There is no such thing as real stainless being smudge resistant get real stainless and learn how to look after it with a microfiber cloth hot water a touch of vinegar and wipe in the direction of the grain. As for the rest get the appliances that work for how you cook. They do not have to be from the same maker and in fact there is no maker that makes all appliances well. I love Bosch DWs but other than that go to a good appliance store ask lots of questions and get what works for you , the reason plain ols stainless is still the best finish.

Bosch is out of your budget range. You need to switch to a range, not a cooktop and DW. You’ll need a vent hood in that budget too. And you’ll still be short unless you shop scratch and dent.

I do not need the vent. The builder provides that. I have priced Bosch in my area and I am in that range.

The builder supplies ineffective carp, but good luck with that. And good luck with one Bosch wall oven being 2/5 of your entire budget. And you haven’t even gotten to the cooktop, DW, and refrigerator, which inexplicably seems to not be on your list.

If Bosch is in your range, I would select that over Frigidaire.

• GE Profile PHP9030DJBB cooktop
• LG LWS3063 wall oven
• Whirlpool WMH53521H microwave
• Bosch 100 Series SHXM4AY55N dishwasher

Total: $4150

I build lists at this online appliance retailer. They also have packages, many are within your budget.

https://www.us-appliance.com/kipawigasra.html

I can do the math. I'll be the judge of the quality of the items I have negotiated with the builder. Thanks. The refrigerator is my own expense.

Thanks to everyone who provided valuable feedback so far.

I think Wdccruise was just showing others that you can build a reasonable appliance package with $5K -- plus these may also be his/her recommendations.

Personally:

DWs...I like Bosch DWs (hated GE and KitchenAid).

Cooktop & Oven...GE makes pretty decent cooking appliances. I recommend induction, btw.

MW...We really like our Sharp DW drawer. They're a bit more expensive, but when we originally priced them out they were no more expensive than a built-in MW + trim kit. Plus, they last much longer than other types.

Hood...Check what hood your builder is supplying, most really do provide lousy hoods. It should be 6" wider than your cooking surface, 24" deep, and a fairly decent fan strength. (E.g., 30" cooktop or range would mean a 36"W x 24"D hood.) I like Vent-a-Hood, but there other, less expensive options out there that are effective.

As noted above, no one manufacturer makes the best of all appliances. I recommend mixing & matching to get the best that you can afford in each category. If you stick with stainless, they should all match well enough. Handles may differ somewhat, but a couple of manufacturers offer handle options (most don't, however). Just don't place them next to each other and I doubt anyone will notice the handle differences.

you can go will: whirlpool, LG, Samsung or Kitchenaid. You can use online coupon code to get a special discount from these brand so then your budget will be enough to buy these brand appliances.

Honestly I have never thought about the handles on appliances they are what they are .

Do not get Samsung or LG appliances. I have heard nothing but complaints.

Handles are important to designers and others who want a cohesive look.

@Laurie Hutch: "Do not get Samsung or LG appliances. I have heard nothing but complaints."

This is not data useful for decision-making.

“I do not need the vent. The builder provides that.”

”The builder supplies ineffective carp”

Unfortunately, we have seen this issue so many times on this forum beyond count. People complaining how noisy and inefficient their builder-supplied hoods are, so that they end up not using them.

But to be more specific, it’s not just that the builder might provide a crappy hood. A homeowner can replace that easily down the road. It’s that the exhaust duct that goes from the hood to the outside that the builder installs is inadequate. Most of the time it is 4” or 6” diameter. It needs to be 8” in diameter, or else you are pushing air through too small a space and that gets really noisy and inefficient.

You could have the best hood in the universe, but if the duct is too small, it won’t matter.

Ask your builder the size of the exhaust duct from the kitchen to the outside. He may get annoyed with your question. Cause he buys a truckload of ductwork and isn’t going to want to install an appropriate sized one just for you. Me, I’d pay any upcharge for an 8” duct. It’s in the wall so it’s not something you’ll be able to change later.

Trust me, Samsung and LG are not unique when it comes to complaints. Every brand has them. You have to look at features and price and decide the best fit for you.

thanks again to everyone that provided feedback!!!

crcash, I hope you find what works best for you. Shopping for the features I mentioned is better than shopping for specific brands. All of our kitchen appliances are stainless but different brands.

For your cooktop seriously consider induction over a radiant ceran flat top. Induction heats the pan and is fast reacting with comparable power to gas. A radiant top heat the gas to 750* to heat the pan. Cleanup is arduous and can require single edged razor blades in some cases. Induction cleans with a damp cloth and Windex.

It still surprises me when posters ask for free advice ...then they are less than polite to all responses...this post/question was a little confusing in any case...