Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Agree with the posters who suggested keeping it simple - this also keeps energy use down.
I don't even have an in-door ice maker
Even with all of the bells and whistles of modern fridges, they are amazingly much more efficient than older models. There is an ancient Amana fridge sticker that the previous owner left in our garage saying it was energy efficient, using only 193 Kwh per month. Our french door, ice making Samsung uses 520 Kwh per year! It's amazing I tell ya
I went the KISS route also....fewer digital thingies or bells & whistles to break down. I bought GE Energy-Star appliances nearly 3 years ago simply because they were in my price range and had decent reviews from several internet sources..... dishwasher, over-the-stove microwave oven, ceramic top range, and a narrowish model fridge with pull-out bottom freezer drawer. No ice or water thingies on the door. I LOVE my fridge and all the other appliances have been fine as well. I bought them on sale from Lowes and got extra discounts for a dent in the side of the range that no one will ever see, and also for having a delay in delivery another dishwasher as the first one was destroyed in shipping. Total cost to me was $1700. You can go berserk trying to decide from various reviews, but a fridge repairman told me that refrigerators have a lifespan of about 7 years these days. I once bought a fridge from Montgomery Ward that was made by a large appliance manufacturer under Ward's name......it was a piece of side-by-side crap and rusted out within less than two years. I also remember the 18 year-old fridge my parents had that refused to go belly up and have a friend who has a perfectly working fridge close to 50 years old! I hope my appliances live more than a few more years! If I could afford it, I'd go with one of the european lines, but I can't complain about my plain vanilla purchase.
Bought a Kenmore Elite fridge. It's a French door style with the freezer on bottom. A few months after we bought it, we smelled something burning each time we opened the double doors. It took DH and I both sniffing most of an entire day before we realized the plastic covering over the inside light was melting. There was an electrical problem and a recall on one of the parts.
The next issue we have with the fridge is that we can't keep any of the 3 handles on the door all at one time. DH is constantly re-attaching them.
Next issue with this fridge is that the runners on the freezer door freeze over, making it nearly impossible to open. We've had to take a hair dryer to melt ice on the runners to enable us to open and close the darn thing. This has happened on several occasions.
There is also an issue with the ice maker that I've only heard about from my DH. He's frequently fussing about it. I don't know firsthand because I don't use ice.
There are more "little things" that are annoying with this fridge but this is enough for now.
We bought a KitchenAid range the same time we bought the fridge. It's so much*worse* than the fridge that I won't even go into it.
So...I wouldn't suggest Kenmore fridges or KitchenAid ranges.
My mother in law had a kitchan aid range and a kitchen aid dishwasher and they both died within 2 years. She now has a Jenn Air gas range, which my wife and I do not like because only one burner on top gets hot enough to boil water, and if you are cooking more than one thing in the stove, 1 of the items will get cooked and the other does not. My mother in law doesnt cook very much, so she is unaware that we do not like the range. I do all the cooking. She also bought a Fisher and Paykel double drawer dishwasher, which she really loves. My wife and I really just like the regular dishwashers, because it is hard to pack things into the double drawer one. You can only put big plates and pots in the top drawer...and you run out of room quickly.
My mother in law had a kitchan aid range and a kitchen aid dishwasher and they both died within 2 years.
I can certainly believe it! *After* buying my KitchenAid range, I found a site online that rated appliances and KitchenAid came in way down at the bottom. Didn't see that site *before* making my purchase, though I did attempt to read up on the different brands and get reviews.
Agree with the posters who suggested keeping it simple - this also keeps energy use down.
I don't even have an in-door ice maker
Neither do I but a counter depth fridge by Jenn-Air which blends in instaed of being a stand out. We need ice in summer and then lots of it. WalMart ist still more cost efficient then a fridge I do not like.
My mother in law had a kitchan aid range and a kitchen aid dishwasher and they both died within 2 years. She now has a Jenn Air gas range, which my wife and I do not like because only one burner on top gets hot enough to boil water, and if you are cooking more than one thing in the stove, 1 of the items will get cooked and the other does not. My mother in law doesnt cook very much, so she is unaware that we do not like the range. I do all the cooking. She also bought a Fisher and Paykel double drawer dishwasher, which she really loves. My wife and I really just like the regular dishwashers, because it is hard to pack things into the double drawer one. You can only put big plates and pots in the top drawer...and you run out of room quickly.
Why do you not contact JennAir about the issues? My dual fuel stove was out of warranty and they took care of things.
Have you checked the actual burners for built up?
Interesting thread as I am currently outfitting a kitchen.
We bought a Bosch DW last summer and love it so far.
After tons of research, we settled on a Broan vent hood with an external blower motor. We bought it on-line. Will see how we like it after the install during the remodel this spring.
Which leads me to my rant: after spending the weekend in local appliance stores, I'm about to do all of my appliance shopping online. Let's just say it was a frustrating experience. Note to Appliance Salesmen (and women) Everywhere: If Someone is about to Drop 4-8K on an Appliance, it's probably a Bad Idea to be Rude to That Person. Grrrr.
The Jenn-air range is brand new - she got it and then never used it. Now we are living with her while we do a Dormer on our house and we are using the range every night.....Maybe it isnt used to being used lol
Jennair Range people-I am looking at a model, is it the same?
Hi- My husband found a "deal" and it happens to be a Jennaire 9430- gas range, 4 burners, sealed. I am VERY curious if that is what you are using at your mother-in-laws. I currently have an Amana gas range top that is difficult to clean, has removable covers over the burners which I can scrub or put in dishwasher but the grates themselves are a bear to clean. One review, the only one I found, said this model worked great (a self described AVID COOK) but it was difficult to clean. I could say the same of the Amana. New always looks better but is it?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There was an electrical problem and a recall on one of the parts. 
We've had to take a hair dryer to melt ice on the runners to enable us to open and close the darn thing. This has happened on several occasions. 
Note to Appliance Salesmen (and women) Everywhere: If Someone is about to Drop 4-8K on an Appliance, it's probably a Bad Idea to be Rude to That Person. Grrrr. 
Jennair Range people-I am looking at a model, is it the same?
