Whether you are gutting your old kitchen or building a new house you will have many decisions to make. This can be overwhelming if you do not research your project. There are appliances, cabinets, countertops, lighting, floor coverings, wall finish, hardware, plumbing fixtures and window treatments to think about just to name a few. Start the research project by getting your hands on every home magazine or catalog you can get your hands on and start clipping pictures. Start a file and organize the photos accordingly

Today’s kitchens are not what they were ten years ago. Kitchens can be a family gathering space and even informal entertainment areas with spaces for offices, couches, multi-purpose islands, fireplaces and even the old butler pantries. We are becoming a nation of semi-professional cooks. The use of pro-style equipment in residential kitchens has been burgeoning for several years. When collecting your clippings you’ll see stainless steel appliances featured in many kitchen settings. Professional-style appliances are used amidst the most sleekly modern European cabinetry and the most traditional country galley. Our cooking habits, and our living habits are becoming more sophisticated.

Appliances being produced today are made more energy efficient than those of a generation ago. With new technologies, improved engineering, better insulation, and a closer eye on energy conservation, the appliance industry has made great leaps forward. Although initially accessible only to the high-end buyer, advances in appliance performance have become available to the broader spectrum of appliance shopper.

Convection Ovens

“There has been an upsurge in gas cooktops, whether as a separate cooktop or integrated with a range below.” according to Larry Snyder, one of the owners of Hamilton’s Appliance of Gladstone. “A great majority of the ovens we provide are convection electric.” These are fairly upscale appliance options, or have been in the past. Only recently have options like these been available to the middle range appliance buyer.

Convection ovens feature a fan in the oven cavity that circulates hot air created by an element, preventing a pocket of cool air from surrounding baking food. The hot circulated air speeds the baking and roasting process, seals in juices, and allows for an extra rack to be installed in the oven for an extra tray of cookies. You may hear the phrase “true ” or “European” convection, which is a convection oven that features an additional heating element around the fan that heats the air being circulated. Largely a matter of price a ‘true’ convection is widely available on more expensive appliances- both standard and European convection options work well.

Convection technology was advanced in Europe and gradually has been integrated into domestic appliance availability. Until recently convection has been available only on the higher end of the appliance spectrum. But like the growing appeal of pro-style appliances, popular demand has forced appliance manufacturers to respond.

“Convection ovens are now available on middle to lower end appliances,” Larry Snyder says, “and customers have a broad assortment of choices at the medium price range.”

Gas or Elecrtric
Gas cooking is preferred by gourmet cooks for more precise temperature control and the instant on/off feature of gas burners. If natural gas service is unavailable in your area, most gas appliances can be converted to LP (Liquid Petroleum- which requires a storage tank to be housed nearby). Depending on the appliance manufacturer, there is little difference between natural and LP gas cooking, although in some LP conversions as much as 10% of the potential BTU output of the burners can be lost.

Electric ranges and cooktops remain popular for most remodeling work According to Larry, “Electric smooth tops dominate,” at Hamilton’s Appliance. “They account for 80% of the electric ranges we provide.”

With the ease of cleaning and maintenance, glass-top electric ranges are a frequently requested item. Be advised that glass-top cooking does require flat bottom pans for efficient use. In order to insure the customer is informed about the performance that can be expected the staff at Hamilton’s Appliance offer complete information on the use and care of all their products.

Refrigerators
Also currently riding a wave of popularity are shallow-depth refrigerators. Homeowners and designers alike are looking for continuity of line, shifting from the bulky refrigerators of the past and choosing instead cabinet-depth models offering a more ‘built-in’ effect.

Shallow depth, freestanding refrigerators, usually less than 72” in height, are frequently ‘boxed in’ with custom panels and/or surrounding cabinetry. This type of refrigeration is frequently used in remodeling situations, where the required height to install true built-in units is not available. Freestanding shallow depth refrigerators are also significantly less expensive than built-ins. The application of wood door panels to integrate the refrigerator with your cabinetry may be an option. If you’re looking for this feature, be sure to specify it when talking to your both your appliance and cabinet supplier.

Built-in refrigerators are design to be integrated into cabinetry. Doors made to accept custom panels, sides left unfinished, and at around 84” in height, built-in refrigerators are taller than freestanding models. Not too long ago there were few manufacturers producing true built-ins, but their popularity has broadened availability. Hamilton’s Appliance offers built-in refrigerators by SubZero, Viking, Kitchenaid, and coming soon, an entry by Thermador into the field.

Wrapped in dense insulation, today’s refrigerators are more efficient while offering greater capacity. Note that side-by-side refrigerators are not as efficient as top- or bottom freezer models. And while we’re on the subject of capacity, also note that the freezer side of a side-by-side refrigerator may not be wide enough to hold a pizza box.

The need for energy savings has developed through design to give us quieter dishwashers, washing machines that use less water and energy, appliances that work better, last longer with more features and benefits than ever. The array of quality equipment available is astonishing

Appliance Knowledge is Key
Your appliance provider should be able to give you information on what you can expect from your appliance choices. When the appliance salesperson has done the job right, you will know how to use your appliance, what to clean it with, how to maintain it, and remove any doubts or ‘surprises’ about performance. A good appliance provider will answer your questions, give youy all of the information you need to choose the right appliance for the way you cook, for the way you use the kitchen, and will offer equipment at prices that will fit your budget. A good appliance provider should point out the possible limitations of a product too.

Is Stainless steel is harder to clean. “Yes,” said Larry Snyder, when asked. That’s always been an issue with stainless. It’s always been an issue with black. It’s just that people seem to accept that with stainless. As long as people are told what to expect, they make the right choice”

So when you’re ready to buy new kitchen appliances, the first thing is to find the most knowledgeable appliance provider, and don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions, easy questions, and all of the questions in between.

Jim Garland is a kitchen designer living in Oregon.