A Big Mistake

The introduction of the Maytag Neptune was the biggest mistake in the history of this industry. It was on the forefront of front-loading, energy-saving technology. It was even marketed properly and was introduced at Radio City in New York.

Only problem was a 60% fail rate. That they didn't address the issue was the real tipping point for consumers depending on their heritage of reliability. Four years later, Maytag ceased to exist as an independent company with thousands of jobs lost in Iowa.

Flash forward 10 years, Bosch has recently announced that they will no longer be in the laundry business.

Unlike Maytag, this is a great machine marketed and distributed poorly. They cited competition from the Korean companies as the reason. Currently, at $549, their machine sells for $100-250 cheaper with much better reliability. The real reason may very well be Bosch's lack of market penetration in box stores, especially Sears. Thus, they cannot derive volume needed to maintain a factory.

So, do you as a consumer knowingly buy a machine which will be discontinued in 2011? Only if it is good and cheap...and right now Bosch is both.

Bosch vs KitchenAid

This is perhaps the most competitive segment outside laundry with two very good, marquee brands.

Bosch....starting at $499 after rebates. USP (unique selling proposition): Quiet, water and energy efficient.

KitchenAid: Fairly quiet, eviscerator (fancy term for grinder) and heated dry.

I like Bosch's efficiency and KitchenAid's grinder (although Bosch's mesh filter is more than adequate). Heated dry uses way too much energy and is only 1.4% more efficient.

Made In The USA

Front loaders have certainly evolved. They started with the ill fated Maytag Neptune, but now all of them will be much bigger with greater efficiency to a standard washing machine. The payback is now only 1-4 years with an annual savings in electricity, water, detergents of $125-175.

But which ones are made in the USA? It is an important consideration since our economy was (and hopefully will be) based on a healthy manufacturing sector.

The answer is surprising...

Whirlpool/Maytag, after years of importing, have built their latest Duets in the country.

Bosch is a German company building appliances in North Carolina.

Frigidaire and Electrolux are built in Mexico, GE is made in China, LG and Samsung is produced in Korea. Miele is manufactured in Germany.

Products To Consider

I have often posted about rebates, which can be enormous. Have a look at a few examples...

Frigidaire FDB2433 - This is Frigidaire's best selling stainless dishwasher, and it is $299 after $250 in rebates. Not bad for an integrated dishwasher.

Bosch SHE43P25 - This is the best selling Bosch dishwasher. It is all stainless, quiet and water saving. It is $649 after $150 in rebates.

Frigidaire FAFS4272 - The new Frigidaire washer is bigger, uses less water and has a steam option. It is $449 after $300 in rebates.

Bosch WFVC4400 - This is a great washer. It is big, water and energy efficient. It is $569 after $200 in rebates.

It must be end of the year, and companies have quotas to fill...

Products I Would Buy Now

Black Friday has become Black November. Appliance manufacturers are no longer ceding Holiday business to electronics and apparel . In fact, they are starting early.

Examples as follows:

Frigidaire Gallery Dishwasher - $199 after a ton of rebates. It's only available in black, but this is a very good dishwasher at $329-$349.

Bosch Dishwasher - $399....Normally sells well at $629. Good cycles, stainless tank and super quiet.

Bosch washer - $499 (normally $749). This will save you money even if your's is new. It is 4.5 cubic feet and uses very little water, electricity and detergent.

Frigidaire Electric stove - $299 in white, black...$399 stainless. Self-cleaning ceran priced well.

Frigidaire gas range - $499 white, black...$599 is stainless. Five burner with griddle burner.

Shallow Depth

Shallow depth refrigerators do not protrude beyond your cabinets. Its really a much nicer look than a regular depth refrigerator. A shallow depth will deliver the same type of look as a professional (yesterday's post) at a fraction of the price.

But which one do you consider?

Bosch

Electrolux

Cafe

Samsung

KitchenAid

Buying Guide

1. Do you want french door or side by side?

2. Price varies from $1349 to over $3000

3. Consider rebates...they are huge, buy the same manufacturer if possible to maximize potential savings

3 Ranges

With the introduction of induction at lower prices of $1639, it will be interesting to see how manufacturers react in the category. If you want to look at just stove tops as a precedent, induction will be at the high end and regular electric ranges will price far below and have basic features.

Induction, as I have posted previously, is better technology. It is faster, better to simmer and more efficient than even a professional gas burner.

With that in mind...let's compare based on features an induction range against 2 others in the same price range.

Samsung $1829 - Four induction burners, three convection fans and warming drawer.

Electrolux $2299 - 5 burner, single convection with a second oven...Like the style and the second oven is better than the Samsung warming drawer, but it is $470 more.

Bosch $1899 - 4 burner, convection and warming drawer...I like the brand and the style, but it is $70 more...for what?

Bosch Rebates

The appliance industry nationally was off 9% in August and another 9% in September. Manufacturers will react by lowering prices to spur demand. Lowering prices means rebates.

Lets have a look at the impact of Boschs most popular appliance package...

HGS3053, five burner gas range, $909 before rebates

HMV3051, Over the range microwave vent, $409

SHE43P25, stainless steel dishwasher, $799 before rebates(this has a few for a $599 after rebate price)

B22CS30SNS, counter depth stainless steel side by side, $1949

Total is $4025

After rebates is $2849

Savings of $1176

Percentage is 29.2%

This is a Columbus Day promotion which ends the 12th. After that rebates will only be $800 instead of $1176.

Galley Green

We will be featuring respected local designers, builders and projects, which may help you in designing your own space....This is a good one.

If you had a galley kitchen 20 years ago, you were either forced to spend a ton of dough on a professional fridge or relegated to buy regular-depth non-matching products.

Most of us have standard refrigerators, but in a galley, this is an issue of space. You have to walk around the fridge to access the rest of your kitchen (if you have an old galley, your refrigerator is in the back right corner).

As Melissa Hammond of Hammond Design (plug intended and deserved) shows us:

• Refrigerator is shallow, so there is plenty of room

• Bosch matching suite...buying one brand homogenizes the handles, so all units look identical

But wait there is more on the lighting side

• The undercounter lights are LED, so they use about 5 watts each and have a 20 year life

• The overhead is color rendering CFLs, so the total kitchen has an equivalent of less than 30 total watts

• On the right a pass through was designed to allow natural lighting during the day and allow for easy serving to the eating area

• Cabinets are locally sourced....Thus finalizing a Green kitchen

Kitchen is affordable and state of the art efficient.

That's how its done.....nice work.

Kitchen Of The Year...Part 2

Welcome to Monday

Part 2 of our renovation of the House Beautiful "Kitchen of The Year" (video below). In part 1, we specified the best. In part 2, we deliver a very nice kitchen on budget.

Have a Look:

Refrigeration
House Beautiful: JennAir JB36NXRW
Yale Beautiful: Bosch B22CS30

Ok, its a side by side...but the Bosch B22 is attractive, counter depth and stainless. At $1700+ after rebates, this unit is around 5-6,000 cheaper than the JennAir.

Wall Oven
House Beautiful: JennAir JJW2830
Yale Beautiful: Bosch HBL3550

Bosch does not have gadgets, just stainless steel and convection. At $2300, it is also $3,000 cheaper than HB.

Cooktop:
House Beautiful: JennAir JED3536
Yale Beautiful: Frigidaire FPCC3085

Lets see, ours is 2 burner induction...Theirs is not. Our vent is easier to clean and way more powerful.

Sinks:
House Beautiful: No idea
Yale Beautiful: Majestic M24 and Franke NAX110

Simple, popular D-shape sinks...If I had to guess, you would save probably $3,000-5,000 between this and the HB.

Lights:
House Beautiful: German import
Yale Beautiful: Tech Lighting canopy with your choice of pendants...

I have been thinking about this one all weekend. Ok, part of the weekend. Look at the canopy and combine it with any pendant to customize your own light.

House Beautiful video



Well, we are at least $15-20,000 less expensive than House Beautiful.

What do you think?

Win a Bosch Kitchen

A Saturday Extra (I don't usually post on weekends) at no extra charge.

So we have this contest whereby you can win a kitchen full of Bosch appliances. Now, part of my day is spent looking at landing pages trying to deliver a better user experience.

I didn't think it was important until I attended a few seminars. People instinctively read information in a certain way, or so I thought.

Which one do you like better??

Contestant A

Contestant B

Did an A/B test through email and the answer will not surprise you.

BTW, we only have 29 entrants to win this.....so you have a 3% chance of winning versus .000000000000003% chance of winning Megabucks. Contest ends July 31, 2010.

Things To Consider

Following are a few interesting items to consider in no particular order...

Bosch SHE5AL05

At $539 after rebate, this is Boschs' least expensive dishwasher. Its quiet and water efficient. We are actually installing Bosch dishwashers free June 25 through the 27th...

Frigidaire FPCC3685K

I am warming up to hybrid (half induction/half electric) cooktops. Induction at lower prices.

Frigidaire FPCS3085LF

Hybrid induction, warming drawer and convection at $2049....not bad (same price as GE Profile wihout induction and warmer).

Bosch B22CS30SNS

Its inexpensive for a shallow depth at $1799....then Bosch is offering tons of package rebates.

KitchenAid KFCS22EVMS

Big, shallow, french door...with $300 in rebates.

The Most Popular Shallow Depths

Every once in awhile, I look at keywords to understand what people want to read. NXR ranges and shallow depth refrigerators are the most popular topics by far. Dont quite fathom the popularity of NXR, but shallow depth is understandable.

Last week, we talked about the different types and benefits. Today it is the actual products.

SubZero BI36U/S overlay or stainless

Back in 2004, this was was the number 7 most popular selling refrigerator in the country...That is staggering. But that was also a different world. SubZero is a great refrigerator. They always have had two compressors, so the temperature stays more constant. They have self sealing crispers and a vacuum seal, so the outside air stays out.

Last year, they added an air scrubber, so food stays fresher longer as well as a water purifier. SubZero is still the best name for actual reselling a house (funny, we dont know the name of our shingles) and is still the aesthetic standard.

KitchenAid KFCS22EVMS

Its french door and its the largest. Its also reasonable for a shallow depth product.

But the most popular is......

Bosch B2230SNS

Sure, you dont like side by sides, but more people have purchased this unit than any other for 2 unrelated reasons....First, you like Bosch products, and this rounds out a Bosch kitchen. Bosch also incentivizes you to do so.

But at $1799 after rebate...This is one of the least expensive shallow depths in the industry.

More Visual Aids

When I was an appliance lad, our display was very similar to what you see everywhere....rows and rows of stuff lined up by category. That's fine if people want to buy just one piece....if they need to renovate a space, however, you need to create an environment...

I always partner with a granite shop (Adamo in Boston, great guy) and try to show people radically new products and ideas for their consideration

This is our latest environment...

Cooktop is a Bosch, Thermador and Gaggenau steamer...Look at the downdraft, it is self circulating and is vented back through the toe kick

36 inch pizza ovens from Gaggenau

Cool monorail track and pendants from Tech....I like track as an option to recessed lighting, especially in modern spaces

Cool faucet

Stainless island counters look good, but we will see once they have been used(and abused)...interestng rock backsplash