Seeking advice on new...appliances!

[kexodusc]

Yeah, that's right...appliances.

We need all new appliances for the house we're building- I know NOTHING about brands or features other than what I read on the net this week and a slew of problems 3 relatives have had with various Whirlpool brand stuff in the last 3 years....

Sooo...laundry pair, everything in the kitchen...gotta all match of course cause my wife's fickle that way.

Are there any "good" or "aweful" brands or is this stuff all fairly generic?
Best deals I've been offered are on Frigidaire everything, web reviews are favorable but if it's anything like audio that's useless. Mulling over some LG laundry stuff though.

Appreciate any thoughts. I'm out of my element on this one.

[Groundbeef]

I just bought a Whirlpool Cabrio Washer, and had purchased the Cabrio Dryer last year. (My old set finally died after 14 long years). Between myself, the missus, and the 3 girls we figure we washed 10 loads a week, 52X Yr. That was a cheap Amana set from when CC used to sell appliances. But I digress.

I have not had any issues with the Whirlpool stuff. There have been some complaints on the web, but do a search for LG appliances, and you will be horrified. Especially the dryers, lots of complaints of ruined clothing and the like.

The Cabiro were a bit pricey, but I bought floor models, and talked the price down a fair amount. Ended up $689US for the Dryer and $849US for the Washer (tax included).

We have a GE cooktop, and GE Ovens (2-the wife loves to cook). I don't remember the brand of dishwasher, but it was a cheepie. I don't need a silent one, just one that cleans.

Hope that helps.

[GMichael]

We went with all Kenmore (or Kenmore Elite for the dishwasher. it had the best sound insulation) When I researched a few years back, they were getting the highest marks besides some English brand that was 3x the cost. I believe that Whirlpool is still making Kenmore (to Sears' specs). We love them so far. Wife wanted the stainless but I didn't like how they showed fingerprints. We ended up with the satin. They look stainless but don't show the fingerprints. For the fridge, we got the side by side style. It's good for the convenience of being able to reach everything, but you'll never slide a whole pizza box in. You could go with the side by side refrigerator style that has the freezer on the bottom. These give you the best of both worlds but cost 2x as much.

We went with LG's for the washer & drier. So far we've had no issues.

[kexodusc]

We went with all Kenmore (or Kenmore Elite for the dishwasher. it had the best sound insulation) When I researched a few years back, they were getting the highest marks besides some English brand that was 3x the cost. I believe that Whirlpool is still making Kenmore (to Sears' specs). We love them so far. Wife wanted the stainless but I didn't like how they showed fingerprints. We ended up with the satin. They look stainless but don't show the fingerprints. For the fridge, we got the side by side style. It's good for the convenience of being able to reach everything, but you'll never slide a whole pizza box in. You could go with the side by side refrigerator style that has the freezer on the bottom. These give you the best of both worlds but cost 2x as much.

We went with LG's for the washer & drier. So far we've had no issues.

Kenmore, eh? We never checked Sears.

My wife's leaning towards the single door fridge/freezer unit because she likes the width for her baking etc. But we can figure that out later - I'm just curious if there's brands to avoid at this point but it's looking like a crapshoot.

[kexodusc]

I just bought a Whirlpool Cabrio Washer, and had purchased the Cabrio Dryer last year. (My old set finally died after 14 long years). Between myself, the missus, and the 3 girls we figure we washed 10 loads a week, 52X Yr. That was a cheap Amana set from when CC used to sell appliances. But I digress.

I have not had any issues with the Whirlpool stuff. There have been some complaints on the web, but do a search for LG appliances, and you will be horrified. Especially the dryers, lots of complaints of ruined clothing and the like.

The Cabiro were a bit pricey, but I bought floor models, and talked the price down a fair amount. Ended up $689US for the Dryer and $849US for the Washer (tax included).

We have a GE cooktop, and GE Ovens (2-the wife loves to cook). I don't remember the brand of dishwasher, but it was a cheepie. I don't need a silent one, just one that cleans.

Hope that helps.

Thanks Beefy. As I understand it some of the Whirlpool stuff is built in Europe, some is built in Mexico. I'm told to avoid the Mexico stuff. But I dunno how much more reliable any of the brands are over others, we had cheap GE, Inglis, and Frigidaire crap in the last 2 homes without issues (most brands a. I'm guessin X % of all appliances die and in the review world you tend to hear from the unsatisfied customers a lot more than the satisfied ones.

Did you get front or top loaders? Wife is SOLD on the front load washer/dryer now, she had them in Australia the 9 months she was there, our mothers have them, and there's no way I'm talking her out of it now...

[GMichael]

Thanks Beefy. As I understand it some of the Whirlpool stuff is built in Europe, some is built in Mexico. I'm told to avoid the Mexico stuff. But I dunno how much more reliable any of the brands are over others, we had cheap GE, Inglis, and Frigidaire crap in the last 2 homes without issues (most brands a. I'm guessin X % of all appliances die and in the review world you tend to hear from the unsatisfied customers a lot more than the satisfied ones.

Did you get front or top loaders? Wife is SOLD on the front load washer/dryer now, she had them in Australia the 9 months she was there, our mothers have them, and there's no way I'm talking her out of it now...

When I researched these back in 2006, the top brands were Kenmore Elite, Kenmore, and GE. LG was in the middle. Then the Whirlpools and Frigidaire were on the bottom. Note sure how they rate them now.

For the washer & drier, there was an English brand that was on top, then Kenmore, LG, Samsung..... The front loaders are easier to use and are better for water consumption and energy conservation, but cost more. I think they are worth the extra money though.

[ForeverAutumn]

Wife is SOLD on the front load washer/dryer now, she had them in Australia the 9 months she was there, our mothers have them, and there's no way I'm talking her out of it now...

I've always wanted a front load washer and the new house came with one. But what I didn't know is that it takes twice a long to wash a load of laundry now!

[GMichael]

I've always wanted a front load washer and the new house came with one. But what I didn't know is that it takes twice a long to wash a load of laundry now!

Very true. Almost an hour for a full load.

[Groundbeef]

Thanks Beefy.

Did you get front or top loaders? Wife is SOLD on the front load washer/dryer now, she had them in Australia the 9 months she was there, our mothers have them, and there's no way I'm talking her out of it now...

The Cabrio Line from Whirlpool are TOPLOADERS. However, they are HE (High Efficiancy), and are awesome. The washer has a capacity of 4.5CF, and the Dryer is 7.5CF.

That is enough room in the washer to wash our Queen sized comforter without any trouble.

This machine mimicks the performance of a front loader, (water consumption, speed etc), without the downsides.

Do a google search for frontload washers problems, and you will hopefully be able to change her mind. Typical issues involve leakage, mold growth, and staining of clothing. I wouldn't buy a front loader EVER.

BTW, the washer spins (the Cabrio) so fast, a full load of towels now takes the dryer less than 40 minutes to dry. It's weird. The washer spins at 950RPM, most washers spin around 500-600RPM.

And its whisper quiet. I'm not kidding. The loudest sound when washing clothes is the sound of the water going into the tub. My wife didn't even belive it when I washed clothes the first time. Our old one sounded like we were washing gravel in a cement mixer!

[bobsticks]

We have a GE cooktop, and GE Ovens (2-the wife loves to cook). I don't remember the brand of dishwasher, but it was a cheepie. I don't need a silent one, just one that cleans.

It's been awhile since I've looked in a brand-specific kinda way but inkeeping with what Beefy said I think you have to prioritize.

Heat is heat, nahmean? I have yet to discern a huge difference between electric ranges...for me, I was better served to buy a cheaper oven and better cookware. Gas, I'm sure, is more prone to variance but I'm not qualified to comment on home units.

I agree to an extent Beefy as well about the dishwasher, although differences are pretty vast in dishwashers. It just depends on your preferences. I went with a nice mid-level GE unit due to the space constraints v. quality ratio and have been happy. You'll probably have more options.

Refrigerators are the speakers of home appliances. I can't strongly enough recommend the theory that was imparted to me by that scion of wisdom...momma sticks...that you prolly need to spend less than what you're told on an oven and more than what you think is reasonably acceptable on a fridge.

I did that have been grateful ever since. Even temps protect and prolong food life, auto ice (if water quality permits), and storage capacity (equals fewer trips out, less drive time).
I recently upgraded to a 21.7 cf. Whirlpool that I have been extremely pleased with though it's clearly overkill for a single guy.

Sadly, I doubt it's an option in your part of the world but I can't say enough good things about HHGregg for appliances, though I'm not terribly high on them for A/V stuff...great and timely service, sensible warranties and knowledgable staff.

[ForeverAutumn]

Hey Kex, I can't help you yet but I'm in the same boat so I'm happy to share anything that I learn. We don't need a washer/dryer right now, but we're shopping around for a new kitchen and will be purchasing all new kitchen appliances sometime this summer (after the kitchen design is finalized).

We'll probably also be shopping for a new furnace before the weather gets cool again, so I can share that research with you as well if you need a furnace.

There is a Consumer Reports Kitchen book on the shelves right now that has some interesting appliance reviews and info. I'm in the process of reading it now. What I find very interesting is that CR seems to like Kenmore (Sears) appliances and rates them quite highly in all categories. The thing is that Sears doesn't make their own appliances, they are white labeled. But I guess the lower price makes them good buys.

Just from looking around at fridges, I can tell you that we've decided on a bottom freezer. The side by side fridges don't have a lot of room. If you wanted to store a turkey, for example, in the freezer or slide a pizza box into the fridge, you can't. The bottom freezers don't have as much space as the top freezers, but not having to bend down as much to reach the lower fridge shelves makes it a good trade-off IMO.

We saw a really cool stove in a kitchen showroom that we're going to price. It's called a "slide-in". It's a flat top with controls on the front (no backsplash) and the stove top is designed to slide into your counter top for a smooth, unbroken look. It was very cool...not sure of price yet though.

We had a Whirlpool washer/dryer in our old house that worked really well and never gave us any problems. They were both pretty low-end appliances, but they got the job done.

[GMichael]

Hey Kex, I can't help you yet but I'm in the same boat so I'm happy to share anything that I learn. We don't need a washer/dryer right now, but we're shopping around for a new kitchen and will be purchasing all new kitchen appliances sometime this summer (after the kitchen design is finalized).

We'll probably also be shopping for a new furnace before the weather gets cool again, so I can share that research with you as well if you need a furnace.

There is a Consumer Reports Kitchen book on the shelves right now that has some interesting appliance reviews and info. I'm in the process of reading it now. What I find very interesting is that CR seems to like Kenmore (Sears) appliances and rates them quite highly in all categories. The thing is that Sears doesn't make their own appliances, they are white labeled. But I guess the lower price makes them good buys.

Just from looking around at fridges, I can tell you that we've decided on a bottom freezer. The side by side fridges don't have a lot of room. If you wanted to store a turkey, for example, in the freezer or slide a pizza box into the fridge, you can't. The bottom freezers don't have as much space as the top freezers, but not having to bend down as much to reach the lower fridge shelves makes it a good trade-off IMO.

We saw a really cool stove in a kitchen showroom that we're going to price. It's called a "slide-in". It's a flat top with controls on the front (no backsplash) and the stove top is designed to slide into your counter top for a smooth, unbroken look. It was very cool...not sure of price yet though.

We had a Whirlpool washer/dryer in our old house that worked really well and never gave us any problems. They were both pretty low-end appliances, but they got the job done.

Those are very nice! I love the way they blend into the counters. A little pricy though. The ovens and the stove tops come separately and add up to about 2x the cost of a comparable over/stove range. Still, if it's in the budget, they look fantastic.

[ForeverAutumn]

Those are very nice! I love the way they blend into the counters. A little pricy though. The ovens and the stove tops come separately and add up to about 2x the cost of a comparable over/stove range. Still, if it's in the budget, they look fantastic.

This one was all one piece, just like a regular stove/oven.

[GMichael]

This one was all one piece, just like a regular stove/oven.

Really? Do you know the brand etc? I do love how those look.

[ForeverAutumn]

Really? Do you know the brand etc? I do love how those look.

I don't. But we'll be going into their showroom next week to review the designs and I'll find out for you. I like what you guys did with your kitchen. What material is your counter-top? And, is your floor hardwood or laminate? I want hardwood but several people have advised me against hardwood in the kitchen.

[rob7]

Don't know where your 'parts unknown' is at, but we lived in a parts unknown ourselves. We bought a washer and dryer from Best Buy in Phx, but we lived about 2 hours away in the middle of nowhere. We had some issues with the dryer and it was a total pain in the a** to get them to honor the warranty for the repair. If I remember right, we had to load it up ourselves and take it into the store. Since then, we've bought everything from Sears because out here they have those repair vans that go anywhere. We bought Kenmore washer and dryer and haven't had any trouble.

And we have a Kenmore bottom freezer refridgerator, and we love it. Freezer actually holds a lot and it has a shelf so everything is not in one big pile (it's in two). Shelves in the fridge hold pizzas, turkeys, hams, milk gallons, and whatever else.

Hope that helps.

[L.J.]

I purchased Kenmore fridge & washer/dryer set from Sears about 7 years ago. No problems. Customer service was just excellent, the sales staff was very knowledgeable, just all around great service. We actually received a call from Sears a few years ago and was notified that we were due for our free maintenance on our appliances. They sent someone right out.

When hooking up a water filter to the fridge, I somehow managed to get the water line in the fridge clogged. I didn't run enough water through the filter before I installed it. Sears came out and replaced the water line and clogged valve free of charge even though it was my fault.

Our fridge is pretty big but the freezer section(side by side door) is kinda small. We ended up getting a second fridge (Frigidaire) for the garage and also a deep freezer. Both have been in the garage and running good for about 6 years.

[GMichael]

I purchased Kenmore fridge & washer/dryer set from Sears about 7 years ago. No problems. Customer service was just excellent, the sales staff was very knowledgeable, just all around great service. We actually received a call from Sears a few years ago and was notified that we were due for our free maintenance on our appliances. They sent someone right out.

When hooking up a water filter to the fridge, I somehow managed to get the water line in the fridge clogged. I didn't run enough water through the filter before I installed it. Sears came out and replaced the water line and clogged valve free of charge even though it was my fault.

Our fridge is pretty big but the freezer section(side by side door) is kinda small. We ended up getting a second fridge (Frigidaire) for the garage and also a deep freezer. Both have been in the garage and running good for about 6 years.

We have a second (larger GE) fridge in the garage also. It holds lots of beer.

[Rich-n-Texas]

The expert thread derailers have struck again!

I promise it'll be back on track by tonite Kex.

[bobsticks]

The expert thread derailers have struck again!

I promise it'll be back on track by tonite Kex.

But prolly not anytime sooner than that...Autumn, this be one of them times...fair warning






Did someone mention the need for "dremel"? Like, in powertools? Powertools are an important part of any home renovation or relocation...

[GMichael]

But prolly not anytime sooner than that...Autumn, this be one of them times...fair warning






Did someone mention the need for "dremel"? Like, in powertools? Powertools are an important part of any home renovation or relocation...

Power tools? I didn't see any power tools in that vid. I'll have to watch again.

[Groundbeef]

Power tools? I didn't see any power tools in that vid. I'll have to watch again.

I kept looking for a dremel like the one I have. My wife never looked that good rounding out the corners. In fact, she looked kinda pissed while doing the work. I'm not sure why, as I gave her a break every so often so she could get me another beer.

Ungrateful really.

[GMichael]

I kept looking for a dremel like the one I have. My wife never looked that good rounding out the corners. In fact, she looked kinda pissed while doing the work. I'm not sure why, as I gave her a break every so often so she could get me another beer.

Ungrateful really.

FA is going to give you such a pinch!

[Rich-n-Texas]

Can we PLEASE not take this thread in that direction. So far I'm enjoying this one.

[Groundbeef]

Can we PLEASE not take this thread in that direction. So far I'm enjoying this one.

If you want to help Kex laminate his hardwood, perhaps you ought to PM him. Wait, that's not what I meant. If you would like to...oh never mind.