Curtos.com: Dishwasher Basics…Loving The Asko D5424 Dishwasher
Check this…if you’re on a budget a $499-$599 dishwasher is fine, but don’t expect the uber-cleaning performance you’ve seen or heard of in the past…watch this….
Dishwasher Review: GE Profile: PDWT180VSS
Usually if a customer wants a domestic dishwasher in the $700-$800
range I look at KitchenAid. I just feel comfortable with their long history with dishwashers.
However, I have developed an affinity for this entry piece in the GE Profile line – GE PDWT180VSS. This is a nice piece.
It’s stainless with the Profile wide arched handle, is relatively quiet at 52 decibels (not whisper quiet, but certainly in a comfortable range)
It’s Energy Star and offers a stainless tub with 5 wash options. It also offers the hard food disposer which more and more shoppers have been asking about.
Is it a Ferrari, a Porsche, a Mercedes-Benz?
No.
However it is a durable, value-packed piece which is extremely stylish looking and brings to the table many features that you’ll find in the Bosch 500-series
save the energy efficiency and quietness. For a tick above $700 it’s definitely worth checking out. We’ve sold a number of them this year and I haven’t had a complaint yet.
I’ve been riffing on GE Profile lately…I think it’s a gem line that needs to be re-discovered…great products in there that are being overlooked by GE Cafe’s long shadow.
GE Profile PDWT180VSS Dishwasher
GE Profile Dishwasher PDWT180VSS - Curtos.com
Appliance Deals: Electrolux Lowers the Price on Front Load Washers and Dryers
Bang!
2012 rolls in and Electrolux decides to get all funky with their laundry prices.
Prices have been cut about $200 on every model.
This is huge.
Electrolux had always priced themselves above the competition, and in some cases WAY above them.
First they had that UMRP thing (the policy which mandates that dealers can’t sell below a certain Electrolux-set price) which inflated prices to begin with. Then you had Elx’s mindset that since they were bringing more to the table – larger capacity, steam in the washer and the dryer, more cycles including the 14 min wash/15 min dry and the 2nd floor guarantee, why the hell not price yourselves at a premium?
Here is the Electrolux Washer/Dryer Pair That We Own. Sexy, huh?
When Electrolux ran a rebate, my sales would spike. When the rebates expired, sales would plummet. I think alot of people just couldn’t justify spending $400-$500 more apiece on a washer and dryer when they could just rock a Whirlpool Duet or Maytag and know they were going to get a quality machine for much less.
Electrolux got smart, the prices have been chopped and I expect the laundry line to start rocking now. It’s closer to the comps and is still bringing more to the table from a feature-set. And who knows, they may even tag them with a rebate which would then make these absolutely NO-BRAINERS.
BOTTOM LINE – You can diss ELX for their refrigerators all you want but they have ALWAYS gotten laundry right. Hell, I own a pair so I should know!!!
Sub-Zero Flush Inset vs. Overlay Refrigerators
Remember, whether you want a flush inset look or a panel-ready look that will jut out from the cabinet, you must buy an “overlay” Sub-Zero model.
Then, you need to let your cabinet people go to work. Flush inset style requires the cabinets to be a 2 3/16″ deeper.
So, it’s the same fridge, just different measurements for the cabinets.
Let the pictures tell the story.
Sub-Zero Refrigerator With Flush Inset Application
Sub-Zero Overlay Refrigerator With Custom Panels - Notice How the Sides Jut Out Compared to the Flush Inset Model.
GE Profile vs. GE Cafe: Double Wall Ovens
One of the more popular questions we are asked in the showroom is the difference between the Profile and Cafe lines. We’ll break this down by way of the product category.
Wall Ovens:
GE electric wall ovens come in either 27″ or 30″ flavors.
27″ Wall Ovens
GE Profile
There is one GE Profile double electric ovens coming in at 27″ in width.
- The double oven PT956SRSS offers convection cooking in the top oven and traditional heating in the bottom oven.
- The double oven offers 1 extensible ball-bearing rack.
GE Cafe does not offer a 27″ Wall Oven
30″ Wall Ovens
GE Profile
There are three GE Profile 30″ double wall ovens
- The top of the line PT960SRSS offers convection in both ovens as well as a glass-touch LCD control panel.
- The next two models (PT958SRSS and PT956SRSS) differ in that the PT965 only offers convection in the top oven. Aside from that point, they are virtually identical.
GE Cafe
GE cafe offers one 30″ double oven – CT959STSS .
This model features glass touch controls and convection in BOTH ovens. Also, each oven
offers one fully-extensible rack. Aside from these points the top of the line Profile and Cafe ovens are exactly the same in regards to power output, size (4.4 cu ft) and the broiler system.
GE MSRP PRICES
PT960SRSS – $3399
PT958sRSS – $3099
PT956sRSS – $2799
GE doesn’t publish pricing on the Cafe series but figure it should cost around $2500, which is about
what you’ll spend on the top of the line Profile PT960SRSS.
GE Cafe Double Oven - CT959STSS
PT960srss - GE Profile Double Oven
The Only Complaint I’ve Had on a Liebherr Refrigerator…
was regarding the ice production (or lack thereof). Take a look at the picture of the actual
ice bucket in a CS-2062 or a CS-2060. The ice will fill up about 30-40% of the way.
Liebherr figures this is plenty of ice for normal consumption + it actually makes the refrigerator
incredibly “green” or energy efficient. If you’ve been to Europe you probably know that ice cubes aren’t filled to the brim
in glasses (if you can get them at all). Ice cube production is extremely taxing from an energy standpoint and being a
German company, Liebherr just doesn’t prioritize it. And the truth is, you will probably see more American refrigeration
manufacturers following suit as tamping down on the ice production will allow for better energy ratings on the fridges.
As I told my customer who complained about the ice production, if you entertain frequently, don’t rely on the fridge for
your ice. Buy a dedicated icemaker, or invest in a couple of $1 bags of ice!
Ice Bucket on Liebherr CS2060 and CS2062
Appliances 2012 – What We’ll See, According to Me
The Crystal Ball says…
- We will have new major product releases from Wolf / SubZero sprinkled throughout the year – 36″ French Door fridge, steam oven, 42″ and 48″ side by side fridges with internal water dispensers
- Electrolux will release a new line of appliances, which will be priced somewhere between Icon and the Kelly Ripa stuff.
- High Efficiency top load washers will continue to cut into the market share of front load washers
- Entirely new laundry platform will be released by GE, sometime later in the year
- LG and Samsung will continue their assault on the domestic brands, but new tariffs on their refrigerators will make the playing field more level.
- The housing market will still be in the doldrums, which will of course affect the appliance industry so that means that consumers are still in the drivers seat…look for more package rebates and more high-end promotions continuing throughout the year.
Moving Pictures: DCS 36″ RGU366 Gas Range Review
The DCS ranges are not for the weary. The designs are out of this world…literally. Why can I see this being used by the Jetsons.
Very contemporary, actually I wouldn’t hesitate in calling it futuristic looking. And yes, it boasts the same killer DCS performance.