Does anyone have any experience with Thermador and/or Jenn Air appliances?

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Heather

Am I the only freaky person getting turned on by all this discussion and those kitchen-appliance-porn links?

Heather, I had to walk around hunched over in this store yesterday to avoid the sort of embarrassment I haven't worried about since 9th grade!

Factory Builder Stores

BTW, that Sub-Zero wine cooler toward the bottom (custom cabinet front in the pic with the piano) is the one we are installing in our family room. We're having a butler's pantry/liquor bar installed in the hallway between the kitchen and the dining room, and we're installing a wine nook/grotto in the family room with that sub-zero unit being the centerpiece, accompanied by a granite wine bar and custom matching cabinetry.

Sha-wing! (There I go again. )

[Tommygurl]

I am cursing Stainless right now as I just wiped a days worth of 4 & 7 year old fingerprints off....Grrr but now my fridge looks pretty...

I am a freak. I think in a new house the appliances should all be the same brand....Why I am not sure...I am anal!

I love built in.....hate the wooden ones that match the cupboards. I am not sure about the fridge with the window...looks great in the ad but once you get leftovers etc in there I am not sure I want everyone looking...I like the sleek look of stainless.

MMmmmmmmmm Stainless....I need a cold shower.

Edit: Stew you guys are planning on living here forever so resale (immediate) is not an issue. In that case I wouldn't worry about matching name brands...By the time you go to sell all the appliances will need to be replaced anyway! Gold colored appliances could be in then!

[Tommygurl]

Originally Posted by Heather

Am I the only freaky person getting turned on by all this discussion and those kitchen-appliance-porn links?

ummmmm no.

[farmgirl]

If space is not a problem, I would go for the warmer. I'd love one for using for appetizers.

[Stubbyjo]

Have had high and low end appliances. CUrrently live in a lower end Kenmore appliance home..still working but not wonderful after 10 years. Have another home in DUrango Colorado that has all high end..Viking cooktop & ovens, subzero fridge, bosch dishwasher and kitchenaid microwave and compactor. Get a compactor..they are wonderful. Not main home now, but husband and teenagers frequent often and still in tact!
Anyway, SUBZERO FRIDGE IS A MUST. Viking is great , but some people think that maintenance is high (never had that problem and appliances are 15 years old) In a previous house we had GE profile, which worked quite well. NO experience with JENNAIR, but sounds as from others, they are happy)
Also had an outdoor gas grill built in which was Viking and was awesome. I would really look at what is important to you in your home and based on your budget, go from there. I really needed a durable refrigerator, two ovens and a large 6 burner stove top since we had lots of kids and adults frequenting. It is definitely easy to get caught up in the top pro lines, but see what works for you. Sometimes the extra cost is not really worth it.
Oh how fun to be remodeling a kitchen..most expensive item (other than bathroom),but most visible!!! GOOD LUCK.

[Sol]

Originally Posted by StewartG

And there is a good reason why I should avoid built in. I am the guy in our house that puts stuff on top of the fridge. If I arrange them right, I can get about 20 2-liter bottles of soda up there!

Soft drinks or victuals are fine...I am talking about a can of Raid, gopher bombs, and other things unrelated to eating or the kitchen in general.

[Sol]

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

I am cursing Stainless right now as I just wiped a days worth of 4 & 7 year old fingerprints off....Grrr but now my fridge looks pretty...

I am a freak. I think in a new house the appliances should all be the same brand....Why I am not sure...I am anal!

I love built in.....hate the wooden ones that match the cupboards. I am not sure about the fridge with the window...looks great in the ad but once you get leftovers etc in there I am not sure I want everyone looking...I like the sleek look of stainless.

MMmmmmmmmm Stainless....I need a cold shower.

Edit: Stew you guys are planning on living here forever so resale (immediate) is not an issue. In that case I wouldn't worry about matching name brands...By the time you go to sell all the appliances will need to be replaced anyway! Gold colored appliances could be in then!

Avocado color appliances could be making a comeback by then.
What products do you use to clean your stainless steel appliances?

[Sol]

Originally Posted by Heather

Am I the only freaky person getting turned on by all this discussion and those kitchen-appliance-porn links?

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

ummmmm no.

Don't feel bad ladies, my eyes get glazed over...fridges, and stoves. I think I like cooking shows not because of the recipes and demonstations but because of the appliances and the layouts of the kitchens.

Originally Posted by roni

Maybe, but Kathy is the same way about power tools

Love power tools! I almost bought a DeWalt cordless drill for $55.00 just because it was on sale. Already got one....it was very tough resisting that purchase. Then I would have gone crazy and bought a huge case of bits and the other stuff that comes in it. $100 tool fix...ahhhh.

[Sol]

Originally Posted by roni

Kathy is notorious for thinking she is in charge of where I can put stuff

I finally gave up...almost. I am training myself for when you two come visit. Frankly....I decided to take a sabbatical from bossing Dave around. He doesn't listen to me.

[KelliG]

Originally Posted by jtm1631

I've got Thermador cook top and love it. Numerous burners, different sizes and knock on wood, 7 plus years in the house and NO problems.

My brother just redid his kitchen and used Viking. He loves it, but only about 6 months of usage so far.

We do not have the same brand appliances. Over the 7 years most of the GE appliances have been replaced because they were complete crap. Thermador cook top, GE fridge with several repair problems, GE microwave that has to be fixed every 7 - 10 months but nothing else will fit in built-in space. Bosch dishwasher which we love (replaced original GE) and I believe Jenn Air ovens. But most importantly Rancilio Silvia espresso machine with after market PID!

No problem with different manufacturers on the appliances (and I'm pretty anal about stuff like that ).

Originally Posted by Sol

Except for our Bosch dishwasher...we are Kenmore trash. BUT if I could go for the kitchen of my dreams it would be the Jenn Air line. I like the looks plus one of their killer gas stoves would make make tamale-making a pleasure. That and tortillas, grilled stuff, and hoo weee some awesome baked goods.

Mixing and matching...I gotta have the same appliances but for our kitchen re-do...it was Dave's call since he was buying the appliances. He done good.

Originally Posted by Mogley

Put in at least one induction burner, not great for cooking on, but great to boil water.

Originally Posted by roni

We have Jenn-Air electric with swappable components (burners, grill, griddle). It is 12 years old and going strong. We love the indoor grill.

Originally Posted by farmgirl

Just a side note on the stainless steel. It looks sharp when it is clean, but it is high maintenance!!! When I bought mine they said you just had to wipe it with a magic cloth daily, yeah right!!! I had to buy this foam cleaner, only thing I found so far that doesn't leave streaks. There are constantly fingerprints where the handle is and my kids are older then yours!! The Jenn-air oven is kind of a brushed stainless, I much prefer that for up keep over the shiny smooth. Not sure if you can get such a thing in a fridge, but maybe something to look at for Kelli's sake!!

Okay...I know that Stew already told u that we have a housekeeper...but she is also the NANNY, and we will probably only have her (on a daily basis) for another year or so....so this is VERY good info.
Althought I may not be the one doing the "deep clean" even a year from now, the daily fingerprint thingy would drive me NUTS!

[KelliG]

Originally Posted by Sol

Yeah...that is another problem that you have to shell out some bucks for the looks. Something that I do like about the built-ins is that no junk can go on top of the fridge because of the cabinets. Dave is notorious for putting crap on top of the fridge that absolutely does not belong there. I hate stuff on top of the fridge...makes me crazy.

YAHOO!
I HATE stuff on top of the fridge!!!! So...built-in it is!
done.
over.
period.

[Sol]

Originally Posted by KelliG

YAHOO!
I HATE stuff on top of the fridge!!!! So...built-in it is!
done.
over.
period.

The cabinets on top are a bit high, but I am putting all of the cooking stuff/dishes that I use once in awhile...oh but it is so worth it not having to see stuff up there. I just know that Dave goes through withdrawals....but he helped with the kitchen design.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

I am cursing Stainless right now as I just wiped a days worth of 4 & 7 year old fingerprints off....Grrr but now my fridge looks pretty...

I am a freak. I think in a new house the appliances should all be the same brand....Why I am not sure...I am anal!

I love built in.....hate the wooden ones that match the cupboards. I am not sure about the fridge with the window...looks great in the ad but once you get leftovers etc in there I am not sure I want everyone looking...I like the sleek look of stainless.

MMmmmmmmmm Stainless....I need a cold shower.

Edit: Stew you guys are planning on living here forever so resale (immediate) is not an issue. In that case I wouldn't worry about matching name brands...By the time you go to sell all the appliances will need to be replaced anyway! Gold colored appliances could be in then!

Rhinestone studded?

[silvergirl]

Hi Stew and Kelli!

We gutted our kitchen/dining and living room 5 years ago to make a big kitchen. Then of course we added on a Great room/Living room.

We didn't match our appliances. Wasn't important then and still isn't. Jenn Air Double ovens, Kitchenaid dishwahser, Franke sink, Thermador cooktop with GE Vent hood and Sub Zero built in fridge. All yummy stainless..........but the fridge has wooden cabinet doors.

Beleive me when I tell you that we lived thru this nightmare for 7 months! Imagine having no living room, dining room or kitchen. It was pure hell and I don't know if I would have done it had I known..........bla bla.........anyhow, its done and pretty cool. I can't say I'm in love with the Sub Zero. Had our share of problems. The icemaker flooded our kitchen floor.......long story, but to be honest, I don't think its worth the price. I miss the room of a full size....especially when I'm unloading our groceries and run out of room. They end up in the garage refrig.

This is the coolest thing. My best friend just renovated her kitchen. She gutted walls and really did it over new. This is brilliant! She has a full size beautful stainless french door refrig/freezer that the contractor "sunk" into the wall so now it looks built in! I don't know why everybody that has wall space doesn't do this! I think her walls were 2 x 6 , so he made a cutout and only had to sink the refrig in maybe 4 inches to make it just about flush with the cabinets. And she has a full size refrig.........which beleive me is so roomy compared to mine. She paid about 1/4 of what I did for her fridge (I think its an LG) and it looks awesome!

I think I have some pics of our new kitchen........if not I'll try and take some manana and post them. I still call it new even after 5 years.

[silvergirl]

Oooohhh and another thing!

I used to lug jugs of spring water from the grocery every week. So sick of it. When we had the kitchen done, we had a spicket with a water filter installed under the sink so now we just have to flick a toggle and have purified water. We change the filters once a year. Now when I buy a case of water bottles, we refill them and reuse them!

My friend that renovated prefered to have a hot water dispenser installed under her sink. She drinks lots of tea and now has hot water at the ready.

They need to know these things before you have them template the counters..........oh and also a dishwashing soap dispenser!

So many gadgets to choose from! Have fun!!