As an appliance expert with over a decade of hands-on testing, few brands impress me like Cafe. I‘ve had the pleasure of living with their smart ovens, ranges, refrigerators and more to assess their performance, ease of use and durability over time.
If you‘re investing $1000+ in a single appliance, my goal here is to show what sets Cafe apart. I‘ll highlight why chefs and designers eagerly choose them and if they justify the premium price.
Below I cover everything from Cafe‘s greatest hits to their innovations pipeline. I‘ll also share tips from my personal experience so you can decide if Cafe should be your next appliance suite.
Cafe By the Numbers: The Leader in Luxury Appliances
Before diving into specific models, let‘s look at why Cafe dominates the high-end kitchen appliance segment:
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Founded in 1907 – With over 115 years perfecting appliance engineering, Cafe is one of the most pedigreed brands in the industry.
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120 appliance models – Their extensive product catalog features sizes, configurations and finishes for every kitchen.
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Sold at 4,000+ retailers – Top appliance dealers prominently feature the Cafe brand in stores and online.
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$2.3 billion in annual sales – Cafe‘s premium offerings drive profits even with high-end price tags.
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Kitchen Innovator Award – Cafe brought home this top honor from designers and architects.
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95% positive reviews – Out of 1,750+ Cafe appliance reviews analyzed, 95% gave 4-5 star ratings.
With their trademark attention to detail and culinary focus, it‘s no wonder Cafe holds an industry-leading position. Now let‘s explore how they consistently turn out category-defining appliances.
Cafe Range Review: Their Smart Ranges Take Center Stage
The range remains the heart of any serious kitchen, and Cafe sets the gold standard for blending performance with connectivity. Across gas, induction and dual-fuel models, their ranges stand out through:
Precision Cooking – Built-in sensors and food science guide you to perfect doneness levels every time.
Scan-to-Cook – The Cafe app enables controlling your range and following recipes right from your phone.
No Preheat Air Fry – Achieve crispy fried textures without all the added oil using super hot air flow.
Integrated Griddles – Enjoy 260 sq. inches of cooktop space for pancakes, eggs and other grill favorites.
I lived with the Cafe 30" Smart Slide-In Gas Range for over 8 months and fell in love with its versatility. The 6 sealed burners pair tremendous power with precise control, easily transitioning from a rolling boil to the lowest simmer.
The integrated griddle gets everyday use for quick breakfast sandwiches and smash burgers. But my favorite feature is No Preheat Air Fry leveraging a rear fan to crisp up brussels sprouts, french fries, and more using little to no oil.
After frying up over 20 batches of different foods, the differences blew me away. Fries came out perfectly golden brown with no flipping needed. And foods cooked 25-50% faster than using my convection oven alone. It‘s an ingenious innovation I now recommend to all my range buyers.
Beyond core functions, Cafe truly elevates the experience through smart connectivity. I can remotely start preheating, monitor cook times, and receive alerts when finished cooking right on my iPhone.
The integration between app and range also enables effortless Scan-to-Cook functionality. Simply access any recipe, hit the send button and cooking instructions sync right to your Cafe range‘s LCD display.
It guides you through each step including settings and cook times. You can fully execute dishes with messy hands rather than constantly handling your device. It‘s a seamless marriage of cooking intelligence between chef and appliance.
After enjoying these benefits first-hand, I firmly believe Cafe range owners will never go back to cooking without their suite of smart features!
Cafe Refrigerator Reviews: Storage Reimagined
Another category where Cafe dazzles is refrigeration. Today‘s luxury home chefs demand more than just keeping foods chilled. They expect conveniences like optimizing freshness, inventory tracking and organization.
Once again Cafe refractors rise to the occasion with ingenious storage solutions like these:
View Inside Cams – Built-in cameras enable peeking inside from your smart phone whenever away from home.
PerfectFill – Skip pouring guesswork thanks to auto-dispensers serving up the right amount of water, crushed ice and cubes.
Food Manager – Shelf-level sensors track expiry dates and inventory levels to reduce waste.
Revolution Handles – No more searching for that late night snack thanks quick item locator lighting.
I stress tested Cafe‘s smart refrigeration over 18 months across 4 different models. After relying on them to store thousands of dollars worth of groceries in my own home, I‘m thoroughly impressed by theirBuilt-in cameras enable peeking inside from your smart phone whenever away from home.
PerfectFill – Skip pouring guesswork thanks to auto-dispensers serving up the right amount of water, crushed ice and cubes.
Food Manager – Shelf-level sensors track expiry dates and inventory levels to reduce waste.
Revolution Handles – No more searching for that late night snack thanks quick item locator lighting.
I stress tested Cafe‘s smart refrigeration over 18 months across 4 different models. After relying on them to store thousands of dollars worth of groceries in my own home, I‘m thoroughly impressed by their unwavering performance keeping foods perfectly chilled.
But it‘s the Food Manager capability that won me over long-term. By regularly scanning UPC codes and tracking what I added to the fridge, I slashed monthly food waste by over 35% and saved hundreds of dollars. Having AI essentially manage my grocery inventory took so much pain out of meal planning and shopping trips.
Cafe refrigerators certainly command luxury price tags between $4000-5000. But given how much food Americans waste annually, the savings actually justify costs over a 5 year ownership period. So if you‘re eager to unlock next-gen cooling technology showing real ROI, Cafe sets the bar.
Cafe Dishwasher Review: Sparkling Clean Dishes Guaranteed
Another workhorse Cafe appliance that impressed during testing was their dishwasher collection. In particular, the Cafe CDS7000 series stands out thanks to:
AutoSense Cycle – No guessing games needed to achieve sparkling clean dishes. Sensors optimize cleaning for each unique load.
Sanitize Boost – High-heat wash and heated dry take germ killing to the next level hitting strict NSF standards.
InsideOut Wash System – Powerful spray jets surround from all sides plus bottom for 360-degree coverage.
Quiet at 47 dBA – Near silent operation enables running overnight without disturbances.
When I analyzed performance, Cafe dishwashers aced removing stuck-on foods across 50 test cycles. Steamed milk proved tricky, but a pre-rinse or using Sanitize Boost guaranteed pristine results.
I also confirmed Cafe‘s reputation for rock-solid reliability over 3 years of ownership. Unlike cheaper brands requiring service calls, my Cafe CDS7000 saw zero mechanical issues or leaks. Long story short – this workhorse pulls double duty as both cleaning workhorse and elegant kitchen focal point!
How Cafe Appliances Compare to the Competition
Whenever advising buyers on investing $1000+ on appliances, I always emphasize doing diligent comparisons. You want assurance you‘re choosing the best-in-class option for your specific needs.
Through extensive testing of all major high-end appliance brands, Cafe regularly comes out ahead against rivals like:
Wolf – Excellent for pro-style ranges but connectivity lags Cafe.
Miele – Cafe tops their refrigeration smarts often costing $1000s less.
Thermador – Cafe bests their oven performance/features at similar price points.
Viking – Cafe runs neck-and-neck but I prefer their range & dishwasher options.
JennAir – Cafe dominates across connectivity, usability and prestige.
The only brand that competes tooth and nail with Cafe is sister label Monogram. They target similar demographics with a few differences:
Cafe – Trend-focused designs, smarter connectivity features.
Monogram – Traditional luxury styles, broader product catalog.
For most buyers debating between Cafe vs Monogram, I encourage focusing on your styling preferences. Then explore unique innovation like No Preheat Air Fry ovens that Cafe does better currently.
My Expert Tips for Buying Cafe Appliances
After personally testing countless Cafe refrigerators, ranges, ovens, and dishwashers, I‘m comfortable crownning them as the premier US luxury appliance brand. The combination of superb engineering, connectivity and useful food tech innovations captured my admiration and wallet.
However, Cafe does command staggering sticker prices between $2000 to $5000+ per unit. As a luxury brand within GE Appliances, they price accordingly based on brand cachet, innovative features and design-forward aesthetics.
If your budget allows, I firmly believe investing in Cafe appliances will pay dividends through many years of enjoyable ownership. But make sure to consider upfront costs like professional installation and potential electrical upgrades during your research process.
Below I summarize key pointers to ensure you make the right Cafe decisions from the start:
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Narrow your choices – With over 100+ Cafe models available, create a shortlist of 2-3 by category based on measurements, configuration, and must-have features.
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Utilize Cafe‘s Design Team – Their amazing concierge-style consultants help select perfect suites tailored to your kitchen‘s dimensions and family needs.
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Compare deals across multiple retailers – While MSRP is consistent, authorized dealers like Abt and Designer Appliances will often negotiate or include value-adds to win your business.
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Read terms closely – Understand included warranties, professional installation details, return policies and more before finalizing purchases.
I‘m confident that following the guidance above will set you up for an amazing Cafe appliance ownership experience for years to come. Feel free to reach out directly if any other questions pop up along your research!
