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jl2008

Renovating kitchen... appliance choice

17 years ago

I have been reading many of the posts for the last few days and I have come to the conclusion that you are the best. The kitchen designer asked us to pick the appliances and I'm confused with the selection. We bought this house about 18 years ago and haven't touched anything in the kitchen.

I would like to know what you experts in this forum suggest for:

1. 36" gas cooktop (I picked Thermador SGSX365FS, but not sure if it's a good one as I didn't find it in ConsumerReports. Please let me know if you had any experience with it)

2. wallmount hood

3. 30" single oven

4. Microwave oven (would like to install this above the oven for a built in look)

5. 36" Refrigerator (French door w/bottom freezer)

6. Dishwasher

(I'm planning to go with all stainless steel appliances)

I would really appreciate if you can post your suggestions!!

Comments (11)

  • 17 years ago

    If money is no object, I would pick a Miele dishwasher and Miele wall oven.

  • 17 years ago

    We are renovating as well. We also need a 30 inch oven plus microwave. We could go with an all in one convection/microwave or a two piece. I want something that is reliable, sturdy, can heat in a reasonable amount of time, hold a temperature and broil well. Any ideas? I've heard both postives and negatives about the Dacor and Kitchen Aid.

  • 17 years ago

    hull-o, can you please specify what are the model #s I should go with for Miele dishwasher and wall oven? Miele has a combination walloven (with microwave). Is that any good?

    Here's my selection so far:
    36" gas cooktop - Thermador SGSX365FS
    30" single oven & microwave - Miele combination oven (any good?)
    Refrigerator (French door) - LG LFX25971ST
    Dishwasher - Miele (any specific model?)

    Thank you.

  • 17 years ago

    IMHO, You can't go wrong with Miele. Should you get a lemon (few and far between) they stand behind their product and make it right. Choose the wall oven that works best for you. Perfectclean is a self clean and saves you several hundred $$. I use the AJ Madison site to do comparisons but I am not affiliated with it nor have I ever purchased from them. Unless you are purchasing the steam oven or the speed oven I would purchase an inexpensive MW with the rather expensive Miele trim kit or the option I am choosing, placing a cheapo MW on a shelf elsewhere in the kitchen. It seems MW's have a short lifespan these days.
    I've attached a thread about Miele DW's that helped me. I also think Bosch is great if you need to stick to a budget.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Miele DW thread

  • 17 years ago

    I found another thread I saved that I would like to pass along. It's about MW placement in a kitchen. You might want to check out the finished kitchen blog. Go over to the kitchens forum and use the search at the BOTTOM of the page. Also on page 1 (sometimes slips to page 2) is a thread "Read me if you are new to GW kitchens".
    Forgive me if this is more information than you were looking for, I am so recently where you are that it struck a cord. You'll see I am still making appliance decisions. I'm trying to stick to a budget.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Microwave placement

  • 17 years ago

    Do you need a counter depth, regular depth, or built-in fridge?

  • 17 years ago

    Thank you, owls4me, for all the details you have provided. I have read the links you have provided too.

    Here's the thing, I don't use the electric oven much (occasionally for some light baking, pizza, etc.), but I definitely need to have one. I use microwave and the cooktop extensively. So, I don't mind spending money on my cooktop, but the wall oven I want something reasonably priced (not too expensive) and does the job. Does anyone know if Kitchen Aid still has issues with fuse blowing? For microwave, I think the only acceptable solution for us is above the wall oven with probably a trim kit.

    I have very little time to do this (my kitchen designer already called three times and left messages). So, please all you experts, help me out.

    fori, we are looking for a regular depth fridge, but with french doors and bottom freezer. I'm planning to go with LG. Any idea about its reliability?

    Thank you so much for all the help all of you are giving me.

  • 17 years ago

    I use my Kitchen Aid 30 inch wall oven at least once or twice a day, and it's great. It's four years old, and is the best oven I've ever owned. I bought it because someone on this forum raved about a Whirlpool oven, and I found it half-price at Sears. Whirlpool makes KA, so I'd buy a Whirlpool if I were in the market for the same oven with fewer electronic controls. My oven is below the counter on the opposite side of the kitchen from my cooktop. It never gets spilled on, so the electronics have not shorted out, which I understand can be a problem if your oven is below your cooktop.

    I had a KA dishwasher in my old house that was great. It was the top of the line at the time (7 years ago) Superba, I think. In my other house, I had a Bosch, which was so quiet you couldn't tell it was on, but it was not the best at cleaning dishes. It wasn't the top of the line, so others may be better. I hate dishwasher noise, and the Bosch was the quietest dishwasher I've ever (not) heard.

  • 17 years ago

    Have you looked at the Sharp R-930? That is a convection microwave that seems to get good ratings on this forum. Several posters have described it has the workhorse in their kitchens.
    Check out the Samsung fridge too.

    Post back with your decisions.

  • 17 years ago

    Regarding ovens, I spoke with one of the more techy guys at Abt recently (they're in my neighborhood) and asked which ovens he preferred (they carry alot of the good stuff) and without dropping a beat he said the two best ovens they carry are the Miele and the Wolf. In fact, in their demo kitchen they have one of each, and I have to say the cookies they bake are indistinguishable from one another.

    With that in mind, my mother has a Thermador range (ceramic flat top) with convection oven, and I like the oven quite a lot--we've had no problems with that, either.

  • 17 years ago

    kitchen120, Can you please write what is the model # for your KA oven? I think I'll go with Miele Optima dishwasher, because we have hard water and this one says it has built-in water softener (does it work?). Also, I found good reviews for it on this forum.

    owls4me, I think I like the sharp 930. But, I still would need a single oven. I did look at Samsung fridge, but lot of space is wasted because of the ice maker in the top part. I liked LG's on board ice maker (which only occupies the door).

    tuba_paul, I have heard good things about Miele, Wolf and Thermador, but they are a bit pricy. For the wall oven (which I use occasionally), I don't want to spend too much money. I am planning to go with Thermador cooktop, however.

    Thank you. This forum is great and you are the best.