More stainless

So you have warmed to the idea of replacing your existing appliances with stainless steel. That is a good start. As I have said in my last post, it is cost effective, because there are no contractors, permits, etc. Of course, you should always check your options. Granite counters are another excellent investment for resale as are cabinets and bath fixtures. Stainless appliances are the least painful financially and time consuming.


At a certain selling point, a renovator has to decide whether it is worth spending money for more upscale equipment. In the Boston world of inflated real estate, the category is 450 to 750,000. At this level, you should consider a certain wow factor, so the appliances have a more active role in selling the unit. Consider this: we all know the shingle on the roof, the HVAC system and the basement are more important than the appliances, but when was the last time anyone ever asked about any of these critical features.

People understand brands. The upside of knowing this is picking the right brand, and you do not have to spend a fortune doing so. Buy a well known brand like Jenn-Air or KitchenAid and spend under $5,000

Here are two of my favorites

The Jenn-Air pro has a slide in convection range with a French door refrigerator, integrated dishwasher and over the range microwave. I love the handle style.


The KitchenAid package has a more "softer" handle style and a side by side instead of a french door refrigerator.


As we sit here in Feb 2007, these options are less than 5,000. Next couple of posts will be the most upscale products on the market