Kitchen appliances

The sequencing rule matters more than the brand debate. Cabinet openings, panel sizes, and countertop cutouts are all built to specific appliance dimensions. If you change from a 30-inch to a 36-inch range after cabinets are ordered, you are paying for new cabinets. Lock your model numbers before the cabinet order goes in, and give the installer the manufacturer's rough-in specs, not the marketing dimensions.

Energy efficiency is worth real but modest money on most appliances. ENERGY STAR certified refrigerators are about 9% more efficient than the federal minimum standard and save around $150 over the product's 12-year lifetime. The bigger number is on old equipment: ENERGY STAR notes a refrigerator over 15 years old can cost roughly $95 more per year to run. ENERGY STAR certified wine coolers and beverage centers are up to 20% more efficient than the federal minimum.

Built-in and panel-ready refrigeration is the most common place people spend a lot for a visual result. It looks seamless and it costs multiples of a freestanding unit. That is a legitimate choice if the look matters to you, but be clear that you are buying appearance, not performance or longevity.

Before you commit to a gas range, confirm what the kitchen can actually feed it — gas supply line size, and ventilation. Before you commit to induction, confirm the electrical service can carry the dedicated circuit. Both of these are cheap to answer before demo and expensive to discover after.

How to choose

Finalize model numbers before the cabinet order

Cabinets are built to appliance dimensions. Changing appliances afterward means changing cabinets. This is the most common self-inflicted cost overrun in a kitchen.

Check the ENERGY STAR rebate finder before you buy

ENERGY STAR partners sponsor rebates by zip code. It takes two minutes and occasionally pays for the dishwasher.

Replace a 15-plus-year-old refrigerator on principle

ENERGY STAR estimates a fridge that old costs about $95 more per year to run. That is a genuine reason to replace even a working unit.

Buy the appliances you will use, not the suite in the photo

Double ovens, warming drawers, and steam ovens are the most commonly regretted kitchen purchases. Be honest about how you cook.

Confirm who hooks up gas and water

Appliance delivery crews often will not connect gas or a water line to an ice maker. Find out whether that is in your contractor's scope or yours.