Gary - no, the 700 series didn't doesn't have "gills" at all. It's systems are down in the bottom of the unit and are completely covered by cabinetry toekick and / or the bottom drawer panel. It was the first unit to be TOTALLY concealed ( no trim, no fins, no gaskets showing ) and is for the most part unchanged since it's rollout in the LATE 90's !!!! - which is its biggest drawback today.

Do you mean a upper cabinet or something at countertop height? I'm having trouble visualizing what you have in mind. We considered a built-in coffee machine, but besides the expense, didn't want a dedicated space for something unique that may not be available in a few years, and cleaning it did not seem convenient. However, we did reserve an area for a "beverage station" around the corner from our open kitchen that faces our family room. It has upper & lower cabinets, bar sink, & an undercounter icemaker, and is next to a glass-front refrigerator (in the kitchen) where we keep beverages & snacks. We keep cups, coffee supplies, & unbreakable "glasses" in the uppers since this area is handy to our patio. Lower cabs have a trash pullout under the sink, grill supplies, cereals & bowls. For a "coffeemaker", we put a Keurig machine on the countertop. It brews a cup at a time using K-cups, and you can specify how big a cup you want. There is an incredible number of different coffees, teas, and even hot chocolate available in K-cups. You can also get instant hot water by simply not putting in a K-cup. Keurig machines come in different sizes & having varying automated features, but the price was far lower than a built-in. We keep an assortment of K-cups in a carousel next to the machine, & we can offer guests regular or decaf without making a whole pot of coffee, and they love being able to choose. We've all but retired our regular coffeemaker for the Keurig. Here is a link that might be useful: Keurig coffee machine

I think the two biggest reasons are: 1) Engineering - Additional design complexity required to keep the electronics cool when they're placed immediately above the oven rather than above and behind the oven. 2) Marketing - Folks interested in the look self-select as folks that are willing to pay extra for that look, so the products fill that niche.

I live in Kansas City in a house with partial steel lap siding. The lower half of the front of the house is steel siding and the sides/rear are all steel siding. I do not know how old the siding is, but am sure it is more than 25 years old. It is also insulated with a 1" thick fiberglas insulation glued to the inside of the siding. The top half of the front is a plastic wood shingle siding(also insulated. Have a garden shed sides with the same siding(without insulation). I had to paint the south sides of the garage and shed last year, since the paint was peeling. Have never had any problems, other than washing, the rest of the house. I have built houses(volunteering for Habitat) with Hardi-plank, Hardie-panel, ICF, vinyl, and batt and board sidings. Our house is about 2,000 sq, ft. with a full basement. I added 10" of blown cellulose insulation to the attic. Our utility bills(heating and cooling) are about 3/4's of those we paid in a 14' by 78' metal sided mobile home. That is almost twice the space. For that reason alone, insulated siding(metal or plastic) makes long term sense, since the payback can be made in just utilities alone. Add in the almost lack of maintenance and it is a no brainer. I can weed eat, hit the siding and no damage---not so with vinyl or Hardi materials. Initial cost is more. Payback can be relatively quick.