Gosh, Brookhaven is not builder's grade around here!! I haven't ever seen it in a house with basic, builder's grade stuff. Most of our builder's grade stuff is Armstrong/Schrock/Bertch, etc. or maybe Kraftmaid. Might be because of where I live, but to get Brookhaven/Wood-Mode around here, you have to go to a specific KD's shop--we have a couple, but they're not carried at Lowe's/HD/Curtis, etc. If you can afford it, I would go with Plain & Fancy, Wood-Mode, Omega, Crown Point, etc. Nice thing about Brookhaven as a mid-range price point is that if you can use it for most of your cabinets, you can add in a Wood-Mode cabinet here and there if needed for an odd space or a certain type of cabinet--and have them all finished in the same way. Kind of mix-and-match, if you will. Oh, and if you do go the route of getting Brookhaven/Wood-Mode, I would shop your plan around if you have other KD's in the area. Mine was 14.5K for a medium sized kitchen with four walls of painted cabinets--and another KD wanted almost 4K more for the same layout. Pays to shop around, even if you want to use your favorite KD in the end. Can't hurt to do some price comparison! :) Sarah

What some see as 2nd tier today may very well be top tier tomorrow. There was a time when all homes were made from stone, then brick, then wood, then aluminum siding then vinyl siding....and so it goes. With that said, I see many wood window manuf. becoming 2nd tier as they struggle to keep a balance between quality, price and profit. Do they lower the quality to be more competitive on price and market to a less educated and/or budget conscious consumer or do they keep the quality and price high and hope a more educated consumer will recognize the benefits of installing a better grade and not be influenced by budget constraints? Over time many manuf. have created different lines of windows with different quality points and hoped their reputation on higher priced lines will carry over with consumers for their lower grades. Andersen is the latest example of this with their purchase of Silverline windows and Pella with their Thermastar line. Personally, I think a lot comes down to what you are willing to spend and the style of home you own. Transitional homes usually get the lower end vinyl. Historic homes or owners seeking to keep their homes as original as possible will use wood. Upscale homes tend to go either to high grade vinyl or wood depending on styling. Many Colonials and 70's Contemporary's go with wood. Many newer Contemporarys go with vinyl. Ultimately it's your home. Go with what you like, but I would hardly consider all vinyl second tier these days. If you saw some of the $million plus homes we have put vinyl windows into, you would understand what I mean.

Where are you getting Starmark cabinets at $2,000 more then the sanibel line? You are either not understanding the starmark cabinet or being ripped off on the price of the sanibel. The website has private labled the brand name of the cabinets called Sanibel. That is not the name of the cabinet maker. The dealer to sell on line has to change the name of the cabinet keep selling the cabinets by decree from the cabinet maker. I know cause I sell the cabinet this onlinestore sells. Make sure you get the lifetime warranty the cabinet maker offers for the sanibel. The cabinet you have listed on your link is a cherry cabinet that is inset. If you are only saving $2,000 from Starmark you better run from one of the 2 companies you are buying from. The sanibel cabinet is finished in China with the box parts cut and assembled in the US. It is a great cabinet that i would love in my home. I sold Starmark in my last store I was a partner to in the DC area last year. I priced all the kitchens in Starmark as the only person in the store who knew how to do it. Dealer cost is close to 50% different between those to brands. If the mark up in percent is identical then the price would be identical as well. In my store I sell the Sanibel cabinet using the true cabinet makers name at $281 to $331 per foot with 42" uppers and crown molding I have a 50% mark up on the product cost at those prices per foot. so a 10 by 10 kitchen would average $6,000 as the middle price is about $300 per foot. Most websites sell the Imports at approx 50% mark up for online sales. A starmark cabinet inset in cherry with glaze and 5 piece drawer front with a 25% percent dealer markup I would bet is at least 50% higher to the consumer from the Sanibel. There is another brand of chinese cabinets that have awesome finishes with more door styles to choose from they are inset using concealed hinges instead of the exposed in the cabinet you are considering. Their most expensive door style runs $174-$224 a lineal foot with 42" upper cabinets. In fairness they offer less sku's and only 30" and 42" wall cabinet heights with a 1 year warranty instead of lifetime like your sanibel line you are considering.

We got a chance to see the Electrolux yesterday. Thank you, whirlpool trainee. Your link encouraged us to travel to see the pair. Unfortunately the scented gasket makes it a non-option for me (Contacted Electrolux; they do not offer a non-scented option.) If the gasket were unscented, I would have gone with the pair. Lowes has it on sale for $899 each and offers an extended 5 year warranty. From the review I read, the condenser jug needs to be emptied every second or third cycle unless you direct drain the dryer, which is an option. There is a condensing filter, located at the bottom, front of the machine which also needs rinsing frequently -- consideration for people who have trouble getting on bended knee; you might plan a pedestal set-up. The reviewer stated that a normal load took an average of two (gulp) hours to dry. Hubby and I have decided that we'll continue to air-dry what we can to save on our ever-increasing electric bill since whatever we buy will be a condensing dryer. Not much reported on the washer other than it offers a lot of options and steam and it is 2.4 cubic feet -- largest of the compacts. It has an on-board heater like the Miele (also 110v). Though it is NSF certified, I didn't check whether it meets the more stringent of the two certifications. From the owner's manual I was unsure of when the on-board heater was activated; clearly during the sanitary cycle, but I couldn't tell if it heats water for a HOT load or just takes straight hot house water. But then, Miele isn't any help there either; if it weren't for rococogurl I wouldn't have a clue as to what my Miele is doing behind the scenes. We really liked the looks and feel of the pair and were disappointed to come home empty-handed.