Appliance Update – One Year Later and Loving My Maytag Kitchen!

In preparing to write this post, I was looking back at the “before” pictures of my kitchen.  Wow.  The difference the Maytag appliances have made in the “look” of my kitchen is incredible.  Now I’m kind of embarrassed that I didn’t have matching appliances, but I truly didn’t know what an impact it had.

When the new Maytag kitchen appliances first came I cleaned them every day – they looked spotless.  I have to admit that the zeal for cleaning has worn off in the year that I’ve had them, *guilty grin*.  But despite a few fingerprints, they still look good, stainless gleaming.  That’s the beauty side of my Maytag appliance story – the design and style add to my home’s atmosphere of comfort.  

Here’s our “after” picture:

But beauty is only skin deep, right?  

With an appliance we also care about how it works!

It took me a while to be brave enough to stop rinsing dishes and put them straight in the dishwasher and I will admit to an occasional lapse, but I am still amazed by how clean the dishwasher gets my dishes.  Even after a year, we are surprised by how quiet our Maytag dishwasher is, and accidentally open it mid-cycle because we don’t even realize that it’s running!

My stovetop after a year of use isn’t quite as spotless, we’ve had some burns and spills (okay, a fire once).  But it still looks and works beautifully.  Using the burners of different intensity has become second nature now.  The middle burner has been more useful than I thought it would.  Our oven has been a dependability champ.  It’s cooked turkeys and cookies, cakes and pizza.  I’ve cooked (even sometimes burned) bruschetta and garlic bread.  What is it about a broiler and memory loss?  Anyway…  It feels good to know on a special occasion or when company is coming over, we don’t have to worry about our appliances working – we have Maytag.

I started to write that we’ve used the microwave most of all, but I don’t think that’s quite true.  It’s hard to say what we use the most, all our Maytag kitchen appliances see quite a lot of use.  The microwave features and buttons have become second nature, we know exactly where our favorite settings are and almost do it without thinking.  I’m surprised at how often I used the auto-sensor setting.  It’s something I didn’t know I wanted until I had it!  It’s also the first time we’ve had an over-the-range microwave.  We gained extra cabinet space (put in a new cabinet) where the microwave shelf used to be and it’s full to the brim.  We wonder how we got along without it before the new appliances.  With the location, it makes it super fast to unload the dishwasher now – storage for cups and glasses is within easy reach.

But the star, the absolute star of the kitchen is….. drumroll, please… the refrigerator.  I wrote a post last year asking if it was possible to be in love with a refrigerator, well, we’re still after a year, on our honeymoon.  The design of this refrigerator is so much more convenient than our old one.  Like night and day.  Just last week, I was cleaning the snack drawer – took out all my glass dishes and put them in the microwave – and then the whole drawer comes out.  So smart.  And the snack drawer still has us eating more fresh fruits and vegetable than ever.  Having them accessible and separate from the rest of the fridge encourages healthy snacking.  And the freezer.  Ahhhhhhh, I *heart* my freezer drawer.  I know where everything is, I can find it easily and quickly.  Things don’t get shoved to the back and forgotten.

Now that it’s back-to-school season, our routine has changed.  We’re using our appliances when we pack school lunches and make after-school snacks in addition to normal meals.  The snack drawer gets opened and closed a bit less during the day, but we make up for it after school!  The chaos of after school is reduced greatly, as is, my direct involvement.  When I hear, “I’m starving!”, it’s time-saving to say, “help yourself to anything in the snack drawer”!   It also reinforces my daughter making her own healthy choices and independence.  Win, win!

We also have a Maytag washer and dryer that I love.  With school uniforms AND after school clothes, I have some huge loads.  My Maytag handles it with ease and efficiency.

We are – and will continue to be – a Maytag family!

Other kitchen appliance posts:

Top Five Things To Look For When Buying A Kitchen Appliance

Is It Possible To Be In Love With A Refrigerator?  Tips on Organizing Your Refrigerator

Cooking on a Maytag Gas Range – Best Ever Onion Soup Gratinee 

It’s Not My Momma’s Maytage – Features to Love on a Microwave and Dishwasher

To connect with Maytag, follow these links:

Visit the Maytag Website

“Like” Maytag on Facebook

Follow Maytag on Twitter

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.