New Kitchen, need advice on appliances

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
709
Location
CT
The wife and I are taking the leap and building a house. I wanted to get anyone's feedback on furnishing the kitchen with appliances:

1. Downward draft gas cooktops - do they work? Too noisy for entertaining? Kitchen configuration may not look best with overhead hood.

2. Double Ovens (electric) - I think a double oven would offer more flexibility, versus an oven & warming rack setup. Regardless, is convection that much better?

3. Wine fridge - front exhaust (built in). Don't need to hold a lot, as I can always keep bottles in the basement. Would be nice to have dual temps, but not necesary as I mostly drink reds. Haier and Avanti seem to be the common names.

4. Trash compactor - thought I'd mention it. Never had one, never wanted one. Any compelling reason to get one?

You guys rule
worshippy.gif
 
quote:

4. Trash compactor - thought I'd mention it. Never had one, never wanted one. Any compelling reason to get one?

We had one in our last house but wouldn't bother again. Stuff that will smell bad needs to go out at least daily, so it doesn't go in the compactor. It's also not a good idea to put really wet stuff in it in case the bag punctures from some sharp crap in it.

We just ended up using it for relatively clean trash, no food.

The up side was that kithen trash other than smelly and/or wet stuff only had to go out once a week.

Considering purchase and installation cost/effort, maintenance and the space it occupies, we don't think they are worth it. It was sorta nice, but not worth it.

If you do get one, buy generic compactor bags at Costco, they are faraction the cost of the brand name ones.

Our present kitchen trash system, in addition to a garbage disposal is a smallish Rubbermaid waste basket made for plasic shopping bags. The rim has ears on both sides to hang the bags. The bags are small so it gets emptied once or twice a day and it makes me feel virtuous because I am recyling the bags when I use tham as garbage bags
grin.gif
I'm more impressed with it than I was the trash compactor.
 
quote:

1. Downward draft gas cooktops - do they work? Too noisy for entertaining? Kitchen configuration may not look best with overhead hood.

I wouldn't try it.

I've worked in chemical labs and industrial plants for a long time. When you want to exhaust fumes and vapours, you put the extraction hood over the source. It's a no brainer.

I'd also over spec the fan. My wife is remodeling our kitchen. 600 cfm is OK for 36" cook top. I'm going with a 1000 cfm, three speed unit, externally mounted for quite operation.
 
XS650 - that was my take on the garbage disposal too. I'm having them put in a pull out draw that holds two pales instead, though I've seen your Rubbermaid contraption in a friend's house...very ingenious use of space. This will give me 2 to 3 day BCI, bag-change-interval. I'm throwing a wine cooler in place of the 15" cut-out that was going to be for the compactor.

Satterfi,
I think you're spot-on about ventilating from above. Unfortunately, the way the cooktop faces into the family room, separated by a bar ledge. I feel a eurohood would look too much like a take-out window
grin.gif


Slick,
I went with a double convection oven. I can hardly wait to try it out!!

Frank,

Sounds tempting, but without adequate ventilation, I'm afraid the house would start smelling like a local Greasy Spoon
grin.gif
To be truthful, we don't fry much anymore
 
You'll love the convection oven. We bought an Amana a couple of years ago and the difference is really significant. Make sure you cook at 25 degrees or so LESS than what it calls for (and usually less time than it calls for).
 
They make downdraft units that come up from the cook surface. It's a vertical panel that extends/contracts from the cook top. Press a button and panel extends or contracts. It's pretty cool.

It's high end and not cheap. Thermador makes one and well as others.
 
my parents had a downdraft stove, it worked just fine. I don't remember the brand but it had exchangable electirc burners.

they now have a trash compactor, it doesn't really make any sense to me. it all goes out in the garbage can and into a truck anyway. who cares if it is a little smaller?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top