Read the appliance forum for a while. It will give you some idea of how to prioritize your choices. For instance, I am a professional cook with professional expectations in my home. Thus, I put a high priority on an excellent range top. I'm spending my money here. I will also plan for really good ventilation. I put less emphasis on refrigeration. I just bought a KitchenAid Architect II instead of the Sub-zero. This move saved me some serious bucks I can use elsewhere. I have a Scotsman ice maker, but I'm eliminating it in the new kitchen plan. I'll sell it on Craig's List. I have enough ice from my refrigerator. If I need more ice for a party, I'll buy a few bags and put them in the cooler. This will save me some money, too. If you have children, a separate beverage refrigerator may be where you want to splurge. It's really a question of understanding your priorities. One thing did occur to me in your description. I have a double oven with integral microwave. I don't use it. I don't find the microwave to be user friendly in a large oven. Rather, I have a countertop microwave. I find it to be more convenient. When it fails, I won't be upset, it's easier to replace than the integral model. I love appliances. They are like grown up toys.

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.

Wolf doesn't get a ton of love here. There are a lot of Blue Star fans on this site so you might check them out. We were won over by a Lacanche (www.frenchranges.com). Love, love, love this range. They are pro style, gorgeous, powerful, and beautifully built. Made in France. They have smaller european size ovens that heat up in a snap. Fantastic customer service. We roast vegetables from cold oven to done in about 25 minutes in the winter w/convection. We've also cooked a 16lb turkey in it for a part of 18. Smaller ovens just heat up faster. Ours easily fits 1/2 sheet pans. I wanted a 5-6 burner cooktop but not a 36" oven. The Lacanche Volnay + second oven was a great solution. You can pick your configuration - we got gas top with electric oven and warming cupboard. Worth the splurge IMHO. Vent-a-hood and Modernaire range hoods are higher end and can be quieter than some. (We got a Vent-a-hood). Miele is a top choice dw based on what I've read. Our house came with a newer Bosch that has served us well, but when it does need replacing we'll probably go with a Miele. Combination steam ovens are worth a look - they can serve as a convection oven or steam oven. We have a Gaggenau and enjoy it quite a bit. Miele and Wolf also make them. If you are going high end or love cooking, consider a wine fridge. We have an under the counter Marvel (avoid Vinotemp - they are cheaply made). We actually store most of our wine elsewhere, but the 55F is perfect for raising bread dough, and storing fresh fruit (berries last a week in there which is awesome right now) and holding our decanted wine at an optimal temp. We didn't replace our fridge in our update so I haven't researched those. Happy Kitchen Making!

We've remodeled a couple of homes and have had good luck with the top or near top of the line Whirlpool dishwashers. We just moved to a house with a bottom of the line DW and I HATE it. The wire racks are not made for normal dishes. Pictures make it look like normal dishes fit, but they don't. Before you decide on the DW, you might take several of your bowls and glassware in to to a showroom where they are on display to be sure you aren't disappointed later. The other problem with this one is the silverware rack fits onto the door, so water can't get behind the silverware to wash the back side of it.