You do not have to spend a ton of money on good looking appliances. Even after 18 months of tariffs hitting appliances hard, you still can buy stylish appliances at affordable prices.
There are three appliance package categories to fit everyone's budget and lifestyle:
Large companies now compete against smaller brand names in similar price ranges and products.
The mid-range is the most popular of all categories because you can buy better appliances without spending $16,000 and above for all luxury products and brands.
In this article, you will see the best mid-range to affordable luxury appliance packages from GE, Samsung, LG, Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS), Bosch, and JennAir.
First, let's define what makes a brand affordable luxury and how it differs from a luxury appliance brand.
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Affordable luxury is defined as well designed, yet more affordable products
In appliances, it can be defined as having a better French door refrigerator rather than a basic top mount or side-by-side refrigerator.
The stove is typically a slide-in convection range versus a freestanding range with a backguard, yet they are have convection for more even cooking.
The dishwasher is quiet and an over-the-range microwave is included.
Professional Range Display at Yale Appliance in Boston
Luxury appliances differ in terms of looks and function. The refrigerator can be paneled and/ or with the compressor on the top, and you can buy a professional range or wall oven and cooktop.
However, a luxury Sub-Zero/Wolf kitchen is $23,000-30,000 versus $5,000-$8,397 for an Affordable Luxury model.
Features:
This is a great package with a counter depth refrigerator (does not protrude past the cabinet for a cleaner look). The stove has convection for more even heat, and the dishwasher has plenty of options and good overall reliability.
Features:
LG has a slide in stove and a counter depth refrigerator under $4000. In my opinion, the best and least expensive way to improve the look of your kitchen is purchasing these two appliances.
You will be able to see your backsplash and your refrigerator will not stick out past the cabinets.
LG has pure convection or heat blown in from the rear for a more precise baking.
Features:
Somehow Bosch sells more packages with fewer overall choices. Perhaps their style and brand name sell the package.
They are known for their quiet dishwasher, but their ranges are solid as well.
For June, they have an additional $550 rebate for packages.
Features:
This refrigerator is interesting. It has four doors. The bottom right-hand door can be refrigerator or freezer. You also have a slide-in in this package as well.
Features:
Same as the previous package, with their noiseless 800 series 40 DB dishwasher.
Features:
Ge Profile is one of two affordable luxury lines offered by GE with Café being the other.
This package offers some unique features like Door in Door for easy access to your soft drinks and juices without opening the door.
You also have an induction in this package. Induction is magnetic heat and faster than even pro gas with a better simmer as well. It is the most child safe and requires less venting
The dishwasher has water jets on the racks for better bottle washing. You also have convection in the microwave to cook microwave, convection or a combination.
Features:
Highlights: This is a great package. The range is the largest in the industry and has two ovens. You have a counter-depth refrigerator with an interior water dispenser.
The microwave is also convection so it can be used as an oven, microwave or both to save time without sacrificing food quality. The dishwasher is integrated with hidden controls.
SKS is all Wi-Fi enabled appliances in a titanium finish. It looks different from stainless and has more of a chromium look. SKS is LGs best appliances, but the reason you would consider SKS is the better look.
Features:
Café is new and improved. It has a more distinctive industrial look than their Profile line. The microwave and dishwasher are similar to the Profile.
In gas, you now have the only 6 burner 30 inch range. I guess 6 beats 5 in counting, but how many times will you use 6 burners. Either way you have the flexibility in a nice looking range.
The refrigerator has Keurig K-Cup pod functionality built into the refrigerator. Now you do not need your Keurig on the counter.
You may want to consider Café in a color like the one below or any number of finishes. You also have copper, brass and steel accents for handles and knobs to distinguish your appliances.
Yale Appliance Framingham Showroom - Café Appliances Display
Features:
The pro range is the highlight of this package. It features 2 20,000 BTU burners, LCD display clock and twin convection. For the vent, you have a powerful Yale 600 CFM hood.
JennAir, Miele and Bosch/Thermador offer these packages with pro ranges mixed with lesser expensive, more affordable luxury appliances
For Mass residents, any hood over 400 CFM requires a make up air return in your house for new construction. It's easy to plan, and much harder to retrofit.
Download our ventilation buying guide for more information
Below is our mid-range to affordable luxury brands reliability statistics per product category. We based our statistics on the 34,687 service calls logged by our service department last year.
|
Service Qty |
Shipped Qty |
Service Ratio |
|
|
Signature Kitchen Suite |
2 |
33 |
6.06 % |
|
LG Electronics |
6 |
71 |
8.45 % |
|
Samsung |
133 |
1051 |
12.65 % |
|
Bosch Appliances |
105 |
408 |
25.74 % |
|
JennAir |
270 |
780 |
34.62 % |
|
Grand Total |
516 |
2343 |
17.50 % |
|
Service Qty |
Shipped Qty |
Service Ratio |
|
|
Signature Kitchen Suite |
0 |
17 |
0.00 % |
|
LG Electronics |
4 |
78 |
5.13 % |
|
Samsung |
85 |
915 |
9.29 % |
|
Bosch Appliances |
303 |
2735 |
11.08 % |
|
JennAir |
170 |
908 |
18.72 % |
|
Bosch - Benchmark |
38 |
158 |
24.05 % |
|
Grand Total |
600 |
4811 |
11.38 % |
|
Service Qty |
Shipped Qty |
Service Ratio |
|
|
Signature Kitchen Suite |
1 |
28 |
3.57 % |
|
Samsung |
52 |
944 |
5.51 % |
|
LG Electronics |
3 |
51 |
5.88 % |
|
Bosch Appliances |
44 |
227 |
19.38 % |
|
Bosch - Benchmark |
10 |
35 |
28.57 % |
|
JennAir |
134 |
418 |
32.06 % |
|
Grand Total |
244 |
1703 |
15.83 % |
|
Service Qty |
Shipped Qty |
Service Ratio |
|
|
LG Electronics |
0 |
49 |
0.00 % |
|
Samsung |
19 |
412 |
4.61 % |
|
Bosch Appliances |
15 |
105 |
14.29 % |
|
Bosch - Benchmark |
1 |
6 |
16.67 % |
|
JennAir |
28 |
78 |
35.90 % |
|
Signature Kitchen Suite |
1 |
1 |
100.00 % |
|
Grand Total |
64 |
651 |
28.58 % |
|
Service Qty |
Shipped Qty |
Service Ratio |
|
|
LG Electronics |
168 |
3085 |
5.45 % |
|
Samsung |
541 |
6352 |
8.52 % |
|
Bosch Appliances |
754 |
6751 |
11.17 % |
|
JennAir |
1056 |
4419 |
23.90 % |
|
Bosch - Benchmark |
156 |
504 |
30.95 % |
|
Grand Total |
2675 |
21,111 |
16.00 % |
Overall, Samsung is probably the most reliable based on kitchen appliances listed in this article.
Samsung does have an issue with service in some areas (as do the others to a lesser degree)...check who will be servicing before you buy for any brand.
LG is a bit deceptive because it covers mostly laundry.
It all depends on what you value. Counter depth is aesthetically better because it fits within your cabinets without protruding into your kitchen.
Yale Appliance Framingham Showroom - Samsung Counter Depth Refrigerators Display
You will like a slide-in because your backsplash will be uninterrupted by the ranges back guard. Focus on the refrigerator and stove because there is a nominal difference between the dishwashers and microwaves.
Yale Appliance Framingham Showroom - Samsung Slide-In Range Display
In terms of packages, JennAir offers the most popular with three ovens, the counter-depth refrigerator, and the slide-in range. As for Samsung and Bosch, they are more stylish.
Café Applainces allows you to customize with different color and trim options. Both Café and Profile offer decent cooking and refrigeration.
But all are excellent options.
There is no one best package for everyone. You should always start with the basics.
First is to know your measurements and what will fit in your space. It may seem odd, but in the city like Boston, your refrigerator can be 24-48 inches wide. Ranges can be 20-48 inch.
Typically, the refrigerator is 36 inches and the range is 30 inch, but measure anyway.
The second is to know the fuel type you will need. Is it gas or electric. Don’t be in a rush to run propane or a gas line when induction is a better range.
Then again in certain buildings, you do not have the amps to run an induction range.
The third is to focus on venting. Inspectors in certain areas are checking for Makeup Air. If you are venting a professional range or want a hood over 400 CFM, you have to plan for Makeup Air (I know I am mentioning this again).
It is simple to do at the beginning of your project and way harder after the fact. We explain this better in this article.
Now the easiest part is choosing your appliance features and types.
Top Mount: You see top mounts on the less expensive packages with freezer on the top and refrigerator on the bottom.
Yale Appliance Boston Showroom Top Mount Refrigerators Display
There is nothing wrong with a top mount, BTW, except you do stoop for fruits and veggies. They are also available only in the 18 and 21 cubic foot styles.
Side-By-Side: You have organized storage in a side-by-side, but less lateral storage for trays and platters.
Yale Appliance Boston Showroom Side-by-Side Refrigerators Display
French Door: Side-by-Side top with a pull out drawer. It is the most popular because you do have lateral storage.
Yale Appliance Boston Showroom French Door Refrigerators Display
Counter Depth: These refrigerators do not protrude past the cabinet, so you do not see the textured side. You do pay more for less cubic feet, but it looks better in your kitchen.
Slide-In vs. Freestanding: Freestanding has the backguard. Slide-ins do not, so you can see your backsplashes without looking at range controls (in my opinion, slide-ins and counter depths are the least expensive way to improve the look of your kitchen without remodeling. There I said it twice).
Convection: Fan forced heat for a more even temperature
Twin Convection
Warming Drawer: Keeps food warm for up to three hours
Yale Appliance Boston Showroom Warming Drawer Display
Two Ovens: Instead of storage or warming, you have two ovens
Professional (Pro) Gas Range: Multiple high output burners for faster boiling, heating or woking. Remember you do lose the functionality of the drawer or second oven underneath
Induction (electric): Magnetic heat for speed to boil and simmer. Induction is also safer, because it requires metal to turn the range on. It also requires less venting than a gas.
Yale Appliance Boston Showroom Induction Ranges Display
Convection/Microwave: Ability to cook like an oven, microwave or both at one time.
Quiet: Any level under 44 DB is quiet, and 42 would be virtually noiseless.
3rd racks: a place for silverware over the cups.
Miele 3rd Rack
Integrated: Controls on top.
Samsung Dishwasher Integrated Controls
Concentrated sprays: Samsung, and GE have more concentrated sprays to power out tough sprays in their better dishwashers.
Samsung StormWash
GE Bottle Wash
Additional Resources
Need some help on appliances? Download the Yale Appliance Buying Guide with features, specs, detailed profiles of the major brands and the answers to the top 10 appliance questions in a kitchen. Well over 560,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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