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How Do I Choose My Appliances?

It's a series of tough questions…Do I go with black or stainless steel? Buy a convection or conventional oven? Spend big bucks or just a couple hundred? Luckily, there's no need to jump to the difficult questions just yet. Start with our easy ones—quick questions about you and your cooking preferences—and we'll clue you in on the type of appliances that would suit you best.


1. Would you prefer that your kitchen have:
An ordinary, everyday feel
A furniture-like feel
A utilitarian, restaurant-like feel

2. Are you more attracted to:
Clean, white appliances
Industrial appliances with stainless steel finish
Powerful but welcoming appliances

3. Do you consider yourself a:
A take-out pro
Betty Crocker
Martha Stewart
Mario Batali

4. When it comes to BTUs, do you:
 Wonder what a BTU is
Need at least four or more burners at 15,000 BTU
Feel fine with just one high-powered burner

5. Do you usually cook for:
Two
Four
Six or more
Me? Cook?

6. Would you prefer to:
Have a self-cleaning oven
Have the option
Save the extra cash and scrub away myself

7. When it comes to conventional vs. convection, do you:
Wonder what's the difference
Prefer using the same, traditional conventional oven you grew up with
Have a boxful of altered recipes that account for the faster cooking time
Like the combination of both
 
8. In addition to your burners, would you also like your cooktop to feature:
A griddle/grill
A wok
Both
Neither

 

9. Is your appliance budget closest to:
Less than $2,000
$2,000-$3,500
$3,500-$5,000
$5,000+

10. When it comes to refrigerators, do you prefer:
Top-freezer model
Bottom-freezer model
Freestanding side-by-side
Built-in

 

11. Is it very important for you to have continuous cast-iron grates?
 Yes
No

 

12. Do you need a range that's larger than 36 inches?
Yes
No

 

13. Do you plan to include any specialty appliances like pizza ovens, warming drawers or wine refrigerators?
Yes
Hope to
No


Your score: 

A Basic Betty  (13-21)
When it comes to cooking, you whip up spaghetti...once in a while. And you sure don't make your tomato sauce from scratch. Your cooking needs are basic, so don't go wild. Consider top-freezer refrigerator (the cheapeast, but does the trick), a high-quality microwave for reheating last night's take out, a dishwasher with average capacity and a conventional range.

A Classic Cooker (22-32)
When you think chefs, you think Betty Crocker and Julia Child. You want a kitchen that works, but aren't too concerned with the latest Sub-Zero wonder. Instead, you need timeless appliances with up-to-date features. So be sure to ask plenty of questions—you'll want to pay attention to the fringe benefits and options, like a stainless steel finish, an optional warming drawer beneath your range's oven or extra-large capacity in your dishwasher.

A Serious Chef (33-42)
You love being in the kitchen, and definitely need a workspace that can keep up with dinner parties, new recipes and your set of Le Creuset. That said, you may not have the money—or the extreme need—for a completely professional-style kitchen. So go with a happy medium. First, figure out if you should splurge on a specific item or two—a really high-powered cooktop with wok insert, for instance. But don't think you need to sacrifice too much: Though you may have to take a step down from la crème de la crème, there's no reason why you can't get the features you need, like an induction cooktop, a refrigerator drawer or a convection oven.

A Ga-Ga Gourmand (43-52)
"Cooking" is your middle name. Hopefully "Big Bucks" is your last name, because you'll need it to get the kind of stainless steel, built-in, large-scale kitchen you desire. If money isn't an option, the sky's the limit, so go crazy with that $12,000 range. And, if you're a chef that's going to put those pricey appliances to good use, do investigate neat supplementary appliances, like a built-in pizza oven. If money is in shorter supply, compromise where you can: Selecting stainless steel finishes on standard appliances or installing a wine refrigerator for a more "upscale" look.