Please held with appliance selection

15 years ago

We are in the process of planning for a new kitchen. THe design is complete and we are going with Cabico white beaded inset cabinets. We are now in the process of selecting appliances and we sure could use some advice. I have been researching brands and prices on the internet.

We are going with a 36 induction cooktop. We are looking at Thermador, Bosch, and Electrolux.

Double oven (convection). Again, lookint at Thermador, Bosch and Electrolux.

Fully integrated dishwasher, looking at Thermador, Bosch, Electrolux.

Fridge, haven't decided but we are going with bottom freezer with French doors, no exterior water dispenser/ice dispenser.

I guess I am just looking for anyone with experience in the above brands and possibly products. Youradvice and thoughts including experiences are greatly appreciated.

Also, has anyone had luck with online sites or is it better to go to a local store and try to bargain for a package. I also noticed that all of the above brands also offer rebates if you purchase 3 or 4 products from the same manufacturer.

Thanks for the help.

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Comments (11)

erikanh
15 years ago
brown, have you visited the appliance forum? I'm also considering Cabico white beaded inset cabs, and I'm getting a 36 inch induction cooktop too, probably a Miele.

I have tried the Thermador cooktop in a showroom, but I found the controls to be inconvenient. I ruled out the Electrolux, just because I didn't like the steel trim. I don't know anything about its performance.

Here is a link that might be useful: Appliance Forum
imrainey
15 years ago
I replaced a Thermador cooktop and double ovens. They were awful. I could never get both ovens to work at the same time. And the repairs were always excessively expensive.

We acquired ours when we bought the house. When we redid the kitchen I didn't even consider Thermador.

We have a friend who just redid his kitchen. He got a Viking range. He hates it -- doesn't think he has good adjustability on the burners.

I got a Wolf range and Miele hood. Love them both. Then I just got KitchenAid for the rest. They're perfectly fine except for the dishwasher that I'm disappointed in. I think I'll replace it with that new Bosch that's going to break up water on plastic with sonic charges so that it really dries when it comes out in the next year or two.
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I agree with Gary, don't bother indoor grilling if you have such mild weather. Ventilation becomes a much bigger issue, and even with a powerful hood, all that smoke... no thanks. Re: Wolf ovens, know that if you want the "new design" avoid the L series. They will be replaced with the M series late this year that will have the removable bottoms, but that will be quite the wait. I believe that the new generation of the E series which has already been released has the removable bottom though. Research all you want, but these ovens have not been on the market very long and nobody has owned them long enough to prove anything. Of course the salesman will say they've fixed the problem, but who trusts salesmen? Or he may just pull the classic Wolf salesman move of denying the problem ever existed, or saying it was fixed years ago. I think it might be more helpful to call Wolf and ask them about it. It seems that Wolf is more honest about their products than salesmen are. "You don't really need a flame thrower rangetop to cook steaks well. A good and well seasoned cast iron skillet on an average gas top will produce fine results" Well of course nobody NEEDS a flamethrower rangetop. But pretending that a 15K BTU sealed burner will do as good of a job as a 22K open is just ignoring the truth. Maybe the result won't be that different, but cooking on high performance burners is just a better experience. It's hard to explain to someone else in words, but most people will understand what I'm talking about once they've tried it. Of course, BTU's aren't the only thing that matter. Burner design matters more. I like open burners better and would take a 15K Bluestar burner over a sealed 18K burner any day. Different people have different needs but I'm convinced that for the majority of people at least, high BTU open burners are the best choice if they are in the budget. And you don't need to be a professional chef to benefit from them, I think any home cook can. Now, I personally prefer induction, but if you are looking in that price range and are getting gas, I don't see why you should spend as much as or more than the cost of an open burner range and get an inferior product.
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We actually had a sub zero built in fridge at our last house. Bottom freezer with one top door. Had to be 42" but I am not sure. We loved the fridge. We were lucky that the prior owners had a service contract because it broke right away and cost 2K to fix. Anyway, we are definitely leaning to the french door fridge. I am getting the biggest french door cabinet depth fridge I can find. I think our only issue left is going Bosch or Electrolux on the wall ovens and induction cooktop.
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zeitgast, Thanks for all the feedback. I have not looked much into induction but I really don't see giving up gas. I would be sad for instance to not be able to roast a red pepper right over the flame. I think the Thermador does not have a preconfigured LP -- it requires a converter and the loss of BTU is a whopping 25% according to their specs. I could be misunderstanding that -- it is hard to keep all this stuff straight. The Wolf cooktop in contrast can be purchased either as NG or LP -- I assume (but am not really sure) this means that the 15K rating is still accurate even for LP. If so, then Wolf's 15K is better than the Thermador's 18K for LP, since the latter loses 25% to 13.5K. The Capital Maestro says 20K, and does not give any different number for their LP version. The GE Monogram specifies that the LP version of their 18K burner is only 15K (so comparable to Wolf at least.) We did look at many different configurations as to where things could go in the kitchen, and the winning layout by far was to put the cooktop on the island, so I know we will stick with that. But I get your point, and I do think this makes it harder for us to agree to go with a range top, even though we would like the power and versatility. For the Advantium -- still waiting on prices from the sales folks. On the web, I cannot find a price anywhere for the GE Monogram, but I see the MSRP is $3400. That is budget-busting if that is really where it is at. But for whatever reason, the over-the-range version is just a bit over $1000 (online), presumably for the same exact technology and mostly the same unit (PLUS an exhaust fan). Microwave drawers: we briefly considered this and it sounded good (and units are ~$1000), but it seemed like microwaving any liquid (e.g. soup) would lead to a lot of sloshing around and making messes. We'll look into your suggestions on refrigerators. Thanks again!
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I've got the full depth KA Architect II FD refrigerator. Lovely unit with beautiful interior. I recessed the space behind the wall to create a faux integrated look without losing the storage capacity. It has a triple drawer feature in the freezer that makes the freezer really useful. Take a look at the Bosch DW. I've had many through the years at various homes. Never a moments trouble. I've had them at all price points. I can recommend them. Your ventilation will be a little more problematic. You absolutely install proper ventilation to the outside. You should get rid of that microwave above the stove. You should not vent into the porch. That's a code issue. It must vent above the porch. You should talk to someone about it before you make any decisions. This way you can plan for ventilation. It's better to install your warming drawer close to the surface where you plate the food. This may not be the stove top. I suggest you consider nearby cabinets, too. The kitchen forum can help you with placement.
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sunnyd_2008
15 years ago
Just make sure "fully integrated" means that the appliances will not "stick out" from the frames of your beaded inset cabinets (inset cabinets = details,details,details)
make sure your designer double checks especially on DW
some do, I'm pretty sure Miele doesn't
brown126
Original Author
15 years ago
Great advice from all.

Any other thoughts are greatly appreciated.
mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
15 years ago
I have a Bosch dishwasher and range and someday, if it ever gets delivered, a Bosch hood.

I LOVE my Bosch dishwasher. It is fabulous. It is not the most expensive model but it works GREAT! I have never seen anything like it and it is very quiet. My model is the one recommended by Consumer Reports. I love, love, love it! Did I tell you I love it? Even my contractor loves it and is thinking of getting one.

I have a Bosch range. Love that as well. Just got it installed not too long ago so I haven't really put it through its paces yet but that day is coming shortly. I have the dual fuel convection Pro range. It has a warming drawer, proofing mode for raising dough, dehydrater, telescoping racks, self cleaning, etc., etc., etc. The oven is great on it as are the burners on the cooktop part. I couldn't afford a DCS range which is what I wanted, but this has the same features for a lower price. Burners aren't as powerful as the DCS, but they do a GREAT job (and they are powerful too).

I love the Bosch appliances. Now that I have them (bought them all sight unseen), I am a total Bosch fan. Check them out. I don't think you can go wrong on them.

Oh, BTW, I have seen the Bosch wall oven. I had one! Lowes delivered the wrong appliance for me and sent me a wall oven rather than the range I ordered. It is so pretty! I wish I had space for it. It was beautiful! Prettiest oven I had ever seen. Heard they cook great too.

Let us know what you decide.
wallycat
15 years ago
"Must"...can you tell me which Bosch you have (link??)..
I'm still driving myself nuts between slide in range or cooktop/wall ovens.

I heard good things about Electrolux but when I went to their virtual kitchen, I didn't like the slide in range with the dials taking up burner space.
mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
15 years ago
Sorry, I forgot to add that I have a french door fridge (Whirlpool) 23 cubit foot with no ice despenser or water in the door. I am not all that thrilled with it to be quite honest. I have been told I am just not used to it yet, but I preferred the freezer on the top of my old model.

I am not a side by side fan at all but wished I had seen the Bosch one. It was a lot less expensive than I thought. I love a lot of freezer space as I freeze lots of summer produce for the fall/winter as well as soups, stews, etc. I think it is much easier to pull things out of the upper freezer than to lift things out of the bottom. I also think it was easier to see things. I might give a side by side a second look if I had to do it again. I think their freezers are too small and not wide enough for what I use. In reality, I probably need a stand alone freezer but don't have the space for one (garage routinely gets to be over 120 degrees in the summer so that is not an option, nor do I want the added electric bill).

So check things out on-line and see what you think. Lowe's (if there is one close to you) generally has a good selection so you can see different models and the good and bad points. I liked the freezer section of the GE french door but it was a smaller fridge than the Whirlpool and more costly. BTW, I also am able to open one of the french doors but it opens at a 90 degree angle as I have a wall right there. I can still get things in and out but it is a consideration if you are placing your fridge near a wall. I also extended my fridge space into the garage by 8 inches or so, so my fridge sits flush with my cabs. That thing is a monster.
bluekitobsessed
15 years ago
I love my Thermador DW (made by Bosch). It's very, very quiet and it gets everything much cleaner than the mid 1990s Maytag I had. T'dor has 3 price points on DWs and mine is the middle ($1250), with 6 cycle, and I've used them all from time to time. Not sure where it compares to Bosch on prices. I also love my T'dor range and hood, but if I start going on & on about them y'all will think I'm a T'dor shill. I also love my LG fridge (FD with no ice/water in door); however, there are some serious complaints about LG on the appliance forum and it appears that their customer service dept is out to lunch.
donnar57
15 years ago
My across-the-street neighborhood swears by Bosch - he has them in all his rentals (believe it or not) saying that they are SO quiet and rarely need service. I just read CR's August issue yesterday, and I believe it was SHE33MO that was one of their recommendations.

I have a late 90s Maytag. It seemed pretty quiet until we started to listen to others. As for "cleaner", my only complaint with my late 90s Maytag is its occasional "need" to leave some glasses with some gunk at the bottom of them - despite turning glasses upside down in the DW. I tried the DW forum on Appliance411, and their instructions were to get the water hotter. That didn't really help much and just made my gas bill go higher.

I figure, my Maytag has another year or two in it, and when the time comes, we'll get a Bosch.

DonnaR/CA
ssjm
15 years ago
We've been back in our new kitchen for about 3 weeks now and I'm on my THIRD refrigerator!!! First two were the brand new KitchenAid Trio/Frenchdoor-DO NOT GET THIS BRAND! (sorry I don't have the model #). First one the computer board went in about 4 days. Second one had same issue AND the internal water dispenser didn't work. I'm going back to my original plan to get the Kenmore Elite Trio Model #77593.
mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
15 years ago
My Bosch range is the 700 series Integra Dual-Fuel Range Pro model number HDI7282U in full stainless steel.

My hood is the Boshc 30 inch glass canopy wall mount hood DKE9605PUC.

My Bosch dishwasher is the SHX55M0xUC model.

The hood is prettier than it looks in this picture!

Please held with appliance selection

Comments (11)

erikanh

imrainey

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