You are shopping for a new kitchen at any budget. Following is my must have list. You do not have to spend a fortune
1. Stainless steel appliances. Stop looking for an alternative: Blue, Green, Lemonade are all nice colors, but stainless matches every cabinet type. With the package rebates, stainless does not cost much more than black, white or bisque
2. Undercounter lighting. For 200-300 dollars, undercounter lighting can be used for task or accent lighting
3. Countertops. Notice I did not write cabinets, which are a commodity to some degree. Some of the better counter tops are Granite, marble or composite
4. Ventilation. Adequate ventilation is important, since smoke, odor and grease should be removed from your house. Quick guide to hoods and ventilation is: Capture area(or the size of the area) plus the CFM(or blower speed) equals performance. Also, the vent should not be further than 20 feet with no more than 1 turn in the duct itself
5. EnergyStar Appliances. Look for the more energy efficient appliances. They will cost a few dollars more, but will save money in the long term
6. Buy Great brands. They will command more in resale. Buy only the needed features. For example a basic Bosch dishwasher is better than an equivalent high GE or whirlpool dishwasher. I am not saying blow the bank on SubZero, Thermador, etc.
7. Rebates. This industry seems to have rebate deals 30-40% of the time, when you can actually save 15-20% of the total purchase price in rebates
7.5 Shallow Depth refrigerator. Its not as serious as the other 7, but a refrigerator that does not protrude beyond the cabinets is attractive in a new or replacement installation
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