Hello,
We are currently planning our kitchen and visiting various kitchen showrooms.
Every time we mention that we would like a refrigerator, freezer, and zero-degree zone all in one appliance, the salespeople grimace and say that there are only a very few models like that.
Over the weekend at MediaMarkt, we noticed that almost every freestanding fridge-freezer combination is equipped with a zero-degree compartment – this seems completely normal there.
This led us to wonder whether this is simply because these are built-in refrigerators, and freestanding ones might be somewhat more flexible? Of course, I am aware that I could research and buy any appliance myself to fit my preferences.
However, maybe there are real advantages or disadvantages to built-in combos?
I have already thought about this a bit, but I would be interested to hear your opinions and arguments on the topic!
A few details about our plans: We want an open farmhouse-style kitchen. The refrigerator will be located directly next to the tall cabinets (0 – 2.20m (7 ft 3 in)) and would either stand free at the end of the kitchen or be integrated into the tall cabinets. The kitchen starts to the right of the fridge, and to the left is soon the entrance door to the living room.
What are your thoughts?
Best regards,
Roppo
We are currently planning our kitchen and visiting various kitchen showrooms.
Every time we mention that we would like a refrigerator, freezer, and zero-degree zone all in one appliance, the salespeople grimace and say that there are only a very few models like that.
Over the weekend at MediaMarkt, we noticed that almost every freestanding fridge-freezer combination is equipped with a zero-degree compartment – this seems completely normal there.
This led us to wonder whether this is simply because these are built-in refrigerators, and freestanding ones might be somewhat more flexible? Of course, I am aware that I could research and buy any appliance myself to fit my preferences.
However, maybe there are real advantages or disadvantages to built-in combos?
I have already thought about this a bit, but I would be interested to hear your opinions and arguments on the topic!
A few details about our plans: We want an open farmhouse-style kitchen. The refrigerator will be located directly next to the tall cabinets (0 – 2.20m (7 ft 3 in)) and would either stand free at the end of the kitchen or be integrated into the tall cabinets. The kitchen starts to the right of the fridge, and to the left is soon the entrance door to the living room.
What are your thoughts?
Best regards,
Roppo
D
Deliverer23 Jan 2018 15:54Alternative: recessed cooktop. This keeps the edges intact and makes cleaning much easier. However, it requires about three times higher countertop costs.
And, as mentioned several times, choose a countertop depth of 80 cm (31.5 inches). A very simple measure, not a technical gimmick, and no appliance can match this improvement in comfort. All with very manageable additional costs.
And, as mentioned several times, choose a countertop depth of 80 cm (31.5 inches). A very simple measure, not a technical gimmick, and no appliance can match this improvement in comfort. All with very manageable additional costs.
Deliverer schrieb:
...
And, as mentioned several times, choose a countertop depth of 80 cm (31.5 inches). A very simple measure, but neither a technical gimmick nor a device can surpass this gain in comfort. And it comes with very reasonable additional costs.Simple???
That means a larger kitchen. With an L-shaped layout and a standard room arrangement in the house, this implies extending and widening the house by 20 cm (8 inches). The adjoining rooms grow accordingly. This can be an advantage, but costs will still increase. So it is not simple at all.
Or am I misunderstanding you?
D
Deliverer23 Jan 2018 16:16What can a 20cm (8 inches) extension really cost?!
No: of course, if you don’t have the space, you can’t do it. But some people even plan for an island in the kitchen because they have no use for the dance floor otherwise. (Warning: may contain traces of sarcasm).
Specifically: if 20cm (8 inches) of cabinet space are removed from the short side of the "L," this is compensated several times over by deeper drawers on the long side. So, there’s no need to enlarge the house. Only 20cm (8 inches) of “walking space” is lost. Those who have it should use it that way. Those who don’t are out of luck.
And there are many readers here whose kitchen layout is not yet finalized. For them, this “simple” tip might come just in time...
No: of course, if you don’t have the space, you can’t do it. But some people even plan for an island in the kitchen because they have no use for the dance floor otherwise. (Warning: may contain traces of sarcasm).
Specifically: if 20cm (8 inches) of cabinet space are removed from the short side of the "L," this is compensated several times over by deeper drawers on the long side. So, there’s no need to enlarge the house. Only 20cm (8 inches) of “walking space” is lost. Those who have it should use it that way. Those who don’t are out of luck.
And there are many readers here whose kitchen layout is not yet finalized. For them, this “simple” tip might come just in time...
Here is my input on the subject:
Refrigerator: Definitely go for a freestanding model. As mentioned before, built-in refrigerators rarely offer a 0-degree compartment, and the freezer section is usually very small. We had a surround made for our refrigerator from the countertop material, so it integrates nicely into the overall design.
Cooktop: I would also recommend an 80cm (31.5 inches) wide induction cooktop. We have an 80cm induction cooktop from S*****s with a warming zone in the middle (which we have never used). Once you experience induction compared to traditional cooktops, you won’t want to go back. We really like it. With the boost function, water boils faster than in a kettle. Plus, we no longer have issues with melted plastic bowls on the burners. However, I would recommend a touch slider control for adjusting the heat levels (when increasing or decreasing). Our cooktop uses + and – buttons, which is a bit inconvenient. We have a version with a frame around the cooktop; I can’t say how it is without it.
Oven: Standard width at chest height, also from S*****s, with a pyrolytic self-cleaning function. In two years, I have used it twice, and the oven still looks like new afterward. The cleaning cycle takes about 90 minutes. I also tried oven cleaner spray and steam with lemon, etc., but those methods removed almost nothing. You have to remove the racks, which takes about 20 seconds.
Refrigerator: Definitely go for a freestanding model. As mentioned before, built-in refrigerators rarely offer a 0-degree compartment, and the freezer section is usually very small. We had a surround made for our refrigerator from the countertop material, so it integrates nicely into the overall design.
Cooktop: I would also recommend an 80cm (31.5 inches) wide induction cooktop. We have an 80cm induction cooktop from S*****s with a warming zone in the middle (which we have never used). Once you experience induction compared to traditional cooktops, you won’t want to go back. We really like it. With the boost function, water boils faster than in a kettle. Plus, we no longer have issues with melted plastic bowls on the burners. However, I would recommend a touch slider control for adjusting the heat levels (when increasing or decreasing). Our cooktop uses + and – buttons, which is a bit inconvenient. We have a version with a frame around the cooktop; I can’t say how it is without it.
Oven: Standard width at chest height, also from S*****s, with a pyrolytic self-cleaning function. In two years, I have used it twice, and the oven still looks like new afterward. The cleaning cycle takes about 90 minutes. I also tried oven cleaner spray and steam with lemon, etc., but those methods removed almost nothing. You have to remove the racks, which takes about 20 seconds.
A brief note on operating the cooktop. Last fall, I bought a new Neff cooktop with the TwistPad system. I really like this control with the magnetic rotary knob. For cleaning, you simply remove the knob and wipe the cooktop like a regular one.
Neff ovens offer three different racks that look almost identical externally but are designed for three different purposes (standard, AquaClean, pyrolytic). I chose the one suitable for pyrolytic cleaning and don’t have to remove anything.
Neff ovens offer three different racks that look almost identical externally but are designed for three different purposes (standard, AquaClean, pyrolytic). I chose the one suitable for pyrolytic cleaning and don’t have to remove anything.
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