<p>We’re getting ready to finally redo our original kitchen! I am going to need (all in stainless) a counter depth french door refrigerator, a slide-in 30" stove, a 24" built in microwave and a 30" hood.</p>
<p>For those of you who have purchased appliances recently? What brands do you like? Not like?</p>
<p>I love my steam dishwasher…it’s a Kitchen Aid, but there’s other brands, too.</p>
<p>Are you going for upscale (like Viking) or top brands or mid-range brands/lines?</p>
<p>Do you want a convection oven? Dual Fuel? Gas range top? Smooth electric? Induction?</p>
<p>Do you want all your appliances to be the same brand/line? (then handles will match).</p>
<p>For your counter-depth french door fridge, do you want ice and water in the door?</p>
<p>I just realized that I forgot to add that I need a dishwasher too! </p>
<p>We are going for mid-range … thinking KitchenAid etc.</p>
<p>I would like the oven to be convection if it’s in the price range. Ideally, I would like the microwave to be convection, but I don’t think the 24" size comes in convection.</p>
<p>Gas range - not sure what induction means.</p>
<p>Yes, I think I’d like them all to be the same brand with matching handles.</p>
<p>And the fridge - water inside and I don’t care about ice.</p>
<p>And (forgive my ignorance) what exactly is a steam dishwasher?</p>
<p>I love, love love my stove / oven. It is a Jennair…gas cook-top and electric oven. Perfect combo, if you ask me ( never liked broiling with gas )
However, I have had a lot of problems with my Jennair side by side fridge…would never get another as it has bailed on me more than once, thus losing all of my food</p>
<p>I have had an older version of this microwave and loved it. The user interface is excellent–intuitive and touch-reponsive. [KitchenAid®:</a> Welcome to KitchenAid.com](<a href=“Kitchen Appliances to Bring Culinary Inspiration to Life | KitchenAid”>Kitchen Appliances to Bring Culinary Inspiration to Life | KitchenAid) I have also had a top-of-the-line JennAir, which I hate because if I want to defrost I have to read through a scrolling LCD menu that tells me to enter 1 if Beef, 2 if Poultry, blah, blah, blah; The one in the link just had me push defrost, then gave me a Beef button, a Poultry button, etc. </p>
<p>In general, the cheaper, lower powered microwaves are designed to do a better job with popcorn and they do a fine job with defrosting and boiling water quickly. If you intend to really cook with your microwave, target the fancier models, but if you’re cooking Lean Cuisines and popcorn and boiling water for tea, put your money into the other appliances.</p>
<p>Steam Dishwashers… Have a steam option. Used for difficult cleaning situations - such a baked on/ dried-on problems. I also use it for my gas cooktop grates. I put them in, run the steam option, and the grates come out clean.</p>
<p>My dishwasher also has 3 racks. I like that, too.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Whirlpool makes all the following appliances - KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Maytag, and of course, Whirlpool. Whirlpool also makes many of Sears Kenmore appliances, too.</p>
<p>So, many of the products will be the same/similar - inside wise - but will differ by handles, upgrade features, minor differences, etc.</p>
<p>I have a Vent-A-Hood. The thing is amazing. Easy to clean and clears the smell of burnt popcorn in seconds.</p>
<p>Vitamix blender since my dental problems. Fixes all my meals. </p>
<p>Some 850 CFM kitchen hood. Now we can fry smelly foods to our heart’s desire. It apparently self cleans too.</p>
<p>I was recently in the market for a new microwave oven, and came across these: [Microwave</a> Drawer Ovens | Kitchen Appliances | SHARP Electronics](<a href=“http://www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeAppliances/MicrowaveDrawerOvens.aspx]Microwave”>SHARP Microwave Oven Guide: Buying Tips & Oven Features) There are 24" microwave drawers.</p>
<p>^ Interesting. We need to put ours in an upper cabinet so that wouldn’t quite work for us though.</p>
<p>My large, powerful, fan operated, over the stove, direct to the outside exhaust vent. It can handle the most ridiculous amount of smoke/airborne grease and makes it all goes away. Not the smallest cloud or smell is left. </p>
<p>Microwave ovens mounted over open flame stove burners are dangerous.</p>
<p>What type of fan is it?</p>
<p>Check out the Kitchen and Appliance forums on Garden Web’s That Home Site. There is so much information there – especially the appliance forum. There is a wealth of information there. I strongly recommend it.</p>
<p>I do not know the brand but it is not custom designed. Our contractor, who was also our designer, listened to us an made the suggestion. It is a big as the four burner range that is sits over and there is a three speed switch that operates it.</p>
<p>Check with Consumer Reports too.</p>
<p>Best kitchen appliance- hand held immersion blender. Hands down.</p>
<p>We’re thinking that we may go with the KitchenAid line for the entire kitchen. However, old reviews of KitchenAid ovens are riddled with complaints about problems with self-cleaning (blowing fuses, etc.)
Does anyone have current experience with a KitchenAid oven/range?</p>
<p>I love my rice steamer! </p>
<p>twinmom…I have all KitchenAid appliances. Very happy with them.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the quick response! What kind of oven do you have - is it a wall oven or oven with range?</p>