More fun: We have been researching which brands of kitchen appliances we are going to buy. Our builder is importing a whole lot of appliances from Greece and Italy for himself and other clients at present, and there is room in the container for a few more items. We can choose from Ilve, Gaggenau, and Miele.
So far we are most impressed with the aesthetics and function of the Ilve range (a company I had not heard of before), but they do not do refrigerators, so we are going to mix and match -but we could do with your advice...
The Miele Fridges:
or the Gaggenau Fridges?
The Ilve range.
Let's start with a self cleaning oven...
Their pyrolytic oven locks and heats to furnace temp, and then One simply vacuums out the ash when the cycle is complete. I know, not a new idea, but never having had a self cleaning over before, it is almost exciting!
Their corresponding gas range is 120cm wide, so would accommodate 2 of these ovens side by side underneath.
Our friends in Cumboogle have a side by side combo oven identical to the one below, and their constant frustration is that the smaller of the two ovens is too small to be of much use. Thus, we will not bother with a smaller over, just 2 decent ones side by side (how often have I been cooking for a dinner party and trying to juggle baking things at different heats in and out of one oven!
Apart from the basic cooking and cooling there are a few more luxury items, such as wine chillers...
almost as exciting as a walk in fridge, but alas there is not enough room...
There is enough room for 2 wine chillers / humidors underneath the main kitchen island. The majority of the wine will be stored in the main cellar.
That's the reward at the end of the day sorted, but what about the kick start the next morning?
We have amassed several espresso machines over the years, but wouldn't it be nice to have a nice, flush, automated espresso machine? Esp. when doing B&B, when there is little time whilst getting the second 'B' ready to hover over a manual machine?
While One is at it, what about a flush mounted microwave...
And then there is the cleaning up. Who want to do dishes for 50 people?
So, what do you think of our choices? Are there any other brands out there that we should look into as well? Your opinions are most welcome!
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Dear David,
ReplyDeleteI know I am being biased but I choose Ilve because that is what we have at our house in Melbourne. Very nice ovens and such.
The Gaggenau fridge looks very nice I must say.
I know it isn't in the same area but don't forget a nice large pantry that you can walk into; with shelves and all a la Nigella Lawson: that is going to be a non-negotiable when we build our house!
Kirk
First of all, the most important thing is making sure before hand that you have easy access to a first-rate repair service when your appliances fail, because they will, sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I have Viking, Wolf and Aga stoves. I much prefer the Viking. The burners seem more subtle, and it has a gas grill, not an infra-red one. (The Aga is in the mountains, so the constant warmth is not a problem.) On one of my stoves I ordered a griddle: I never, ever use it.
I have Miele dishwashers and I can't say enough good things about them. Have at least two, and maybe more if you plan on entertaining a lot. I've heard nothing but good things about their refrigerators. OTOH, their built-in coffee maker seems prone to problems, as do most built-in coffee makers.
I have Sub-Zero refrigerators and I'm very happy with them; on the rare occasion they've needed to be serviced (or parts replaced), Sub-Zero paid for everything.
Ice makers, I've found, are generally a disappointment. If you have two big refrigerators, you probably won't need them. If you must have one, go with one of the makers that supplies large yachts.
There are two other big appliance issues -- the disposals and the overhead exhaust. You want disposals with at least 1 3/4 hp. People often forget that. (Ask for anything more powerful and your plumber may think you're running a small mortuary on the side.)
The exhaust hood question is more complicated, and the received wisdom on how powerful it should be, and how large it should be relative to the cook-top, seems to have changed dramatically in the past few years. Make sure your architect and builder are completely up to date on the technical literature. Too weak or too powerful a motor can cause problems.
Good luck.