Congratulations on being able to get what you really want!!

That's what it's all about. Do a search, or just go through the last few pages of threads, and you'll find a thread bashing high end, and extolling the virtues of mid-range appliances, where I finally chimed in to explain why some people buy high end.

You can get the BTU's with Blue Star, American Range, and some of the top end of the mid-range. SubZero has the air filter, and all of the top of range fridges have persnickety temperature controls, but people don't usually buy them for these reasons. Some people buy the Miele fridge because it's super quiet.

Generally, people who buy high end appliances are looking for design and marginal features. I rejected a lot of perfectly good refrigerators because I didn't like their shelves. I rejected almost every dishwasher because I didn't like their racks and/or drying features. When I decided that I would give up features on the warming drawer I'd chosen because it went up in price, it's because I also gained: That is, I forewent the open sides and gained the option to panel it (for half the price since my cabinetry is by the job rather than by the piece), but only looked at the two models because I insisted on particular temperature settings.

The de rigeur SubZero of the past was partially because the refrigeration was so much better with the dual compressors, etc. A lot of fridges have caught up with that, which is why they're pushing forward with new features like the air filter. If you have a fridge/freezer in one unit dual compressors will make both parts work much better. Otherwise, the main appeal of the SZ for all these many years has been that it's built-in and doesn't stick out. There's lots of competition in appearance nowadays. European units do a better job of flush integrated. You can do it with SZ, but it's not as graceful. SZ is the only one I know of with the individually opening drawers on the bottom.

But for all of the high end units, it's just a matter of getting it the way you want it. If you like the features, looks, and function of the KA and GE, get them again! I think there's nothing sillier than buying appliances for snob value (unless you're selling within the year).

Troll the internet. Go shopping. Check in here. Decide on the units you think will work best for you. For me, that ended up being a bunch of high end stuff, because I'm really picky about shelves, lighting, and other marginal features. But that doesn't make them better. Just better for me.

We finished our remodel in May and I have a mix of different brands and price points:

Miele - DW, induction, vent, oven
KA - 2nd oven
Sharp - Microwave
Amana - FD refrigerator

We're planning on living in our house until after retirement (15+ years) so I didn't base anything on resale. I looked for appliances that would work for how I cook/bake, which is heavy use (like you): meals prepared "from scratch", full-hot meals in the evenings, heavy-duty baking (cookies, pies, breads) several times a week, canning garden produce and jellies in the summer, etc.

my reasons for buying are:
MIELE - reported to be very reliable; the oven is top-rated
KA - second oven (for big family dinners and when I really get in a baking frenzy)
SHARP MW - highly rated and it's used heavily; (I liked the looks of the KA better and it matched the KA oven below it but I didn't go for the drop down door and I thought it was overpriced)
AMANA refrigerator - for it's size, looks and ice/water though the door. (I could have justified columns because our new FD full-size refrigerator is still not big enough, but we kept our old refrigerator and it's in the laundry room not far from the kitchen. It's handy to store the bounty from the garden or food for big dinners. If I didn't have that space available, I might have opted for columns in the kitchen - even though it may have been a logistic nightmare fitting them in the kitchen)

I had planned on a Viking or Wolf range because I had always wanted a 6-burner gas cooktop (there are times that 4 burners is not enough when I'm cooking and I wanted high BTU's for canning). But, I fell in love with induction when appliance shopping and haven't looked back since.

So, as I said, I'd suggest basing your purchases on what works best for you. I read a lot of comments by people bashing high-end appliances but, really, who are we to judge if you should get a Kenmore, Whirlpool, KA or Viking? Even if someone wants to buy something solely on how it looks and they rarely cook, that's their choice.

Michael, if high-end is what you want and need, and it's in your budget, then go for it...and enjoy a kitchen that functions they way you want and need it to.

HTH - sorry for the lengthy post :)

I did as you're doing...Decided what features/performance I really wanted and spent my limited money accordingly.

The fridge thing was almost a no-brainer for me, because there is such a gap between OK fridges and high end fridges...I just couldn't spend $7K on one unit, when $4500 got me 2 all-fridges and 1 all-freezer in the Electrolux ICON...I got the nicer shelves and fit and finish, and Energy Star rating that I wanted (over what something like the Frigidaire Twins offered) and cold food.

I knew that in dishwashers I wanted energy efficient, clean dishes, and quiet operation, but paneled, and I know that I didn't need a wide variety of cycle types,so the middle of the line (500 Series) Bosch suited us fine...It gives me, also, a stop-leak feature, automatic washing option, and a half-load cycle (like that will ever happen! LOL)

We also cook and bake a LOT from scratch, so the ovens and cooktop were important. I had my eye on the Fisher and Paykel dbl oven from the beginning...Good reports from owners with positive reviews on their customer service, the range of convection options I wanted without too many extras. I was fortunate to find my oven on Ebay for about 60% of retail, which left me some 'splurge' money for my rangetop, which I figured to be the most used appliance I'll have.

For the rangetop I wanted BTUs and quality. In the end I chose Wolf over BlueStar for a little better reputation for customer service, and the equally powered burners...I don't have to choose which burners by power or simmer, but by what I'm cooking and where I want to access it.

It's quite a process to weigh what matters most to you against the money that it's possible to spend. It's worth the time and research to end up with what's best for you.

There seem to be two camps on high-end appliances in general, those for whom appearance and name recognition is very important, and those for whom utility and function are most important. For the first, ask a real estate agent. You'll get a list like Wolf, Viking, SubZero, Miele, Thermador, and friends, perhaps along with some like Electrolux, KitchenAid, Braun, or the high-end GEs...

For the latter, there is a lot of personal taste and trade-offs involved. For ranges, some of the names you might not be familiar with that are worth, in my opinion considering, are
* American Range
* Capital
* Blue Star
* NXR ($2000 4-burner pro-style range)

Read the discussions on open vs. sealed burners. Take a look at the EuroStoves videos if you aren't clear about why many consider open burners superior to sealed for both cooking and cleaning. It's religion for many, with a lot of converts.

If you don't have anyone in the house with a pacemaker, you might want to consider an induction cooktop (if you have the electrical service already, or can do it for a reasonable amount).

I'd consider a Samsung fridge for a large number of reasons. They now have semi-independent cooling, which was SubZero's original claim to fame.

Understand the history of Wolf and SubZero before getting taken by marketing alone. They are still good units, but a Wolf home range shares just about as much in common with a Wolf commercial range as Chevy in the driveway next door does with a Nascar "Chevy." Don't get me wrong, Wolf and Sub-Zero make very sleek product.