Got a question about appliances

KristinaB

KristinaB

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I don't have much in the way of appliances I will be getting, but I was wanting some opinions and possible suggestions. We will be all electric, so gas is not an option and all appliances will be white.

We are getting a tank-less water heater and the contractor has a specific one in mind, so I will let him decide on that.

We will not be having a dishwasher. I have never much liked them and personally like to hand wash dishes as for me, it is so relaxing.

All along I though I was going to have to have a stacking washer and dryer and not the 2 separate pieces that you stack that run upwards of $800 per piece. I had been looking at the "all-in-one" stacking washer & dryer, but now we have to see exactly how much space there is. All I know is, I have to have a washer that is Super Capacity or the largest we can get.

My biggest question is in regard to my new stove. I was thinking the smooth top single unit. MIL thinks they are hard to heat and require too much work to maintain. Contractor says he has had one for 10 years and has had no problems at all. Just wash with warm soapy water, rinse and dry. For stuck on stuff, he uses a razor blade to scrape it off. I have a large stock pot and also what we call the "bean pot" which is a large heavy pot from Miracle Maid pots & pans from years ago. These two pots are both heavy and large. On a standard stove with electric elements, it pushed on the elements and shorts them out due to the weight with food in them. I was thinking with the smooth-top I was looking at, weight would not be an issue and this particular stove has 2 6" burners, a 9" burner and the final burner will go 9" or 12". It was last priced at $549. Contractor thinks it is a good buy. MIL thinks I will regret it. Oldest brother has no opinion since it's not gas.

Anybody have any advice or opinions? I would appreciate it greatly. We will need to decide and I have about 6-8 months. Contractor is pushing for mid to late July for completion.
 
For starters: stacking washer and dryer and "Super Capacity" are two different concepts that won't go. Stacking washer/dryer has lower capacity than average. So if you really need Super Capacity, you'll need two separate units. If you need stackables, then you'll have to give up Super Capacity. Figure out your space and see if two will fit. If you have 60", then you should be ok.

Next, the stove: I have a smooth-top in our beach house. By nature, electric stoves of course are slower than the immediate heat of gas stoves, but it's not that bad.

However, you are definitely limited as to what pots and pans you can use. They have to be absolutely flat-bottomed, and you can't use cast iron, as it would scratch.

The smooth-top is very easy to clean, although I don't use soap and water; I use the dedicated smooth-top cleaner (like a polish). It cleans up like a breeze. You can use a plastic spatula-like thing to clean off burned off stuff if necessary, but I've never had to use anything other than the polish and a couple of paper towels.
 
Thanks for that. I did not know you couldn't use cast iron with it. I do use 1 or 2 cast iron skillets, but I could give it up if I had to.

With the washer and dryer, we have to see if I can put the dryer in the space under the tank-less water heater. The laundry room is off the kitchen and is basically 7'5" X 3'6". In that area is the washer/dryer, tank-less water heater and the A/C air handler. The ceilings will be 11 foot, and I'm not sure how high the water heater can go. It would be nice if if could go above a built in shelf over a side by side washer and dryer and that's one thing the contractor is checking into. Just checked again, if I plan to do laundry, a little each day, then I don't really need the "super" capacity. Biggest issue will be when hubby has to bring his "freezer" clothes home from work to be cleaned once a month. We may use his mother's washer for that if need be. And I can keep going to the laundromat for the comforters and pillows.
 
Beach girl said:
For starters: stacking washer and dryer and "Super Capacity" are two different concepts that won't go. Stacking washer/dryer has lower capacity than average. So if you really need Super Capacity, you'll need two separate units. If you need stackables, then you'll have to give up Super Capacity. Figure out your space and see if two will fit. If you have 60", then you should be ok.

Next, the stove: I have a smooth-top in our beach house. By nature, electric stoves of course are slower than the immediate heat of gas stoves, but it's not that bad.

However, you are definitely limited as to what pots and pans you can use. They have to be absolutely flat-bottomed, and you can't use cast iron, as it would scratch.

The smooth-top is very easy to clean, although I don't use soap and water; I use the dedicated smooth-top cleaner (like a polish). It cleans up like a breeze. You can use a plastic spatula-like thing to clean off burned off stuff if necessary, but I've never had to use anything other than the polish and a couple of paper towels.
Click to expand...
I agree with all the above.

I maintain a guest suite that has a stackable washer/dryer unit. The capacity is very small. The largest wash load it can hold is one set of queen bed sheets and pillow cases or two complete sets of towels (bath, hand, wash cloths). The dryer seems to take forever. They are OK for a guest suite or a single person but not for a family.

For my glass top stove, sometimes I use a little soap and water, sometimes I use the special cleaner. If using the soap and water, be sure to rinse thoroughly.

One thing that works great for us with the stove are the two ovens. One is a small, single rack oven that includes an automatic toasting setting, and warmer setting. The lower oven is large capacity with several adjustable shelves, convection. The smaller oven, like a glorified toaster oven, is perfect for TCS and me. It heats up quickly and is more efficient for the two of us. It fits a pizza or a large cookie sheet--all that we need. We use the large oven a few times a year, like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The other feature I love is the warming burner on top. I prefer my plates warm, so it's just right.
 
I have a front load washer 4.0 -cu-ft King size
and dryer 7.0-cu-ft

by Kenmore Elite Quiet Pack HE3

and it supposedly is super capacity, these front washers anyway have more space because
simply for the lack of the rotator inside

it is stackable, this set has even a shelf to stand on (to be bought separately)
but honestly if I was going to buy a new appliance I think i would go with either another brand or another model.

I don't like how the washer is extremely sensitive to the laundry products- a tiny bit of too much soap foam,
and the washer stops due to "error" :roll:
You think you have all your laundry done only to find out you have to figure out what was done what not.

The dryer is supposed to conserve the energy, so it turns off when it "senses" the stuff dry, but in fact the things are in many places still too moist
like bunched up blankets, linens,
and you end up using a lot more energy than it warrants to :(


The good things about front load and stacking up - overall it does use less water, less energy and less space.

Less space - now depends, debatable,
depends what you need because now I would chose to have
the counter top done over the front load appliances to have space
to fold all the laundry,
and above that a shelving to hold all the products.


Fuzzy
 
I just checked my owner's manual to the stove.

About Canning & Oversized Cookware:

"Canners, both water bath and pressure, and large pots must have flat bottoms and must be made from heavy gauge materials. This is critical on glass-ceramic cooking surfaces.

When canners and pots do not meet these standards, cooking times may be longer and cooktops may be damaged.

Some canners are specifically designed with smaller bases for use on glass-ceramic cooking surfaces. (Illustration)

When canning, use the HI heat setting use until the water comes to a boil or pressure is reached into the canner, then reduce to the lowest heat setting that maintains the boil or pressure. If the heart is not turned down, damage to the cooktop may occur."


If possible, maybe you can go to the appliance maker's website and download the owner's manuals for the appliances you're interested in. They might have the answers to your specific questions.
 
Audiofuzzy;2002253 Less space - now depends said:
Lucky for us, the kitchen table is just behind us at the laundry room doorway, so I can fold there. I plan on getting 4 different colored laundry baskets so each person (hubby & I together) gets their basket in their room and puts away their own clothes and returns the basket to the laundry. I know - that's a "pipe dream" and I'll be lucky to have the clothes put away by my kids and the baskets returned at all. Ah well - one can only hope....
Click to expand...
 
My mother uses a smooth-top stove. Easy cleaning. She has not said anything negative about it.

It does scratch fairly easily. I suppose you *could* use cast iron on it, if you didn't care about the scratches. There might also be a more durable surface available.
 
No, you really can't use cast iron. Cast iron pots and pans quite often have those rings on the bottom, so heat will not transfer evenly from a smooth-top stove. Even the ones that don't have those rings still won't transfer heat evenly, and will scratch. The whole point of the ceramic/glass cooktop is to keep it smooth.

I love my cast-iron chicken fryer pan, but I can only use it in my VA house, where I have gas. Given a choice, I would always pick gas, but I had no choice at the other house.

Re: washer/dryers: personally I prefer top-loaders, as they are easier to get into. I don't like bending down to use the front-loader types. So think about what will be comfortable for you. My sister has the front loaders up on pedestals, so she feels they are comfortable enough, but man, are they HUGE!! She has a large section of the basement devoted to her laundry area, so not an issue for her, but sure would be for me.

Note that there are pros and cons to the high-efficiency machines. As Audiofuzzy said, they can be very fussy about how much soap is used, and they all take a lot longer to do a cleaning cycle - as in close to an hour, vs. (for me) about 20 minutes in my old, low-efficiency (but super-dependable!) Kenmore top-loader.

Again personal opinion, I don't do enough laundry to think I'd save very much money with a high-efficiency machine, and I don't really like the idea of using low water levels. I want a lot of water to wash my clothes! But again, we're doing one or two loads a week, not one or two a day, so Your Mileage May Vary, as they say.
 
As a single person I can’t help you with your capacity issues; but do have some ideas for the kitchen.

With already having some mobility issues have you considered getting a separate cooktop and wall mounted oven? They could be installed at a height that will be reachable if you ever have to go to using a chair full time. One of the things that makes me think of this is that a prior owner of my home got a range (made by Montgomery Ward) back in the 1950's that has a pull out cooktop and just an upper oven. It is set so that the top of the cooktop part is a good 4" below normal counter height. You could easily sit at it at that height and it is still comfortable to stand at, you can actually see more of what it going on down in a pot. My oven is too high to reach from a wheelchair but a wall mounted oven could be set at any height.

Good luck with this major project!
 
As far as Front loader washer, you have to use specific soap with "HE" on the label, "HE" stand for High Efficiency washer, I have no problem at all with the washer that I have, it's Kenmore Elite Super Capacity, and it does save water a lot. Yes, wash time take little longer it's because of the design of using front loader. And as far dryer goes, if it set for energy saver, of course you will find some "moist" spot, sometime I changed to "high heat" setting and it does dried up completly on first run. Other than that, if it's mild moist, it will dry out when folded.

I have no problem with glass top, yes it's important to have flat bottom pot/pan because of better weight and heat distribution. Right now there's a newer kind of glass top stove, when you turn off the heat, it cooled quickly that you can put your hand on top second after you turn off the heat. That is nice so I don't have to worry about keep moving pot or pan away after I finish cooking and safe for hands too.
 
Okay - hubby spoke with contractor this morning and got a few questions answered again.

Jane B. - My MIL currently (and I have been using for 2 years) a cook top and a wall mounted oven. I totally despise it. It is not easier for me with my mobility issues. The oven is too high to use if I were in a wheelchair (I've tried).

Contractor has been using cast iron on his smooth top stove for the last 10 years. He is Mexican/Navaho and his wife is Mexican. All of their cooking is done on cast iron. He says to lift and not slide. He also says that the skillets I have are no problem as they are smooth on the bottom. No ridges at all. His brother is both a salesman and repairman for an appliance store and will instruct me as well.

Now, upon reviewing the plans and such, contractor has told us, that if I go standard large capacity washer, then I can have the 2 side by side pieces and not have the stacking. He will move the water heater up and also put in a shelf over the washer. He advises for both cost and other issues (my mother) that we not go with front loading washer.

Thanks everyone for their help in this. I think I have actually gotten the answers I was looking for to help me in this.
 
KristinaB said:
Okay - hubby spoke with contractor this morning and got a few questions answered again.

Jane B. - My MIL currently (and I have been using for 2 years) a cook top and a wall mounted oven. I totally despise it. It is not easier for me with my mobility issues. The oven is too high to use if I were in a wheelchair (I've tried).

Contractor has been using cast iron on his smooth top stove for the last 10 years. He is Mexican/Navaho and his wife is Mexican. All of their cooking is done on cast iron. He says to lift and not slide. He also says that the skillets I have are no problem as they are smooth on the bottom. No ridges at all. His brother is both a salesman and repairman for an appliance store and will instruct me as well.

Now, upon reviewing the plans and such, contractor has told us, that if I go standard large capacity washer, then I can have the 2 side by side pieces and not have the stacking. He will move the water heater up and also put in a shelf over the washer. He advises for both cost and other issues (my mother) that we not go with front loading washer.

Thanks everyone for their help in this. I think I have actually gotten the answers I was looking for to help me in this.
Click to expand...

Re: the part I bolded. I may have not expressed it well; but my point was that with separate pieces you could put both at the height that you prefer. Just because your MIL's was installed that high does not mean that yours would have to be.

I understand that not everyone prefers the same thing — no wonder they have different types!
 
Jane B. said:
Re: the part I bolded. I may have not expressed it well; but my point was that with separate pieces you could put both at the height that you prefer...
Click to expand...
That's what I understood you to mean.

In a custom build, the built-in ovens could be installed at a comfortable height, and the cooktop could be made with the recess underneath for wheelchair access.

Like you said, lots of choices! (That means, lots of decisions to make, too.)
 
Reba said:
That's what I understood you to mean.

In a custom build, the built-in ovens could be installed at a comfortable height, and the cooktop could be made with the recess underneath for wheelchair access.

Like you said, lots of choices! (That means, lots of decisions to make, too.)
Click to expand...

Boy it sure does! I worked as a bookkeeper for a construction company for over 30 years. One of our officers, who was also our sales manager, built and lived it what were "show houses". His always had the most "change orders" compared to any sales. In contrast when our office manager and his wife built (of course different in that they intended to live in it for years) it was planned to the point that the stock cabinets used in the kitchen were arranged with the idea that they would be starting with the 36" range that they had but planning to go to a 30" later. They got an extra cabinet to begin with and when they changed ranges just the one lower cabinet needed to be switched to have it look like it was always that way!
 
Sorry - I should have realized that. I did not mean to take it wrong. I actually have very little wall space in the kitchen as it is. I know in a house we rented years ago and the cook top and a double wall oven. It must not have been a very good one as we had nothing but trouble. Also, maybe they are different now, but all I have seen are smaller ovens. MIL claims hers is full size, but I know it isn't as the oven we had before in Missouri would hold 2 cookie sheets easily and I can't use a full size cookie sheet in her oven. I was in the appliance store with her a while back when we had to get her a new refrigerator and all the wall ovens were small there as well.

Even though the house is 1366 square feet, it's the bedrooms that are large.
Bedroom 1 - 13X11 (me and hubby)
Bedroom 2 - 13X11 (daughter)
Bedroom 3 - 10'8X11'3 (mother)
Bedroom 4 - 11'10X11'5 (son)
Living/Great room - 12'10X18'10
Kitchen - 12'10X11'10 ( actual floor will be 9'X10')
Laundry room 7'5X3'6

There are also 2 bathrooms. The Living/Great room will be both a living room and my computer/arts & crafts/sewing room. Closets are not figured in those measurements. We will also have 11 foot ceilings, tile floors, minimal windows (hurricane and airport issues) and full A/C with ceiling fans in each room to help circulate. There is going to be a massive HEPA unit for the allergies and asthma in the house. (think pure clean air) I will also be getting a full 10X20 covered back patio that will have a roof like a carport and be totally solid. We are also going to have a full concrete block and re-bar storage shed with roll-up garage style door, regular door and windows. All for approximately $85,000. We currently have the foundation and the building. It is a 2 bay garage with storage area. Roof is in perfect condition and will need no repairs. This garage was built in 1970 and has only had to have the 2 doors (house type) replaces and the roof resealed twice.
 
For the cooktop, it probably varies on brand. I can tell you that I use cast-iron sometimes and it's never scratched the surface. But that may be because I don't "scrape" the surface. Just set it down. The cooktop heats up faster than the electric coils, but slower than gas. I also have a warmer as well which is really nice for keeping food warm without having to put it in the oven. I use a cleaning polish that came with the cooktop and it cleans it like a charm. I've had both Whirlpool and Kenmore (2 different houses). One key thing to note is that these cooktops are not un-breakable. I've never broken mine, but I was told by the sales reps 1) many break theirs by having a microwave oven directly above the cooktop and drop something (glass, corning-ware, etc.) onto the stove (so far I've been very careful not to do that!) and 2) if you should indeed break it, it costs nearly as much to repair that as it is to replace it. So, keep that in mind that extra care needs to be taken with these cooktops.
 
One other note - we will not be having a microwave. So, that's no microwave and no dishwasher. Looks like I am stepping back in time a little. Yes, I will be putting up a clothes line and having a vegetable garden.
 
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