Recommendations for appliance updates

[jeromedawg]

Looking to update the entire suite in the kitchen to stainless. Budgeting no more than $3k. Suggestions on standard size stainless steel appliances brands or even better specific models? To summarize: refrigerator (30-36" wide), dishwasher, gas oven range, over the range microwave.

Would also love to get suggestions on stainless steel sinks.

It's overwhelming trying to figure out which is the most reliable and best performing at various price points. Anyway, we don't need  top of the line stuff - we are just wanting to update the kitchen so it shows better as we ramp up to prep for listing our place. The oven range/hood have never been changed since I moved in back in 2007. I swapped out the dishwasher myself and we had a new fridge brought in roughly the same timeframe as the old one failed.

Also, how hard is it installing an over the range microwave? Currently we have a vent hood in place.


My dad just forwarded me an email from Home Depot where it looks like they're rolling out their Spring sales. I just quickly added the lowest cost stainless steel options to my cart that I could find, without much research, and it looks like I could get away with spending $2k on those alone if I did self-installation except the fridge - I'd want to have installed for me since I'd rather not deal with lugging it through the house myself.

Gas Oven/Range - https://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-4-8-cu-ft-Gas-Range-in-Stainless-Steel-JGBS30REKSS/302621600
Fridge - https://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electronics-26-2-cu-ft-Side-by-Side-Refrigerator-in-Stainless-Steel-LSXS26336S/303265353
Dishwasher - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frigidaire-24-in-Built-In-Tall-Tub-Top-Control-Dishwasher-in-Stainless-Steel-ENERGY-STAR-54-dBA-FFID2426TS/301852968
Microwave - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Samsung-1-6-cu-ft-Over-the-Range-Microwave-in-Stainless-Steel-ME16K3000AS/206847193


For the sink I was considering one of those Kohler drop-in farmhouse sinks that requires cutting the front portion of the existing countertop and possibly widening the sides too. Our counters are granite, however, so I'd be a bit hesitant. I've seen people using angle grinders + water to DIY the cuts but it just seems a little sketchy from watching them on Youtube... maybe it's super easy and just looks difficult.

[Papa bear]

I absolutely do NOT recommend Samsung for any appliance.  They are nothing but problems. 

I have been almost entirely whirlpool for my rental remodels, and have very few issues so far.  Tenants are hard on appliances, and we’ve not had any issues on 10+ properties for the past 4-5 years.

July 4 and Black Friday deals tend to be the best times to buy, though these spring ones might be just as good.


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[jeromedawg]

I absolutely do NOT recommend Samsung for any appliance.  They are nothing but problems. 

I have been almost entirely whirlpool for my rental remodels, and have very few issues so far.  Tenants are hard on appliances, and we’ve not had any issues on 10+ properties for the past 4-5 years.

July 4 and Black Friday deals tend to be the best times to buy, though these spring ones might be just as good.


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I missed out on the BF deals - we were out of town half the time so trying to schedule delivery for all that stuff would have been a challenge alone haha. Thanks for the tip on Samsung. I'll avoid them and look for Whirlpool. What about GE and LG? Also Amana?

EDIT: I quickly looked up GE - they're not the same they once were. A lot of people seem to recommend Whirlpool for overall reliability. LG seems decent too but not so sure.

[Papa bear]

The nice part about Black Friday deals is that it comes around every year =)

I don’t have any personal experience with GE or LG appliances.   I’ve inherited some Bosch appliances that have worked well, Samsung has been terrible, and whirlpool has been just fine.

I believe Amana is owned by whirlpool.


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[jeromedawg]

The nice part about Black Friday deals is that it comes around every year =)

I don’t have any personal experience with GE or LG appliances.   I’ve inherited some Bosch appliances that have worked well, Samsung has been terrible, and whirlpool has been just fine.

I believe Amana is owned by whirlpool.


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I think I briefly read somewhere that the oven ranges by Whirlpool seem to be most problematic out of all the appliances they make. Have you found this to be true?

[brute]

Clearly wolf and sub-zero.

I'll just see myself out which punching myself in the face repeatedly.

[Papa bear]

I haven’t had problems with them. But we probably only have 8 of them, ranging from 5 years to 8 months.  I wouldn’t call that great data, though.  We could be “lucky.”

For the record, these are all stainless steel appliances.  Fridges are the French door with freezer below.  No ice maker in doors.  Ranges are gas, self cleaning, mostly non convection, though I think we have a few convection for personal property.

Dishwashers, microwaves, hoods, not sure off the top of my head what exactly they were, but “matched” the fridge / ranges.


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[jeromedawg]

Clearly wolf and sub-zero.

I'll just see myself out which punching myself in the face repeatedly.

These are what I'll be getting for the new multi-million dollar McMansion we will be moving into soon enough.

[jeromedawg]

BTW: is it pretty standard for over the range microwaves to be sticking out past the cabinets? I never really considered this...

[brute]

Clearly wolf and sub-zero.

I'll just see myself out which punching myself in the face repeatedly.

These are what I'll be getting for the new multi-million dollar McMansion we will be moving into soon enough.

Ha! Make sure all the natural landscaping is destroyed, leaving a mono-culture lawn that needs constant care.

But seriously, one of the things I've been doing lately is cruising auctions for restaurants that are closing. A little bit of barkeepers friend and imagination and you can have some excellent stainless appliances for pretty cheap.

[jeromedawg]

Clearly wolf and sub-zero.

I'll just see myself out which punching myself in the face repeatedly.

These are what I'll be getting for the new multi-million dollar McMansion we will be moving into soon enough.

Ha! Make sure all the natural landscaping is destroyed, leaving a mono-culture lawn that needs constant care.

But seriously, one of the things I've been doing lately is cruising auctions for restaurants that are closing. A little bit of barkeepers friend and imagination and you can have some excellent stainless appliances for pretty cheap.

What? Natural landscaping? All the idiots here in CA have been converting over to hardscaping - those green-loving tree-hugging environmental nuts. I'm converting back to all grass and high-maintenance thirsty trees and plants in my yard. The professional landscapers I'm going to hire all need jobs, right?

That's a good thought on scouring restaurants and auctions...unfortunately, I just don't have the time for all that. Maybe if I ever get into real estate full time but for now just trying to update our place. It's long overdue.

[Another Reader]

I own a lot of rentals.  Your fridge and dishwasher should be Whirlpool.  GE fridges are terrible, except for the basic top freezer model.  I don't have a gas stove in any rentals, but I prefer GE electric ranges.  Microwaves are a toss up between the two.  If you are selling, just match the brands because stainless colors vary and you aren't going to be the user for long.  Avoid the Korean manufacturers because of quality and the difficulty of getting parts for repairs.  Avoid Samsung anything, they all are awful.  French door fridges are popular.  Make sure the fridge fits in the condo kitchen and the drawer can be opened if you go that route.  Otherwise a side by side Whirlpool should be fine.  Pay extra for counter depth if it makes a huge difference in a narrow condo kitchen.

LG washers are supposed to be ok.  I have 20 year old Whirlpools in most of the houses, but the new ones are supposedly less reliable.  Dryer should match the washer if you are switching those out to sell.  Most sellers don't bother.

Appliances are on sale all the time.  Last week appliances were up to 35 percent off.  This week it's 30 percent.  Memorial Day or Fourth of July will be the best sale, up to 40 percent off.  Home Depot orders from their warehouse, Lowe's has stock at the store but is prone to have items with dents or dings.  You can get an extra 5 percent off with your Lowe's card, but the Chase Freedom card offers a 5 percent rebate at all home improvement stores April through June.  I use a local appliance store that gives me better prices than the warehouse stores in Phoenix.  I'm sure there are some of those in Orange County.

[GizmoTX]

If you already have a extraction vent hood that looks good, don't change it. We're in a rental house with NO extraction hood & we set off the smoke detectors frequently with normal searing -- of course that's not doing the walls & ceilings any good. I loathe over the stove microwave ovens -- your tenant can add a countertop MO which are cheap these days.

If you are changing the sink, put in a super single instead of twin sinks -- this is finally being done in upscale places & is so much more functional. A single holds sheet pans & big pots, while twins can't. Plastic or rubber dishpans can convert a single to twins. An apron sink forever changes your cabinet, however -- I'm not a fan.

[jeromedawg]

If you already have a extraction vent hood that looks good, don't change it. We're in a rental house with NO extraction hood & we set off the smoke detectors frequently with normal searing -- of course that's not doing the walls & ceilings any good. I loathe over the stove microwave ovens -- your tenant can add a countertop MO which are cheap these days.

If you are changing the sink, put in a super single instead of twin sinks -- this is finally being done in upscale places & is so much more functional. A single holds sheet pans & big pots, while twins can't. Plastic or rubber dishpans can convert a single to twins. An apron sink forever changes your cabinet, however -- I'm not a fan.

Thanks! Our hood is pretty gross, and it doesn't even work that well to begin with. I think a over the range microwave would probably function just as well as the current hood that's currently in place haha.
There's not that much counter space in our kitchen, which is why I was considering over the range though.

Regarding the sink - I am definitely planning on getting a single and likely a drop-in so I can attempt the install myself. Currently we have a double and it is a pain with bigger pots and pans. Switching over would require some re-plumbing though so I may just want to have it professionally installed. Our cabinets are dated so a farmhouse would probably be OK but it's the cutting through the granite countertop that's the bigger concern. In terms of the sink though, I was looking at either of these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Glacier-Bay-Drop-in-Stainless-Steel-32-in-4-Hole-Single-Bowl-Kitchen-Sink-Kit-in-Satin-4166F/207174416
https://www.homedepot.com/p/KOHLER-Verse-Drop-In-Stainless-Steel-33-in-4-Hole-Single-Basin-Kitchen-Sink-K-20060-4-NA/300850518

I'm hesitant on the Glacier Bay one since they aren't exactly known to be the highest quality. But that Kohler sink doesn't look as nice and also seems to be lower end of their lines.

I own a lot of rentals.  Your fridge and dishwasher should be Whirlpool.  GE fridges are terrible, except for the basic top freezer model.  I don't have a gas stove in any rentals, but I prefer GE electric ranges.  Microwaves are a toss up between the two.  If you are selling, just match the brands because stainless colors vary and you aren't going to be the user for long.  Avoid the Korean manufacturers because of quality and the difficulty of getting parts for repairs.  Avoid Samsung anything, they all are awful.  French door fridges are popular.  Make sure the fridge fits in the condo kitchen and the drawer can be opened if you go that route.  Otherwise a side by side Whirlpool should be fine.  Pay extra for counter depth if it makes a huge difference in a narrow condo kitchen.

LG washers are supposed to be ok.  I have 20 year old Whirlpools in most of the houses, but the new ones are supposedly less reliable.  Dryer should match the washer if you are switching those out to sell.  Most sellers don't bother.

Appliances are on sale all the time.  Last week appliances were up to 35 percent off.  This week it's 30 percent.  Memorial Day or Fourth of July will be the best sale, up to 40 percent off.  Home Depot orders from their warehouse, Lowe's has stock at the store but is prone to have items with dents or dings.  You can get an extra 5 percent off with your Lowe's card, but the Chase Freedom card offers a 5 percent rebate at all home improvement stores April through June.  I use a local appliance store that gives me better prices than the warehouse stores in Phoenix.  I'm sure there are some of those in Orange County.

I think I read the same regarding Whirlpool in terms of fridge and dishwasher. I think Bosch makes decent dishwashers too - the Ascenta I have has been great all these years. I should have just gotten it in stainless to begin with... ah well. Are Whirlpool ranges not known to be very good? Seems a lot of people seem to like GE for ranges. Not sure about microwaves but I guess I'd have to get a matching GE microwave in that case if I were to go the GE route.

I have an LG washer/dryer set. The control board on the dryer started failing a couple years ago and I had to file a complaint with BBB to get LG to finally come out and fix it. It was causing excess gas to leak and the timing was off - so there was a constant faint smell of gas. Pretty dangerous if you ask me, and at first LG didn't want to address the problem. I'm not planning on replacing these since I got them around 2010 or so - they still run pretty well overall.

[Another Reader]

It was causing excess gas to leak and the timing was off - so there was a constant faint smell of gas. Pretty dangerous if you ask me, and at first LG didn't want to address the problem.

I do not do gas dryers in rentals, period.  It's too dangerous to let tenants fool with these.  I only have a gas cook top in one rental, no gas ranges.  I prefer gas for cooking, but it's not common in the older subdivisions where most of the rentals are located so it's not an issue.  Since you are selling, not renting, you won't have a problem.

[Papa bear]

It was causing excess gas to leak and the timing was off - so there was a constant faint smell of gas. Pretty dangerous if you ask me, and at first LG didn't want to address the problem.

I do not do gas dryers in rentals, period.  It's too dangerous to let tenants fool with these.  I only have a gas cook top in one rental, no gas ranges.  I prefer gas for cooking, but it's not common in the older subdivisions where most of the rentals are located so it's not an issue.  Since you are selling, not renting, you won't have a problem.

I agree with no gas dryers in rentals.  Though we do go with gas ranges and hot water tanks. 

Gas ranges tend to get better rents for us, but obviously not for all markets or areas. It’s all very local.


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[Abe]

We had Bosch appliances in our old place, and no problems over 10 years since they were installed (7 years with us). Zero maintenance issues with any of them. I guess they are pretty expensive? Frigidaire appliances came with our current rental, and the stupid things don't work properly for more than a few months at a time.

[jeromedawg]

We had Bosch appliances in our old place, and no problems over 10 years since they were installed (7 years with us). Zero maintenance issues with any of them. I guess they are pretty expensive? Frigidaire appliances came with our current rental, and the stupid things don't work properly for more than a few months at a time.

I got our Bosch Ascenta Dishwasher on sale for $300 shipped haha. It's an excellent dishwasher and we've had no issues with it. One time the pump backed up but due to a small clog - just had to get in there with gloves and a sponge to empty it out. Not a big deal. I'd really prefer not to purchase another one if possible and just found this: https://www.amazon.com/Brushed-Stainless-Dishwasher-Cover-Frigidaire/dp/B01CANG4IG/ref=asc_df_B01CANG4IG/ - what do you guys think? Seems like a pretty cool concept haha.

It was causing excess gas to leak and the timing was off - so there was a constant faint smell of gas. Pretty dangerous if you ask me, and at first LG didn't want to address the problem.

I do not do gas dryers in rentals, period.  It's too dangerous to let tenants fool with these.  I only have a gas cook top in one rental, no gas ranges.  I prefer gas for cooking, but it's not common in the older subdivisions where most of the rentals are located so it's not an issue.  Since you are selling, not renting, you won't have a problem.

I agree with no gas dryers in rentals.  Though we do go with gas ranges and hot water tanks. 

Gas ranges tend to get better rents for us, but obviously not for all markets or areas. It’s all very local.


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It was causing excess gas to leak and the timing was off - so there was a constant faint smell of gas. Pretty dangerous if you ask me, and at first LG didn't want to address the problem.

I do not do gas dryers in rentals, period.  It's too dangerous to let tenants fool with these.  I only have a gas cook top in one rental, no gas ranges.  I prefer gas for cooking, but it's not common in the older subdivisions where most of the rentals are located so it's not an issue.  Since you are selling, not renting, you won't have a problem.

Yea, I can see why gas is a bad idea in rentals per liability issues. Just keep things simple with electric appliances.

[Cadman]

Just as an FYI, the Whirlpool brand encompasses Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana, Estate, Jenn-Air and others. Build quality is roughly equivalent.

Some of these appliances are US made, others are not, so if that's important, do your homework. And like their competition, most microwave designs on the market are outsourced to off-shore companies, even by halo brands. You'll find lots of LG, GE, Hotpoint and WP microwave parts that interchange.

Gone are the days when one brand is 'better' than another. Even within the same product line.