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]

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...

[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]

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.

[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]

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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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).

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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!