RINNAI VS TURBO

look at the pix of this rinnai hob which i decided to buy.
initially i was going for turbo, but eventually i settled for rinnai. the main reason of course, my mum is using rinnai for years and therefore, i'm quite familiar with the brand.

went around a few shops and eventually drop turbo because


1. the spacing between the 2-burner is too tight. remember i wanted a 3-burner but settled for a 2-burner due to space constraint. no doubt it's a 2-burner, i would appreciate a little bit more space so i can rest a 3rd pot on the stove itself.

2. i dun like the stove design. why is there 3 knobs on a 2-burner stove? so it's for the battery-ignition but ... still dun like it.

3. turbo would be slightly pricey. but den comparing the hood suction power, imho, the difference between the 2 brands is approx +/- SGD20.

SHOPPING TIME

after spending a few weekends walking up and down balestier and jalan besar, we finally gotten our loots for the new place.

on the delivery list are:-

RINNAI HOB & HOOD

RH - 382

RB - 2FVSVA

total for 2 items is SGD515, saw a pot support and requested the boss to throw it in.

RUBINE SINK

SQX 810-60. 1.2mm thickness, 3.5" waste fitting. SGD340

*someone quoted the exact item for SGD20 LESSER. but we decided to come buy from this shop bcos overall stuff are cheaper here.

POZZI TAP (P-320)

normal cold water tap, while competitors quoted SGD70-75, this shop is only going at SGD68.

BATHROOM ACCESSORIES - towel racks, corner shelves, paper holder, mirror.

all are stainless steel material, slightly expensive bcos we are paying for better made. those rods on the racks are solid and heavier.

STORAGE HEATER

intended to get a multi-point instant heater, but we eventually settled with Joven.

HOB & HOOD

my new kitchen is small, all i required is a 2-burner stove (even tot, a 3-burner would be ideal) and a easy to clean slim-line hood.

but i still need to choose:

1. stainless steel or glass top
2. normal flame or inner flame burner?

the IN-THING now is to have a glass top hob with inner flame burner. . but i'm not so sure of having a glass top hob and this inner flame thingy is quite new.

most of the brands would provide safety glass, tempered glass, schott or even ceran glass - glass is glass, it will still break. esp for someone like me, clumsy and always banging stuff around, it's just a matter of time i totalled the hob.

btw, the life time warranty that comes with glass hob means once in a life time replacement only. ONE TIME, ONCE. and due to normal wear n tear only. any damages caused by owner is not included in the warranty.

so NO GLASS, i'm going for stainless steel. as for the inner flame thing, please google to find out more. but from my own understanding.

if there's a gas stove in your kitchen, this is the type of flame you are getting.

this is the inner flame burner. note, the burner is INVERTED and the flames comes from INSIDE/WITHIN THE BURNER. reviews has it that this flame is hotter, burns more evenly and wind-proof? how true? i don't know.

anyway, stainless steel top with or without the inner flame, i'm looking at a few models.

oh, it's always cheaper to get a same brand combo, eg. Rinnai Hob + Rinnai Hood. i was quoted an additional SGD300 when i enquired about rinnai hob + fujioh hood.

RINNAI HOB & HOOD

i'm giving serious consideration to this brand because my mum has been using this for years! my friend who gotten her flat 3 years back installed this brand as well.

RH-382, suction power 480m3/hr. sleek, stainless steel finish. most likely going for this.
RH-90ER, suction power 500m3/hr. mixture of black & grey. my mum who is using this model advise me NOT TO BUY this bcos is difficult to clean. colour yucks and with my advise - OUT.

RB-2AS, MADE IN INDONESIA. stainless steel, normal burner. considering.

another stainless steel, normal burner. considering.

RB-2CG, MADE IN JAPAN. ceran glass top, inner burner. new item. considering.

FUJIOH HOB & HOOD

the only reason i'm considering this brand is because of their hood. there are pages after pages of rave reviews for just their hood.

FX-900. they calculate their suction power in terms of percentage - no idea how many m3/hr is that. anyway, i dun like any of their stainless steel hob either bcos of their design or they dun come with safety valve, so NO to fujioh.

TURBO HOB & HOOD

i might be taking this brand after all. the cheapest combination i can find. it got my stainless steel hob with inner burners and their hood suction is at 500m3/hr and some 600m3/hr. the best part of it - MADE IN ITALY! how true? so far, that's what the sale persons at various shops said.

*note, pls check retailers for more competitive prices. either hob + hood combination costs less than SGD800.

suction power 600m3/hr!! i like the design too.

reasonable suction power. 1 motor fan only - ok less stuff to fix when things falls apart.

suction power same as the previous model. but this comes with 2 motor fan - so 1 breaks down, the other still working or what?

schott glass, inner flamer burner.

fits all my criteria, most likely to get this.

other brands which I've made my enquiries,
technogas
(hand-me-down from the previous owner in my pasir ris flat), anyway, not interested in this brand. the metal racks around the burner is so hard to clean! look so out-dated! FYI, techno and technogas under the same company as electrolux, but was told their items are made in taiwan.

electrolux
fitted into my aunt's newly bought condo. made a call to their toa payoh office. the girl (dilia or delia) who answered my call is either new on the job or doesnt know her products she's selling. for every question asked, she got to put me on hold before getting back to me with an answer which i can read off their website... forget it!

so, in the end which brand/model will be fitted into my new kitchen? stay tune.

KITCHEN TOP: GRANITE OR SOLID TOP

I DON'T KNOW.

i only know:

granite is natural material. expensive. must cut and there will be a joint line.

solid top is man made. slightly cheaper. custom-made, in 1 whole piece.

i had a mixture of solid top n tiles finishing in my pasir ris's kitchen.

i'm going to have a granite top for my new kitchen. the color, IMPERIAL BLACK.

sorry cant help much in this area as i'm equally confused and new to it. i just take whatever the ID recommended and whatever the paymaster willing to pay.

KITCHEN SINK

the kitchen - no one in the household spends more time here than myself.

KITCHEN SINK
REGINOX Chicago (B0998RBP06GDS) Kitchen Sink - my dream, but the price is a nightmare.

BLANCO STEELART - no particular model because, the price is beyond my budget.

RUBINE ELX 610B-87B, MADE IN KOREA. too bad, it's too big for my tiny kitchen.

RUBINE STX 810-60, MADE IN CHINA. i'm most likely to settle with this.

DEFINATELY TOP MOUNT SINK, WHY?

the sink will sit on ur counter top, so if there's any need to change the sink, just remove the sealant and place the new sink in place.

WHY NOT UNDERMOUNT SINK?

in order to remove the sink, you must first remove your counter top. NO, the original counter top got to go too.

MADE TO LAST OR MADE FOR SHOW?

what's supporting your kitchen sink; be it top mount or undermount? timber? cement? nothing?

just to share:
1. to construct kitchen sink & stove support finish with 63mm block with side tiles = Approx SGD1.3k

2. to supply and install 5nos door for kitchen sink & stove support finish with solid plywood with laminate with ABS trimming = Approx SGD400

this is how the end product looks like.


an overall view, pictures taken at my parents' flat.

Need another shot or explanation?


upclosed shot from my current Pasir Ris flat.

expensive yet ugly it may seems, but such kitchen are BUILT TO LAST! anyway, when all the cabinet doors are close, it'll just look like any other kitchen.

resources:
RUBINE KITCHEN SINKS
REGINOX
BLANCO STEELART

TAP MIXERS

advise from my ID is to go for CERAMIC CARTRIDGES as rubber ones wear & tear easily.

mixers with ceramic cartridges are usually european brands such as grohe, reginox...they comes with 3 or 5 yrs warranty and can be replaced when the mixer's leaks, the price are well, european brands = european prices. I was quoted a european brand, imported directly from that country, a hot/cold mixer with ceramic cartridge at SGD235!

some other mixers brands are kohler, franke...which are more reasonable goes for approx SGD80-90.

if all these are unnecessary and you think that a normal mixer from a any hardware shop that goes between SGD20-30 with rubber cartridges is good enough, than that be it. after all if the tap leaks, just change the whole thing for a new one!

ok, so - on the final note, it's best to let the one using the kitchen decides for herself/himself.

IT'S OUR TURN - KEY COLLECTION

finally, after 3.5yrs, we gotten the keys to the flat.

pineapple - huat arh, 财源滚滚! orange - 大吉大利, apple - 平平安安, huat kuey & bao - 包发，5 golden coins (SGD1)- 片地黄金.

living room, pix taken from main entrance.

from left to right, common toilet, suggested study and kitchen. pix taken from living room.

kitchen and service yard.

bedroom 3, jas's room.

bedroom 2, jj's room.

main bedroom.

JUST VISITING

some neighbours from the other blocks already collected their keys in august. key collection for our block will begins next week.

we drop by today to give the surrounding a look see.

no way in - all staircases at our block are locked.

a sample picture taken from another block - note the very small space between the 2 units.

common green at our void decks not ready yet.

season parking for bicycle, but on double yellow lines?

damm, parallel parking!

we can see our unit from where we parked.