[SSDVC]

So, we have just moved and are replacing some of the appliances in the new house, but I'll get to that in a minute. In the house we just moved from, we had to replace the dishwasher and the fridge. We bought the next to the top of the line Bosch for the dishwasher. Quiet is not the word for it. Standing next to the machine you could not hear it running (I am also over 60, but it was still really quiet). However, as far as cleaning goes, my wife constantly complained about it. We had a Kenmore for 15+ years and while not quiet, she cleaned very well. For the fridge, we purchased a Samsung and I'll rate that 3 out of 5. In 6 years of ownership I replaced the icemaker (fairly easy) and had to replace a drain line in the rear of the unit with a better designed, updated part.

OK, now to the present. We are researching double ovens and cooktop/rangetops. Since we plan to be here a while and my wife, in her retirement, has decided cooking and baking is now her "go to" hobby, we are looking for some middle to high end (lower end of the high end scale) appliances. During some research, I discovered that not all ovens are alike. I also discovered that just because you pay $5000 to $8000 for a top name oven, does not mean you are getting your monies worth. Power, convection types (I have discovered that their are 3 different types of convection), timers and even the racks all have to be considered. I know, it's a bit anal, but I have worked hard for what little money I have and I try and spend it wisely.

For the double oven, the front runner we think we have settled on is the Frigidaire FPET3077RF. It has very high reviews, decent reliability, very good power and the proper convection type for baking. I did read something about some timer shortfalls, so I am looking into that before we purchase.

We have propane for cooking and we are deciding if we want to cut the granite for a range top or just stick with the 36" drop in. That said, we went to a few appliance stores and saw some really cool electric/induction cooktops. Some of them were next generation and almost made my wife change how she views electric cooktops. These new induction units remained cool everywhere except directly under the pot/pan being used and instantly cooled off when the pot/pan was removed. Plus, on one, you could place the pot anywhere on the cooktop to use it. The whole top was one big cooking sensor. Very nice (also a bit on the expensive side, but still cool).

Anyway, I did a lot of looking, reading reviews visiting cooking sites and seeing what other folks had to say. Still not done researching, but close. Bosch is nice, but there are many other choices out there that may rate higher in different categories. Good luck with the remodel.