So, you’ve decided it’s time for a new kitchen, may be you’ve built an extension with that in mind, and you’re excited. Fabulous!
One of the most important aspects of planning any new kitchen is the appliances. There is a wealth of choices out there and it’s a big investment. Even if you are not having a completely new kitchen but are simply replacing an existing appliance, you want to get it right. In this blog I am going to be sharing some tips on what to consider when choosing those major kitchen appliances – cooker, washing machine and refrigeration.
Cookers
How do you go about choosing a cooker … What do you need to consider? .
- Availability of supply. Does you property have gas including a cooker point? Your property may not have a gas supply. This not rule out gas appliances, check with the supplier whether there is a supply in the road, if there is then it should be possible to have the supply brought in to the property.
- Practicality – Ease of use, cookers can be freestanding, built in as part of a tower arrangement or under counter. A built in cooker is easier to access than under counter models as they don’t require bending down. Ease of cleaning, electric cookers with ceramic or induction hobs are very easy to clean.
- Preference – we all have a personal preference for one heat source or the other and at the end of the day you have to weigh up the pro’s and cons of each. Remember that induction hobs require pans made of ferrous metal. Check by holding a magnet close to the base of the pan, if it attracts then the pan will work.
Washing Machines
Choosing a washing machine. A few things to consider.
- Drum size. What capacity of washing load do you cater for? If you have a family then this is going to be very important and you will want a large capacity machine. On the other hand, if you are single or a couple and like to was regularly but don’t have a big load then a smaller capacity machine will probably suit you better and will be more efficient in terms of energy and water usage although it may be that this is accommodated by the programmes available
- Settings and programmes. The number of programmes available on a machine varies greatly and generally the more expensive the machine the more programmes it will have. Consider the types of fabrics you want to wash. Do wash delicate fabrics such as wool or silk? Do you want a “freshen up” cycle which is a short programme of about 15 minutes for very lightly soiled items. Programmes also give you options in terms of the water temperature, some from as low as 20 degrees up to 90.
- Efficiency. We are much more conscious these days of our water and energy consumption. The most energy efficient appliances are rated A+++ and the more modern the appliance the higher the rating is likely to be. Many manufacturers these days are incorporating features that minimise the amount of water used in a wash cycle.
Refrigeration
The first decision is probably whether to buy a combined fridge/ freezer or separate appliances. This may well be dictated by the space available, two separate appliances will obviously take up more floor space. Can the freezer be housed elsewhere, a garage or utility perhaps? A combined fridge/ freezer is taller and so requires a separate space rather than being slid under a counter top. With a fridge/ freezer you then have options in terms of how the appliance is split between fridge and freezer, generally you will either favour an equal division or one than gives a larger fridge with smaller freezer.
If you need some help choosing your appliances or planning a kitchen then call me on 07745 876182 or e mail me on judith@homestyle4u.com. I cover the Wirral, Cheshire and the North West.
