Your dream kitchen

[RouxTheDay]

If you were building your dream kitchen which appliances (stove and fridge) would you buy?...and why?

I have a friend building a big ole' house and he's always had Viking appliances. He's looking at a Wolfe stove (I think because he likes the red knobs) but wants to get some opinions from those "in the know".

He likes the idea of the dual oven compartments and 6 burners.

He wants the fridge to have the freezer "drawer" in the bottom.

Thanks in advance for your replies!

[hungryone]

An induction stove, or at least an induction burner, would be really nice. As would a dedicated wok stove/burner. Though I guess I could switch to a flat-bottomed wok and combine my two items into one...

[Isabella Maja]

So if it's a dream kitchen, price is no object - right?

Is space an object?

If I had to get a fridge/freezer combo, I would also get the freezer drawer on the bottom.

Personally, I'd like a stand alone fridge and a separate freezer. They are often side by side, by are separate as in different units - and open in the opposite direction from each other.
I am not remembering which manufacturer these particular ones I picked were made by - it may have been Jenn Aire. I read some not so favorable reports & so nixed that brand.

I'd also like even more & maybe I would say in addition to the above, refrigerated drawers that blend into the woodwork - the under the counter type.

But you'd have to have lots of room in a kitchen to do it my way.

I'd definitely want a 6 burner, dual oven - but have not come to the conclusion just yet of which manufacturer. There are different features on each that appeal to me.
I'm waiting a bit to see what some newer models feature.

Sorry, Roux, I'm probably not being much help. I haven't had breakfast or lunch yet, no coffee & I am not remember brand names of all the research I've done.
I'll get back to you when I remember or find my notes.

[RouxTheDay]

So if it's a dream kitchen, price is no object - right?

Correct.

[justagirl]

At this point in my life I have my dream kitchen. I love everything about mine. That doesn't help though does it? LOL

[jodyrah]

I have a friend that recently had her enormous commercial Vulcan removed and replaced with a Wolf. She loves it. I used to have a Jenn air and loved the convenience of grilling indoors until a couple of ribeyes caught my kitchen on fire resulting in 60K in damages. ( Insurance paid but they raised my rates. Upside was they paid all rest. bills till the job was complete. We dined in many of our finest). My husband vetoed another indoor grill but someday... an indoor grill tops my list.

[Duke]

My "dream kitchen" for residential use would have only three things not found in your average home kitchen -- a bread warming tray, an industrial sink sprayer and a second sink. Like a large bar sink -- so I could thaw things or wash produce while keeping the main sink (with the industrial sprayer) available for pots, pans, dishes, etc. It's all about convenience and usability.

You can spend $10K or more on some fancyass stove for a house. But while it might look heavy-duty, it still has to be valved for limited residential use. For less than half the cost, you can buy a much better commercial stove -- but it's going to have little insulation and the gas valves are larger and it's illegal to install in your home. This isn't to even mention the ventilation system (which, if installed in your home, would suck your average house cat off the floor and pin it, yowling helplessly, against the outflow fan). It's also a shame you can't get a commerical dishwasher for in-home use. It does in 90 seconds what a residential washer needs 45 minutes.

Bottom line -- I think a "dream" in-home kitchen is only allowed, by law and practicality, to do only so much. I'd get a solid four-burner stove with an added flattop (two-burner sized). Install too many electrical outlets. Enough counter space to land a small airplane. A good floor drain would also be a convenience.

You wanna cook or not?

[kneauxwineaux]

My sister in California has a Wolfe stove with a five burner gas cooktop and she swears by it. She likes the heavy duty commercial look and says she has experienced more success in her cooking as a result of the precision control. She also has a Sub-Zero built-in refrigerator/freezer. She loves that too.

I just built a new house. If price would have not been an object, I would have probably gone with Wolfe or Viking and probably a Sub-Zero refrigerator.
As it was, I went with Frigidare's professional series stainless appliances. Counter depth 36" side-by-side refrigerator/freezer, double convection oven, overhead microwave, five burner gas cooktop and dishwasher. I spent lots of money on extras like a built-in wine area with dual coolers in the dining room, crown molding, granite countertops, subway tile backsplash, granite sink, built-in buffet, custom cabinetry, etc. etc. I went with these appliances on a recommendation from a friend. I hope I'm satisfied with their performance. They look nice. This will be the nicest kitchen I've ever had. I'll be moving in in two weeks and will be cooking a Thanksgiving dinner to break the kitchen in. The refrigerator is not in yet nor or the wine coolers which will go in the bottom spaces on either side of the built-in wine cabinet. Here's some pics.

[Tchoupitoulas]

with a whole wall of windows to the right where the sun is coming in....

[Suzy Wong]

I am happy with my present kitchen but,

http://www.pastense.com/appliances.html

refrigerator and stove in Robin's Egg Blue. I like vintage for everything else but the major appliances. Love the style and designs of that era....