstone: "Soapstone $50-$100 per sq. ft installed It's not as common as granite—and it's stunning at first. It resists heat damage, and small scratches can be sanded finely, then coated with mineral oil. But it nicks, cuts and scratches easily, and some tough stains won't wash away." That is a pretty brief description and doesn't entirely jive with what I have found out about soapstone, but for a broad audience and giving a brief summary, it's pretty decent. Of course I think people should do more research than reading three sentences before picking a a countertop that they are going to live with for years. I also agree with Oasisowner that the table has some "unusual" ratings. In fine print below the table, they described how they tested the counters: They applied 20 common foods and household products, let them sit overnight before cleaning. Sliced and chopped directly on the counters with chef's knives and serrated knives. Put a pot heated to 400° Ran a weighted sanding block back and forth 25 times. Dropped blunt and pointed objects from 3.5 feet I personally would never cut directly on a countertop, but I can see how some of the other tests would be good at assessing durability.