In Response to Colleen

Question

Hi Guru-

I am overwhelmed with choices and trying to compare features and reviews. I am working with a more basic budget--i.e., under 1800 for my range. I need to select an electric range (no gas at my house), an over the range microwave and a dishwasher. I'd like all stainless steel. I think I am pretty set on a Sharp convection/micro and a Bosch dishwasher. I know you have spoken well of Bosch. Need to figure out the range. I'd like a slide in (no backsplash--forward controls). I don't think I need convection in my main oven but would like a simmer burner and a warming drawer ideally. It is hard to figure out what to get and what represents the best quality/price ratio. Thanks for any insights.

Colleen



Answer

Colleen,

As you've noticed, I've said you can't go wrong with a Bosch dishwasher. Make sure you use a rinse-aid product and you'll love it. Which model are you looking at?

As far as the range goes, to fit your requirements I'd go with the Kitchenaid KESS907SSS. This range is feature loaded and looks good. You have the glass touch controls up front, the simmer feature on each eye, a warming drawer, and a convection oven (I know you said you weren't particularly interested in this, but to get a model with a warming drawer you'll be getting the convection no matter which brand you go with). Best of all, you should be able to find this range in the $1650-1700 range which should bring you in under or at your budget (depending on your tax rate).

Which microwave model were you looking at?

The Guru has Spoken

Questions

Leave your question in the comment section here and I'll get you an answer.

The Guru has Spoken

Guide - Buying a Refrigerator

What Size Can You Fit?
The most important thing to determine when buying a refrigerator is the maximum space you have available for it. One of the worst things that can happen is to get the refrigerator home and it not fit. Important measurements to take note of are:

• Height – Take the measurement from the floor to the top of the cabinets. Something to keep in mind while looking at refrigerators is the spacing you’ll need for the hinges.
• Width – You will want to measure from one side of the cabinets to the other. If one side happens to be a wall you will want to keep in mind the clearance you’ll need to open the door
• Depth – The last measurement you will need to take is from the back wall to the face of the cabinets. You will also want to measure to make sure the refrigerator you pick out won’t protrude and block a doorway if there is one on the wall to the side of the refrigerator.
  

What Type of Refrigerators are there?
After you determine what size refrigerator you can fit in the allocated area, the next question to answer is what style do you want? There are several different styles of refrigerators, each with its own unique benefits and drawbacks.

Top Freezer
This is where you are going to find your smallest capacity and sized refrigerators. The cubic foot sizes vary from a small 12 cubic feet to a robust 24.6. An ice maker is an upgrade in top freezer refrigerators and very few have the internal water dispenser (like G.E.’s PTS22SHSS). You can no longer find the option of water and ice in the door on top freezer refrigerators. This style refrigerator makes accessing your freezer compartment easy, but you have to bend over and dig for your fresh food products.

Side by Side
The side by side refrigerator offers you the refrigerator and freezer, as you can probably guess, side by side. The functionality on the side by side is reasonably good for everyday use, but you run into a problem when you have larger items such as pizza boxes or party trays. Water and ice in the door are a norm for this style of refrigerator.

Bottom Freezer
The bottom freezer refrigerator is the direct opposite of the top freezer refrigerator. As it says, you get the freezer on the bottom – giving it a chest-freezer like feel with either a slide out drawer or swing open door. The refrigerator up top has a single large door and an opening that helps make the fresh food easily accessible. Water and ice are not available in the door. Ice makers are fairly standard and the internal water dispenser is generally only found in upgraded models.

French Door
This is the fastest growing segment in refrigeration today. The french door refrigerator offers a wide refrigerator space which can accommodate party platters and more. It also brings the fresh food compartment up to where it can be easily accessed. Unlike the bottom freezer refrigerator which has one big door, the french door refrigerator has two smaller doors, making it more accommodating in tighter areas. Like the bottom freezer, the freezer compartment is the down side of this style of refrigerator, giving you a chest-like freezer area.

All Refrigerator
All refrigerator units offer 17 cubic feet of refrigerator-only space. These are particularly nice if you have limited space in the kitchen, but you have room in the pantry or garage for a freezer. These do not come with ice or water.

Built-ins
Built-ins are your premium refrigerators. They generally run two to four times as much as you standard refrigerators. I’ll be writing a buying specifically for these in the future.

Finish
The next question you have to answer is what finish do you want. The most common are stainless steel, ‘smudge proof’ fake stainless, black, white, bisque, and panel ready. There are a few brands,such as Dacor and Aga, that offer more extreme colored finishes.

Energy Efficiency
Make sure you purchase an energy efficient refrigerator. A question I hear often is “how much do I really save with an energy star refrigerator?”. The answer to that question varies depending on how old the refrigerator is you are replacing. A lot of people like to brag about their 30+ year old refrigerator still running, which I admit is a cool thing, but you may be surprised at how much it costs you to run it. Let’s take a look at a thirty year old, full size side by side (26 cubic feet) refrigerator– you’re looking at a savings of $300 a year versus the new refrigerators today. Even though it still runs, think of the money you can save by putting it on the curb and replacing it with a new one. Check out http://www.frigidaireenergysavings.com to run different variations to see exactly how much you’ll be saving.

In response to Howard

Question :
This is just the blog I've been looking for!

We're replacing some of our appliances as part of a kitchen refresh/remodel. The ones we're replacing are 19 years old. One of the main requirements is that they either be panel-ready (for the fridges) or black. We have no stainless steel, nor do we want any.

For the oven, we're looking at the Electrolux double in either 27" (if we don't move a wall) or 30" if we do.

For the cooktop on the island, we'll likely replace our KitchenAid glass-top gas cooktop with their current model, although it looks like cooktops from Bosch, GE, JennAir and Miele would work, too (we have a drawer 4" below the countertop that we want to keep).

We currently have a KA downdraft (no popup) that doesn't do much. We thought about replacing it with an overhead island hood, but between the expense (remember - no stainless), and the view blocking, we don't think we'd like it. We're looking at the Dacor PRV36B downdraft with the 600 CFM external blower for this replacement.

We currently have a 36" SubZero with the freezer underneath. We have an additional old side by side in the pantry. We're thinking of replacing the SZ with a 36" all-fridge, and the pantry fridge with an all-freezer. The SZ replacement needs to be a panel-ready built in. The SZ BI36 is currently at the top of the list, but have Northland, Viking and Miele on the list. We'd like the freezer to be a built-in panel ready as well (looking at Northland, Bosch, others) around 15 cu ft, but if budget demands, we may drop back to a free standing (it will take up more space, however).

We're also looking for the largest, most-powerfull microwave that can be built into a 24" cabinet.

Our dishwasher is only a few years old, and we're keeping that.That's our full list unless you're doing plumbing fixtures too - we're looking for faucets, sinks, and undercounter water filtration plus hot and cold.Would love to get your advice on any or all of the above.
Thanks!
HG

Answer :
HG, Thanks for the question. We'll start at the top and work our way down.

First of all, you can't go wrong with the Electrolux wall oven. I'd definitely try and get the 30" in there if possible - you'll appreciate the extra space it provides versus the 27". A quick story : ever since we married, my wife had problems making cake, and for each of my birthdays I'd insist she'd make me one (they always came out dry, despite what she tried). To get straight to the point, once we put in the electrolux oven they came out near perfection - now she makes cakes without an excuse of a birthday and persistent husband, and they're great. The oven holds a tight temperature, with little fluctuation. We've used the meat probe several times and love the 'perfect turkey' feature and you can't overlook the nice blue inside and the easy-glide racks (I've seen people buy these ovens just for the racks - not the smartest consumer, but they are an attractive feature). The lighting is bright and the wave touch controls always seem to make the friends ohhh and ahhh.

I'm going to have to pull my stick out on this one. I'd find a way to make the overhead hood work, if not for one simple reason - smoke, steam, etc... rises. It is natural for it to go up. You run into a lot of inefficiencies when you try to downdraft, and I don't think that you'll find much more luck with the Dacor than you did the Kitchenaid. I'm a true believer in the Vent-a-Hood line. They are the only fire safe hood on the market, they are quieter than any other hood, they last forever, and you can get what you want. They can do ANY color hood you are wanting. I'd spend a little more money here, and when Thanksgiving rolls around and you're cooking up a storm you'll thank me when there's no smoke filling your kitchen.

On to refrigerators, Sub Zero makes great machines, as you probably know, and the Miele is a good machine, but I like the Thermador (it's practically the same thing as the Miele - the Miele is just a little easier to put panels on). Northland is a little less expensive and the idea that you can unplug the cooling guts of the refrigerator and plug new ones up if you ever need to is intriguing. One of the main reasons I'd go with a Thermador over the others is the warranty they have backing it. It's a 2 year full parts and labor on anything, 3-6 years covers the sealed system (these are all the parts that go into cooling) full parts and labor and the 7-12 years cover the sealed system parts - you'll just have to worry about the labor. Sub Zero is a 2, 3-5, 6-12 and the Miele is a 1, 2-5, 6-10. Northland has a little different setup - the first year they cover the whole unit parts and labor, the second year they cover just the parts on the whole unit UNLESS it has to do with the sealed system, which is covered (full parts and labor) until the 6th year. They also have an 'inner liner' warranty that covers the inner liner if the paint chips or rusts until the 10th year.

All in all, I'd look at the Thermador units in your case.

On the microwave, do you have a 24" cabinet opening or 24" overall cabinet?

The Guru has Spoken

In response to MM

Question :
I'd love to know what you think about GE monogram ranges, what dishwasher you would recommend, home ice makers, microwave drawers, etc. Any info is appreciated!

Answer :
Let me start out by talking about monogram. GE takes pride in this line and their service shows it. I had a refrigerator come in for a customer that went out 2 weeks after install (no appliance is immune to going out - even the high dollar ones) - the parts weren't readily available so they swapped the whole unit out - no questions asked. Not too many brands out there will take care of their customers like this.

On to the range - I'm assuming you are talking about the new monogram range. In my opinion it is the best on the market and here's a couple of reasons why :

1. Just look at it, it's a beautiful range. I especially love the LED lights above the knobs, and the clean, beveled edges. It truly is a piece of art.
2. I like the griddle - they took the same basic idea from the DCS range by keeping the small oven compartment which heats up underneath the griddle. This gives the griddle even heat all over. I also like the fact the put the little tray in the front versus the old DCS style where you've got the hole leading to the trap trays underneath the cooktop portion of the range.
3. The dual flow burners will give you a high output @ 18,000 BTU's and each burner will also hold a 140 degree simmer (the only other brand to guarantee that is DCS)
4. Each of the grates flips around to provide you with a wok burner, just in case you are feeling super indian one night.
5. I like the self clean racks - every other brand out there you have to remove the racks when you self clean, but not the monogram - just leave them in (they borrowed the lubricant they use from the GE aero department...pretty cool) and clean the oven!
6. If you are looking at the 48", the smaller oven is actually termed the 'every day oven' and it is exactly that. It is a full featured, convection oven. You can fit a 9 x 14 pan in it (america's favorite size for all those casseroles!)
7. Easy clean up on the rangetop with the black porcelin -stainless tends to discolor quickly.

There's not anything negative I have to say about this range as of yet, other than the fact I've had one come in with a dent in the side, which I sent back and got another in perfect.

I have to recommend Bosch as my dishwasher of choice. The only negative side to a Bosch is the way it loads - it has a slightly smaller interior than most dishwashers and the tines seem awkwardly placed. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing on it. It is quiet, green (energy effecient), and safe (the pump is incased underneath to keep any leak from ruining your flooring). If you're wanting to keep to one brand, the Monogram dishwashers are definitely some of the best. In fact, it's one of few dishwashers that I've gotten consisten positive feedback on.

Icemakers - just know you're going to have to baby whatever brand you get. Make sure that you keep it cleaned AT LEAST twice a year, and I'd even do it more. The scotsman offers a nice unit that gives you clean ice - it freezes the ice upside down so the impurities fall out. You'll see a lot less fizzing when dropping these cubes into carbonated beverages. It makes the circled dimpled ice - aka liquor ice.

Sharp makes the microwave drawer, even for Dacor. If you're putting it by itself (no oven above), I'd go with the 24" unit.

If there's any other appliance or a particular model you'd like more info on, let me know.

The Guru has Spoken

In response to Doug

Doug's Question :
Hi Appliance Guru...I had a question on an older Bosch wall oven (HBL5045AUC). I have the chance to pick it up for just under $600 - brand new in the box (not a display). I guess it was just old stock as the dealer has a few still. Do you think it's worth it, or should I look at other stuff in that price range?

Answer:
Bosch has been closing these ovens out at a great price, as you see, for some time now. They are a good little oven, and I emphasized little for a reason. If you're remodeling your kitchen around the oven, I'd definitely leave room for a larger opening for when the time comes to replace it. The only real consistent problem with these ovens was the convection element going out, which doesn't cripple the oven from being used in a conventional mode if you were out of the warranty and didn't want to spend the money to fix it.

I don't think I'd buy it, but I wouldn't consider it a bad decision if you leave room for a larger oven in the future.

The Guru has Spoken

Brands Making Dramatic Changes - Frigidaire Professional and Jennair

I'd tend to steer you away from either of these brands for the next few months. Both Frigidaire Profressional and Jennair line ups are recieving a complete makeover and in doing so you'll undoubtedly run into availability issues with the potential of not being able to recieve the product at all - a true nightmare when you're trying to close on your house. Don't let me deter you away completely, just keep this in the back of your mind when making your appliance purchase.

The Frigidaire Professional is actually set to transition to their new line up between May and June of this year so you should be able to buy it fairly soon. The new lineup is borrowing features from the Electrolux line which was launched last year (with Kelly Ripa as the spokesperson), and in doing so upgrading the Frigidaire Professional lineup to fill in the gap that Electrolux Home Applaince Group has between the Frigidaire lineup and Electrolux lineup. With the change, the handles will be different, which is where the transition problem occurs. On the bright side, there is always the change that the Frigidaire Pro will pick up a smooth glide rack or two.

To be honest, I'm excited. I've always been a big Frigidaire fan. It's a brand that is generally loaded with features (even though they have slacked in the fit and finish compared to competition - with good excuse, as the competition costs near to twice as much), priced reasonably and backed by a company that has an extensive service network if the need arises.

The Jennair lineup is also going to be an exciting change. Whirlpool Corp is repositioning the Jennair as a 'super premium' brand. To give you an idea of the features / quality we should be expecting from a 'super premium' brand here a few that fall in that category now : Thermador, Viking, Dacor, DCS, Monogram, and Wolf and Sub Zero.

Here's a letter released the first of this year on the Jennair line : http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/ibs/documents/releases/JennAirnewcollectionkitchen.pdf

From what I understand, the wall oven is going to be loaded with about every feature thinkable, from dual convection fans, steam and 'touch anywhere' controls.

Look for updates on the new line - I'll keep you all updated as I get the information.

Steal of a Deal - Kitchenaid KSCS23FSMS Refrigerator

The KSCS23FSMS refrigerator recently went on close-out from Kitchenaid. You should be able to score this counter-depth refrigerator for $1250-1350 if you can find it. It comes complete with in the door ice and architect 2 handles. If you're in the market, especially for a Kitchenaid counter-depth, do yourself a favor, check it out, and save some of that ever-depleting green stuff we all love and hate so much.

SCA1001KSS - GE Advantium Oven - The first review

I feel natural to start off with one the appliances I've chosen to put in my own kitchen - the SCA1001KSS GE advantium over-the-range (otr) microwave oven. This convection microwave oven from GE is probably my favorite appliance I've got. If it wasn't for the occasional turkey or ham, I could use this completely in lieu of my oven. The SCA1001KSS GE advantium includes four ovens in one (speed cook oven, true european convection oven, warming oven, and microwave oven (900w)). Not only are you able to cut out preheat times entirely with the GE advantium's speed cook feature, the microwave power along with the halogen elements and convection power simulate an oven to near perfection. And here's the kicker - the GE advantium cooks up to 4x faster in 120v configuration than your standard conventional oven.

The SCA1001KSS GE advantium oven keeps it simple and interesting all at the same time for us appliance enthusiasts. It offers 175 pre-programmable recipes that cover near everything you cook on a day to day basis, but also gives you the option to enter some of your own recipes (up to 30) if you're feeling creative. The menu system is easy to navigate, which is all done with the round knob.

Being an over the range microwave, you may wonder how the lighting is and how the ventilation works on the SCA1001KSS. The lighting is nice and bright with two levels available (night light and high) and the ventilation, well, it sucks - literally. The blower comes in at 300 CFM and does an admirable job, even over a gas top (which I have). If you plan on doing grilling on your stove it may be more than the advantium can handle (and any OTR for that matter), but grilling is for outdoors anyways - and look for this topic in the future, because I'll come out swinging.

I've cooked everything from fillet mignon (this had my wife a little ticked off at first - but once the fillet came out nice and tender she calmed down), cookies, bread, casseroles and you can't forget the baked potatoes (4 of them in 12 minutes, and that's not a typo, compared to 82 minutes in a conventional oven). There's also a handy cookbook that comes with the unit, and it's also fairly easy to find the online versions of it.

Going back to the fillet mignon - it did take several minutes longer than the pre-programmed time GE suggested for the SCA1001KSS, but as I mentioned before it was darn near perfect - and a perfect place to cook it when there is bad weather looming outside. The best part about the cookies is you can't do them in mass amounts, which for me means I won't eat near as many - generally I will eat them until they are gone. The timing GE has for them is right on at 11 minutes (remember - the SCA1001KSS advantium oven has no preheat time!).

Despite the great review I've given the SCA1001KSS, there are some common problems people have with this unit, though niether have troubled me : the handle breaking is one and the halogen bulbs burning out is the other.

Price range you should look for : $685 - $749 ($575 - $649 in colors)
My rating : 4 / 5
Would I own it? : I do, and would purchase again even if it went out the day after warranty.
Trendy service issues : handle breaking and halogen bulbs burning out

I'll end with what my wife has said on many occassions 'You better not ever give me any other kind of microwave - I have been spoiled with this one.'.

And it Begins

I've been sitting on the sidelines for the past couple of years watching and reading different blogs, all the while thinking to myself 'what would I have to offer the blogging world if I started my own blog?'. I haven't been able to come up with a good answer, until today, when all of the sudden the flip was switched and the light came on. So what is it that I feel I have to offer the online community? Well, my expertise of course. What would that be, you may ask? Appliances. Yes, that's right, I know more about appliances than Santana knows about a guitar - and that's saying a lot. I eat, sleep and live appliances. I sell them, use them, replace them, fix them, order them, and about anything else you can do with an appliance.

I have the inside scoop on what's hot and what's not. What the manufacturers are trying to push or let go away. What brands back their products and make it easy on the retailer to service the consumer and which could care less. All in all I have a lot to offer and I am willing to pass that knowledge along. I hope I can be a source of light and guidance to any of you that are getting ready to make your next big appliance purchase. So enough ranting and raving - let's get to some reviews!!!

If at anytime you have a particular model or models you'd like reviewed send in your request and I'll get on it!