It’s been nearly two years since we moved into our home and got our first product from Cafe Appliances. You’ve probably seen this line all over the internet, in magazines and for good reason. They are a great step up from the more typical appliances you see that come in stainless steel and look high-end. However, they are not as expensive as if you were to go the fully built-in option. For us, they are the perfect in-between for our very first home. We got the Cafe Appliances Refrigerator first and posted our honest thoughts in this blog post. Now that we have the microwave and oven I wanted to post a full Cafe Appliances review, the install process and how we’re liking them.

The Finer Details

I get this question often, so let’s start the Cafe Appliances review with the answer! The brushed gold hardware is not a true brass. It’s more of a bronze. Not quite copper, but definitely more red and darker in tone. You can definitely tell in the photo below where you can see my cabinet hardware and the microwave handle next to each other. The difference doesn’t bother me and I like how it adds a bit of interest to our kitchen. However, I know for some it would have to match.

There are a few brands I’ve found with very similar finishes to the handles.

• Top Knobs Honey Bronze
• Liberty Hardware Champagne Bronze
• Jeffery Alexander Satin Bronze

Our cabinet color is not an exact match, but we love it! Our cabinets are Sherwin Williams Pure White and you can find more details about our kitchen here.

30 in. 1.7 cu. ft. Smart Electric Wall Oven and Microwave Combo

One of the biggest differences in our kitchen from before is the microwave and oven side. We originally had stainless steel appliances, which were builder-grade. They worked great but were not the aesthetic we wanted. While we cannot afford fully built-in cabinets, this is the perfect “in-between” like I mentioned earlier!

Important note for this Cafe Appliances review: I struggled to find the “microwave” on the Cafe Appliances website because of how they have it listed. It actually doesn’t say microwave, just “Advantium oven” I believe there is also another option where there are two French doors, too. What I love about this appliance is how it cooks five different ways! We use it as a microwave often most, but it’s also a convection oven, toaster oven, warming/proofing oven and you can use the precision cook tool (we haven’t used this yet). It comes with different trays and racks to use depending on what cooking style you use.

The reheat function is our go-to for heating up leftovers! The microwave senses the food and cooks it appropriately whether it’s a bowl of soup or dare I say, leftover steak. It always comes out hot, but not overcooked – it’s genius!

 

30 In. Single Electric Smart Wall Oven

The newest installation in our kitchen completed this side! This 30-inch single wall oven is a beauty and I so appreciate the soft-close door! We’ve used it as an air fryer and traditional oven without any issues! I will say, the first time you use the oven, you do need to “smoke it out” since it’s brand new. We kind of freaked out when we turned it to broil the very same day it was installed and it smelled a bit like plastic. A little googling showed us you need to run it for at least an hour or two oven cycles for the factory parts to settle. We’ve used it a couple of times since then without any issues or smell!

One big difference I’ve noticed with this oven in the past week is how fast it preheats! All the other ovens we’ve used we have to wait quite a bit, but this one gets to broil quick so you don’t waste any time and can get your meal started. I’ll be sure to update this post once we use the oven more!

Smart Dishwasher with Ultra Wash & Dual Convection Ultra Dry

Growing up in an Asian household, we tend to hand wash most things. I do have memories of my Dad loading up the dishwasher at night after dinner and it was always my responsibility to unload it and put everything back. However, anything during the day or maybe just a plate from breakfast, we hand-washed. It wasn’t until I moved back to Dallas and into our apartment I started using the dishwasher more frequently. Living on my own, I would hand wash everything.

I didn’t know I could love a dishwasher until this one. I can put dirty dishes in and they come out sparkly. I grew up in a family where we were literally almost washing dishes twice and would always pre-rinse because the dishwasher wasn’t very powerful. No more. Plus, I love the top tray for flatware, knives and super tall utensils.

The racks all have fold-down compartments so you can load the dishwasher in a way that’s most efficient for you. Whether I’m putting our blender, biggest pot and skillet with more than seven plates, there is room here! I appreciate the LED screen with the time left in the cycle and it always says “CLEAN” when it’s done. Johnny sometimes forgets to flip the magnet to clean or dirty, but now I don’t have to fret!

23.1 Cu. Ft. Smart Counter-Depth French-Door Refrigerator

We’ll end our Cafe Appliances review with a quick update on our refrigerator: we are still absolutely loving it. We have had no issues whatsoever and even got custom trim to go around it for a more seamless look. When we originally designed this appliance garage section, I wasn’t 100 percent sure we could get this fridge and figured we could always go back and add trim! I’m so happy to close the gap and make this section a bit of a statement in our kitchen. We use the appliance garage every day and having the refrigerator right there is key. There is enough room for us to fit all we need, even during crazy times such as the Holidays or Lunar New Year!