Kitchen works.(kitchen remodeling tips)(Cover Story)

What's the perfect kitchen? It's a gathering place where cooking is a pleasure, cleanup is a snap, and storage is abundant. Your version may be large or small, contemporary or country, but the bottom line is this: It has to work well and look good.

With many kitchen renovations running $15,000 to $25,000, it's clear that homeowners are willing to invest in that vision. Cabinets and countertops account for about half the cost, but appliances represent a big investment as well.

Whether you're planning to renovate your kitchen or just replace an appliance or two, you have choices galore. In recent months, we've tested hundreds of appliances--refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, wall ovens, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and speed-cooking appliances--that cost from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. We've also tested cabinets, countertops, sinks, and faucets in all price ranges to determine the pros and cons of the major types. Whatever your budget, we'll help you make smart choices and get the most for the money.

PRICE ISN'T PARAMOUNT

Our tests showed that you don't have to pay top price to get top performance. In every category, we turned up very good performers that offer the basics at low prices. To get solid performance plus the latest features and designer styling, you have to pay a premium--but that premium may be less than you'd expect. We've identified a midrange segment that we consider a sweet spot for many consumers. We call it "faux pro," a new breed of mainstream appliances that deliver performance, features, and style for far less than costly pro-style models.

In the faux-pro class, you'll find midpriced ranges with features once limited to high-end models, such as stainless-steel or chrome finishes and continuous burner grates. Moderately priced refrigerators come with curved lines and eye-catching colors, and some sit almost flush to counters for a built-in look.

Still, if you want a true built-in refrigerator or a range with the industrial look and the highest-powered burners, you may prefer a pro-style appliance. But despite their cachet, high-end models aren't always the leaders in performance or convenience, as you'll see in the following pages. In fact, pricey Dacor, DCS, GE Monogram, and Viking pro-style ranges were among the lowest-scoring of the models we tested. Repairs can be an issue as well. The premium-priced Sub-Zero built-in was among the most repair-prone brands of refrigerators, offsetting its fine performance.