Lets talk about kitchen appliances!

[Slava]

So I have come to the conclusion that its time for a refresh; one has been hanging on and probably should be replaced. Another would have to be repaired or replaced immediately and...well when 2/3 need to be done you might as well replace the set. So I guess what I'm wondering at this point is:

1) Does it matter if the fridge, range and dishwasher match? Like obviously I don't mean in terms of finish (that matters), but if I bought a Samsung dishwasher, GE fridge and LG Range? I just mean in terms of selling the house down the road?

2) For the range, gas or electric/induction? I currently have a plain-jane electric, but I would spend the extra and have a gas line put in if we're talking like $500 kind of thing and it was worth it. Thoughts or experiences?

3) What are peoples thoughts on finish? Like the Stainless seems nice, but full of fingerprints. I see there are some 'slate' kind of colours available which might negate that issue, but I don't want something that will look dated in 5-6 years.

Any help or comments appereciated!

[Northendzone]

Personally, I like stuff like this to match. But in the kijiji resale world, I doubt that someone would care that much.

If you have little kids, then fingerprints would matter a lot. We have black and it is ok.

It is my understanding that you need 50 amp service for an induction oven, and you may need new cookware.

[Canehdianman]

My next kitchen will be gas I hope.

I wouldn't care about the brands matching though.

[Flash Walken]

My perspective:

Gas/Induction will depend on whether you have a gas bbq or not. If you've got a gas/propane BBQ, then in my mind another gas range is redundant.

Induction is amazing. Safe, quick and inexpensive.

Gas will be cheaper to operate I'm assuming, but it's less efficient which means it takes longer to cook your food.

If you experience regular power outages, you may want to go with Gas.

[oilyfan]

I am not sure what connection there is between owning a gas bbq and cooking on gas in the kitchen. Completely different processes, the bbq is used for open flame cooking, not so in the kitchen.

We switched to gas from flat top electric, and love it! It's fast, of course not as fast as induction. The pots and pans don't have to be perfectly balanced to sit properly on the surface, as a induction or electric surface needs. And cost to operate is way less.

We have stainless steel appliances, and two small kids. The new generation SS is very fingerprint resistant. No issues there for us beyond the usual cleaning.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Personally, I like stuff like this to match. But in the kijiji resale world, I doubt that someone would care that much.

If you have little kids, then fingerprints would matter a lot. We have black and it is ok.

It is my understanding that you need 50 amp service for an induction oven, and you may need new cookware.

50 amp receptacle is needed, however you'll have that installed already if you have a regular electric range. New cookware is needed though. I would avoid induction because of its tendency to cracked if something is dropped on it (any glass top for that matter). Unless you are really concerned about kids burning their hands, I would go with gas. That way future homeowners have their choice of gas or electric ovens. I personally like stainless (no kids for me), just go with what looks best given your kitchen.

[Fuzz]

I love gas. Put a gas line in for I think $300, but it will depend on your access under the kitchen. Mine was only a few feet and very direct.

I was poor when we got the place and it had a few white appliances, so I've stayed with it as I have upgraded. It's been nice because white are usually cheaper, and for us got really good deals buying some used of Kijiji because everyone wanted to "upgrade" to SS. I'm not sure matching brands is all that important as long as the look is the same.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

1) Matching brands doesn't matter at all, other than to keep certain styling cues consistent. For instance the handles on my fridge (electrolux) match the style of handle on my range (Whirlpool)

2) Gas all the way. There's a reason why the expressions "now we're cooking with gas" exists. Just make sure your vent hood is high enough away from the surface to comply with code. (no over the range microwaves)

3) SS is fine with with my kids. Kids goober up anything, black, white, or SS.

[bc-chris]

i second what i-hate-hulse said

our stove is gas top and electric oven - i love that combination.

we have all jen-air and i would not buy them again.
i look at our dishwasher as a 'sterilizer' becuz it sucks for getting things clean
as i mentioned i love the gas/electric combo of our stove, but i would not get this brand again. it has a down draft fan (so no overhead fan). i find it 'pulls' the gas flame towards the center of the stove and really doesn't work that well
the fridge is fine - nothing special either way. i believe there are fridges now that 'beep' if a door is left open. as a household with 2 kids, that would be a really nice feature to have

[SportsJunky]

Isn't one of the issues with induction that you have to use the specific induction pots and pans? That would be a pita if you had a big dinner to prepare and some were in the dishwasher or otherwise being used.

[Amethyst]

I don't think brands matter, if the "look" matches. I know that serious cooking people prefer gas, but the majority of people aren't that serious and wouldn't care. I prefer electric because I'm always afraid I'm going to blow something up with gas.

I would stay away from induction unless you really want it and will enjoy it for many years. That could be an annoyance factor for future buyers, if they don't have the proper cookware for it.

Do they still do brushed steel? That could be a way to avoid the fingerprint issue.

[jar_e]

Brushed stainless steel is the way to go. No fingerprints or smudges.

[Ducay]

Did an entire house (incl kitchen) gut job last year so went through all of this recently.

1) Matching only matters if they are side by side. Brand doesn't matter, but "temperature" does. Some stainless will be bluer, and others more warm. Case in point, Delta sells many of their faucets in 2 tones of stainless. You wouldn't want a "bluer" stainless fridge right beside a gold stove, etc. But if you got a 2 or so feet between each, you're fine. Matching brands is a non-issue, pick the best of each appliance for your case.

2) Gas. End of story. I cook a lot and my 36" 6 burner "pro-sumer" range (Blue Star) is the best money I've spent at under $4k. Once you go gas you'll never go back.

Induction has benefits, (good output) but I've used a few and it is a pain getting beeped at when you lift up a pan to toss contents, drain water, etc. Too finnicky.

3) Stainless. You could get a colored range (most high-ends do that) if you want something unique. But there is a reason it is timeless and transcends fads.

[Kjesse]

I've had electric, induction, and gas. Currently have gas, had induction for about 4 years.

Induction is superior in terms of the speed of getting things up to temperature and the absolute control you have over the temperature. Your cookware must contain iron, but that shouldn't be a problem your existing cookware likely does. The most annoying thing about induction is the constant clicking as the "burners" cycle on and off, which is constant, to hold the desired temperature.

I prefer gas regardless. Its more like being a "chef" and there is a certain satisfaction that comes with using gas. Its less efficient than induction and takes quite a bit longer to get to the desired temperature. However if you keep it on the burner longer, I think you can achieve higher temps with a burner, I'm not certain of that however.

[sureLoss]

Only thing I have to add is get a Bosch dishwasher if you can. Things are amazing, some of the lower end models are not that great though.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Delgar

Induction is superior in terms of the speed of getting things up to temperature and the absolute control you have over the temperature.

I prefer gas regardless. Its more like being a "chef" and there is a certain satisfaction that comes with using gas. Its less efficient than induction and takes quite a bit longer to get to the desired temperature. However if you keep it on the burner longer, I think you can achieve higher temps with a burner, I'm not certain of that however.

Induction can be quick, but gas isn't really much slower if you've got good output burners. There is a heck of a lot of difference between



and a 25,000btu or 22,000 btu burner.



That said, I think we all agree gas is best. I would only go induction if I couldn't get a gas line to my kitchen at all.

[Kjesse]

One of your photos is a burner that one would find in an RV. I'm comparing a quality Bosch appliance (the induction I had) to the Wolf gas cooktop I have now, the largest burner on each. Induction is still quite a bit quicker. Your second photo though contains a burner far superior to what my Wolf has.

[JonDuke]

When I went shopping for a dishwasher last year, every single associate in each store (5-6?) I visited strongly advised me against buying any Samsung product.

That's all I can add.

[oilyfan]

Yes, we have a Samsung dishwasher, 4 years old and has had 4 repair visits already. All my research suggest Bosch, or Kenmore Elite. Next time mine breaks it will be a Bosch replacing it.

[InglewoodFan]

Originally Posted by oilyfan

Yes, we have a Samsung dishwasher, 4 years old and has had 4 repair visits already. All my research suggest Bosch, or Kenmore Elite. Next time mine breaks it will be a Bosch replacing it.

Another brand to consider is Miele. We are on year 4 with ours, nary a hiccup. I do buy into the idea that dishwashers that have a salt reservoir work better at removing food etc. We pretty much go straight from the table to the dishwasher, everything comes out super clean.