Here is the first rule of appliance selection. Don't buy a suite of everything from one manufacturer. No one does everything well. Many of the appliance salesmen will try to steer you into one brand. Why? It's easy or they get an incentive. Next, organize you thoughts and select what is the best fit for you and your family. You may want to splurge on one item and economize on another. Do a lot of research on the appliance thread. Gardenweb is the best resource out there. Plan on spending some time here. Then go out and shop, armed with an idea of what you need, what you want and what you can afford. You have given us a budget, ~$20,000. Don't forget you will need ventilation. Everyone always forgets it and it's not cheap. I like Vent-a-Hood. I hate downdraft ventilation. Everyone has a preference. Those are mine. Rethink convection in your ovens. If you are buying double ovens, consider making one of them convection. If you have never had convection, you may not know what you are missing. But, you don't have to spend extra for double convection. If you have double ovens, you probably don't need a warming drawer. Plan on never running the self clean function on your ovens and you will be a happier customer. You only have to fry the mother board once to learn this lesson. This goes for all manufacturers. Dishwashers: Bosch, Miele, Asko for quiet. Bosch makes a wide variety of price points. I've had success with them on a number of homes. But, Miele and Asko are highly regarded. Cooktops/rangetops: You want gas. You have to decide whether you want sealed burner versus open burner. The difference is the amount of BTU that the burner can deliver. Open delivers more, closed delivers less. Some people believe that closed is easier to clean if you have an over spill. I don't agree, but let some other posters offer an opinion. I can only say I am replacing my closed burner Thermador for an open burner Bluestar rangetop. Refrigeration: You won't go wrong with Subzero, but your wallet will ache. There is nothing sexier than a set of Subzero full refrigerator and freezer. Liebherr is a competitor. I suggest that you take a look at your kitchen plans. You may be able to surround a full depth refrigerator with cabinets to create a built-in look. You will pay a lot more for counter depth and get less storage. Rather than a 48", think about a 36" full depth and supplement with an additional garage refrigerator or freezer. It's a cost effective way to get capacity. Instead of Subzero, I ended up buying the Kitchenaid Architect II 36" French door. I used the money I saved elsewhere. Educate yourself on one item at a time and it will all come together. I think the dishwasher is the easiest place to start. Good Luck.

It would also be helpful to know your budget, because cost is always an issue. You're not buying La Canche, but are you looking for double Dacor ovens that can go for $8K or double Bosch for less than half of that?

Hello, I am building an apartment (will be the second part of a 2 family) and I'm in the process of buying new kitchen appliances. Here is what I have for ideas: Gas cooktop: GE Monogram 36" Wall oven/microwave: GE Monogram Advantium 30" French door wall over: GE Monogram or Cafe Refrigerator: Frigidaire Professional standard depth Dishwasher: Not sure, possibly Bosch (want to find pro handles like other apps) Trash compactor: Not sure, possible Kitchen Aid (to keep pro handle look) Hood: Not sure. I'm also considering the Thermador gas cooktop and the Bosch wall ovens but then I would have to re-think the other appliances to keep the handles all similar. Does anyone have any experience with any of the above items or any suggestions? I'm overwhelmed with all the different brands and options! I am single but spend a lot of time cooking/baking/hosting so I spend a good amount of time in the kitchen. I want reliable appliances but I don't want to overspend when it's not necessary. My budget is around $12,000, but hoping to spend less. I'm definitely going with a gas cooktop and don't really want the microwave over that as a vent/hood. Thanks for reading this and any input is appreciated!

Friedajune, I still mixed. I have Gaggenau, Miele, Monogram, Wolf and Marvel. People only buy all of one if the designer chooses the appliances or if they're buying the name rather than function, even at that level. :) You can still get a discount if you're buying a bunch of different brands, especially from an independent appliance store, but possibly from the big chains as well. Most builders and designers are afforded a discount, but they'll also let you have the discount if you pay the store directly (the purpose is to cover their overhead, which is nothing really if they're just signing you on their number). Additionally, the store will usually bargain with you if they don't have other discounts. They could give you free delivery and installation, or a free dishwasher, for instance, even if they can't give discounts on the appliances themselves.