APPLIANCES
For some people, selecting the appliances can be the most exciting decision in a kitchen renovation. The following section explains some basic guidelines to get you started as you make your selections. In general, you should have a budget, list of features, and a thorough understanding of the size of appliance that can actually fit in your project - ie. in your kitchen design, and through any doorways and hallways en route to the kitchen. If you're working with an architect, you should have interior elevations that recommend the ideal sizes of the appliances that work in your space, so make sure you refer to those when you start shopping.
DISHWASHER
For a primary use kitchen, we typically recommend a 24” wide dishwasher (standard size); for a secondary suite, like a basement apartment, we usually recommend an 18” wide dishwasher (compact size).
Make sure to review the different configurations to make sure the capacity and interior fittings would work for your lifestyle. Another thing to consider is the location of the controls. We like models where they are located on the top of the door, so that they are concealed when the door is closed. You may also want to consider a ‘panel-ready’ dishwasher, so that it can appear built in alongside of your base cabinets. See our post here for more information on panel-ready appliances.
MICROWAVE
We typically recommend microwaves to be located in one of three places: within base cabinets, built into high cabinets, or suspended from upper cabinetry (often acting as a hood fan).
Refer to your interior elevations/kitchen design to determine where the microwave should be located so that you can purchase the appropriate size & type, and any trim kits or other accessories required. It is against electrical code to have any outlets concealed by cabinets, so you cannot hide your microwave behind a cabinet door - no matter what you see on Pinterest.
RANGE VS COOKTOP/OVEN
A range combines a cooktop and oven into a single kitchen appliance; the alternative is to separate them into two appliances, which is more expensive but more streamlined and integrated in appearance. Your next decision is whether they should be gas, electric (including induction), or dual fuel. Our typical recommendation is dual fuel (gas for the cooking surface and electric for the oven), as this provides the precise temperature control of electricity to heat the oven instead of the temperature fluctuations that often happen in gas ovens. Other differences will include the cooktop material, number of burners, finishes, etc.
EXHAUST HOOD
The capacity of the hood and its width should correspond to the cooktop/range you have selected. There are several different types of hoods, including:
Undercabinet hoods: These attach to the underside of the cabinet above your cooktop/range.
Wall mount hoods: These attach to the wall above the cooktop/range. These typically are more expressive, standing alone as an object rather than being integrated into the cabinetry.
Concealed hoods: These are built into and hidden by deep upper cabinetry. Typically, the upper cabinets must be higher above the counter than typical upper cabinets to allow for proper clearances from the cooktop.
Telescopic hoods: These give a built-in appearance, disappearing underneath upper cabinets when not in use, and able to slide out when required.
Downdraft hoods: These are typically hidden behind, or within, the cooktop/range and pop up when in use to pull the steam and smoke horizontally across the range, rather than drawing it above. This is a popular choice for islands, since they will not block lines of vision. Typically, these hoods are not as effective as exhausting as the more traditional types that are over the cooking surface.
REFRIGERATOR
Refrigerators have the most variety when it comes to size, style, and capacity, so they are often the most challenging appliance to select. We typically recommend a capacity of 18-24 cubic feet for a family sized fridge.
Typically, refrigerators come in three main configurations: side-by-side fridge and freezer, top mounted freezer, and bottom mounted freezer. Bottom mount freezers can also come with french doors, depending on the width of the unit. We typically recommend the bottom mounted freezer type, as they offer the most flexible use of space, are easier to use, and are energy efficient.
Fridges typically come in two depths – standard depth and counter depth. Standard depth fridges are typically about 36” deep, including the doors and handles. A typical counter depth fridge is usually around 30” deep, including the doors and handles – this can cause some confusion, as a typical counter is about 25” deep, so it is commonly thought that counter depth fridges are the same. The truth is that a counter depth refrigerator box is about 25”, but the doors and handles add an extra 3”-5” to the overall depth.
A true 25” counter depth fridge is also called a built-in/integrated fridge, and gives a more integrated appearance to cabinetry. Built-in fridges are typically much more expensive than the typical counter depth fridge, usually starting at $5K and going up from there. Built-in fridges come in a variety of finishes, including panel-ready, if you want the appliance to truly look like cabinetry.
Our clients often ask whether regular fridges can be ‘disguised’ with side gables or walls to have the appearance of a built-in fridge. This is a tricky question, because it all depends on the manufacturer’s hinge clearance specifications. True integrated fridges have special hinges that do not cause interference with the side cabinetry when the doors are open. Typical fridges do not have these special hinges, and often require 2-3” of clearance on the hinge side of the doors between any other vertical surface, such as a wall or side gable.
