My New Appliances Arrived!

Towards the end of last year I wrote this post about my failures at painting and how some things are worth the money not to do-it-yourself.  I wrote it for the chance to win $5,000 worth of GE Appliances from PartSelect — and I WON!  About a month ago my husband and I went into Seattle Appliance and picked out what we wanted.  I knew immediately that I wanted a new washer and dryer with pedestals.  They had been on my wish list for quite some time.  In fact, several times we had been this close to purchasing a new set when something more pressing would come up and it would get pushed to the back burner.  I also knew that since the pedestals weren’t necessary, we’d probably opt to save the money rather than buying them so I was completely stoked when I found out I could pretty much get whatever I wanted.  We chose the top of the line set in white.  The dryer is on back order but the washer along with the other appliances were delivered earlier this week.  I LOVE the washer.  LOVE IT. My clothes are cleaner and while the running time seems to be a bit longer, the clothes come out barely damp so the drying time is cut dramatically.  It’s large enough that I was able to wash my son’s comforter in it as well as larger regular loads of laundry than I’m used to. I can’t wait to get the dryer to complete the pair!

The second item that I knew I wanted was a new range with smooth cooktop.  The burners on the one we had seemed to only work on high and were hard to keep clean.  I loved the thought of just being able to wipe down the top without worrying about gunk trapped under the burners.  Its strange cooking with burners that actually adjust properly now and clean up after dinner is much quicker with the smooth top range!  We got it in stainless steel.

I went in thinking that the $5,000 would only stretch to these three items but the Hubs went in with his heart set on a new refrigerator.  Thanks to his negotiating skills we were able to get a stainless steel fridge too!  I’m so grateful because while I was happy with the fridge we had, our new one is SO.MUCH.BETTER.  Seattle Appliance  had a floor model for sale.  At first it still didn’t fit into the budget but we made some decisions to make it work.  Originally we were going to get the washer and dryer in Champagne which was more expensive than the white.  We were also going to get the dispensing pedestal which holds 6 months worth of laundry soap and fabric softener and dispenses it automatically.  It’s super cool but we gave that up to be able to get the refrigerator.  I’m so glad we did because we really love this fridge.

First, it has a much larger capacity than our old fridge.  Secondly, it’s extremely versatile.  The shelves in the fridge can quickly be reconfigured without taking them out.  If you need more space for something taller, a portion of one shelf flips up.  Another shelf comes down and slides back to create the exact space you need.  The freezer is pretty awesome too.  There’s a slot in the front portion of the door made to hold a large pizza.   When it’s flipped down you can store other things there (like ice cream!)  I’m still in awe of how much more this freezer and refrigerator hold!

We don’t have water hook up for the filtered water and ice but we discovered that we can crack our own ice into the bin and use the dispenser for crushed ice.  A move is likely in our future, so hopefully we’ll have a water hook but because we are definitely taking this fridge with us!

Here are the before and after pictures.The paint on the cupboards and walls is still atrocious, but the sparkly new appliances definitely draw your eye away. Don’t you agree?I want to say a heartfelt thanks to Part Select and GE Appliances for the opportunity to win this fantastic prize.  My family and I are so grateful!