CHOOSING WISELY

CHOOSING WISELY

A few tips

Prioritize your needs. “I would like to have five burners, or a burner in the middle that would turn into a griddle or a grill,” shopper Sharon Riley said. “And gas — definitely gas.”

Spend smartly. You can get more now in the average range, said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman of Consumer Reports. “In a 30-inch, you can get five burners instead of four. ... It’s really a matter of finding the features you’re going to use.”

Stainless might look cool, but it can be difficult to keep clean. “If you’re a person who doesn’t mind a smudge or two but wants a very good showpiece and are willing to clean it up, then I think stainless is great,” said Steve Swayne of Whirlpool Corp. “If you have six kids and want a great look and don’t have the time to keep your kitchen clean, you might want to look at something different.”

Remember one size doesn’t fit all. Many kitchens can’t accommodate larger, commercial-style appliances without major alterations to existing cabinetry, countertops, exhaust, electrical and gas services. Some may even require extra bracing to floor joists.

Consider new technology. Consumer Reports is impressed with the new generation of induction cooktops, which work by magnetically heating the cooking vessel, not the element itself. They boil water very quickly and hold temperatures precisely. However, they don’t work with all cookware and may demand upgraded electrical service.

Katie Rager of Nebraska Furniture Mart also suggests investigating some of the new steaming ovens or gas-on-glass products.

Source: McClatchy Newspapers