We need a new 'fridge and range for our kitchen - any suggestions?

[flamingyouth]

In January we're going to take the plunge and replace our aging refrigerator and range.

The range needs to electric and we're seriously considering the radiant-heat style (no horrid burners to clean!). It seems like the possibilities are endless and I am drowning in the details.

Right now we have a side-by-side 'fridge that we can barely fit a frozen pizza in - I don't care about ice makers or water dispensers, I am more concerned about getting the most storage and longest life for our buck.

Anyone who's recently redone their kitchen, I'd appreciate your advice. Thanks! :hi:

[otohara]

1. Don't Buy GE

big Bush donors, make bombs, shitty cable news channels - I've got Maytag, Whirlpool products - happy with both

[flamingyouth]

Good advice

Thanks. We just got a new Whirlpool dishwasher last summer. We're leaning toward them or Maytag for the range too.

[Don_G]

9. Maybe So

But a lot of their appliances are made in Louisville, KY.

GE Appliance Park is large enough to have their own Zip Code.

[Don_G]

2. I Don't Know Yet

How limited are you on space? Are they replacements of free-standing units? Are you planning to remodel your kitchen or not?

That should limit your options a little so you don't drown in details.

[flamingyouth]

6. They're both free standing units, yes

Not built in. We're trying (hoping...) to avoid totally redoing the kitchen, but we fear we might have to. I measured the range and compared it to the ones I was interested in at the store last week and they were the same size. So hopefully that will help us out somewhat. Thanks!

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. We recently purchased a Whirlpool refrigerator and I really

like it. It is a side by side, but I currently have 10 frozen pizzas in it. I love the gallon door shelves. It keeps the shelves clear for more stuff. I have no problem with storage, the width is quite a bit wider than what side by sides used to be. My dream refrigerator is the freezer on the bottom kind, but we couldn't rationalize spending the ton of money more ($500) that it would have cost. I hope it works out great whatever you decide.

[flamingyouth]

11. Thank you!

That sounds exactly like what we need. This current freezer is so narrow, those pizzas have to be bent to fit in there. It's pretty funny. But we cook and store a lot of food, so a larger freezer would be awesome.

We're on somewhat of a budget but we've been saving up for this for over a year so hopefully we can get exactly what we need. :hi:

[never cry wolf]

4. Consumers Reports

www.consumersreports.org

Tell ya everything ya need to know!

[trof]

5. slicktop stove

limits the kinds of pots and pans you can use.
We looked at it and decided to stay with the coils.

[flamingyouth]

8. I meant to ask that in my original post

(I'm getting over the flu and still am a bit groggy...)

Anyway, we use a wok and pressure cooker, and I had heard that those aren't good on the ceramic top stoves. That would sadly eliminate that style for us. I think I was so enchanted with the easy clean-up ...

[trof]

13. Yeah, really liked the looks of them.

We use a lot of cast iron, which scratches.
Also do a lot of sauteeing where you shuffle the pan back and forth.
Another no-no.
I was disappointed about going with the same old cal-rod thingys.

[flamingyouth]

18. We have cast iron and sautee a lot too

Yeah, I was afraid of this. They just look so neat, and I love the way you can adjust the burner size. But we need to worry more about it accommodating our cooking styles. Thank you for all the tips! :hi:

[LizW]

22. Got a Frigidaire slicktop range about a year ago

and it has its plusses and minuses.

Definitely think about the type of pans you like to use and the type of cooking you do. You're right, cast iron would scratch. Also, pans with an absolutely flat bottom work best because of heat distribution and because they don't wobble around and cause scratches. I had to get a new dutch oven.

Cleaning it is a breeze. You have to use a special cleaner, but it's not expensive and you don't use much. I clean mine every night, but I'm anal.;)

Cooking on it does take some getting used to. Mine cooks much hotter than my old range. "3" is a pretty hard boil, where before it was just a good simmer. I have to turn it down to the lowest setting to get and actual slow simmer.

[Robb]

7. The house I was sitting recently

...had the radiant burners. I didn't care for them; pans had to be absolutely flat for the heat to distribute evenly, and there wasn't a lot of control (in terms of reducing heat, for example, it took a long time to cool down compared to gas burners).

:shrug:

[flamingyouth]

12. Ah - an interesting point

We use our wok at least two times a week. Plus we have the largest collection of odd pans in the smallest amount of space (we have a pot rack in our dining room!) that I know of!

[Lars39]

10. I learned a few things with our quest for appliances.

Do not let them deliver the appliances unpacked; make sure they are still in the box. We bought from Lowe's, and it took 3 tries before we got a stove that was not damaged from the straps. They liked to take them out of the boxes before they put them on the truck to speed delivery times. You can order ANY appliance from Sears, you just have to ask for the books to look through. Also...protect your floors with cardboard or rugs; those appliance dollies are awful on woodfloors.
Good luck! :hi:

[flamingyouth]

14. Oh - thank you for that tip

We bought our dishwasher from Lowe's and it came fine, but this is a very good point. Sounds like you had quite the experience. Thank you for your tip! :hi:

[Don_G]

15. If You Decide To Get A Referigator With A Dispenser

Scope out the plumbing first and run the line before it's delivered. That way, you can connect the line upon delivery and save yourself the effort of moving it twice.

[trof]

16. fridge-do NOT get stainless steel finish

Every damn fingerprint shows.
We got black, which matches the other appliances.
It's a big side-by-side with ice & water through the door. Very happy with it.

[flamingyouth]

17. My friend has all stainless appliances and she said the same thing

We're probably going to go with white to match the dishwasher.

[trof]

23. We were looking at Lowes.

The stainless models were covered with prints.

[midnight armadillo]

19. Sunfrost

IF you want the most energy efficient fridge on the planet, with the highest quality construction (full length piano hinge on the door, for example) with custom fronts available (wood veneer, etc) for not too much extra, consider the Sunfrost. The top-mounted compressor also has minimal parts count for better reliability. Why on the top? Because cold fluids sink...makes you wonder why the rest put 'em on the bottom. Their RF16 fridge has 8 cubic feet each on the fridge and freezer and uses a whopping 760 watts per day.

Sunfrost

The downside: these AIN'T CHEAP. Yes sir, expect to pay like $2 grand for that RF16 at www.altenergystore.com or someplace. The most efficient Maytags come pretty close for a lot less money. On the other hand, you can run the Sunfrost on solar cells pretty easily, and they pretty much run forever. In any case, get the most energy efficient one you can afford, it pays off in the long run.

[flamingyouth]

20. Wow - I have never heard of that brand - sounds cool

I'm going to check out their site now. Thank you for this info. It might be a little bit out of our price range, but certainly energy efficiency is another priority with us. :hi:

[midnight armadillo]

21. Chest freezers

You might want to consider a chest freezer and save some money on the fridge if you freeze a lot of stuff. Since the cold air stays in when they're opened they tend to be pretty energy efficient. Of course, you need the room to put it somewhere :-)

[flamingyouth]

24. I wish we did have the room

We live in a condo in a high-rise - hence the need for electric ranges. Too bad - we do cook and store enough to warrant a chest freezer, though!