Appliances, Trends, and Ideas You Should Avoid in 2024

In my 38 years at Yale, appliance shopping has never been harder.

I said that back in 2022 when supply chain issues were a problem.

Now, you have a whole series of problems you need to consider.

So, this article is almost all new compared to last year.

It is also structured differently.

The worst problem is first, but the other serious problems are last, including one new one that will change how you shop – hopefully for the better

But let's start with some beautiful kitchen photos.

You might initially find these kitchens appealing, but as you read the article, you'll discover that each one has a large problem.

I have one question for you:

Let’s get started.

Looking for answers about Appliances?

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Appliances, Trends, and Ideas You Should Avoid in 2024

The Problems of Venting Wrong

We have all been in someone's home that smelled like the last thing they cooked.

However, it's a bigger problem now.

Burner Output

My mom had a Caloric, high-low gas range growing up. They do not make high-low ranges anymore, but it had two stoves and four burners, plus a pull-out hood on the top.

I can't remember her opening that pull-out hood on the top.

However, that Caloric range had a max output of about 8,000 BTU (British Thermal Units).

The minimum high output on a basic range is 15,000, but many are 20,000 BTU or more.

The average range has 2-3 times more output than the stoves of the 1980s.

Unlike our parent's draftier homes, new energy-efficient materials keep that chemical brew in your house longer.

Before you panic, let's look at how to vent properly.

How to Vent Properly: The Fuji Steak House

I grew up in Needham. My daughter goes to school in Needham.

The playdates somehow end up at the Fuji Steakhouse.

But you would think that place with its multiple hibachis would stink, be greasy, and generally unhealthy.

The opposite is true. It's incredibly clean.

Now look at the venting.

So, if this is venting right, most of what is sold is incorrect.

Remember this formula: Venting = CFM (power of the exhaust) + capture (depth of hood) + ducting (size and run)

The Over-the-Range Microwaves and Slide-Out Range Hoods

Over-the-range microwaves were one of my favorite appliances when introduced in the 1990s.

However, they haven't changed much, while stoves have.

The most powerful gas burners are in the front of the stove at about 22 inches.

These burners are now 15,000-22,000 BTU compared to 8,000-10,000 BTU when I started at Yale.

The over-the-range microwave is about 16 inches deep, so the smoke bypasses the vent.

I should know. I had an over-the-range microwave in my rental apartment last year.

Most people aren't buying slide-out hoods anymore, but that slide-out glass doesn't cover the burners or provide enough capture, even if it did.

People have asked us why we sell over-the-range microwaves when we don't recommend them.

Unfortunately, we can't do much if the kitchen plan is already designed with an over-the-range microwave.

The only solution is to use a hood and place a microwave elsewhere.

There are so many new yet bad over-the-range microwaves with even shallower depths of 10 inches. Stay away from the whole category if you can.

Side Note: Yes, we sell over-the-range microwaves, but it's frequently too late to change the specifications. While over-the-range microwaves are better than nothing, they should not be the standard when designing a new space.

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Downdrafts

Venting requires a hood to capture the smoke with a short vent directly to the outside.

Then how effective are downdrafts that do the opposite?

Downdrafts are the 1980s and 1990s way of putting your cooking on an island to entertain guests by losing the visual of an overhead hood.

It was bad in the 1980s when the average burner was 6,000-10,000 BTU.

Now it's worse, with the average burner being 12,000-21,000 BTU.

You have better options, like using a hood or centralizing your sink on an island.

JennAir finally discontinued its downdraft range.

However, many manufacturers are introducing new downdraft cooktops.

I argued with a guest chef from a prestigious manufacturer about their new downdraft system.

He said it wasn't a problem.

I asked him what restaurants use downdrafts.

You now have high output ranges similar to restaurant or commercial-style ranges.

If you like to cook, you need to vent your kitchen range properly.

It doesn't matter whether you place a powerful downdraft on the back because the high-output burners are still in the front.

Shallow Hoods

There are many hoods that do not effectively capture smoke, grease, or other fumes emitted while cooking. 

Ceiling Blowers

In the 1980s, I lived in Cambridge.

They placed a high-powered bath vent over a stove, and the ceiling around it was almost black with grease.

These new ceiling blowers are far better but can't be placed everywhere.

You must read the instructions before placing them on your cathedral ceiling.

Still, the next two trends are the most dangerous.

Not Venting Your Kitchen Range or Using a Recirculating Vent

If you look on Houzz or other online design magazines, you should see 60-inch pro ranges with no ventilation.

Even with an average gas range of 50,000-60,000 BTU, you significantly impact the quality of the air you breathe inside your house.

Yet, you are shown not to vent with a 120,000 BTU range.

Recirculating Hoods

Lastly, recirculating vents treat the smoke and odor, not the more dangerous fumes off your stove.

In some cases, the air is blown back directly into your face.

Bonus Problem: Make-Up Air

For a good reason, using a range hood that meets make-up air requirements is a law in Massachusetts. When you vent a small room of air every minute, you want a return of fresh air.

If not, that air is "made up" from your garage, attic, or furnace. That's not healthy air.

Even if your state doesn't have a make-up air law, you should have fresh air return.

You can create a return through your HVAC or at least 10 feet from your stove on the opposite side.

Learn More: Ventilation Buying Guide

The Best Kitchen Design Hack: My Version of the Kitchen Triangle

So, you have a new kitchen plan with the stove in the middle with a downdraft and don't want an overhead hood.

Instead, place the sink on the island.

Being at the sink is where you'll spend most of your time, making it easier to complete the "Kitchen Triangle" with your three most used appliances: sink, stovetop, and dishwasher.

You can light with pendants better than using an overhead hood on your island, as well.

By the way, download the Yale Appliance Buying Guide for how-tos, brand profiles, and answers to the most popular and unpopular questions. Over 1 million people have read this guide.

Now, let's lighten up (literally).

Outdated Color Trends to Avoid in 2024

Black Stainless

My parents have a black stainless refrigerator, albeit in their garage. However, how is this sure-to-peel finish still available?

Buy it and watch it peel.

Brown

Samsung is the last holdout with their Tuscan Bronze.

However, I have seen Coffee, Miele Truffle Bronze, JennAir Oil Rubbed Bronze, Cappuccino, Almond, and other brown finishes fade as a trend.

Why?

Because brown appliances don't match well with anything, even with brown cabinets.

Anything Not White, Black, or Stainless (Mostly)

The new popular color is white. The same popular color as when I started in 1986.

Back then, it was white on white.

Matte black is the next most popular. Try it with a copper or brass accent.

You don't see all green, orange, or red appliances with matching appliances in kitchens as often.

However, 75% of all BlueStar ranges purchased at Yale are in a custom color.

So, for a unique look, put a pop of color, whatever non-brown and non-black stainless, in your kitchen.

By the way, you can always add custom cabinet panels to most of your appliances as well and hide them.

PS: I always have comments about not being an authority on style - fair point. It is your kitchen. Do what you like and what makes you happy.

Trendy Colors

BlueStar has 1000 colors, Viking has 17, La Cornue 50, Fisher & Paykel and Cafe have three, and adding more.

Here is my theory:

Do a pop of color. It's unique like this:

But don’t do this:

Appliances to Avoid in 2024

1. Extended Warranties

Extended warranties aren't appliances, but you will buy them with appliances.

So why not?

Read this next line:

If you buy a French door refrigerator or pro range, you will need service within five years.

Yet extended warranties are not worth the aggravation.

Ninety-five percent of dealers do not have a service department, so you will be routed to a call center without one.

That's where the problem begins and ends with you giving up.

Buy an extended warranty only from a store with service, or don't bother.

Side Note: It's interesting to see State Farm now in the extended warranty business. It looks like Jake from State Farm will spend more time answering the phone with service issues than hanging out with athletes.

2. Extra Quiet Dishwashers

Forty-four decibels is the silence rating standard for a quiet dishwasher.

You won't hear your dishwasher while watching TV in the next room.

You don't need to spend more for a lower dB dishwasher unless you want other features.

Take Bosch as an example.

You can buy the 500 Series at $899 with a 44-decibel sound level, the 800 Series at $1,349 at 42 decibels, or the Benchmark at 38 decibels at $1,799.

For quietness, 44 dB is all you need.

3. Extra Large Laundry

Having more capacity is good at 5.8-6 cubic feet until you discover you paid over $1,000 more for a 0.8-1.3 cubic feet difference.

You also lose important features like automatic dispensers in the larger models.

A 4.5-5.3 capacity size is the average for a front load washer.

It's twice as big as our parents or grandparents ever had and where the most competitively priced washers are.

Read More: Best Front-Load Washers for 2024

4. Buying Relabeled Expensive Brands

Look at these Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and JennAir ranges:

It's the same range.

The KitchenAid and JennAir units have convection, warming drawers, and slightly higher burner outputs.

Their refrigerators are nearly identical as well.

You could say the same about GE Profile and Café Appliances, except Café has the color combinations, which is why people buy it anyway.

However, many brands market the same products produced by the same company, such as Sharp microwave drawers.

Every brand has one, but they are identical to Sharp for much higher prices.

In this case, buy the least expensive, which, oddly enough, is this SKS at $1,299 with a 5-year warranty.

On the other hand, if you are selling or flipping a house, better brand names can help you (unless they read this article).

5. Single Evaporator Refrigerators

My grandmother and mother both had one.

Most refrigerators have two evaporators, so the air doesn't mix between the refrigerator and the freezer.

6. 30-inch Dual Fuel Ranges

Ah yes, the speed of a gas stovetop with the even baking of an electric oven.

Except induction is much faster than gas with a far lower simmer.

You also have less emissions to vent.

It's also simple to clean because the top doesn't get extremely hot like an electric or gas burner.

Lastly, induction can't be turned on accidentally. The magnetic burners need to sense metal.

A straight gas stove is better if you like to roast or broil.

Of course, you should be asked how you cook before you buy any range.

OK, now let's get into some nightmares.

In the next section, we'll examine some popular products and ideas that can be problematic if you like cooking or using your kitchen.

If you are worried about your kitchen design, then download the Yale Appliance Buying Guide.

7. Pro-Style Ranges

Do a Google search on professional ranges.

You will see names like Forno and Bertazzoni on some ranking blogs.

You will be enthralled by the prices, typically 50-60% less than a Wolf or Thermador.

That is, until you start cooking. The burner outputs are much less.

The broilers are less than half the output and are not infrared like you expect.

The griddles are electric.

They look good if you flip a house, but the performance is lacking.

Read More: Pro-Style vs. Professional Ranges

8. Buying Unknown Brands

People have asked me what I thought about these brands on our YouTube channel and the blog.

I have deferred until now.

The best-selling brand is now in bankruptcy, while another has had a massive recall of 10,000 ranges due to Carbon Monoxide issues.

Before you buy that good-looking product online, see it first.

Then, ask about the service if you want to be shocked (there is none).

9. Buying an Appliance Not on a Holiday

Our industry is in a recession now.

Then again, we (the industry, not me) tortured you with price increases and availability issues from 2020-2022, so we had it coming.

So now the sales are in a predictable cadence.

• Presidents’ Day (now three weeks in February)
• Memorial Day/July 4: Now almost six weeks in May through July
• Labor Day: Now two weeks in August/September
• Black Friday: Now Halloween through Christmas

You will save 10-35% on these holidays. Maybe more as we all get more desperate.

So, buy it if you can during these days.

I realize if your washer breaks on April 7, you probably won't wait until Memorial Day to replace it.

Read More: The Best Times to Buy Appliances

10. Thinking There Is a Supply Chain Problem

There isn't.

Over the last three years, you have been subjected to ultimatums like buying it or waiting another 6-12 months.

Not anymore.

If you can, buy your appliances 90-120 days in advance, and you will be fine (unless you are buying a custom color appliance).

Put your money in a bank with a 5% yield.

11. Buying Your Appliances Online from an Online Realtor

Appliance Connection just filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

The business model of having one warehouse and shipping nationwide is too expensive, especially with damages.

Trucking is a huge issue and doing it on a large scale nationwide is impossible.

Buy online from a local or box store.

The costs of warehousing, insurance, and delivery all increased dramatically from 2020 to 2024, so be careful where you buy appliances.

As always, check the reviews.

Read More: How to Tell When an Appliance Store is Going Out of Business

12. Combo Washers and Dryers - Maybe

Combo washers and dryers were my favorite targets because they could not remove lint.

That lint would reduce efficiency and end up seizing the machine for an expensive future service call.

The new combos, like the GE UltraFast, address the lint issue with special filters.

But nobody knows what will happen in the long term.

Now look at this picture:

What happens if it doesn't work? That whole new laundry room must be renovated.

13. Last Point of Consideration: Appliance Service

Appliance service should be a short paragraph because most retailers and brands don't offer any help after the sale.

They don’t even employ a single technician.

Service is a tough process, from recruitment to parts to continuous training.

However, it is more important now than ever as manufacturers figure out their new supply chains.

We shipped fewer appliances in 2023 but had an increase of 9% in service.

That's pretty grim.

Key Takeaways

So, how did I do?

If I missed anything, leave it in the comments below.

Let's return to the three kitchens we showcased at the beginning of this article.

They all have venting issues. Plus, that first stovetop has a total output of roughly 100,000 BTU with no ventilation.

Let's see what it looks like in a few months.

Additional Resources

Want more information on the worst renovation mistakes to avoid? Get The Book of Bad Renovations to learn how to avoid a renovation failure. Well over 1 million people have read and trusted a Yale Guide.

Related Articles:

• How to Design Your Dream Kitchen With Luxury Appliances
• How to Plan Your Kitchen Appliance Project
• 11 Kitchen Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
• 6 Appliance Trends to Avoid

Appliances You Should Never Buy Series:

• 10 Kitchen Appliances You Should Never Buy
• 11 Kitchen Appliances You Should Never Buy: Part Two
• 7 Kitchen Appliances You Should Never Buy: Part Three