<p>My very fun vacation plans this week include buying some new kitchen appliances. All input appreciated! </p>
<p>Looking for wall ovens where one has a combo microwave/concvection and cooks in less than half conventional time. Does anyone know if you can build double wall ovens with 2 different brands and get it to look right? If yes I want one Thermadore “cooksmart” and one miele 30" that rotesseries 2 chicken at the same time. Anyone own one?</p>
<p>And last, does anyone own a wood burning pizza oven and how practical are they for home use?</p>
<p>Also looking for a good dishwasher and have looked at Miele and Bosch. Opinions? Already have 2 drawer dishwasher.</p>
<p>Would love an indoor gas grill that is not attached to an oven. Do they exist?</p>
<p>If you are going to have all those ovens, I’d ‘build’ two cooking triangles that sort of intersect and separate the Miele and the Thermadore. (That is…if you are reconfiguring the kitchen.) If not, I wouldn’t have problem mixing and matching at all. That every appliance has to be the same brand (including double wall ovens) is ‘old school’ imho.</p>
<p>Also, a lot of manufacturers of gas cooktops have the option to remove the gas burners and slip in grilling components or even griddle components. Our range is like this…you remove two of the heavy iron burner grates, pop out the gas burner, slip in a grilling burner and grilling grate. You can vent with downdraft or buy a beautiful hood.</p>
<p>Btw…my secret desire is one of the those built in Wok units…tooo coool! :)</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts ldmom. I’m working with a kitchen that non foodies created. They used very good materials and appliances so it’s a sin to get rid of much or spend too much as everything is a few years old. So I’m trying to only change one wall which currently has a 36" built in refridg, the sink and minimal cabinetry. About one-third of the wall is bare. I was thinking about building the two oven one on top of the other is space that’s now bare and have a built in hutch next to that. What do you think? This will also give me the chance to get rid of granite I don’t like and replace with anouther countertop. I was thinking limestone which is also on the floor. Yet the same granite would remain on the large island. Does that work for you?</p>
<p>I love those built in woks, too, there’s one from Miele that comes with a built in steamer and built in deep fryer. In my dreams! Some women like jewelery, I like kitchen appliance, toys and great pots and pans. </p>
<p>My 25th anniversary is near and I’m hoping for that special something for the kitchen!!</p>
<p>I will call Viking to see if they have a grill right now. Thanks!! We do have a hood.</p>
<p>UC - I think putting two different ovens on top of each other is actually very cool. Think about it…commercial kitchens are like this…with chef’s putting in components they prefer regardless of brand. </p>
<p>Btw…my island granite is a different color than the other countertops. It didn’t start out that way…but after the maple cabinets were stained, the black granite seemed to be overpowering in combination with the dark cabinetry. So I put black granite on the island only…and had the other countertops done in a combination of creamy beige tumbled marble and Italian porcelain floor tiles cut down to a specific size. (The tile guy wanted to kill me.) Accented the whole thing with a tile border that looked like ropes of stainless steel. It’s unusual, but I’ve gotten tons of compliments and a couple of nearby builders asked if they could send their clients over to see it…and they ended up putting the look in a few of their homes. </p>
<p>I’m like you…I’d rather have home improvements, especially kitchen and bath stuff, over jewelry any old day! lol!</p>
<p>My house has a lot of creamy beige tumbled marble, so we’re on the same page! The previous owner is an artist and she brought a lot of talent to this house. I bought it for full price in a bad market the day it came on after looking for more than a year. </p>
<p>The house is very true to it’s Italian inspiration with beams, wood windows, lots of marble and other stone, unbelievable custom cabinetry everywhere but the kitchen!</p>
<p>I love your counter idea and would love any more thoughts!</p>
<p>I am trying for a warm, rustic look. I’m having the cabinet builders who did the custom work distress and faux finish pretty but too new looking pine cabinets into that feel.</p>
<p>UC - One thing I think is key to a warm feeling is lighting…and I’m not just talking about pendants over the island. Does your kitchen have undercounter lighting? My sister-in-law is a lighting designer (got her degree in interior design from UT-Austin) and I was completely clueless about lighting until she helped me. What is really nice is halogen under the cabinets(or xenon which has fixtures that don’t get as hot) and rope above the cabinets. Anywhere you have that beautiful tumbled marble and faux woods, there needs to be light to show off the texture and color. You may already have good lighting since this is something an artist would likely think of… But I have turned into a lighting freak…lol!</p>
<p>Another idea (I am actually thinking doing in my kitchen) is removing some of the upper cabinet panels/inserts and putting in some custom glass. There are some really pretty choices out there…seeded, crackle, etc… This is something that would really look beautiful in an Italian inspired kitchen.</p>
<p>Oh I envy you…out there applicance shopping!! Before our Expo Design Center closed, I could spend an entire day just looking at the appliances and the model kitchens…lol!!</p>
<p>I really like my Meile dishwasher. It’s the model with the seperate shelf for silverware which works great! The wash cycles are long, but very quiet and get the job done.</p>
<p>Wife’s best bud (french) and her husband (italian-tuscan)built a home with a wood bread oven. Works OK. but there was a trial and error period to determine how much grape branches to use, and how many loaves the oven can take. Bread comes out a little smokey and the crust is thicker than most people are used to. You get real “cake” </p>
<p>Wife used to make bread by the dozen loaves and Boscotti while kid was freshman/sophomore.She uses a convection gas oven, Electric was uneven. A lot of trials with recipe, cooking time and cooking temperature.</p>
<p>Thanks all! I bought the saparate ovens I love, a Meile and a Thermadore. Still working so all ideas appreciated. I’ve been watching too much HGTV!</p>
<p>No, no, keep the granite and don’t use limestone for the counters! Limestone STAINS and it reacts with acid (as does marble), so vinegar, lemons, tomatoes… they’ll all leave marks. Granite is wonderful, you can cut on it, put hot pans on it, and it still looks good. (I have a granite table I’ve used for fifteen years of sheer abuse and it still looks brand new.)</p>
<p>As for hoods, the easiest hoods to install are the ones that match the range… everyone I know who’s done a kitchen and used a different hood has regretted it. I have the Viking hood and stainless backsplash–with warming shelves–and it works beautifully. No, not as pretty as some others, but easy to clean grease off!</p>
<p>Another product that is very durable is Silestone. Unfortunately, quartz costs about the same as granite…but there are many, many new choices including some that have the look of limestone. The latest trend seems to be getting away from overly shiny or glossy surfaces and toward more texture…</p>
<p>We installed a wood-burning pizza oven outdoors. Use it year-round for yummy pizza. It took us awhile to perfect the method: husband makes the dough; I stretch it and make the pizzas; he cooks them. It really requires a team effort.</p>
<p>The biggest issue is planning. Since it takes several hours to get the fire to the very high temperature required, pizza meals need to be planned early in the day.</p>
<p>Thanks! I am planning an outdoor oven. I’m having fun planning the stone facade for it. I’ve seen some great pictures. How did you build yours. I’m thinking of cornering the oven against a fence with 2 side spaces for storing wood and maybe a small fridge. </p>
<p>How many hours does it take? What else do you cook except pizza? Does it serve well as a fireplace too?</p>
<p>Our outdoor kitchen forms an “L”: a sink is on one side and the pizza oven and gas barbeque are on the other. We have a large storage area under the oven for the wood. </p>
<p>There is a great place in Watsonville, CA that imports the ovens from Italy. The “oven” is actually the interior space and chimney. You will need design and build the exterior. Be sure to check with the building department in your area first for height and clearance from the house. Our city has passed an ordinance since we built ours that would now make such an oven unlawful to build.</p>
<p>The oven takes about 3 hours to reach 600 degrees (It takes a bit longer in the winter). We have cooked delicious whole chickens, vegetables and steak but mostly use it for pizza.</p>
<p>The oven is strictly for cooking since the opening must be about eye level to manipulate the cooking pizzas. I’ve never heard of one doubling as a fireplace.</p>
<p>Thing is…all the Italian butchers and bakers use white marble for their coutnertops–and ti looks fabulous after decades of use. the Roman sidewalks are made of Travertine.</p>
<p>I like granite -esp the indian granites with tons of visual interest in the surface–but I prefer marble because of the pattern in the stone. I had marble coutnertops for years without stains–and I am a sloppy cook.</p>