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Tell me about major appliances
conquerorw0rm
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
My partner and I recently bought a house that is being built (ready in September), and the builder has allotted us 4500 plus tax (in Canadian funds, prices may be more expensive up here) to buy all of our appliances. What's not so simple is that I know almost nothing about appliances. We need to cover a fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave, washer and dryer with that money, and we're limited to the little small-town Sears outlet in town for where we can buy. Obviously, I plan on going to the store to talk to someone at some point, but I'd definitely like to hear other people's experiences with different appliance brands, front-load vs top load washers, top-freezer/bottom-freezer/no-freezer (why are fridges so complicated?), and, of course, anything else we might have forgotten to consider. This is all new to me, and I'd like to pick something attractive and functional that I won't feel like throwing out a window in the span of a week.
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That's about the limits of my knowledge.
Oh yeah, and make sure your builder installs a tap behind the fridge so that you can buy one with an ice maker or cold-water dispenser.
Front loaders use less water, but realistically there's not a huge difference.
If you get a good washer, you can go for a deal on the dryer. Not cheap, but inexpensive.
Freezers on top are more efficient, but not a huge worry either way.
If you're willing to take on very slightly more risk, skip paying for service plans. Manufacturers offer limited warranties, and service plans are very over priced.
Don't worry about fancy options on dials/control panels. Any modern appliance will do as much as you need it to. Reliability is way more important.
--LeVar Burton
Gas or electric on the stove?
And you need to get all of your measurements for the various appliance bays. You don't want to buy a 36 inch fridge and find out that you have 34 inches of space.
Most brands are going to be fairly reliable and check the warranty coverage.
And it will come down to preferences. Do you want a nicer range and a lower end microwave? Or are you planning on not using the range very much? Questions like that are a good starting point with your partner.
For fridges, I prefer the bottom drawer-style freezer, because I'm in the fridge more often, and having that stuff at a higher level is more convenient. You may want to consider getting a small chest freezer for your garage or basement if you have the room/money. They don't often cost more than two or three hundred, and are wildly efficient when it comes to keeping food frozen.
For stoves, if you're going electric, go for a glass, solid top. You've already lost any finesse with heat control by not having a gas stove, so you may as well get something easy to clean (and I say this as someone with an electric oven).
For a washing machine, I'd definitely go with a lower end front-loader. They're not that much more expensive than a top load, and while using less water is a plus, their real advantage is their high spin speed, which can extract a lot more water from washed clothing, shortening up your drying time.
For your dryer, unless you're space-constrained and want a model that stacks with or matches your washer, just get a straight up cheap dryer with alright energy efficiency. If you want to be extra-efficient, put a clotheline in your backyard to use for half the year.
For your dishwasher, just don't go ultra-cheap. Spend at least 500$ or so to get away from some of the build basic models that don't work worth anything. Personally I like the european brands like Bosch, especially now that they've introduced lower end consumer models that aren't so expensive. We've got one, and while it is slightly smaller than a standard dishwasher, it has some nice bonuses. The heating element is hidden in the pumping system under the washer, so we can put plastic items on the bottom rack without fear of melting. Also it has a filter system instead of the standard macerators, which I prefer, as it's less parts to break in the dishwasher.
When it comes to finishes, don't bother with stainless steel. Stick with good, old white. Short of a house made of glass and metal, white will always look appropriate in the kitchen, is cheaper, and will stay cleaner.
Based on my experience buying appliances 6 or 7 years ago in Canada, you could aim for the following pretty easily: Fridge 1000 - 1300, Stove 700 - 900, Microwave 150 - 250, Front load washer 1000 - 1200, Dryer 600 - 700, Dishwasher 500 - 800.
Regarding brands, I've had good luck with my LG fridge, and my Bosch dishwasher. None of the other brands have made enough of an impression for me to care. Don't get suckered on the extended warranty coverage. Any major defects should occur during the manufacturer warranty period. Instead take the money you would have spent on that and sock it away as a future repairs fund.
Finally, if you're living someplace that has hard water, you may want to eventually invest in a water softener. Until that point, to avoid your glasses getting cloudy in the dishwasher, you can toss in some white vinegar after the water has started cycling.
We're about to buy a dryer and are looking at this one. LG is supposed to be a pretty solid brand for dryers, and that one sounds like it has a lot of the functionalities that we want. That might be a little more than you want to spend, don't know how your budget is going to work out, but it's something to think about.
You might check your library and see if they have issues of any Consumer Reports or similar magazines, which might help point you in the right direction or give you good ideas about what brands to look at and what brands to avoid.
On the refrigerator issue, we currently have a side-by-side that came with the house when we bought it, and I hate it. There is so much space wasted because of the skinny little sections. Can't even fit a large pizza box in the refrigerator side, bleh. I don't know about freezer-on-top versus freezer-on-bottom, but I would avoid the side-by-side models.
Then I realized I installed correctly. It was just that quiet.
Being limited to one store kind of sucks, as some places are way off-base with their pricing.
The salesman was trying very hard to sell me on getting an induction range and a steam dryer. Are these things actually worth the extra money? I trust that this guy isn't out to screw us too much, as I actually know where he lives (yeah, really small town) and he doesn't seem to have a bad reputation. Then again, this is literally the only place to buy appliances here without taking a 1+ hour ferry ride, so that might be why. Both of these things could be an option, but would likely involve us shelling out extra money out-of-pocket or going with less nice-looking things. Would that be worth it?
Gas ranges are the only way to cook properly.
LG are meant to make pretty good washers and dryers if Fasher-Paykel or Simpson aren't available.
I have no experience with Kenmore or GE products, and didn't know Kitchenaid made anything other than blenders and mixers up until now. I know Samsung make good fridges and microwaves, Panasonic is another good microwave brand.
I second the suggestion to check Consumer Reports-type magazines and websites. The more you know, the better the decision you can make.
The issue is is the costs increase just isn't worth it.
Satans..... hints.....
The recent east coast experience with Sandy also carved into my mind: When electricity goes out, gas might not!
If a gas line is available, gas range is still the way to go for versatile cooking.
If not, then, well, induction is better than eating cold Vienna sausages out of the can.
Kenmores like #69122 and #79152 and some other even higher end models have a [control setup] button usually located next to the number 6 key ( visible here ). That's where you can change the setting to muted (so check to make sure it's there before you buy). I could talk more about how much I hate beeping, but I am going to stop.
I know you are done, I heard you the first time and also you have stopped making noise so obviously you are done
If you are in Canada and reasonably close, compare prices / sales across the border - if the house will be ready in September, you might be able to get a better deal buying Labor Day sale stuff in the US. Or if you can hold out a month or two more, Black Friday sales.
We are pretty happy with our Samsung french door (freezer drawer) fridge, and front loading washer / dryer. The microwave is ok. I probably wouldn't choose Samsung to do it again, but the price points were great and everything has lasted 5 years without anything I would call an issue.
When the dishwasher we had broke, we got a really nice Bosch at the Sears Outlet - like a $1500 dishwasher for $600 because one piece of plastic on the handle was cracked. It's working very well and is so quiet you can't tell when it's on. Outlet stuff is definitely worth it...saving 50% because of some scratch nobody will even see is definitely worthwhile.
Last Thanksgiving we bought an LG twin-oven range (electric, sealed cooktop) that's pretty nice too. Everything is stainless and matches well enough. We talked about getting a Samsung dishwasher and oven, but the Bosch dishwasher was just a much better value and we liked the features on the LG range. It's very nice because it has fast boil and the small top oven gets preheated much faster. Induction is nice, I guess, but we haven't really used it...but two minutes to boiling water is civilization. Fast boil is worth it 100x, how often are you baking something compared to boiling water?
Don't be afraid to mix and match brands to get the features you want.
I think, overall, we probably were around your price range for all our appliances. All stainless except the washer / dryer. $1200 for the range, $600 for the dishwasher, $1200 for the fridge, $1000 for the washer / dryer (+$350 for the pedistals). Add in maybe $500 for our chest freezer and you should be all set.
It's hard to recommend where to go cheap if you need to. Probably the dryer, but since you usually get a better deal buying the matched washer / dryer, it's probably not especially viable.
Gas appliances: they just seem to work better all around. Cooking is easier, drying is faster, heating is cheaper, etc.
Refrigerator: make sure it fits well in the fridge cubbyhole. I too wanted french doors with freezer on bottom, but only a left hinged door worked well in my kitchen. As for built-in water dispensers, I prefer mine on the kitchen sink, so I can use filtered water for cooking.
Finally, get a dishwasher. Look for quiet ones, with less electronics.
You can usually get top-level appliances for 40% less this way or more, with no functional difference.
Microwaves, a cheap one will do pretty much the same as the expensive ones, ie make food hot -- the only thing I don't think was mentioned is the over-the-stove options which have an extractor fan built into the bottom, which can save space when laying the kitchen out.
Gas is a no-go for us. There isn't a gas hook-up in the kitchen as of now, and my husband is sure that he would blow the place up trying to boil water if we did pay a little extra to have the gas line extended. The induction cook-top is still looking quite appealing, as all of our current pots and pans would work on it, but it is still seeming fairly expensive. Convection oven seems like a nice feature, too, and probably worth the extra money for someone who likes to bake?
Mom2Kat, you're right, we are in Powell River. Always shocking when someone knows where it is, since I didn't even know it existed until we moved here. So yes, this means that there's no scratch and dent stores, and we're about 6 hours and 2 ferries from the US border. So no cheap cheese, gas or black Friday sales for me (we used to live just on the other side of the border, and these are things I miss so much).
I think we've worked out a pretty good deal with the sears man. We'll get 10% off if we buy everything there, and he can chart the sales for us to purchase stuff at the lowest price and then only have it delivered in when the house is ready for it. And apparently he can order just about anything, so I think you guys have sold me on some sort of Bosch dishwasher. And also a microwave that doesn't beep. Seriously, where has that feature been all my life?
Just have to make sure to get into the habit of using it until the conversion from regular -> convection directions becomes second nature.
French door fridges in general are awesome, though. We got a Kitchenaid one with an interior filtered water dispenser (no big, complicated in-door contraption to spring a leak!) that is pretty baller. Depending on how often you'd use the dispenser, that could be something to look for. And a tip on dishwashers - 51 decibels is "hey, that's pretty dang quiet", and 48 decibels is where they start putting indicator lights on the front so you can tell when they're running.
One important difference does exist for top load HE washers.
Leveling the machine is absolutely critical. Balance of the clothing inside is critical as well. If you do not achieve a good level or balance, expect a top load HE washer to perform like ass. My dad has one, and inevitably he has to dick with every couple months or so when someone over loads it or it goes out of level.
The solution is of course to unplug the unit from the wall, pop the cover off, and disconnect the fucking annoying god-damn beeper before I kill everybody...
Protip: Doing this not only voids your warranty, unless you're a qualified electrician, it probably also voids your home and contents insurance.