Selecting the appropriate appliances for your new kitchen isn’t easy. Products are available in an ever-increasing array of types, sizes, and styles. Prices are as diverse as the features. Once your selections are made, you’ll probably have to live with them for a decade or more. Use these shopping tips to make choices you can live with:

Research
First, establish a realistic budget. This step alone simplifies your decision and helps you separate necessary features from luxury ones. A good approach to staying within your budget is to splurge a little on one component and buy a lower-priced model of another. You might, for example, want a high-end sink but need only a small microwave. They can serve as trade-offs.

Study consumer publications and Web sites that give brand-name ratings, available features, and prices. Before going shopping, take notes and narrow your choices to a few specific brands and models.

The quality of the basic components of an appliance is more important than the number of novelty options. Such items as the power output of a microwave oven, the number of spraying arms in a dishwasher, and the storage capacity of a freezer are crucial.