Still Deciding on Your Dream Kitchen Appliances?!

Let’s face it, there are a million Pinterest boards out there named “Dream Kitchen” and deciding on the right appliances can have your head in a tailspin. If that sounds like a spot you’ve been in– or are currently in, or you just love an amazing kitchen appliance– this is for you!

I recently spent a few days at the Monogram Design Center in Chicago along with an awesome group of designers from across the country. Monogram provides the ultimate in luxury kitchen appliances and it’s no secret that I’ve been a huge fan since my trip to their headquarters in Kentucky a few years ago! We got to learn about product lines, see upcoming launches and cook on the appliances too! It’s my go-to when clients want high-end appliances and when you learn about all of their amazing products, you’ll be putting together your dream kitchen in no time! Here are some of my favorite products to help you decide!

48″ Pro Range

Let’s start with the centerpiece of the kitchen– this is the Monogram Professional Range 4-burner with griddle and grill. It comes in a variety of configurations with burners, griddle and grill as well as dual fuel capabilities. If you’re into cooking, and I’d think you are with this baby, it’s already got a leg up on its competitors because it’s the only Professional Range that has three full-sliding oven racks that can accommodate three caterer’s sheet trays in the large oven. It is even designed so the sliding racks can remain in the oven during the self-clean cycle. It is also the only Pro Range to include all of the following: two broil pans, toe-kick, temperature probes, grill and griddle covers, bamboo cutting board, wok grates (just flip over the grate!), roasting rack, power cord, anti-tip, island trim, and three full-extension racks. Everyone else makes you add these on as accessories! The small oven contains two fully extendable racks and is considered the everyday oven because it easily fits a 9″ x 13″ dish. Not only is it beautiful and thoughtfully designed, the installation is the easiest of all pro ranges. There are six wheels that make it a breeze and your installer love you! It’s beautiful design and ease of use makes it easy to love and put it on the wishlist! We saw the new models that will be released next year and they are beauties!

Induction Cooktops

As much as I LOVE the pro range, I have a really hard time deciding between that and an induction cooktop. The precision and efficiency (not to mention the incredibly easy clean up!) make this a no-brainer and soooo intriguing! Haven’t heard much about it? No worries. Here’s the breakdown: It may be a flat surface that instantly makes you think of a God-awful electric cooktop, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Even when it’s on, you won’t burn yourself if you accidentally touch it. HOW does that work?! The heat is detected and travels only through the iron in the pan (All-Clad pans work on induction in case you’re curious!) and not through the entire burner– meaning that the boiling pan sitting on half of the burner didn’t burn our hand on the other half! It’s precision and efficiency is reflected in the fact that it brings water to a boiling point approximately eight-times faster than any gas burner and maintains the exact temperature that you set it at without any varying influences like gas flames or overheated electric coils– it even makes simmering chocolate a breeze! It has the easiest touch controls and is super easy to clean– a MAJOR win!

Refrigeration

When it comes to the fridge, personal preference takes the cake with options including French Door, bottom freezer, side-by-side, counter depth, and column styles in stainless, glass door or paneled. There are so many to choose from and the Design Center had several full working kitchens with them all on display. I immediately fell in love with the Monogram 30″ Fully Integrated Customizable Refrigerator. With a dual-refrigeration system, it provides precise and customizable climate control with three independent temperature-management zones- the top for refrigeration, the middle for an ice maker and freezer compartment, and the bottom which converts between refrigeration, freezer, or wine and beverage storage. Beautifully lit with side LED lighting, it is attractive and energy efficient, while the adjustable shelving, soft-close drawers and availability in stainless steel, glass door, or fully customizable panels made for one happy group of designers! And when you put TWO side by side like the one below, you’ve just found my dream fridge!

Speedcooking Oven

If there was ONE appliance to have in the kitchen, it’s the Advantium! If you haven’t ever heard of this, click the link and take a look– you’ll be wanting one too! This speedcooker oven is the ultimate cooking machine that combines a convection oven, toaster oven, warming/bread proofing oven, precision cook oven, microwave, and speedcooking- it delivers oven-quality results up to eight times faster than conventional cooking methods with no preheating. How impressive is that?! With over 175 pre-programmed settings, the Advantium is large enough for a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish to rotate on a 16″ turntable. We cooked four-full-size potatoes in 11-minutes, steaks in 8-minutes, a pizza in 7-minutes and grilled cheese sandwiches in 4-minutes- all to perfection! If that’s not enough, a 4-lb roasted chicken takes 25 minutes compared to almost 2-hours typically… and a 9″ x 13″ lasagna takes only 25-minutes. Think of all the quick family dinners that could happen even when you’re in a rush! One of the benefits is that it eliminates the need for so many different appliances in the kitchen or on your counter top– no need for a microwave, toaster, or toaster oven anymore! It was by far the favorite product and this one would go in my kitchen above a wall oven like the one below!

Dishwashers

Dishwashers always seem to be on the back burner when compared to the rest of the appliances, but getting clean and dry dishes out is such an important aspect of the kitchen! I’m in love with the Fully Integrated Dishwasher with its third rack on top, the adjustable second rack and the 140 jets with specific bottle jets for an extra clean. With all of the baby bottles I’ve used over the past year and a half, this feature would have been amazing! The new models coming out next year have built-in wi-fi for checking cycle statuses and soap levels as well as Amazon Alexa and Google capabilities. This is my pick for the dream kitchen!

Beverage Centers, Wine Coolers and Ice Makers

I’d throw in a wine reserve or beverage center, along with an ice maker for all the entertaining needs! They have 2 different styles of ice too: clear, gourmet ice cubes and chewable, nugget ice!

Hearth Oven

And since we’re going all out in our dream kitchen, the Hearth Oven would find its way in too! This extremely hot oven can do a lot more than pizza, but is handcrafted to capture the performance of a wood-fired brick oven. It will perfectly prepare Neapolitan-style pizzas and soft artisanal bread and our Chef even made us dessert in it too!

We had an awesome time learning about all of the products and getting to cook on them! It just makes it that much harder deciding when you love them all! And with a price point in the same realm as Wolf, Sub-Zero, Thermador and Viking, there’s no surprises for these luxury appliances except that you’ll get some added bonuses like the accessories as part of the pro range. So…. figure out your personal style and how you like to cook– I’d probably start with the range or cooktop option because that dictates so much of the kitchen and how every other appliance gets worked into the mix. I love the pro range, but I don’t need that and an induction cooktop. I love the Advantium with the wall oven combo, so I wouldn’t need the full range either. It’s up to you and what your preferences are, but now you have the appliances to put in when you need to!

If you’re looking for new appliances and luxury is on your mind, let me know so I can pass along some great deals and help your dream kitchen come to life!