cost effective kitchen appliances - what do you use?

[libbykt]

Originally Posted by Acadianlion

The Bosch dishwasher is one of the three or four most efficient dishwashers available. The Amana refrigerator, if it is like ours, is Energy Star rated, which means...ah...well, it's more efficient than a refrigerator that isn't.

Thank you! I knew about the Bosch quiet factor, but not about the energy efficiency. I actually believe that the bottom freezers are less efficient than a top freezer, although I will admit to having the same one, but the Maytag version. I just prefer the look and layout of it, and you're right, it is Energy Star rated.

As for the range, I am just insanely jealous. I have been planning my dream kitchen in my head for a couple of years now and I go back and forth between a Viking and a Wolf. Of course, that would require us to actually settle down in a house for a while and I don't see it happening for a couple more years.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by libbykt

Just curious- which of those is the cost effective appliance?

All of them. The Viking range will outlast four or five other ranges. The Bosch dishwasher has a flow through water heater and uses 1/2 the electricity and water of a conventional dishwasher.There is no heater element to burn the errant plastic bowl that has fallen to the bottom of the tank . The Amana refrigerator with the bottom freezer uses the concept that cold air sinks so it is not constantly trying to pump the cold air up to a freezer on the top. With a top freezer every time you open it much of the cold air escapes and flows down and out of the freezer. In the bottom freezer the cold air has no place to go so it stays in the freezer. The fact that they are all stainless means they will continue to look good as they age. No chipped paint to worry about and no rust...ever. The Vermont Castings gas grill has already outlasted three cheap gas grills and will probably outlast two more. It is porcelain enamel on steel with stainless burners. I built a stainless rotisserie for it. Invest in high quality appliances and they will pay for themselves in longevity and far fewer repair costs. I know this to be a fact as we used to buy the cheaper appliances.....never again!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I love my crock pot, you can buy cheaper cuts of meat and make them taste like heaven in the crock pot.

I just bought beef ribs, rubbed them down with a dry seasoning rub, cooked them all night, took them out and put them under the broiler to crisp them up a little and covered with my favorite barbeque sauce.

I want to try the same with a Corned Beef Roast however they were all out at the store when I was there last.

I don't use it often enough that it stays out on the counter but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The only two things I keep out are my Kitchenaide and my George Foreman. My toaster broke the other day, a faithful friend I had for like 15 years, now I just use the George Foreman to heat up bread. Here in Florida it seems like it molds faster so I keep it in the frig.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by emu742

Are these the most efficient appliances you've found in your opinion?
It's funny you say that about the crockpot, we don't like it much for the reason it makes everything sooo mushy, we like our stuff crunchier.

That's the biggest problem I have seen with the crockpot. We got one for a wedding gift and used it several times, just didn't care for the way it cooked things. We put it in the cellar and eventually threw it out . In a low moment my wife bought another one to try using it again with some newer methods and the results were the same. It now sits in the cellar where it's predecessor sat .I had some baked beans out of one once that weren't too bad at all...like you say they were a but mushier than in the oven but they weren't bad.

In defense of breadmakers...when the kids were little and money was tighter we made bread every day except Sunday in a breadmaker for years. We loved the thing. I think I have four of them in various conditions in the cellar. I always bought the same model so I could take parts off the old one for repairs. They stopped making that model and we stopped making bread when the last one died...of overuse!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I find some things are better if you cook the meat for instance in the crock pot and then finish it off in the oven to crisp it up.

If other things are mushy, you might try keeping the crock pot on low and shortening the cooking time. Another thing that helps is to start the meat when its frozen, I have always read that helps the texture.

My Mom had a crock pot when I was little, it was the only time when the food was cooked to the point of being shoe leather.

I'm especially fond of brisket cooked in the crock pot and of course ribs. Not mushy at all. I have heard people really like London Broil but I didn't care for the texture of it.
I have several cookbooks on the crock pot but I have also seen some on semi-homemade cooking on foodnetwork, check out their website, Food Network : Healthy Recipe Collections, Party Ideas, Quick & Easy Recipes. They have some pretty good ones.

[moughie]

emu 742, you may also want to consider a front loading washing machine for your laundry room- much more efficient and uses less water.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by moughie

emu 742, you may also want to consider a front loading washing machine for your laundry room- much more efficient and uses less water.

Got one of those too! It works great!. We have had it now for 12 years. I replaced the main bearing in it last summer and it still works well! It uses just a couple of gallons of water. You should use detergents made for front loaders though, but it's no big deal. We also have a gas dryer. This appliance is a MUST HAVE in my opinion! It is a tremendous electricity saver and uses very little propane. The heat is MUCH better than an electric dryer. A load of denim jeans will be completely dry in the time it takes for the washing machine to wash a load. It's more than twice as fast as an electric dryer. We would never go back to an electric dryer now!

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Got one of those too! It works great!. We have had it now for 12 years. I replaced the main bearing in it last summer and it still works well! It uses just a couple of gallons of water. You should use detergents made for front loaders though, but it's no big deal. We also have a gas dryer. This appliance is a MUST HAVE in my opinion! It is a tremendous electricity saver and uses very little propane. The heat is MUCH better than an electric dryer. A load of denim jeans will be completely dry in the time it takes for the washing machine to wash a load. It's more than twice as fast as an electric dryer. We would never go back to an electric dryer now!

My parents had a gas dryer and it was awesome. Unfortunately mine are both electric. I am planning on replacing the one I have now (when its needed) with a gas one, the place to connect it to the gas is in place.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Lindsey_Mcfarren

My parents had a gas dryer and it was awesome. Unfortunately mine are both electric. I am planning on replacing the one I have now (when its needed) with a gas one, the place to connect it to the gas is in place.

if your parents had a gas dryer then you know first hand how nice they are. You won't be sorry in installing one!

[emu742]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Got one of those too! It works great!. We have had it now for 12 years. I replaced the main bearing in it last summer and it still works well! It uses just a couple of gallons of water. You should use detergents made for front loaders though, but it's no big deal. We also have a gas dryer. This appliance is a MUST HAVE in my opinion! It is a tremendous electricity saver and uses very little propane. The heat is MUCH better than an electric dryer. A load of denim jeans will be completely dry in the time it takes for the washing machine to wash a load. It's more than twice as fast as an electric dryer. We would never go back to an electric dryer now!

Oh ok great thanks for the suggestion! I will keep it in my notes of things to get once we get there!