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Buying Guides

Cooktops

Buying a new cooktop can be overwhelming when you haven't been in market for some time, things have probably changed and you have new things to consider when making your selection. Cooktops are more efficient, flexible and full of practical features to help you spend less time in the kitchen. We have created a helpful buying guide to help you select the right cooktop for the way you and your family cook.

1. Introduction

The benefit of having a built in oven is the ability to place it wherever suits you. If you are replacing an existing product you are in most cases limited to the size and style of oven you want, if you are starting from scratch or willing to adjust your cabinetry your options are infinite. You need to think and assess what the right oven is for your design and what will work best for your cooking style.

2.Β Sizing

Kitchen Layout

When it comes to your kitchen design, the biggest question you will need to ask is "How do I want to cook?". In your next kitchen you will want to consider a few things to make sure your new appliances and space works more effectively for you and your family. Follow the below guide before selecting your appliances:

Consider your cabinetry

When looking at your cabinetry you can look to positioning the cooktop in the bench above your oven, which you would be used to seeing in most homes. If you are looking for a more contemporary kitchen design you may look to having your cooktop separate from your oven, with your oven being placed above bench height within your cabinetry.

Kitchen triangle or work zones

The way you configure your kitchen layout will ultimately come down to how big your space is. In the past, kitchen designers have spoken to the work triangle which has you drawing a line between the refrigerator, cooking appliances, and sink/dishwasher which creates a triangle that has you being able to move more efficiently in the space. The more recent way of working has kitchen designers breaking the space up into 5 zones : consumables, non-consumables, cleaning, preparation and cooking zones, allowing each space to work together.

Purpose of your island bench

Over recent years, there have been kitchens designed around the island bench becoming the work bench, the place you prepare, cook and clean with ovens, cooktops or microwaves being incorporated into their design. Previous kitchen design trends saw sinks being the most common element found in a kitchen island with a dishwasher beside it. Island benches have a range of ways they can be used, the key is designing to suit your lifestyle and how you will be using your kitchen.

Size of Cooktop

When researching for a new cooktop, it’s important to consider all elements of its size. You need to consider not only the width of the cooktop but also the number of different cooking zones it offers and whether they have flexibility.

The standard cooktop size is60cm, enough for most households, however some brands offer cooktops as small as 30cm, slightly bigger at 70cm and the largest being 90cm. You may look at pairing a 30cm gas or induction cooktop with a 60cm cooktop of a different type, giving you ultimate flexibility in the kitchen.

When looking at cooking zones it is common to have 4, however you may also find the below combinations:

- 3 zones - 2 smaller and 1 large

- 4 zones of varying sizes with 1 having adjustable sizing between small and large

- 4 cooking zones - varying sizes with 2 able to become 1 large zone

3. Cooktop Type

Size, style and features are all important things that come into play in the selection of a cooktop, you will also need to consider whether you would like a gas, electric or induction which all have additional things to consider.

Gas Cooktops

- More common than induction cooktops.

- Easy install if there is presence of a gas connection.

- Specialty cookware not needed.

- The cook is in control and can intuitively control the heat, reacting to flame size - ideal for wok cooking.

- More ventilation required due to heat from open flame.

- Durable - with trivets they are more robust than their glass or ceramic counterparts.

Induction Cooktops

- Provide more precise temperature control with even heat distribution.

- Safer than other cooktops as the pot or pan is the object holding the residual heat not the cooktop surface and there is no open flame.

- Instant control and programmable features ie; pause, timer with auto-off programming.

- Flexibility - selected induction cooktops have adjustable cooking zones, pairing them together for larger pots and pans.

- Highly energy and time efficient because very little heat energy escapes - unlike with gas.

- More expensive initial outlay than other cooktops; however will cost less over their lifetime.

- Easy to clean with the a flat surface.

- Seamless design integration.

Fridges

It may have been a while since you have been in the market for a fridge, whilst their purpose hasn't changed there may have been the introduction of new technology to keep your ingredients fresher for longer. With more style and configuration options on offer, we want to help make the decision process easy by creating this helpful buying guide.

1. Introduction

Finding the right fridge for your household, have you looking at a few elements. You need to look at the space your fridge will live, do you have enough space to both fit it and give it the breathing space it requires. If you are boiling a new kitchen, choose your appliances first and build the cabinetry around them as they are elements that need the most consideration.

2. Sizing

Kitchen Layout

When it comes to designing the space your fridge will live, you need to think about how you like to move around the room. It will be important to make sure your kitchen and appliances work with you. Things you need to consider are:

Consider your cabinetry

With your fridge, you need to ensure it fits within the cavity you have allocated for it, and it needs not to be a tight squeeze as each fridge has it's own ventilation or breathing space requirements.

Kitchen triangle or work zones

When planning the layout of your kitchen, you need to think about how you want to work, whether it be collaboratively or together. You can look to having a kitchen triangle or work zones configuration, and ultimately it comes down to the space you are working. Work zones have it broken up into five zones: consumables, non-consumables, cleaning, preparation and cooking zones which is the best layout for working with someone else. If your space is smaller, you should consider a kitchen triangle which your refrigerator, cooking appliances, and sink/dishwasher creating a triangle as if a line is drawn to link them together.

Purpose of your island bench

Whilst the position of your island bench does not have an enormous impact on your fridge purchasing decision; it is still something to consider when moving platters and other ingredients in and out of your fridge.

Fridge Sizes

When choosing a fridge size or capacity, you will firstly need to think about what fits in your cavity space, however equally important to this is the consideration of yourΒ lifestyle and household size.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle considerations may be things such as are you need large freezer space, high energy efficiency a particular configuration such as freezer on top or bottom.

Household Size

Whether you are living in a family home or with housemates, the amount in your household will affect what is ultimately the best fridge capacity for you. If you are on the fence about whether to go bigger or smaller, we advise to go a little bit larger then you think as you will always at different times of the year have not enough room.

Household size (number of people)

Fridge capacity/volume (litres)

1 - 2 people

200 - 380 litres

3 - 4 people

350 - 530 litres

5+ people

440+ litres

Β 

Does it fit in your hallways and doorways?

You need to consider how much space you need to safely deliver your fridge into its new home, measure the clearance before you buy.

What way does it need to open?

Whilst selected fridges can have their doors reversed; it is essential to consider what way you need to have your fridge door open, which could be limited by cabinetry and walls.

Β 

Microwaves

We have created a helpful buying guide to select your next microwave as we know things may have changed since you last purchased one.

Ovens

It may have been a while since you have been in the market for an oven and things have probably changed. We have created a practical guide to help you select the right oven for you and your home.

1. Introduction

The benefit of having a built-in oven is the ability to place it wherever suits you. If you are replacing an existing product you are in most cases limited to the size and style of oven you want; if you are starting from scratch or willing to adjust your cabinetry your options are infinite. You need to think and assess what the right oven is for your design and what will work best for your cooking style.

2. Sizing

Kitchen Layout

When it comes to designing your kitchen, you need to think about how you like to cook. You want space and appliances to work more efficiently and with you, not against you. A few things to think about are the following:

Consider your cabinetry

Are you looking to have a more traditional design with your cooktop and oven paired one under the other or are you wanting to give your kitchen a more modern design by having your oven in a tower layout? This could be a duo or double oven or a single oven by itself or paired with another oven or microwave. Positioning it close by your cooktop but far enough away that you could have two cooks in the kitchen, one taking care of the oven and the other the cooktop.

Work triangle or work zones

This choice will ideally come down to the size of your kitchen. When looking at a kitchen work triangle you would have your appliances configured so that the line drawn between the refrigerator, cooking appliances, and sink/dishwasher creates a triangle which the cook can easily and efficiently move about the space. Whether you have a small or large space you may look to have the area broken up into 5 zones; consumables, non-consumables, cleaning, preparation and cooking zones, this allows the space to work in unison of each other.

Purpose of your island bench

Island benches have a range of ways they can be used; the key is designing to suit your lifestyle and how you will be using your kitchen. Sinks are the most common element found in a kitchen island with a dishwasher underneath it. However, over a recent year, there have been kitchens designed around the island bench becoming the workbench, the place you prepare, cook and clean with ovens, cooktops or microwaves being incorporated into their design.

Size of Oven

When shopping for a built-in oven, it’s important to consider all elements of its size. How much internal space do you need for your cooking style and how much space within cabinetry you have to work with will impact the external size of your new oven. Your range of options heavily depends on whether you’re replacing an existing oven or installing a new one from scratch. If you’re replacing, you are generally limited to a particular style and size of the oven.

The standard built-in oven width is 60cm, enough to take care of most cooking tasks. Other common widths include 75cm and 90cm, and these ovens more suitable for an entertaining or family home. Β The external width of an oven is not a clear representation of the amount that can fit inside. Ensure you consider the inside capabilities when shopping for an oven. A guide would be a small capacity is anywhere between 30 and 45 litres. 45 litres to 70 litres is the average, and any capacity greater than 70 litres is on the larger side.

3. Fuel Type

Size, style and cooking functions are all important things that influence your final oven purchase decision, you will also need to consider whether you would like a gas or electric oven.

Electric Ovens

- More common than gas ovens.

- Generally provide more even heat distribution, especially when equipped with a fan.

- Require pre-heating, this process has become quicker with modern innovation.

- Generate drier air which can assist with crisping and browning.

- Majority of models need to be hardwired by a certified electrician; some ovens will come with a plug and lead suited to a particular amp rating.

Gas Ovens

- More expensive initial outlay then electric ovens; however, given energy efficiencies with gas cooking, they will cost less over their lifetime.

- Cook with greater moisture, making them ideal for cakes and roasts.

- Faster heating than electric models and more precise temperature control.

- Generally contain fewer parts then an electric oven, so the lifetime maintenance should be easier.

- Can run off natural gas or an LPG bottle - model dependent

Rangehood

It is very important to select the correct rangehood to suit the cooking appliances and the kitchen layout.Β  Correct ducting of the rangehood is just as important as selecting the correct rangehood.

For all architects, interior designers, kitchen planners, builders and to anyone contemplating a new kitchen.

Important points to consider:
  • The variety of cooking appliances is increasing
  • The introduction of high performance semi-commercial ranges such as the Wolf cooker.
  • Combinations of electric and gas cookers are now available
  • Increasing popularity of
    • Indoor barbecues
    • Wok burners
    • Fish burners with heavy griddle plates
    • Deep fryers
    • Teppanyaki plates

The emissions from using of any of the appliances above will quickly fill the room with smoke, grease and odours that are difficult to remove.

Choosing the right rangehood

Extraction

The type and brand of cooking appliance used with the rangehood will determine the required air movement.

In general, Condari suggests that Qasair Rangehood with two or more motors is used with the following indoor appliances or styles of cooking:

  • Wok burners 15 megajoules and over
  • Fish burners with a griddle plate
  • Electric grillers
  • Gas indoor barbecues
  • Cookware over 1000 wide
  • Asian and Indian cooking
  • Teppanyaki plates

Condari does not recommend usingΒ a standard Qasair rangehood over cooking appliances with a rating ofΒ  >50mj.Β  Condari willΒ custom make a rangehoodΒ to work over these appliances.

Size

As a minimum Condari recommends that the rangehood be at least as wide as the cooker underneath to ensure maximum capture efficiency.

Qasair Rangehoods are designed for use with a standard 600mm deep bench top.

Style

We have a style of your rangehood to match your taste, kitchen space and design.

Qasair and Condor Rangehoods come in over 40 different styles including

Wall mounted canopies

Wall mounted rangehoods are canopy style rangehoods that are installed against a wall over the cooker and designed to be exposed and not built into cabinetry.Β  The fine quality steel used to make Qasair and Condor Rangehood allow these hoods to be a stunning feature of the kitchen or alfresco area.

IslandΒ  canopies

Island rangehoods are canopy style rangehoods usually designed for a kitchen that has a stove on an island bench.Β  These rangehoods are mounted on the ceiling above the stove and are often outstanding stainless steel features of the kitchen.

Concealed / Undermount rangehoods

Concealed rangehoods are also known by the terms undermount, undercabinet, undercupboard and built-in rangehoods.Β  These rangehoods are compact units designed to be hidden away behind cabinetry allowing seamless, uninterrupted joinery.Β  Although discreet, these units have the same powerful motors as other Qasair and Condor Rangehoods.

Although aesthetically different, all Condari rangehoods are fitted with the same powerful motors.
Condari can also custom manufacture a rangehood for your specific requirements.

Noise

Noise levels on all models vary on high speed from 36.7db to 55db and will also depend on how the rangehood is built in.

Noise levels are measured in decibels ( db ).Β  Condari have consulted with the CSIRO over many years on various aspects of rangehood design and performance including noise levels.Β  Consequently, Qasair and Condor Rangehoods have the lowest noise levels even when the rangehoods are operating on maximum speed.

Condari is committed to manufacturing rangehoods that have unequalled performance whilst being increasingly quiet.

Ducting your rangehood

It is also very important to install the rangehood with the correct ducting to ensure that all the by-products of cooking are exhausted from the kitchen.

The cost to fix an incorrectly installed rangehood may be extremely expensive, especially if joinery or ducting needs to be removed and altered, so it is much better toΒ get it right the first time.

Tips to correctly duct your rangehood:
  • Always use correctly sized ducting – DO NOT reduce the size of the ducting
  • Always use solid ducting
  • Always use non-flammable ducting
  • Always duct to the outside atmosphere
  • Do not use flexible ducting
  • Do not duct into the ceiling space
  • Avoid sharp 90 degree bends as much as possible, use 45 degree bends instead wherever possible
  • Duct to the outside atmosphere using the shortest duct run possible
  • Use cylindrical ducting whenever possibleΒ