Kitchen Appliances and Kitchen Design Ideas for Your New Home

Kitchen Ranges - Gas, Electric, Dual-Fuel | Freestanding, High/Low, Slide-In Or Drop-In

Basics: Ranges pair a cooktop and oven in a single unit as shown here in House Plan #927-5. But don't think that a range is necessarily a budget item. The price tag for high-powered, professional-style ranges can soar into the thousands of dollars. In fact, as you shop you'll find a wide array of options. Energy efficiency, heat source, color, and style vary widely, so be sure to think carefully about your budget, cooking style, aesthetic concerns, and available energy sources before you buy. Today's ranges are powered by electricity, gas, or both, i.e. dual-fuel ranges, because some cooks prefer using a gas cooktop and an electric oven. Convection ovens are increasingly common, and all but the most basic models are self-cleaning. Most ranges are 30 inches wide, but can come in 24-, 36-, 48-, and even 60-inch models.

Options: Ranges come in four standard configurations: freestanding, high/low, slide-in, and drop-in. Your taste and your kitchen's layout will dictate your choice.

• Freestanding ranges can stand clear of other appliances and cabinetry. They have finished sides and rest on the floor. They usually feature a raised rear panel with a clock, timer, etc.
• High/low units feature two ovens, one above and one below the cooktop. The upper oven is most frequently a microwave.
• Slide-in models are designed to fit between two base cabinets. They have raised edges and unfinished side panels, and rest on the floor.
• Drop-in ranges are built into a cabinet unit. They have unfinished sides and usually stand on a low wooden base.

What's Hot: Dual-fuel models (those combining a gas cooktop with an electric oven) are becoming more readily available, as are ovens with convection capability. Kenmore recently introduced a range with two ovens beneath the cooktop; one full-sized, and a second, smaller oven for heating up frozen foods, side dishes, and the like. Super-powerful professional-style ranges continue their popularity, as well, offering features like six high-Btu (British thermal units) burners, two or more ovens, and stylish stainless-steel bodies.

Kitchen Cooktops - Gas Burners, Electric-Coil Burners, Solid-Disk Burners And More

Basics: Cooktops offer great design flexibility, as they may be installed in a counter above cabinetry, in a peninsula, or in an island as shown here in House Plan #928-13. Most cooktops are 27 to 36 inches wide, 18 to 22 inches deep, and available with two to six burners. Generally speaking, cooktops are available in white, black, biscuit, almond, and stainless steel. Smooth-top versions may offer textured appearances that blend with contemporary countertops. Plan to include a ventilation system above the cooktop, or choose a model with a built-in downdraft ventilation unit.

Options: When it comes to heat sources, today's cooktops offer a wide array of options.

• Gas burners care perhaps the most familiar choice. They heat and cool quickly, and since the flame is visible, the temperature is easy to monitor and control. You'll find that the pilot light has disappeared in newer models; modern units offer electric ignition, an energy-efficient feature. Most gas burners generate between 8,000 and 10,000 Btus of heat per hour, though heavy-duty professional-style gas burners can produce up to 15,000 Btus.
• Electric-coil burners heat up and cool down slowly, providing low, even heat. Temperature control must be gradual; to prevent a pot from boiling over, for example, you might have to remove it from the heat source while the burner cools.
• Solid-disk burners, or hobs, have wires embedded in a cast-iron disk. Temperatures and response times are similar to electric-coil burners, but hobs are easier to clean
• Smooth-top radiant cooktops also have electric-coil burners, but they are covered by a glass-ceramic surface. Some units retain heat for as much as an hour after the burners have been turned off. The flat surface is easy to clean, but must be treated with special cleansers to avoid scratching, and flat-bottomed pans must be used for cooking.
• Halogen cooktops a newer addition to the market, use halogen bulbs to send heat through a glass-ceramic surface. These units provide precise temperature control and quicker response times.
• Magnetic induction units generate heat through an energy-efficient electromagnetic field that is activated when a certain type of pan "iron, steel, or steel-alloy" comes into contact with the cooking surface, which remains cool throughout the process.

What's Hot: A number of manufacturers offer extra-wide cooktops with interchangeable modular components, such as grills, griddles, wok rings, and steamers, as well as the standard gas or electric burners.

Kitchen Ovens - Conventional, Convection And Microwaves

Basics: If you do opt for a cooktop - or if you'd like to supplement the oven in your range - built-in ovens are a flexible option. Most are 24, 27, or 30 inches wide, and all but budget models are self-cleaning. Placement is up to you: You might opt to install one oven above your cooktop, or bank two together in an adjacent wall. One popular combination is to locate a full-capacity double wall oven for baking in the main work center, then install a microwave for easy meals and quick reheating. Most wall ovens are electric, although gas units are available.

Options: As you shop, you'll have to choose between conventional, convection, and microwave ovens. Keep in mind, however, that some manufacturers offer units that can switch between these three functions.

• Conventional ovens use heating elements inside the oven walls to radiate heat into the cavity. Since heat rises, the temperatures at the top and bottom of the oven will vary.
• Convection ovens are equipped with a fan that circulates the hot air to all parts of the oven. Convection ovens use almost 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens do, and can cut cooking times by up to 30 percent. Ideal for roasting and baking, convection ovens are less effective for deep-dish entrees. Some units will automatically convert conventional cooking times from recipes for convection cooking.
• Microwaves quickly cook, defrost, and reheat foods, but do not brown unless the microwave contains a separate browning element.

What's Hot: The latest ovens on the market employ new speed-cooking technology to prepare foods in record times. A roasted chicken may take just 20 minutes, for example. The technologies differ by manufacturer.

Kitchen Refrigerators - Top-Mounted, Bottom-Mounted Or Side-By-Side Freezer Units | Freestanding Or Built-In Refrigerators

Basics: Today's refrigerators have it all: sleek styling, large-capacity interiors, a wide range of organizational features, and even water filtration systems. As you shop, compare interior elements. Look for pullout, adjustable shelves, deep in-the-door bins, tilt-out storage bins, racks for cans of soda, and split shelves to accommodate large beverage containers. Through-the-door ice and water dispensers, humidity-controlled crispers, and glass shelves are standard on most mid- and upper-priced models.

Options: You'll have to choose between side-by-side models such as here in House Plan #930-22 good for kitchens without much clearance around the refrigerator doors - units with top-mounted freezers, and those with a bottom-mounted freezer, an option that keeps fresh food at eye level and frozen items out of the way. There are also three basic types of refrigerator: freestanding; built-in; and built-in style.

• Freestanding refrigerators are the option most of us know well. Usually 30 inches deep, these models have finished sides and can be installed anywhere in the kitchen.
• Built-in models provide a high-end, custom look. These are generally 24 inches deep and fit flush with cabinetry. Most can be fitted with cabinetry panels for a seamless effect.
• Built-in style models offer the look of a built-in refrigerator without the higher price. These are shallower than freestanding models, so they blend in better with cabinetry - without actually having to be built in.

What's Cool: Refrigerated drawers that blend into your cabinetry are available. Also popular are wine refrigerators and stand-alone icemaker units.

Eye-Catching Kitchen Designs - Design Your Kitchen With Cool Colors

For the most part, other than a few brief sojourns into avocado, brown, and harvest gold, appliances in the past came in a pretty limited range of hues: white, black, and almond. Today, however, homeowners have a comparable rainbow of choices. Though not technically a color, stainless steel has dominated the world of kitchen design for the past several years and shows no sign of fading - even mainstream manufacturers like Kenmore offer high-end, stainless-steel machines. Manufacturers like KitchenAid have followed Viking's lead in introducing appliances in rich shades of cobalt, taxicab yellow, and cherry red. And don't overlook biscuit: This soft, creamy alternative to almond has taken hold with consumers tired of black and white but not quite ready for Technicolor.