2014 Home Improvements, Part One: New Appliances

We've got some major stuff planned for the house this year.  All of them I'm excited about...... the end result at least, but maybe not the process.  More details on those projects to come. :)

I've been wanting a new stove for quite some time.  My old stove worked well enough, but it just wasn't quite doing what I was asking of it.  Things took a long time to boil, and it didn't bake evenly - and forget trying to bake more than one thing at a time!
We got a pretty hefty tax return this year.  So Paul said we'd spend the money to get me a new stove.
I was eyeing this double oven from Sears.  The double oven would be fabulous when I'm doing quantity baking.  But I just couldn't justify the huge expense for something that I didn't use every day.  So I narrowed it down to two things I decided I absolutely have to have:  a power burner (for canning), and convection oven (which helps bake more evenly and does better when you are cooking multiple pans), then I tore apart the reviews.  I finally made my decision and we just waited for a sale.
Then the day we go to order the stove, Paul says, "Since there's a sale, maybe we should look at a new fridge, too."  GAH!  I don't do well with decisions!  Our fridge came with the house; we've been here over 8 years, and it wasn't new when we moved in.  I know some fridges last for 30 years or more, but we were probably closing in on the "average" span.  I did some quick research, but the one I finally thought sounded the best was no longer available.  Figures.
As I talked with the salesman (Nathan at Sears in Ottawa is so great!) about my stove, Paul perused the refrigerators.  I had wanted a freezer-on-bottom style, just because it is so much handier to not have to bend over.  But top-mount freezer was $150 cheaper, and 2 cubic feet bigger.  We made a decision on the fly, and it turned out to be a great choice, after getting home and reading reviews.  Then we ordered one without an ice maker (been getting by without one for 10 years, why start now?), and saved another $50.
So.  The before and afters:

My white appliances before (completely cleaned of food drips and grimy handprints for the first time in.....how long??)

 My Darth Vader-ish new black appliances:  

Now the grime doesn't show!

And the difference of space:

That would be 24 glorious cubic feet of space.

I have no complaints on my stove, other than a learning curve on the control panel - you have to push "Start" to begin the pre-heat or timer, which I always forget.  The "turbo boil" is awesome, and the convection works great for baking multiple sheets of cookies.  It's also got a griddle burner in the middle that was a bonus - something I didn't think was necessary, but is pretty nice.

The fridge, the only thing I would change is being able to adjust where the meat drawer is - I would prefer to have all the drawers stacked on top of each other, without the odd solo shelf between.  (Stuff gets lost in the back where you can't see it.)  And also you can't adjust the storage shelves in the door.  But otherwise, I love it.  It's so big and roomy in there, I told Paul I just might sleep in it - that's how much space it has!  And the LED lights are so bright!

I could probably count on one hand the number of things for our home that we got new, rather than "new to us" (second-hand).  It's was nice to be able to choose things according to precisely what we wanted, rather than what was available for free or cheap.
So, thank you, dear, for my new kitchen appliances.  You definitely spoiled me.