The vast majority of cooktops sold in the U.S. are either 30″ or 36″ in width. However, there has been a very good market over the years for cooktops ranging from 42″ – 48″, with a 45″ width being the most common size in this X-Large cooktop category.

In an effort to reduce their model lineups, some manufacturers have discontinued 45″ cooktops. This has created a problem for consumers needing to replace their old 45″ cooktop since there is now a very limited selection of cooktops that will fit the hole left when the old cooktop is removed. Here are some suggestions and workarounds if you find yourself in this situation.

Viking RDECU2566BSB

Dacor SMG466

The Viking Range Company does still make a 45″ wide electric cooktop model RDECU2566BSB. Dacor makes a 46″ wide gas cooktop model SGM466, and Miele makes 42 1/2″ wide cooktops in both gas and electric. While these options may or may not provide the perfect fit for your existing cooktop there are some workarounds for you to consider. If you are replacing a 45″ wide cooktop with a 46″ wide cooktop, you may be able to just cut the existing whole a bit wider to accommodate the larger unit. On the other hand, if the replacement cooktop is not quite wide enough to fill the hole, there are companies that make filler kits such as Micro-trim. Also, It might be feasible to just replace the entire countertop. That way you can cut the opening to fit a new cooktop.

Some of these 45″ cooktops were installed in islands and peninsulas and have downdraft ventilation systems. Jenn-Air still makes 45″ downdraft cooktops in both electric and gas.

Jenn-Air JED8345ADB

The electric model JED8345ADB comes with a grill in the left bay, and two open bays that will accept 2 element radiant or coil cartridges, as well as a griddle that will fit over the grill element. The grill may also be removed and replaced with a coil or radiant cartridge to provide a total of 6 electric cooking elements.

Jenn-Air JGD8345ADB

The gas model JGD8345ADB comes complete with a gas grill in the left bay, and fixed gas cartridges in each of the two right bays. The grill is removable and can be replaced with an additional gas cartridge giving the homeowner a total of 6 gas burners. The Jenn-Air center downdraft eliminates the need for an expensive rear downdraft or island hood, and provides effective, economical, and unobtrusive ventilation. This is a great solution if you are replacing a Jenn-Air or other downdraft vented cooktop. If you have a traditional overhead vent system, you would need to reconfigure your ducting and remove the overhead system.

Wolf Cooktops and Modules

Finally, another interesting possibility for replacing a 45″ cooktop would be to combine 3 – 15″ cooking modules or a 30″ cooktop and 1 – 15″ cooking module. Wolf has a good selection of modules and also has trim pieces to make them fit together.

If this all sounds a bit complicated and confusing…well, it can be. It's a good idea to get some expert advice. First, measure your existing cooktop outside dimensions. If you have the old installation instructions with the model number and cutout dimensions that would be helpful also. Then call or visit the experts at UAKC, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center. They'll be able to recommend the best solutions for your specific situation.

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center

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If you are doing some kitchen remodeling in a pre-1950's house that has not been previously remodeled, you will most likely have Knob and Tube Wiring. This is an obsolete form of wiring. Though it is not inherently dangerous, it is often considered hazardous, and you should seriously consider replacing it. Local codes might even require it once you open up the walls. Of course, you should always have electrical work done by a licensed electrical contractor.

Knob and Tube (K&T) wiring is insulated copper wire which passes through holes drilled in studs. The wires are protected from chafing by porcelain tubes. Periodically, the wires are supported by and passed through porcelain knobs that are nailed down and keep the wire suspended. These are single copper wires so current passes through in one direction, the hot wire, and returns through a separate neutral wire. There is no ground wire.

Knob and Tube Wiring

During the first half of the twentieth century, homes were wired with electricity primarily for electric lights. The only appliances found in most homes consisted of small appliances such as tea kettles or toasters. Therefore as refrigerators, televisions, and other electrical devices came along with their increasing electrical amperage demands homes often received a patchwork of modifications to their K&T wiring as each new device was added. Many of these modifications were improperly done, resulting in shock and fire hazards caused by reverse polarity, crossed neutrals, and overloaded circuits.

Knob and tube wires are insulated with a rubberized cloth or fiber that can deteriorate over time. Even if your local code does not require replacement, it is a very good idea to do so because of the age of the system, the possibility of deterioration, and the fact that grounded appliances with 3 prong cords are not designed to operate on K&T wiring. There are also insurance companies that will refuse to provide insurance for a home with knob and tube wiring.

How can you tell if you have knob and tube wiring in your kitchen? If your wall switches are push button, that would be one indication of K&T wiring. If your receptacles do not accomodate a grounded plug, that is another indication. However, there have been modifications that have updated electrical receptacles, switches, and even junction boxes but left the K&T wiring in place inside the walls. Sometimes, the only way to know for sure is to open up a wall or check in the attic.

How much will all of this cost? It depends on whether just the kitchen needs to be rewired or the entire house. It also depends on what modifications might have already been done, and if they were done properly. An entire house could cost as much as $8-10 thousand dollars. If just the kitchen needs to be rewired you must consider that some wiring expense would be incurred in your kitchen remodel anyway, so an additional $2000 or so might not be out of line to replace some old K&T wiring.

The GOOD news is knowing that you have done what is necessary to protect your house for your safety and enjoyment, and preserve the resale value as well. As a reminder, make sure that your work complies with all applicable codes and is done by a licensed and bonded electrical contractor.

Now that you've got your wiring issues resolved, be sure to contact the professionals at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center to save money on your appliance purchases.

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
12025 Ventura Blvd. Ste B-105
Studio City, CA 91604
PH 877 696-2987
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Getting ready to purchase new appliances and confused about where to begin? How about settling on a brand first? This can be an easy way to narrow the field and to make sure that you get a product that suites your lifestyle and your budget.

First let's consider what a brand really is and what it means. Unfortunately, the word brand has different meanings to different people and in different circumstances. For example, we often associate a brand with its logo. We also sometimes confuse a brand with its generic equivalent. We think of the word BandAid as the same as a bandage, even though it is only one brand of bandage, or we ask for a Kleenex instead of a tissue. Basically, a brand tells the unique story of a product or company. It defines the product or company. Marketers like to say that a brand is the company or organization's specific “promise”.

branded

How does that help us in buying appliances? When you select the appliances for your home, you are looking for a set of attributes that most fit your needs that include product features, quality, price, warranty, etc. Each brand will represent a collection of those attributes.

Appliance manufacturers tend to position themselves across a spectrum of these attributes and that makes it much easier for customers to narrow their section. For example, if we were looking at refrigerators strictly for price you would find the Chinese brand Haier at one end of the price spectrum and the luxury SubZero brand at the other end of the spectrum. However, nearly all customers select their brands on multiple attributes.

A few of the really large appliance manufacturers build a variety of brands to suit different customer needs. For example, Whirlpool Corporation's US brands include Amana, Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, and Jenn-Air. In General Electric you'll find Hotpoint, GE, GE Profile, GE Cafe, and GE Monogram. In order these brands would be positioned as value brands (Amana and Hotpoint), core mass brands (Whirlpool and GE), premium mass brands (Maytag and GE Profile) premium brands (KitchenAId and GE Cafe), and luxury brands (Jenn-Air and GE Monogram).

Supppose that Joe and Mary, a newly married couple just starting out have purchased a condo and need to replace the appliances kitchen. The have a tight budget and the small kitchen will only accomodate a small refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and microhood. Their brand selection will be limited to a few brands that fall into the category of “value” brands. George and Karen live in an upscale country club community and need have hired a Certified Kitchen Designer to help with their kitchen remodel. Karen is a gourmet cook and wants a professional style kitchen with a dual fuel range and a built-in refrigerator. Their brand selection will be in the premium or luxury group of brands, not the mass brands.

So you can see that you'll easily begin to hone in on two or three brands that fit your needs when you begin your search. The best place to start is at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center. Because they carry such a wide variety of brands, they're sure to have what you need and they always have great prices.

Call or visit the professionals at Universal Appliance and KItchen Center today:

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
12025 Ventura Blvd. Ste B-105
Studio City, CA 91604
PH 877 696-2987
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Decision Steps

1. Define the problem. Perhaps you're remodeling your kitchen and replacing the tired old appliances. So you need to purchase new. Maybe, you've got a 12 year old washing machine that's failing and you don't want to pay another repair bill. Your decison may be a compound decision. “Should I purchase just a new washer, or should I go ahead and purchase a washer/dryer pair.”
2. Specify the decision criteria, i.e. objectives. Are these straightforward replacements, eg. refrigerator, range, dishwasher, or will you be adding new product categories, such as cooktop, wall oven, built-in coffee maker, microwave drawer, etc. There's a lot go consider. Think hard about what you want the best outcome to look like. Your decision criteria should answer the question, “Will this get me where I want to be?”
3. Gather Alternatives. This is the creative phase where you'll look broadly at all possibilities, even unconventional ideas. For example, maybe you want to consider point of use refrigerators rather than one massive unit. It's important to look at a wide range of alternatives because you're likely to find good alternatives that you hadn't previously considered. At some point you'll need to switch gears from expanding possibilites, and to begin to narrow the field. Knowing just when to stop looking may not be self-evident. Set a timeline. For example: “By next Friday I will quit looking at appliances, and begin comparing from the existing list.” Ask your designer or advisor to let you know when they think you need to move on.
4. Evaluate the choices. After removing the alternatives that just don't meet the decision criteria and arriving at a manageable list, you need to begin a more structured evalaution process. Here's where you apply the specific decision criteria against each alternative. It's a process of making tradeoffs and rating or scoring each alternative on each criteria.
5. Select the best alternative, and make the decision. You've made the tradeoffs and done the scoring, tested the logic, considered roadblocks, and confirmed your best choice. The decision may have been difficult, but has now been reached.
6. Implement the decision. Nothing could be more frustrating than going through this entire process, only to stumble on the implementation. It's time to move forward with your action plan. This means notifying others of your decision, placing orders, making deposits, etc. Sometimes, people are hesitant to execute on a good plan. Then prices change, items are sold out. Once a decision is made, don't hesitate.
7. Evaluate the result. Afterwords, it's always a good idea to look back. What went well? What didn't? What can we learn to apply to the next decision? Even the best decisions will have unexpected turns and twists.

During this process, it helps to have a good appliance advisor. Keep him or her in the loop as you move through the steps. If you expect good advice, It's important to let your appliance advisor know the details of the process, especially with respect to your timeline and budget.

Consult the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center soon and best wishes with your new appliances:

Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center
12025 Ventura Blvd. Ste B-105
Studio City, CA 91604
PH 877 696-2987
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A recent blog on kitchen remodel costs asked readers to report on their costs not including appliances. Basic costs came in as low as a few thousand dollars and a high of over $80,000 not including appliances.

Whether you are considering an Ikea job or a professional remodel for an Architectural Digest spread, we can offer some suggestions for appliances. Shop now and lock in models and prices early in the process. Too often appliances are not considered in the design process and costly mistakes occur. These errors can be avoided if buyers will consult on their appliances with the experts so that they have the proper electrical and gas supply lines in the right locations, dimensions are confirmed, and prices are locked in.

Spend some time with the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center to make your appliance selections, and purchase early in the process for the best prices.

Go to Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center in Studio City at 12050 Ventura Boulevard, PH 877 696-2982