We just bought a whole set of high end appliances, so i can share some of my findings...
- Samsung VRT high capacity front load washer/dryer set with steam and SilverCare technology... works very well, but expensive and slower to wash than top loaders (as are all front loaders, but they are gentler on clothes).
LG also makes great washer/dryers as well. I researched this heavily, and between Samsung and LG (LG has been the leader for years, Samsung only recently), they are the undisputed leaders in front loaders.
Got the Samsung over the LG because of the SilverCare technology. Front load washers have been known to have mold growth problems if you're not careful (e.g., keeping the door open when you're not using it). The SilverCare antimicrobial rinse not only helps freshen your clothes and guards against microbial buildup in the washer due to soiled undergarments etc, it also helps prevent mold issues common to front loaders.
We don't actually use the Steam feature, although we thought it would be a useful feature at the time. You could save money by skipping that feature.
My wife LOVES front loaders and our Samsungs partly because they are pretty and are gentle on her clothes. Good thing she does most of the laundry, because if i had to do it again, i think i would save $$$ and washing time by getting a cheap, fast, and less pretty top-load washer/dryer set.
- Bosch SHX60... series dishwasher. Super quiet, cleans well, low water and energy usage. But, takes longer to wash and especially dry (no heat assisted dry cycle available), and for some reason, Euro dishwashers (Bosch and Miele are the top Euro options -- both super quiet and energy/water efficient) are smaller in capacity than North American ones. It's great for couples and small families, but if you have a large family or host parties regularly, good luck.
It works very well, but we do wonder if we had to do it again, maybe we might have gone with a quiet model GE, Kitchen-Aid, Maytag/Whirpool/Amana to have the extra capacity for parties, gatherings, etc., because that's when you need a dishwasher the most.
- Kitchen-Aid french door fridge. We actually LOVE the french doors. Our island is also pretty close to the fridge so it's more practical than top/bottom models. And, since we use the fridge much more than the freezer, we don't care that it's on the bottom and not very tall... we'd rather put our priority on the primary usage.
We didn't specifically choose this model Kitchen-Aid except for the fact that it had french doors and this was the only option in that price range for our built-in cutout depth.
- Miele induction cooktop. Love it. Blazing fast to heat anything. You can boil a pot of water in half the time compared to a typical electric element. We did have to buy new pots/pans, as our aluminum ones didn't work, but you can get induction-compatible pots/pans for pretty cheap these days. Just bring a magnet when you're shopping. Sears and other places routinely discount cookware sets for half price.
Super expensive, but it's brilliant. Probably should have gotten a cheaper induction model from another mfr, but friends of ours had the Miele and raved about it, so we thought we'd go with the tried and tested option. Don't know if i would ever go back to electric elements again. I would only consider natural gas as the other option now. We also thought induction would be safest with kids.
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As for places to buy, Sears is a respected place for appliances in Canada. We actually went to somewhere else (Tasco, which is a big name locally), but if we were to do it again, we would have gone with Sears, which provided good service to my in-laws over the years. I can only assume that Sears in the US would be similar in level of service and competitiveness.
Also, look to see if you have any state or federal incentives or rebates for getting energy efficient appliances. You can save hundreds of $.
