I know there have to be millions of you out there who want to know what makes a high end, or luxury appliance worth the price. I’ll try to address that here as fairly and honestly as I can. I can give you the information I have, but the ultimate determination is left to the purchaser. I’ll try and run through some of the key points, and would be happy to respond to questions or comments from you individually as they come up.
Life Expectancy
One of the key determiners in why people select a premium appliance is the life expectancy. Back in my youth appliances were made to be as durable as possible, without concern as to cost. Manufacturers built things to last forever, or as near as their engineers could manage. It wasn’t unusual to have a washing machine last 20 years, a refrigerator 25 years, and the occasional dishwasher 30. By and large those days are gone. Now the average life expectancy on general use appliances is 8-12 years with a fluke stretching to 15. Now, only premium lines build units to last that long…notably manufacturers like Sub-Zero, Wolf, Thermador, Miele, Gaggenau, Asko, Viking, DCS, Aga, Northland and certain products from Monogram, Dacor, Bosch, Jenn-Air, Kitchenaid. While this list isn’t all-inclusive by any means, it does give one a good platform to start from. Many of the products from these manufacturers are still designed to last 20 years plus. If you look at the fact that the life expectancy on these lines is almost twice as long, the added expense may start to look like a bargain. If one looks at a Miele dishwasher that should last 20 years and sells for $1,299 as opposed to a Frigidaire that should last for 10 years and sells at $749 and then factor in buying a second dishwasher at an inflation adjusted rate of $849 and paying for a second installation $125, and probably a couple of service calls (call them $200 each)to determine the first unit isn’t worth fixing or capable of being fixed any longer and the Miele may now start to look like a bargain--since its really saving you around $800.
Performance
Yes, if you buy a $1,500 refrigerator you can certainly expect it to keep the food cold, but when you
buy a Subzero for $6,500 you can expect a little more. You can expect for it to maintain the temperature within one degree of where it is set anywhere in the refrigerator or freezer—even in the crispers. You can count on the two independent sealed compressors and even refrigeration systems to maintain perfect humidity in the refrigerator and freezer, with no air ever transferred between the two. Why does that matter? Ever have smelly ice, or nasty tasting ice? Not worth using at that point, is it? Sub-Zero also has an air filtration system built into the refrigerator. Why? It scrubs the ethylene gasses out of the air so they don’t prematurely age your food. What this means is that because of two sealed refrigeration systems which never share air and maintain ideal humidity in each compartment, a temperature management system that keeps everything at the perfect temperature, and an ethylene free environment, foods that barely last seven days in your refrigerator will last better than a month in a Sub-Zero. Want to test me…put a head of lettuce in your refrigerator and see what it looks like after 30 days. I can tell you—it looks like brown slime with a hint of goo. It is estimated conservatively that a Sub-Zero will save you at least $50 a month in foods that are preserved so they can be used rather than spoiling. That saves the average consumer $600 a year, or $6,000 over the ten years that the $1,500 refrigerator is likely to last. If you are keen on numbers that means you can buy one Sub-Zero for $6,500 for a 20 year stretch or two lesser units at $1,500 ($3,000) and lose $12,000 in food over 20 years. So for the same time period, the less expensive refrigerators end up costing you $8,500 more. The same kind of comparison holds true for different products as well, they almost invariably all perform better, and do the task that you are buying the appliance for far better than a lesser priced model. Dishwashers will wash better, ovens will bake, broil and roast better, cooktops will cook better, laundry will clean better, be more efficient, and far gentler on your clothes.
buy a Subzero for $6,500 you can expect a little more. You can expect for it to maintain the temperature within one degree of where it is set anywhere in the refrigerator or freezer—even in the crispers. You can count on the two independent sealed compressors and even refrigeration systems to maintain perfect humidity in the refrigerator and freezer, with no air ever transferred between the two. Why does that matter? Ever have smelly ice, or nasty tasting ice? Not worth using at that point, is it? Sub-Zero also has an air filtration system built into the refrigerator. Why? It scrubs the ethylene gasses out of the air so they don’t prematurely age your food. What this means is that because of two sealed refrigeration systems which never share air and maintain ideal humidity in each compartment, a temperature management system that keeps everything at the perfect temperature, and an ethylene free environment, foods that barely last seven days in your refrigerator will last better than a month in a Sub-Zero. Want to test me…put a head of lettuce in your refrigerator and see what it looks like after 30 days. I can tell you—it looks like brown slime with a hint of goo. It is estimated conservatively that a Sub-Zero will save you at least $50 a month in foods that are preserved so they can be used rather than spoiling. That saves the average consumer $600 a year, or $6,000 over the ten years that the $1,500 refrigerator is likely to last. If you are keen on numbers that means you can buy one Sub-Zero for $6,500 for a 20 year stretch or two lesser units at $1,500 ($3,000) and lose $12,000 in food over 20 years. So for the same time period, the less expensive refrigerators end up costing you $8,500 more. The same kind of comparison holds true for different products as well, they almost invariably all perform better, and do the task that you are buying the appliance for far better than a lesser priced model. Dishwashers will wash better, ovens will bake, broil and roast better, cooktops will cook better, laundry will clean better, be more efficient, and far gentler on your clothes.
Design
Most premium appliances will put more effort into trying to make sure they are more visually appealing, offer options in handles, colors, textures and ability to integrate with cabinetry—whether putting panels on the front, or making the appliance absolutely seamless with the cabinets around it. In some cases they completely conceal certain appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, warming drawers and vent hoods behind specially designed custom wood fronts. They also make sure that handles, doors, and drawers are ergonomically designed, and don’t obstruct the use of other products or cabinetry surrounding them. It comes down to the choice of having a nice kitchen with the exception of the appliances, or having an exceptionally nice kitchen because of the appliances. There are even manufacturers out there who specialize in offering retro or throwback design appliances for those whose ideal kitchen is a 50’s flashback…see www.elmirastoveworks.com or http://www.bigchill.com/
Appropriate for the Caliber of Home
This is one of the most common reasons we hear spoken, and one of the simplest to explain. Sometimes the quality or price point of the home demands that a certain level of appliances be put in it. You would be hard pressed to find a million dollar home with a Hotpoint, Roper or Frigidaire package in it. You expect a Wolf, a Subzero, a Miele or a Viking. At that price point a house may not be marketable if it doesn’t have a kitchen that wows. And if you want a kitchen that wows, you need appliances that wow. Simple.
Desire for Excellence
Some consumers have achieved what they want to achieve and simply want the best of what is out there. They have struggled. They have sacrificed. They have endured. Now they simply want the finest quality products available to help enjoy the time they spend cooking, dining, entertaining and experiencing some of the most rewarding times of their lives in the kitchen, because it is the heart of their home. It is the same passion for excellence that drives consumers to purchase a Bentley, a Rolex or a house in the Hamptons
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