Thank you both so much for your suggestions. I am feeling like I am really leaning toward induction, but I am disappointed as I just read rave reviews on Elux ovens, but awful reviews on their cooktops, and vice versa for Bosch. If I could install a Elux oven under the Bosch cooktop I think Id be very happy, but Im not sure if that can be done. I don't want anyone voiding my warranties because we mixed appliance brands. I could possibly put my oven in my island? Glad to see I have an option to get a very professional gas range if I go that route. I'm not sure yet what the discrepancy is regarding the size of the hood. Would a 20" pass inspection and adequately remove grease & odors or not? If it would, don't know why I'd need bigger? But if it wouldn't, think I better look for more affordable range, if I go that route. What type of hood would I need for an induction cooktop? I believe the requirements are lower? Induction sounds like it would fit me best, especially since I've never used gas I think maybe I just don't know what I'm missing. But I have to figure out how to get a decent oven in an acceptable space.

There is also a laundry forum on GardenWeb, but, as you already are here, I shall address your question here. First question: Do you take guests to your home for a tour of the laundry room? If the answer is no, and you do not care if the so-called styling of the washer and dryer match each other, then consider getting a hamper door (hinge on the bottom, not the side, of the door) model of Whirlpool dryer (also sold by Sears as a Kenmore). The model has been around, with refinements, for five decades or more, and it is fully debugged, and, except perhaps for a new drive belt every seven or eight years (a cheap and easy replacement), just keeps on running and running and running. Dryers are, and should be, simple appliances, basically just tumbling the laundry in front of a fan than can be blowing heated or unheated air. Except for the essential feature of a moisture sensor that shuts the dryer off automatically when the laundry is dry, and (in some models) a shelf in the middle of the drum that does not tumble for drying delicates, most high-end (that is, expensive) dryer "features" are silly and not utilitarian. With that part of the decision out of the way, and looking at washing machines, a good feature to look for is a stainless steel dimpled surface drum. The dimples on the drum's surface reduce the degree to which fibers from your laundry are pulled through the water drainage holes in the drum during the high speed spin part of the cycle, and that helps maintain fabric appearance and increases fabric life. However, the dimpled drum criterion will limit your choice to the only two brands that have dimpled drums, Miele ("Honeycomb" drum) and Samsung ("Diamond" drum). The Miele is the premium choice, reflected in price. There is some evidence, anecdotal but persistent, that Samsungs have insufficient protection of the electrical circuits against "dirty" electrical line power spikes and surges. Fortunately, for under $10, you can compensate for that implied design deficiency by placing a Tripp-Lite Spike Cube at the electrical outlet where the washing machine plugs into the wall. The latter is the path that we chose, getting a 400 series (ours is a '419, but I think that model has been superseded) Samsung several years ago, and it has been plugged into a Spike Cube from day one and never has given us any trouble. If you are coming from an exclusively top-loader history, do not allow the numerous and endlessly recurring threads on this site about "musty smells" from front-loading washing machines get to you. A few simple tips will avoid the issue: (1) Use much less detergent per load than you have used in the past: back way off, then bring the quantity back up in drips and drabs only when you discern that not all of the soil is being removed because you reduced detergent quantity too much. (2) Add a scoop -- 1/4 to 1/3 cup per load -- of plain borax (40 Mule Team is fine) to every load you run through the washer. (3) After unloading your laundry from the washer, do not close the washer's door until it clicks; just let it sit against the latch without engaging the latch; that will allow enough air to circulate to fend off mold. Good luck, and enjoy your new appliances.

Larsi, today we went to set up return for Electrolux washer that was having problems. The guy at appliance who sold it to us said that we needed to call Electrolux, tell them the prob and ask for a R.C.M number, then call him with it and he will order me another one, so that they can get refunded from Electrolux. Electrolux wanted to send out a service repair. I told them that i didn't trust this machine due to the rubbing and had called the authorized repair man, told him the prob and he said he would ask for a new one, as this could be seal or tub or both. He said he wouldnt keep one that was bad from day one. So after Electrolux figured out i wasnt going the repair route, they told me to call the store and tell them they had a seven day return policy. Told her it was delevered last thurs.and that store was passing buck to them. Electrolux got the store on the phone, told them i said no repair and then electrolux said the 7 day return policy for a electrolux did not start until unit was delivered, not from purchase date! Store said it would get with their RCM people and that electrolux may give them some credit for it. I am not sure they will get full credit. Anyway, i should hear from store tomorrow to tell me that they have ordered me another set as the dryer was dammaged and they did not check it over before delivery. I don't think that it was my place to have to do all the leg work. It should have been store, but salseman said if i called that it would carry more weight. I think that he knew that i would be told to have it repaired and he just didn't want to tell us that. I will rest easier when they call tomorrow with a time line of when new set is in. They will reverse the dryer door as they didn't do it with this one even though i asked for it, but my DH was going to do it anyway. Fingers crossed i get a good set, no scratches, dents, or detergent tray that does not hang on the front corner which this one does. THEN, i will be in laundry heaven!!!!

If you ask them, Lowe's will probably agree to giving you a check instead a gift card, particularly if it's the extended warranty servicing company that is refunding. The reason I know this is because of the problems I've had with my 2 year old Electrolux HE front loader. It took me a while to figure out why, as I didn't suspect the machine at first, but after a few months of use, my towels started to smell bad. I thought I wasn't letting them dry enough after using, so I put up new towel bars to they could be spread out to dry instead of on a hook. Then my clothes started to smell. Coincidentally, it was summer, and I thought I must be sweating more than usual, because my supposedly clean shirts would smell like BO shortly after putting them on. I even tried several different antiperspirants before I learned it was not me, but the washing machine. I found some info on odors and front loaders, and tried every remedy I could to get rid of the odor. I ran the cleaning cycle more often, ran loads of towels with bleach, tried vinegar in the wash, vinegar in the rinse, tried different detergents, used Affresh and Tide brand washing machine cleaners, but the smell kept coming back. A repairman told me off the record that nothing he or I could do would get rid of the smell. The only advice he could give was that when it was new, I should have started running more frequent cleaning cycles and using the Affresh weekly. It didn't make sense to me to have to run additional cycles and buy additional products (about $9 for three treatments) just to keep it from smelling. I subsequently discovered an attorney in CA who has filed a class action lawsuit againt Electrolux because they knew about this problem before they started selling the units in the US. In the end, Electrolux is going to refund me 70% of the purchase price, and the warranty company is refunding me the other 30% and sales tax on the entire purchase price ($1099). It's interesting that Lowe's, where I bought it, is now listing the unit online for $899 and is not allowing any user reviews on this model. The only reviews up there are good ones. I'm told by someone in the business that all front loaders smell, but people still buy them because of the advertising. He mentioned a new front loader, either GE or Whirlpool, he wasn't sure, that now has a fan built in the help dry out the machine after use. Good luck. I'm reading reviews on various websites and none of the washers, front or top loaders, seem very good.