Appliance recommendations

[snowgirl]

We will be building our home soon and need to buy all new appliances. I am overwhelmed with choices and would love some recommendations on good, durable and moderately priced options. I don't mind spending a little more for something that will last. I have friends/family that have bought higher end products and still have problems. So, I am thinking middle of the road is a good idea. I really, really dislike flat button or digital panels too. Here is a breakdown;

* I want a propane gas range/oven. 30-36" wide. minimum 5 burner

* French door refrigerator with freezer on bottom. water and ice in door.

* Dishwasher - stainless steel interior - delay start and just a few cycles-normal, short.

* washing machine. We are on a well and haven't drilled. So, I don't know our flow yet. I have been told by appliance stores that top loading is getting closer to front loaders in terms of water consumption.  I only need the basics, no digital display, no steaming. Just warm, hot and cold. Regular, delicate, perm. press cycles. I have heard Speed Queen is quite durable and come with bare bones controls.

* dryer - we might go with propane, not sure yet. I have been told electric and propane cost about the same. I hang dry about 6 months a year.

Thanks so much!!

[SunRise]

aj madison dot com is a good source for comparing and researching, best prices that I found when I was looking - I ended up buying my fridge and cook top from them.

I think the viking or other top of the line stove/ovens still have knobs. (rather then digital panel); I ended up getting an oven from Ikea because it had knobs. The Ikea brands are made by whirlpool.

[Basylica]

Have you ever had a freezer on the bottom fridge?

Some people LOVE them, and others hate them. our next door "adopted grandma" was a teeny tiny italian lady named Toni (I miss her! she died a few years ago now...) and she was like 4'10 on a good day. she couldn't reach her top shelves on her fridge and only way she could have access to a freezer was use a step stool all the time (which she needed for dishes and her washing machine...a toploader back then) so she had a regular bottom freezer unit.

my family we are quite tall (probably why we had such a close friendship. i'd often get called over to fetch things of high shelves...lol) i'm the shortest at 5'9. all my female relatives are 5'10-6' and the men are 6'3-6'9....and my boys are supposed to be 6'3-6'5 (oldest) and 6'5-6'7(youngest)

i'd need to sit on the floor to re-organize and heck, to pull some stuff out! no way i'd get one. I love the allure of the french door, but the bottom freezer is problematic and they are WAAAYYY more expensive than your regular side by sides.

if you want a wider fridge and have the space (this is what i'd want to do!) you can get fridge only and freezer only units and basically end up with a HUGE unit. love it!

super expensive tho...and you'd need the room. custom built you might have it however!

I wanted a silver fridge when I replaced the "free with house" side by side from like 1985 I had. the black and white models were ehh...700 and the stainless in the same model was around 950. both models keep your food cold, YKWIM?

this isn't my dream house however, my dream house might actually get stainless. lol!

Speedqueen are what all the laundromats use and are pretty bare bones. I'd reccomend top loading and NON electronic after my personal EXP with washers and the cost to fix the electronic ones when they go bad....or blow a board.

I have a whirlpool set I believe...it was cheaper and just as bare bones as a SQ....and it's still like new after 6yrs....excepting maybe the blue tinge to my washer after a crayon incident ;)

if I was in the position I am now (with kids etc) and had my choice, I'd probably try and go with a full size set PLUS an apartment combo....ie, more than one washer and dryer. but i'm crazy like that and it's a pipe dream!

[Basylica]

http://www.frigidaire.com/products/Kitchen/Refrigerators/FPRH19D7LF.aspx

trying to find a pic of what I ment. fridgidaire makes them, as do a lot of companies I wager.

thats what i'd want in a house with free reign and no object for money!