As you can well imagine, tackling a kitchen renovation is no small feat. It takes a lot of time, energy, money and organization. But the end results are most definitely worth the sweat and, sometimes, tears. Our own kitchen has become the best gathering place and has brought us infinite amounts of joy already. I can’t begin to explain how much our new kitchen has transformed our day to day. A big part of that is finally having great appliances, which we lacked for many years. And yet, choosing where to buy them, which brand to go with and what style to purchase is absolutely overwhelming. Sometimes it feels like there are almost too many options! So today, I wanted to share my own process in choosing the right kitchen appliances and some great tips to help you too!
Before we could get to any of the pretty stuff, we had to think about our overall kitchen layout. And because we were changing the locations of the appliances and reworking the entire space (i.e. walls were coming out!), we couldn’t leave anything to chance. Making a layout and knowing exactly what size appliances would fit was step number one!
Because we had a smaller footprint and knew the flow of the space would be key, we opted for a counter depth refrigerator. Those precious inches would be valuable in our final design! Plus, I have always loved how counter depth fridges look – a little cleaner and more built in looking.
Once we knew the size restrictions we were working with, we did some research on different brands. It was easy enough to look up reviews online (which is always helpful) and talk to friends and family for recommendations, which started to narrow down the field. Then we found that a trip to our local Brick to see them in person was extremely valuable. For me, there’s no substitute for actually using the appliances to determine if they would be a good fit. I wanted to see and touch the knobs, buttons and other tactile features to know how it felt.
This was also a great opportunity to see different finishes and styles in person, which for me, was a huge factor in making our final decision. I was almost swayed into the black stainless world, but in the end, the classic stainless steel won. You just can’t beat a staple like that sometimes! I also wanted the appliances themselves to feel timeless – clean lines and a simple design – which would complement our overall aesthetic perfectly.
And so, after all that planning, we ended up with KitchenAid, both purchased from the Brick.
For the refrigerator, we went with the KitchenAid 20 Cu. Ft. French Door Refrigerator with the interior water dispenser. Again, this choice worked so well for us because it was counter depth, with lovely French doors! We don’t need to block the whole aisle when we’re searching around in the fridge and having the freezer on the bottom is also so much more functional. The only part Ryan and I hesitated about was the interior dispenser, since you need two hands to fill a glass (one to hold your glass and the other to push the button!) but I love that the dispenser is inside the fridge! It keeps the exterior clean and, to me, a lot more “beautiful” looking. You can tell which one of us is the designer, hey?!
For the range, we went with the KitchenAid 6.4 Cu. Ft. Slide-In Electric Convection Range, mainly because it complimented the refrigerator and that was the harder choice to make in the grand scheme of appliance shopping! But the second we slid it into place, we knew we made a great call! I love that the stove top is sleek and minimal, with the controls at the front of the unit. It almost has the look of a gas range, which absolutely works for me! It might have also made me a better cook, lol!, because I have been making some incredible meals (just ask Ryan!!). I also appreciate that the knobs have a good safety feature and need to be pushed in a certain way to turn on, which means I don’t have to worry about little fingers finding them and making trouble!
I am so happy with our appliances up to now and for the service we received at the Brick. They answered any question I had and were quick to help me make this big kitchen decision! Plus, we waited for a great sale (which seems to happen frequently) so we could stick to the budget we had in mind!
If you’re starting the appliance shopping game yourself, consider these tips:
- Always consider your lifestyle and how you want your kitchen to function in the future
- Make a detailed space plan and know the size restrictions you have, and how traffic will flow
- Do your research (online!!) and take time to get some recommendations. Make lists of pros/cons if you need to!
- Go in person! Touch, see and use the appliances. Talk to staff and get to know the product
- Know the overall aesthetic of your new kitchen so you can consider the style of appliance and then the finish too
- Keep your budget in mind and look for opportunities to save some dollars. Places like the Brick have large appliance sales and will even look at discounts when you purchase a full kitchen package
- Ask about warranty, delivery options and even installation if needed
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Brick, after purchasing appliances for our kitchen renovation. As always, all the opinions here are my own.