The comments are very useful (hopefully for others as well. I include a link at the bottom for those who wish to see how I plan to pack all these appliances in such a small space (about 70 Sq. Ft.)and remain true to my word of having at least 96" of useable counter space:) Yes, I do cook, although I kind of gave up a couple years ago because I got sick of the kitchenette being so small (6' 6" includes 20 inch range, apt. fridge and sink with a little counterspace wrapping around a corner. I do a bit of Asian cooking (got to be really careful of grease so I don't do this much), baking, etc. Thinking that a good range is the most versatile option to go with in a limited space. Rococogurl is talking sense here. It may be because she's a designer and looking at the total picture rather than just the appliances, but I do realize there are a lot of guys living around here who just don't cook. I like to cook and figure a little more kitchen (especially the counterspace) will entice me to do more. But what she is saying (I think) is look at the over all scale of your place and don't put some really serious piece of equipment in that's out of whack with the rest of the house. I have a 20 inch apt. range now and IT heats the apt. up a bit in the summer. In the winter it's fine because this old parlour room with it's tall ceilings and leaky insulation runs cold. Anyhow, I don't roast much turkey in August, but the point is well taken. Any of these ranges will heat up the room depending on what one does with it, but yeah, the bluestar or capital, american, viking ranges should all do about the same thing in terms of heat in the kitchen. But the appliance should match the lifestyle is what she's saying, which is a very good point. However, that being said, is a pro style range the best "all purpose" tool for someone who wants to do a variety of different cooking stuff? I mean my neighbor bought Gaggy ovens because she is a baker and she isn't that thrilled with them. I am just looking for a good "down the middle of the highway" choice that I will really enjoy. (Yes, I know the blue star owners are revving their super nova burners cheering, but probably any of these fine ranges will work including a Bertazonni or FP etc.)? The reason I am looking for power in a range is versatility I guess...? Still defending the Northland Company (I don't know why because the battle seems lost with the Liebherrite's out there:) These are extremely well built (I would say much less tinny than the Liebherr). There nothing special other than a very good looking tall thin built in with a stainless door and top mounted compressor. Insides are all metal and they go for about 3800 street price so they aren't cheap by any means--they also hold as much as a much wider fridge which is good for the space starved. The Liebherr's are really nice, but the construction isn't all metal. If I had room for their 30 inch built in I would get it. I am really going for a clean box look rather than anything else, thus the Northland. Who knows I may slash the budget and get a Liebherr before this is over. I don't like the integrated model that much as it doesn't hold that much. Apt. is about 400 Sq. Ft. in an historic district in Brooklyn. No other washer dryer facilities available. I carry the stuff to a service/drycleaner. Please have a look at the picture. Some people may have issues or comments about so much stuff being packed together space-shuttle style with virtually no under counter storeage, but there are no "win-win" scenarios with trying to do all this in such a compact area...I know this is an appliance thread, but readers may want to have a look at the rendering to get a better idea. Thanks Again. DOug http://photos.gardenweb.com/home/galleries/2007/09/microkitchen_plan.html?cat=my_favorite_room Here is a link that might be useful: Micro Kitchen Drawing

To me, there's nothing wrong with mixing "high end" and lower cost, functional good-quality kitchen components. More important to me is to avoid the waste implied in buying things that will not last or that will certainly become unfashionable. I live in a working class neighborhood, mostly little 1950s houses with lots of retirees, including myself. Although our lot is on a lake, this property will NEVER command top dollar because of the settlement pattern of the community. The recession has really hurt home values here; I thought our house was $275,000 to $300,000 because of previous improvements, but I believe that it's now $220,000 and that was before we launched a major addition, geothermal, and new siding, etc. No matter what we sink into the house, it's for us, not for resale or peer pressure. We have decided to retain the 30 inch refrigerator we bought last year (an emergency purchase) but to put it in a position where a larger unit could some day fit. No wooden housing around it. We are keeping our old electric range, but are adding a portable induction burner that can be set out on the countertop to increase functionality. There is room for another oven on a wall outside our new G shaped kitchen, but I don't think I will be the one to buy it (unless my grown children move back to live nearby); a portable roaster oven will suffice to augment the baking and roasting for large gatherings. We use our outdoor gas grill in all seasons for grilling. My husband enjoys the ritual of being the griller and he shovels the access space before dinner parties. The broiler in the old range suffices if he doesn't want to venture outdoors. We are retaining our existing dishwasher. Our big innovation is to add a second sink to the kitchen. All sinks and appliances are white. My muse is the idea of a "workshop kitchen." I am not trying to reproduce any particular theme, unless it is a farm kitchen that processes a lot of food in season. I do hope to make the kitchen work as a functional, welcoming space for myself and husband now that we're empty nesters and for events when we have visitors, whether large or small groups. Laminate for countertops is sufficient and my ego does not require anything more dazzling on the countertops, although there will be slabs of butcherblock on either side of the stove. Hubby decided to go with hardwood floor and install it and finish it himself, although I was ready to order the vinyl. We have found a local cabinetmaker who said he would meet the price of a sample plan of readymade cabinets from the Big Box home stores. Now, we're adding custom touches to the cabinetry plans, not in decorative features but real utility features, such as tapping the space that was wasted in "spacers" between boxes. All materials are American made, or American harvested. Except for the old siding and walls and flooring, very little is going to the landfill. Furnace went to the scrap metal guy. My own eccentricities will add all the "pop" and pizzaz that this kitchen will need. Fabric, color, laminate choice, color of stain, art, displays of collections-- a creative outlet without a high end price tag. We have splurged on a bank of windows and a few light fixtures (No, we're not putting in "cans" because the ceiling feeds to an attic where we're fighting heat loss.) We are working very hard to live within our means, following the requirements of good sense and ignoring consumer manias. When I get myself too fired up about making a more upscale purchase, I remind myself that the photos, the ad copy, the home shows and the open houses, are all there to facilitate SELLING, not living. Here in Minnesota, where granite is quarried, I know that some of the rock countertops are fairly reasonable, but as I have declared elsewhere on this forum, I refuse to purchase anything that is sold with a "how to care for it" bottle of something and some warnings about how to protect the finish. In many ways, by definition, I am free from the pressures that other posters feel in order to keep up with the neighborhood, to make a kitchen that defines a house value, or to prepare for the brutal house market. I don't envy the young and broke. But I was there once and I not only survived but thrived on it. The original kitchen in this house was painted baby blue without concern for the cathair? gobs in the paint and the kitchen 'table' had a hinge so we could access the refrigerator. My hubby and my carpenter father and a different local cabinetmaker came up with a sufficient re-do that we have appreciated since right before the Bicentennial. I raised two sensible daughters in that modest kitchen. This doesn't mean I'm not agonizing over choices today, though. "Leave me alone, I'm thinking!" is a common mantra right now. Today's musing: Do I want to order fancier cupboard doors? It's always something. Enjoy your day. Florantha

Speak for yourself, Homechef! I always noticed and worked with the temperatures in my old ovens! S What!, the microwave is good for a fast heat of a single thing at a time. For reheating mixed foods or several portions nothing beats a steam oven! Kim Laden, those instructions are shocking! I understand choosing an oven if there are two timers. The rest sounds like they didn't even test it during the design phase. Like with someone who cooks dinner. What model were you looking at? I just had to see for myself and looked up the manuals at AJMadison (which loads faster than Bosch): Bosch Benchmark Series HBLP651UC The kitchen timer can also be set by pressing the clock/timer touchpad at the left of the control panel. The timer input “00:00” value blinks in the center of the display. Enter the desired timer value with the numeric touchpads and press “Enter” to start the timer Bosch Benchmark Series HBLP651LUC Sideswing is the same. Cancel by touching the kitchen timer softkey or opening the door. That's the part I don't like. Losing the timer when you open the door. But that might mean that the sound of a finish timer ends then, not that it resets. I don't know. One could ask the forum. I know there are owners here. There is also something called an "oven timer" which will turn off the oven when it hits zero.

Look at the kitchens of a few of your neighbors houses. Take notes as to what types appliances they have in their kitchens. Take this information to the Kitchen Forum along with a floorplan of your home, including pantries, doorways and windows. Let them give you some general ideas of what may be accomplished. You may also want to consult with an independent kitchen planning consultant for help. We can give you lots of specific ideas about appliances, brands and features of appliances and the best use of appliances. But, we will need to first assess the space and basic requirements. While many on the forum have experienced children that go through strange food stages, we generally love to cook. We also tend to be kitchen and appliance obsessed. This means the convenience foods you are currently serving to your family are classified as emergency foods. They are not the primary types of foods we feed to our families. Even a substandard kitchen can produce good, healthy food. It can be done on a budget and it can be done quickly. A challenging kitchen just doesn't do it as nicely or efficiently as it could be done. Do not take this a criticism, but it seems foolish to make the effort and spend a lot of money on equipment that won't be used or appreciated. If you continue to feed your children a diet of frozen chicken nuggets and pizza, they will never learn to experience the full range of nature's bounty. Learning to eat well and appreciate food is a life-long process and the foundation is laid early in life. May I suggest you subscribe to one of the weekly meal delivery services and commit to cooking two or three meals a week from scratch. I use one and I have found it to be both educational, convenient and budget friendly. It would expose your family to foods that they otherwise might not experience. If you put it in front of them enough, they will eat eventually. Also, this might help you to determine what kind kitchen is needed. I use Green Chef, they are entirely organic. They have family meal options, too. There are any number of these services available to suit every need.