It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks in my little “kitchen designer world”. Earlier this month I made a quick trip to the World of Whirlpool in Chicago to learn, in depth, about their premium Jenn-Air line of appliances. Jenn-Air has been around a long time but has recently been reinvented to compete with the luxury brands. Overall the line is very impressive and I could go on and on but today I thought I'd share with you my top 3 favorites. 
Jenn-Air appliances are all made in the USA, other than that I was interested to learn what sets them apart from the competition. What I found out is, for cooking, many of their appliances lead the pack when it comes to power and variety of power. For example, a high BTU like 20,000 will give you hot quick high heat and a low one like 650 gives you excellent simmering capability. The Jenn-Air cooktops whether gas, electric or induction have you covered.
Jenn-Air is also a pioneer in downdraft technology (since the 1960s). It used to be that you couldn't use down draft ventilation unless your house was built with ductwork in the slab under the floor. No more! The JX3 downdraft cooktops can be purchased with a duct-free accessory kit. When you consider that the average family expels 1 gallon of cooking grease into the home every year, ventilation becomes an important consideration.
The buzz around induction and steam cooking continues and these appliances impressed me enough to make the top 3. If you know me you know I predict induction cooking will rule the world (almost) in the next decade or so. Induction means cooking with electro magnetic energy so the pot, not the cooking surface, is your heat source. It is 90% efficient and you won't get burned! Surprisingly electric cooking is only about 65% and gas is last with 45% efficiency. Your pots are probably not going to be a problem. If a magnet sticks to the bottom you're good to go. This cooktop is also modestly priced compared to the competition and retails for $2,199.oo
The Jenn-Air appliance I would want the most for my kitchen would be the steam and convection oven. It's a lot of cooking capability packed into a 24" oven! Steam cooking is not just for veggies but also great for cooking eggs, bread, meat, desserts and heating leftovers. The best thing is that you can combine steam and convection cooking so that things like meat and bread brown on the outside. If you just want to bake you can use convection bake mode without the steam. Convection gives you uniform cooking, a must for baking.
No plumbing hook up is needed. The reservoir on the right holds the tap water you'll need to get steamy. You also won't need a 220 outlet, 120 is all it takes. Another impressive fact is you can cook several different foods together such as salmon, green beans and creme brulee' with no flavor transference! See more photos and commentary from my trip at Kitchens for Living On the Road and thank you Jenn-Air for the royal designer treatment :)
FIVE NEW ALTERNATIVES TO STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES
As you know, I’m always on the prowl for the latest in the kitchen and bath industry. You may have noticed all the articles lately about the decline of stainless steel as the “go to” finish for kitchen appliances. Everyone from the Wall Street Journal to The Daily Beast is touting the hunt for THE new finish that will supposedly unseat stainless. Yes, stainless steel does have a reputation, and rightly so, for being fingerprint prone and hard to clean.Tip: Never clean your stainless with any product containing ammonia or chloride. For best results use mild soap and water and dry with a dry cloth. For tougher jobs you can also use find stainless steel wipes at your local grocers. Never use steel wool as it will scratch the finish.This said, there have been lots of improvements and attempts to address these issues with special coatings and claims of “finger print resistance”. True or not, we’re ready for a change and several major manufacturers are taking a stab at what will be the next big thing. Personally, I think stainless will continue to be a predominant option but I also believe we’re going to continue to see many new choices. Here is what 5 major players are doing:-G.E. Slate is one of my favorites. I like it because it’s fresh and different yet not SO different that it will clash with existing stainless steel. Brushed metal touch points can also tie a new appliance into the mix in case you’re not in the market for a complete suite. They also claim the Slate finish is fingerprint resistant and easy to clean.
SubZero Wolf- The Mercedes Benz of appliance brands introduced the “Black Glass E Series Ovens” a year ago. Clearly not the best choice for households with children! Built in ovens are available in 30” standard or flush inset application, the Black Glass model comes adorned with a black glass tubular handle and, wait for it, a COBALT BLUE interior!
In addition to the oven, Wolf also offers black glass trim kits for Warming Drawers and 30” Convection and Standard Microwaves. Glass may be print-prone but it’s also one of the easiest surfaces to clean. No word on if this finish has been popular enough for them to offer refrigerators in Black Glass.
Whirlpool White Ice is hot. It’s the new white. I think in general, people are taking another look at white which is also hugely popular as a cabinet finish. Just think how seamlessly it would integrate with white cabinetry. On the other hand a contrast highlights the best of both worlds. I must spill the beans, however, White Ice isn’t really glass, it’s just metal that looks like it. If you want real glass Jenn-Air makes the “Floating Glass” collection & does offer a choice of white or black glass fronts to them. They no longer offer the contrasting stainless tubular handles however. The handles are now a euro curved powder coated finish (that won’t discolor like plastic)
Last but not least, my fave appliance maker Bosch featured a line of UBER glass finished appliances just a few months ago at IFA, the world's leading trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances in Berlin. This is strictly a European offering so far and I don’t believe we’ll be seeing it here anytime soon. A kitchen designer can dream though. Bosch has applied their good old German practicality and efficiency to create a seemingly indestructible and beautiful product. Here’s video filmed on location at IFA Check out this line up, also as seen at IFA this year in Berlin. Can you imagine a purple refrigerator? I hear they also deduct calories, just kidding...