Kitchen Appliance Package Options: Labels, Refrigerator Layout, Sizes and Placement for Each Appliance

A kitchen appliance package is a set of single choices, and the Department of Energy guide treats each one separately: ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels show energy use, a refrigerator comes with a top-mounted, bottom-mounted or side-by-side freezer, a dishwasher in compact or standard capacity, and each unit needs the right size and room around it. This is general information and not legal or building advice, and Good Haus is a free matching service and not a contractor.

Which labels can you read on each appliance?

The U.S. Department of Energy says every appliance has two price tags: what you pay to purchase it, and what you pay for the energy and water it uses. It says appliances with the ENERGY STAR label meet strict energy-efficiency criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It says to use the EnergyGuide label to determine the model’s energy use, compare the energy use of similar ENERGY STAR-qualified models, and estimate annual operating costs. Read both labels on every appliance in a package, since a bundle can mix labeled and unlabeled models.

How do refrigerator layouts and sizes differ?

The Department says to consider buying a refrigerator with a top-mounted freezer, because top-mounted freezer models use less energy than some bottom-mounted or side-by-side models. It says to purchase an appropriately sized unit, that generally, the larger the unit, the more energy it consumes, and that the most energy-efficient full-size refrigerators with freezers are typically 16 to 20 cubic feet. Measure the space and list what you store before you compare layouts, and ask each seller for the energy label of the exact model.

How do dishwasher capacities differ?

The Department says to choose the right size for your home, that compact-capacity models hold up to eight place settings and six serving pieces, and that standard-capacity models hold even more. Count how many people eat at home on a normal day, and ask which capacity the package includes.

What room does each appliance need?

The Department says to allow air circulation behind a refrigerator, leaving a few inches between the wall and the back of the unit, and to position refrigerators and freezers away from heat sources such as ovens, dishwashers, and direct sunlight. Check the planned positions against those two points before you accept a layout for the package.

• Read the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels on every appliance.
• Compare refrigerator layouts and sizes for the space.
• Choose the dishwasher capacity for the household.
• Check air space behind the refrigerator.
• Keep the refrigerator away from heat sources.

How do the appliance choices differ in the sources?

Give Each Seller the Space Measurements and the Capacity You Need

Check that the brief you send when you request kitchen remodeling quotes lists the appliance spaces and the capacity you need, so every package quote covers the same set.