Three appliances on my wish list

Here's another "Threesome," in honor of Gold Notes' third anniversary this month. Throughout July, I'm bringing you three posts a week, each featuring a trio of information.

This one is about my own place. I’d like to update the kitchen in the townhome I purchased last November. Strictly speaking, Chez J's kitchen is just fine. Since the place was built in 2006 and I’m only the second owner, things are new and in pretty good shape. They’re just not in Jamie shape! The one non-functioning item that needed to be changed was a pull-out faucet that wouldn't swivel. Thankfully, it's gone now! I wrote about this in my first home update post a few months ago.

I also added a tilt-out tray in front of the sink to store scrubbers and scrapers, a double pull-out for trash and recycling, and drawer organizers for spices, cutlery and utensils. There are many more things I'd like to do, including swap out some of the appliances. Here are the changes I'd like to make in that regard.

I’ve never been a fan of over-the-range microwaves, especially above gas cooktops. I’d like to ditch them both, in favor of a dedicated vent hood and induction range. Here’s the range hood I’d like to get, which may not even require changing the cabinet above. As I wrote last March after returning from Vent-A-Hood training in Dallas, I believe their Magic Lung system to be the best on the market. This Nouveau Pro, which will be considerably quieter than the fan on the current micro, will be a big improvement, and should hook up to the current vent, as well.




I would love an induction range with a warming drawer. (I could save myself some money and go with an induction cooktop, leaving the single oven in place below, but then I wouldn’t get the warming drawer!) Right now, there aren’t many on the market. Hopefully, by the time my to-do list rolls around to this project, I’ll have more choices. If I were to buy one today, I’d go for this Kenmore Elite 4500.




Since I’ll be swapping out my current microwave with a vent fan, I’m going to need a replacement for it. My ideal would be a combination microwave/convection/steam oven. When I got back from Viking training a couple of years ago, I was totally sold on the benefits of steam cooking, but I don’t have room for two ovens.

KitchenAid has created this power trio, but is only offering it as the upper half of a double oven right now ((KEHU309SSS), I’ve been told. I’m hoping that changes by the time I’m ready to take on this project! Currently, the combination oven has a drop-down door, whereas every standard single microwave on the market has a left-hinge door. A left-hinge simply won’t work in the right corner where I want the new microwave to go. This is true for many client projects, as well. Designers have been asking for right hinge microwaves for years now but no one, to the best of my knowledge, has met the need yet.