Whether you are remodeling your kitchen, moving into a new house, or simply updating, picking out new appliances can be a stressful and overwhelming task. Appliances are the heart and soul of a kitchen, which is one of the most important rooms in a house. You want them to look good of course, but they also have to fit your space… and your budget. It’s a lot to balance. New appliances are an investment that can add value to your home and comfort to your daily routine, so deciding which ones are right for you is a big choice. There’s a step-by-step process to picking the fridge, stove, dishwasher, and/or microwave that “belong” in your home!
First of all, before you even start daydreaming about stainless versus white or black finishes, bust out your tape measure. You can’t even go to the store and start window shopping until you know exactly how much space you have for appliances. It’s important to measure in all directions (width, depth, and height) and write down the measurements accurately.
The next step is the not-so-fun one: evaluating your budget. While appliances are definitely an investment, you don’t want to go into debt buying them unless it’s absolutely necessary. If your fridge dies without warning, then obviously you need a replacement ASAP. But if you have the time to squirrel away some savings, all the better. WIth appliances, as with cars or just about anything else for sale, there will always be simpler, cheaper options and pricier options with more bells and whistles. There are usually choices in the middle as well. Be realistic. Do some research on brands and reliability, and go for the highest-rated brand you can afford. This should help ensure that your new appliances have staying power.
After that, you get to play around with colors and finishes. Do you shell out the bucks for stainless, or go with a classic white or black? Or do you go wild and pick a funky color? A little advice: those bright colors might look stunning in Pinterest pictures, but you are likely to be stuck with your appliance choices for a long time. If we’ve learned nothing else from the 70s (hello, avocado green and burnt orange!), it’s that fad colors and appliances are a bad combination. You can’t go wrong with a neutral color. In ten years, you’ll still love it.
Lastly, think about the features that you want and compare that list with the one of features you actually need. Remember those bells and whistles we mentioned earlier? You have a lot of choices when it comes to how fancy your appliances are. Some upgrades make sense - if you have a big family, springing for a high-capacity dishwasher is a must. An ice machine is another practical want that can really help out. But some upgrades just aren’t sensible unless you have big bucks to blow, such as digital temperature controls. You’ll also need to decide whether you want to pay more for energy efficiency or not.
Now that you have some information on the thought process, you are equipped to go buy new appliances for your home!
