New Stuff

Hard to believe another new products show is over. The highlight of the appliance year has passed...

Here are the showstoppers:

Heartland...I like the look unsure about the niche.

New Bertazzoni wall oven with an iPod-type panel.

New Weber grills with wok burners and islands...very like-able. (Does this company dominate or what?)

Maytag 4 door refrigerator...reasonably priced.

Samsung.

Capital Range 5 burner commercial 30 inch top.

Liebherr through the wall wine coolers....nice but expensive.

Kind of disappointing......

Pro Alternatives

Once upon a time, professional ranges (defined as fast burners of 15,000 BTU with a commercial appearance) were widely sold. This segment has been decimated with the economy and general housing market.

However, there are alternatives...

GE Cafe CGS980SEMSS

In many ways, this could be a better unit than a pro oven with a 17,000 BTU power burner, griddle burner, convection oven, second oven and self cleaning...Good value at





Bertazzoni A304GGVXE

Faux pro. Looks like a pro, but has regular burners and a much more ordinary price at $2299.





KitchenAid KDRS467VSS

Ok, this is a pro range. It is the hottest at 20,000 BTU with a clock, timer and self cleaning. At $5499, it is $3000 less than similar products.

Pro Options

Happy Monday...As The Ole Blog turns 800 posts today, we must reflect on how times have changed. Value is now our watchword. The best segment in our battered industry is the affordable luxury brands like Bosch, Frigidaire and GE.

Now I will show you the reason, but first have a look at this:


The Wolf DF304: It is a truly great range with 3 power burners, dual convection and great simmer on all burners. However, at $5599, it may be out of the realm of most. Don't fret, there are alternatives:


GE Cafe CGS980SEMSS: This is a great range. It has a 17,000 BTU burner(avarage 10 year old stove is 10,0000-12,000 BTU max) along with an oblong griddle burner as well. It is also convection(just nor double), and has a second oven below...At $2489, it is less than half the Wolf.


Bertazzoni A304GGVXE: I like the range in a lukewarm type of way. It is very stylish (style does emanate out of Italy) and has one power burner, but little else...and it is not self cleaning, unless of course, you clean it yourself.


Frigidaire FPGS3085KF: Frigidaire is the value leader without question. For $1549, you have a 17,000 BTU burner, convection oven and warming drawer..Not bad.

Its All About The Knobs

Bertazzoni has just started manufacturing a new range. At first glance, it looks like their other 30 inch model...








$300 price difference for knobs? Are they solid silver?

Tax Free Weekend

Our best month for the last four years has been August, because of the tax free holiday. Now the Tax Weekend becomes the first month of a tax increase...Just because our state government doesn't want to, doesn't mean we can't

So this weekend select GE, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Maytag, Kitchenaid, Franke, Bosch, Schonbek Crystal, Hinkley, Rohl, Hansgrohe, Bertazzoni, Marvel, Uline and Blomberg will have full tax rebates of the 6.25%

August 15, 16 and 17

A Tale Of Two Ranges

Lets look at the Wolf dual fuel and a Bertazzoni 48 inch range.



There is a 6,000 dollar difference. What does $6,000 buy in a range?

Two self cleaning ovens
Convection in the small oven
Grill or griddle capability
Burners with a 15,000 BTU output and 500 BTU simmer capability

Is it worth the price?

Alternatively

Lets look at this Wolf 48 inch stove:



It has 15,000 BTU outputs with each burner capable of simmering consistently at 500. The top can be purchased with grill, griddle or frenchtop.

The main oven is double convection, self cleaning and the side unit is also self cleaning convection.

This is arguably our best stove. Then again at $11,000 plus, it probably should be.

Have a look at this Bertazzoni range:



Now its not self cleaning and the top is not as powerful nor does it simmer as well, but it looks good for half the money.

For more information about Pro Ranges take a look at our Pro Cooking Buying Guide, which includes info about brands, features and trends.

Renovate Cheaply

You do not have to spend a fortune to renovate well. Have a look at some decent alternative to spending a ton of dough.



The Bosch 4 series dishwasher: At $534 after rebate, it is a great value.

Fisher Paykel refrigeration: Shallow depth, 33 inchs and $500-1000 less than other shallow depth products.

From the world of Pro:

Bertazoni: Italian design at an affordable number.

NXR: The first Chinese Pro range with 18,000 BTU output.

Cheap Pros

So you have decided to buy a professional range, it is an exciting purchase. The range will have a burner output of 15-18,000 BTU, convection oven and the all important commercial look. For some of us, the excitement ends at the price, which can be prohibitive. For a 30 inch range, the tag can be in the $3500-6000 range. For a 36, the price can be $5400 to almost 10,000.

There are, however, very good alternatives to the traditional professional range. First, the burner output can be emulated on most standard ranges. A JennAir pro style slide in, for example, will have 2 16,000 BTU burners.

If it is the commercial look you seek then Bertazzoni and NXR offer the "pro" look at a much cheaper price.

Have a look...

NXR:

Upside: Price (the 30 inch is only $1999), 18,000 BTU burners and a great simmer at 500 BTU per burner.
Downside: Brand new and unproven.





Bertazzoni:
Upside: Price, great Italian styling and a multitude of finishes.
Cons: Only a few of the burners are high BTU, only available with burners.

Upside: Price

French Provincial Ranges

Lets have a post about something other than stainless steel. The Europeans actually have different styles of products...For simplicity , lets call them French Provincial.

Perhaps the most famous is AGA. It is also English. Designed for farmhouses in Northern England, this range also serves as a heater as well. AGA employs natural convection instead of fans and is actually a great stove to use. Then again it is $20,000 and up, so it should be part of the expectation.



But what if you want the look of French Provincial without spending the money. AGA manufactures a lesser featured range as does Bertazzoni. Two great options in the upscale, but not stainless steel market.

The Best of Kitchen and Bath 2008

I was pleasantly surprised by the level of innovation at this years show:


Here are the highlights:


6. Five burner 30 inch Thermador. The middle burner is 18,000 BTU



5.Bertazzoni Induction range...Great look, but it is 10,000 Euro, Thats 14,000 American



4.Viking slide ins: Induction and gas. Funny, they did not have a price listed





3.GE Single/double oven....Two ovens in a single foot print



2.Zephyr Range hoods...Looks like an Ipod. Then again, they share the same designer



Tomorrow is number 1 and rest of the best...

Choose This or That..Pro Ranges

Back by popular analytics demand, The "Choose this" column effectively details different choices and prices within the same category. In earlier posts, we reviewed refrigerators, gas stoves, electric stoves and dishwashers


Now its time for the professional range..Strangely, this category did not exist until 1991...Professional ranges are similar to commercial ranges, but are insulated for zero clearance to cabinets. Pro range also do not need sprinkler systems and are warm, not hot to the touch unlike commercial products. In the last few years, self cleaning, dual fuel and sealed burners have been added, but style has always sold these product...


Lets look at 30 inch pro ranges:


Dacor is actually the most expensive 30 inch range. Very decent features with a 18,000 BTU burner, 2 16,000 BTU burners and a simmer burner as well. It is also dual fuel with an excellent broiler, but at about $6,000, there are other choices like....





The Viking...Its hard to believe, but Viking is actually inexpensive at just over $4,000 for the base unit. Although the range is basic with 15,000 BTU burners, Viking still sells more pro ranges than anyone...But $4,000 may be out of the budget,
so how about a





Bertazzoni: As I have stated in lighting posts, most style and fashion emanates from Italy. This range is no exception. At just over $2300, Bertazzoni is a good alternative in this niche





Ciao!(couldn't resist)

More of A Few of My Favorite Things

Once again in no particular order



The SubZero 736: It is probably the best selling integrated refrigerator in the industry. They are still a great company after all these years







Elk Lighting Flushmounts: I like colored and white glass. Its a nice change from opal, frosted white. Somewhat inexpensive starting at $150






These are the same colored pendants as last time...only you can actually see the colors(I have 3 white ones)







Frigidaire front Loader ATF7000: Spend $1100 and save $150-200 per year every year over your current top loader.







JennAir JFC2089: Shallow depth, french door....This unit is the nicest looking and can be packaged with other worthwhile equipment








Bertazzoni: The Italians do know how to style a product. At $2500(roughly) it is less expensive than a pro range