Kitchen, bath & laundry: more style, less money.

Slowing home sales have spawned a growing desire to make what you have work better and more stylishly. Home centers including Home Depot, Lowe's, and Sears are fueling this ongoing home-improvement boom by driving down prices on everything from ranges and refrigerators to dishwashers and flooring. As they scramble for your business, some retailers are also getting into the lending business with credit cards aimed squarely at remodelers.

Refrigerator and other appliance manufacturers are also pushing more options. Some refrigerators and ranges have even been super-sized along with some kitchens as major brands woo the upper end of the market. But as our tests and Ratings reveal, you needn't spring for a pricey behemoth to get space and style. Months evaluating thousands of products throughout the home confirm that big, expensive, pro-style appliances are often unimpressive and repair-prone. You may also want to steer clear of some of the trendier choices in floors and countertops.

Among our latest findings:

Cool trends heat up refrigerator sales. Many of the most stylish models are getting both cheaper and narrower to fit smaller spaces and budgets. Among these are French-door models, which meld a bottom-freezer with split refrigerator doors; several top performers now cost $1,800 or less. But some innovations come ...