Built-in

Today’s refrigerators are more than just food storage units. Thanks to a wide range of technological capabilities and design innovations, the contemporary refrigerator offers exceptional amenities and organizational possibilities that help your kitchen operate at peak efficiency. There are many great refrigeration units available, but finding the right fit for your home can be a challenge. Refrigerators come in all sorts of sizes, styles, and designs, each with their own advantages. To help you determine which style is right for your home, we’ve compiled a primer on some of the most common types of refrigerators available today. Freestanding Or Built-In Refrigerator? Before researching different refrigerator styles, you should first decide whether or not you want to invest in a freestanding refrigerator or a built-in refrigerator. Built-in refrigerators are installed flush to your kitchen cabinetry, providing a more uniform and integrated feel within your kitchen. Built-in units come in a variety of specific styles, and typically feature more elegant and luxurious designs than freestanding counterparts. Freestanding refrigerators can be installed anywhere a power source is available, offering a versatile design that fits a wide range of kitchens. This design is the standard when it comes to traditional refrigerators, and like their built-in counterparts, you’ll be able to find freestanding units in a wide range of styles. Whether you choose to invest in a freestanding or built-in refrigerator, you’ll still be able to find a wealth of innovative and advanced units for your home. One you’ve made the decision between built-in and

Why Buy a Counter-Depth Refrigerator?Most appliances have common widths, such as 24" for a dishwasher, and 30" for a standard range. They also have fairly common depths of 24" - 26" inch so they fit fairly snug in 24" - 25" deep cabinets. Refrigerators have a tendency to stick out several inches more, and that's OK since they have storage in the doors, and need room for the doors to open wide and clear the adjacent countertops.However, over the years we've seen a tendency for refrigerators to get even deeper to handle the bigger capacity consumers have requested. For example, it's not uncommon for refrigerator brands to top out at a whopping 27 cu.ft. for a 36" wide freestanding refrigerator. Here's a giant 27.8 cu.ft. refrigerator from GE that is not only 35 1/2 inches wide, it also has a 34 3/4 inch depth (not including handles). That refrigerator will stick out about 10" beyond most cabinets. In many kitchens this is not a problem. Indeed, this 27.8 cu.ft. GE refrigerator is a popular model. But, if you have a galley kitchen, with cabinets on both side of a narrow aisle, you may not even be able to open the refrigerator and freezer doors all the way! Counter-depth refrigerators to the rescue. Unlike the full-depth refrigerators, counter-depth refrigerators are typically only 27"-28" deep. Of course, since they are slimmer than their bigger full-depth models they have less capacity. If kitchen space is an issue, it's definitely worth the trade-off. (I

New Built-In Refrigerator IdeaOld Concept: Surprising New BenefitsElectrolux Twins at UAKCFor many years the folks at Frigidaire/Electrolux had been known for offering an All Refrigerator and an All Freezer. Selling them as a combination was not a new idea, but the concept was slow to catch on. However, this may be an example of an idea whose time has come. The current Electrolux Twins are part of the luxury collection of appliances in the Electrolux brand, and are being presented as a good choice for a built-in refrigerator/freezer.There is a lot to offer here:1. Full-size built-in refrigerator, and full size matching freezer (72" wide)While the products are mirror images of each other, and are clearly made to match, they are indeed separate and can be purchased that way if you just want an all refrigerator or an all freezer. The features are fully updated with LED lighting, slide out glass shelves, etc.There are trim kits (faux grills) available for both the top and bottom that are 72" wide, and visually tie the two units together. The doors are configured in the photo so that the refrigerator and the freezer each open in the center, just as you would expect on a traditional side-by-side refrigerator/freezer.2. Traditional compressor in the back.Standard built-in refrigerators have the compressor on the top requiring an 84" height. The Electrolux units have the compressor and machine compartment on the back in the bottom of the appliance, are easier to access and do not require the 84" height.

Preferences, Necessities, and BudgetThere is lots of online advice on choosing new kitchen appliances. But honestly, this can be a difficult process. Some will say, "Start with your budget." Makes sense, doesn"t it? But if you haven't purchased appliances in years, and don't know for sure what you're going to need or what things cost, it's like trying to hit a bullseye wearing a blindfold!On the other hand, just going out blindly looking for appliances seems rather foolish also. You don't know what you don't know, so where do you start? Here is how you might proceed. What is your current status? Building new, remodeling, or just a straightforward appliance update. Make a tentative timeline from now to completion. Eventually, you're going to need a hard schedule. Get started now. Think of the end state. How do you picture your new kitchen in your mind? It's totally OK to to dream a bit. Close your eyes and think of what you hope your new kitchen will look like. Check your favorite home magazines, and clip photos of what you like! My favorite online site for new kitchen ideas is Houzz. Think about a budget. Whether it's $10,000 for a built-in refrigerator, or for all your kitchen appliances, you're going to need to start with a number. Here are the basic product categories you're likely to consider. The categories are necessities. Make sure you get the features that are important to you, eg. refer icemaker and dispenser, self-cleaning oven, quiet dishwasher

UAKC Brings New Appliances to Soucal MarketNew Dacor Appliances for 2017At the recent 2017 KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Show) held in Orlando, Dacor Appliances introduced a remarkable new column refrigerator. These built-in column refrigerators have become quite popular in recent years. The single unified door creates appealing uninterrupted vertical lines versus the look of traditional built-in units with a horizontal compressor compartment on the top.But, column refrigerators are nothing new. What makes this refrigerator unique? Dubbed the Heritage™ Column Refrigeration Collection, the new refrigerators and their companion freezers are equipped with 4 advances that are at the forefront of refrigerator engineering. 1. The new Energy Star® line-up is equipped with an advanced environmentally safer refrigerant and has earned the 2017 E-Star Emerging Technology Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2. The Dacor Columns tout the largest storage capacity in the industry among comparable width column refrigerators. It's a decided plus: more storage in the same space.While #1 and #2 above are clear advantages and well-worth mentioning, #3 and #4 below are the convenience features that really caught my attention! 3. “The auto-open door provides virtually hands-free access, and... 4. ..each refrigerator includes a built-in camera that enables owners to monitor their groceries on the Dacor iQ Kitchen™ mobile application,” said Dacor President and CEO Chuck Huebner.Anybody who has stood in front of the fridge, hands full of groceries, reaching for the door, will appreciate a refrigerator that opens with a simple touch. And the built-in camera which lets you

Pizza Oven: A new appliance you're going to love.THE PERFECT SLICE FOR LUXURY KITCHENSPizza connosieurs know that cooking a pizza in the home and achieving restaurant-quality results just has not been possible. Commercial pizza ovens use extremely high temperatures to get a crispy crust on the bottom, and bubbling cheese on top, but in your home this results in seriously overheating the kitchen. Until now. GE's luxury Monogram brand is introducing a new pizza oven which combines Monogram styling with advanced technology from First Build to enable home pizza chefs to deliver the great tasting pizzas you love so much right at home. Here's a brief look from Monogram at the technology on their new pizza oven. Pizzeria-quality performanceIs designed to match the capabilities of the best restaurant pizza ovens to help home chefs achieve the perfect slice.Electric heating zonescombine the crisping performance of traditional coal- and wood-burning pizza ovens with the precision and ease of a sophisticated appliance.Capacitive touch LCD controlsallow for easy selection of preset cooking options, including a variety of pizza settings and choices for roasting vegetables.Built-in installationis made possible with a standard 30"-width cabinet cutout.Integrated oven ventilation systemallows for simple installation, with no additional ductwork required.Handcrafted luxurycan be found in every aspect of the design, from the polished stainless exterior to the simple touch controls.Handcraft artisanal pizza in minutes. Monogram's Pizza Oven fits in a standard wall oven cavity, bringing high-temperature cooking to your home kitchen. Loaded with cooking profiles and recipes from renowned pizzerias, this

Get trending appliances at Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterBuilt-In Coffee MakersThe booming business in built-in coffee makers has caught many industry experts by surprise. Built-in coffee makers have been around for quite a while, but there has been limited demand until recently. European luxury appliance brands such as Miele, Gaggenau, and Thermador have had built-in coffee makers for many years. But now, U.S. competitors in the luxury space such as Wolf have added coffee makers, and other super premium brands such as Jenn-Air and Bosch have also entered the space.While built-in coffee makers are hardly a necessity, customers are stretching their appliance budgets to acquire automatic coffee makers in many kitchen remodels, and new semi-custom and custom homes. There are a host of feature differences from one device to the next. Some models can be connected to plumbing while others have water tanks that require filling by hand. One built-in coffee maker even stores your whole coffee beans and grinds them on demand. Other options may include automatic cleaning features, one or two cups simultaneously, frothing features, cappuccino option, and more.It's a good idea to do your research, or consult the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center.  

Should you buy a trash compactor?Trash compactors first became popular in the 70's. Today, trash compactors are part of the lineup for most appliance manufacturers. The pros of buying a trash compactor include: 1) the convenience of having fewer trips taking the trash out, and 2) the benefit of a smaller footprint at our waste disposal sites by compressing your trash 5 times. However, there is the thought that recycle bins are more environmentally helpful. It's worth pointing out that these solutions are not mutually exclusive. In fact, if you typically recycle, you might consider using a compactor exclusively for recyclables. How trash compactors work.Trash compactors have a powerful motor that will compress trash as much as 5:1 when activated, compressing loose contents into a small package. Typically, compactors will fit in a standard depth 24" deep cabinet, and at 34 1/2" tall will fit nicely under a standard 36" countertop. The most common width is 15". Most compactors also have a deodorizer or charcoal filter. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center can help. UAKC sells all the major trash compactor brands, as well as the premium and luxury brands, from the popularly priced Whirlpool brand to a luxury Viking brand compactor and everything in between. One super-premium brand, Jenn-Air has just launched a new compactor. Below are the details on Jenn-Air's new compactor:Efficiently reduce your trash by up to 80% with the Jenn-Air® Trash Compactor. It's equipped with Anti-Jam and Tilt Sensors for smooth operation on large waste products. Features:5:1

Oven Quality Results - Three Times FasterVisit Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center Live DisplaysSpeed-Cook systems offer the best of both worlds. Delicious food, perfectly-cooked, browned and/or crisped in a fraction of the time it takes using conventional cooking methods. Here's how Jenn-Air does it:This Jenn-Air built-in microwave oven features the comprehensive Speed-Cook system which combines the power and speed of microwave cooking with the heat and browning capabilities of true convection cooking and broiling. Sensor cooking modes automatically adjust cooking power to perfectly cook foods and a 4.3-inch full color menu-driven LCD display intuitively guides microwave settings.Jenn-Air Built-In Microwave Oven with Speed-Cook, 30"JMC2430DSFeatures:Jenn-Air 30’’ Microwave oven with speed cooking capability1.4 cubic ft oven capacity4.3 inch full color LCD displayConvection and microwave combination cookingConvection fan, broil element, baking element give you perfect cooking results fasterSensor cooking detects humidity released by food as it cooks to adjust the cooking time and power level for optimal resultsCan be installed flush12 operating modesThis speed oven can also be combined with a convection oven - JMW3430DSIn addition to all these premium features, Jenn-Air has incorporated a few "bonus" features that are worth mentioning. A special variable "inverter" power feature allows users to melt or soften food such as butter or ice cream without starting the cooking process. In addition, the oven provides a steam option, ideal for vegetables (steam cooking accessory available).This is a perfect example of a brand feature that needs to be explained or demonstrated by a trained expert like those at UAKC.

Kitchenaid Microwave Oven Fits 30", 27", and 24" Wide CabinetsKBMS104ESSI love it when I get to write about my favorite appliances. This is one that I discovered as a regional appliance manager visiting customers in the Western U.S. I soon discovered that Southern California had some appliance needs different from other parts of the West. For one thing, there are a lot of homes in California with 24'' wide kitchen cabinets. Kitchen remodels and updates can be challenging because today's built-in appliances are typically made to fit in 27" and 30" cabinets. I learned that there were only certain models of certain brands that had solutions to the 24" wide issue. When it came to built-in microwaves, the Kitchenaid microwave oven model KBMS104ESS was a one size fits all solution. It is a 24" wide microwave perfect for installation in a 24" wide cabinet. It also comes with trim kits that allow it to be installed in a 27" wide cabinet or a 30" wide cabinet. Of course, it can also be installed over a 24", 27" or 30" wall oven. I've noticed that built-in microwaves are being installed in more diverse locations these days. Because the KBMS104ESS has a drop down door, you don't need to worry about a swing out door getting in the way. It's also perfect for install under a countertop in the lower cabinet.The KBMS104ESS has remained popular over the years because at 1000 watts it packs a lot