NEDC’s Design Process: Appliance Selection for Your Lifestyle

In this video showcasing NEDC’s process, Design Coordinator Caitlin Kazunas takes us through Yale Appliance with Dan Bjork to look into the major appliances we help clients specify as part of our Design Development Phase.

Choosing Your Appliance Package with Yale Appliance

Introduction

Caitlyn (NEDC): Hi, I’m Caitlyn with NEDC. Today I’m with Dan at Yale Appliance to walk through some considerations when choosing your appliance package, whether that be for your kitchen or laundry space.

Dan (Yale Appliance): Hey, thanks, Caitlyn. I’d be happy to walk you around and show you our normal customer experience here at Yale.

Counter-Depth vs. Full-Depth and Panel-Ready Refrigerators

Caitlyn: Let’s start with refrigeration, an appliance that people use every single day. What is the difference between these two that we’re looking at?

Dan: As a general category, most freestanding refrigerators come in a full depth and a counter depth. The big difference is that a traditional full-depth refrigerator protrudes about 29 inches in the body, plus the door. So in a standard 24-inch-deep cabinet setup, you’re sticking out about 5 or 6 inches, plus the depth of that door. A counter-depth refrigerator is around 24 inches in the body, so the only thing sticking out from the cabinetry is the door. It gives you a much more streamlined look, and it definitely comes closer to what you would consider a built-in.

Caitlyn: Right. With NEDC, something to consider is the dimensions of the appliances. While we would urge you to go with a counter depth, we could easily design cabinetry around a full depth. But would you say that the cubic feet are similar to one another?

Dan: They’re about 5 cubic feet different. The way I usually present it to most of my customers, it really comes down to whether it’s big enough to suit your needs. If you’re a family of five and you don’t have any additional refrigeration, such as a beverage center, a garage fridge or a basement fridge, then it might be worth considering a full-depth refrigerator over a counter depth. But if you have some extra room or you’re a smaller family, you’re really not going to notice that difference in cubic footage with a counter depth. For most of these, it’s about what is best for the consumer: how they use the appliance and what their needs are for that refrigeration space.

Caitlyn: Right. Functionality is a big point that you hit on there, and that’s also where NEDC comes in, building around what is functional for you. This installation here is obviously geared toward the counter depth, but there’s no reason why NEDC can’t build it out and make it look like it was always supposed to fit in the space.

Dan: Yes, I’ve had many people do that in the past, and it works out well when it’s planned properly.

Caitlyn: Dan, what I appreciate about our partnership with Yale is that you’re there for the functionality and NEDC is here for the aesthetic. In front of us we have the stainless steel option and a panel-ready option, which some clients are interested in. What would you say about these two refrigerators?

Dan: A lot of people, when they’re thinking about panel ready, want it to disappear into the cabinetry and look like a piece of furniture, especially with these new machines that have multiple drawers. It really does look like a pantry space, which is really nice, and it blends in. With these bigger refrigerators, it’s an awful lot of stainless steel, especially when you go from a 36 to a 42 or a 48. That’s a lot of stainless steel to clean. So people gravitate toward panel ready, sometimes not to hide the refrigerator, but simply to minimize the amount of stainless steel for a really nice, clean look.

Range vs. Cooktop and Wall Oven: Gas, Dual Fuel or Induction

Caitlyn: Moving on to the cooking appliances, there are a few different ways we can approach them. One is a range, versus splitting it up between a cooktop and a wall oven. Dan, what’s your take on that?

Dan: For a lot of people, it comes down to functionality. Personally, I would love to have a cooktop with some drawers underneath for storing pots and pans. I also like the idea of a single wall oven with something like a microwave-convection combination. It fits a lot into a small area, and as you get older, it’s nice not to have to bend. But when people think of a professional kitchen, they’re really thinking of the 36- or 48-inch ranges. The 30-inch ranges are also nice and really compact for that area. So it comes down to the size of your kitchen, what your needs are for cooking surface space, and how many ovens you need depending on how much cooking and entertaining you do. There are a lot of options to explore to figure out what suits you and what works well for your lifestyle.

Caitlyn: If a client wants to go with a range, what are a few things they need to consider?

Dan: There are three major versions of ranges. Right now we’re in front of a Wolf dual-fuel range. A dual-fuel range has a gas top with an electric oven. You can get a very similar version in all gas, which is a gas top and a gas oven. And becoming really popular today are induction ranges, which have an electric oven and an induction top. It depends on how people cook and what they like to do. Induction has really taken the industry by storm over the last 10 to 20 years. It’s very even, very safe, very controllable and really nice to use, and for a lot of people, it’s just really easy to clean. But some people, my wife for example, are purists. She wants gas. She’s cooked on gas her entire life, that’s what she’s used to, and that’s what she wants.

Then you have dual fuel for people who want a really good baking experience with an electric oven, which is very even, and the gas top for the controllability. So there are a bunch of different ways you can go. With a cooktop and wall oven setup, the wall ovens are almost always going to be electric, but for the cooktop you have the option of all gas or induction, so you can mix and match depending on your style and cooking preferences.

How Induction Cooking Works (Live Demo)

Caitlyn: We talked a little about induction. I grew up with electric, so for someone who’s unfamiliar with induction or curious about making the swap, can you tell us more about what that cooking experience is like?

Dan: Absolutely, and it is very different. Over the last 20 years or so, what we call radiant electric has been dying a slow death. Let’s talk about how they work. A lot of us remember the old-school coil-top range. In a radiant range, that coil is still there; it’s just underneath the glass. The element heats up, the glass heats up, the pan heats up, and then the food heats up. It’s a convoluted path.

This is induction. The surface material is the same. The difference is that underneath the glass is a magnetic generator. Through magnetism, it excites the molecules in the bottom of the pan, and through that friction, the bottom of the pan is what gets hot. It’s a direct transfer of energy to the bottom of the pan, and that provides a whole range of benefits compared to regular electric.

The first thing for me is safety. Although this entire element is on, you can put your hand down and nothing will happen, because I’m not magnetic. The bottom of the pan is, so that is what gets hot.

The other big upgrade is evenness and controllability. A regular radiant electric cooktop really pulses; it can’t maintain a specific temperature. If it’s on high, it’s on more than it’s off. If it’s on low, it’s off more than it’s on, but it can still scorch things and cook inconsistently. Induction will maintain a specific temperature. On most of these units, you can put chocolate in, set it to melt, walk away for eight hours, and come back to melted chocolate, not a burnt mess.

Another point is cleanability. Regular electric cooktops end up with a burnt-on ring, because the top gets so hot that anything that boils over, or any residue on the bottom of your pan, bakes onto it. With induction, the top gets residually warm from the pan, but not hot enough for anything to stick. It’s much easier to wipe.

As you may have noticed, this is a really fast boil, in about two minutes. It’s really fast and really efficient. The story I always tell: when my wife and I moved into our first apartment, we had an electric range. She had only ever cooked on gas, and she burned the first couple of meals because she turned the burner off and walked away, not realizing the top was still screaming hot. As you can see, this turned down very quickly, and you can bring it right back up to a boil just as fast. That means you don’t have to move the pot. If you were boiling something on an electric cooktop and wanted to drop it to a simmer, you’d have to move burners. Here you don’t. When you put it all together, it makes for a much better cooking experience, especially compared to electric.

Caitlyn: That is incredible. I always love this demo because of how fast it boils and the absolute control you have over it.

Dan: Absolutely.

Range Hood Styles and Kitchen Ventilation

Dan: For ventilation, there are some specific things I go over with all my customers about functionality. We want to make sure it’s going to work for the cooking surface. But for now, I’ll just point out a few styles to think about.

One of the most popular today is the chimney-style hood. These come in a variety of shapes, styles and colors, but this is the basic design I would call a chimney hood. It’s great for most applications over a cooktop. It’s not as good over a bigger 36- or 48-inch pro range, but it’s a great option for induction and basic cooktops.

This style I would call a professional canopy hood. It’s what most people think of in a professional kitchen or a professional-style design. It’s very popular, with very good ventilation and a good capture area. But for some people, it’s just too much stainless steel.

So probably the most popular version we do is a hood insert. This is where you buy the guts from Yale, which is really just the vent and the power pack that runs it, and your cabinetmaker builds the outside. That way you can fit it to the style you like, minimize stainless steel, and still get a good ventilation experience.

Caitlyn: Again, that’s where Yale and NEDC collaborate. You’re providing the function and we’re providing the aesthetic. We often push our clients to go with the insert so that we can create a beautiful hood that matches the rest of the kitchen.

Dan: And one quick note on ventilation: I tell people it’s something we want to pay attention to. The last thing I want is for a client to pick out an amazing range and then be disappointed because it smokes out the kitchen. So we like to marry form and function, so you get a lot out of the ventilation and can really enjoy your cooking.

Caitlyn: There’s a lot of design that goes into your appliance selection, if you will.

Dan: Absolutely.

Microwave Drawers and Speed Ovens

Caitlyn: Another very common appliance in the kitchen is the microwave, whether people love it or hate it. One way to approach it is a drawer style, which maybe not everyone is familiar with.

Dan: Absolutely. This is another appliance that has really gained in popularity over the last 10 to 20 years. They’re almost exclusively made by Sharp, no matter what name is on the unit, and it’s really just a microwave that comes in a drawer. It’s great for taller people and people who don’t want to bend over, and if you use it a lot, it’s very handy. Because they’re made for pretty much every brand, if you have a specific style or design, most companies will pair it so the look stays consistent throughout the kitchen. It’s a very popular design today.

Caitlyn: And it keeps the counter a little cleaner, set into the cabinetry. Another option is that NEDC is happy to build a cubby where you can insert your own freestanding microwave, if the drawer doesn’t fit your needs.

Dan: One of the other popular versions is what we call a speed oven. There are a few varieties, and pretty much every brand makes one, but in essence, it plays double duty. First, it’s a regular microwave. In my house, nine times out of ten, if you open it up, that’s how it’s being used: reheating a beverage, defrosting something, popping popcorn, the usual stuff.

The other function is an actual convection oven, with no microwave involved. There’s an element in the back with a fan that blows the hot air in and circulates it around. That’s great for small things. Say the kids want pizza from last night: I can reheat five or six slices in the time it would have taken me to run multiple slices through the toaster.

It’s also great in smaller kitchens where you don’t need two full-size ovens, because this will act as one. If it’s the holidays and you have your turkey in the main oven at 425 and a couple of sides you want to cook at 350, this is exactly what you want for that situation. It’s a real space saver, because it’s playing double duty. You don’t have to find another place in your kitchen for a microwave, especially in a smaller kitchen. And if you want that microwave plus a smaller second oven, you get the best of both worlds in one small package.

Caitlyn: Sounds like a good investment.

Dan: Absolutely.

How to Choose a Dishwasher

Caitlyn: Dan, when it comes to dishwashers, is there really any difference between them?

Dan: There are a few things today that are very similar with pretty much any dishwasher you open, from the mid-range to the high end. A stainless steel interior is standard on most of them, which allows the insulation to be baked on, so they’re nice and quiet. Nearly every one also has a certain amount of flexibility: middle racks that adjust up and down, tines that fold, wine glass holders and a third rack. That’s standard equipment on most dishwashers today.

If someone has a big ask, it’s usually a better dry. Most of these will give you a quiet dishwasher, a good dry, and something that won’t be problematic in the early years. Many years ago, there were only a couple of brands I would recommend. Today there are a lot you can go with, whether it’s Bosch or KitchenAid, which are very requested, or Miele, which is a very nice high-end option. Now you’ve also got GE, LG, Asko and more in the mix that deliver all of that.

The nice thing about dishwashers is that the standard size is 24 inches, so there aren’t a lot of size choices to make. A lot of times it comes down to simple things, like how you like to load it, since one may have an interior setup that works better for you than another. Beyond that, it’s a question of whether you want a pocket handle, a towel bar handle, or something panel ready that blends right into the kitchen, depending on what else you’re doing design-wise.

Beverage Centers, Wine Coolers and Ice Makers

Caitlyn: Once we’ve got the core of the kitchen picked out, I often find that clients want some auxiliary appliances to get the function they’re after. What do we have in front of us here?

Dan: This is our undercounter refrigeration selection. It comes in a bunch of different flavors, and the nice thing is that, like dishwashers, they’re almost all 24 inches.

One of our more popular versions is the beverage center. It’s great for the things you want really frosty cold: beer, juice, water and my favorite, seltzer. It’s also really nice because it’s accessible. Most have a glass window, so it’s great for guests. Someone can come in and grab a drink, which is kind of a way of saying, “Stay out of my kitchen. You don’t need to be in my refrigerator,” but everything is right there.

Another popular version is the wine cooler. These usually provide temperature control, and most have a couple of zones, so you can keep your whites at 43 and your reds at 55, or whatever temperatures you like. They’re also very nice for display. The one thing I point out about wine cellars in particular is that not all of them are meant to go below 40 degrees. So if you’ll be using it more for beer, juice or salsa, you really want to stick with a beverage center.

The nice thing is that a lot of brands now make units that do both. We have a couple of vertical and horizontal split units that let you keep your whites at 43 and still have room for your beer at a different temperature.

Caitlyn: Sounds like the best of both worlds. I love that.

Dan: It definitely provides flexibility for the people who want it. Another popular option is refrigerator drawers, which you can also get as freezer drawers if you need auxiliary freezer space. These are great for prep areas where, unlike the beverage center, you don’t want everything visible. This is where you stack the things you’ll be prepping for tonight’s meal. You can also panel them so they blend right into the cabinetry, which is something a lot of people really like to do.

Caitlyn: Dan, it’s kind of a funny thing to say, but I feel like ice is very popular right now. People are very particular about their ice. Where would you point someone who’s looking for their special ice?

Dan: There are definitely a couple of options. These undercounter ice makers are very popular. You have clear ice, which is very slow melting and great for cocktails. And what’s become really popular today is nugget ice, the kind you’d get at Sonic, which people also call chewable ice. It’s very popular these days and a nice option for someone who entertains a lot.

Choosing a Washer and Dryer

Caitlyn: Beyond kitchen appliances, Yale is also able to offer us laundry units. Dan, what are a couple of things to know about laundry?

Dan: There are a bunch of different options today. Front loaders are still our most popular, though we offer top loaders as well. Sticking with front loaders, you can go side by side or stacked, and on pedestals or down on the floor. A lot of it comes down to the space you’re working with. If you have a small closet, a stacked unit is super handy and lets you fit laundry where you couldn’t before. Personally, I like side by side, down on the floor, so I have a nice work area. But my parents are getting older, so they went with pedestals so they don’t have to bend down. There are many options with both front loaders and top loaders, depending on your space and what’s best for how you’ll use it.

Caitlyn: Speaking about NEDC’s clientele, we work with a lot of families, whether that’s a family of four or five, and that means a lot of laundry. What does sizing look like between units?

Dan: Great question. One of the funny things I run into a lot is people coming in looking for the largest capacity they can get, just reading down the line at cubic footage. I tell people it’s not about the cubic footage itself; it’s about what that equates to in what you can physically wash. A front loader at 4.5 cubic feet can handle a bigger load than a top loader with an agitator at a similar number.

The way I usually frame it is: what’s the biggest load you do on a normal basis? For my household, it’s a queen-size comforter, so I don’t have to go crazy. My mother-in-law is a little different. She has two Great Pyrenees and is washing dog beds all the time, so stepping her up to a bigger size is definitely helpful for her situation. More than anything else, it comes down to that.

Caitlyn: Going off of size, there are also compact washers and dryers. When might someone be interested in compact versus going with the biggest capacity they can?

Dan: There are a couple of reasons you might want a compact set. The first is an apartment: you have a smaller space, and one or two people who don’t need a huge capacity, especially in the city. The other place we find them very popular is a nice walk-in closet. You might have the big set down in the basement, but you want something in the walk-in closet, especially something like a Miele with really good clothing care, for people who want to do their dress shirts and wash their silks and wools. So there are different reasons for going compact, either as additional laundry or to fit laundry into a smaller space that couldn’t hold it otherwise.

Caitlyn: The biggest thing to think about when selecting laundry, again, is asking clients why they need it, and then making the selection based on the way they’ll use it.

Dan: Absolutely, and that goes a long way for size. The story I tell everybody is that I was limited on space, so I got a medium-size set. With four kids at home at the time, we were doing two loads a day, and I didn’t think it was big enough. It turns out two medium-size loads a day is what it takes to keep up, so it works fine, and the biggest load we do is a queen-size comforter. I fell into the same trap as some of my customers. Did I really need the bigger size? No, it’s fine without it. That’s why I stress to people: make sure it does what you need it to do. Anything more than that, you’re probably paying for something you don’t need.

All-in-One Washer-Dryer Combos

Caitlyn: Dan, what makes this laundry unit in front of us special?

Dan: A couple of things. For years, there have been companies making all-in-one units, mostly smaller European models. These are full-size American units. This will take a king-size comforter and both wash and dry it. Basically, you put dirty clothes in, and clean, dry clothes come out.

Caitlyn: That’s incredible.

Dan: We’ve tested both of these, and you can find videos on them in our Learning Center, where we do a deep dive comparing them so you know the pluses and minuses and how well they work. In our testing, they performed as advertised: they did a good job washing and drying in a reasonable amount of time. The big question is going to be longevity. They’ve been out close to three years now, which, for a first-generation product, isn’t nearly enough time to know what the reliability will be.

They’re great for smaller spaces. One of the neatest things about both units is their heat pump drying system, which lets them dry your clothes without venting outside. It’s 50% more energy efficient and much gentler on clothes. And a standard 110 outlet will run either unit. So if you have a spot where you can’t vent, you don’t need to; you just have to run the water and you’ve got a laundry setup. They really open up the ability to have laundry, or at least a full-size set, in places where you couldn’t before.

Caitlyn: From a user standpoint, say you’re headed to work in the morning: you throw your dirty clothes in, and by the time you get home, it’s all dried. You don’t have to come home and do the swap.

Dan: Exactly. And most of these are Wi-Fi enabled, so you can start them from your phone. I find it’s probably easier to set a delay start of seven hours so it finishes when you get home. There are definitely options with these machines.

Closing

Caitlyn: That wraps up our basic overview of appliances. Dan, thank you so much for your expertise. I always appreciate your stories. They show that you actually use these appliances and know what’s best.

Dan: Absolutely. Thank you so much for coming in. If you go to yaleappliance.com, we have a great Learning Center with a big catalog of videos. Our owner, Steve, does an amazing job with our social media. It’s a great place to get ideas and take things in piecemeal. Instead of coming in and committing a whole hour, you can watch these videos five minutes at a time, and I think you’ll really learn a lot.

Caitlyn: Great. Thank you so much, Dan.

Dan: Thanks for coming in.