If you could buy all new appliances...

[Cheryl]

Which brand(s) would you choose?

I've been giving this some thought since I spent the morning cleaning my refrigerator.  It's a Frigidaire and I do not like it at all.
We've had it about 10 years and Emily broke the handle off the door when she was 2, so for the last almost 8 years we've not had a door handle.     It has 3 shelves on the inside of the door and 2 out of those 3 have broken bars that hold items on the shelves. 
The small deli meat drawer has almost broken off the slider thing.  It just seems like it has been one problem after another with this fridge.

My stove is Frigidaire too and only the burners work now.  The oven died completely a few weeks back.  I've been getting by with my crock pot, toaster oven, and indoor grill.

Reading this you may think we're hard on appliances, but I promise you we're not.   So, if you could buy any brand of new appliance what would you choose? 

I used to have a Kenmore refrigerator, washer, and dryer and they were much better quality than what we've got now.

[greyhoundgirl]

Cheryl, my mom had quite a time with her Frigidaire fridge a few years back.  It quit several times (3, I think) but she kept complaining to the company and they eventually replaced it.  But she said she'd never buy another. 

We actually did replace our fridge and stove last year and went with Whirlpool for both.  Our previous fridge was a Whirlpool and had held up well for us (actually, still runs but we moved it out to the garage to use there).  We went with the French door type with freezer on the bottom and I'm not sure I'd make that choice again, but having the wide drawer available for pizza boxes or veggie trays appealed at the time.

With the stove, I had very specific features in mind and it really was hard to find something that fit.  We ended up with a smooth top with a extra-large burner in the front and a regular large burner in the front on the other side, 2 small burners in the back with a warmer burner between.  I have a 15" cast iron skillet I use frequently and it needed a bigger burner to really function properly.  The other feature I LOVE about this stove is the Aqua Lift cleaning feature.  That was new to me when we started looking but I love being able to clean the oven without the burnt smell or using chemicals, just water.  This seems to be the one we got...we saved more by getting the white, as well.  http://www.whirlpool.com/-[WFE540H0AS]-1020889/WFE540H0AS/

Our dishwasher was already Whirlpool.  It is a bottom of the line model but still running for now and it works HARD, usually doing two loads per day.  It had been put in this house when it was flipped before we bought it so is almost 7 years old. This is the one appliance I might considering getting a Bosch for, but we'll see when it dies what is rated well.

We went with Kenmore Elite for washer and dryer.  My mom had Kenmore and they held up well for her.  I think I would make the same choice again.

[Cheryl]

I do a lot of canning so on my dream stove I want the control knobs to be more accessible.  With the stove I have now I can't even get to the control if I'm using my canner.  The Aqua lift feature you mention sounds good.  I've never heard of that before.

I've looked at the French door refrigerators but wasn't sure I'd like that.  We have a small kitchen so I'd have to keep that in mind.  My dishwasher is Kenmore.  It was already here when we bought this house 4 years ago.  It's probably near the bottom of the line model but for now I'm pleased with it.  It seems like it's the only thing working properly in the house.

My chest freezer is also a Frigidaire.  I'd forgotten about it.  It came with 2 lift out baskets and both of those are cracked.  There's just something about me & Frigidaire that does not mesh.

My washer and dryer are both GE.  I don't really like them but don't dislike them either.  They're not fancy but get the job done.  I don't even have my dryer plugged in.  I line dry and use drying racks exclusively, so the dryer is like a big storage box for me now.

[greyhoundgirl]

Canning was definitely another consideration when we bought this, as well as using cast iron.  But it's done well for both, thankfully.  That big burner works great for the pressure canner and heats it up quickly.

[Cheryl]

This thread is a couple of months old, but I'm still without a stove.  We're planning on buying one with our tax return so I've been looking around. 

Catherine- you mentioned using both cast iron and a pressure canner.  Is your canner a Presto?  That's what I have and it states on the box that it can be used on smooth top stoves.  I had a smooth top 10+ years ago, but we were renting a house that had appliances included so my husband traded my stove for a tiller.   At the time I wasn't doing a lot of canning but now that's changed.  I can A LOT and almost all my skillets are cast iron.  I would consider another smooth top if someone can convince me it's safe to can on it.

[greyhoundgirl]

This thread is a couple of months old, but I'm still without a stove.  We're planning on buying one with our tax return so I've been looking around. 

Catherine- you mentioned using both cast iron and a pressure canner.  Is your canner a Presto?  That's what I have and it states on the box that it can be used on smooth top stoves.  I had a smooth top 10+ years ago, but we were renting a house that had appliances included so my husband traded my stove for a tiller.   At the time I wasn't doing a lot of canning but now that's changed.  I can A LOT and almost all my skillets are cast iron.  I would consider another smooth top if someone can convince me it's safe to can on it.

Yes, I have the big Presto one.

[Rooney]

OK so are we saying that the canners work on the smooth tops or not?  I am needing to know soon too. Cheryl, so sorry your oven croaked.   What have you been using to get by?

[greyhoundgirl]

OK so are we saying that the canners work on the smooth tops or not?  I am needing to know soon too. Cheryl, so sorry your oven croaked.   What have you been using to get by?

Yes!  Though I don't know if that varies by brand or not.  Both of canner and stove.  I am using a Whirlpool stove and it even said it is fine to use cast iron.  I am very cautious about setting down cast iron or the canner or anything heavy on the stove top, though.  Works great for canning.

[Cheryl]

OK so are we saying that the canners work on the smooth tops or not?  I am needing to know soon too. Cheryl, so sorry your oven croaked.   What have you been using to get by?

Lindsay, we have a large Delonghi toaster oven that we've been using, along with the crockpot and indoor grill.  The burners still work but the oven is completely dead.

As for canning on smooth tops, I think it may depend on the brand (both the stove and canner).  I've read that for canning on smooth tops you need to use a flat bottom canner.  My Presto is supposed to be safe to use.  I'd love to hear from others that can on smooth tops.

Catherine, that's good to know that you've not had any problems with yours.  Overall have you been satisfied with the Whirlpool?  Does it take a long time to get your canner up to pressure? 

[Rooney]

Wow Cheryl, you got me looking and I am not sure now that the canner we are planning to purchase will work with the oven we are considering or not.  There is a lot of conflicting info. online about it.  Some says it is OK with a flat bottomed canner and some say most canners will do at least some sort of damage to the top.  I don't want another coil oven.  I really don't like how dirty they get under the coils.   But after looking around for a long time, we are kind of stuck on the All American canner and I haven't seen where it works with a glass or ceramic top oven.  Glad you brought this up.  I definitely would have never thought to look.   Definitely requires more research before any purchases.

[Cheryl]

I've been looking for days and still can't decide which brand to go with.  I don't really want another coil oven either but I need to can and I certainly don't want to destroy such an expensive item.  I was glad to hear that the one Catherine has is okay for canning.  I've even toyed with the idea of getting a new smooth top and just keeping my old coil stove to can on since the burners still work.

[greyhoundgirl]

OK so are we saying that the canners work on the smooth tops or not?  I am needing to know soon too. Cheryl, so sorry your oven croaked.   What have you been using to get by?

Lindsay, we have a large Delonghi toaster oven that we've been using, along with the crockpot and indoor grill.  The burners still work but the oven is completely dead.

As for canning on smooth tops, I think it may depend on the brand (both the stove and canner).  I've read that for canning on smooth tops you need to use a flat bottom canner.  My Presto is supposed to be safe to use.  I'd love to hear from others that can on smooth tops.

Catherine, that's good to know that you've not had any problems with yours.  Overall have you been satisfied with the Whirlpool?  Does it take a long time to get your canner up to pressure?

No, it comes up quickly.  However I do have an extra large front burner that I use for that.  One of the reasons I got this particular stove/oven was for that burner, since I use my 15 inch cast iron skillet multiple times per week and it heats better with the larger burner.  Plus, the warmer burner was a bonus.    And the convection oven.  And the smooth top.  Can you tell it was my first time to purchase a stove of my choosing?  Our others were either included in rentals or in this house when we bought it. 

[Cheryl]

Guess what will be here Monday evening?  My new stove!  I ended up getting one like in white like Catherine's.

I can't wait to be able to cook in a regular oven again!   

[Rooney]

Cheryl I am so happy for you!  Enjoy and let us know how you like it!

[greyhoundgirl]

Ooh, I hope you love it!  I found it very exciting to finally get to pick my own after almost 19 years of marriage at the time.  And it has been so nice to have the features that are helpful for our family.  Hope yours works for you equally well.