Great Kitchens On a Budget

01 02 03 04 05 !0 $0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED CR BEST BUY

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Cooktop, high
Cooktop, low
Baking
Broiling
Oven capacity
Self-cleaning
High-power
burners
Medium-power
burners
Low-power
burners
Convection
mode
Slide-in
Stainless steel
available

GAS AND DUAL-FUEL , SINGLE-OVEN (30 -INCH) Continued

Whirlpool WFG550S0HZ 48 $990 30 30 30 40 30 20 40 40 2 2 1 0 0

Frigidaire FFGF3012TW 45 $540 40 30 20 30 20 30 30 NA 0 4 0 0

Kenmore 75113 44 $1,220 40 30 30 20 40 20 40 50 2 1 1 0
0
Amana AGR6603SF 44 $730 30 10 30 50 40 10 40 30 1 2 1 0
0
Maytag MGR6600FZ 43 $855 30 30 30 40 40 10 40 30 2 2 1 0

Whirlpool WFG505M0BS 41 $750 30 30 30 40 50 10 40 NA 2 2 1 0
0
Whirlpool WEG515S0FS 38 $1,260 30 30 30 10 40 20 40 40 2 1 1 0
0
Amana AGR5330BAS 38 $510 30 10 30 10 40 20 40 NA 0 3 1 0
0
Thor Kitchen LRG3001U 37 $1,600 − − 40 10 30 10 40 NA 1 2 2 0 0
0
GAS AND DUAL-FUEL, DOUBLE-OVEN (30-INCH) 0

!0 LG Signature LUTD4919SN (dual-fuel) 85 $3,600 40 40 40 50 50 50 50 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Café C2S950P2MS1 (dual-fuel) 77 $3,240 40 40 40 50 40 30 50 40 3 2 1 0 0
!0 GE Profile PGS960SELSS 74 $2,880 40 30 40 50 30 50 50 30 2 2 1 0 0
!0 GE JGBS86SPSS (dual-fuel) 73 $1,395 40 30 30 50 40 40 50 NA 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Samsung NX58M6850SG 73 $1,400 50 40 30 50 30 30 40 20 2 2 1 0 0
66 $1,660 40 30 40 50 40 20 50 30 2 2 1 0
GE JGB860SEJSS 60 $1,980 30 30 30 50 30 20 50 30 1 2 2 0 0
59 $1,440 30 30 30 50 40 20 50 40 1 2 2 0 0
KitchenAid KFGD500ESS 51 $1,980 40 30 30 50 40 10 50 20 2 2 1 0 0
0
Whirlpool WGG745S0FS

GE Profile PGB960SEJSS

PRO-STYLE GAS AND DUAL-FUEL (30-INCH)

!0 Monogram ZGP304NRSS 69 $4,500 30 50 30 50 30 30 50 30 1 3 0 0
67 $4,665 30 50 40 40 40 50 30 30 3 0 1 0
KitchenAid KFDC500JSS (dual-fuel) 58 $5,700 20 40 40 30 30 40 40 40 4 0 0 0
Miele HR 1124 G 42 $4,320 10 30 30 30 20 50 30 NA 4 0 0 0
Viking VGIC53024BSS 28 $3,900 20 30 40 10 10 30 20 NA 2 2 0 0
Fisher & Paykel OR30SCG4X1

PRO-STYLE GAS (36-INCH)

Kucht KRG3618U 66 $3,090 − − 40 50 40 30 30 NA 6 0 0 0
Viking VGR5366BSS 59 $6,990 10 30 40 50 30 20 50 NA 6 0 0 0
Jenn-Air JGRP436HL 53 $6,200 20 30 40 50 40 20 40 20 5 1 0 0
Haier HCR6250AGS 43 $2,000 − − 40 30 20 20 30 NA 1 3 1 0

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score combines who are extremely likely to recommend Cooktop, low indicates how steadily a even it is. Oven capacity is a measure
test results with survey data for the range they bought. In cases where low-power burner maintains low heat of usable space in the cavity. (For
predicted reliability and owner we have insufficient survey data to and whether the highest-power burner, double-oven ranges, the rating covers
satisfaction. Predicted reliability provide a brand-level rating, indicated by set to low, maintains a simmer. Baking both ovens.) Self-cleaning evaluates
estimates the likelihood that newly is a rating of how evenly the oven bakes the oven’s ability to clean itself of a
purchased models from a given brand −a gray dash ( ), we assume the model cakes and cookies on multiple racks. lab-calibrated mixture of sticky foods,
will develop problems or break within Broiling is a measurement of how well including pie filling, lard, eggs, and
the first five years. Owner satisfaction has average reliability and satisfaction. the upper element or burner browns a tapioca. Price is approximate retail.
reflects the proportion of CR members Cooktop, high is a measure of how full tray of hamburger patties, and how
quickly the highest-power burner brings
a large pot of water to a near-boil.

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 49

50

PHOTO: RYANN FORD Cooktops

Choice
Cooktops

OUR TOUGH TESTS REVEAL WHICH COOKTOPS BOIL FAST
AND SIMMER SLOW. USE THIS GUIDE TO CHOOSE A MODEL
WITH THE RIGHT MIX OF FEATURES, PERFORMANCE,
AND RELIABILITY.

Installing a separate cooktop and wall oven
offers a few advantages over a range. For
starters, you can mount the oven higher up in
wall cabinets so that you don’t have to bend
to pull out a large pan or a hot tray of cookies.
You also gain some flexibility with your kitchen’s
layout. If you’re adding the appliances as part
of a remodel, you can install a cooktop in an
island instead of against a wall. Use our buying
advice and ratings to find a cooktop with the
best performance, features, and price for you.

51

Cooktops

CHOOSING THE
RIGHT TYPE

To choose the right Electric elements tend to
cooktop for your kitchen, heat faster and main-
take both your space tain low heat better than
and your cooking style gas burners. Electric
into account. induction cooktops use
an electromagnetic
SIZE field to directly heat pans,
Most cooktops are 30 or offering quick response
36 inches wide, so that’s and control. In our tests,
what we test. But you’ll no other technology was
find cooktops ranging faster than the fastest
from 21 to 48 inches. induction elements,
Some have five or even six but we’re talking 1 to
burners, but that doesn’t 3 minutes faster to bring
mean you’ll have room to a large pot of water
use them all at once. to a near-boil.

FUEL FEATURES
Both electric and gas A high-power cooktop
cooktops are capable element or burner will
of delivering a fine heat large pots and
performance. But you pans more quickly.
may find it easier to Touch-sensitive controls
judge heat by the on smoothtops are
appearance of a sleek, but some are less
gas flame. And when intuitive than old-school
you turn a knob knobs. Manufacturers
from high to medium tout the high Btu of
on a gas model, the burners, but we’ve found
pot and the food in it that they don’t always
experience that change deliver faster heating.
almost immediately.

FEATURES THAT shaped cookware, such MONEY
MATTER MOST as a griddle. (In some, SAVER
one knob or touch
These are the key turned off. Many griddles and elongated control operates both.) Don’t pay a pre-
details to consider when smoothtops have at pans. Most smooth- mium for a 30-
shopping for a new least one warning tops have an expand- CONTROLS inch cooktop with a
cooktop. light. Ideally, each ele- able burner that lets you On cooktops, the fifth burner. You’ll
ment should have a choose the size that controls take up space find cooking very
H O T- S U R F A C E separate warning light. best matches a pot’s on the surface and cramped with five
WARNING LIGHTS diameter. Some cook- can limit the area that pots or pans
They’re an important EXPANDABLE tops have an elon- cookware can cover. anyway. If you often
safety feature because ELEMENTS, A BRIDGE, gated bridge element Electric models with need more than four
the cooktop surface AND OVAL BURNERS that spans two burners touch-sensitive controls burners, upgrade to
can remain hot long after On gas cooktops, oval to accommodate provide a flat, easy-to- a 36-inch model
an element has been burners accommodate rectangular or odd- clean surface, but they instead.
can be finicky.

52 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

GOOD TO KNOW

Keep It
Clean

Smoothtop cooktops are easy to
clean if you follow some simple
precautions. Wipe up sugary
spills quickly so that they won’t
cause permanent damage
as they cool. Wipe wet spills
with a sponge, soft cloth, or
paper towel. Don’t use scouring
sponges, which can scratch
the surface. Remove heavy,
burned-on residue with a glass
scraper made for this purpose
or a razor blade (very carefully).
Polish regularly with a cooktop
cleanser such as Cerama Bryte
or Magic Glass Cooktop
Cleaner, which worked well in
our tests. Move cookware
across the surface gently to
avoid scratching.

WHAT’S ON in a pan, offering precise to judge the heat and to
THE MARKET? simmering and control. quickly move from a
You’ll see these models high setting to a low one.
PHOTO: FRANCESCO LAGNESE/OTTO ARCHIVE Choose from electric Most have expandable easy to clean up spills in our ratings of electric
smoothtops, electric dual or triple elements but require a special cooktops. Response time is par-
induction smoothtops, that let you switch from cleaner, and dropped ticularly quick, especially
or gas. You’ll find that a large, high-power pots and sugary spills Magnetic cookware is when compared with
each has advantages. element to a small, low- can damage them. needed for induction to a smoothtop. When you
power element within it. work. If a magnet sticks adjust the knob on a
SMOOTHTOP INDUCTION strongly to the bottom gas cooktop, the level of
Electric radiant smooth- There’s a lot of residual Electric induction cook- of a pot, it will work with the flame will change
tops are a popular heat, so when reducing tops use magnetic coils an induction cooktop. immediately—and you’ll
pick. All of the models the heat it can take below the ceramic Some stainless steel pots have a visual cue that the
we tested have at least a few minutes to settle glass surface to quickly and pans are induction- heat is on, and how high.
one high-power burner. at the lower setting. generate heat directly capable, and some aren’t.
Smoothtops make it And with most gas
GAS burners, you can strike
If you prefer cooking a match to light them
with gas, we get it. The when your power is
flame makes it easier out. Dinner by candle-
light. Not so bad!

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 53

Ratings   Cooktops

Recommended Products

We test a cooktop’s ELECTRIC INDUCTION
speed and simmering
capabilities, and 30-INCH INDUCTION 30-INCH INDUCTION 36-INCH INDUCTION
you’ll find dozens of
electric smoothtops BOSCH 800 SERIES GE PROFILE KITCHENAID
and induction NIT8069UC PHP9030DJBB KICU569XBL
cooktops in our ratings. $2,049 $1,599 $1,890
Recommended
cooktops are top 100 97 95
scorers and don’t get
dinged for brand- Induction has the performance This induction cooktop Excellent all-around perfor-
reliability ratings edge for electric cooktops. delivers excellent performance mance makes this one of our
based on our survey This model doesn’t scrimp on at both high- and low-heat top-rated 36-inch induction
of thousands of power; it has four high-power cooking. It has four elements, cooktops. It has five elements,
members. CR Best elements and delivered excellent including three high-power, and all of which are high-power,
Buys are recommended results in our high-heat cooking a “bridge” element that’s useful plus flexible cooking zones for
cooktops that test. Low-heat cooking was for rectangular pans—but only different-sized cookware. The
combine impressive equally impressive. It has touch one large element that elements can be set to turn off
performance and value. controls and an element with a accommodates larger cook- with a countdown timer.
“keep warm” setting. ware. It has touch controls. kitchenaid.com
bosch-home.com ge.com

GAS

30-INCH GAS 30-INCH GAS 30-INCH GAS 30-INCH GAS

SAMSUNG $ SAMSUNG MONOGRAM $ SAMSUNG
NA30N7755TS ZGU30RSLSS
$1,360 NA30N6555TS $1,730 NA30R5310FS
$999 $799
92 84
91 80
This top pick provides superb Overall, this cooktop is excel-
simmering and very good This excellent 30-inch gas lent, providing very good high- This four-burner model excels
high-heat performance. One of cooktop has five burners, heat performance and excellent at low-heat cooking, easily
its five burners is high-power. It including two high-power, and simmering. It has five burners, keeping tomato sauce at a sim-
comes with a griddle pan and continuous grates. It has very including two high-power, and mer, but its high-heat perfor-
is WiFi-enabled for use with good high-heat performance continuous grates. mance is just good. It has two
Samsung’s “Smart Home” app. and simmering is superb. It has ge.com high-power burners, continuous
samsung.com a stainless steel surface and a grates, and a stainless steel
hefty pro-style look. surface.
samsung.com samsung.com

54 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 $0

POOR EXCELLENT CR BEST BUY

ELECTRIC SMOOTHTOP

30-INCH SMOOTHTOP 30-INCH SMOOTHTOP 36-INCH SMOOTHTOP 36-INCH SMOOTHTOP

BOSCH GE CAFÉ LG
800 SERIES NET8068SUC JP5030SJSS CEP9036N LCE3610SB
$1,149 $1,075 $1,529 $910

92 92 91 91

This model excelled at This top performer boasts Superb all-around performance This smoothtop cooktop
simmering. Fast heating was fast heating and precise help send this 36-inch smooth- excels at simmering and deliv-
also very good. It has four simmering. It has four elements; top to the front of the pack. It ering fast heat. It has five ele-
elements, including one one is high-power and one is has five elements, including two ments, including two that are
high-power, and a bridge expandable. Touch controls that are high-power. The left-side high-power, three expandable
element that is helpful for provide a sleek look and make elements can combine to elements, and a warming ele-
large pans. cleanup easier. use a single control for heating ment. It has touch controls.
bosch-home.com ge.com griddles and large pans. lg.com
cafeappliances.com

36-INCH GAS 36-INCH GAS 36-INCH GAS 36-INCH GAS

SAMSUNG THERMADOR MASTERPIECE STAR VIKING 5 SERIES GE PROFILE
NA36N7755TS SGSX365TS VGSU53616BSS PGP7036SLSS
$1,420 $1,999 $2,350 $1,100

92 83 82 77

Overall, this cooktop is excel- An excellent overall performer, This excellent 36-inch cooktop Excellent simmering and very
lent, providing very good this 36-inch cooktop is excellent has six burners, three of which good high-heat performance
high-heat performance and at simmering and very good are high-power. High-heat help this 36-inch cooktop stand
excellent simmering. It has at high-heat cooking. It has five performance is rated Very Good out in our tests. It has five burn-
five burners, including two burners, three of which are high- and low-heat is Excellent. The ers, two of which are high-pow-
high-power, and comes with power, and continuous grates, burners reignite automatically, er. It has continuous grates and
a griddle pan and a grate which make it easier to move and the continuous grates mean a stainless steel surface.
adapter for a wok. cookware across the surface. it’s easy to reposition cookware. ge.com
samsung.com thermador.com vikingrange.com

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 55

Ratings   Cooktops Overall Price Survey Test Features
Score Results Results
Brand + Model

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
High heat
Low heat
High-power
elements
Medium-
power
elements
Low-power
elements
Expandable
elements
Touch
controls

30-INCH ELECTRIC SMOOTHTOPS

!0 Bosch 800 Series NET8068SUC 92 $1,149 50 50 40 50 1 2 1 0
!0 GE JP5030SJSS 92
!0 GE Profile PP9030SJSS 92 $1,085 50 30 50 50 1 0 3 0 0
!0 Samsung NZ30K7570RG 90
!0 KitchenAid KCED600GSS 89 $1,499 50 30 50 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 KitchenAid KCES550HBL 87
!0 Frigidaire Gallery FGEC3068UB 87 $1,299 40 30 50 50 1 3 1 0 0
$0 GE JP3030SJSS 85
79 $1,665 40 30 50 50 2 0 2 0
Maytag MEC8830HB
$1,080 40 30 40 50 2 1 2 0

$850 40 20 50 50 1 2 2 0

$675 50 30 40 50 2 0 2

$800 40 30 40 40 1 2 1 0

Frigidaire FFEC3025UB 76 $699 40 20 40 40 2 0 2 0

Samsung NZ30R5330RK 73 $700 40 30 40 50 1 3 0 0

GE JP3530SJSS 72 $915 50 30 40 40 2 1 1 0

Whirlpool WCE77US0HB 68 $680 40 30 40 30 2 0 2 0

Amana AEC6540KFB 65 $490 40 30 40 30 1 1 2

Whirlpool WCE55US0HB 64 $585 40 30 40 30 1 1 2 0

36-INCH ELECTRIC SMOOTHTOPS

!0 Café CEP90361NBB 91 $1,529 50 30 50 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 LG LCE3610SB 91 $910 50 30 50 50 2 1 1 0 0
!0 Samsung NZ36K7570RG 90
!0 KitchenAid KCED606GBL 89 $1,399 40 30 50 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Bosch Benchmark Series NETP668SUC 87 $1,620 40 30 50 50 2 1 2 0
!0 GE JP5036DJBB 84 $1,400 50 50 40 50 1 3 1 0 0
79 $1,060 50 30 40 50 2 1 2 0 0
Whirlpool WCE55US6HB $640 40 30 40 40 2 0 2 0
$1,399 50 30 40 30 2 2 1 0
GE Profile PP7036SJSS 64

30-INCH ELECTRIC INDUCTION COOKTOPS

!0 Bosch 800 series NIT8069UC 100 $2,049 50 50 50 50 4 0 0 0
!0 GE Profile PHP9030DJBB 97
!0 Monogram ZHU30RSJSS 97 $1,599 50 30 50 50 3 1 0 0
!0 Samsung NZ30K7880UG 94
!0 Frigidaire FFIC3026TB 92 $2,730 50 30 50 50 3 1 0 0
!0 Whirlpool GCI3061XB 92
80 $1,749 40 30 50 50 3 1 0 0 0
Viking Virtuoso 6 Series MVIC6304BBG
$1,395 40 20 50 50 2 2 0 0

$1,355 40 30 50 50 2 0 2 0

$2,810 20 30 50 50 3 1 0 0

36-INCH ELECTRIC INDUCTION COOKTOPS

!0 Bosch Benchmark Series NITP669SUC 99 $2,999 50 50 50 50 500 0
!0 KitchenAid KICU569XBL 95 $1,890 40 30 50 50 500 0
!0 Samsung NZ36K7880UG 94 $2,135 40 30 50 50 4 1 00 0
!0 Frigidaire FPIC3677RF 93 $1,865 40 20 50 50 410
!0 Frigidaire FFIC3626TB 92 $1,590 40 20 50 50 320 0
84 $2,300 30 30 40 50 0
Jenn-Air JIC4536XS 5 0 00

56 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0 $0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED CR BEST BUY

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Features
Score Results Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
High heat
Low heat
High-power
burners
Medium-
power
burners
Low-power
burners
Stainless
steel
Continuous
grates

30-INCH GAS COOKTOPS

!0 Samsung NA30N7755TS 92 $1,360 50 50 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
$0 Samsung NA30N6555TS 91 $999 50 50 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Monogram ZGU30RSLSS 84 $1,730 30 30 40 50 2 3 0 0 0
$0 Samsung NA30R5310FS 80 $799 50 50 30 50 2 1 1 0 0
!0 GE Profile PGP7030SLSS 77 $1,299 30 30 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Café CGP70302NS1 76 $1,229 30 30 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Bosch 800 Series NGM8056UC 76 $1,150 50 50 30 50 1 2 2 0 0
72 $970 30 30 30 50 2 2 1 0 0
GE JGP5030SLSS 71 $500 40 30 30 40 2 1 1 0 0
Frigidaire FFGC3026SS 66 $825 30 30 40 40 2 1 1 0 0
GE JGP3530SLSS 63 $1,200 40 40 30 30 1 3 1 0 0
KitchenAid KCGS350ESS 62 $1,079 40 30 40 20 2 2 1 0 0
Frigidaire Gallery FGGC3047QS 61 $1,300 30 30 40 30 2 2 1 0 0
Electrolux EW30GC60PS 55 $1,440 40 40 30 30 1 3 1 0 0
KitchenAid KCGS950ESS 41 $1,800 40 40 30 10 2 1 1 0
KitchenAid KCGD500GSS 41 $735 30 30 20 20 2 1 1 0 0
Maytag MGC7430DS

36-INCH GAS COOKTOPS

!0 Samsung NA36N7755TS 92 $1,420 50 50 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Thermador Masterpiece Star SGSX365TS 83 $1,999 40 50 40 50 3 2 0 0 0
!0 Viking 5 Series VGSU53616BSS 82 $2,350 30 40 40 50 3 2 1 0 0
!0 GE Profile PGP7036SLSS 77 $1,100 30 30 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
!0 Café CGP70362NS1 76 $1,329 30 30 40 50 2 2 1 0 0
74 $1,499 30 30 30 50 2 2 1 0 0
GE Profile PGP9036SLSS 71 $1,050 40 30 40 40 2 2 1 0 0
Frigidaire Gallery FGGC3645QS 70 $930 30 30 40 40 2 2 1 0 0
Maytag MGC9536DS 63 $1,200 40 30 30 30 2 2 1 0 0
Frigidaire Professional FPGC3677RS 57 $1,800 20 30 40 30 4 0 1 0 0
Jenn-Air JGC3536GS 50 $2,099 10 30 40 30 3 2 0 0 0
Miele KM 3474 G 48 $1,350 40 40 40 20 1 2 2 0 0
KitchenAid KCGS556ESS 46 $1,200 50 50 40 10 2 2 1 0 0
LG LCG3611ST

All-Access and Digital members can find the latest, complete ratings and buying advice at CR.org/cooktops.

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score combines years. Owner satisfaction reflects weighted category average reliability melting chocolate, and how well the
test results with survey data for the proportion of CR members who and satisfaction scores. To test High highest-power burner, set on low, holds
predicted reliability and owner satisfac- are extremely likely to recommend the heat, we time how long the highest- tomato sauce below a boil. Price is
tion. Predicted reliability estimates cooktop they bought. In cases where power burner takes to bring a large pot approximate retail.
the likelihood that newly purchased we have insufficient survey data to of water to a near-boil. For Low heat,
models from a given brand will develop provide a brand-level rating, indicated we note how well the lowest-power
problems or break within the first five by a gray dash (−), we give the model burner keeps a low temperature, as for

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 57

58

Wall Ovens

Exceptional
Ovens

WHETHER PAIRED WITH A COOKTOP OR A RANGE, A WALL OVEN
(OR TWO) CAN ADD FLEXIBILITY, CONVENIENCE, AND
CROWD-FRIENDLY COOKING CAPACITY. USE THESE PRO TIPS
TO DECIDE WHICH FEATURES MAKE SENSE FOR YOU.

Unlike a range, a wall oven can go wherever
you want it: at waist or eye level so that you
won’t have to bend to pull out heavy pans,
or even under a counter. And now lower prices
have made wall-oven and cooktop pairs
more affordable, though most combos will still
cost more than a range. Use our ratings and
reliability data as a guide as you shop. And
remember that you don’t have to choose the
same brand for your oven and cooktop.

59

Ratings   Wall Ovens

CHOOSING THE for usable capacity FEATURES THAT
RIGHT TYPE (which differ from the MATTER MOST
figure supplied by
Use these basics to similar gas models the manufacturer) These functions may one side. French-door
help narrow down your and don’t require a ranged from good to add convenience. models have two
options. gas connection. But excellent. The smallest doors that separate
remember that electric in our tests was just CONTROL LOCKOUT in the middle and
SIZE wall ovens need their over 2 cubic feet, and This lets you disable open outward. Both
Wall ovens come in a own electrical circuit. the largest was more the oven controls, types prevent you
range of widths: 24, And no matter how your than 3 cubic feet. preventing accidental from having to reach
27, 30, and 36 inches. new wall oven is fueled, operation—a good over an open door to
Consumer Reports be sure to have it MONEY idea for households retrieve hot food.
tests models 30 inches professionally installed. SAVER with kids.
wide, the most popular CONVECTION
size. You’ll also find CAPACITY If you rarely COOK TIME/DELAY Many ovens have
single- and double- There was a time cook for a It lets you select times one or more
oven styles. If you’re when choosing a wall crowd—on for the oven to start convection fans
replacing a wall oven, oven over a range Thanksgiving, and stop cooking. But that circulate hot air,
it’s crucial that you meant you had to say—you may there are few foods which can reduce
measure the space settle for a small oven not need two you'd want to put in a cooking time.
and the cabinet cutout. without a self-cleaning ovens. Stick with cold oven and let sit
feature. No longer. a single model for delayed start. VARIABLE BROIL
FUEL Manufacturers are and enlist your This offers adjustable
A majority of wall ovens finding ways to toaster oven or SIDE-SWING settings for broiled
are electric; they increase capacity. Of microwave for AND FRENCH DOORS foods, instead of only
usually have a larger the single wall ovens side dishes The first is a single "on" (usually 500° F)
capacity than we tested, scores when necessary. door with hinges on and "off."

Recommended Products

Recommended wall SINGLE ELECTRIC SINGLE ELECTRIC DOUBLE ELECTRIC
ovens are top-scoring WALL OVEN WALL OVEN WALL OVEN
models that have at
least good reliability KITCHENAID MAYTAG KITCHENAID
ratings. CR Best Buys KOSE500ESS MEW9530FZS KODE500ESS
are recommended wall $2,250 $1,730 $2,200
ovens that combine
impressive performance 85 83 85
and value, and at least
good reliability. Ratings Superb broiling, impressive This oven rates Excellent over- This very spacious model excelled
for double ovens baking, and a large oven help all, with an exceptionally roomy in our broiling tests and rates
are based on our tests this 30-inch electric wall oven capacity and Very Good ratings Very Good at baking. The self-
of corresponding stand out. It has a numeric key- for baking and broiling. But cleaning capability is just so-
single-oven models. pad, a temperature probe, and self-cleaning rates just Good. so. Features include a convec-
five or more rack positions. But It has a convection mode and tion mode, a temperature
self-cleaning rates just Good. touchpad controls. probe, and large oven windows.
kitchenaid.com maytag.com kitchenaid.com

60 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Baking
Broiling
Oven capacity
Self-cleaning
Width (in.)
Covered
element
Convection
mode
Temperature
probe

SINGLE ELECTRIC WALL OVENS 85 $2,250 30 40 40 50 50 30 30 0 0 0
83
!0 KitchenAid KOSE500ESS 81 $1,730 40 30 40 40 50 30 30 0 0
!0 Maytag MEW9530FZ 80
!0 Samsung NV51K7770SG 78 $2,790 40 30 40 50 40 40 30 0 0 0
78
Café CTS70DM2NS5 78 $2,800 50 50 30 50 40 40 30 0 0 0
LG LWS3063ST 77
Electrolux EW30EW55PS 77 $1,620 40 50 40 50 40 50 30 0 0
GE JTS5000SNSS 76
Frigidaire Gallery FGEW3066UF 76 $2,290 30 30 40 40 40 50 30 0 0 0
Whirlpool WOS72EC0HS 76
Jenn-Air JJW3430DS 74 $1,950 50 30 40 40 50 30 30 0 0 0
KitchenAid KOST100ESS 73
Electrolux EI30EW38TS 73 $1,300 40 30 40 50 40 30 30 0 0 0
KitchenAid KOSE900HSS 69
Bosch HBL8451UC 69 $1,910 30 20 40 40 50 30 30 0 0
Whirlpool WOS51EC0HS 65
Thermador Masterpiece ME301WS 65 $3,900 20 30 40 50 50 30 30 0 0 0
Bosch HBLP451RUC 64
Miele H 6281 BP 59 $2,200 30 40 40 40 50 40 30 0
Whirlpool WOS31ES0JS 52
Bosch HBL5351UC 50 $2,100 30 30 40 50 40 30 30 0 0 0
Frigidaire Professional FPEW3077RF 50
Amana AWO6313SFS $2,880 30 40 30 50 50 20 30 0 0 0
GE Profile PT9200SLSS 85
Frigidaire FFEW3026TD 81 $2,500 30 40 40 40 40 40 30 0 0 0
80
DOUBLE ELECTRIC WALL OVENS 78 $1,440 30 20 30 50 50 40 30 0
77
!0 KitchenAid KODE500ESS 76 $3,900 30 40 40 40 40 40 30 0 0 0
!0 Samsung NV51K7770DG
$3,200 30 40 30 40 40 50 30 0 0 0
Café CTD70DM2NS5
LG LWD3063ST $3,000 50 50 30 30 40 40 30 0 0
Frigidaire Gallery FGET3066UF
Jenn-Air JJW3830DS $1,300 30 20 30 50 50 40 30 0

$1,765 30 40 30 40 40 50 30 0

$1,850 40 30 20 50 40 40 30 0 0 0

$1,115 30 20 20 40 50 40 30 0

$2,800 50 30 30 20 40 40 30 00

$1,045 40 30 20 40 30 50 30 0

$3,600 30 40 40 50 50 30 30 0 0 0
$3,780 40 30 40 50 40 40 30 0 0 0
$3,800 50 50 30 50 40 40 30 0 0 0
$1,620 40 50 40 50 40 50 30 0 0
$2,600 40 30 40 50 40 30 30 0 0 0
$5,500 20 30 40 50 50 30 30 0 0 0

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score combines will develop problems or break within racks were evenly browned. Broiling is effectiveness at removing a baked-
test results with survey data for the first five years. Owner satisfaction based on even browning of a pan on mixture of eggs, lard, cherry
predicted reliability and owner satis- reflects the proportion of CR members of burgers and high-heat searing ability. pie filling, cheese, tomato purée, and
faction. Predicted reliability esti- who are extremely likely to recommend Oven capacity is our measurement tapioca. (All scores for double wall
mates the likelihood that newly pur- the oven they bought. Baking reflects of usable space. Self-cleaning is ovens are based on results from the upper
chased models from a given brand whether cakes and cookies baked on two a gauge of the self-cleaning cycle’s oven.) Price is approximate retail.

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 61

62

Microwaves

Multitasking
Microwaves

MICROWAVE OVENS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR SPEEDY HEATING.
BUT TODAY'S TOP MODELS ALSO PROMISE A RANGE OF FUNCTIONS,
FROM CONVECTION COOKING TO GRILLING. HERE'S HOW TO FIND
THE RIGHT MICROWAVE FOR YOUR NEEDS.

Whether you love to cook or live on frozen pizza,
your microwave has probably become a
kitchen essential. Defrosting and reheating are
common uses, but some of our tested
microwaves don’t do either very well. Others can
handle a wide range of functions with ease.
In fact, our tests of midsized and large
countertop and over-the-range models revealed
big differences in overall performance. See
the results in our ratings, starting on page 66.

63

Microwaves

MAKING THE
RIGHT CHOICE

Before you shop, decide SPACE AND LOCATION
whether an under-the- You might not want to
counter, over-the-range, sacrifice cabinet space for
or countertop model will a built-in model. On the
suit your needs best. other hand, countertop
models eat up counter
TYPE space. For example, the
Countertop models are top-rated midsized
the most widely sold. model is 22 inches wide
They come in small, and 18 inches deep.
medium, and large The best large microwave
versions and can sit just we tested is 22 inches
about anyplace you wide and 19 inches deep.
have a nearby outlet.
Over-the-range models BUDGET
are just that: They’re Countertop microwaves
installed over a range usually cost less than
and include venting the other types, and
capability (though our midsized models start
tests have shown that it's around $80. Over-the-
rarely very effective). The range microwaves, or
built-in category includes OTRs, can be had for less
models designed to be than $200, but most we
surrounded by cabinetry tested cost $400 and
or recessed into a wall. up. Models designed to
Microwave drawers be built into cabinetry
fall in this group and or a wall begin at $400,
can be placed under a but kits are available
countertop or below for certain countertop
a wall oven. models that give you
a built-in look for less.

FEATURES THAT
MATTER MOST

More options may sound rectangular tray that also allows quick adjust- improve convection that's often microwaved,
appealing, but think slides from side to ments to your pre- cooking by allowing heat such as popcorn and
about what you’ll really side, which might work vious settings. Pushing beneath the cooking frozen vegetables.
use before you pay more better for large the button more than dish. But you could have
for them. Here’s what to casseroles or platters. once multiplies the time trouble fitting even a CONVECTION
consider. extension. coffee mug in certain COOKING, GRILLING,
QUICK KEYS models unless you remove AND BROWNING
TURNTABLES A 1-minute or 30-second RACKS the rack, so check when These features offer the
AND TRAYS key requires just a tap These let you speed shopping. appeal of a second
Most microwaves have to extend the preset things up by cooking oven in your kitchen.
a turntable that rotates cooking time, defaulting multiple dishes SHORTCUT KEYS But none of the models
food for uniform heat- to the high-power simultaneously. They They take the guesswork we tested provided
ing. But some have a cooking level. The key may also be used to out of cooking food the consistent results

64 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

WHAT'S ON
THE MARKET?

PHOTO: RIKKI SNYDER that you’d get from a MONEY multiple shortcut Depending on your 0.5 to 0.8 cubic feet for
regular oven or a grill. SAVER keys or grilling kitchen, you can choose midsized, and 0.7 to
capability. But from countertop, over- 1.5 cubic feet for large.
A CHILD LOCK The most impor- convection mode the-range, and built-in WATTS 700 to 950 for
If there are children tant microwave can be worth a microwaves (including small (compact), 800 to
in the household, features are little extra, drawer-style). The 1,200 for midsized, and
a lockout function a sensor, a turn- because it gives size of the unit doesn’t 950 to 1,300 for large.
helps prevent table, and a you a second always translate to
them from operating defrost function. oven for baking usable cooking space. O V E R -T H E - R A N G E
the microwave. There's no need or roasting. Our research has found MICROWAVES
to spend more for that usable capacity Known as OTRs, these
for tested microwaves models free up counter
is about 50 to 60 percent space and typically
of what manufacturers include venting capability,
claim. More watts usually but they usually don't
means more cooking vent as well as a range
power, but differences of hood. Plan on installation
100 watts or so don’t by a pro.
matter much. Prices, PRICE $130 to $1,200.
usable capacity, and USABLE CAPACITY Most
watts are based on tested models have a
our tested models. usable capacity that’s
about 50 to 60 percent of
COUNTERTOP what manufacturers
MICROWAVES claim. Usable capacity
This basic style offers is 0.6 to 1.5 cubic feet.
appealing pricing WATTS 850 to 1,100.
and easy installation.
Just plug it into an BUILT-IN
ordinary outlet—one MICROWAVES
dedicated to the This category includes
microwave, or it might models designed to be
trip the circuit breaker. surrounded by cabinetry
These units eat up or built into a wall.
counter space, so Microwave drawers, for
note the microwave’s example, can be installed
dimensions, choosing the under a countertop or
largest capacity for the beneath a wall oven.
available space. Also Some countertop models
check the instructions can be built in with a kit.
for the recommended The information below
clearance around is for models designed
the appliance. only to be built in, not for
PRICE $50 to $150 for countertop models with
small (compact), $70 to optional built-in kits.
$500 for midsized, and PRICE $380 to $1,440.
$70 to $620 for large. USABLE CAPACITY We
USABLE CAPACITY haven’t tested enough
Most tested models in built-ins to determine
this category have usable the percentage of usable
capacity that’s about capacity compared with
50 to 60 percent of what manufacturer claims.
manufacturers claim. Usable capacity ranges
Usable capacity ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 cubic feet.
are 0.4 to 0.5 cubic feet WATTS 950 to 1,100.
for small (compact),

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 65

Ratings   Microwaves Overall Price Survey Test Results Specs Features
Score Results
Brand + Model

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Heating
evenness
Defrosting
evenness
Speed of
heating
Microwaving
noise
Ease of use
Venting (airflow)
Claimed
capacity (cu. ft.)
Usable capacity
(cu. ft.)
Watts
Detailed
prompts
Convection
mode
Sensor
Stainless/
SS-look option

OVER-THE-RANGE MICROWAVES

!0 Whirlpool WMH53521H 87 $470 50 30 50 50 40 50 50 30 2.1 0.9 1000 0 00
86
!0 Whirlpool WMH75021HZ 84 $470 50 30 50 50 40 50 50 30 2.1 0.9 1100 0 00
84
!0 GE Profile PVM9005SJSS 82 $500 40 30 50 30 50 50 40 40 2.1 1.0 1050 0 00
81
!0 KitchenAid KMHS120ESS 81 $585 40 30 50 50 40 50 40 30 2.0 1.0 1000 0 00
80
!0 Café CVM721M2NS5 79 $855 40 30 50 50 40 50 50 30 2.1 1.0 1050 0 00
77
!0 LG LMV2031ST 77 $350 40 40 40 50 40 40 50 40 2.0 0.9 1000 0 00

!0 LG LMH2235ST $450 40 40 40 50 40 50 50 30 2.2 0.9 1000 0 00

!0 Frigidaire Professional $595 40 20 40 50 40 40 40 40 1.8 0.9 1050 0 0 0 0
FPBM3077RF

!0 Kenmore 83337 $405 40 30 50 50 30 40 40 40 1.7 0.8 1000 00

Frigidaire Gallery $380 40 20 40 50 30 50 50 40 1.7 0.8 1000 0 00
FGMV17WNVF

GE JVM3160RFSS $250 40 30 40 40 40 50 40 30 1.6 0.8 1000 0 0

Kenmore 87583 76 $500 40 30 40 50 40 40 50 30 2.2 0.9 1000 0 00

Whirlpool WML55011HS 75 $405 50 30 30 40 40 50 30 50 1.1 0.6 1000 0

Recommended Products

Most models do O V E R -T H E - R A N G E MIDSIZED LARGE COUNTERTOP
a respectable job of COUNTERTOP
basic microwaving PANASONIC
tasks, such as WHIRLPOOL PANASONIC NN-SE785S
defrosting meats, WMH53521H NN-SN686S $330
reheating leftovers, $470 $310
and making 87
popcorn. You’ll 86 76
probably pay more The top-rated Panasonic rates
for an oven with a Our top-rated model earns an Very good overall, this model Excellent at evenly heating food
larger capacity, Excellent rating for heating even- offers superb heating evenness, and Very Good at defrosting.
a stainless steel ness, defrosting, and ease of heating speed, and defrosting. It's fast at heating water and
finish, lots of use, and it's very quiet. It fits a But its results in our noise test very quiet when set on high. It’s
presets, and 9x15-inch baking dish, and were just mediocre. It has easy to use and has a sensor,
functions such as the turntable can be turned off. 0.7 cubic feet of usable capacity, which measures the steam that
convection and Predicted reliability has a and it provides touchpad food emits and shuts off the
speed cooking. rating of Excellent, and owner controls and a sensor. microwave when cooking is done.
satisfaction rates Good. panasonic.com panasonic.com
whirlpool.com

66 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Specs Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Heating
evenness
Defrosting
evenness
Speed of
heating
Microwaving
noise
Ease of use
Venting (airflow)
Claimed
capacity (cu. ft.)
Usable capacity
(cu. ft.)
Watts
Detailed
prompts
Convection
mode
Sensor
Stainless/
SS-look option

OVER -THE-R ANGE MICROWAVES Continued

Frigidaire Gallery 75 $435 40 20 30 50 40 50 50 30 1.9 0.8 1000 0 00
FGBM19WNVD

GE JVM6175DKWW 74 $320 40 30 40 40 40 50 40 30 1.7 0.7 1000 0 00

Frigidaire Gallery FGMV176NTD 74 $350 40 20 30 50 30 50 40 40 1.7 0.8 1000 0 00

Black+Decker EM044KIN-P 73 $200 − − 40 50 40 50 40 30 1.6 0.7 1000 0

Frigidaire FFMV1846VS 73 $300 40 20 30 50 40 50 40 30 1.8 0.8 1000 0

Frigidaire FFMV1645TD 73 $320 40 20 40 50 30 40 40 30 1.6 0.8 1000 0

Frigidaire FFMV1745T 72 $280 40 20 30 50 40 50 40 40 1.7 0.8 1000 0

Bosch 500 Series HMV5053U 71 $500 30 30 40 40 40 40 40 30 2.1 0.9 1100 00

KitchenAid KMHC319ESS 71 $650 40 30 50 30 30 50 40 30 1.9 1.0 1000 0 0 0 0

Whirlpool WMH78019HZ 71 $570 50 30 50 30 30 50 50 20 1.9 0.9 1100 0 0 0 0

LG LMV1831ST 69 $250 40 40 40 50 30 40 40 20 1.8 0.8 1000 00

KitchenAid KMLS311HSS 68 $720 40 30 30 40 30 50 40 40 1.1 0.6 1000 0 00

Café CVM517P2MS1 68 $800 40 30 30 40 30 50 40 40 1.7 0.8 950 0 0 0 0

Samsung ME20H705MSS 68 $350 20 30 40 50 40 40 40 30 2.0 1.0 1000 0 00

Bosch HMV8053U 67 $675 30 30 40 40 40 40 40 20 1.8 0.9 1000 000

Maytag MMV5220FZ 66 $420 30 30 30 30 30 50 50 30 2.1 0.8 1000 0 00

Kenmore 83533 66 $280 40 30 40 40 20 50 40 40 1.8 0.9 1000 00
66
GE Profile Advantium 65 $1,170 40 30 30 40 30 40 50 30 1.7 0.8 925 0 0 0 0
PSA9120SFSS
$180 50 30 30 40 40 40 40 30 1.6 0.8 1000 0
Whirlpool UMV1160CS

GE Profile PVM9179SKSS 65 $550 40 30 30 30 30 40 40 40 1.7 0.8 950 0 0 0 0

Dacor Discovery PCOR30S 65 $900 30 30 40 50 30 40 40 20 1.1 0.7 850 0 0 0 0
65
Electrolux IQ-Touch 65 $695 10 10 40 50 40 50 50 30 1.8 0.9 1050 0 0 0 0
EI30BM60MS 64
GE Adora DVM7195SKSS $300 40 30 20 30 30 40 40 40 1.9 0.9 1000 0 00
(Home Depot Exclusive)
$280 40 40 20 40 30 50 40 40 1.6 1.0 1000 00
Sharp SMO1652DS

Maytag MMV5227JZ 64 $450 30 30 40 30 30 50 50 30 1.9 0.8 950 0 00

LG LSMC3089BD 64 $720 40 40 30 30 30 30 40 30 1.7 0.8 950 0 0 0 0

Samsung ME17R7021ES 64 $290 20 30 50 40 30 50 40 40 1.7 0.7 1000 0

Samsung ME21R7051SS 62 $300 20 30 30 50 30 50 40 40 2.1 0.9 1000 00

Samsung ME21F707MJT 62 $370 20 30 30 50 40 30 50 40 2.1 0.9 1000 0 00

LG LMVH1711[ST] 60 $540 40 40 30 40 30 30 40 20 1.7 0.8 950 0 00

Samsung ME21M706BAS 60 $350 20 30 40 50 30 40 40 40 2.1 0.9 1000 0 00

Maytag MMV1175JZ 59 $350 30 30 30 40 30 40 40 30 1.9 0.9 1000 0

Café CVM9215SLSS 59 $715 40 30 20 30 30 40 40 40 2.1 0.9 1000 0 00

Samsung ME19R7041FS 58 $350 20 30 30 50 30 40 40 40 1.9 0.9 1000 00

Samsung ME18H704SFS 57 $240 20 30 30 50 40 40 40 30 1.8 0.9 1000 00

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 67

Ratings   Microwaves Overall Price Survey Test Results Specs Features
Score Results
Brand + Model

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Heating
evenness
Defrosting
evenness
Speed of
heating
Microwaving
noise
Ease of use
Claimed
capacity (cu. ft.)
Usable capacity
(cu. ft.)
Watts
Detailed
prompts
Convection
mode
Sensor
Stainless/
SS-look option

MIDSIZED COUNTERTOP MICROWAVES

!0 General GEW1000E 77 $310 − − 50 NA 40 50 20 1.0 0.8 1000 0
77
!0 Panasonic NN-GN68KS with 76 $300 30 50 50 40 40 30 40 1.1 0.6 1000 00
FlashXpress, 3-in-1 74
73
!0 Panasonic NN-SN686S 72 $175 30 50 50 50 50 30 30 1.2 0.7 1200 00
72
Farberware Black FMO12AHTBSG 69 $110 30 20 50 40 40 50 40 1.2 0.6 1100 0
69
Breville Smooth Wave 68 $350 50 50 20 40 30 50 40 1.2 0.7 1250 0 00
BMO850BSS1BUC1 67
67
Breville Quick Touch BMO734XL 65 $250 50 50 40 20 40 40 40 1.2 0.7 1100 0 00
64
Oster OGCMDM11S2-10 63 $145 30 20 50 50 30 50 40 1.1 0.7 1000 0
63 $320 − − 40 NA 50 40 20 1.0 0.8 1000 0
Summit SCM1000SS 62
61
Magic Chef MCM1110ST 60 $80 40 20 30 30 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 0
60
Samsung MG11H2020CT 60 $180 30 30 40 30 40 40 40 1.1 0.7 1000 0
59
Cuisinart CMW-200 59 $250 40 30 40 30 30 40 30 1.2 0.7 1000 0 0
58
Samsung MC12J8035CT 57 $400 30 30 30 50 30 50 40 1.2 0.8 900 0 0
53
Samsung MC11K7035CG 52 $295 30 30 30 50 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 00
52
Magic Chef MCD1310ST 44 $110 40 20 30 30 30 50 40 1.3 0.8 1000 0

Power XL Microwave Air Fryer Plus $220 − − 30 40 30 50 40 1.0 0.6 1000 0
00752356830953
$115 30 30 40 30 30 40 40 1.1 0.6 950 0
GE JES1145SHSS

Panasonic Prestige NN-SD372S $140 30 50 20 50 40 40 30 0.9 0.5 950

Magic Chef HMM1110B $70 40 20 30 30 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000

Toshiba EM131A5C-BS $120 30 30 20 40 30 50 40 1.2 0.7 1100 00

Sharp SMC0912BS $70 30 30 30 30 30 50 40 0.9 0.5 900 0

Panasonic Home Chef 4-in-1 $480 30 50 30 30 30 40 40 1.2 0.8 1000 0 0 0 0
NN-CD87KS
$145 30 30 20 40 40 40 40 1.1 0.7 1000 0
Sharp SMC1132CS

Cuisinart CMW-110 $200 40 30 20 50 20 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 00

Toshiba ML2-EM31PASS $110 30 30 30 20 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 0

Cuisinart CMW-100 $180 40 30 30 20 30 40 30 1.0 0.7 1000 0

Farberware FMO11AHTBKB $100 30 20 30 20 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 0

GE JES1097SMSS Smart $140 30 30 20 20 30 50 40 0.9 0.5 900 0 0

Black+Decker EM031MGGX1 $85 40 20 20 20 30 50 40 1.1 0.6 1000 0

RCA RMW1138 $80 30 10 30 20 20 40 30 1.1 0.7 1000 0

LARGE COUNTERTOP MICROWAVES

!0 Panasonic NN-SE785S 87 $330 30 50 50 40 50 40 50 1.6 0.9 1250 0 00
!0 Panasonic NN-SD975S 83 $250 30 50 50 40 50 40 50 2.2 1.5 1250 0 00
!0 Panasonic NN-SN966S 82 $250 30 50 50 50 50 40 40 2.2 1.4 1250 00
!0 LG LMC1575 79 $220 50 40 40 50 50 40 30 1.5 0.8 1200 00
!0 Panasonic NN-SD745S 78 $220 30 50 30 40 50 40 50 1.6 0.9 1250 0 00
!0 Panasonic NN-SN736B 77 $190 30 50 40 40 50 40 40 1.6 0.9 1250 0

68 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Specs Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Heating
evenness
Defrosting
evenness
Speed of
heating
Microwaving
noise
Ease of use
Claimed
capacity (cu. ft.)
Usable capacity
(cu. ft.)
Watts
Detailed
prompts
Convection
mode
Sensor
Stainless/
SS-look option

L ARGE COUNTER TOP MICROWAVES Continued

!0 Amazon Smart Oven plus Echo Dot 76 $250 40 20 40 50 30 50 40 1.5 0.8 1000 0 0 0 0
!0 GE Profile JES2251SJ 75
72 $280 30 30 50 40 40 40 50 2.2 1.4 1200 0 00
Sharp SMC2242DS 70
Toshiba EC042A5C-BS 70 $190 30 30 40 40 40 50 40 2.2 1.3 1200 00
Magic Chef MCM1611ST 70
GE Profile PES7227SLSS 69 $195 30 30 40 50 30 50 40 1.5 0.8 1000 0 0
Magic Chef MCD1811ST 69
Danby DMW14SA1BDB 68 $130 40 20 30 40 40 40 40 1.6 0.9 1100 0
Panasonic NN-SU 656B 68
GE JES2051SN[SS] 67 $350 30 30 30 30 40 50 40 2.2 1.3 1100 00
Electrolux EI24MO45IB 67
Oster OGYZ1602B 66 $140 40 20 30 40 40 50 30 1.8 1.1 1100 0
Farberware Smart Sensor Cooking 66
FMO16AHTBSA 66 $150 40 10 30 30 40 50 40 1.4 0.7 1100 0
Panasonic NN-SD69LS 65
GE Profile PEB9159SJSS 65 $150 30 50 30 50 40 50 40 1.3 0.7 1100 0
Samsung MG14H3020CN 64
Galanz ExpressWave 61 $250 30 30 30 30 40 40 50 2.0 1.2 1200 00
KitchenAid KMCS3022GSS 59
Samsung MS19M8000AS 57 $800 30 20 40 30 40 30 40 2.0 1.2 1100 0 0
Sharp SMC1843CM 57
KitchenAid KMCS1016GSS 56 $110 30 20 40 40 30 40 30 1.6 0.9 1100 0
GE JES1460DSBB 53
Sharp SMC1452CH 50 $200 30 20 30 40 40 50 40 1.6 0.9 1300 00
Farberware FMO16AHTPLB 50
Samsung MS14K6000AS $160 30 50 40 30 30 40 30 1.3 0.7 1100 00
Farberware Professional
FMO13AHTPLE $665 30 30 30 40 40 50 40 1.5 0.8 1000 000

$230 30 30 40 30 40 40 40 1.4 0.9 950 00
$120 − − 40 30 30 40 40 1.4 0.8 1100 00

$430 20 30 40 30 40 50 40 2.2 1.3 1200 00

$190 30 30 30 40 30 40 40 1.9 1.2 950 00

$170 30 30 20 30 40 40 40 1.8 1.1 1100 00

$515 20 30 30 30 30 50 30 1.6 0.9 1200 00

$140 30 30 30 20 40 40 40 1.4 0.9 1100 0 0

$160 30 30 20 40 30 50 40 1.4 0.7 1100 00

$150 30 20 20 30 40 50 40 1.6 0.9 1100 00

$170 30 30 20 40 30 40 40 1.4 0.9 1000 00

$150 30 20 20 40 40 50 40 1.3 0.7 1100 00

Digital and All Access members can find the latest, complete ratings at CR.org/microwaveratings.

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score combines recommend the microwave they bought. program defrosted a pound of frozen of an over-the-range model. Usable
test results with survey data for In cases where we have insufficient ground beef. Speed of heating is based capacity is the usable space based on
predicted reliability and owner satis- survey data to provide a brand-level on the temperature rise of water that’s our measurements, and excludes the
faction. Predicted reliability esti- heated. Microwaving noise reflects how corner spaces for models with rotating
mates the likelihood that newly pur- −rating, indicated by a gray dash ( ), quiet the appliance is while it’s on turntables. Note that most over-the-
chased models from a given brand high. Ease of use includes how easy it range models allow you to turn off the
will develop problems or break within we give the model weighted category is to set the microwave without refer- rotation to fit large dishes. With the
the first five years. Owner satisfac- average reliability and satisfaction ring to the instructions. Venting (airflow) rotation off, measured capacity
tion reflects the proportion of CR mem- scores. Heating evenness reflects how is based on the volume of air drawn in approximates claimed capacity. Price
bers who are extremely likely to evenly a model reheated a dish of cold by the internal fan on the highest setting is approximate retail.
mashed potatoes. Defrosting evenness
is based on how well the auto-defrost

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 69

70

Dishwashers

Dish Duty,
Done

BETTER CLEANING USING LESS ENERGY AND WATER—SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE,
RIGHT? BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THE BEST DISHWASHERS IN OUR
TESTS DELIVER. PLUS, MANY MODELS HAVE A SLEW OF CONVENIENCE
FEATURES. USE THIS GUIDE TO HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU.

Using a dishwasher can save you more than
230 hours a year compared with washing
and drying by hand, according to Energy Star.
If you haven’t bought a dishwasher in a while,
you’ll notice that they don’t look as uniform
as they once did. You’ll find more finishes and
sleek designs, some with hidden controls, no
handles, and no brand logos. This helps a new
dishwasher blend in with appliances from other
brands. Here’s what else you need to know.

71

Dishwashers

MAKING THE can be hard to tell that
RIGHT CHOICE a quiet machine is on.

Focus on these details STYLE CONVENIENCE
while you’re shopping. Cabinet-front dish- FEATURES
washers can accom- Many dishwashers have
DIMENSIONS modate a panel adjustable racks and
Conventional dish- that blends in with your lots of flatware slots.
washers are intended cabinets for an inte- Certain midpriced models
for a space measuring grated, furniture-style have a third rack for
24 inches wide by look. Other options large utensils and small
24 inches deep. Installing include a range of cups. Many have fold-
your new dishwasher finishes and a recessed down tines to help fit
could be a challenge pocket handle instead large dishes, and racks
if you’ve tiled the floor of a standard one. that move up or down
or redone your counters, for oversized items.
because that might CONTROLS
change the height of Certain models have ENERGY EFFICIENCY
the cavity. So measure interactive touch controls, Dishwashers that are
your space and ask but the usual touch- Energy Star–qualified
the retailer for the full pads are fine if they’re use about 12 percent less
height range, and well marked. If controls energy than standard
allow extra space for are hidden when the door models and save
the leveling feet. is closed, look for cycle- water. The most miserly
time and other outer dis- used only 4 to 6 gallons
plays, otherwise it of water in our tests,
which included the high-
temperature wash
and heated dry options
when available.

FEATURES THAT soiled loads in as little MONEY
MATTER MOST as 20 minutes but don't SAVER
dry the dishes. Some
These convenience fea- and organize its contents but can be noisy. Cer- offer cycles, including You can find a
tures can make your to fit large and odd- tain models have a pot scrubber, soak/scrub, dishwasher for
dishwasher easier to use. shaped items. Shop filter without a grinder. steam clean, china/ $500 or less
carefully and you’re likely They’re quieter, but you crystal, and sanitizing. by sticking with
SOIL SENSORS to get a third rack for need to clean the filter And certain models the basics: three
These adjust the cycle large utensils and periodically, a quick and have a half-load option, to four cycles,
time and water use small cups, and not just easy job. Refer to your handy if you rarely have a plastic tub
to the load’s soil level, in premium models. owner’s manual to see a full load. The three instead of stain-
reducing energy which you have. basic cycles should be less steel, non-
demand and water use F I LT E R S enough for most chores, adjustable racks,
for more efficient loads. These keep wash water SPECIAL WASH even for baked-on no third rack,
free of food that could CYCLES food. A sanitizing option and controls on
ADJUSTABLE RACKS be redeposited onto Most dishwashers that raises the water the front (not
AND LOADING AIDS clean dishes. There are come with at least three temperature above on the top) of
Racks that move up two types: self-cleaning cycles: light, normal, the typical 140° F doesn’t the door.
and down, tines you can and manual. With self- and heavy (for pots and necessarily deliver better
adjust, and silverware cleaning filters, a grinder pans), with many newer cleaning for dishes.
and stemware holders pulverizes debris and models also including It’s meant to disinfect
let you reconfigure the flushes it down the drain. “quick” or “express” the dishwasher’s interior.
interior of a dishwasher That’s convenient cycles that clean lightly
WASH ZONES
Certain models designate
part of the dishwasher
for heavily soiled items

72 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

WHAT'S ON
THE MARKET?

GE Take a close look at how DISHWASHERS FOR
the dishwasher’s interior $600 TO $900
needing a special cycle. plastic tub should last is configured—the spacing You can get a quieter ma-
In our tests, they seem to longer than most people of tines and the placement chine, superb cleaning, and
work as promised. keep a dishwasher. of the silverware baskets convenient features that
and racks. You need might make it worth spend-
a dishwasher that works ing a bit more, such as
for the dishes, cookware, adjustable racks and flexible
and utensils you use. flatware slots, along with a
stainless tub, which tends to
DISHWASHERS FOR resist stains better than plas-
$500 OR LESS tic. A soil sensor is a given.
Although they aren’t the
top performers in our DISHWASHERS FOR
tests, you can still get a $1,000 OR MORE
dishwasher that’s excellent High-end dishwashers come
at cleaning and very good with high-end styling and
or even excellent at dry- innovative features, such as
ing. Certain models in this special wash zones for
price range now have heavily soiled items, and
a soil sensor, which adjusts WiFi connectivity.
the cycle’s time and water
use to the load’s soil level, DISHWASHER DRAWERS
improving water efficiency. They typically have two
And some even have a stacked drawers that you
stainless interior. But basic can use simultaneously
features, longer wash or separately. But they’re
cycles, and noisier opera- expensive, and the ones we
tion are likely. tested haven’t impressed
us with their performance.

PHOTO, RIGHT: LISA ROMEREIN/OTTO HEATED DRY HIDDEN CONTROLS
Dishwashers usually dry Controls mounted along
using drainage and the the top edge of the door
residual heat in the tub. (hidden when the door
Certain models will either is closed) are strictly about
heat the water further style. The downside: You
during the final rinse (to usually can’t see cycle
warm up the stainless progress at a glance.
tub) or use a heating Partly hidden controls
element, perhaps are a good compromise.
coupled with a fan to You’ll know when the
circulate the air. A few machine is running
models have the door and sometimes the
open near the end of the remaining cycle time.
cycle to aid in drying.
QUIET PERFORMANCE
STAINLESS STEEL TUB Some manufacturers
Stainless steel tends to display a decibel rating.
resist staining better than But they average the
light-colored plastic does. sound level of an entire
Gray plastic tubs help cycle (including the silent
camouflage stains and dry cycle), which can be
trim the overall cost. Any a bit misleading.

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 73

Ratings   Dishwashers

Recommended Products

Almost all the models 24-INCH 24-INCH 24-INCH
we tested clean well,
are easy to load, and $ BOSCH ASCENTA BOSCH 300 DLX SERIES BOSCH
come in a stainless finish. SHX3AR75UC SHS863WD5N 100 SERIES SHXM4AY55N
They also use far less Cycle Time: 95 min. Cycle Time: 150 min. Cycle Time: 150 min.
water and energy than Water Usage: 4 gal. Water Usage: 4 gal. Water Usage: 5 gal.
washing by hand. The $700 $775 $750
picks here are excellent
overall performers, and 89 85 84
most have a timed-start
feature, a heavy-duty The combination of superior This midpriced model earns This Bosch is one of the cheap-
or pots and pans cycle, performance and features a Very Good rating for washing. er midpriced washers, but it
and self-cleaning filters. that more commonly appear Even though many competitors rates among the best. It earns
The ratings rank models on pricier washers makes this earn Excellent scores for this a Very Good score for washing,
by overall performance. model a great value. It scores critical task, it’s still one of the is among the best at drying,
very well for washing, drying, top-rated washers in the cat- and is relatively quiet, too. Its
and quiet operation, and its egory overall. The reason: It’s Overall Score gets a boost be-
95-minute cycle for a normal among the best at drying, cause Bosch dishwashers get
wash is one of the shortest of it’s relatively quiet, and Bosch high marks for reliability and
any washer that CR tests. dishwashers get top marks satisfaction in CR surveys.
bosch-home.com for reliability and satisfaction bosch-home.com
in CR surveys.
bosch-home.com

24-INCH 24-INCH 18-INCH 18-INCH

THERMADOR BOSCH BENCHMARK MIELE DIMENSION WHIRLPOOL
DWHD660WFP SHX89PW55N G4720SCI WDF518SAHM
Cycle Time: 155 min. Cycle Time: 155 min. Cycle Time: 170. Cycle Time: 130 min.
Water Usage: 4 gal. Water Usage: 4 gal. Water Usage: 4 gal. Water Usage: 5 gal.
$1,800 $1,620 $1,500 $815

84 83 71 71

This exceptionally quiet model This Bosch Benchmark com- This 18-inch Miele may save This 18-inch Whirlpool offers a
earns a Very Good rating for mands a top price and is a top space, but it won't save lot of value. It scores Very Good
cleaning heavily soiled dishes performer. Not that its cleaning money—its very good per- on CR's tests for both washing
and an Excellent for drying. ability is so extraordinary; it formance comes with a high and drying, and boasts a rea-
Its energy efficiency also rates earns a Very Good for that, price. It does boast very good sonably fast cycle time. And on
Excellent. It does have a long but many high-end models wash performance and excellent surveys, Whirlpool dishwash-
cycle time, however, and you score even better. But it rates energy efficiency, and it's very ers get a very good mark for
have to clean the filter manually. Excellent for both drying and quiet. But drying was just good reliability. One negative: Noise
thermador.com very quiet operation, and Bosch and the filter must be cleaned was rated just mediocre, so it
dishwashers get top marks for manually. It has a host of conve- might be the best choice for
reliability and satisfaction in CR nience features, including a third a kitchen that's located near
surveys. Its 150-minute wash rack, a delayed-start feature, living spaces.
cycle is on the long side. and a time-remaining display, It whirlpool.com
bosch-home.com requires a custom door panel.
miele.com

74 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0 $0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED CR BEST BUY

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Washing
Drying
Energy use
Noise
Cycle time (min.)
Ample flatware
slots
Adjustable upper
rack
Adjustable tines
Displays
remaining time
Interior material
Requires custom
door panel
Self-cleaning
filter
WiFi

24-INCH DISHWASHERS

$0 Bosch Ascenta SHX3AR75UC 89 $700 50 50 50 40 50 40 95 0 0 0 Stainless steel
and plastic

!0 Bosch 300 DLX Series 85 $775 50 50 40 50 50 40 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHS863WD5N 84

!0 Bosch 100 Series $750 50 50 40 50 50 40 150 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHXM4AY55N 0 and plastic

!0 Thermador DWHD660WFP 84 $1,800 50 50 40 50 50 50 155 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
84 0
!0 Bosch Benchmark $1,615 50 50 40 50 50 50 155 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
SHX89PW55N 0
0
!0 Thermador DWHD770WFM 83 $2,300 50 50 40 50 50 50 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
83 0
$0 Ikea Renlig IUD7070DS 82 $550 50 30 50 50 50 30 115 0 Plastic 0
[288921] 82 0
82
!0 Bosch 800 Series 82 $1,090 50 50 40 50 50 50 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHXM88Z75N 82
79
!0 Bosch 800 Series 79 $1,040 50 50 40 50 50 50 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHPM78Z55N

!0 Bosch Benchmark $1,600 50 50 40 50 50 50 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHX88PZ55N

!0 Miele Classic Plus $1,200 50 50 40 40 50 40 150 0 0 0 Stainless steel
G4977SCVISF

!0 Bosch 300 Series $770 50 50 50 40 50 40 155 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHEM63W55N

Bosch 800 Series $900 50 50 50 40 50 50 160 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHPM78W55N

Miele Futura Crystal $1,800 50 50 40 40 50 40 140 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
G6665SCVISF

Kenmore 14573 79 $600 30 30 50 50 50 40 145 0 0 Stainless steel

Bosch 800 Series 78 $1,150 50 50 50 30 50 50 160 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
SHXM98W75N

Kenmore 14523 77 $630 30 30 50 40 50 40 150 00 Stainless steel

Miele Dimension 76 $1,900 50 50 40 40 50 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
G6785SCVISF 76
$815 50 50 50 30 50 40 160 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
Bosch 500 Series
SHPM65W55N

GE Profile PDF820SSJSS 76 $1,010 30 20 50 30 50 40 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
$1,105 − − 50 30 50 40 135 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
Bertazzoni DW24XT 76

Kenmore Elite 14793 76 $900 30 30 50 30 50 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Whirlpool WDF520PADM 75 $520 40 30 40 30 50 30 115 0 Plastic

GE Profile PDT855SSJSS 75 $1,370 30 20 50 30 50 50 155 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Café CDT845P2NS1 74 $1,100 30 30 50 30 50 50 155 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Thor Kitchen HDW2401SS 74 $800 − − 50 30 50 40 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Kenmore 13223 74 $550 30 30 50 50 50 30 160 0 0 Stainless steel

KitchenAid KDPM604KPS 74 $900 30 40 40 50 50 40 145 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Kucht K6502D 74 $720 − − 50 30 50 40 140 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

KitchenAid KDPE234GPS 74 $1,000 30 40 40 30 50 40 135 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Samsung DW80K7050US 73 $700 20 20 50 40 50 40 130 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Kenmore 13473 73 $450 30 30 50 50 50 30 160 0 0 Plastic

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 75

Ratings   Dishwashers

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Washing
Drying
Energy use
Noise
Cycle time (min.)
Ample flatware
slots
Adjustable upper
rack
Adjustable tines
Displays
remaining time
Interior material
Requires custom
door panel
Self-cleaning
filter
WiFi

24 -INCH DISHWASHERS Continued

Ikea VASKAD [50422663] 73 $850 50 30 40 40 40 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Ikea SPOLAD [80422355] 73 $750 50 30 40 40 40 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
72
Ikea Renlig IUD7555DS 72 $550 50 30 40 30 50 40 160 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
[90292264]
$1,250 30 30 40 40 50 50 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
LG LDT7808BM

Whirlpool WDT730PAHZ 72 $500 40 30 40 40 50 40 140 0 0 0 Stainless steel
0 and plastic

Whirlpool WDTA50SAKZ 71 $720 40 30 40 30 40 40 150 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Samsung DW80R7061UG 71 $850 20 20 50 30 40 50 120 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Maytag MDB4949SHZ 71 $675 30 30 40 50 40 40 155 0 Stainless steel 0

Whirlpool WDT970SAHZ 70 $810 40 30 40 40 40 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
70
Miele Futura Lumen 70 $2,300 50 50 40 40 50 40 170 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
G6885SCVIK2O
$475 40 30 40 30 50 30 110 Plastic
Whirlpool WDF330PAHS

Samsung DW80R9950US 69 $1,150 20 20 40 50 50 50 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0

GE GDP615HSMSS 69 $635 30 20 40 30 50 30 155 0 0 Stainless steel
0 and plastic

GE Profile PDT715SYNFS 69 $700 30 20 40 30 50 30 155 0 0 Stainless steel
0 and plastic

Midea MDT24H3AST 69 $450 − − 40 30 50 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
69
Bosch 800 Series 68 $1,260 50 50 40 30 50 50 165 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
SHEM78WH5N
$1,300 30 30 50 20 50 40 120 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
Kenmore Elite 14815

Kenmore Elite 14673 67 $600 30 30 40 30 50 40 135 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0

Ikea LAGAN [00385804] 67 $270 50 30 40 50 50 30 160 Plastic

Maytag MDB8959SKZ 67 $750 30 30 40 30 50 40 145 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0

Maytag MDB4949SKZ 66 $675 30 30 40 40 50 30 135 0 0 Stainless steel 0

LG Signature LUDP8997SN 66 $1,375 30 30 40 30 50 40 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

LG LDP6797ST 66 $665 30 30 40 30 50 40 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Samsung DW80R5060US 65 $600 20 20 40 40 40 40 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0

Whirlpool WDF130PAHW 65 $280 40 30 40 50 50 30 160 Plastic
65
Samsung Chef Collection 64 $1,300 20 20 40 40 50 50 130 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
DW80M9990US
$350 30 10 40 40 40 30 145 Plastic 0
Frigidaire FFCD2413US

LG LDP6810BD 64 $945 30 30 50 40 40 40 180 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

GE GDT655SSJSS 64 $610 30 20 50 20 50 40 155 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Frigidaire FFID2426TS 64 $400 30 10 40 40 50 30 130 0 Plastic

GE GDT695SSJSS 64 $775 30 20 50 20 50 40 155 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

KitchenAid KDPE334GPS 63 $1,050 30 40 40 30 50 50 160 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Kenmore 13803 62 $300 30 30 40 20 50 30 115 Plastic

76 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

01 02 03 04 05 !0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED

Brand + Model Overall Price Survey Test Results Features
Score Results

Predicted
reliability
Owner
satisfaction
Washing
Drying
Energy use
Noise
Cycle time (min.)
Ample flatware
slots
Adjustable upper
rack
Adjustable tines
Displays
remaining time
Interior material
Requires custom
door panel
Self-cleaning
filter
WiFi

24 -INCH DISHWASHERS Continued

LG LDF5545ST 61 $480 30 30 50 40 40 50 200 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

Samsung DW80M2020US 60 $530 20 20 40 40 50 30 130 0 0 Stainless steel
and plastic

Samsung DW80R2031US 59 $400 20 20 40 50 40 30 175 0 0 Stainless steel
Frigidaire FGID2468UF 58
Amana ADB1500ADS 58 $450 30 10 50 50 30 40 200 0 0 0 0 Plastic

Samsung DW80N3030US 58 $565 30 10 50 20 50 30 140 0 0 Plastic
$450 20 20 40 50 40 30 175 0
Amana ADB1400AGW 57 $350 30 10 40 40 50 20 166 Stainless steel
56 and plastic
GE GDF630PSMSS 56
56 Plastic
Frigidaire Gallery 56
FGID2479SF 53 $450 30 20 40 50 40 40 200 0 0 0 Plastic
Frigidaire Gallery 52
FGIP2468UF 50 $600 30 10 40 30 40 40 195 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel
48
Frigidaire LFID2459VF $430 30 10 40 50 40 40 200 0 0 0 0 Plastic

Fisher & Paykel $900 30 10 40 50 40 40 205 0 0 Stainless steel
DD24DDFTX9N
$1,400 30 30 40 30 40 30 180 0 0 Plastic
GE GDT565SSNS
$530 30 20 40 50 40 30 215 0 Stainless steel
Electrolux IQ Touch
EI24ID81SS $1,095 10 10 40 50 40 40 190 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel

GE GSD2100VWW $340 30 20 30 20 50 10 110 Plastic 0

18-INCH

!0 Miele Dimension G4720SCI 71 $1,500 50 50 40 30 50 40 170 0 0 0 0 Stainless steel 0
71
!0 Whirlpool WDF518SAHM 63 $815 40 30 40 40 50 30 130 0 0 Stainless steel 0
58 and plastic
GE Profile PDT145SSLSS
$900 30 20 50 20 50 40 125 0 0 0 Stainless steel
Bosch 300 Series 0 and plastic
SPE53U55UC
$775 50 50 40 10 40 50 135 0 0 0 Stainless steel

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score combines tion of CR members who are extremely performance, we run the normal or testers judge Noise levels by listening
test results with survey data for pre- likely to recommend the dishwasher equivalent cycle to clean a full load with to each machine through its entire cycle.
dicted reliability and owner satisfaction. they bought. In cases where we have 10 place settings. Drying performance Cycle time, rounded to the nearest
Predicted reliability estimates the insufficient survey data to provide a is our assessment of how thoroughly a 5 minutes, is based on running the normal
likelihood that newly purchased models brand-level rating, indicated by a gray dishwasher dries plastic cups—a tough or equivalent cycle to clean a full load.
from a given brand will develop problems task—using our test cycle and a rinse Price is approximate retail.
or break within the first five years. −dash ( ), we give the model weighted aid, which improves drying. Energy use
Owner satisfaction reflects the propor- is based on our test cycle. A panel of
category average scores for reliability
and satisfaction. To score Washing

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 77

78

PHOTO: SEAN LITCHFIELD Cabinets

Kitchen
Storage
Solutions

THE RIGHT KITCHEN CABINETS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
A WORK SPACE THAT’S DISORGANIZED AND CROWDED AND ONE
THAT’S BEAUTIFUL AND EASY TO WORK IN. HERE’S HOW TO PLAN
AND SHOP FOR STORAGE THAT FITS YOUR SPACE AND BUDGET.

Cabinets can be your biggest expense when
remodeling, accounting for up to 40 percent
of your budget. So it’s worth spending the time
to find the organizing features you need and
a look you’ll love—at the right price. Consumer
Reports doesn’t test cabinets at this time, but
our in-house experts can help you make smart
decisions. Use this guide to shop and save.

79

Cabinets

MAKING THE
RIGHT CHOICE

Before you head to a cabinets have a separate MONEY
showroom, determine frame applied to the SAVER
what you can spend front of the cabinet box;
and think about how you doors and drawers are Cabinet manufac-
use the space. attached to that frame. turers often
Frameless cabinets, often charge premium
BUDGET referred to as European- prices for interior
Cabinets fall into three style, eliminate the organizers and
categories: stock, semi- face frame; doors and door and drawer
custom, and custom. drawers are attached hardware. Save
Stock cabinets start directly to the cabinet money by looking
around $100 per linear box. That provides great for storage
foot, installed. (A typi- accessibility and a accessories you
cal kitchen has 25 to 30 more contemporary look. can add yourself
linear feet of cabinets.) But the absence of a after installation
Home centers sell them face frame can compro- and by purchasing
fully assembled. Stores mise rigidity. Some man- knobs and pulls
such as Ikea offer flat- ufacturers compensate at a home center
pack versions that are by using a thicker, or online.
put together on site. stronger box, say, ¾-inch
Semi-custom cabinets, plywood instead of
which start around ½-inch particleboard.
$150 per linear foot, For the European look
come in more configu- in a framed cabinet, opt
rations, so they’ll fit for a full-overlay door,
your kitchen more which covers the frame.
precisely. Custom cabi-
nets can cost $500 or STORAGE FEATURES
more per linear foot. Accessories like pull-out
They’re crafted to your shelves, drawer dividers,
specs and can include and appliance lifts can
personalized features. improve cabinet function-
ality, but they'll also in-
STYLE crease the cost by 20 per-
Your first decision is cent or more. You’ll
between framed and save money by keeping
frameless. Framed them to a minimum.

Pick Your Cabinet manufacturers offer adjustable door racks. Toe-kick cabinets that are PHOTOS: KARYN MILLET (TOP);
Storage a wide array of optional Slide-out wastebaskets to installed between the floor MARK LUND (BOTTOM MIDDLE);
Accessories storage accessories, usually for and the base of a cabinet, KIM SMITH (BOTTOM RIGHT)
an upcharge. Here are some keep trash easily accessible perfect for holding shallow
that are worth considering: but neatly out of sight. items such as cookie sheets,
trays, and place mats.
Drawer dividers for Message-center cabinets
corralling small items, such as that offer shallow storage Lift cabinets with spring-
cooking utensils and flatware. for small items, such as keys, loaded shelves that swing up
as well as an integrated and out to provide easy
Pantry cabinets that dry-erase message board or access to mixers and food
feature rollout trays and bulletin board.

80 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

WHAT'S ON
THE MARKET?

Kitchen cabinets can MIDLEVEL
vary greatly in price. These semi-custom
Here’s a look at the three models are a sound
main types you'll see. choice for most kitchens.
Many are made with
BASIC face-frame construction,
Often called stock, they’re where a solid-wood
inexpensive, off-the-shelf frame is visible around
cabinets. Some are fully the door and drawers.
assembled; others will PROS Midlevel models
need to be assembled on offer many made-to-
site. Many are frameless, order custom options for
meaning the door has no size, materials, finish,
lip or “reveal“ around it. moldings and other trim,
PROS They’re a money- and accessories such
saving choice if you as range-hood covers.
aren’t too picky about That can make them the
style options or don’t best value overall
demand a perfect fit. because you’ll get the
More of them have better look you want without
drawers, solid-wood a custom price.
doors, and other once- CONS As with basic
pricey features. And cabinets, features
we found basic cabinet and quality can vary
models that held up considerably. Boxes
better than some more may be veneered
expensive ones. particleboard rather than
CONS Many basic boxes higher-quality plywood.
are thinly veneered
particleboard rather PREMIUM
than higher-quality Short of custom made-
plywood. Style and to-order cabinets, these
trim options, sizes, and semi-custom models
organizing accessories offer the most style and
are still limited. Figure on storage options.
an hour or more of PROS They generally
assembly for each set. come with plywood
boxes and other
processors, then tuck away premium materials and
when they’re not in use. hardware options.
Widths may come in
Cubby units installed ¼-inch increments rather
underneath wall cabinets to than the typical 3
hold wine or water bottles. inches, so they can fit
your space perfectly.
Vertical dividers that neatly CONS Though generally
shelve cookie sheets and trays less expensive than fully
on their sides. They can be a made-to-order custom
good way to fill gaps between units, models with the
stock cabinets. most features and of the
highest quality can
cost as much as certain
full-custom units. So
get a price from a local
cabinetmaker be-
fore you place an order.

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 81

Cabinets

FEATURES THAT Fake a
MATTER MOST Custom
Look
What separates a well- 3. MOUNTING STRIPS
made cabinet from Ask the contractor to use If you’re buying budget-
a cheap imitation? Here ¾-inch hardwood strips friendly stock or semi-custom
are the features to look or metal strips with bolt cabinets, you don’t have
for—and what to avoid. holes. Thinner wood, to settle for the ordinary.
medium-density fiberboard, Decorative design elements
1. HARDWARE or particleboard can give even basic stock
Full-extension drawer can be a safety concern cabinets a more personalized
guides are better than with heavily loaded look in an array of styles,
integrated side rails wall cabinets. including country, modern,
or undermounted double- and traditional.
roller designs. Some 4. DOORS
cabinet models have a Most manufacturers offer Accent doors, available in
“soft close” feature a similar range of options a variety of styles—textured
that stops them from at all their price levels. or colored, frosted glass, or
slamming shut. As for Look for a solid-wood stainless steel—can enhance
door hinges, in past frame surrounding solid- visual interest or create
tests we didn’t find any wood or plywood panels. an industrial look.
significant differences
among the various types. 5. DRAWERS Moldings, which range from
Well-built drawers are simple to ornate, can be added
2. SHELVES critical because drawers to the top, bottom, or edge of
Look for ¾-inch plywood. get the most use. The best cabinets as a finishing touch,
Lesser-quality ⅝- or ones have solid-wood or along the bottom of wall
½-inch particleboard sides, dovetail joinery, cabinets to conceal undercabinet
may sag. and a plywood bottom lighting. Just be sure that the
that fits grooves on style you choose suits your
four sides. Avoid stapled cabinets and your home.
particleboard. Consider matching them to
existing moldings or trim.
15
“Legs” (or feet) added to
the base of built-in cabinets
create the trendy look of
freestanding furniture. You can
find decorative trim pieces,
such as moldings, corbels, corner
details, onlays, and turnings,
for a great price at local lumber
stores and home centers.

4 Choose The finish you choose for your
2 a Winning cabinets can set the tone for
Finish your entire kitchen. Options
include a clean and modern
3 look for contemporary kitchens;
deep rich wood for traditional
elegance; and distressed
finishes for a vintage effect.

The right choice for your
kitchen depends on your

Particleboard Plywood

82 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

GET THE

I N S TA L L AT I O N

RIGHT

When installers come to give an
estimate, have a plan handy.
That way they can account for
the height and type of the new
wall cabinets, the soffits, the
location of electrical outlets and
plumbing, and other variables.
Make sure the estimate includes
the removal and disposal of
your existing cabinets and any
other necessary demolition.

Before hiring an installer, talk
with suppliers and, if possible,
at least three former customers
to find out how the work has
held up. Ask for copies of the
installer’s insurance certificates
as well. Certification from the
National Association of the
Remodeling Industry is a plus;
it indicates a high level of
professionalism.

For safety’s sake, shore up the
wall mountings. And be certain
the installer reinforces the
mounting strips if they’re made
of thin particleboard.

PHOTOS, FROM LEFT: KARYN MILLET; personal style—and your used to interpret any kitchen through. But that finish often combining two or more—
GETTY IMAGES. ILLUSTRATION: family's lifestyle. design theme.” comes at a premium price. a modern look that adds a
CHRIS PHILPOT custom flair. To complement
“The white kitchen is a true If you prefer a more natural For those in the market for a natural-wood finish, for
classic,” says Susan Serra, look, consider a finish that something a bit more modern, example, add an accent
a certified kitchen designer, reveals the wood grain of the matte and high-gloss finishes cabinet in an opaque color
certified aging-in-place cabinet rather than obscuring are available in almost every such as pale yellow or blue, or
specialist, and author of The it. Glazed finishes, for example, color, not to mention trendy in a neutral. Or go bold in
Kitchen Designer blog. add soft, translucent color on metallics, black, and white. one area, such as on the base
“And it’s popular today as top of the wood but allow the of the island.
an easy look that can be beauty of the grain to show If you can’t choose just one
finish, create a layered look by

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 83

84

PHOTO: STACY BASS Countertops

Surface
Report

IF YOU WANT THE SLEEK LOOK OF MARBLE OR CONCRETE WITHOUT
THE MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS, YOU’RE IN LUCK. OUR TOP-RATED
COUNTERTOP MATERIALS OFFER THE WINNING COMBINATION OF
BEAUTY AND DURABILITY IN A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES.

We stained, sliced, scratched, scorched, and
nicked 14 countertop materials to test how
well they’ll stand up to use in a kitchen. Spoiler
alert: Quartz continues to impress our testers
on every front. The manufactured stone offers
a look that’s realistic, resembling even rare and
delicate materials surprisingly well. But it’s not
the only option that’s durable. Old favorites like
granite and laminate also took their share of
abuse on the chin. Read on for all the details.

85

Countertops

MAKING THE
RIGHT CHOICE

Use these important DON’T MEASURE
tips as you shop. YOURSELF
If the installer does
GET A SIZABLE the measuring, they’re
SAMPLE responsible for any
Tiny swatches or mistakes. Make sure the
pictures can’t give you contract states the
a good sense of how a counter thickness, finish,
countertop material and edge and backsplash
will look in your kitchen. treatments.
So ask for a sample
that’s as large as the MONEY
retailer can get. For SAVER
natural stone, such as
granite or marble, Mix high- and
be sure to see the actual lower-priced
slab that will become materials in the
your countertop before same space. You
installation. Veining and could use quartz
pattern can vary from or granite on
slab to slab. high-impact
areas (like the
CONSIDER RESALE center island),
Grout lines between for example, and
tiles are easily stained, less-expensive
and that may turn laminate on the
off potential buyers. perimeter.
Stone counters tend
to look impressive
and could raise your
home’s selling price.

86 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

FEATURES THAT FIND YOUR
MATTER MOST EDGE

Seemingly small details finish. In our tests, both invisible in solid-surface STRAIGHT PROFILE
can make a difference in were about the same at and stainless steel EASED PROFILE
looks and performance. holding up to stains countertops. For other BEVELED PROFILE
that were allowed to dry countertop materials, BULLNOSE PROFILE
EDGE overnight. Less common seams that are 1⁄16 inch SHORT OGEE PROFILE
You’ll have several are leather and pebbled or less are standard.
options for the edge finishes. Granites with Wide joints can trap food
treatment of your proprietary sealers per- and grime, and they’re
counters. Trimming formed no better than a telltale sign of sloppy
laminate counters with regular granite. Matte installation.
wood can create a and grain finishes help
higher-end look and conceal scratches in SINK
prevent chipping. For stainless steel better than Top-mounted sinks, also
stone counters, rounded polished finishes, but called drop-ins, sit on top
edges are less likely expect to see fingerprints. of a counter. Undermount
to chip. Straight and Quartz performed sinks are installed under
beveled edges give a similarly regardless of the a countertop and require
more modern look, finish, but butcher block a waterproof countertop
and an S-shaped curve, and concrete counters material, such as quartz,
an ogee, offers stone performed differently in stainless steel, solid
or solid surfacing a our tests depending on surfacing, or concrete.
more traditional feel. the sealer used. Stainless steel and solid
Some treatments add surfacing can be used
to the cost, so check SEAMS for a countertop and sink.
with the supplier first. The joints between two Check to make sure
slabs of stone or other that the fabrication and
FINISH kinds of material can installation contracts
Quartz and granite are make or break the make note of your sink
sold with a polished look of a countertop. and faucet configurations.
(glossy) or honed (matte) They should be almost

The Worst Stains for Every Surface

You might expect mustard BAMBOO CONCRETE (WITH STAINLESS
and grape juice to be in a ( B E E S WA X / P E N E T R AT I N G STEEL
lineup of the worst offenders SEALER) Drain cleaner and
in countertop stains. But of M I N E R A L- O I L Food coloring, tarnish remover.
the 20 household products in hot oil, permanent
our stain tests, food coloring FINISH) marker, and TILE
and permanent marker shoe polish. Food coloring,
proved to be the toughest to Beet juice, coffee, crayon, ink,
wash away. Many things stain crayon, drain RECYCLED GLASS permanent marker,
bamboo, and limestone and cleaner, food Food coloring. and rust.
oil-rubbed butcher block coloring, pencil,
don’t fare well, either. Here’s permanent marker,
what left visible marks rust, and tea.
on six countertop materials.
MARBLE
Food coloring and
shoe polish.

CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 87

Ratings   Countertops

What’s On the Market?

We’ve found that QUARTZ GRANITE RECYCLED GLASS
there’s little variation $20 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT* $20 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT* $25 TO $100 PER SQUARE FOOT*
among brands, so we
rate materials instead. 84 81 69
It’s important to
note that in some PROS A combination of mineral, PROS Each slab of this natural PROS Available in many colors,
instances, a particular color, and resin, quartz stands up stone is different. Heat, cuts, with large or fine particles. Most
finish can affect a well to cuts, abrasion, and heat. and scratches didn’t harm it in recycled glass resists stains, cuts,
material’s performance. It comes in vibrant colors and our tests. Polished and matte scratches, and heat.
That’s why you’ll see patterns that look like granite finishes resist most stains when CONS It’s the only material for
certain materials and marble. properly sealed. which we found a difference
listed more than once CONS Edges and corners can CONS Needs periodic resealing. among brands. Cosentino’s Eco
in our ratings on the chip, and you’ll need a pro to Chips must be professionally counters were the only ones that
facing page. repair them. repaired. cracked during our heat tests.

TILE (CERAMIC AND PORCELAIN) ULTRACOMPACT SOLID SURFACING SOAPSTONE ILLUSTRATIONS, PREVIOUS SPREAD: CHRIS PHILPOT. PHOTOS, PREVIOUS SPREAD FROM LEFT: ANDREA RUGG; BG COLLECTION/GALLERY STOCK.
$5 TO $20 PER SQUARE FOOT* $50 TO $100 PER SQUARE FOOT* $15 TO $50 PER SQUARE FOOT* $20 TO $70 PER SQUARE FOOT* PHOTO, THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES (LIMESTONE)

67 63 53 46

PROS Tile is water-resistant, PROS We tested Dekton, a PROS Available in a range of PROS Best for adding the look
heat-resistant, and ideal for use combination of quartz, porcelain, colors and patterns, it can be of stone to a low-traffic kitchen.
near stoves. It comes in many and glass, according to the used for counters, sinks, and It withstands heat very well,
colors, sizes, and patterns. manufacturer. It resisted damage backsplashes. Color won’t vary and small scratches can be
CONS It chips. The grout between from heat, stains, chopping and much from sample to slab. It repaired. Slabs can vary widely.
tiles can stain even when it’s cutting, and abrasion. resists most stains. Small nicks CONS It’s easy to slice, nick,
sealed, and it can mildew. CONS The material sustained and scratches can be repaired. and scratch. Stain resistance
Thinner grout lines and darker chips to the edges and cracked CONS It scratches and cuts is fair. It must be rubbed with
grout may help somewhat. into two in our impact tests. easily, so use a cutting board. mineral oil periodically.

STAINLESS STEEL BUTCHER BLOCK (VARNISHED) LIMESTONE MARBLE
$20 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT* $20 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT* $25 TO $75 PER SQUARE FOOT* $25 TO $75 PER SQUARE FOOT*

39 37 27 14

PROS It repels stains and heat, PROS It creates a warm, natural PROS Limestone provides a PROS Marble is best for a classic
and doesn’t rust or discolor. look in a kitchen and is easy to stone look without heavy veining, look in low-traffic areas.
Countertops can include an install and repair. and it resists heat well. CONS It’s more porous than
integral sink for a seamless CONS It may need periodic CONS Soft and porous, it granite, so it’s not as stain-
appearance. sealing or refinishing to remove scratches and dents easily. resistant. It also scratches
CONS It shows fingerprints, cuts, dings, and scratches. Its Eleven of the 20 substances we easily, can chip, isn’t very
and dents and scratches easily. finish affects performance. applied left visible stains after heat-resistant, and needs to
Matte and grain finishes hide Varnish improves stain resistance, they were on the surface for be resealed regularly to
damage better. and penetrating oils decrease it. just 24 hours, despite sealing. prevent stains.

88 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG *Price is for material only; installation costs vary by region, material, and total scope of project.

12345

POOR EXCELLENT

Material Overall Price Test Results
Score

Stains
Cutting
Heat
Abrasion
Impact

LAMINATE Quartz (engineered stone) 84 $20-$60 40 50 50 50 20
$5 TO $25 PER SQUARE FOOT* Granite 81 $20-$60 40 50 50 50 20
Recycled Glass 69 $25-$100 30 50 50 50 10
68 (penetrating sealer) 68 $5-$25 50 20 50 30 40
Laminate 67 $5-$20 20 50 50 40 30
PROS It’s inexpensive, easy to Tile (ceramic and porcelain) 63 $50-$100 50 50 50 40 20
install, and much better-looking Ultracompact (Dekton) 53 $15-$50 40 20 40 20 40
than you probably remember, Solid Surfacing 46 $20-$70 30 10 50 20 10
thanks to new printing tech- Soapstone (mineral-oil finish) 40 $25-$75 10 30 50 20 10
nology and decorative edges. Concrete (penetrating sealer) 39 $25-$75 50 10 20 30 10
Stains and heat didn’t damage Concrete (topical sealer) 39 $20-$60 30 10 50 20 10
the laminates we tested. Stainless Steel 37 $20-$60 50 10 10 10 10
CONS Cutting directly on Butcher Block (varnished) 27 $25-$75 10 10 50 20 10
laminate damages the surface. Limestone 24 $20-$60 10 10 40 20 10
Butcher Block (oil finish) 14 $25-$75 20 10 20 10 10
CONCRETE (TOPICAL SEALER) Marble 10 $20-$60 10 10 10 30 10
$25 TO $75 PER SQUARE FOOT* Bamboo (beeswax/
mineral-oil finish)
39
HOW WE TEST: Stains shows materials resisted damage up to 3½ feet. Price is the
PROS It can be dyed or fabri- resistance to 20 common and discoloration from a typical range per square foot
cated with a surface texture. foods and household products. pot filled with oil heated to for the material only. Instal-
CONS It may crack. Durability Cutting reflects resistance 400° F. Abrasion is resistance lation costs vary by region,
depends on the fabricator’s to damage from weighted to damage from a weighted material, and total scope
skill and the sealing method. chef’s and serrated knives sanding block. Impact reflects of project. Overall Score
Topical sealers resist stains but used in slicing and chopping the ability to withstand blunt and summarizes performance in
not heat. Penetrating sealers motions. Heat gauges how well pointed weights dropped from all tests.
resist heat but not stains and
require periodic reapplication.

BAMBOO
$20 TO $60 PER SQUARE FOOT*

10

PROS Available in several styles,
including a parquet pattern.
CONS Bamboo is easily stained,
scorched, sliced, and nicked.
The manufacturer might warn
against using it around a sink
because moisture can warp the
material. And it might darken
over time.

89

90

Flooring

Top Floors

A NEW MATERIAL UNDERFOOT CAN GIVE YOUR KITCHEN A
DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT LOOK, HELP LINK IT TO ADJOINING
SPACES, AND MAKE CLEANING EASIER. HERE'S HOW TO
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE FOR YOUR SPACE AND YOUR BUDGET.

PHOTO: RYANN FORD Installing a new floor is one of the more
expensive updates you’ll undertake. With so
many choices—wood, vinyl, laminate, tile—
where do you begin? Your budget is certain
to guide your decision. But you should also
consider how much foot traffic and sunlight
your flooring will endure. To help you pick,
we put the most common types and brands
through a battery of tests. Use our ratings to
select the floor that’s best for your kitchen.

91

Flooring

WHAT'S ON
THE MARKET?

CHOOSING THE Before you buy, con- better than those
RIGHT TYPE sider the pros and finished on-site. And
cons of each material. their warranty comes
Use these tips to that have been linked style might seem like from the factory, not PHOTO, LEFT: COLIN POOLE/GAP INTERIORS
pick the best flooring to health problems and a good idea. Just keep CERAMIC TILE the installer, giving you
for your lifestyle. pollution. For wood in mind that these BEST FOR projects the guarantee of a big
flooring, certification by can be more likely to with a bigger budget, company.
TRAFFIC the Forest Stewardship trap dirt and grime. though newer float- BUT solid wood will
In busy areas, choose Council and the ing varieties are more expand and contract
a product that aced Sustainable Forestry MONEY affordable. There's with humidity, so
our foot-traffic tests. Initiative indicate that SAVER a wide variety of it's not a good choice
it comes from respon- styles, and tile tends for damp spaces.
UV AND WATER sibly managed forests. The best to resist wear. And it can dent easily.
RESISTANCE Check the packaging wood-look vinyl BUT most can’t be Certain species
If your kitchen is in a for product and manu- and porcelain floated and are difficult can show wear quickly
sunny spot, a good facturer certification. tile appear to install. Dropped and become dis-
UV resistance score surprisingly like items can crack it, colored from sunlight.
could help prevent SMOOTHNESS the real thing, and grout can stain. Unfinished flooring
fading over time. The surface of flooring but perform Replacing damaged costs less than pre-
And water resistance can vary, from styles better and cost tiles is tricky. finished, but higher
is important in any that are perfectly only half as installation costs can
damp area. smooth (even if they much as solid or VINYL offset savings.
look grainy) to those even engineered BEST FOR practicality
CERTIFICATION with grooves that wood flooring. and easy installation. ENGINEERED WOOD
Vinyl floors with the follows the design. Many products stand AND BAMBOO
industry’s FloorScore If you're trying to up to damage from BEST FOR a warm
certification emit replicate the look of moisture, dents, stains, look and easy instal-
relatively low levels wood with another and sun. lation. This veneer
of volatile organic material—vinyl, BUT it can't pass for over substrate can
compounds, substances say—a more textured a natural material up usually be nailed,
close. Deep scratches stapled, or glued in
will show the color of place, or “floated” over
the vinyl beneath the a subfloor without
decorative top layer. fasteners or glue. Many
can be refinished.
LAMINATE Well-installed, high-
BEST FOR toughness, quality products can
variety of styles, and be as durable as solid
easy installation. It wood.
can usually be floated. BUT most show wear
The best wear well, and dent easily, and
and most resist stains some can be damaged
and UV. by moisture.
BUT most dent fairly
easily, and laminate LINOLEUM
can’t be refinished. BEST FOR those who
want a sustainable,
SOLID WOOD resilient surface.
AND BAMBOO BUT vinyl tiles offer
BEST FOR natural better performance.
warmth. Solid flooring All-access and digital
can usually be sanded members can find
and refinished several ratings for linoleum
times. Prefinished flooring at cr.org/
floors can hold up flooring.

92 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

Ratings   Flooring 01 02 03 04 05 $0

POOR EXCELLENT CR BEST BUY

Recommended Products

Top performers PREFINISHED SOLID WOOD AND BAMBOO ENGINEERED WOOD
usually resist wear,
scratches, and color
change better than
others of their type.
But dents are a
challenge for most.
Here, we focus on top
picks with specific
strengths, value,
or both.

TERAGREN PORTFOLIO $ LUMBER LIQUIDATORS LUMBER LIQUIDATORS
NATURALS WHEAT AQUASEAL 72 WATER RESISTANT
TPF-PORTTG-WHT BELLAWOOD CHARACTER RED CLICK STRAND TOFFEE 10046516
$7.50 PER SQUARE FOOT* OAK 10047316 $7 PER SQUARE FOOT*
$4.50 PER SQUARE FOOT*
71 80
69
This solid bamboo flooring This top-rated engineered bam-
shows superb resistance to With excellent resistance to wear boo flooring is water resistant
scratches and stains, impressive from foot traffic, this flooring is and shows strong resistance to
dent resistance, and a finish that also highly water resistant and staining, slipping, UV exposure,
resists wear from foot traffic. slip resistant. It was only fair at and wear.
teragren.com resisting fading UV rays. lumberliquidators.com
lumberliquidators.com

VINYL PORCELAIN TILE LAMINATE

CONGOLEUM DURACERAMIC $ LIFEPROOF SHADOW WOOD $ LUMBER LIQUIDATORS $ PERGO OUTLAST+ VINTAGE
SIERRA SLATE SI74 GOLDEN
GREIGE LP33624HD1PR AQUASEAL 24 TAPESTRY OAK PEWTER OAK LF000848
$5.00 PER SQUARE FOOT* (HOME DEPOT) 10047713 10043317 (HOME DEPOT)
$2 PER SQUARE FOOT* $2.30 PER SQUARE FOOT* $3 PER SQUARE FOOT*
85
93 92 85
The look of stone and the dura-
bility of vinyl: This flooring has These wood-look tiles were im- This flooring earns Excellent Superb resistance to wear from
strong resistance to foot traffic, pervious to foot traffic, scratches, scores for its resistance to foot traffic, scratches, staining,
scratches, stains, and color and color change from sunlight, foot traffic, stains, scratches, and color change from sunlight
change from sun exposure. and resisted stains very well in water, and UV exposure. But help put this flooring at the top
congoleum.com our tests. dent resistance was just fair. of the pack.
homedepot.com lumberliquidators.com homedepot.com

*Price is for product only. Does not include installation. CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 93

Ratings   Flooring Overall Price Test Results Features
Score
Brand + Model

Resists foot
traffic
Resists
scratches
Resists stains
Resists dents
Water
resistance
Resistance to
slipping
Resists
sunlight (UV)
Sq. ft. per box
Surface
smoothness
Installation
Light shades
Medium shades
Dark shades

PORCELAIN TILE FLOORING

$0 LifeProof Shadow Wood LP33624HD1PR 93 $2.00 50 50 40 40 50 50 50 15 Textured Thinset 000
(Home Depot) 92 Thinset 000
92 Thinset 000
!0 Style Selections (Lowe’s) Natural Timber Ash 79 $4.00 50 50 50 30 50 50 50 10 Smooth Thinset
553878 Thinset 0
000
$0 Marazzi Montagna Dapple Gray ULM7 $1.50 50 50 40 40 50 40 50 15 Textured
(Home Depot)

!0 Lumber Liquidators Avella Ultra Brass Haven $3.90 40 50 50 30 50 50 50 8 Slight
Oak 10043962 texture

!0 Dal-Tile Forest Park Timberland FP97 72 $7.00 30 50 50 40 50 40 50 13 NA

VINYL FLOORING

!0 Congoleum DuraCeramic Sierra Slate SI74 85 $5.00 40 50 40 50 50 40 50 17 Slight Glue 000
Golden Greige 83 texture 000
83 Glue 000
!0 Armstrong Alterna Mesa Stone Canyon Sun 82 $5.50 40 50 40 50 50 40 50 25 Textured Floating or 000
D4112 78 glue 000
69 Floating 000
!0 Armstrong Vivero D10 Homespun Harmony 67 $4.00 50 30 40 50 50 50 50 36 Smooth 000
Rugged Brown U1042 65 Floating 000
61 000
!0 Armstrong Pryzm Elements of Heritage 60 $5.30 50 30 50 50 50 50 50 22 Smooth Floating 00
Vintage Multi PC020 57 Floating or 000
56 glue
$0 Shaw Matrix Regency Gunstock Oak 55 $2.00 50 30 50 40 50 40 50 28 Very Floating 0
LX90100706 (Lowe’s) 52 textured 00
51 Floating
!0 SmartCore Ultra Blue Ridge Pine 50SLVF603 $3.30 30 30 40 50 50 50 50 16 Textured 0
(Lowe’s) Floating 00
Floating or 000
!0 Lumber Liquidators CoreLuxe Ultra Rose $4.10 30 40 40 50 50 40 50 15 Very glue
Canyon Pine 10043266 textured Floating or 0
glue 000
!0 Armstrong LUXE Plank Timber Bay Barnyard $5.50 30 40 40 50 50 40 30 24 Textured Floating or
Gray A6861 glue
Floating
Mohawk Woodlands Vintage Charm $3.00 20 40 40 50 50 40 50 19 Slight
MHKIV039392 texture Floating

TrafficMaster Khaki Oak 185312 (Home $1.80 30 30 40 50 50 40 50 24 Slight Floating
Depot) texture Floating or
glue
Shaw Floorte PRO Paramount 512G Plus $3.20 20 30 40 50 50 40 50 28 Slight Floating
510SA Ginger Oak 00802 texture

SmartCore SCU XL Southern Pecan $3.80 20 30 50 40 50 40 50 18 Very
LX93707206 (Lowe’s) textured

Mannington Black Mountain Oak Fireside $1.50 20 30 40 40 50 40 40 NA Very
080171 € textured

Home Legend Oak Graphite HLVT3024 $2.80 20 30 40 50 50 50 50 23 Textured
(Home Depot)

Stainmaster Washed Oak 737998 (Lowe’s) $2.50 20 30 50 40 50 40 50 19 Slight
texture

LifeProof Nashville Oak I106514L (Home Depot) 51 $3.00 20 30 40 50 50 40 50 20 NA

Lumber Liquidators CoreLuxe XD Petrified 48 $2.80 20 30 30 50 50 40 50 22 Slight
Cherry 10046597 47 texture

ProCore Plus Warm Honey Oak $2.40 20 30 50 50 50 50 50 23 Slight
LWD8099RCB (Lowe’s) texture

PREFINISHED SOLID WOOD FLOORING

!0 Teragren Portfolio Naturals Wheat 71 $7.50 30 50 40 50 50 40 10 22 Smooth Floating 000
TPF-PORTTG-WHT ⁄ 69 $4.50 50 30 40 10 50 50 20 21 Smooth Nail or glue 000
68 $7.00 50 20 40 10 40 40 40 24 Smooth Nail 000
$0 Lumber Liquidators Bellawood Character 64 $6.50 50 20 40 10 40 40 10 22 Smooth Nail or glue 000
Red Oak 10047316 61 $5.50 40 30 50 10 40 50 30 21 Smooth Nail or glue
0
!0 Armstrong Paragon Original Ember
SAKP59L401

!0 Lumber Liquidators Bellawood Natural
Hickory 10034423

!0 Lumber Liquidators Bellawood Iron Hill
Maple Character 10047324

94 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG ALERT Prefinished solid wood, vinyl, and tile flooring are better choices when it comes to formaldehyde emissions.
Just be sure to use glues that don’t contain the gas when installing these materials. Engineered wood and laminate flooring
products are made with glues and resins that can emit formaldehyde.

01 02 03 04 05 !0 $0

POOR EXCELLENT RECOMMENDED CR BEST BUY

Brand + Model Overall Price Test Results Features
Score

Resists foot
traffic
Resists
scratches
Resists stains
Resists dents
Water
resistance
Resistance to
slipping
Resists
sunlight (UV)
Sq. ft. per box
Surface
smoothness
Installation
Light shades
Medium shades
Dark shades

PREF INISHED SOL ID WOOD FLOOR ING Continued

Blue Ridge Hardwood Flooring Red Oak 52 $3.40 30 30 40 10 40 50 10 18 Smooth Nail or staple 0 0 0
Natural 20473 (Home Depot) $4.00 20 30 50 10 40 50 40 24 Smooth Nail 0 0 0

Bruce Plano Oak Saddle AHS5117 (Home Depot) 42

ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING

Lumber Liquidators AquaSeal 72 Engineered $7.00 50 30 50 30 50 50 50 15 Slight Floating or 0
texture glue
!0 Bamboo Water Resistant Click Strand Toffee 80

10046516 ⁄

!0 Lumber Liquidators Bellawood Geneva 71 $7.00 50 20 50 10 50 50 30 24 Slight Nail, glue or 0
White Oak 10045563 texture floating 000
000
Bruce Hydropel Oak Parchment 58 $3.75 30 30 40 10 50 50 50 23 Textured Floating or 000
EKWR54L20W (Home Depot) glue

Malibu Wide Plank French Oak Stinson 56 $2.60 30 30 40 20 50 40 50 24 Textured Floating or
HDMPCL138EF (Home Depot) glue

SmartCore Naturals Timber Creek Oak 54 $4.00 30 30 50 10 50 50 30 20 Slight Floating or
LX54904001 (Lowe’s) texture glue

LifeProof Berkley Waterproof Engineered 52 $3.70 20 30 40 50 50 50 40 15 Slight Floating 000
Bamboo Click YY-VSPC-DG02 (Home Depot) ⁄ texture

Harris Wood Traditions SpringLoc Red Oak 43 $5.50 20 20 50 10 50 40 40 33 Slight Floating or 000
Bridle HE2505OK48 texture glue

Heritage Mill Scraped Oak Amaretto PF9773 43 $4.30 20 30 40 10 20 40 50 31 Slight Nail, staple, 00
(Home Depot) texture glue or floating

Mannington American Hardwoods American 42 $4.00 20 30 40 10 50 40 50 36 Smooth Nail, staple,
Oak Plank Natural AMP05NAL1 glue or floating 0 0 0

LAMINATE FLOORING

$0 Lumber Liquidators AquaSeal 24 Tapestry 92 $2.30 50 50 50 30 50 50 50 16 Textured Floating 0
Oak 10047713 85
83
$0 Pergo Outlast+ Vintage Pewter Oak 80 $3.00 50 40 50 40 50 40 50 20 Textured Floating 0
LF000848 (Home Depot) 76
68
$0 Lumber Liquidators Dream Home Boardwalk 65 $2.50 40 50 40 30 50 40 50 15 Very Floating 00
Oak 10043317 64 Textured
53
$0 Home Legend Textured Oak Paloma HL1226 52 $2.50 50 40 50 20 40 40 50 17 Very Floating 000
(Home Depot) 45 Textured

$0 Pergo Portfolio+ Wet Protect Hermosa Oak $2.60 50 40 50 30 50 40 50 17 Smooth Floating with
LF000951 1071545 (Lowe’s) underlayment 0 0 0

!0 Shaw Pinnacle Port Plus SL426 Weathered $3.00 40 30 40 50 50 40 50 19 Smooth Floating 000
Hickory 05011

!0 Pergo TimberCraft West Lake Oak LF000893 $3.00 30 30 40 30 40 50 50 17 Very Floating 000
864889 (Lowe’s) Textured

!0 Armstrong Coastal Living L3051 White Wash $3.50 30 40 50 20 50 40 50 14 Smooth Floating 000
Walnut

TrafficMaster Handscraped Saratoga $1.10 20 30 50 20 50 40 50 24 Slight Floating 000
Hickory 34089 (Home Depot) texture

Armstrong Architectural Remnants $5.00 20 40 50 30 50 40 50 22 Smooth Floating 000
Woodland Reclaim Old Original L3102

Home Decorators Collection Distressed $2.00 20 30 40 20 40 40 50 15 Textured Floating 00
Brown Hickory 34074SQ (Home Depot)

Shaw Timberline SL247 Sawmill Hickory 255 44 $5.00 20 30 50 10 50 40 50 18 Slight Floating 0
texture

Shaw Repel Harbour Towne SA589 Sable 41 $3.00 20 20 40 20 40 40 50 19 Slight Floating 000
Hickory 07013 texture

All-Access and Digital members can find the latest, complete ratings at CR.org/flooring.

HOW WE TEST: Overall Score is based indicates the ability to withstand indicates how resistant the floor is increasing heights. Resists sun-
on performance in all of our tests scratches, as when an object with rough to staining from various products, such light (UV) indicates how well the
Resists foot traffic denotes how edges is dragged on a floor. A scratch as mustard, shoe polish, crayon, ink, flooring stood up to continuous expo-
quickly surface wear was noticeable tool is moved across the flooring sample bleach, and peroxide. Resists dents sure to ultraviolet light for roughly
after repeated passes with an with progressively heavier weight until shows resistance to dents caused by two weeks. Price per square foot is
abrasion tester. Resists scratches a scratch is visible. Resists stains blunt and pointed weights dropped from approximate retail.

⁄ Bamboo product. € Square feet per box is not applicable because this product is sold in sheets. CR.ORG GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET 95

Resources

6P. P. 84

From the Editors 28-29 Elena Phillips Interiors, 82-83 Studio H Design, in White Ornamental,
2 Jo Galbraith, elenaphillipsinteriors.com studioh-int.com homedepot.com. Recycled
jogalbraithathome.com Ranges Countertops glass: GEOS in Ocean Shell,
Inspiring Updates 42-43 Kelly Deck Design, 84 Jill O’Shea Home Design, eos-surfaces.com. Tile:
4-5 Will Taylor, kellydeck.com jillosheahomedesign.com Daltile in Hamilton Storm,
brightbazaarblog.com Cooktops 86 Bottom left, Kate Roos homedepot.com. Ultracompact:
Weekend Makeovers 50 Tribe Design Group, Design, kateroosdesign.com Dekton Ultracompact in Aura15,
6-7 Left, Michael Fullen Design tribedesigngroup.com 88-89 Quartz: Cambria in dekton.com. Solid surfacing:
Group, michaelfullen.com. Wall Ovens Swanbridge, cambriausa.com. Corian Solid Surfacing
Right, Morgan Harrison Home, 58 Bosch, bosch-home.com/us Granite: Stonemark Granite in Elderberry, corian.com
morganharrisonhome.com. Microwaves
8-9 Left, Storey Design, 62 GE, geappliances.com P. 50
storeydesign.co; Right, 64-65 Redirected
Sophie Burke Design, Wood Company,
sophieburkedesign.com; redirectedwoodco.com
10-11 Left, Space10, space10.com; Dishwashers
Right, Brittany Hakimfar of Far 70 Bosch, bosch-home.com/us
Studio, farstudio.com Cabinets
78 Ashley Marsella of 11-11
BUYING GUIDE Creative, 11-11-creative.com
80-81 Studio H Design,
Opener studioh-int.com
24-25 Jill O’Shea Home Design, 81 Bottom left, KraftMaid,
jillosheahomedesign.com kraftmaid.com. Bottom
Refrigerators right, Julie Deuble of Sierra
26 Quartersawn Design/Build, Unlimited Construction,
quartersawndesignbuild.com houzz.com/pro/jdeuble

96 GREAT KITCHENS ON A BUDGET CR.ORG

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