Appliance Considerations for Seniors (state, friend, years, restaurant)

[Robyn55]

Yup - really - I am not making this up to avoid going to another forum .

As our house approaches its 20th birthday - we are "refreshing it". Will be redoing our kitchen floor. Our current refrigerator is "original". Although it's still working - it is starting to rust out in places. And - in general - looks pretty dingy. So I'm looking at new refrigerators.

French door refrigerators are all the rage now. And I tend to like them in terms of how they organize refrigerator space. But there are - apparently - issues with those that dispense "ice from the door" - because there's an inherent design problem putting something that makes ice in a refrigerator compartment (which is above freezing).

So I've been looking at models with ice makers in the bottom freezer. Some of these ice makers look good - but they're "way down there" - and I don't know how I'd feel stooping over every night to get ice to put into a drink.

FWIW - I cook a fair amount. Have double wall ovens at a comfortable height - not under a stove. They're very comfy to use without a lot of bending and stooping.

So what do you think about your current appliances - and what's on your "wish list"? Especially in terms of configuration and function. Robyn

[mshultz]

My washer and dryer are 1988 models. At 2-3 loads a week, I expect them to be part of my estate (I am 58).

My 1988 refrigerator suffered from broken compressor springs, which was not repairable. Sometimes when it shut off, it sounded like a motorcycle hitting a guardrail; other times it sounded like a bicycle hitting a guardrail.

I bought a 14 cubic foot Energy Star model. If I had to do it over, I would buy a larger one. I have to stoop a bit to use the refrigerator, and the freezer is not quite large enough since I expanded my diet.

I would not buy a refrigerator with an ice cube maker, as they can leak. I have oak floors and a basement below. Anyway, I see more snow and ice than I can handle each winter. I keep the refrigerator just above freezing, so my drinks are cold enough without added ice.

[LookingatFL]

Hi Robyn, I actually pay extra to get refrigerators that don't make ice or dispense water. It's hard to believe you have to pay more to get something that does less. But, to me, it is worth it. Years ago I had a refrigerator that did dispense ice and water and I regularly changed the filter. But it broke and I hired an appliance repairman to fix it and that is when I saw all the mold that was in the ice dispenser and water lines. The appliance repairman said this was common and for this reason he does not advocate or use ice/water dispensers.

Since that time I've asked other repairmen and I am given the same advice. I've also discovered that there is mold and bacteria in the restaurant equipment that makes ice, and that ice is generally filthy. I've stopped using ice completely.

[RiverBird]

Find me a self-cleaning fridge!

[in_newengland]

I have the fridge with the ice maker and so far no problems. Fingers crossed. I would like to get rid of the horrid glass top stove though. The entire top gets hot and if anything falls on it, it burns, even catches fire. The heat doesn't stay at an even temperature, it surges red hot and then evens out again. Probably I just love gas stoves, the kind that you turn it on and it's ON, and off and it's OFF. No guessing. If you want to boil water, you boil water, no waiting around for the coils to heat up. No special cookware required (the glass top stove would like me to get rid of my good cookware. Nope.)

[Gandalara]

My next fridge will probably be one with a bottom freezer. I want the fridge part at eye level.
I've never bought with an ice/water dispenser because they cost more to run. Also it takes away usable space. (And here, without costs less )

I have double gas ovens with electric broilers. Never again. I'd rather have storage space. Don't mind it in the wall though, it's the right height. My gas stove (aka cooktop) is built into the tile counter, with a nice griddle in the middle that I use for keeping stuff warm. Cooked on the griddle once - too much mess to clean after.

I'd never want my microwave above the stove either. Chance of my hair catching fire or getting burned while reaching up. Mine has it's own garage at eye level.

Had a trash compactor, got rid of it. Noisy bugger.

I *do* like the dishwashers that look like drawers though.

Have a friend who put in a wood mount at eye level to hold the iPad/Tablet/whatever they're called, so they could read recipes on it and not worry about something spilling on it.

[luvmyhoss]

Bottom freezer Sub zero. Love it.
Don't need a nice maker do you?

[NCN]

I downsized my appliances. I bought the stove with the fewest gadgets and a small refrigerator with the freezer at the bottom in case I ever need to get to it from a wheel chair. The top cool part has adjustable shelves so they can be adjusted to reach right in too. It is a good idea to update while you can still get around good. I have never had the desire for water or ice in the door since a friend had to replace her kitchen wall because a water leak from the ice maker ruined it.

I wanted a front loaded washer but so glad it wouldn't fit into the space of our washing closet behind louver doors beside our dining room table. I have heard so many bad things about those lately.

We had higher commodes built into our bathrooms and a place to sit in the shower that is solid and not just a chair.

Our beds came from England and have adjustable head and feet controls. It also has a massage feature that puts me to sleep many nights. I push three buttons, head, foot, and wave, and it gives me a 1/2 hour massage waving back and forth across my entire back side of my body. I can choose to lay on either side or my stomach but the back feels the best. Many nights I don't remember it going off because I am in la la land.

[mshultz]

My stove is also a 1988, without a self-cleaning oven, which was much more expensive back then.

A few years ago, I replaced the burners and wiring harness for the stove part. Original equipment parts were not available, but by running back and forth, comparing the pictures on the web to the stove, I was able to do it. I bought better quality burners, including a canning burner.

The stove is better than it was new.

[karen_in_nh_2012]

I got a French-door refrigerator at my last house (which I still own but rent out) and I loved it. It did have an icemaker but I never hooked it up -- I have no problem making ice the old-fashioned way!! No water dispenser in the door -- didn't need it and was afraid of problems down the road (and now that I rent that house out, I'm glad I never connected the water line).

When I remodel my current house I will likely get another French-door refrigerator. Mine was a GE and counter-depth so it was insanely expensive, but counter-depth made things fit MUCH better around the refrigerator (the stove and refrigerator had to the on the same 11' wall, and once you subtract 4' for the perpendicular counters AND want to make sure you have space between the 2 appliances, there's not a lot of wiggle room).