European Appliances

Is it time for a new dishwasher?Houzz has published its 2017 Kitchen Trends Survey. For homeowners planning kitchen renovations, dishwashers are the most likely to be first on the list for replacement. It really isn't a big surprise considering all the changes in dishwashers over the years. Here are the top trends in dishwashers in our view.Sani-CycleHomeowners are increasingly concerned with sanitation, particularly in the kitchen. Some new dishwashers have sani-cycles that are certified by the NSF which requires that the water is heated to 155 degrees fahrenheit and kept there for a certain amount of time. This feature can be particularly important when someone in the home is sick, or if there is a baby to care for.Energy and Water SavingsWhile dishwasher manufacturers are all keen on having the EnergyStar label, some dishwashers are more energy efficient than others. They work with smaller highly efficient motors that run quieter (and longer) to get dishes clean while running at whisper quiet sound levels.In addition, though dishwashers may have long run times, they actually use far less water. That's one reason why they are more energy efficient because a big part of a dishwashers energy usage is the cost of heating the water.QuietToday's open kitchens make it critical that dishwashers run quietly, and appliance manufacturers tout their "whisper-quiet" dishwashers. In my opinion, to be considered quiet, a dishwasher would have to operate at a decibel rating in the 40's. The really quiet dishwashers are often in the low 40's with a

Thinking Small (small appliances) at UAKCDeluxe 24" Appliances Now Available in SouCalUniversal Appliance and Kitchen Center has long been known for having the best selection of major appliances in all Southern California. That selection has been growing with all the new European sized 60cm. wide appliances that have been launched in the U.S. (60cm. is approximately 24 inches).For decades the standard size for U.S. ranges, cooktops, ovens, and hoods has been 30", and most single family homes today include 30" wide base and upper cabinets. However, for various reasons, there are large numbers of housing units in Southern California that have 24" wall and base cabinets that need 24" wide appliances. All the popular U.S. brand 30" wide ovens, ranges, and vent hoods won't fit in these cabinets, so only basic 24" apartment models have been available. That's all in the past, as new products are now available for 24" cabinets at a variety of price points and with a variety of features. For example, here is a new Bertazzoni stainless steel 24" wide gas range, a nice upgrade from a U.S. standard model. If you're looking for a full suite of built-in appliances in this category, you might start with Bosch, a European appliance manufacturer with a great reputation. Bosch is a premium brand, that has great quality, and at a price below the luxury category. Miele is also a European brand with a good selection of European size (60 cm) wide appliances.

Bosch launches new line of appliances for small spaces We've written before about the challenges of a tiny kitchen (see below), but whether you live in a cottage, a small condo, or a compact add-on unit, you've got choices in supplying your living space with appliances. Click on the link below: Smaller Appliances for Smaller Kitchens Bosch is launching a new line of compact kitchen and laundry appliances designed for space deprived living units. Their offering includes: Laundry Appliances:Compact Front-Load WasherCompact Condenser Dryer (no venting required) Kitchen Apppliances:24" Electric Cooktop24" Gas Cooktop24" Electric Oven18" Dishwasher24" Refrigerator/Freezer These Bosch appliances may be small in size, but they come fully-equipped with the same popular features you'd expect to find on Bosch's German engineered full-sized appliances. In fact, you might say that the European heritage of Bosch gives them a distinct advantage in the small-sized appliance category, since standard sized European appliances are 60 (mm) = approximately 24" wide. In the laundry category, Bosch's washer and dryer can be installed as a stacked pair freeing up additional space. Dryers often present a challenge because they need to be vented out. However, the Bosch compact dryer has a condensation dry system that is designed for ventless operation. Scheduled for July 2015 availability, Bosch will be offering 3 different models to choose from. In kitchen appliances, the Bosch dishwasher is a fully featured dishwasher, but comes in at only 18" wide, 6" slimmer than standard dishwashers. The 24" wall oven will fit underneath the cooktop,

More Appliance Choices for Small Spaces Small homes and condos can find more room in the kitchen with space-saving appliances. Fortunately, the field of smaller appliances has expanded greatly with appliance brands from Europe entering the field. Full size appliances in Europe are made to fit 60mm (24") cabinet widths rather than the 30" dimensions for most U.S. brands. In addition, many "apartment-sized" appliances have typically been de-featured and low-end models. No more. You can now choose from a wide-spectrum of brands from entry level to luxury brands made in more compact sizes. For example, standard dishwashers are designed to fit in a 24" space. However, there are a number of dishwasher brands that offer full-featured dishwashers that fit in an 18" space, such as the Bosch dishwasher. Click on the link below for a full description: Bosch 18" Dishwasher For those, that can't accommodate a full height dishwasher, Fisher & Paykel, as well as others, offer a space-saving dishwasher drawer. In cooking appliances, there are even more choices. Standard widths for ranges are 30", but choices abound in 24" or even 20" sizes. Here's a Bluestar range built for a 24" opening. Many cooktops, and ovens are 30", but here again there are many choices in 24" cooktops and ovens. UAKC, can even help you with a 2 burner cooktop if needed. Take a look at this Italian made Bertazzoni oven and cooktop made to fit a 24" opening. Click on the links below: Bertazzoni 24" Oven Bertazzoni 24"

Pro-Style® Cooking Appliances are Changing The Pro-Look Gets a Sleek Update As professional looking appliances have gained popularity in luxury kitchens, they have often been mixed with sleek flush European style appliances. A Bosch or Asko dishwasher featuring a flush matching cabinet panel disappears into the cabinetry while nearby there is a Sub-Zero integrated built-in refrigerator with hidden hinges and door panels that match the adjacent cabinets. They're invisible as appliances and fit right in to the wall. Though it's not possible to do this with cooking appliances, manufacturers have made their cooktops and ranges much more sleek and contemporary-looking. This has become particularly noticeable recently, as even Professional Style appliances have become more flush, but still keep their Pro heritage. Check out the three entries below from Jenn-Air, Wolf, and Miele. Jenn-Air Jenn-Air's new 30" and 36" Pro-Style® cooktops have undergone a complete redesign. Not only have they added more power and new brass burners, but the surface of the cooktop itself is as near to flush as you can get without being inset into the counter. The heavy duty knobs still have a Pro look and feel, but they are somewhat less obtrusive. By the way, the term Pro-Style® is a registered Jenn-Air trademark. Wolf Wolf's new "M" Series Professional Oven still sports their signature red knobs, but also has touch electronic controls that work in conjunction with the knobs. Wolf has worked their magic by producing a jumbo oven with twin convection fans, yet it all fits

Dacor's Unique Refrigerator Available at UAKC Dacor is a Southern California based manufacturer of luxury cooking appliances. In addition to their high end cooktops, ranges, and wall ovens, Dacor offers a complete array of luxury kitchen appliances including dishwashers, refrigerators, microwave ovens, and ventilation. Dacor has recently launched a Four Door French Door refrigerator. By itself, the four doors is an unusual configuration.However, what really makes this Dacor refrigerator different is that with the flip of a switch you can convert one of the lower compartments from freezer to refrigerator and back. Just think about the flexibility that gives you. Suppose you suddenly need some additional freezer space when a family member comes back from a fishing trip, or perhaps you need to keep that turkey frozen for a few days more. On the other hand, you may need additional refrigerator space after stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables from the Farmer's Market. Just switch that lower compartment from freezer to refrigerator and voilà - extra refrigerator storage. There's more. Dacor's new European built fridge has some space-age technology to keep food fresh longer: The Distinctive refrigerator utilizes BlueV™ lights in the crisper sections to preserve the freshness and vitamins of fruits and vegetables. MAIN FEATURES 2014 ENERGY STAR® Qualified Three-zone settings - refrigerator with either one or two freezer sections. IonFRESH technology eliminates airborne bacteria and odor forming molecules by producing natural negative ions. Humidity controlled crisper drawers with BlueV™ lighting

Undercounter washers and dryers Choose from top brands at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center As part of our series on undercounter appliances, today we're covering washers and dryers designed for installation in a base cabinet. Here in the U.S., we have separate laundry rooms, designed to accommodate full-sized top loading or front loading washers and dryers. They overwhelmingly are one of the big U.S. brands such as GE, Maytag, or Whirlpool or from one of the Korean brands, LG or Samsung. However, some of the top brands in undercounter laundry equipment are European names. Asko, Bosch, and Miele don't even compete in the large capacity U.S. laundry market, but they are big names in 24" wide washers and dryers that fit underneath a counter (though GE, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire also have models at the low end of this market). Since most washers sold in Europe are designed to fit in a 60 cm (24") base cabinet in the kitchen, this appliance category falls into the wheelhouse of the European brands. They do a great job of washing in less time than their U.S. counterparts and are very energy efficient. Their compact size not only means that they can be located in tight spaces, they are accessible and perfect to use for universal design. Bosch Fit speed and style just about anywhere.With their sleek design, our matching Bosch 24" laundry units offer best in class installation. Stack them in a closet or install

Alternatives to Stainless Steel Choosing Appliance Colors at UAKC Pantone has chosen Radiant Orchid as the color of the year for 2014. If nothing else, this color is sure to be a conversation starter. In major appliances, Stainless Steel continues to reign supreme, though stainless steel has not been without its challengers. A few years ago, Jenn-Air introduced Oiled Bronze appliances as a designer finish, but while it attracted a lot of attention, few sales followed. Viking has had an extensive array of colors available in it's appliance line, now pared down to about a dozen favorites. Taking a more conservative approach, Wolf has elected to add a black glass look to its oven lineup, and the German brand Miele has added Brilliant White Plus to its sleek European kitchen aesthetic.GE recently introduced a line of appliances in Slate, as a less expensive alternative to Stainless Steel, and Whirlpool is touting its Ice Collection - shiny white or black with stainless accents. BlueStar ranges offer over 750 color and finish combinations (see Radiant Orchid below), while Italian brand, Bertazzoni also has jumped on the color bandwagon. Several other European brands are also available in various colors. They include SMEG, La Cornue, and AGA.Designers have been adding touches of color to monochromatic kitchens for interest and contrast. Maybe, a few colorful appliances will help brighten your kitchen. For expert help selecting colorful or not

First New Appliance of the Year at UAKC Miele Launches New Gas Cooktop January 2nd, 2014 Miele announces a new 5 burner 36" gas cooktop. Effective February 17th, 2013 –– the KM2355 36” Gas cooktop –– with the possibility to flush-mount the unit and the resulting ability to let it blend into the kitchen design. The dishwasher-safe ComfortClean grates make cleaning-up easier than ever before. The flush design fits right in to the sleek European look so prominent in other Miele appliances. Few gas cooktops are capable of being installed flush to the countertop. The cooktop can be ordered for either natural or LP gas. Designated as a "super burner", the center burner goes from a low setting at 700 BTU's up to a maximum 15,000 BTU. This burner comes equipped with a wok ring. The 5 stainless steel control knobs are conveniently (and safely) located in the front center of the cooktop.With a retail price of $1899, Miele quality has never been more affordable. FEATURES 5 completely sealed burners: (1) 650 – 3,900 BTU Auxiliary burner (2) 1,100 – 6,000 BTU Normal burner (1) 1,800 – 9,500 BTU High Speed burner (1) 700 – 15,000 BTU Double-inset super burner NEW Flush mounted gas cooktop NEW Dishwasher-safe ComfortClean grates Center controlled with stainless steel knobs Ignition safety control About Miele Founded in 1899 and headquartered in Germany, Miele remains a family-owned company. Miele's goal is simple: Miele aims to manufacture the

Gaggenau 24" wide combi oven Gaggenau 12" wide gas cooktop module Fine appliances don't need to be giant sized. The big 48" Pro SubZero refrigerator is spectacular, but just won't fit in many kitchens - regardless of budget. In fact, there are a growing amount of deluxe kitchen remodels that are space constrainted more than budget constrained. The good news is that with all the luxury European brands out there, which tend to be smaller in size, you don't have to sacrifice quality even if you have only a small kitchen space. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center can help you get top brand, beautiful appliances to fit your budget AND your space requirements. Check out some of the European brands such as Miele, Gaggenau, and Liebherr for products that are high end but fit in tight spaces. Contact the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center for more information. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 12025 Ventura Blvd. Ste B-105 Studio City, CA 91604 PH 877 696-2987 Liebherr 30" wide integrated refrigerator