Appliances are the workhorses of your kitchen. Together, they will add up to about nine percent of your kitchen budget. This figure is surprisingly low, considering the technological advances and energy efficiencies today’s appliances offer. While features and performance are obviously the most important considerations in choosing appliances, how they’ll look in your kitchen probably matters to you, too.

How to Choose an Oven

The traditional range or stove, a single unit with cooktop above and oven below, is an affordable, space-conserving solution still chosen by most homeowners. But it’s just one of the cooking options offered today.

Some serious home cooks choose commercial-style stoves with six or eight burners instead of four, basting and grilling functions, and built-in warming ovens. (Real commercial stoves pose special challenges, such as special ventilation systems and noncombustible walls and floors, when used in the home, so commercial-style may be easier to live with.) Other people love the new modular cooktops that let you add burners, downdrafts, griddles, deep-fry and steamer units, woks, rotisseries, and grills. And these are just a few examples of what’s available!

A modular approach to overall kitchen design is a pronounced trend. Wall ovens separate from cooktops let you create several cooking work stations instead of just one. A double wall oven stacks two ovens to save space and deliver twice the baking/roasting capacity, which many people find useful for special occasions. And you can still get two-oven stoves, with one oven below the cooking surface and the other well above, at cabinet height.

The first decision in range shopping has always been gas versus electric. Many serious cooks prefer gas for its instant response, precise controllability, and lower operating cost over time. Others praise the evenness of electric heat and the lower initial cost of the appliance.

Today, you can get the best of both heating methods with “dual fuel” ranges that let you mix gas and electric heat sources; for example, gas cooktop burners and an electric convection oven/broiler. Convection ovens, most often electric, use heated air to cook up to twice as fast as conventional ovens that rely on radiant heating action. You can even get a combination microwave/convection oven.

Electric coils are the most popular kind of electric burners, and the least costly. Smooth-top surfaces are offered with one of three heat source types: radiating electric coils beneath the glass surface, halogen burners, or magnetic-induction elements. All require thick, flat-bottom cookware. If gas is your choice, sealed burners are easiest to clean, and a pilotless ignition system means no hot spot when burners are off. Commercial-style glass stoves offer high BTUs (British thermal units, the measure of cooking heat) and high style. They require heavy-duty ventilation systems.

What about controls? Controls that are located on the front or on the side of the appliance are most common and convenient, but universal access means just that: While someone in a wheelchair can reach front-situated controls easily, unfortunately, so can a curious toddler. People with young children may prefer controls located on the backsplash, out of reach of exploring fingers. Wherever they’re located, controls should be easy to understand and operate. Top-of-the-line ovens may include electronic temperature readouts and touch-pad, rather than knob or dial, controls.

While many people like to blend refrigerators and dishwashers into the cabinetry with matching fronts, the latest trend is to keep ranges visible. However, if you do want to de-emphasize your oven, the easiest way is with an under-counter model. (Make sure the oven you choose is designed for under-counter use, because not all are.) You may install a cooktop directly above the oven or locate it elsewhere in the kitchen. A cooktop directly over an under-counter oven functions much the same as a conventional range, but, with no range backsplash and with the control knobs located on the countertop, the result is a more integrated look.

Cleaning baked-on spills from the cooktop has always been a challenge, but several options make short work of them. For easiest cooktop cleaning, consider ranges with ceramic glass cooktops housing electric or halogen burners; simpler knobs and handles; and a top and backsplash constructed from a single piece of metal, so there’s no seam to collect spills. Self-cleaning ovens come in two varieties: one that uses a high-heat cycle that turns cooked-on spills into ash you can wipe away, another that offers a continuous-clean function.

Range Hoods

If you don’t have a ventilation fan above your cooktop that vents to the attic or outside, you’ll want a range hood with ventilation fan built in. Why? Even if you don’t find some cooking odors objectionable, vaporized grease can dull beautiful new kitchen surfaces, and moisture can compromise the efficiency of home insulation. The solution is an updraft range hood that funnels cooking grease and smoke into one area so that the fan can draw it through a duct to the outside.

Filters capture additional grease and odors. Look for range hoods that come in copper, stainless steel, and other good-looking, easy-care materials, or customize a standard hood with ceramic tile to create a major focal point, furthering your decorating scheme. As an alternative, down-draft ventilation, usually part of a cooktop or grill, also employs a fan and duct arrangement. Units that rise above cooktop level provide the most effective venting.

Call Absolute Appliance Repair NOW if you have any problems with your oven!

(415) 831-1259

Refrigerator

Clean the condenser coil with a vacuum cleaner or brush several times a year, unless otherwise directed by the manufacturer (some new models have coils that don’t need to be cleaned). The refrigerator will operate more efficiently, cutting your electric bill.

Regularly clean beneath the appliance — accumulated dirt and dust can interfere with air circulation.

Wipe down inside shelves, drawers, and racks weekly. Throw out all outdated food to prevent odors. Keep an open box of baking soda on a shelf to absorb smells. Remember that food will not be maintained at a proper temperature if the refrigerator is crammed to the gills or the door is constantly being opened.

Freezer, non-self-defrosting (chest and upright)

Defrost when frost buildup is around a quarter inch thick. (If frost continues to build, the motor has to run more often, burning more energy.)

Clean and deodorize the inside regularly with a mixture of four tablespoons baking soda and one quart warm water. Wash, rinse, and wipe dry. If there’s a stain, sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge and scrub. Do not use abrasive cleaners.

Do not keep in a garage or on a porch — the cooling system will not operate properly.

Oven, non-self-cleaning

Clean regularly with a commercial oven cleaner. This is important because baked-on grease can catch fire and may cause the thermostat to malfunction. Turn on a vent or open a window to get rid of cleaning fumes. Never spray cleaning compounds near heating elements, electronic connections, or a hot, unprotected oven light (it may shatter).

Oven, self-cleaning

Self-clean the oven before it becomes heavily soiled. (Heavy soil requires longer cleaning cycles and produces more smoke.) Before self-cleaning, clean the oven window and areas around the door seal (but not the gasket) with a damp nonabrasive plastic scrubbing pad.

Glass ceramic electric cooktop

Wipe with a clean damp sponge after each use to prevent food residue from building up. To keep the surface looking new, scrub with a blue nonscratch pad once a week even if you don’t see any spills. Follow with an application of cooktop cleaning cream.

Gas cooktop

Clean all the grates, drip pans, and burner caps with warm soapy water and a nonabrasive plastic scrubbing pad.

Dishwasher

Check the filter regularly and clean, if necessary, following the method recommended in the owner’s manual. The filter is usually located underneath the lower spray arm.

Make sure the water is hot enough to clean the dishes properly; the water heater should be set to at least 120°F.

Food-waste disposer

Run lots of cold water whenever you use it to thoroughly flush away food waste and to prevent backup or clogging of the plumbing.

Grind citrus-fruit rinds to freshen and deodorize. Then run lots of cold water.

Occasionally scrub the rubber splash guard with a long brush and hot soapy water.

Never pour grease directly into the disposer; it could solidify and block the plumbing.

Microwave

Clean after each use. Leftover food spills can affect an oven’s cooking time. Wipe with a clean soapy sponge, rinse, and dry. Remember to wipe the door seal and frame.

Remove odors with a solution of several teaspoons of baking soda and one cup of water, placed in a one-quart microwave-safe measuring cup. Turn microwave on High for five minutes. Caution: Let stand until cool before removing the cup.

Clean the control panel with a damp sponge. Never spray any cleaning solution directly on the panel — it could seep underneath and cause a malfunction.

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