Seeking advice on new...appliances!

[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.

[GMichael]

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.

Thanks. Not that we'll be changing our kitchen anytime soon, but it's good to know what's available.
Thanks again. The counters are made of quartz. The colors are not as bright as most granite tops, but they have several advantages over granite. They are cheaper because they are man made instead of dug up from the Earth. (Not a limited supply) They are harder. Just be careful when cutting things on them. They won't scratch like granite, but they will dull your knife. They are non-porous. Bacteria will not build up in or on them. They are more heat resistant than granite as well. Overall, much better than granite at a lower price. We've come to think of granite as the Bose of the kitchen world. All the extra cost is for bragging rights instead of functionality.
The floor is a laminate. We heard the same thing about hardwood in the kitchen. The laminate is very easy to keep clean, but my wife wanted the hardwood look. I had picked out a different laminate, but think she made the best choice for us.

[Groundbeef]

Thanks. Not that we'll be changing our kitchen anytime soon, but it's good to know what's available.

The floor is a laminate. We heard the same thing about hardwood in the kitchen. The laminate is very easy to keep clean, but my wife wanted the hardwood look. I had picked out a different laminate, but think she made the best choice for us.

Most of the time they do!

I too have laminate in my kitchen. In fact, it's pretty much the entire floor. Except for the family room, and master bedroom, I laid laminate all over.

There are certain advantages to real wood however. It CAN be re-finished if damaged or scratched. Laminate cannot. My floor is now 6 years this summer, and it is holding up very well. However, there are a few small scratches that cannot be removed.

[kexodusc]

Most of the time they do!

I too have laminate in my kitchen. In fact, it's pretty much the entire floor. Except for the family room, and master bedroom, I laid laminate all over.

There are certain advantages to real wood however. It CAN be re-finished if damaged or scratched. Laminate cannot. My floor is now 6 years this summer, and it is holding up very well. However, there are a few small scratches that cannot be removed.

We put it in a few rooms in the home we just sold. It took a beating, and for the most part there aren't any scratches. I like the stuff.

I've used it in 2 homes now going on 3. Depending on the damage - the cost of repairing the hardwood to satisfaction can exceed the cost of replacing the laminate quite a bit. Depends on the damage serverity I guess.
I have noticed from the laminates I used, the thicker, the better, and generally a little bit more money up front will pay off in terms of durability.

[kexodusc]

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.

Good advice too - I've seen experienced first hand what can happen in a kitchen to hardwood when boiling water spills, large heavy appliances scratch, glass/ceramic dishware falls and breaks. Our previous home in Maine had hardwood there, it was a tough, durable wood with a good coat of poly on it but it still took a beating. Water damage if it ever happens is expensive to fix. The kitchen is also the highest traffic area of most homes, and ours showed the results of the added wear quite noticeably. I think in a perfect world it wouldn't matter, but when considering what can go wrong you might think again.

Ceramic tile on the other hand is perfect in the kitchen. Durable too - I dropped a microwave that didn't survive, but the tile did...vinyl/laminates would be my 2nd choice because it can be cheaper and easier to replace than hardwood in the event of catastrophe.
They are making some incredibly neat laminate flooring products these days - an idiot can install it themselves and save a ton. IMO the thicker the better, we're putting some of that 15 mm double thick stuff in our basement (another bad spot for hardwoods, especially in Canada).

[Rich-n-Texas]

Good advice too - I've seen experienced first hand what can happen in a kitchen to hardwood when boiling water spills, large heavy appliances scratch, glass/ceramic dishware falls and breaks. Our previous home in Maine had hardwood there, it was a tough, durable wood with a good coat of poly on it but it still took a beating. Water damage if it ever happens is expensive to fix. The kitchen is also the highest traffic area of most homes, and ours showed the results of the added wear quite noticeably. I think in a perfect world it wouldn't matter, but when considering what can go wrong you might think again.

Ceramic tile on the other hand is perfect in the kitchen. Durable too - I dropped a microwave that didn't survive, but the tile did...vinyl/laminates would be my 2nd choice because it can be cheaper and easier to replace than hardwood in the event of catastrophe.
They are making some incredibly neat laminate flooring products these days - an idiot can install it themselves and save a ton. IMO the thicker the better, we're putting some of that 15 mm double thick stuff in our basement (another bad spot for hardwoods, especially in Canada).

So let's see... He's dropped a pot of boiling water on the floor, slid heavy appliances across the floor, dropped plates and glasses on the floor, dropped a MICROWAVE on the floor, and he's also dropped his only camera overboard. Hmmm... how's your amp holding up dude? Sounds like maybe somebody is hand-eye challenged? And then he says an "idiot" can install laminate flooring. Well, I guess you have to drop it at some point, right?



When I get home tonite Kex-o-matic, I'll tell you what brand of appliances you'll need to buy, okay?

[kexodusc]

So let's see... He's dropped a pot of boiling water on the floor, slid heavy appliances across the floor, dropped plates and glasses on the floor, dropped a MICROWAVE on the floor, and he's also dropped his only camera overboard. Hmmm... how's your amp holding up dude? Sounds like maybe somebody is hand-eye challenged? And then he says an "idiot" can install laminate flooring. Well, I guess you have to drop it at some point, right?

Okay, let's set the record straight - I didn't drop the boiling water, but it was my floor...The Microwave was all me though.

I did slide a fridge and stove to clean - the scratches were nasty and judging by the floor's condition, not exclusive to my appliances

Who doesn't drop the odd bit of dishware?

The camera...well...guilty...but there's not a scratch on my car!

(I also seem to be the only person with a permanent 7-inch scar as a result of an encounter with an unfriendly ATM)

When I get home tonite Kex-o-matic, I'll tell you what brand of appliances you'll need to buy, okay? :1

Lemme guess, whatever units have TI goods inside...

[Groundbeef]

Most people don't realize that Kex is related to the late President Gerald Ford. You ought to see his stairwell. Had a landing pad installed at the base!

[GMichael]

So let's see... He's dropped a pot of boiling water on the floor, slid heavy appliances across the floor, dropped plates and glasses on the floor, dropped a MICROWAVE on the floor, and he's also dropped his only camera overboard. Hmmm... how's your amp holding up dude? Sounds like maybe somebody is hand-eye challenged? And then he says an "idiot" can install laminate flooring. Well, I guess you have to drop it at some point, right?



When I get home tonite Kex-o-matic, I'll tell you what brand of appliances you'll need to buy, okay?

Are you going to run around dropping things to see which ones don't break?

[ForeverAutumn]

Good advice too - I've seen experienced first hand what can happen in a kitchen to hardwood when boiling water spills, large heavy appliances scratch, glass/ceramic dishware falls and breaks. Our previous home in Maine had hardwood there, it was a tough, durable wood with a good coat of poly on it but it still took a beating. Water damage if it ever happens is expensive to fix. The kitchen is also the highest traffic area of most homes, and ours showed the results of the added wear quite noticeably. I think in a perfect world it wouldn't matter, but when considering what can go wrong you might think again.

Ceramic tile on the other hand is perfect in the kitchen. Durable too - I dropped a microwave that didn't survive, but the tile did...vinyl/laminates would be my 2nd choice because it can be cheaper and easier to replace than hardwood in the event of catastrophe.
They are making some incredibly neat laminate flooring products these days - an idiot can install it themselves and save a ton. IMO the thicker the better, we're putting some of that 15 mm double thick stuff in our basement (another bad spot for hardwoods, especially in Canada).

Thanks. Those are good points. There's so much to consider...appliances are only the beginning!