A Quick Comparison

Look at this GE Cafe slide-in...

It was state of the art when first introduced 4 years ago, and why not? It has 5 burners, convection, as well as a second oven. At $2500, it seems like a competitive price for such a well designed and styled range. But can you buy smarter? Maybe...

Electrolux: Nicer range. Induction technology is faster to boil and simmer and Electrolux has an intuitive control panel with any kind of mode. But at $3300 plus, it should be better. So how about something better for less dough...

Frigidaire: Not exactly better, but at $1800+, this range has two induction burners, convection and a warming drawer. So you add induction, but remove the second oven from Cafe, as well as $700.

Frigidaire also has additional incentives for packages.

GE vs Frigidaire

I couldn't figure the difference between these two ranges, so I asked Neil.

Neil and I actually grew up together in Needham, and he has been at Yale for 20 plus years, so he knows the difference. Lets look at these two very popular slide-ins, the GE Profile vs the Frigidaire Gallery.

They both have convection (fan forced heat for even cooking), a bridge element (connecting two burners for continuous heat) and a fifth warming element (guess).

The GE has stainless knobs and a triple burner (varying heat control for different types of pots), so ostensibly it is a better range.

However, the GE Profile costs $2059.....the Frigidaire...$1299.

Induction Compared

I really am unbiased. What people buy at Yale is consequential to me as long as they are happy with their purchase and are treated fairly. However, when a product is superior, I will certainly extol its virtues (unless it has a bad repair record).

Induction is that product. It is faster, safer, easier to simmer and less expensive than pro gas. We have a number of Youtube videos demonstrating this.

Electrolux seems to be ahead in the induction category. Lets compare their two slide in models:

Frigidaire (an Electrolux Brand) FPCF3085UF...

At $2599, this unit is hybrid induction meaning two of the five burners are induction and the other two are electric. This unit also features a convection oven and warming drawer

Electrolux EW30IS65JS $3599

Better than above with a more intuitive (still like that word) control panel, all induction burners and a second oven instead of just a warmer.

Stuck in Florida

Evidentally it is raining in Boston, so without a showroom I will blog about my parents new kitchen. New is an operative term, because they had cabinets without the granite for probably 6 months. Probably the first good lesson about kitchen design is hire good people



My folks have managed to accomplish good and bad within the same space.

Lighting:

The Good:

I like the Tech Orbs on either side of the sink. Small, unobtrusive yet decorative.



LED undercabinet...uses 10 watts per strip instead of 170 with halogen based undercabinet.



The Bad:

5 inch recessed on a short ceiling. It would have been neater with a smaller can like a 4 inch or a low voltage.



Appliances:

The appliances aren't actually new, but are decent: Shallow depth refrigerator, electric slide-in, over the range microwave with a Miele dishwasher being the splurge.







Overall, not bad.

Freestanding vs Slide-In

Lots of pics today.

To review, the difference between a Slide-In and Freestanding is basically a back-guard.







The price, however, can be up to $600 more for a slide-in with the same features.

Why would you pay more? Tile, steel, or any custom appointments become more noticeable and accentuated without the back. Have a look...

Freestanding




Slide-in




Close up




Different range/same back-guard

Cooking

We have industry terms for cooking like freestanding, slide-in, built-in and drop-in...Let me shed some light on this bizarre terminology so you can choose your new stove.

Freestanding

Defined as a range with a back (this isn't complicated). The freestanding is the most widely sold and is priced the best.





Slide In

Defined as a range without a back. Slide-ins are more expensive but are nicer looking, because you can finish behind the range (without seeing the back).





Built in

Defined as wall oven with a cooktop. Most expensive, yet nicest looking, because it allows for the continuation of grantite and the the toekick.

Less is More

For no apparent reason, lets discuss cooking or more specifically the differences between slide in and freestanding stoves...

Basically, freestanding stoves have controls on the back and slide-ins have the controls on the front.

Have a look...

Freestanding



Slide-in



The Electrolux freestanding and slide-in are pictured for a reason, because the slide in is on average $500 more. Slide-ins look cleaner in a kitchen. Without a backguard, you can customize your backsplash.

The skinny: Slide-in nicer, freestanding less expensive...

How To Buy Appliances..Part 7

This is really not all that difficult...Its easy if you know what you want. Much harder when you have no idea. How about a novel idea? Lets stay under your budget, pick desirable items and as an added bonus, not lose your mind.

1. Establish a budget. You will stick to it.

2. What pieces do you really want. Is it a SubZero, stainless steel appliances, slide in range?

3. Rebates. I hate to say it, but $500 in rebates would sway my loyalties between similar items.

So lets say you have no idea:

4. Start at the range. There are more tough choices than any other product.





5. Refrigerator next, once again the most difficult dimensionally.





6. Dishwasher and over the range microwave should match the other two pieces.









If you stay within the same brand, there are numerous budget saving rebates. I am not partial to side by sides, but this Bosch package has a whopping $1350 in rebates...I can learn to love it for that type of money.

How To Buy An Air Conditioner

25 Years ago, the standard rule for an air conditioner BTU was square footage times 30. This, of course, is dead wrong.





No two spaces are alike. Here are some general rules..

1. 5000 BTUs is adequate for a bedroom of 175 square feet or less...add 1000 BTU per 50-60 square feet

2. add 1,000 BTU for sunny exposures, add 2,000 to 4,000 for cathedral ceilings and 4000 for a kitchen (hottest room in the house)

3. Do not overcool. The air conditioner will not dehumidify and will freeze (cold air will blow back into the unit itself)

4. Air conditioning does not turn corners well...Buy 2 smaller ones instead of a larger unit

5. EER is a measure of energy efficiency. Each point is a 10% savings in operations. Thus a 10.7 EER ac is 10% better than a 9.7

6. Through the wall acs require a slideout chassis or a liner.

We Are Somebody

Forgive the wrong name...but finally some favorable press.


Hi Yale Electric!
Taniya Nayak from HGTV's Designed To Sell here. Just wanted to drop you guys a quick line to tell you that I LOOOOVE my new Prospetto Chandelier. It is the one that comes up first on your slideshow. Such a cool fixture and amazing how much it transforms a room. I'm so glad you guys amped it up and brought in some funky new designer pieces.
All the best!
Taniya

How about some more cool lights...

Slide In Versus Freestanding

If you are remodelling/renovating a kitchen, cooking is the toughest selection. Pro, dual fuel, different sizes, etc. One of the most basic decisions is free standing versus slide in...


Lets look:

Slide-in: This range has the controls on the front instead of the back. Pros: Aesthetically, it is much nicer to see the backguard uninterrupted by a backguard. Also, there are no seams on the sides for spills. Cons: Pricey compared to a free standing range as it costs about $500 versus a similarly priced freestanding range



Free Standing: Defined as controls on the back. Better and more varied prices than a slide-in, but the back can be considered an eyesore in more upscale kitchens

Meet Ed

Ed is a customer who finally decided to replace his 50 year old Frigidaire drop in range. A drop in range is a product which is supported (dropped in) on a base cabinet. There are still tons of these stoves around the area especially from the 1950s and 60s.



How do you replace a 50 year old stove without spending a fortune on renovation?


Try this:

Slide in...To switch, the electrical must be converted and the base cabinet eliminated.




Wall oven/cooktop: Decent option, but the countertop needs to be reworked.




GE: GE still manufactures the style. Easier option since the cabinet just needs some modification, but the product is not as compelling as the others.

Desperate Times Call For....Rebates

There seems to be a theme to The Yale Blog. Every month, I seem to be amazed by the sheer magnitude of rebates. Actually, Sears does a pretty good job advertising their 20% off sale.

With the economy in recession, most manufacturers are offering individual and package rebates, which can total 40%. Consider rebates when you researching an appliance purchase. Buying a complete kitchen from one company will maximize the amount of rebate dollars.

Lets look at a few individual pieces by brand...

Frigidaire: Their best selling dishwasher and washer have $150 in rebates




Bosch: $200 on their popular slide in ranges and $150 on their best selling dishwasher.





GE Cafe: $150 on the dishwasher and $100 on the refrigerator.





KitchenAid: $175 on their best selling dishwasher.

Warm Those Buns

Risque title, but after Atlas Shrugged, I need to jazz it up. Our chef loves warming drawers. The drawer is a great convenience for working families. You can warm foods without overcooking for up to 3 hours and also refresh leftovers. Most brands offer the drawer with $1,000 being the average.





There is a cheaper way....A warmer almost becomes a freebie with a better range. Consider a Frigidaire slide in at $1450, which has the drawer included. Not a bad deal...

A Few Of My Favorite Things

LED recessed from Cree: First, for a $30-40 more per can, LED uses 1/5 the power, emits zero heat(saving HVAC and electric costs) and has a 20 year lamp life.




Bosch integrated refrigeration: Integrating a refrigerator is a great design idea. Bosch is the most affordable way of achieving the look.




GE Cafe French Door: GE refrigeration has staged a huge comeback in refrigeration. Dumping LG as the source may be a reason. Deciding to build a better product may be another reason. I am just speculating.




Frigidaire slide in: Frigidaire has not been hurt by the recession, because they manufacture nicely styled yet affordable products. This gas range has power and simmer burners as well as convection and warming drawer for about $600-100 less than their competition.




Induction: Any induction, really. Induction is 90% efficient versus 60% for gas and 55% for electric. The technology is vastly superior in heating, simmering, child safety and does not emit heat like the others. A hybrid unit starts at $1500, which is way less expensive than a Pro.

Cheap Pros

So you have decided to buy a professional range, it is an exciting purchase. The range will have a burner output of 15-18,000 BTU, convection oven and the all important commercial look. For some of us, the excitement ends at the price, which can be prohibitive. For a 30 inch range, the tag can be in the $3500-6000 range. For a 36, the price can be $5400 to almost 10,000.

There are, however, very good alternatives to the traditional professional range. First, the burner output can be emulated on most standard ranges. A JennAir pro style slide in, for example, will have 2 16,000 BTU burners.

If it is the commercial look you seek then Bertazzoni and NXR offer the "pro" look at a much cheaper price.

Have a look...

NXR:

Upside: Price (the 30 inch is only $1999), 18,000 BTU burners and a great simmer at 500 BTU per burner.
Downside: Brand new and unproven.





Bertazzoni:
Upside: Price, great Italian styling and a multitude of finishes.
Cons: Only a few of the burners are high BTU, only available with burners.

Upside: Price

Power Up....

Years ago, consumers purchased pro ranges, because of the style and functionally the heat output. Although pro ranges seem to be the super premium choice, conventional stoves now have power burners as well. In fact, the outputs have become similar, so the question must be asked.

What is the BTU difference between a slide in at $2100 and a Pro range at about $5400?

JennAir...47,000 BTU(1 16, 15, 12 and 5)



Wolf...54,000 BTU(3 15,000 and 1 9,0000)+ other Wolf advantages: Double convection oven and three stage simmer capability on every burner.



Premium products are still selling fairly well, because people can have more affordable performance. Products to consider: JennAir, KitchenAid, Electrolux, Frigidaire and Bosch.

Increasing Prices...Increasing Rebates?

Almost quarterly there will be a memo across my desk about a price increase from a vendor partner. It is to be somewhat expected. Stainless steel is increasing at 1% per month and gas is well, you know....

So why are certain commonly purchased items actually cheaper? Have a look at this slide show and guess how much this kitchen of Frigidaire appliances actually costs when purchased together.



The price is $1799 after a host of rebates. The greatest cost to any company is the loss of market share and the idling of factories...or so it would seem.

The companies offering significant rebates in July are: Frigidaire, JennAir, KitchenAid, Thermador and Bosch


Have a nice weekend.

The Green Kitchen....Final

Lets return to this new Green Kitchen. First, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal about the construction lagging on for 484 days. Actually the duration for us was less than 6 weeks. For review this kitchen is totally sustainable from the bamboo floors and pendants to the marble.

Have a look(again)...This time look at the lighting in particular



Now guess how many watts...I threw in my whole lighting presentation from Innovation 08 for no extra charge. The actual Green Part is only the first few slides



Total wattage is 240 watts....Incandescent equivalent is 1342.

Remember:

Bulb replacement: Incandescent 7 months, fluorescent 7 years, LED 20 years.

Heat output: Incandescent 300 degrees, Fluorescent 100 degrees, LED zero heat.

The Best Gas Slide In ranges

Slide in ranges were once dominated by JennAir and Frigidaire...Frigidaire for price and JennAir for quality. In the last few months, there seems to be many more choices including a brand new Electrolux range as well as GE Cafe.

But which one is best?



I look at this 2 ways. Which range has the best features, and then the best overall kitchen package


Frigidaire: Still the best price with power burner, warming drawer and convection. Great rebates depress the price further when adding more pieces, but choices for refrigeration are limited

JennAir/KitchenAid: Still great names with great features. Although they are not the newest and therefore the "hottest", JennAir/KitchenAid have great kitchen packages with very good dishwashers, french door refrigerators and tons of rebates.

GE Cafe: Great specs with 4 burners, a griddle burner and finally some very good complimentary pieces. GE does not have an especially robust rebate program, however, and is more expensive than comparable pieces.

Bosch: Great name, but the range is just ok...However, Bosch has never been more affordable.

Electrolux: Great style and great features...18,000 BTU burner with the best simmer and 2 ovens. However, a tough range to package in an overall kitchen. Still this is a product worth considering.