Personal computer technology may be moving at a faster pace than innovations found on stoves, refrigerators or dishwashers, but if it’s been awhile since you went shopping for major appliances, you might be surprised by the new features available on many machines.
Here’s what to look for if you go appliance shopping.
– Dishwashers. Nowadays, getting dishes clean in a machine is more than just loading soap and plates and hitting the wash button. Modern dishwashers should offer a variety of cycles for delicate glassware, regular washing and heavy duty for pots and pans.
Lisa Wehrli, who manages Wehrli Appliance in Naperville, says consumers should look for a variety of cycles and the quietest operation at the lowest price.
“People want the flexibility to wash various types of loads in their dishwasher and also a machine that’s quiet,” Wehrli said. “Another feature to look for is a soil sensor’that measures how dirty the rinse water is and may add another cycle to get the load clean.”
Jim Doman, general manager for Abt Electronics in Morton Grove, says dishwashers today are “more than 50 percent quieter than they were 10 years ago.”
“Stainless steel is becoming very big,” Doman said. “People like the looks of it better and the insulation in many machines is vastly improved.”
The January 2000 issue of Consumer Reports says consumers should expect to pay from $25 to $100 more for sensor-equipped dishwashers. Prices for the magazine’s top 10 models ranged from $380 for a Maytag model MBD3100A to $900 for an Asko brand No. 1595.
Wehrli and Doman agreed that throughout the industry KitchenAid has long been recognized as one of the top manufacturers of dishwashers. Two new models in their line are the KUDI01 ($550) and the KUDS01 ($900).
A nifty foreign-made option from Fisher & Paykel offers two separate dish drawers, allowing you to wash in one compartment and not the other or both at the same time, each with a different cycle setting. The model DD602 sells for $1,600 and currently offers a $200 rebate.
When shopping for a dishwasher, Doman says to bring your largest pan or platter to see if it fits. Remember that some units have adjustable shelves.
– Stoves. Despite the national craze with eating on the run, the stove is still a mainstay in family kitchens. Your choices include gas or electric as a power source, and with the latter, you’ll have to decide if you prefer coil or electric smoothtop. Locally, gas is the appliance fuel of choice, but with expected cost increases that could change.
Wehrli and Doman each said that sealed burners, self-cleaning ovens and professional-style cooking options were among the most important features for today’s consumers. Fred Kocher, assistant manager at Plass Appliance and Electronics in Arlington Heights, said that the demand for high-end stoves and large ovens is growing but that there are hidden costs.
“A high-end, professional-style stove can cost $4,000 and up, but you’ll also need a professional ventilation hood that will run another $1,000 to $1,500,” Kocher said. “Some people just want that one `hot burner’ and don’t need the whole stove to be professional quality.”
, If you have a smaller budget in mind, Kocher suggests Frigidaire model FGF379 ($1,300), which offers a stainless-steel design, is self-cleaning and has one high Btu burner.
According to Consumer Reports, spending less than $500 gets you non-sealed burners, four 9,000 Btu burners, a boiler in the lower drawer and a basic black or white finish. At $500 to $700, you’ll get sealed burners, one or more high-powered burners, a self-cleaning oven and possibly a warming drawer for storage. Spend $700 to $1,800 and you’ll add heavier grates and a number of other options, including stainless-steel accents, convection ovens, a simmer burner and a ceramic top. A GE Profile JGBP85WEA at $1,000 was Consumer Reports’ favorite, but a Hotpoint RGB745BEA and a Kenmore 7549(1), both under $600, were close to being as good.
– Refrigerators. New designs in refrigerators have produced appliances that no longer stick out and block half the kitchen floor. Units that were once 30- to 34-inches deep have shrunk to 27 inches, with only the doors extending beyond countertops. Doman says despite the shrinkage, capacity remains a generous 25-cubic feet. KitchenAid, GE, Amana,and Jenn-Air all make countertop-depth models.
Most retailers will offer freezers on the side, top or bottom. The last makes sense since it puts the milk, butter, eggs and meat at eye level and eliminates bending over to reach the crisper on the bottom shelf. The cost for bottom freezer models, however, is about $100 more than a top freezer.
Beyond your choice of design, features to consider include a water/ice dispenser, storage options, and efficiency. Built-in water filters are another option worth considering for improving the taste of drinking water and ice.
Ready to buy? Check out KitchenAid’s KSFS25 ($2,000), GE’s TPX24 ($1,900) and TFX26 ($1,300). Consumer Reports’ June 2000 issue liked Kenmore’s 5959 ($1,600), the KitchenAid Superba KSRE25FH ($1,550) and Whirlpool’s ED25RFXF[W] ($1,150).
– Washers and dryers. The big news here is the front versus top-load washing machines that spin and swirl clothes clean, rather than agitate back and forth and wear out fabrics. Front loaders are said to use less soap and water than their top-load counterparts, thus reducing costs. Capacity is said to be identical.
Kocher, however, believes there are some top-load washers worth considering, including a new Whirlpool brand with a so-called “senseon” system.
“It’s a top-load machine that sprays the water in gently,” he said. “No pretreating of clothes is necessary, and there’s a timed bleach and detergent release.” The model, No. GSX9885, costs $800 and was just released this fall.
Wehrli also likes the Whirlpool model in addition to a Fisher & Paykel top-load that includes a 360-degree agitator, as opposed to back and forth that also spins clothes dry at 1000 rpm Features to look for include capacity, durability, variable speeds and water temperature options.
Popular models include Consumer Reports’ top-rated Maytag Neptune ($1,000), Frigidaire FWT645RH[S] ($700) and a Kenmore 4004(2) ($800), all front loaders. Three Kenmore models ranging from $600 to $930 topped Consumer Reports’ top-loading ratings.
Most folks buy a matching dryer with their washer, which makes sense since one machine is designed to work with the other. And if you’re replacing appliances, it’s likely the washer and dryer are the same age.Kocher says you’re more likely to get a discount when you buy both.
Heating choices are gas or electric and features should include drying options ranging from delicate to heavy towels. New moisture sensors, which add about $50 to $75 to the price, save clothes by shutting down the drying cycle and eliminate paying extra energy costs.
Doman says a Whirlpool Super Capacity LGR5636 at $350 and a GE EGD2000 at $360 are two of his top sellers.
Consumer Reports liked Kenmore’s Elite 6009(2) for $730 and an Amana ALE956EA(W) at $590 (both electric models) and Kenmore’s 70009(2) at $780 (gas). Gas models average about $30 to $50 more than electric.
Wehrli says to check the dryer location in your home because some drop down loading or side-swing doors won’t work in all spaces.
