A post from Kelli–
I know it’s a huge surprise, but I need help in making a decision. If you know me at all, you know that this is a regular occurance and happens more often than not. It even happens with little trivial things like what I’m making for supper. I will literally make Jason anything for supper (unless we don’t have the ingredients) as long as I don’t have to make the decision of what to make. I will literally put things off for horribly long periods of time…again, for the simple fact that I don’t want to make a decision.
So…here I am….needing to make a decision….and needing a bit of help.
When I moved in with Jason, he lived in the house that had been a bachelor house for years upon years. It was a nice little house in the middle of nowhere which I loved, but the condition of the house left much to be desired if you were a girl that was moving in with the boy that she liked and wanted to make a home with….not just a place to sleep, eat, shower and be gone from. It even came complete with a stove that had three working burners and a refrigerator that had a giant John Deere decal on it and a strange wooden handle. Again, great for a bachelor house, but not the best for a home.
When the opportunity came that we may be able to move, I jumped at the chance. After some time and waiting, things were set that we were going to move. We knew that we needed a new washer and dryer, but I really wanted a new refrigerator as well. Long story short, we had looked at appliances here and there, but hadn’t made any actual decisions. Jason happened to be able to borrow a trailer and get the afternoon off, so he went to the appliance store and bought the washer and dryer. He also decided to “surprise” me and get a refrigerator as well. He knew that I wanted a bottom freezer one, but when he started looking at prices, he ended up getting one that was nice enough, but was a pretty basic model with the freezer on top. He called me to ask if it was okay and without knowing what he was planning on getting, I told him that if it was a big price difference I would just take whatever he ended up getting….and he was buying and we were just dating, so I felt odd getting too demanding.
All was well…until the stove that we had ended up frying out another burner. One of two remaining burners worked part of the time, and the one that worked all of the time was the small one in the back corner. It wasn’t too ideal, but it worked and we just went with it.
When we moved to the farm that we live at now, Jason’s parents had just bought a new stove. They offered their stove to us as the house didn’t come with a stove. We happily accepted. We also purchased a dishwasher, but were a bit short on cash, so just got a cheap one that we thought would be okay. The microwave that came with the house had a handle on it that was a little iffy.
Since we moved in, the handle has snapped off of the microwave . It looks like they had attempted to glue the handle back in place a few times, but there was no fixing it this time. It has also been a pain in the butt about working lately. We have also discovered that the ice maker (which was the main reason that I wanted a new refrigerator) no longer works in the freezer. Our dishwasher has also seen it’s better days due to some plumbing and electrical shorting issues.
Recently I’ve really been on a kick that I have wanted to try and get Jason to fix the dishwasher. After a few “discussions,” me making food I know he doesn’t like a few times, lots of complaining to my mom, and a few tears, he finally looked at it and did what he could, but it just goes halfway through the cycle and then stalls out.
When we were talking about going down to Lucy and Scottie’s baptism, I got him convinced that we would atleast look and maybe buy a new dishwasher. We went to baptism and made a quick stop at Home Depot. They asked if we needed help, but we just looked around. Honestly at this point, I just wanted to have three choices and pick one….but THERE ARE SO MANY! We talked about what we wanted for features, colors, etc. And then Jason had a revolutionary idea–Let’s just buy all new kitchen appliances!
I was a bit shocked, but honestly, we really need them. That however will require more than an Impala to get them to our house and a bit more of a money plan, so we went over to the baptism party.
After talking to Buck and Lora, I also found out that Best Buy sells appliances. After a little bit of chatting with Lora (she’s a manager there, so I was able to get the good scoop), it sounds like buying through Best Buy would be the best choice for us. **Before anyone tells me I need to shop local, please know that supporting family in their work and careers trumps buying local for me.**
So this is where I need a little help–I DON’T KNOW WHAT BRAND TO BUY! I currently have a GE stove, Amana microwave, Kenmore refrigerator, and a Frigidaire Dishwasher. There are a few features that I am looking for–
Refrigerator–Bottom freezer and ice maker. I am okay with a french door opening top, but would probably prefer a single door. Water would also be okay, but I don’t want to give up tons of refrigerator space for it as I really enjoy my coutry water.
Dishwasher–I would like to have the buttons and such on the top of the door so that down the line when I have kids, they can’t just walk by and push buttons. Other than that, I want it to wash dishes so that I don’t have to.
Stove–Glass top and electric. Again, I don’t want the dials on the outside part of the stove as I would be afraid little hands would cause problems.
Microwave–I want it to be able to make popcorn and warm up my leftovers.
I do have a few other thoughts–
- I’d like black stainless steel, but would be up for regular stainless steel too. No white.
- I want them all to be the same brand and look like they go together.
- I’d prefer to be around $3,000 or less if possible.
- I’d like them to all fit in the back of a truck if delivery isn’t possible.
- I won’t want them to be smart phone capable and don’t want any other technology upgrades.
So here is where YOU all come in–
What are your thoughts? Do you have any reccommendations? What brands do you have and like? Is there a features that an appliance of yours has that you love or hate? Again, please don’t tell me that I need to shop local. I have made my decision as to where I will be purchasing the items and feel as though they have a wonderfully large selection–I just have to make the decision.
Here’s what I’m liking so far-
Here’s the GE set that I like–
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-24-8-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-stainless-steel/5003906.p?skuId=5003906
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-24-tall-tub-built-in-dishwasher-stainless-steel/5074428.p?skuId=5074428
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-5-3-cu-ft-self-cleaning-freestanding-electric-range-stainless-steel/4943603.p?skuId=4943603
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-1-6-cu-ft-over-the-range-microwave-stainless-steel/1624532.p?skuId=1624532
And the Whirlpool set that I like–
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-25-2-cu-ft-french-door-refrigerator-with-internal-water-dispenser-black-stainless-steel/5789905.p?skuId=5789905
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-24-built-in-dishwasher-black-stainless-steel/5796519.p?skuId=5796519
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-5-3-cu-ft-self-cleaning-freestanding-electric-range-black-stainless-steel/5979810.p?skuId=5979810
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/whirlpool-1-9-cu-ft-over-the-range-microwave-with-sensor-cooking-black-stainless-steel/5900300.p?skuId=5900300
So like I said, I’m stuck! And I’m hoping you can help me out a bit! Let me know what you think–I’m hoping to get something figured out in the next week or so, but we’ll see how that goes…
Just a thought on the ice makers in fridges and when they stop working. We had that happen, replaced the actual icemaker only for it to fail a year later. Turns out you should replace your water filter yearly and you will have no issues.
Cheers Jodie.
Kelli go for the whirlpool as that hits your criteria. Even colour and deep down you know that is what you really want.
Enjoy your new kitchen.
Taught Foods for many years so have lots of lab experience plus lived on a farm for lots of years. Having same color appliances is important to me but brands can be another story. NEVER EVER BUY ANYTHING BUT A KITCHEN AID DISHWASHER. Clean better, hold more, and last longer. Just the basic model, don’t need the top of the line. Have had good experiences with GE, but hated my Whirlpool appliances. Noisy and broke down often. Love side by side refrigerators. Don’t care where you buy but a good service person close by can save a lot of money because technology has advanced so much. In the future you might want to check out the Jenn Air range with indoor gridle. Love it and have bought three in a row as we moved to a different location. Good luck and so happy for you. My biggest suggestion would be just buy, move on and enjoy.
You can read Consumer Report magazines at the library and see that different brands have different appliances that seem to be their expertise, that is getting the best buy, highest rated appliance would have you buying different brands, but you would know they had been tested to be the best in their category.
I like the looks of the GE. I have had Kitchen appliances that are all from Sears, which would be Kenmore since we built the house in 1993. The only one, knock on wood that we have had to replace was the dishwasher, which I had hardly used and bought another one from the sears store. I just looked and don’t see the brand name, but it is so quiet and wonderful, you can’t even hear it running!
P.s. You are just like my hubby, he can’t make a decision either, lol!
We just replaced our used refrigerator that we received as a wedding gift over 20 years ago and our dishwasher that we purchased new with wedding gift money. We are on our third stove, purchased just over 5 years ago. They don’t make them like they use to! My stove just went out two days ago, the extended warranty ended in December. Seriously! Our new refrigerator is an LG, we have limited space so we had limited options. The new dishwasher is GE and the stove is LG. I think there are only about three manufacturers that make all appliances, so I don’t get too crazy about brands and anything we buy new now, we will start saving for replacements because they will not last like the older models did. I do not like the racks in the new dishwasher. I feel like it holds less, but it is quieter and cleans well. Because the refrigerator is smaller and has french doors, I feel squished when I open it. I do love the pull out freezer! Good luck. When buying several at a time, you can bargain for a discount or free delivery/installation!
Buying the same brand is not nearly so important as you can get a coordinated look with different brands. Read all the reviews online to find out about breakdown/repair experiences and then go with your gut. With every new year/model there are changes in appliances and sometimes there are design flaws. You will find that in the reviews. Brand of dishwasher is not nearly so important as how well the dishwasher works. Some models of KitchenAid dishwashers and washing machines have had bad histories while others have been wonderful. And children find those buttons on top and just love to push them ;-) Good luck on your selections!
Between your choices of brands I would definitely recommend GE. Like Judy, above, I love my KitchenAid dishwasher. Have had for 5 years so far with zero problems/no repairs which = happiness and money well spent. So maybe think about that one exception to the same brand plan.
I just moved into a place where the appliances came with the purchase and the glass top stove shattered after a month. I still have glass in two finger tips from trying to clean it up. My hand quilting project is affected, obviously, but that glass flew everywhere when an orange juice pitcher fell on it. Good luck and congrats on getting such nice new appliances. Every girl’s dream…
Can’t speak to brands, but here are my thoughts: are you sure you want a black stovetop? In addition to small fingerprints on the oven door someday, every stray grain of salt etc. shows up on the top like crazy. I have a black front dishwasher and the buttons are on top of the front. They are so well concealed that I have to adjust my glasses and peer at them to decide which ones to push. It has stainless interior which is great. See previous about fingerprints. I have a refrigerator that we bought about 35 years ago and I have hated it every day since. It has the freezer on top. When we bought a new one for our second home I thought I knew what to get. Wrong. Freezer is on the bottom which is o.k.and no ice maker -also o.k.- but it is not big enough (get the absolute biggest one .that will fit in the space). Also, be aware that sometimes the top and/or sides are not the same color as the front-stainless front, black sides and top. Microwave? Ours has a turntable (good) and in one house it is on a shelf over the stove, which I really like, but it depends on the configuration of your kitchen whether you can do that. Good luck! I’m sure you will get reams of info-maybe too much- but take your time and you’ll be fine.
If you cannot make a decision and both options are equal, toss a coin and get it over with. The appliances will only last eight to ten years. If you have lived with what have had in the past, you will be happy with whatever choice you make. So go get em!
We recently purchased a new refrigerator and, like you, found it difficult to make a choice because of all the options. After doing a lot of online research we ended up with a Whirlpool. In the reviews the LG and Samsungs were getting good reviews but then I found a review for brands several years out by a repairman. It seems there can be a great deal of trouble and time getting parts for a refrigerator made in Japan. Whirlpools are apparently made in the USA and getting parts are supposed to easier than with some of the other brands.
Your story could be my story. My husband came with an old house. It is paid off so this is where we are staying. LOL Before we married I bought all new appliances (his dishwasher didn’t even work and space is at a premium in the SMALL kitchen). Because of space limitations I could not get top of the line oven or cook top. I went with GE and they are all still working great after 12 years. I went with as close to the top of the line I could get that would fit and after 12 years I have not had a single repair and it all still works great. I did not buy a GE dishwasher because my mom recommended a Bosch based on her own experience. My Bosch dishwasher is great! no noise and great quality. Whatever brand refrigerator you get try and get them with METAL drawer slides as mine broke quickly and were expensive to replace, my only complaint. I was all in on the French door fridge until my sister showed me how you had to open both doors to open the crisper drawer. :( Overall I am happy with my GE appliances and love my Bosch. They are all white (because of the color of my kitchen) but you can’t tell they are different brands. Good Luck!
I think if you just choose the same color, any brand can work and look like it goes together. My daughter in law got a new stainless fridge. Bottom freezer and 2 doors on top. She loves it most of the time, her only complaint: it has a long drawer inside to put her cheese, lunch meats etc in.
But, that drawer is the whole width of the fridge and when she has to use it, both doors have to be opened. She thought no big deal, but now that she owns it, it is a big deal. She wishes she’d spent the little extra and got the 2 drawers instead of one big one. She has stainless but it is fingerprint city with 2 little boys. Her old stainless fridge would not accept magnets either! That was totally weird to me, but new one does, so she’s happy. I have all black and am generally real happy with them. Only time I’m unhappy is on a bright sunny day when it shows drips or smudges. At other times it does show light items like the salt mentioned above or bread crumbs, etc. Good luck with your new purchases. You’ll never find everything perfect, you just learn to live with it-just don’t make yourself crazy trying for the perfection!
Consumer Reports tests different appliances and gives rating for them. I would recommend reading their ratings for the appliances, as well as reading the reviews from other buyers. Pick out the features you must have and make sure the appliances you choose have them. Buying appliances is a big purchase and you are very smart in taking the time to do the research.
I have the GE dishwasher, I like it. I don’t use the bottle washer as much as I thought I would, but you can chose them. I have GE microwave just not above the stove. I like it too. I have had a GE glass top stove and oven. I would buy again in a minute. The refrigerator that I have is close to 20 years old and is a whirlpool side by side with water and ice. Just ask if you get water, if the water is chilled, stored in fridge before you get a glass full. Most are not anymore. That is why I haven’t given mine up yet. If I want water from the fridge I want a cold glass of water otherwise I can go the the tap and get a glass.
I need a new washer and dryer, what did you get? We are a farm family also. Need a good washing machine.
Cindy Berns
How wonderful and I know you will enjoy what ever you buy. I have thee freezer on the bottom and split door refrigerator from Whirlpool (1year old) and I love it. Be careful that you don’t buy the shiny front doors, every handprint shows. I would want a stainless interior dishwasher but I want it to be very quiet! read the review, it makes a difference if you have to talk over it for many years. I love the quiet of Bosch. My new stove is glass top and I love how easy it is to clean, you will also. I wish you good luck in deciding and how wonderful to get all of them upgraded all at once.
I have a Braun dishwasher that I really like. You can be right next to it and barely hear it. My stove with a glass top is shiny and shows every crumb or streak! Try to get one with at least textured pattern on the burners. I had a Fridgeair microwave that broke as soon as the warranty was up. I replaced it with LG which I’ve had a couple of years and like. If you get the same color in appliances they will match well enough!
We have a GE glass top oven but ours is white. I don’t cook so I can’t say anything about how it cooks!
The one thing that is difficult about it is keeping the top clean. It is white so it is obvious when little spills turn brown. It is the really hard to clean off. A black one wouldn’t show up the spills as much, but they would be there.
I too agree with others who have recommended checking Consumer Report reviews and not worrying about buying the same brand. If you pick one finish it will all match. Our previous house had all GE appliances except for the fridge as that’s what the builder put in. The current house has various brands and as we’ve replaced them we looked at reviews and picked from the recommended ones. I’m also a person who hates to make these big decisions so I empathize with you! We need to replace the fridge and I’m kind of stuck as to which way to go…lol Good luck!
My last GE refrigerator was loud! Currently have a Samsung French door, no water in door however has icemaker. Love it.
I am waiting from 8-5 today for Sears to come and repair a dryer I spent months researching. I tell you this because I thought I purchased the best, most reliable, washer/dryer set I could get. These days I don’t think it matters what brand you purchase, they will never last as long as we expect them to. If you are torn between the two sets do an “eenie meenie minee mo” and go with it.
I’m excited for you. God love your husband for suggesting a kitchen full of new appliances!!!
just my two bits but I have regretted buying the glass top black stove that I have since the beginning – you are told in the instructions that you shouldn’t use any pan on it that is not totally flat and mine also says you shouldn’t use cast iron pans I do any how carefully but it does say you shouldn’t use them. They are difficult to keep clean and really need a special cleaner and a utility blade window scraper and it still doesn’t all come off. If I could do it over again I wouldn’t buy it but now I need to wait about 10 years for it to fall apart so I can buy a new one.
Be sure to measure the space you have, the width of the door frames the fridge will have to come through and the measurements of the fridge. Features are wonderful; however, when I was shopping for a new one, the problem was what it would take to get it into my house. Some new ones are so wide and/or deep. One delivery man said they have all kinds of problems because people are unaware.
I live in an area subject to power outages. And after last year’s round of hurricanes, our power was failing and surging several times a day for months as sections of the power grid were being rebuilt. Those outages and surges fried the electronics in my refrigerator. And ruined a small fortune in food that I had restocked after hurricane season ended. So we replaced it with the lowest tech fridge we could find. Your area may not be subject to power outages, but still the electronics are a consideration. They can be very expensive to repair.
Hi Kelli! We recently bought a black refrigerator with a single top door and the freezer on the bottom. Love, love love it! We can’t have water or ice because we have a finished ceiling below that would be too difficult to run water lines. Other than that we try our best to buy USA made appliances. Good luck in your decision. For me it’s like picking paint for a room- I really hate making those decisions!
Bosch dishwasher is the very best on the market. It is a real workhorse.
Don’t buy Samsung whatever you do
I like my LG stove.
Don’t buy Maytag washer.
I’ve been through all the brands. Just offering you good advice
I’ve had a glass cooktop for about 8 years and I hate it. I can’t use my cast iron or if I do you have to be very careful. It’s hard to clean and keep clean. If I had it to do over again I would get a gas stove with regular burners. That’s just me. The only requirement I had for a dishwasher was that it was quiet so I was told to get stainless steel interior. It is very quiet and has cleaned all that I put in it. Both are Frigidaire. I would like the 2 door freezer on the bottom refrigerator when I replace mine. I never have liked a side by side but that’s just me.
My color of choice has always been white then I can easily change the colors in my kitchen on a whim and I can see they are clean.
I have to have an electric stove and have a flat top. It works out ok but you have to be patient, its not like gas. Be sure the stove has at least one fast boil burner, preferably two. I’d check Consumer Reports for name brands, what was good 10 years ago may have been bought by another manufacturer and isn’t good today. I used to get all top of the line Sears and they honored their guarantees but they are dying a slow death now and probably not the best choice. Enjoy your new kitchen!
I’m going to also suggest that you don’t have to buy all the same brand. My ILs got all fancy GE for their new place and started replacing various appliances at 3 years. Also, Consumer Reports is not as independent as they used to be so I have found them to be less reliable. I have a bottom freezer which I thought I wanted, but find it harder to keep track of things and they tend to fall over n there. If you get a bottom freezer, be sure to get the drawer and not the door version. (I had to do an emergency replacement, so no choice.) The French doors have a tendency to pop open when you close one side if you aren’t careful, so just be aware of that.
On a separate note, I have a friend who hates planning dinner. She solved that by writing up a list of all the meals they like and then she put them into weekly groupings to use up the more unusual ingredients any of them might need. Now, she just cycles through the weeks and never has to plan anything but the grocery list. Perhaps some version of this could make this task easier for you, too.
As Stoney Monte related, I also had a glass top range that cracked. Not from something falling on it, just from use. I’ll never have another one. I now have gas, which I LOVE.
I have a KitchenAid dishwasher that I love. My refrigerator and range are both Maytag, but Maytag was bought out several years back by Whirlpool, so not sure of their quality now.
Just replaced my microwave that I had for 20 years. Sharp Carousel.
Don’t let anyone make the judgement for you. You have to live with the items.
My comments are to definitely go with Best Buy, I’ve had nothing but excellent service from them, secondly it’s true that all the applicanes are made by 2 or 3 different companies so I don’t think it matters too much which brand you choose. I prefer LG as have had mine for several years and they’re fine. By no means would I have a glass top stove for all of the reasons mentioned and I love my bottom freezer!!! Good luck!
We owned a retail appliance store for 30 years. We sold it 4 years ago. I have always had GE and loved it. You might look at the slate color. I am building a new home and I will have black slate. I used to clean the stainless refrigerators in the store and hate the fingerprints. It’s a pain. The black stainless is pretty, but I’ve heard that it scratches easily. I love my smooth top ranges, but have never had cast iron. The top is easy to clean if you use ceramabrite. Made for those ranges. Also, wanted a Bosch dishwasher, but never got one. It cleans great, but many of the dishwashers don’t dry. You can thank the government for that, they have to meet energy restrictions. Good luck, I have more info, but this is long. BYW, the average life of an appliance now is 8 to 10 years, not like the old stuff.
Craigslist is your friend. We have gotten several dishwashers that way for CHEAP and they have worked out just fine. Washing machines too. I love bottom freezers and I would definitely hold out for one.
I’m going with Kitchenaid and local because you have someone who you can call for service on a timely matter . Good luck
I recommend Bosch dishwashers too. I have had Kenmore, GE, (hated it and it didn’t last) a Maytag and 2 Boschs over 40+ years. I have been happy with Maytag appliances, stove, glass top, and refrigerator. Have had 2 Kenmore microwaves and like them. I agree, check Consumer Reports reviews.
I can only review what I have had for six years: 1. Kitchenaid dishwasher (top of the line!): hate it, it came to us with a defective pump which we had to replace and washes terribly. You must wash the dishes before loading–don’t even know why we have the thing. 2. Samsung fridge: front panel went out after first year, freezes in winter and gets too warm in summer. 3. GE profile microwave: good, but if you heat up too much water in it, the steam causes the microwave to go out and you have to wait until it dries out again. 4. GE Stove: no issues, other than accidental water spillage causes the stovetop sparker thingie to go haywire and spark continually, and then you have to turn off the circuit breaker and wait for the stove to dry out. 6. GE oven: no problems, except a bit inconsistent with temperature. Honestly, we have had the worst luck with appliances! I used to keep my old appliances forever and I used them heavily–these new ones seem to be so fragile and finicky. One problem with consumer reports is that they heavily report on features and not long-term use. And I don’t think Kitchenaid is really Kitchenaid anymore–I think they were bought by Whirlpool? You might want to check on that. I would buy Whirlpool before Kitchenaid.
Kelli,
Congratulations! Your spouse is an incredibly good guy.
My experience says don’t buy a low water usage machine. I’ve tried both a low water dishwasher and washing machine and have been dissatisfied. Loads with light dirt wash ok, but those with heavy soils will have to go through two or three cycles to get clean. It gets worse if the water has a high mineral content.
I have used a black glass electrical stove top for the last 8 years. I have enjoyed it and it meets my family’s needs. The stove top does require flat bottom pots and pans to effectively cook food. Yes, you will need to use a special stove top cleaner maybe three times a week on it. I find the cleaner in my local grocery store, so it is not an item I need to search for (Weiman’s Glass Cook Top Heavy Duty Cleaner). I have never had to use a scraper with a razor blade to clean up spills or burnt spots. Yes, I do use cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens on it. I am careful not to drop these heavy items on the stove top. The one thing I haven’t done is can on this stove top as I think the canner would be too heavy when loaded with jars and water.
You and your husband are spending a great deal of money on these appliances. If your area is subject to a lot of brownouts, blackouts and or lightening strikes, it might be worth talking to an electrician to find out what can be done to curb voltage spikes coming into the house and damaging anything electrical plugged into the walls, including your new purchases.
Whatever you buy, I hope that it brings you many years of excellent service.
Hate GE. Nothing but trouble.
LOVE LOVE LOVE LG!!!!!!!!
A cheap $50 microwave from Wal-Mart or Target will work great and save money in the long run. Expensive microwaves (especially the over the stove variety) don’t last any longer.
Be careful about stainless steel and black. Both show fingerprints badly. And white is actually the new black! Seriously, white is once again popular in appliance colors.
Good luck weeding through everyone’s opinions! :-)
Kelli,
I have had Maytag appliances for 20+ years, I love them. I have the glass topped stove and I love that also. I recently had to purchase a canner, I used my mom’s but it got “lost” in her move. Unfortunately, the bottom of the pot is not flat, so I screwed up there! I now can my tomatoes on the side burner on our grill…
One option that you didn’t mention that I couldn’t live without is the second oven. I purchased the Maytag Gemini when it first came out and it is FANTASTIC! Not sure how much baking cooking for large groups you do but having the second oven is the best. It’s a bit spendy but about $1,000 less that it was when I purchased mine. Just a thought on the second oven.
As far as GE or Whirlpool, I’m not certain but I think they are manufactured by the same company. If so, all things being the same I’d go with the cheaper package.
Good luck:)
I had black appliances at last house and as much as I liked the looks, they show everything! Just another observation to ponder. I did replace a fridge at that house with the french doors and freezer on bottom with ice maker – no water dispenser. LOVED that fridge!! Could get so much in the freezer and the top! Got a turkey, cheese platter and even a few casserole dishes in it on holidays along with all else I had in fridge. Have another side by side and hate it. Can’t get much in those.
We have a brand new GE French door refrigerator and it is LOUD. I can hear it over three teenage boys all day long and thought it had a problem until I looked online and saw that the noise kept it off of the Consumer Reports best picks list. (I would never ever in a million years again buy something they recommended after my adventures with the Whirlpool Cabrio, but it’s not just me that hates listening to this thing.) In our small house, it’s a huge annoyance. I homeschool our kids and spend most of my day within earshot of the kitchen. There’s also not enough room to put a gallon of milk – or anything else tall – on the shelves without tipping it to get it out.
For years I bought good reliable Sears products BUT they are no longer the same company nor reliable. After our latest incident where we had a warranty/repair plan on our refrigerator which they refused to honor, I contacted HOME ADVISOR. The gentleman who looked at our frig said in today’s world get the cheapest that meets your needs as none of the appliances are made to last over 7-10 years. My daughter swears by Kitchen Aid though.
I know budget is always an issue, but don’t buy too cheap. Buy at least mid-range if you can. Appliances are made to last about five years now days and parts aren’t even made to repair those closer to the bottom of the line. This information comes from a nephew who works in the appliance business.
My suggestion is to talk to an area appliance repair person. They see which ones that get calls on the most and can often be your best help in replacing appliances. Sales people are just that…people trying to sell you something, just as long as you buy from them! I was told several years ago that most appliances today are made to only last 8-10 years. You might want to keep that in mind too.
I love the bottom freezer (Kenmore), but prefer one door. We use a carafe of water in the door, and ice cube trays – no leaks or issues and most of our friends have had both. Our cubes are bigger too. Unused ice gets old.
The Whirlpool dishwasher is the only one I found with the silverware on the door. My sink is to the right of the dishwasher. I did not want to be loading plates over the silverware drawer. Mine is 2 or 3 years old and quiet.
Like many others, I would not make having the same brand be the deciding issue. After a few years, they won’t be the same anyway.
The flat top stoves keep their heat a long time – little hands could easily touch. I don’t want to clean one. I like gas for cooking.
Replacing a microwave over the stove is an issue. I don’t like hot food up that high either.
Black shiny shows everything.
We have a GE Profile frig. We get the Sears Warranty on it yearly & they’ve replaced 2 gaskets, a broken piece on the bottom of the bins & usually just clean the back of it. We’ve really had good luck with it. It’s over 15 yrs. old. Got a Bosch dishwasher…on #2 over a 20 yr period.
Stove & oven are also GE. VERY little problems with it.
Good luck with your decisions! I know it’s hard to choose…too many choices out there!!
So happy that you are able to upgrade your appliances. With each item, I suggest you think about how you plan to use it. Do you grocery shop often or do you have a freezer for long term, big supply storage for your own processed meat? Do you have naturally soft or softened water-this is the only type of water that gives truly sparkling clean glasses and dishes. We have two homes 5 miles apart with one lakeside so I have multiples of many items. My first dishwasher was a $1,000 kitchen aid that worked for 27 years. Ten years ago it failed and we replaced with BOSCH because we “live” in our kitchen area and hated the noise. I have to put my ear down on the counter to hear if this one is running. I run it daily and open door before bedtime to air dry to save on electricity.. Settings hidden on top of door. Absolutely love it but we do have water softener. 2nd home has 3year old Bosch but less expensive and almost as quiet but buttons on front so slightly cheaper. Run it once a week unless lots of guests.
Cheap stoves last 5 years at most. Have bought several for rentals and hate the throw away appliances made today. I’d have gas/propane if at all possible. Black is tough to keep dust free and we are farmers too so I know DUST.
Have had water/ice in door of $3,500 counter depth Amana frig. Loved it but it is now failing after 25 years. Frig still work great and we love our water from the faucet once again. Sears frig in second home and after a year, ice maker failed and flooded the house. We are now back to using ice cube trays and everyone is adjusting to it and using less ice since room temp is better for most beverages (the European way). It can be a love/hate situation. My frig is a side by side and frost free. Be aware that frozen foods dry out faster in a frost free freezer so much shorter shelf life so I keep most frozen meats etc in large chest freezer. I only keep those things that I know I will use soon in the side by side amana.
Do you plan to do any canning? The large kettles for water bath can be hard on glass top stoves. With all that said, there will be a learning curve to how best use any new appliance. We have had expensive built in microwave ovens and the more costly they were, the faster they seemed to fail. We are now happily using the college type cheapies since my husband uses it to heat leftovers at least 4 times a day. Purchasing new can be daunting but no need to have all same brand. All brands finishes go together in a specific category ie black etc.
Try to enjoy the process of new purchases because I never have!
I like Whirlpool appliances and have never had a problem with the ones I have purchased. When I was at my daughter’s home for two months caring for her kids when mom and dad were deployed, I HATED her stainless steel appliances – always had fingerprints and smudges no matter what I did to clean them daily. When I house/pet sat for another deployed daughter, her black appliances were just as horrible to keep looking clean, especially her glass-topped stove. So, unless you really love to clean or you don’t care about how dirty something looks, go with the glass top stove and stainless steel. I don’t get the feeling that your family enjoys living in a dirty home nor do you want to spend the time necessary every day to clean all those surfaces…I would definitely not recommend stainless steel or glass tops. If you can get a gas stove, they are wonderful for quick heat/cool. Glass-top stoves stay hot FOREVER! Good luck making a decision and on your new kitchen appliances!
I replaced all appliances a year ago. I got a GE glass top range, dishwasher, and microwave. The refrigerator is a Whirlpool French door with the bottom freezer because I wanted white and GE didn’t make white in the style I wanted. I’m happy with everything. There is a learning curve to the glass top range because they hold the heat a lot longer. I really like the French door refrigerator with the water inside. It just looks cleaner to me.
Congratulations on the happy news that you’re getting new appliances. I wish you the best in finding something you like. I echo the thought that checking Consumer Reports ratings might help in your decision. Also, look at the reviews on the Best Buy website regarding the appliances you like. Reading through a few of those reviews will point out any recurring problems buyers have had with that particular appliance (and some will have you scratching your head or laughing!)
After reading some of comments, I have a white GE glass top. I sometimes have went weeks and not cleaned the top and I can get it clean using the cleaner and the razor blade tool, so don’t let that stop you. My husband likes to fry his hamburger and not cover the pan. We have splatters all over. AND I use a cast iron skillets all the time. I have three. I make sure they have the completely smooth bottom. Mine are the Wagner Ware. I lift them off, don’t slide them.
No I did not read 52 comments…. but I do have one thought….. who is going to fix or repair these appliances? That probably be factored in to what you get…
I have never gotten more than one appliance at a time…. all new is cool and scary at the same time.
I would recommend GE profile over Whirlpool any day, based on family experiences with both. Bosch dishwashers are great, much better than most brands. Black stainless is more expensive than regular stainless, and different “blacks” look different together, whereas all stainless blends well (think blacks from different companies)! My mother-in-law has a black glass top, and would not buy one again! You can also negotiate with Best Buy for a package deal.
Good luck!
Kelli, I’d compare warranties myself. I like the service contracts I get on laptop computers at Best Buy. Good luck.
I love my Bosch dishwasher. I have a black freezer bottom, one top door fridge that I love. My husband wanted stainless for range and dishwasher, I hate it. I refused to replace my fridge with a stainless model. I personally love my glass top (black) but we moved our old range downstairs. That is where I do my canning. My microwave is needing to be replaced and I’m planning on buying a much less expensive model than I have now. Just be sure whatever you buy you will like for a long time. I can guarantee if you don’t like it it will last forever!
Naturally, people’s opinions are as varied as they are. Everyone’s experience is different. I’ve had both GE and Whirlpool appliances and been relatively happy with both. I’ve cooked on glass cooktops for probably 30 or more years, both white and black. I wouldn’t have anything else. The main thing to be aware of (other than common sense!) is that a lot of pots are not smooth on the bottom and will scratch to cooktop if you move them around at all. I’m just careful what I buy for pots. When our neighbours were away and their house flooded, one of the disaster servicemen told me it’s extremely common for water systems in refrigerators to get a small pinhole leak in a hose, and flood the house. I can make ice and pour water, without having to worry about floods. Good luck … that’s the #1 requirement in buying good appliances!
I went with the recommendation of my appliance repairman. I have a Whirlpool fridge with bottom freezer, Crossley dishwasher and a very nice Bosch gas range. The LG and Samsung do not have parts available from the manufacturer for models past 3 years. I have heard that 5 years is a long lasting fridge (from 2 friends). Enjoy your new appliances!
I used to have an Amana freezer on the bottom refrigerator which I loved. I gave it away as my new apt. came with appliances. I hate them! They are black and show all the smudges, etc. the freezer is on the top and is such a pain. I have a stainless steel sink which I hate as it never looks clean. I had to buy the microwave myself but it had to match the rest of the appliances if it went over the stove. That was smart as it saves counter space. Picture yrself using the appliances and then splurge, if needed, as these appliances will be with you for a long time!
Wow! lots of great advice. I got a new dishwasher about a year ago. It is a ge. I love that it has a third rack, very narrow and on the top. Doesn’t seem to make the other two racks any less deep. But the top one holds things that would tend to fly around like sippy tops and the like. Love this rack.
Last fall I bought a condo and remodeled the kitchen. I put in all Whirlpool appliances. I’ve heard wonderful things about KitchenAid dishwashers but did not want to spend the extra money for some place that I would be at just part-time. I did spend the money for a double oven. Friends rave about them. I have found my dishwasher at home last about 5 years regardless of the brand. But my Whirlpool side by side refrigerator at home is going on 20 years along with my Whirlpool dryer and washer. I have double ovens and a cooktop both by KitchenAid that have worked great these 20 years.
We just bought a kitchen aid dishwasher and couldn’t be happier. All of our other appliances are whirlpool. I would look at the reviews for GE appliances.
I don’t know what brands to recommend, but I do have a cautionary tale! Measure the space for your refrigerator. We bought a side by side with water and ice in the door. Not what I wanted exactly, but my sister-in-law talked me into it. I wanted the freezer on the bottom like you. When we got home, it wouldn’t fit where my old one did. Too tall! We had to take the small cabinet down that was above it. We have it stored in the garage so some day we can put it back up, but lesson learned. Now I measure everything.
My advise is to find a really great repair guy and ask him. We found a great one here and he knows all the ins and outs of what’s good and what’s not.