Titus Contracting Inc. offers homeowners this guide on how to choose the right kitchen appliances for your next twin Cities kitchen remodeling project. Watch and enjoy the full video by Scott Rajavuori on How to Choose the Best Kitchen Appliances
Things you Need to Know When Choosing Kitchen Appliances
Gain a basic knowledge upfront of your options when selecting kitchen appliances for your Twin Cities home remodel.
It’s best to be prepared; kitchen appliances are big investments and should be well-planned and budgeted for. Our Choosing Kitchen Appliances Guide will provide you the knowledge you need beforehand, so that in the end your new kitchen is as functional as it is beautiful.
You may start out wanting a large, state-of-the-art refrigerator or oven – until you see the equally massive price tag. With our kitchen remodeling tips and years of experience, you can stay on budget by making the best choices within your price range and that fit what you really want most. Titus Contracting’s home design service offers solid advice when it comes time to select which appliance brand, what appliance features you’ll use the most, and how your new appliances are best incorporated into your kitchen remodeling project.
With our remodeling consultation services, together we’ll finalize a solid budget for your dream kitchen. Deciding what appliance styles, sizes, and setups are best for your kitchen is a big part of that. Whether your home is a modern and compact downtown Minneapolis apartment or an elaborate and spacious estate, you’ll end up confident that you’ve chosen the perfect appliances for your unique kitchen.
6 Common Kitchen Appliance Purchases When Remodeling
- Dishwashers
- Refrigerators
- Range
- Range Hoods
- Ovens
- Microwaves
How to Choose the Right Dishwasher
Check the Decibel rating: Noise is a big factor for many homeowners. It is important to look at the decibel rating of the dishwasher you are selecting.
Style of dishwasher: You have basically 3 optiionss to choose from:
- Full built in with no buttons on the front
- Built-in with limited buttons on the front
- Standard dishwashers
Width and Drawers: Dishwasher drawers are growing in popularity and are a nifty way to make the dishwasher blend into your kitchen cabinetry. It also allows you to wash smaller loads as there are normally a couple of drawers. Typically a dishwasher is 24” wide but a 18” version is available for smaller kitchens.
Special Features: Features like delay start, built in food disposals, the sani wash cycle for cleaner dishes as well as heated wash our great. Some people prefer the “delay start” option, so you can have the dishwasher running while you are away or sleeping. Also, WIFI enabled dishwashers are huge as you can run them when you are away.
How to Choose the Right Fridge
Consider the depth you need: A top trend during a kitchen remodel, and one that many find worthwhile during a kitchen upgrade, is to select a countertop-depth fridge. The depth of many fridges extends well past the kitchen cabinets and countertops, which can intrude into the user’s walking path. the key benefit of a countertop depth fridge is that the appliance is less obtrusive. this can either convey a built-in look or actually, depending on the fridge’s style, may be built right in.
“The built-in/countertop depth fridges run quite a bit more but in my opinion are well worth it and may really help in the flow and design of your kitchen.” –Scott Rajavuori
Choose the right size: The Green Building Program says that dishwashers and refrigerators operate most efficiently when they’re full. If you’ve found that you run them often when they’re only half full, a smaller model may be best. Also, they find that most models with the freezer located up top use up to 25% less energy than comparable side-by-side refrigerator/freezer models.
Look for organizational compartments: Fridge and freezer drawers do wonders to help a family feel more organized when searching in the fridge for a food item. By organizing items in various areas, on-to-go meals are easier.
Consider Location and Water Supply: Most refrigerators come with ice makers and water dispensers. When purchasing this you need to consider just how you will get the water supply from where one currently exists to where your refrigerator is located. This can create some issues, specifically if it was not considered at the very beginning of the remodel project.
We have used reverse osmosis systems to filter the water in numerous occasions but most refrigerators that come with water and ice now have a built-in filter cartridge. This is only a carbon filter so it will take out some orders and tastes but doesn’t remove all particles and chemicals. Bottled water runs around 30-60 parts per million. Typical city water will run between 250 – 600 parts per million. A charcoal filter will reduce that but not to a bottled water status. A reverse osmosis system will get your water clean to a level typically between 10 parts per million – 40 parts per million.
Delux Features: They also make these WIFI enabled and even have cameras so you can see if you are missing something when you are out grocery shopping.
How to Choose the Best Range
Homeowners in the Twin Cities love the many selections that they have to choose from when it comes to ranges.
Your kitchen range options:
- Free-standing Range: This is the standard style. It has legs that adjust, slides into an opening left for it, and goes all the way back to the wall. These typically come 30” but can go all the way up to 60”.
- Slide-in Range: The only real difference is that these do not have a back on them. The controls are either mounted on the front or top (Think about kids when considering units with controls in the front) They typically slide into a hole cut in the countertop with a small amount of countertop at the back. This gives the range a little more built-in look.
- Drop-in Range: this option isn’t used very often in today’s kitchen remodels. It actually involves a special cabinet that these drop in to. It means cutting a hole in your counter and cabinet for this.
- Cook tops: A cooktop is just the range top itself and often used when you have a built-in oven.
Tips When Choose Between an Electric Range or a Gas Range:
The ranges come with different cooking options between electric and gas.
Electric: This has the old school coil burners, ceramic/smooth top, and induction. Induction is slick; you have to have special pans but the burners don’t heat! They use the materials in the pan and the burner function to heat what is in your pan or pot.
Dual Fuel: One of the most popular things we see now is the dual fuel range. The top is gas and the oven is electric; the best of both worlds.
Gas: Most gourmet cooks like gas for cooking and electricity for baking. Once choosing kitchen appliances is done, the installation and hookups need to be planned. It is very important you let your contractor know before they start work if this is the route you are going so they can make sure there is gas and 220 at the range’s location.
Convection Ovens: There is also a convection option available in ovens. For the at-home gourmet chef or baker, this is a great option to add. This uses air movement within the oven to create a more consistent and faster cooking environment. Give yourself a bit of time to make adjustments to your recipes, since items in a convection oven bake faster.
Choosing the Best Range Hood
A stunning range hood can even be the focal point of your kitchen.
The most important thing to consider here is CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute of air movement) Codes now require most hoods over 300 CFM to include provisions for “make up air”, which is outside air brought in.
This protects your home by avoiding dangerous exhaust from things like water heaters or furnaces getting pulled in. When the hood goes over 600 CFM, at that level, there will more than likely be a need for mechanical make up air.
For most homes in the Twin Cities, this will probably be tempered (heated) make up air. Logically, one doesn’t want to be pulling in large quantities of 10 degrees below zero air when you have the make up air running. Your Titus Contracting remodeling contract manager will work with you to ensure that unnecessary expenses are avoided.
When considering larger range hoods, it is best to reference the Mechanical code which gives worksheets on calculating different aspects of your home and the size of the hood to figure whether make up air and what type is necessary. However, it is best to consult a Mechanical contractor to confirm what you will need.
Selecting the Right Oven
Built-in ovens are just what they say they are; they are installed in to a tall cabinet, but some can be an entire grand island.
A built-in wall oven can be installed at just the right height, which may mean more to someone exceptionally tall or short. Even a few inches can make using the oven easier by reducing how much you bend over or need to reach up. Think of opening the oven door while trying to lift in and out a heavy turkey.
During the planning of your oven installation, we consider function, safety, workflow patterns, and appearance. When upgrading your kitchen, this may be the appliance you want to splurge on if you use it often. Or is there an appliance you own that you just love? Let us know in the comments below.
For the experienced and savvy home chef who loves serving up complex meals, the kitchen oven merits more research and thought. While a lot of homeowners may head to their favorite home improvement store to select appliances that simply get the job done, you may be in favor of something truly special. The top level of luxury ovens includes brands like La Cornue, Bertazzoni, Wolf, Viking, and Thermador. While they make an astounding asthenic statement in your kitchen, the prices that they command have to be planned for in advance.
Incorporate the Right Microwave Choice Into Your Kitchen Design
Microwaves have become a staple appliance in modern homes and yet they can consume valuable space unless you carefully plan where to place them. When built in to your cabinetry or above a kitchen cooktop, it is at an easy reach and leaves your premium countertop space free for food preparation.
You may prefer the discreet look of a drawer-style microwave in an island or elsewhere just below the countertop. This solution offers easy access and makes no demands on your kitchen counter workspace. Many like the way it lends a high-end look to the kitchen.
Another option when purchasing this appliance is a convection microwave; it can function as a fast-speed oven. Also available are microwave/oven units and microwave drawers. We’ll ask you the right questions to determine what your family will find handy and make daily life and meals in the kitchenfun and easier.
How Kitchen Appliances Influence Your Home’s Energy Costs
According to Greenbuilt, “It’s estimated the average kitchen accounts for 20-40% of a home’s total energy bill.” The typical refrigerator and dishwasher that are over 10 years old most likely contribute more to your utility bills than necessary. Newer kitchen appliances are available in high-efficiency models.
Your initial investment when upgrading old appliances may well result in providing both superior performance and utility bills that you are happier with.
You may be surprised how much efficient appliances can influence your remodeled kitchen’s performance, reduce monthly costs, and conserve resources. When overseeing your kitchen appliance installations, we make sure all work follows building codes. This also helps to ensure that the terms of your new appliances’ service policies are met. You care for each homeowner that we are privileged to serve by thinking of all the little things that might not come to mind for you.
As a handy reference, download our How to Choose New Appliances During a Kitchen Remodel PDF.
Conclusion
Choosing kitchen appliances no longer needs to be a duanting task. We make it easy for you.
Keep these tips in our Choosing KitchenAppliances Guidemind when considering appliances, but rest assured, Titus Contracting is happy to listen and answer all your questions as we embark together on your Twin Cities kitchen remodel.
