Anyone love their appliances? Must have features?

[dds07]

We are remodeling our kitchen and getting new appliances. Anyone have some they love? I've always lived in rentals with the absolute cheapest possible appliances, so I have no idea if all the bells and whistles on the new stuff is worth it or not. Not looking for high end, just middle of the road, upgrade from the very bottom stuff, as eco-friendly as appliances can be.

Need fridge, dishwasher, oven, washer and dryer.

Any must-have features?? Or recommended brands/models??

Thanks!!

[Tear78]

we have a Bosch dishwasher and love it. They make a range of products and ours cost a little above average, but it has energy saving features that are well worth it. For our fridge we looked for the energy-star rating. Good luck!

[lovebugmama]

We love our Amana bottom freezer fridge.  The water dispenser is in the wall on the inside which is convenient b/c it doesn't take up much space. We really like the pull out freezer. It gives you complete access to what is lurking in the freezer.  I also really like the extra wide drawer at the bottom of the fridge.  We had one in our old house and when we moved we bought the same one.  Its a good value. Here is a link to Amana's website AFD2535DE.

[mumkimum]

We have a GE stove, I'm not giving it a full recommendation because I personally find the burners never simmer well and aren't hot enough (previously had a magic chef which is owned/made by frigidare I think - I liked that much better).  On the other hand, consumer reports really likes GE gas stoves and no other problems than this which is more of a personal annoyance.  

We have often really liked kenmore appliances, and usually check them out first.  We've also been happy with sears's repair services for everything that we've ended up having to use it for (not that I'm saying they need repair a lot, it's just been a lot easier/less stressful/cheaper to get them fixed than other appliances from other companies because of this -- which is nice to have).    

[Lovesong]

Fridge must haves:

- Automatic defrosting (so no ice forms in the back).

- Big enough to house all the Christmas food (from the Ducks, right through to the rice pudding desert for twenty or so persons in my case).

- Usable shelves in the door for things like ketchup, mustard and dressing bottles and jars. The reason being that you want them to be easy to grab for, without having to reach into the back of the fridge.

- Some kind of fan or other function that makes the cold air circulate in the fridge, keeping the temperature even throughout.

Fridge don't bother:

- Built in freezer (usually way too small, unless you are a single/two person household).

- Built in water dispenser (just fill a jug with water, place in the fridge, and you have cold water).

We have a Bosch fridge that we are very happy with.

For the freezer, I prefer the versions that do look like fridges but with drawers. Right now we have a box deep freezer that is just ****. Everything ends up in mixed piles, which means that we generally grab the newest peas or whatever first because they are on top. Which means that eventually we end up throwing out quite a lot of food during the annual deep freezer clean and defrost. So, if you have the option, go for an upright freezer (perhaps matching your fridge of choice).

For a dishwasher, I would look at energy ratings and then choose the greenest one. Don't be tempted to buy one with a lot of fancy settings. It is really only a way of justifying a higher price. In my family we really only use two programs out of the five or so our machine has. The quick program for cups and plates, and the pot program for really dirty forms and pots. Sometimes we use the half-load option, for example before dinner so we have an empty machine after dinner. Our machine is a Zanussi. Even if it is not the quietest machine, it is the best performing one we have ever had.

As for the rest...do some brand research. Don't be afraid of buying unfamiliar, cheap brands (like for us Zanussi) since often  the reason they are cheap is not that they are bad quality but because they are not yet established. Don't be tempted to buy machines with a lot of extra features since chances are you will never really use them, and so pay extra for nothing. Let the energy rating (and reviews) be your guideline. And well...good luck.

p.s. If you do drink a lot of tea an instant hot water machine like the Tefal one is something I really recommend. Easy to use. Easy to clean. No more turning on the electric kettle, forgetting it, and having to turn it on again. Or waiting for water to heat on the stove.

[Ellien C]

I need a new stove - down to 2 burners and both are in the back.

I like the 5-burner gas stoves with the grill plate.

Would like a convection oven for speedy dinners.

Ovens MUST be self-cleaning. I'm surprised by how many aren't. My 30 (?) yo stove has a self-cleaning feature.

I've noticed a $50 premium for stainless, which DH and I don't care about - BUT - I think the fridge I want is only avail in stainless.

[chel]

I've lived in a huge assortment of cheap to nice places. So far the high end stuff doesn't really impress.

I do love a gas stove.
Hate with a passion a flat cooktop. Get scratched too easily and overflows go all over

[ljc]

Also love my Bosch Dishwasher.  We have Jenn Air Dual Fuel oven and JennAir  Refrigerator - I wouldn't pay the $ for these again.  They are both 9 years old and have needed several expensive repairs.   

[ASusan]

We have all GE appliances and a Bosch dishwasher. I don't have a ringing endorsement for any of them. The GE Profile microwave broke in the first 18 months and was almost as expensive to repair as a new one. It is still broken, even after repairs. (The repair person broke off a small part and it rattles inside whenever it is in use. It *works* but not like a relatively new, expensive microwave should. The exhaust fan is louder than I would like. I have a friend with a micro-exhaust fan and her's is super-quiet, so I know it's possible. (I don't recall her brand.)

I like the 5-burner gas stove with the griddle option in the middle, but we use the griddle - and center burner - very infrequently. I do REALLY LIKE the second oven - a small one at the bottom, where the "pot drawer" used to be on older ovens. I like that I only have to heat a small oven when I make cakes, casseroles, oven fries, etc. The large oven has a convection oven option, and I've used it a few times, but it isn't a "must have" feature for me.

I am not impressed with our Bosch dishwasher. We paid a lot to get a quiet dishwasher, and it's isn't THAT quiet. We can still hear it upstairs. We have had the installation checked, and have been told that everything is fine. I miss the 5-minute "rinse-and-hold" option. I know they don't have it for energy/water usage reasons, but I don't like dishes to sit dirty during the day when I don't have a full load to run. I do not like the silverware basket and the top foldable racks. They are, of course, molded plastic, and there are sharp edges on them that I have cut myself on more than once. The door of the Bosch BROKE and we had to have it replaced. Of course, it broke only a little bit at first, and then more, and then finally was unusable. We didn't call for a repair until it was unusable, and by that point, it was out of warranty. I *do* like the stainless steel interior and this would be on my list of "really, really want" features.

GE Profile fridge: I would have preferred a "pebbled" front to our fridge, but we have a glossy (black)  front. Glossy is a PITA. No matter how many times your husband assures you he will help clean it, do not trust him. YOU will be the only one wiping it on a regular basis. It also scratches easily. The buttons on the water/ice dispenser are almost coming through the plastic shield after almost 3 years of use. Replacement filters for the water are $25 plus shipping and are *supposed* to be replaced every 6 months. Be sure that when they install the fridge, if you have a water option, that there are no kinks in the plastic tubing, otherwise water flow will be slow.