Consumer Reports is here to show you what’s new in appliances. No matter which appliance you’re shopping for you want to be sure to measure the space it’s going and and the doors it will have to go through to get to that space.
Jane Batista and her family are renovating their kitchen and all new appliances are in order! Batista said shopping has been a little overwhelming.
“There are so many options and so many choices! I want the big, huge refrigerator that’s side by side. My husband wants the one with the drawer that pulls out from the bottom,” she said.
Consumer Reports’ Sara Morrow said once they agree on a style there are only a handful of features really worth the money.
“Our testers like a freezer compartment that actually converts to fridge space for storing extra food around the holidays or when you’re entertaining. Even better if you buy a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables for your family look for airtight crisper drawers,” said Morrow.
Crisper drawers are designed to keep your fruits and veggies fresher and that means a good crisper drawer can save money in the long run.
The crisper drawers in this french-door style LG performed well. Plus, CRs lab tests found it keeps a consistent temperature throughout the fridge and offers excellent efficiency and thermostat control.
When it comes to cooking you have plenty of options from gas, electric and induction.
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“Plenty of people assume gas is the way to go but our tests have shown that we’ve got top performers among gas, electric and induction and in general one way you can save money is by skipping the separate wall oven and cooktop and going for a range instead,” Morrow explained.
Chefs and bakers alike may want to consider this CR recommended Frigidaire Electric Smoothtop which offers excellent simmering and broiling plus a large oven testers say is impressive at baking.
Looking for a dishwasher that delivers?
“So many of today’s dishwashers have a soil sensor which means you can just scrape off your dishes, skip the pre-rinsing, load everything and let the dishwasher do its job,” Morrow said.
This Bosch Ascenta is a CR Best Buy comes with a soil sensor and has adjustable upper racks and tines so you can tailor it to the dishes you need to wash. And most important - it offers excellent cleaning performance which is a big plus for Batista.
And CR’s MOST important tip: Size it right. No matter which appliance you’re shopping for you want to be sure to measure the space it’s going and and the doors it will have to go through to get to that space.
