"Other" Appliances Part 1 (Warming Drawers, Convenience Ovens & Under Counter Refrigeration)

So, as with most things there are certain standards within the Kitchen & Appliance industry. Cabinetry, while they still remain "standard" in most regards, they do tend to vary by 3" increments in width. However, with appliance widths, I am almost always dealing with what I call a 24-30-36 model. This covers a 24" wide dishwasher, a 30" wide range, 30" over the range microwave and a 36" wide refrigerator. I would even go so far to say that these standards are found in approximately 50% of all kitchens I design, with an additional 30-40% of kitchens having a slight variation to this (a 30 or 36" cooktop, 24" dishwasher, 30" wall oven, and 36" fridge). However, this leaves me with those 10-20% of kitchens that also like to add something different or some of the "other" appliances out there. What are these "other" appliances? Well, they are the wine fridges, ice makers, espresso makers, warming drawers, and the other goodies that are out there and can really make a difference in how you use your kitchen. 

There are a ton of appliances out there that the serious cook or entertainer (or even those that just want to play one on tv) can benefit from incorporating into their new kitchen. Additionally, these "other" appliances can also be a great addition to a non traditional space, such as a wet bar area and can change a way a space is used. The key when looking to incorporate these elements into a new design is to ask yourself the following questions: do you have the space for these elements, are you willing to use the space that was previously allocated for something else, and can you see yourself reaping the benefits of incorporating these items into your design?

In talking to the appliance folks that I work with, the most popular "non standard" appliances that are leading the pack are under counter refrigeration (beverage centers and wine fridges), convenience ovens (such as the speed cook ovens, the convection microwave ovens, and the steam ovens), and warming drawers (that are doing much more than just keeping dishes warm or simply proofing bread).  

24" Under Counter Beverage Center Jenn-Air JUB24FLARS

Under Counter Refrigeration

 Let's start with the under counter refrigeration. There are many choices out there of wine fridges and beverage centers. Beverage centers, like the Jenn-Air model I have pictured on the left combine both wine storage as well as other refrigerated storage (great for beer, water bottles, juice boxes, or even extra appetizers before a party). The standard size of these items are 24" wide and about 34" tall (which allow them to fit underneath the countertop) and, almost most importantly, the ventilation is through the toe kick, which helps make sure that you don't have to worry about overheating the cabinets on either side! It is important to note that this is very different than something like a "dorm fridge" which is vented in the back and should never be in an enclosed situation (such as between cabinets and under a countertop). There are many different variations of these items, some of the full wine storage ones are what are called dual zone, which enables you to store your different wines at different temperatures, or keep you reds right below room temperature and your whites at a much cooler temperature. There are options out there with and without glass doors, and ones that allow you to have a panel made for the door to match the cabinetry that would be surrounding the appliance. A bar application for this item is an obvious choice, but it could also be great located in the island in a kitchen as a second place (or even main place) for folks to grab beverages while someone is cooking so that they aren't underfoot. This particular model pictured has even incorporated a very popular feature that is almost ubiquitous in the cabinet world, the Soft Close door, now you can go on a late night fridge raid without anyone being the wiser. 

Jenn-Air 24" Steam & Convection Wall Oven JBS7524BS

Convenience Ovens

Next up, the convenience ovens. These are some of my favorite technologies that are out there, not only are they time saving, but they really do live up to their names! Steam ovens, in their original iterations, could often be difficult to clean, difficult to refill, and were very infrequently displayed. Now that more companies are coming out with their own steam ovens, these ovens, and their benefits are really being seen. This model to the right, also a Jenn-Air appliance has made refilling and use much easier with a reservoir that is easily removable (as opposed to needing a permanent water line installed) which can be especially helpful if it is not an appliance that you use on an everyday basis. This particular model also happens to be a convection oven so you can definitely use it for more than just making baguettes or steaming your veggies for dinner (although it's great at that too!). While the availability of steam ovens to a more mainstream audience has been relatively recent, there is another type of convenience oven that has been available for a number of years.  These would be the speed cook ovens, or more often called convection microwave ovens. Many times when I begin to speak to clients about these types of convenience ovens they have memories of the convection microwave ovens of years past that were never really good at microwaving or being an oven. However, I would say, hands down, that the heavy hitter and almost the gold standard of these types of appliances would be the GE Advantium.

GE Profile Advantium 120V 30" Wall Oven PSB9120SFSS

 As I describe to my clients, many convection microwaves are microwaves that has oven tendencies whereas the Advantium really is an oven that happens to also be able to microwave.
This Advantium (as shown on the left) has solved many a space problem for my clients, it really allows clients to have the 2 ovens that they are often looking for while not requiring us to give up additional space for a microwave somewhere else. This would also be a great item for someone who is looking to install a mother in law suite, a bar space, or even just a secondary cooking area in their home. This has even been a great option for some of my clients who were looking to switch out a cooking appliance on their boat! The advantium is available in both 120v and 240v options and the biggest difference is how much faster it cooks. The Advantium does come with a large number of pre-programmed recipes, cooking times, and options. It is able to microwave, broil, warm, proof, and convection cook. You are still able to use it to reheat as well as defrost, as you would with your regular microwave, but unlike your regular microwave, you will no longer need to eat leftover pizza that either tastes like rubber or reheat your oven for that late night craving. However, there could be one "fatal" flaw.... it is missing the all important popcorn button.  

Warming Drawers

KitchenAid® 30'' Slow Cook Warming Drawer KEWS105BSS

Finally, warming drawers. These rather unassuming appliances, typically installed underneath wall ovens or wall oven combos have come a long way from the items that you only use to heat up your plates or keep your side dishes warm on the holidays. This model on the right, by KitchenAid, is not only a warming drawer, but it also helps to solve the often present issue of not enough counter space and too many counter appliances! This warming drawer is also a slow cooker and will help you in your bread making by giving you the perfect environment in which you can proof bread. KitchenAid is able to accomplish this by having 3 separate, and clearly marked, zones that help you set your temperature whether it be for slow cooking, warming, or proofing.  This appliance can also be installed in other area of the kitchens other than just underneath your wall ovens. Many cabinet lines now have options with standard base cabinets so that it can easily be installed in an island or along another run of cabinetry. This appliance could also be placed in a butlers pantry space or even in the dining room itself in a hutch type application (especially great if you go with the option that allows for a cabinet panel instead of a stainless front) for those who are frequently entertaining and want to ensure warm dishes or want to make sure that the extra side dishes are always warm when refills are needed on the dining table!
 
 These only represent a small portion of those "other appliances" out there and ways that they could be beneficial in your every day life (There is a Part 2 in the works that will cover espresso makers, ice machines, and trash compactors).  There are always changes going on within the appliance industry (there are even fridges that now dispense hot water as well as cold and ovens that allow you to use an app on your phone to program the entire oven from preheating to cook time) and new ideas that are always coming out. There are even rumblings of new ovens that will be coming out in the next several years, for the home cook, that instead of a door that opens down, will have a french door style doors which will make it much easier to access the racks. Happy designing and maybe you have even found a new appliance that you can see in your dream kitchen!