Best appliances/gadgets for your kitchen

[IWantToGoToThere]

We are almost at the point of ordering the appliances we want for our new kitchen and was wondering if others had must-haves or can't-live-without gadgets or appliances before we go ahead and order. We are getting a Harvey Jones kitchen (managed a 40% discount on the furniture but they have a policy where you must order the appliances through them or you incur a £75 per appliance 'admin' fee so we have to do a bit of looking around).

We need new everything and have saved for ages to afford what we want and have decided more or less on the following:
*Neff oven with steam function ('Aqua Assist')
*Neff oven with built in microwave
*Neff warming drawer
*Fisher and Paykel French door fridge freezer
*Fisher and Paykel double dishdrawers (cf normal dishwasher)
*Neff 90cm induction hob
*Neff 90cm extractor hood (think we'll go for one that has black glass edging as think this will look good with the black induction hob)
*Under counter wine dual function wine fridge
*Waste disposal unit

Does anyone have any of these appliances and would you recommend? Am torn re a boiling water tap and if so, is 100 degrees better or does 98 degrees suffice? This is our opportunity to really get the kitchen we want now and for the future, so we want to get it right. Any recommendations or comments gratefully received.

Have been told that the 98 degree water boiler thing just does not "do" proper proper tea. Depends how important the tea thing is for you.
No idea on the rest....hopefully someone will be along to help on those.

We have the Minerva www.franke.com/kitchensystems/uk/en/home/products_information/special_features/kettle_tap.html combination tap - it is incorporated into the main taps, so no need for a second butler tap (or a kettle). The water is 100 degrees, and the reservoir & stuff go under the kick-boards, rather than in a cupboard, so no loss of space.

It is great.

They have also come down in price a lot. We paid £1000 last year, when they were just out. Now you can get one for about £700.

Thanks for your input. Beryl I've just watched the videos on the Franke website and it looks like the water comes out really fast and sort of 'spits'. Have you found that at all?

It does a bit, but it's not a problem. Just sounds like you are in Starbucks sometimes.

Imagine - never again waiting for the kettle to boil...

It does sound tempting but am a bit worried from a safety perspective if it spits boiling water at you.

Hello, we have a fisher paykel double door fridge with the freezer drawer below and the chilled water dispenser. I love it, loads of space. The replacement filters aren't particularly cheap and also I had some plastic bits on the door hinges break, but they have been replaced - no quibble by fisher paykel, all done under warrenty

We have a Neff built in double oven and I wouldn't rate it (we are in rented accommodation). It heats up very quickly but it seems to take ages to cook the food (eg 20 mins longer than my old cooker to do pasta bake). It looks very snazzy and has lots of cooking options which completely bamboozle me. It also makes an awful ticking noise when you turn the oven off, and is very annoying as we have a kitchen diner at the mo! The hob is fine (ceramic type one). I don't know how old this model is, but personally I don't think it's a very good oven ...

I hope to revive this 1.5 year old thread...Does anyone have any experience with Aga appliances? There's a new conventional range cooker out called Masterchef XL, which really interests me, as well as their French door fridge freezer and wine fridge. Good choices?? Thanks!