I'd go with KitchenAid all the way, the pro-line if it's in the budget.

Full disclosure - in my kitchen I plan to buy a bluestar rangetop or cooktop depending on budget overages, Frigidaire all fridge and all freezer, and keep the existing KA dishwasher and Kenmore microwave.

I've had a KA gas range and counter depth french door fridge and loved them. The microwave looks great and gets good reviews. There's no need to have the entire appliance suite the same company, but KA dishwashers are highly rated (I don't love the old one I have in the house I'm moving to, though). An image of the range is below.

I cook a lot and so my choices might be different than what you want. Also I'm married to a professional chef. I wouldn't trade my Meile cook-top and dishwasher for all the tea in china.

My double ovens are KitchenAid and I love them. They are the ones with Steam Assist. Two years after the new kitchen went in, I'm still loving every appliance I bought.

However, if you are looking for something easier on the budget, I would agree with KA all the way. Before I got the Meile dishwasher, I had a KA that worked great and still does (I gave it to my niece).

Also, I got some great deals online on appliances. Most came from AJ Madison and I saved a fortune. And don't forget to shop the Sears Outlets. They don't all have the same things. For example, in downtown Nashville the appliances were "picked over" (first come first served). In the higher end suburbs there was a better selection due to less foot traffic and high-end home building going on. Remember, a dent on the side of fridge that's going in a cabinet anyways is a bargain for you. And those things still come with all the warranties.

Thanks EAM and Cindy for the prompt replies. It's awesome for me that you agree. And yes, Cindy, Miele doesn't make sense for me. They sound terrific but just don't really make sense for someone like me who doesn't really cook much.

I just looked at the KA Pro-Line and they look awesome and within budget. And, the handles are just like the ones I want to put on my cabs?! =) It's all about looks sice I don't cook much. :) The KA refrigerators seem to get mixed reviews. I'll look more closely into the Architect series also. Not sure the difference yet.

After looking a bit I think I would like to have the appliances by the same co and same line given they are going in a brand new kitchen/build. May as well have matching stuff.

Thanks so much for narrowing things for me so quickly. I would have spent forever looking and still never decided!

I can say that we just got our new KA dishwasher hooked up yesterday and we love it so far. So quiet we are getting used to having to check when it's done. We splurged on our cooktop and double ovens, so didn't want to spend a ton on a dishwasher. I thought the price was very reasonable as well.

Refrigerator: Liebherr
Range: Bosch Integra
Microwave: I would choose one that sat on the counter.
DW: not sure.

Beeps-
I love our Elux fridge with LED lights but no ice through door.
Miele for DW

I LOVED my Advantium OTR. The best thing I ever bought. It was even a decent vent hood.

I agree on the KA range, I liked mine! And the KA refrigerator still works 12 years later!

Nancy

We've been very happy with our Kitchen Aid dishwasher and it's probably 9 years old now.

It has a stainless interior and exterior and is very quiet - it was a top of the line model when it we bought it. Have had no problems with it at all. Top rack is adjustable up/down so I can fit tall items like a large stock pot on the top rack or blender - totally love that feature. It has a heating element so dishes always come out dry (unless a bowl manages to get flipped or a glass has an indentation where water can collect, etc.).

we are thrilled with our GE Profile appliances. I have the counter depth French door double freezer drawer fridge. It is huge! we have always had a second refrigerator and we 'almost' don't need it. I have the 30" double wall ovens...my daughter calls them "Hansel and Gretel ovens" because they are so big! LOL we have the induction cooktop and advantium over the cooktop micro...thrilled with induction! still learning the advantium.

We just hot GE Profile too! LOVE the induction range, they also make a beautiful slide in version that I would have purchased in a heartbeat if it held out until the remodel (afraid our cabs or counters not standard, but that's a different thread).

The SS interior DW is awesome, I think it was one of the more expensive models with a sanitize cycle. It's so quiet we usually only hear the water drain a little, and it cleans excellent. We use power ball tablets.

CD FD fridge with freezer on bottom with only water in the door. Lots of room, such a step up from our side by side. And the ice maker in the freezer is very fast, I was completely surprised by the speed.

Also considering an Advantium in the remodel, hear they are great. If you go that route, definitely do the 240 volt model. Most of the negative reviews are specifically for the 120 volt, they seem to be underpowered for the job. A2gemini recently got an Advantium and may be able to chime in if you are interested.

If you wasn't model numbers, let me know and I'll find them for you.

Hey beeps, I have been looking alot at appliances also. Here's what I am thinking...

1)Frig: KA
2)Slide in range: Blues Star or Wolf
3)Advantium
4)Bosch

Excited for you!! Keep posting !!!

Oh no. Now I'm all confused again! =) Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm checking them all out now. :)

(I have GE Profile W/D and am not happy with them. Glad the kitchen appliances are better!)

Been there!
TMI!
Go with your gut!

One thing I noticed when trying to choose a counter depth fridge is that no matter which model you read about, someone hates it. The same seems to be true about clothes dryers as well. I loved my KA counter depth fridge, and I'm sure there's a review out there of someone who hated theirs. I have no experience with Liebherr - seems pretty swanky. The only fridges that seem to get high marks are sub zeros that have an overall pretty poor initial quality rating based on the average number of repairs in the first year (yes, the first year). So people love and hate their appliances for reasons other than performance.

What I loved about my KA fridge is that it was beautiful, worked perfectly (tons of ice quickly and quietly) and held a ton of food on the inside without seeming to take up much space on the outside because it has great accessories and compartmentalization. The shelves are 1/2 width, glass and fully adjustable which turns out to be really convenient when you want to make a change, to hold more tall bottles at holiday time, for example. One thing I don't like about the Samsung fridge I currently have is that the glass shelves are full width and not very adjustable. When you're having a party and want to cool a lot of beverages, you'll see what I mean. PainInTheA.

Good luck with your decision!

Have the fridge narrowed down to 10 possibilities! :) That's good. Right?

You are right EAM - someone is always going to be unhappy. Can't please all the ppl all the time and all that. (I would, however, like my clothes to at least get wet in the washer! :) Ok. I'll settle for damp. Having that not happen is a fatal flaw in my book. Yes. Seriously. My washer conserves water so well the clothes often come out... dry. Saves wear and tear on the dryer though! =)

So a2, which model Elux do you have?

I have not unpacked that box but will try to find model tomorrow. I get to sleep until 5:15 tomorrow! Woohoo!
We have the perfect temp drawer butni ice through the door. There isan ice machine in the fridge,
I took my favorite pot luck platters serving dishes, a platrand a bowl to the store for the fridge and DW and elux and miele won in this dept.

Thanks a2! But don't worry about it. You have a few other things going on right now.

And I'm laughing about your pots and pans and platters going shopping with you! Very smart idea!

The elux slide in induction is beautiful. Almost got that, but GE was considered just as good but less $ and easier install. But again, would have been a tough choice if the old one held out a little longer. Long thread on appliances about these two models if interested.

I have the same Electrolux as a2. We've been extremely happy with it. There was a problem with the ice makers a few years ago, but that's been fixed. In comparing it with the Samsung, KA, etc. the Electrolux just looked like it was made with better components. We had a Kenmore from 1998, and what we looked at in today's U.S. models didn't look as good as our old Kenmore. But we needed to go CD with the remodel.

I've heard the GE fridges are bad, but GE ovens are good. We have a GE Profile glass top and haven't had any problems with it in 3 years.

Miele DWs are so loved here above all else, that we splurged on one. Cleans great, is quiet as a mouse, and holds a heck of a lot of dishes once you figure how to make it work for your particular dishes.

Adore my KA Proline French door fridge! Water on the side inside takes up zero space and the freezer is so spacious with many different compartments. nothing gets "lost" in there:)
my GE cafe cooktop and double ovens have been amazing too- I went with the Profile over the cooktop micro hood and it is wonderful- I was very worried after I did even more research and finding GW about my micro hood instead of a vent hood but it has been working very well to get rid of odors, steam and gunk when I cook. I have been very happy with all my appliance choices.

1. Easy. KA. I did lots of research when choosing my fridge and had chosen the KA FD CD until I found out I hate FD with a passion and then needed an even shallower fridge. Ended up with a built-in KA. I've been very happy with their fridges through my life.

2. Not sure. Probably KA. (I only researched cooktop/rangetop or 48" ranges.)

3. Hated my old OTR MW. Would never do one again.

4. Harder. KA, Bosch, or Miele.

Quick response as I do have to run out of here
Elux EI23BC51IS2 - it is a couple years old
Key features were the perfect temp drawer - if you ever saw there commericals - they pop ice cream in the drawer to bring to serving temp during dinner...
-LED lights are so cool! I smile every time I open the fridge.
-No ice/water through the door - I debated on the KA/Amana that had the cute water inside the door and would have liked that - but my dishes fit better in the Elux and I got a great deal on it.
Good luck on your decisions - you are right - someone likes and dislikes everything - except for Waterstone faucets so far - only positives...

The beauty of the Perfect Temp drawer is you can set it at a different temp than the rest of the fridge. I have mine at 34 degrees. I'm able to put meat or poultry in it that I'm not going to use till later in the week. It saves me from freezing and defrosting it, which I think changes the quality of poultry especially. I didn't want to pay extra for the model with that feature (It's $200 or $300) but I really love it now. Produce stays fresh longer too. Cilantro for at least a week!

It's quiet too, which was a big concern. All I hear is the occasional ice dump and then the water refilling the ice maker a few minutes later.

I've done 2 kitchens since 2004 so I was able to make adjustments.
First, DW --had 2 Mieles and would not go with another brand, if possible cost wise.

Fridge: had 2 counter depth, bottom mount freezer. Best was Liebherr. Excellent.

Range would be Bosch or Bertazzoni. Berta's gorgeous but oven is smaller than some models. There are threads on Appliances to read pos & cons. But the top is super & powerful without the pro range price. Ther was a free hood deal for a time, too. And 3 styles.

Vintage bath still has the special for the free hood for the Berta until mid August.

Well - what is your decision!

Jenn Air CD French door refrigerator with the professional handles. No water or ice on the outside of the door. I am loving mine! Good luck.

Maybe too late but here goes. I have Miele speed oven. Love the concept: microwave, convection, broiler and regular half sized oven but would now buy Kitchenaide s version instead. I have a Jenny air French door fridge. Works great but like the old fashioned freezer on top in white for lots less money. Love love love my Miele induction cooktop. Better than gas and better for your health too. Love my Meile dishwasher too. Good luck!

Jenn Air CD French door refrigerator with the professional handles. No water or ice on the outside of the door. I now have an LG that is only 33" wide with water on the door and I wish it was taller and wider and I wish it did not have the water on the door.

Kitchen Aid Dishwasher, the top model that is quite like I have now with the top tray for the silverware.

GE Cafe Gas Range like I have now since I love it.

GE Microwave on my counter that I love and it is big with 1,150 Watts and easy for me to reach as I am only 4'10" tall.

I love my Zephyr Range Hood so I would probably go with that also if I had to have recirculating. If I was able to vent outdoors, then I would look around for more ideas.

Interesting about the Fridge with "Perfect Temp" (alto I am an Electrolux fan, having their oven, speed oven, wine fridge and induction cooktop) buttt----- I have a circa 2005-2006 built in and paneled 48" Jenn-air Fridge.

Guess what, I can set 3 different temps just in the fridge compartment, one for meat, which I usually keep at about 32F, one for the fruits/veggies, kept at 34F and the main temp fo fridge is set at 37. All 3 have digital controls and digital readouts---pretty advanced fridge (for the time)???? Not to mention the crank up and down shelves it has, both in the fridge and in the freezer.

Still, I'm glad Elux has "Joined the party" as far as allowing one to set different temps in different areas of the fridge!

GAry

No advice on brand but do you really want to be paying interest on appliances for 15 or 30 years? It adds up! I would not add them to my home loan.

Thank you all, for all the advice and suggestions! I appreciate all the help, and as it turns out I will have about 5 more months to ponder my decision.

Why? Well, a2, you asked :) so here's the short explanation. (Yes, this is the short version.)

My builder is a bit of a pain. This is in a development with models you pick from and then can make choices from a group of standard selections of granite, flooring, appliances, lighting, faucets, all of that.

I have made exactly zero standard selections - I am upgrading everything. Well, except that isn't true. Because of things like this, I am getting lots of standard things in and will swap everything out. Let me explain...

I decided to have them price the KA Pro-Line range and microwave for me. I just had to make a decision. Well, their price came in $1100 over ajmadison.com. Now, this didn't surprise me a lot because on my $500 faucet on faucet.com they had come in at $1000. Now, notice not only am I getting ZERO allowance if I don't use their builder's grade stuff/crap, they charge me WAY over retail... like they are going to pay retail! This is a huge builder... he is not paying retail.

So, I am having a builder's grade electric range, microwave, and dishwasher (already discontinued) put in. All for zero dollars on my part. (Well, of course it is built into the price of the home. But it won't cost me a dime more to have them put in.) Then, I will pull them all out and put in what I want for less than they would have charged me. What? That makes no sense you say? You got it. Sounds like you understand it perfectly. Wasteful? Yes. Not green? Yes. Stupid? Clearly. But, it will be a major score for Habitat for Humanity.

So, because of this, I have longer to ponder my decision! :) And will actually be able to look at some of the things in the store rather than do everything online.

Just as a side note, I'm doing the same with all the faucets, bath hardware, lights, door hardware, etc. Anything relatively easy to change out I'm doing the builder's grade standard stuff and will swap it all out.

They are just insane to give no allowance and then charge way over retail. They were charging $1800 for an $800 washer and doing the same on the dryer until I pointed out how ridiculous that was. They did drop the prices on those a bit. And, no, I'm not buying them either!

Whew. And there ya have it! I can procrastinate and decide later! =)

That's really too bad. I've read on the AJMadision site that they offer special deals for builders - apparently even better than regular retail prices. Why would the builder not just do that and then charge the retail price?

Oh, and I should add I am having a gas drop put in for the range I get when I swap things out. That was an interesting conversation, that went something like this...

Builder "So you are getting the standard appliances, including the electric range."
Me "Correct."
Builder "But you want a gas drop??"
Me "Correct."
Builder "So, you want the gas range?"
Me "No, you will charge $160 for the 'standard gas range,' so I want the electric."
Builder "So then you don't need a gas drop."
Me "Yes, I do."
Builder "So let me make sure I have this straight. You want all the standard appliances, including the standard electric range."
Me "Correct."
Builder "And you want a gas drop."
Me "Exactly."

Always fun to deal with me! :o)