What high-end appliances bring to your kitchen
If you choose an exceptional appliance, it will up your game
Credit:
Thermador
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You may have waited for years to upgrade your kitchen, and all of a sudden, there are hundreds of decisions you have to make immediately. Probably the most important choices you make will have to do with your new appliances. You want to select the ones that look extraordinary, work optimally, last a long time, and incorporate modern technologies.
Here at Reviewed, when we test premium appliances, we test them the same way we test everything—scientifically and objectively. In the process, we’ve discovered that not every impressive-looking appliance works as impressively. But when you get the winning combination, your kitchen will dazzle.
Here's what to look for::
1. Style
Luxury appliances employ the epitome of fine craftsmanship to build in their beauty. Their finishes have come a long way since your grandmother’s avocado green and harvest gold 1970s kitchen. Here are the fabulous finishes you should be considering for your 21st-century kitchen:
Stainless steel
Shining stainless steel has a professional look that enhances a contemporary kitchen.
Ever-classic stainless steel remains one of the most popular options on the market today. Stainless always looks modern and professional, as long as the finish is smudgeproof. If not, it becomes all about polishing off the fingerprints.
Black stainless steel
Black stainless steel appliances contrast nicely with blue-gray cabinetry. Increasingly popular, black stainless finishes look different, depending on the brand.
A number of brands have thrown their weight behind black stainless. It has a very modern look, and tends to resist fingerprints. The bad news—every brand has its own take on black stainless steel appliances, making it harder to mix brands in the same kitchen. Also, when it scratches or chips, it reveals the regular stainless steel beneath the powder coat.
White
A white kitchen looks new and fresh with these matte finish white appliances from GE Cafe. Different metal choices on the hardware and trim let the buyer customize.
White appliances always look fresh, and the latest iteration is matte, with gorgeous metal handles. White often works where stainless steel would look chilly.
Black
A matte black wall oven looks amazing, and the mixed metals on the metals add to the contemporary aesthetic.
Neutral, but possibly a bit dated unless you amp it up to matte black. Either way, black appliances can look good when they combine with stainless steel appliances in the same kitchen.
Other colors
A colorful luxury appliance can be a focal point in your kitchen.
From high-end manufacturers like La Cornue, Blue Star, and Bertazzoni, you can buy appliances in truffle brown, graphite grey, slate, and royal blue. One colorful range or refrigerator can give a luxe kitchen unique style.
2. Durability and reliability
When you consider buying high-end appliances, you’re thinking about more than their looks. You're counting on their high reliability and robust performance. Luxury appliances can make cooking and entertaining feel like an adventure, but since they’re a considerable investment, you want to be sure that they’ll be long-lived.
According to Kaminsky Design & Remodel, “high-end appliance[s] are generally built to last in a world where most things are not.” Increased life expectancy means you won’t need to replace a beloved appliance anytime soon. Trouble-free service corresponds to your expectations for a premium machine.
That higher price tag also translates into better customer support than mass-market products. You're probably more likely to reach someone on the phone and arrange for an in-home service call.
3. Technology
Technology in the kitchen can make everything you do there more convenient.
Advanced technology and innovation are incorporated into many luxury appliances, though luxury brands are less likely to emphasize technology as the defining trait (as is often the case in mid-priced appliances).
When luxury brands do highlight technology, they focus on the overall experience. The question the designers ask themselves when creating the product is "Does this high-tech feature seamlessly improve the customer experience or is it just for flash?"
This is why you see luxury brands slower to adopt things like WiFi or compatibility with Amazon Alexa, waiting until those technologies are mature and reliable. Fortunately, we're past the tipping point on a lot of that. New high-end appliances are incorporating the best of what's available in the mass market and tweaking it in innovative ways.
So why go premium? Luxury appliances provide the best a manufacturer has to offer. When you bring them in, you bump up your kitchen skills and your entertaining savvy with beautiful style, high performance, and the latest in technology. Your home will never be the same.