For me, the range and dishwasher were really important quality-wise. I was willing to compromise on the fridge since it doesn't do as much. I skipped ice making and water dispensing - those seem to be the cause of most fridge issues.

AJ Madison is a good site to check to try some combinations.

I like the rangetops better as the controls are in front. Our old cooktops - the first was a cheap GE model where the knobs wouldn't turn any longer. The second was a Kenmore that was nice, but the controls were too close to the burners especially the largest. So, the knobs got very hot. I definitely think that if you can afford it, the rangetop is a better way to go.

One other thing - I didn't see a range hood in the list. Do you already have a range hood? Bear in mind, that a lot of the range tops are more powerful than cooktops and you will need a range hood with proper CFM capacity.

I also like 30" for the ovens. We had the 27". It's nice to have the extra space in the 30".

We did get a 3 drawer dishwasher by kitchen aid. I didn't like the design very much-so, I removed the 3rd drawer - it got in the way of the middle shelves.

We wound up spending $3,300 for a 6 burner Capital Culinarean, $3,700 for 30" Elux Icon ovens, $1000 KA dishwasher, and $1,100 for Imperial range hood - that's $9K right there without a fridge.

Good luck with your kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Kitchen

I was able to get really good deals on my appliances at sears, with Memorial Day coming up I'm sure they will have another great sale. They did a bundle pack if buying 4 appliances or more you get 20% each appliance and I got another 10% off for using my sears card. If you buy kennmore their brand I believe it was 30-35% off plus the additional for using your card. The better deals were in the store rather then online. You can also put the appliances on hold for when you need them. Good Luck!

Have you checked local shops for for Sears Outlet for floor samples? You can save a lot of money but finding what you need might take some time.

I recently spent a full day driving to several Sears Outlet stores searching for my KitchenAid appliances. I looked online before going to the stores to see if they had what I needed in stock and to check the condition. In the end, most were too scratched/dented for my liking, and I decided to buy new, except for my combination microwave/oven unit.

The microwave/oven unit was sold as new condition, had never been used, and had no cosmetic defects that I could find. I found it on the same day that the store received it so it was only on the floor a few hours. It didn't have the Pro handles that I wanted but it was $1600 after a 10% coupon, which was almost half of the $3000 retail price for the Pro unit. Since I bought this for the savings, I decided to use the standard Architect handles for the refrigerator and dishwasher too, which saved several hundred more dollars even though I bought those new. I'm hoping I'm happy with that decision (appliances aren't installed yet).

Overall, buying the microwave/oven at the outlet store and changing the handles saved around $1700. I'll also be getting a KitchenAid rebate of $700 for the appliances I'm buying from a dealer. I could have saved more if I didn't mind a dent or two in the refrigerator and dishwasher and bought those at the outlet, but it was too noticeable on the stainless steel for me. Another option would be to wait and keep looking at the outlets until I found all the appliances without frontal damage, but the Sears outlet purchases aren't eligible for the rebate so the savings wouldn't be that great.

One thing I learned is that not all Sears Outlets are alike. Some of them did not accurately describe the condition online, and appliances were not well cared for in the store (I think most of the damage probably came from being strewn all over the store without adequate packaging). Others (including the one in San Diego where I bought the microwave/oven) were in nicer areas and looked like normal department stores, and the staff seemed to take extra precautions with the out-of-box appliances. Out of 5 stores that I visited, I would only return to 2 of them.

I second the Sears outlet/floor model idea. All of ours are scratch and dent saved a bundle and the flaws are minor