I am currently renovating a kitchen/Butler pantry/Laundry and at the stage of choosing appliances so I can have cabinets/areas made to fit.
I have been doing some research on different brands etc and now more confused than ever! What I need is;
Fridge - Double sided, would like an ice maker and water dispenser. ($2500-3000)
Oven - 900 mm freestanding, electric with hot plates on top, this will be installed into a fireplace, and will have room above for cooking. ($2000-4000)
Range hood - Under mount type as it will be installed into the chimney, chimney is quite high and be recommended Schweigen which has motors on the top so less noise. ($1000-$1500)
Dishwasher - No idea here as never had a dishwasher ($1000)
Dryer - been told some new ones don’t need exhaust and have water trays to get rid og the moisture?? ($900)
Mixing taps also - Kitchen for feature island bench, Butler pantry sink and laundry ($??)
Any help in steering me towards and away from good and bad products will be most appreciated, I know the sky is the limit on prices for some of these items. The house is over 100 years old and will have a traditional contemporary look. ( Will upload some photos/pics later )
I have included some estimations for budget but have some contingency to move.
I went Bosch for Dishwasher, Dryer and Washing Machine. All have been excellent. I have the heat pump dryer as we use it everyday and electricity bills have been ok - I paid $1500 for it. $1649 for dishwasher and $1400 for washing machine - both German made. Look for eBay 20% off specials and make sure the retailer isn’t price jacking and you’ll get a good deal.
I put in a Qasair rangehood a couple of years ago. It’s not the motors that are noisy but the amount of air that gets sucked through. Mine is a dual motor version too. You just don’t hear the motor.
Also when i say noisy it is 90% quieter than the one we replaced. You can speak normally in the kitchen when it’s on.
They also manufacture local (the motor comes from Italy from memory) and to get the custom hood done only took a few days after we gave them measurements (down to half a mm). 6 year warranty.
I question the actual value in a lot of the gadgetry. (Ie we stopped using the cooled water dispenser in our fridge after about 2 months, we’ve now taken out the reservoir completely)
You will never regret, or stop using, bench space or storage space.
Having been a car and motorbike nerd in past years, my mind is still blown by the current trend where “Italian made” has become a selling point for electrical or electronics stuff.
Drawer dishwashers are shyte - don’t waste your money. A good Bosch is a winner.
Pyrolytic ovens are good for cleaning but they take a long time to heat up/cool down. Also have had both electric and induction hot plates and am going back to gas as i much prefer gas to gook on stovetop.
I’ve never met a drawer dishwasher that hasn’t broken down - and they’re expensive to fix.
NZ is full of houses with Fisher and Paykell double dish drawers where now they have to wash and empty twice as much as a regular dishwasher because one drawer is just a decoration.
I know a couple of people who have ice makers / water taps on their fridge doors and have had trouble with them.
Firstly, they take up heaps of room in the door limiting the freezer space.
Secondly, the ice maker is constantly blocked and wont make ice properly,
and thirdly, the cold water just slowly trickles out and takes an age to fill whatever you want filled.
That’s a pity. I hope they sort them out or someone else comes up with a reliable one, because I was thinking they looked the greatest thing since well, … Dishwashers, and intended to get one if I ever did get a dishwasher.
I put in a 900mm Smeg stove a few years ago, and cannot be happier with it, to be honest. It’s the all-mechanical version without the electronic timer, 6 burner. Very reasonably priced at about 3k.
