Wendy had to have the Wolf range...a beauty!

Appliance Dude analyzes this Wolf dual fuel range and other items in this Eastchester NY kitchen below:

I know you may still be hung over from the holiday credit card bill and tax season is looming…but you have the leverage now to
make a sweet deal on appliances! Do it!

Appliances Used in This Kitchen:
- 36″ gas rangetop with griddle – ZGU364NDPSS
- 36″ insert – ZVC36LSS
- 30″ Double Wall Oven – ZET2PMSS
- 42″ Side by side Fridge, Panel ready – ZISB420DX
- 24″ Monogram wine refrigerator – ZDWI240WII
- 24″ Sharp Micro Drawer – KB6524PS

The high-end section of the appliance industry was destroyed in 2009 and it took heavy promotions from the likes of Sub-Zero, Viking, Monogram and more to get shoppers to invest in high-end appliance packages in 2010. While the sales didn’t approach the astronomic levels that the industry saw in 2003-2007, they certainly improved as the collapse of Western Civilization no longer seemed imminent as in the dark days of the fall/winter 2008.
While I expected 2011 to get off to a better start, things are still very sluggish in this segment. The first important note to be aware of if you are shopping for high-end appliance packages is that most of these promotions were recently extended and will last through the end of 2011. This is huge because these rebate programs NEVER existed in the high-end appliance space and I don’t see them being repeated. So if you are in the market for high-end appliances, chances are you will need to act this year. Here is a breakdown of the cutoff dates for the various promotions:

So what is my take on the high-end packages? I am a sucker for the value of GE Monogram and the heritage and performance of Wolf and SubZero. Here are a few packages from these brands that I see selling well and offer great quality as well as value.

Wolf / SubZero Appliance Package – In this package you would receive $1250 in an

instant rebate under the current offer (which may be changing):

- Wolf SRT366 gas rangetop with sealed burners (I am not a fan of griddles or grills on

indoor appliances, they don’t work as well as their outdoor counterparts, the cooking areas aren’t large enough and I believe you can never have enough burners

- Wolf 36″ stainless wall hood

- Wolf S030U/S L-series single wall oven

- Bosch SHX58E15UC dishwasher (hundreds below a comparable Miele!)

- SubZero Bi36 S/S/PH – 36″ SubZero with pro handles, stainless

(NOTE: The SubZero Wolf package is likely to be extended with more money being doled out to consumers. Will have more info when it’s finalized).

GE Monogram Kitchen Appliance Package

- GE Monogram 36″ Dual Fuel Range, 6 burners (keep in mind that the Monogram line will be releasing their all-gas ranges sometime in the first half of 2011. Editor’s note: They’re out!).

- GE Monogram 36″ Cabinet insert (I don’t like Monogram hoods as they are way too bulky, so I opted to use the cabinet insert here)

- GE Monogram Pro 24″ Dishwasher in Stainless

- GE Monogram 42″ ZISP420NXSS pro refrigerator in stainless

Package # 2 – I Want Value!

GE Cafe Appliance Package

On the topic of GE, let’s talk up the GE Cafe line, which continues to knock the socks off of this category. Where can you get a pro looking kitchen for less than $10k? How about for less than $8k? $7K? Then you have to look at GE Cafe. Plus, GE will be offering a $500 rebate on GE Cafe kitchen appliance packages for the first few months of 2011. Try this on for size:

GE Cafe Gas Range – CGS980SEMSS

GE Cafe DIshwasher – CDWT980RSS

GE Cafe OTR Micro/Hood – CVM2072SMSS

GE Cafe French Door Refrigerator – CFCP1NIZSS

Bosch Appliance Package

Another brand to check out in this upper middle-tier is Bosch. They are currently offering up to 15% rebate on Bosch kitchen appliance packages through May 31 2011. This can lead up to some significant dollars back in your pockets. Bosch has been forced to get very aggressive with their kitchen appliance promotions because quite bluntly Electrolux has handed them their proverbial lunch in the last few years when it comes to the sale of kitchen appliances. Now it looks like Bosch has regrouped, put together a compelling offer for consumers, and has the ability to make up ground with Electrolux raising their prices. Message to Bosch: Be nice to consumers and hold your price points!!!! You need to get your kitchen appliances back on the consumer radar screen and 2011 is the time to do it.

This is what the Bosch kitchen appliance package will need to look like in order to qualify for the 10% or 15%:

Appliance Package 10%: Purchase at least (3) 300, 500 or 800 series Bosch appliances

Appliance Package 15%: Purchase at least (3) 800 series Bosch appliances.

What I like about this is that Bosch is only holding you to (3) appliances, so it’s easy to qualify.

Here’s a sample package which I sell the heck out of:

Refrigerator B22CS80SNS

Dishwasher SHX65P05UC

Range HGS7052UC

With this package alone at 15% back you would be looking at nearly $700 in your pocket and that’s without selling the products anywhere near their MAP price.

KitchenAid Appliance Package

KitchenAid is a versatile brand. You can go into the high-end stratosphere with their built-in products like the 42″ KBFC42FTS French Door Refrigerator and accompanying pro range, or you can nestle quite comfortably in this middle-upper middle category. Let’s check out a package that would vie with the Ge Cafe, Bosch and Electrolux lines.This time I am going to mix it up and instead of using a range, we’ll do a gas cooktop, double wall oven, French Door fridge and a killer KitchenAid dishwasher. Check this out for around $7000….

KitchenAid KEBS208SSS 30″ Double Wall Oven

Kitchen Aid KUDE40XSS dishwasher

KitchenAid KFCS22EVMS 36″ French Door Refrigerator

KitchenAid KFGS366VSS 36″ gas cooktop

Monogram calls this a “elegant, sleek and style-forward package”. I tend to agree. The reason this is so popular in urban markets such as NYC
is that the kitchen appliance footprint isn’t that large. You can even make it smaller by using an 18″ GE dishwasher, thus freeing up 6 more inches of cabinet space. Or, you could pop in a 27″ oven such as a ZEK938SMSS instead of opting for the 30″ single oven. And notice how the refrigerator is smaller than your typical Monogram fridge – the ZFGB21HZSS is counter depth yet doesn’t have the height that a typical Monogram fridge has because the compressor isn’t placed on the top.

And on the design tip – notice how these models feature the thinner handle as opposed to Monogram’s thick pro handle found on their ranges.
Designers seem to lean towards, sleeker, more refined design in NYC appliances. Maybe because the pro handles will look too fat, large and obtuse in a smaller kitchen set up that is so the norm in NYC?

GE Monogram - zbd6920pss - Curtos.com

GE Monogram - zet938smss - Curtos.com

GE Monogram - zfgb21hzss - Curtos.com

GE Monogram - ZGU28NSMSS - Curtos.com

GE Monogram - ZV830SNMSS- Curtos.com

Now we’re going to shift focus to GE. In the last 2 years, it seems all of the noise out of the GE camp has been about their Cafe line of appliances.
No doubt, Cafe has been one of the top success stories in two years of dreariness for the appliance industry. GE Cafe appliances boast pro styling, some pro functionality, and price points that won’t make most consumer pass out. However, lately I am recommending that people consider the GE Profile line as well. For less money than GE Cafe, you can receive many of the same benefits, albeit with a different look.

Let’s take a look at a GE Profile value package in stainless and compare the dollar outlay to GE Cafe.

30″ Gas range – PGS975SEPSS – The range offers convection cooking, deep recessed cooktop for easier cleaning, extra-large oven and a stacked burner which ranges from 18K BTU to 140BTU for a low simmer. It also offers self cleaning, glass touch controls and double coated racks that you can keep in the oven during self cleaning. Retail is $2649 ($300 less than the Cafe FREESTANDING unit).

GE Profile PGS975SEPSS gas range

Dishwasher – PDWT380RSS – If you want to save a few dolllars, GE Profile offers the PDWT380RSS which is also Enery Star qualified , offers the Smart dispense technology, and offers 4 wash cycles. The retail on the PDWT380RSS is $1099.
The GE Cafe CDWT980RSS dishwasher is $1449.

Free-Standing French Door Refrigerator – PFSS6PKXSS – This is a 26 cu ft French Door refrigerator with external ice/water dispenser. It is Energy Star rated, 36″ wide and 70″ high. It offers energy efficient LED lighting and a full-width drawer that maintains freshness and crispness. Retail is $2699. GE Cafe does not offer a freestanding french door refrigerator. Their counter depth unit has a retail price of $2999 retail.

GE Profile French Door Refigerator

Over the range microwave/hood – PVM1870SMSS – This combo micro/hood offers 1.8 cu ft of space and is powered by 1100 watts. This is NOT a convection micro. Retail is $569.

So total these up:
GE Profile Range – $2649
GE Profile dishwasher – $1249 (top of the line)
GE Profile French Door fridge – $2699
GE Profile micro/hood – $569

Total – $7166.
Then take $300 off for GE Combo rebate
Total – $6866
Keep in mind we are using retail prices. If you’re actually paying these numbers, you’re getting robbed!

I will introduce each appliance package in a separate post, so the entire series will consist of three posts spread out over three days. First up…Frigidaire’s Gallery Series.

Frigidaire Gallery Series Appliance Package

Frigidaire_FGGF3054KF Gallery gas range

Refrigerator – DGHS2644KF – Side by side, 26 cu ft, external ice/water, ENERGY STAR
Gas Range – FGGF3054KF - 30″, convection, chicken nugget and pizza buttons!
Dishwasher – FGHD2433KF – 24″, ENERGY STAR, Quietest dishwasher in its price range
Hood/micro – FGMV185KF – 1.8 cu ft capacity

The Skinny on Frigidaire’s Gallery Series Appliance Package

:
A year ago if anyone asked me what I thought about Frigidaire, my answer was “I try not think about them”.
That’s changed. I’m talking a 180 degree change.
I’m blown away by the new Gallery and Professional series’ Frigi introduced this summer. I didn’t think they had it in them. They do. And then some.
Whenever I walk by one the displays in the showroom I get all warm and fuzzy. The styling, the attention to detail. The construct. And the price points…what’s not to love.
I was talking to one of my sales guys the other day and we were surmising on the lack of Electrolux business in the last few months. The reason why? The Frigidaire Gallery and Pro series are so close in looks, with a just a few less bells and whistles…why would you pay the upcharge for ELX? The comparable Electrolux range is well over $1000 more than the Frigidaire version! (Hint to Frigidaire – you need to create more separation between Electrolux and Frigi in order to justify the price splits).

What You’re Getting in This Appliance Package

Regarding the above package…you’re getting a 4-piece, all stainless package, ENERGY STAR fridge and dishwasher, convection oven and a sleek OTR micro which acts as a hood and offers a spacious 1.8 cu ft of capacity for under $3000. I did a quick scan of online prices and most authorized dealers (remember we only pay credence to actual dealerships, not cretins running 800#’s out of some bathroom in Brooklyn where they sell refurbs) were a tick below $3000. Plus you would have rebates to take advantage of as well.

MORE LINKS

Here are few links to check out regarding Frigidaire appliances:
- Frigidaire’s Home Page
- Frigidaire Gallery Home Page
- Frigidaire Professional Collection

In Part 2 tomorrow….amidst all of the hulabaloo created by the resounding success of the GE Cafe line, it seems that GE’s Profile line has been lost amidst the clamor for Cafe. I’m here to debunk the notion that Profile is old, dated and/or seen better days. Profile is relevant, somewhat sexy and provides a great bang for your buck. Tomorrow we’ll get re-aquainted with it.