New kitchen appliances will not only make cooking for your family and friends a little easier, but will also attract more buyers if you sell your home.
Single men and married couples said new kitchen appliances rated ‘very important’ in their home-buying decision, according to a 2013 survey from the National Association of Realtors. Almost seven in 10 buyers said they would have paid more for a house with new appliances. And 37 percent added or replaced appliances soon after buying.
But the choices can be daunting. Using Consumer Reports’ 2016 Buying Guide, here’s a list that narrows down the options by showing the top-scoring and recommended kitchen appliances for each sub-category. Consumer Reports also selected “Best Buys,” which were not necessarily included in the below list unless they overlapped with the highest-rated appliance.
COOKTOPS
Consumer Reports looked at three types of cooktops—gas, electric and induction—in two common sizes, 30-inch and 36-inch. It tested the heating levels and compared different features such as power elements and finishes.
Credit: Kitchen Aid
Best 30-inch gas cooktop
Whirlpool WCG97US0DS
$900
Best 36-inch gas cooktop
Thermador SGSX365FS
$1,900
Best 30-inch electric smoothtops (tie)
KitchenAid KECC604BBL
$900
Maytag MEC7430WS
$700
Best 36-inch electric smoothtops (tie)
Maytag MEC7536W
$830
Maytag MEC7636W
$1,100
Best 30-inch electric induction (tie)
Kenmore 43820
$1,700
GE Profile PHP900DMBB
$1,400
Best (and only) 36-inch electric induction
Thermador CIT36XKB
$5,000
WALL OVENS
Consumer Reports looked at two types of wall ovens—double electric and single electric ones. It tested the oven’s settings for baking, broiling, oven capacity and self-cleaning along with comparing different features. Consumer Reports noted that a cooktop and wall oven will cost $2,000, while comparable ranges will cost less.
Best double electric wall ovens (tie)
Whirlpool WOD93EC0AS
$2,500
Maytag MEW9630A
$2,700
Best single electric ovens (tie)
Whirlpool WOS92EC0AH
$1,500
Maytag MEW9530AW
$1,400
RANGES
Consumer Reports looked at eight types of ranges, testing the cooktop’s heating levels and the oven’s settings for baking, broiling, oven capacity and self-cleaning.
Credit: Kitchen Aid
Best smoothtop, double oven (30-inch)
LG LDE3037ST
$1,300
Best smoothtop, single oven (30-inch)
Kenmore 95052
$1,100
Best electric coil
Kenmore 94142
$430
Best electric induction
Kenmore 95073
$1,530
Best gas and dual-fuel, double oven (30-inch)
KitchenAid KDRS505XSS
$2,500
Best gas and dual-fuel, single oven (30-inch)
Samsung NX58F5700WS
$1,600
Best pro-style gas and dual-fuel (30-inch)
KitchenAid KDRS-407VSS Dual-fuel
$4,000
Best pro-style gas and dual-fuel (36-inch)
KitchenAid KDRU-763VSS Dual-fuel
$6,000
REFRIGERATORS
Consumer Reports looked at six types of refrigerators, testing temperature performance, energy efficiency, noise and ease of use. It also considered a range of features such as freezer capacity and exterior width, depth and height.
Credit: Kenmore
Best top-freezer
Frigidaire Gallery FGHI2164QF
$1,100
Best bottom-freezers (tie)
Kenmore Elite 79043
$1,510
LG LDC24370ST
$1,650
Best three-door, French-door bottom-freezers (tie)
Kenmore Elite 74093
$2,800
LG LFXS32766S
$2,900
Best four-door, French-door bottom-freezers (three-way tie)
Samsung Chef Collection RF34H9960S4
$5,400
Kenmore Elite 72483
$3,600
LG LMXS30746S
$2,850
Best side-by-side
Samsung RS25H5121SR
$1,900
Best built-in
Miele MasterCool KF1903SF
$8,600
DISHWASHERS
Consumer Reports looked at conventional dishwashers, testing washing performance, energy use, noise, ease of use and cycle time. It also considered a range of features such as hidden controls and self-cleaning filter.
Best conventional dishwashers (tie)
KitchenAid KDTM354DSS
$1,080
Kenmore Elite 12793
$1,200
MICROWAVES
Consumer Reports looked at two types of microwaves, countertop and over-the-range. It tested heating and defrosting evenness, speed of heating, noise, venting and size.
Best large countertop
Panasonic Inverter NN-H965BF
$180
Best over-the-range
GE Profile PVM9215SFSS
$550
Consumer Reports reviewed more than 2,000 brand-name electronics, home appliances, garden supplies and paint for its 2016 Buying Guide. The guide offers reviews, recommendations and advice on purchasing these items. For more information, buy and download the guide here.
