You may come into the store and breathlessly say you need ...and list all the kitchen appliances. It is a big deal to you and to me but we hear it all day long and it is nothing new, to us anyway. But let us get down to some basics. Luckily there are some standards in appliances.
color popularity in this order, mostly stainless, some black, very little white, and biscuit is in the last stages of its death rattle as a color.
If you have a range hood now and want to put in an over the range microwave, you may not be able to do that.
standard widths apply 30 inches.
range hoods- 6 to 8 inches in height-hard wired to two lines coming out of the wall. Many times the cabinet above is too big for a microwave to be installed. (two wires come out of the wall for power)
microwaves-16.5 to 17.5 in height
it needs a cabinet to attach to. (microwaves are held in place with a back plate and two bolts through the cabinet above) An outlet for the microwave only(110) must be in place, power for the microwave only. a hole is also cut out for the cord to go through. a dedicated outlet is needed.
From the cooktop to underneath the cabinet you will need 33-35 inches for the install. 35 inches is preferred.
Too low will violate code,cause safety issues, and possible damage to the microwave.
please note if you have tile on the backsplash as that could limit what size you can put in there.
ranges-stoves
standard widths apply 30 inches
gas stoves are either natural gas or propane. different fitting are needed for propane, most ranges give you both. a new supply line is recommended, inexpensive in cost. you will need to change it out.
electric stoves are either coil or smooth top.
coil has been around for ever, are a pain to keep clean, spill overs mean taking the burner apart for clean up. positive point, when parts go bad, and they will, you can replace them your self. in most cases. parts are not cheap.
smooth tops look good and afford easy clean up. there are many configurations to chose from, choose the best for you, think of how you cook.
some ovens have convection.
it is not a mystery thing. there is a fan on the back wall that draws the air past an element heating the air an blowing it back into the oven, creating even temperatures and a better cooking experience and cutting down the cooking time. it is an option, please use it.
manual clean ovens
are a pain in the butt. Chemical sprays are a pain and not healthy.
self clean ovens are easy to use. there are two types. the normal self clean, gets up to 700 degrees and burns all the crud off. if cleaning, take everything out including the racks. it will take up to 3 hours. do not use oven cleaning products with a self cleaning oven, it will void the warranty.
new steam clean! uses water only. the oven element is hidden underneath. you pour a cup or two of water on the bottom, it will heat up and steam clean everything, taking about 20 minutes and another 20 minutes to cool down, then just wipe everything clean. easy peasy!
note: do not put foil on the bottom to catch drips, it will melt to the bottom of the oven. it will not clean off.
now for the refrigerators.
there is not a standard size, not a one size fits all. the bigger ones, 25 cft. and more, need at least 36 inches in width and 70 inches in height, a few are larger than that. many are now much deeper to all for more cubic feet. measure the opening wall to wall and from the floor to underneath the cabinet above. do not bother with measuring just the refrigerator, though additional information couldn't hurt.
the french door style is the most popular because of the flexibility and ease of use, especially with the freezer. you will enjoy it!
I will go into dishwashers at a later time.
there is much more I can go into so if anyone has questions I will address it for you, happy to help.
I will do a post on laundry products in the future. trust me, there is much more to talk about.
yes, I know CAPITAL LETTERS are mostly missing, not in the mood today lol
ray
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