Choosing Your Kitchen Appliances

Choosing major kitchen appliances for your new home or remodel is much like selecting a new automobile. You can add as many bells and whistles as your budget allows. Of course, a smart shopper will only add features that they need and will use. For example, you may be tempted to purchase a Wolf®, Bosch®, Miele® or Viking® oven, but if you only turn your oven on half a dozen times a year for special occasions it's certainly not necessary, especially given the high quality and styling of ovens from companies like LG®, Whirlpool® and GE®.

Remember that your kitchen appliances make up one of the largest investments in your home, so you want to make sure that they meet the needs of your lifestyle. You'll need to look at all various options, including energy saving, cost and functionality. Here are some guidelines to help you select the right appliances for your kitchen.

Careful thought should be taken in selecting your cooking appliances. The design of your kitchen will dictate whether you need a range, cooktop or wall oven. And of course your preference for cooking with gas, induction or electricity will determine the type of fuel you'll need. Most new cooks appreciate electric for its slow heat up, while novice cooks prefer induction and gas stoves because of its fast heat up and ability to cook under precise conditions.

However when it comes to selecting your refrigerator you can never have enough room to store beverages and food so you'll want to choose the largest refrigerator you can afford and that fits into your kitchen design. Look for models that offer high preservation, duel refrigeration, an ice/water dispenser and high efficiency. When it comes to style you can choose from a top freezer, bottom freezer and side-by-side. To match your kitchens décor you can select from colors such as white, black, beige, stainless steel or paneled.

When planning out your new kitchen design make sure you don't forget about your ventilation system, especially if you have a small kitchen. You can select from overhead hoods or downdraft systems depending on the size and type of your stove or cooktop.

The size of your family and lifestyle will dictate the type of dishwasher you will need to make your life easier. Some important considerations are capacity (be sure the racks inside meet your cooking needs), energy-efficiency, stainless steel, quiet mode, delayed start, warranty and budget.