When it comes to appliance brands, the adage “you get what you pay for” does apply, at least in some cases.
In many cases, the quality and durability of the appliance you choose will depend upon the brand and the available features. But do luxury appliance brands really provide that much more than less expensive models?
First, Consider Your Budget
You first need to decide how much you want to spend on new appliances. Ask yourself these questions:
- How high-end do I want to go? If you’re a chef or a baker and plan to use the restaurant-quality features on the professional models, then the extra price is probably worth it.
- What if I like the look of the more high-end appliances but don’t plan to use all the features? Many mid-range lines can meet your needs as well as suit your aesthetic sensibilities.
Decide on your layout, then look into the appliances that will fit in your kitchen and your budget.
High-End Cooktops
You have lots of choices when it comes to cooktops. For starters, you can choose gas, electric or induction cooking.
It’s mostly a personal choice, but if you’re choosing a cooktop for its performance, you must also consider its efficiency. Gas will lose about 40 percent of its heat from the flame to the pan. Induction cooktops, on the other hand, loses the least amount of heat.
If you’re in the market for a gas cooktop, consider the BTU rating, which indicates the potential energy and heat output of the burner. High-performance models will offer 9200 BTUs and up.
So in this case, a high-end appliance will likely perform much better for you and probably save energy too.
The Many Choices of Ovens
The crème de la crème of high-performance ovens, no matter what the brand, is the convection oven. Convection ovens circulate heat with a fan, so you can cook your food faster and more evenly. That means food spends less time in the oven, which translates to a tastier, faster dinner for you and your family.
Another consideration is the dual-fuel range, which uses gas for stovetop cooking and electricity for more reliable convection cooking in the oven.
Refrigerators and Freezers
The quality of the refrigerator, one of the most-used appliances in the kitchen, is dependent on the compressor. You can choose from two types:
- Single-compressor units where one compressor works to keep the fridge moist and dry and the freezer cold and dry
- Dual-compressor units, which cost more but will keep your food fresher for longer by separating freezer and refrigerator compartment operation.
Style, Quality and Durability
Some homeowners prefer luxury brands because they bring high style to kitchen décor. Others enjoy the extra features that allow them to store and prepare food like professional chefs.
Most consumers who opt for high-end home appliances say they appreciate the level of quality and durability that luxury brands offer. Most of these appliances are built using European engineering and precision manufacturing techniques, but does it really make a difference?
Consumer Reports conducted a far-reaching study of reliability, ultimately concluding that Whirlpool, Kenmore and GE are reported to be the most reliable appliance brands.
Whether you are loyal to Viking, Thermador, Miele, Gaggenau, Busch, Sub-Zero or Wolf, Complete Appliance Repair is northern Utah’s locally owned expert in high-end appliance repair. Of course we love our more modest brands just as much, and we carry the parts to fix them all.
No matter what type of appliances you have in your home, the professionals at Complete Appliance Repair will treat them all as though they were luxury appliance brands!