are you talking about a counter depth fridge? i'm under the impression that just about every major manufacturer makes a left hinge and a right hinge. my KA had that option (very pleased with it, as well).

I really wouldn't get too worked up over stainless not matching. generally speaking, it does match. spend more energy on buying products from good companies that have GOOD customer support, and whose particular product is good in its class. if you buy all of one manufacturer, your kitchen is going to look cookie-cutter and as if you put no thought into it, and, you won't be getting the best possible appliances in the category.

builders put in all-viking kitchens for a reason: it's easy, and people (prospective buyers) who don't research things like this think "well, it MUST be good". it's not. pick and choose. base your decisions on service history and customer service (that would rule out Thermador to my mind), functionality, and aesthetics. you'll have no regrets.

Better to select each appliance based on it's reputation.
I have done two kitchens and neither had all one brand. As for left sided hinge. My last one the door was reversible with a drawer on the bottom. This time I did a F & P fridge and it had to be ordered left hinge.

tommy275 - No, we've actually decided against a counter depth fridge, as we decided that in the end it wouldn't be practical as far as interior space. (Love the lesser amt. of real estate it takes up in the kitchen, though.)

eandhl - I research everything in as much detail as I possibly can (thank God for the internet) and my DH and I are huge consumer shoppers, so we are definitely looking at reviews, repair history and reputation. (Probably repetitive, but you get the drift!)

I wanted to start with the fridge and Maytag has a left hinged SS, but recently there's been so much negative press on them, I hate to even go there. ("Maytag" used to be THE fridge to have, too.)

So what's left is GE, Kenmore and Kitchenaid - we both like the pullout deli drawer in the 25 cf models. (The operative word may be "both" here - in remodeling terms that in itself is huge. lol) Will check out F & P - liked their cooktop for sure.

Leaning toward JennAir and Electrolux for a SS gas slide in range, so that's about how far we've gotten.

Not as far as I had hoped....

Getting all matching appliances is like walking into the furniture dealer and ordering the whole "bedroom suite package" or "living room suite package". :) There are bound to be items that you don't need or don't fit how you use your home. If people cook (or use that formal living room) they usually care more about functionality and performance than they do the aesthetics of matchy matchy. In fact, in most decorating, it's considered a sin to match everything. :) The goal is to harmonize and make it look like it came together over time due to your fabulous taste rather than just buying a pre made look out of a catalog.

It looks like we are heading for totally mismatched appliances. We started out with an Amana refrigerator, range, and microwave, and Bosch dishwasher, all white, in 2000.

Replaced the range after it died (five years) with a Hotpoint range in white because it got rave reviews and was inexpensive. Replaced the refrigerator after it died (eight years) with a small Summit in stainless look because it was the least expensive counter depth model we could find in our preferred size. Now we want to replace the microwave because the door is all cracked up, and are leaning toward a GE (because it's the best size for our space) in stainless (hoping it will be more durable than white plastic). The stainless micro only comes with black trim.

The dishwasher is still hanging in there, but there's something wrong with it (it takes four hours to run a load of dishes, and they don't always get very clean), so we may have to replace that, too.

This will all look either very clever or a big mess.

harriethomeowner -
Lol - love the clever vs. mess concept - we all want to avoid that! All of the appliances I have now will work in the remodel (Kenmore fridge has the reversible hinge) so at least I know THEY match, albeit in bisque.....

live_wire_oak - You're exactly right about the harmonizing. I've been agonizing over form vs. function and it really should include harmony. Good point - I'm not a matchy matchy person anyway.

I do sort of lament the fact that the designers decided that the textured surface was outmoded - still feel that was an excellent surface.

I have just ordered 3 of our 4 appliances and none will match. The left hinge fridge will be a CD Kitchenaid. I am not concerned about the SS matching as they really won't be next to each other and the main focal point hopefully will be my cabinets/quartz counter/tile floor rather than the appliances. Good luck--I've researched forever and know how hard it is.

Hello, we are finishing up our renovation. I have a jenn- air range, broan hood, and at the last minute we decided to get a big brute GE FD refrigerator (not counter depth). My husband calls it a star ship but I love it! In any case, all are SS, and they look fantastic together. Everything shines! Do not worry about matching. It will work. In the 'old'kitchen we had amana, GE and Bosch, all in white and that looked good too. Hope it's a smooth ride for you~

I have a range, full stainless backsplash and hood running from floor to ceiling in one spot, three different manufacturers, looks fine.

socalusa, just thought I should point out that if you don't want to consider Maytag, you may be fooling yourself and limiting your choices. Whirlpool bought Maytag three years ago but even for many years before that, essentially all bottom freezers available in the US(until the likes of LG and Samsung showed up recently) were manufactured by Amana. So Maytag, Whirlpool and KitchenAid are re-badged Amana and still are unless something has changed recently. Then Maytag bought Amana in 2001 and in turn Whirlpool/KA swallowed both in 2006. So whether it's Amana, Maytag, Whirlpool, KA, even Kenmore in many cases, you're still buying an Amana fridge. If you're going to buy an Amana fridge anyway and Amana or Maytag offers the hinge and features you want, you might as well go that way. FWIW, I've had good luck with them. Also, on the cooktop, Maytag has owned Jenn Air for the best part of thirty years, so if you want to avoid Maytag...