Shopping for Kitchen Appliances Online [2020 Buying Guide]

Shopping for household appliances online doesn’t have to be as daunting as it sounds. In fact, it is a very convenient option! And thanks to our expansive catalog of thoughtfully selected kitchen appliances, you can rest assured every purchase will be an informed purchase.

Luckily for you, our experts at Don’s Appliances have rustled up a buying guide to make shopping for reliable cooktops, wall ovens, ranges, refrigerators, dishwashers, and range hoods even easier! Check out our insider insights and tips below.

As far as kitchen appliances go, cooking appliances offer the most flexibility in terms of installation and fuel/power types. Whether you admire the clean look of a smooth glass-top stove, prefer to opt into energy savings with induction cooking power, or have always wanted to cook weekend breakfasts in the middle of your kitchen island, the culinary world is your oyster.

To help you determine whether you should invest in a cooktop and wall oven versus a range, first, take space constraints into account. While a wall oven does not take up counter space, when it’s coupled with a separately installed cooktop, both appliances occupy more square footage than a standard range.

Here are some other unique benefits of cooktops, wall ovens, and ranges!

Cooktop

If you prefer a modern kitchen design, a cooktop is conducive to a sleek, custom appearance that is entirely your own. Cooktops add a layer of customization, gifting you the choice of installing a built-in oven separately from your cooking elements. These appliances are largely categorized by their fuel/power type—below is a quick breakdown of each option:

• Gas Cooktop: Favored by professional chefs, gas cooking appliances allow better control, enabling instant changes in heat while cooking, since a flame doesn’t need much time to warm up or cool down. While more costly than their electric counterparts upfront, gas cooktops are less expensive to maintain in the long run.
• Electric Cooktop: Whether you opt for an electric-coil or ceramic glass-top model, electric cooktops are more energy-efficient than gas cooktops and do not generate a lot of ambient heat. This option is also more attainable to a wider range of budgets.
• Induction Cooktop: This electric sub-type of cooking power generates heat directly in a conductive pan, and it can quickly cool down as soon as you turn it off—making cleaning a breeze! The most expensive cooking option, induction cooktops are the most energy-efficient and let you cook quicker and with the most precision.

Wall Oven

House flippers and modern homeowners concur: Wall ovens are the height of culinary sophistication. To help you find the right oven to pair with your cooktop, consider the following tidbits regarding our types of wall ovens:

• Gas Single Oven, Built-In: It should be noted that most wall ovens on the market are electric, meaning that if you’re raring for the lower running costs and increased cooking control of a gas wall oven, your options are more limited.
• Electric Single Oven, Built-In: While gas ovens are more energy-efficient and less costly to run, electric ovens boast more consistent heat with even cooking temperatures. When paired with convection power, electric ovens are even more precise in terms of their responsiveness to temperature controls, wasting less heat and lessening the chances of overcooking and undercooking meals.
• Electric Double Oven, Built-In: This option is ideal for cooks who like to bake multiple dinner courses (or cookie batches) at once.
• Electric Micro-Oven Combo, Built-In: Ideal for those who like “two for one” deals, this combination oven is stocked with a microwave. A real space saver, this option suits smaller kitchens best.
• Electric Speed Oven: Ideal for busy home cooks because of its quickness, this premier oven type is often stocked with other convenient cook settings, like convection, toasting, warming, and proofing.

Range

If you prefer a streamlined kitchen, there is much to gain from the two-in-one setup of a classic kitchen range. In addition to considering fuel/power options (see the “Cooktop” heading in this guide), be sure to learn about appliance brands and their exclusive features.

Thankfully, many high-end gourmet features are now available to households at a mid-end price. Among them, steam, convection, and air fry settings have become all the rage in recent years.

And this is where we enter the realm of luxury appliances. Across cooktops, wall ovens, and ranges, you can invest in appliances as smart as you are. Teeming with features such as a sleek touchscreen display, remote monitoring and control, connectivity with recipe management apps, enabled push notifications, and self-cleaning cycles, WiFi-aided cooking appliances are the next wave of culinary sophistication and will integrate perfectly into any connected home.

Any way you look at it, the possibilities are endless.

Keeping your produce crisp and your dairy items fresh, our refrigerators keep us from losing our cool. If you’re in the market for a new one, check out these popular fridge styles:

• French-Door Refrigerator: This style entails two side-by-side fridge doors and one or two bottom freezer drawers. This refrigerator style is more energy-efficient compared to models with just one door since less cold air escapes the appliance when opened, keeping your foods more chilled for longer.
• Side-by-Side Refrigerator: This style entails a vertical freezer next to the fridge compartment; this setup is ideal if you’re looking for a slim appliance. Ideal for small kitchens, side-by-side models require less space on either side of the appliance for door outswings. This style also enables bulk purchases since freezer capacity is often greater than traditional refrigerators.
• Top-Freezer Refrigerator: This tried-and-true style entails a larger fridge compartment at the lower level; the top-freezer style is the most popular by virtue of its affordability.
• Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator: A highly popular model, the bottom-freezer fridge entails a drawer freezer at the lower level. Hailed for its convenient organization, this style lets you access the items you reach for the most often, without having to strain your back and neck. Compared to its top-freezer counterpart, this style has a larger interior capacity in the fridge compartment.
• Built-In Refrigerator: A departure from freestanding fridges, this appliance is built into your kitchen cabinetry to promote a seamless, custom look.
• Counter-Depth Refrigerator: This style has reduced appliance depth so that your fridge easily blends into your kitchen layout; this style is ideal if you are looking to create a less intrusive look.
• Freezerless Refrigerator: This style only entails a fridge compartment; the freezerless fridge is ideal if you’re looking to maximize fridge space and keep a separate freezer.

Other features to consider when purchasing a refrigerator include whether you’d like an external ice and water dispenser. If you’re primed to splurge, you might be pleased to learn that there are also smart models with interior cameras you can access from your phone at the grocery store.

As is the case with most  kitchen appliance finishes, stainless steel, black stainless steel, and slate reign supreme. For standard appliance measurements, check out our blog on refrigerator styles!

When it comes to post-dinner cleanup, leave the dirty work to a brand-new dishwasher! Saving you time and labor, dishwashers can also spare your wallet, and deliver energy cost savings: Dishwashers use four to six gallons of water per load compared to the 27 gallons it can take for you to scrub them in the sink.

Here’s a quick rundown of dishwasher types:

• Built-In Dishwasher: The most popular style by far, this dishwasher type is installed to fit within your kitchen cabinetry. As is the case with most built-in appliances, you can customize the panel so that it matches and blends into your cabinets.
• Portable Dishwasher: This style is freestanding and can be wheeled into a separate storage location when not in use.
• Drawer Dishwasher: This style is a pull-out dishwasher accessible by the pull of a drawer as opposed to a door. You can spring for a single or double-drawer version; if you opt for the latter, you can run one or both drawers at the same time!

In addition, smart dishwashers allow you to remotely monitor and control wash cycles using your smartphone and, if you don’t want to lift even a finger, voice command options are available.

An underrated feature in most kitchens, range hoods help disperse steam and grease out of your kitchen to prevent damage by way of condensation and other contaminants.

It might not be the most exciting aspect of remodeling or building a new space, but proper kitchen ventilation is crucial to safe and efficient cooking. Without it, a greasy film will coat your cabinets and furniture and stay in the air you breathe.

• Under-Cabinet Range Hood: This model is ducted through the cabinet above an exterior wall and set directly above your stove, ideally spanning the length of the stove so the hood can capture the heat and smoke while it rises and before it can make its way to your cabinets.
• Wall-Mounted Range Hood: Appealing to modern kitchen design, wall-mounted range hoods are wider on the bottom with a narrow vent on top, typically replacing overhead cabinetry and spanning the full length of the stove so they can capture any steam or smoke that rises.
• Island Range Hood: Ideal for a professional-style kitchen setup, the island hood is best used for cooking appliances that are located on a kitchen island. Instead of venting through ducts in the wall, it connects in the ceiling and vents out the smoke from above.
• Insert Range Hood: An insert range hood can be added to existing cabinetry without having to clear out any space; it's a flexible option that allows you to build a custom range hood cover to match your cabinet design, but after building and installation, it can be a pricier choice.
• Downdraft Range Hood: This hidden option is situated among the stovetop elements, popped up along the back of the range to reduce steam from a horizontal angle. A downdraft range hood pulls the fumes down beneath the floor and out of the house, posing an excellent option for those who don’t want a larger overhead hood taking up space in their kitchen.

If you're designing a kitchen from the ground-up or are looking to give the heart of your home a complete makeover, we offer kitchen appliance packages so that you don’t have to stress over the uniformity of your space. Check out energy-efficient options and what stylish brands like Café, Jenn-Air, and Samsung as well as family-trusted manufacturers like Maytag, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire have to offer!

As you begin your buyer’s journey, don’t forget to take heed to the following guidelines:

• Assess your budget
• Evaluate needs vs. “wants”
• Learn about appliance brands
• Check and double-check your measurements
• Read product reviews
• Consider warranty options

Stay tuned for more in-depth previews of brands and signature appliance features from our catalog—keep an eye on our blog!

In any case, our friendly staff at Don’s Appliances is available to answer any questions you may have about buying appliances online. Call or visit us today! Given that Don's Appliances has "the largest in-stock inventory in the tri-state area," we are bound to have something for every shopper! More accessible than ever, our experts are also reachable via chat.