Best brand for fridge, stove, dishwasher, hood....

Manton · Jul 23, 2010

If I had it to over again, I think I would get Bluestar.

BTW, you can get Viking with open burners.

itsstillmatt · Jul 23, 2010

I rarely turn my hood on. My Wolf is a Wolf pre-Sub-Zero, and I think they are better than the new ones. Fewer bells and whistles. I'd probably get induction next time, cause it seems cool.

kwilkinson · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by iammatt

I rarely turn my hood on. My Wolf is a Wolf pre-Sub-Zero, and I think they are better than the new ones. Fewer bells and whistles. I'd probably get induction next time, cause it seems cool.
Induction is sweet, but it seems like you really have to pay for it to get any kind of quality. Plenty of inexpensive (and plenty of expensive) ****** products out there. I've thought about dropping a grand or two on a single induction burner that I can take with me wherever I live, b/c apartments with electric ranges are killing me.

pg600rr · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Douglas

I have good news for you.

This is on their website. I imagine there's more info in the product cut sheets.

That is great, thanks for the info, dont know how I missed it when I was browsing their site...

Originally Posted by foodguy

just a couple of thoughts: a better stove will improve your food about <1%. it'll look great and when friends come over they will be jealous. But don't expect anything to taste that much better. I've got a 1950s O'Keefe and Merritt that I love and everyone who comes to cook ends up loving it too (except for the small oven, the inconvenience of which is offset by a waist-high broiler).
Buy the nicest hood you can, particularly if you're really planning on cooking. that made a huge difference in my wife's attitude -- not waking up in the morning with the whole house smelling like last' night's roast. I got a Zephyr Venezia and have been very happy with it.
as far as fridges ... the subzeros we have at my place of work are the banes of my existence. virtually no warranty and in regular need of repair. we've got a kenmore, on the other hand, that works perfectly well. the one thing i'm lusting over for my next fridge is one of those double side-by-sides that allow you to chill an entire baking sheet. that's really handy.

what brands do you suggest for a great hood, I was looking at the vent-a-hoods mentioned in this thread.

itsstillmatt · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Induction is sweet, but it seems like you really have to pay for it to get any kind of quality. Plenty of inexpensive (and plenty of expensive) ****** products out there. I've thought about dropping a grand or two on a single induction burner that I can take with me wherever I live, b/c apartments with electric ranges are killing me.
Thankfully, I won't be needing one soon. Also, few of my pots and pans would work on induction, and those things are almost 20 years old, and I am a little attached. What could be bad about it, though? It seems like a simple concept, though I guess you have to be sure to get enough BTU equivalents. BTW, why the **** do I have a grill on my stove? Can anybody answer me this?

kwilkinson · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by iammatt

Thankfully, I won't be needing one soon. Also, few of my pots and pans would work on induction, and those things are almost 20 years old, and I am a little attached. What could be bad about it, though? It seems like a simple concept, though I guess you have to be sure to get enough BTU equivalents.

BTW, why the **** do I have a grill on my stove? Can anybody answer me this?

The BTU equivalents thing is really the problem. Induction is a more expensive product to make, so the higher BTUs generally cost more than they would in a different cooking medium. Although, I haven't looked into it seriously for about a year, so that may have changed recently. I just know my parents paid 5k for a 4 burner stove w/ induction, and the range is pretty crappy. Like, 10+ minutes to boil water, etc. But at restaurants, I have worked with single burner induction units that cost $1800-$2500 and can be as exact as your thermal circulator. Hold temps to within a tenth of a degree. Absolutely perfect for some things, like poaching, or stockwork.

Douglas · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by foodguy

just a couple of thoughts: a better stove will improve your food about <1%. it'll look great and when friends come over they will be jealous.

I'm largely inclined to agree with you, but raw power is a big, big deal, is it not?

I mean, I often want to sear or cook things very quickly, often things like veggies so they cook through and get a nice brown on them but not have to cook them so long they get all mushy and steamed. And the only way to do that is with heat, heat, heat, right?

I'm getting my stove not for its looks (BlueStars are ugly, frankly) or its features (BlueStars have none) but for the power, and the power alone.

Matt - surprised to hear you hate the grill. I was actually thinking, if I go 48" (not very likely) that the grill would be nicer to have than the griddle. Could be the sort of thing I like to cook though vs. what you like to cook. I, for example, wouldn't even remotely know what to do with a french top.

michael3469 · Jul 23, 2010

We have blue star and my wife absolutely loves it. Very easy to clean as well as everything comes a part, there is a tray under the burners that collects all the crap that falls through and puls out for cleaning. They have a factory in Reading Pa. As far as the backslpash we got our contractor to put in a stainless steel sheet behind the stove.

itsstillmatt · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Douglas

I'm largely inclined to agree with you, but raw power is a big, big deal, is it not?

I mean, I often want to sear or cook things very quickly, often things like veggies so they cook through and get a nice brown on them but not have to cook them so long they get all mushy and steamed. And the only way to do that is with heat, heat, heat, right?

I'm getting my stove not for its looks (BlueStars are ugly, frankly) or its features (BlueStars have none) but for the power, and the power alone.

Matt - surprised to hear you hate the grill. I was actually thinking, if I go 48" (not very likely) that the grill would be nicer to have than the griddle. Could be the sort of thing I like to cook though vs. what you like to cook. I, for example, wouldn't even remotely know what to do with a french top.
I don't hate it, I just don't know why I would ever use it. My outdoor, wood grill I can see... for flavor. But indoor grills are like pans but without pan sauces. Also, with lots and lots of smoke.

Douglas · Jul 23, 2010

while we're at it, I would appreciate advice and thoughts on hoods. It seems to be something nobody knows anything about... even the people at the store don't seem to know what they're talking about. the noise thing I mentioned was the first time anyone showed me something that seemed like a meaningful difference. Of course, the actual CFM is important, but everyone rates their stuff the same and it's impossible to verify any differences. Foodguy, any thoughts? Zephyr is probably not very easily obtainable where i am. V-A-H is.

Douglas · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by iammatt

I don't hate it, I just don't know why I would ever use it. My outdoor, wood grill I can see... for flavor. But indoor grills are like pans but without pan sauces. Also, with lots and lots of smoke.

Hm, I could see myself doing steaks or chops or shrimp or fish on the grill; anything where you'd want a little bit of char. I've never had great results pan-cooking things like steak either.

Of course, yes, real charcoal is much better for flavor, but it is of course not in the kitchen.

itsstillmatt · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Douglas

Hm, I could see myself doing steaks or chops or shrimp or fish on the grill; anything where you'd want a little bit of char. I've never had great results pan-cooking things like steak either.

Of course, yes, real charcoal is much better for flavor, but it is of course not in the kitchen.
I don't like my food burned .

Honestly, for me steak cooked in a pan is better than any other way. To each his own and all.

foodguy · Jul 23, 2010

two range accessories i never really understood: the grill (which never gets hot enough to add any flavor) and those built-in deep-fat fryers (for obvious reasons). But I do love the griddle that comes with my stove ... it's heavy cast-aluminum and terrific for pancakes, quesadillas, etc.. Plus, I can put a roasting pan on it filled with water and it makes a really handy bain marie.
as for hoods, i'm really happy with my zephyr, but it might be hard to find (they do seem to show up in online searches, though). My best advice would be to go to the best appliance dealer in your area and try them out. I did try vent-a-hood, but the way they had it set up at the dealership it sounded like a cage full of squirrels. if the motor was installed remotely, that would certainly make a difference.

foodguy · Jul 23, 2010

Originally Posted by Douglas

Hm, I could see myself doing steaks or chops or shrimp or fish on the grill; anything where you'd want a little bit of char. I've never had great results pan-cooking things like steak either.
we've got grills in my business kitchen and they don't deliver enough heat to even light a cigarette. even when we're doing tv, we use a grill pan on top of the burners to get a good sear. and i'm with matt on liking pan-seared steaks. you've just got to get the pan hot enough, very thin smear of oil, and then put the meat in. i've started flipping fairly frequently and like the result ... about once a minute or so.

Artisan Fan · Jul 23, 2010

I just have GE Arctica fridge, oven, and gas burners and they have been very reliable over the years. No problems at all. We grill a lot with the Weber on the deck eight months out of the year, maybe more.

Best brand for fridge, stove, dishwasher, hood....

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