Electric Ranges...Basics

As I wrote with gas, the basics of free standing stoves is easy to understand, of the two, electric is even easier. Most electric ranges have a glass top called ceran. There are only two places where these tops are manufactured with Schott being the primary supplier.

So lets look at the real differences between electric ranges...

The top

1. Basic 4 burner
2. 4 burners with warming zone
3. 4 burners with oblong or griddle type burner
3. Induction...Magnetic heat. Fastest and best form of cooking (gas or electric)



Oven

1. Basic radiant oven
2. Convection..fan forced heat to keep a more even heat



Drawer

1. Storage
2. Warming Drawer - keeps food warm for up to 3 hours
3. Second Oven



1. storage
2. warming drawer...keeps food warm for up to 3 hours
3. second oven

Two companies seem to dominate our electric range sales, Frigidaire and GE. Frigidaire has decent features for the price. GE is a little more upscale and has the only induction range in the free standing category.

For more specific information about electric ranges, please click here for the electric range buyers guide

Back To Basics...Gas Freestanding Ranges

Gas ranges and appliances aren't difficult when you really look at them.

Have a look...

The top:



1. Basic Top with 1 power burner of 14,000 BTU(unit measure of heat output)
2. Better Top with 5 burners and a power burner of 16,000 BTU
3. Best top with top BTU output of 17,000 and a griddle


Oven



1. Non Convection
2. Convection...fan forced heat for a more even temperature


Drawer



1. A...Drawer
2. A warming drawer which maintains food for up to 3 hours or refreshes leftovers
3. A second oven

Not much harder than that.

Something New...Finally

Finally, something new worthy of a blog post...The new GE Induction range.





Although its a tad pricy at $2699, this range is a great product with all electronic controls, induction burners, convection oven and a warming drawer.

To review, induction is the fastest (yes even faster than a pro), way more efficient, and emits zero heat, so venting can be conventional...great unit.

Warm

Warming drawers are the most underappreciated appliance in this industry. These units can keep food heated without dehydrating for up to 3 hours. It can also refresh leftovers. Large families with multiple dining schedules or singles who simply want to heat a slice can both be satisfied...

In the spirit of yesterdays post of never splitting appliances.....watch this.

Warming drawer average price: $1200 (starting at $700)









Range with warming drawer (and griddle, power burner and convection)...$1200

Free With Purchase.

You remember Cracker Jacks. Back in the day, I would buy boxes of that stuff just for the free prize (still love caramel popcorn).

Anyway, in a recession manufacturers have two solutions to declining sales. They could build more compelling products, which is a long range fix.

In the short term, however,they could package current products and bonus an item at no charge. Have a look...

Dacor..Buy a wall oven and a cooktop, and the $1300 warming drawer is yours for no extra charge.



Thermador...This company seems to have a whole bunch of promotions. For simplicity sake, buy any 36 or 48 inch professional stove, and receive a integrated $1300 dishwasher with their compliments.



Starts in February....

Warm Those Buns

Risque title, but after Atlas Shrugged, I need to jazz it up. Our chef loves warming drawers. The drawer is a great convenience for working families. You can warm foods without overcooking for up to 3 hours and also refresh leftovers. Most brands offer the drawer with $1,000 being the average.





There is a cheaper way....A warmer almost becomes a freebie with a better range. Consider a Frigidaire slide in at $1450, which has the drawer included. Not a bad deal...

A Few Of My Favorite Things

LED recessed from Cree: First, for a $30-40 more per can, LED uses 1/5 the power, emits zero heat(saving HVAC and electric costs) and has a 20 year lamp life.




Bosch integrated refrigeration: Integrating a refrigerator is a great design idea. Bosch is the most affordable way of achieving the look.




GE Cafe French Door: GE refrigeration has staged a huge comeback in refrigeration. Dumping LG as the source may be a reason. Deciding to build a better product may be another reason. I am just speculating.




Frigidaire slide in: Frigidaire has not been hurt by the recession, because they manufacture nicely styled yet affordable products. This gas range has power and simmer burners as well as convection and warming drawer for about $600-100 less than their competition.




Induction: Any induction, really. Induction is 90% efficient versus 60% for gas and 55% for electric. The technology is vastly superior in heating, simmering, child safety and does not emit heat like the others. A hybrid unit starts at $1500, which is way less expensive than a Pro.

The Best Gas Slide In ranges

Slide in ranges were once dominated by JennAir and Frigidaire...Frigidaire for price and JennAir for quality. In the last few months, there seems to be many more choices including a brand new Electrolux range as well as GE Cafe.

But which one is best?



I look at this 2 ways. Which range has the best features, and then the best overall kitchen package


Frigidaire: Still the best price with power burner, warming drawer and convection. Great rebates depress the price further when adding more pieces, but choices for refrigeration are limited

JennAir/KitchenAid: Still great names with great features. Although they are not the newest and therefore the "hottest", JennAir/KitchenAid have great kitchen packages with very good dishwashers, french door refrigerators and tons of rebates.

GE Cafe: Great specs with 4 burners, a griddle burner and finally some very good complimentary pieces. GE does not have an especially robust rebate program, however, and is more expensive than comparable pieces.

Bosch: Great name, but the range is just ok...However, Bosch has never been more affordable.

Electrolux: Great style and great features...18,000 BTU burner with the best simmer and 2 ovens. However, a tough range to package in an overall kitchen. Still this is a product worth considering.

The Two Best Gas Slide Ins

GE started manufacturing their Cafe line about 6 months ago. As I wrote a few months ago, Cafe is a premium line designed to compete with JennAir and Kitchen, but how competitive is is?


First, our most popular slidein The JennAir JGS8860:

16,000 BTU burner
Convection oven
Warming drawer






The Cafe actually has better specifications:

18,000 BTU burner
Griddle burner
Second oven





Before you buy the GE Cafe, JennAir has a more competitive line of refrigeration and dishwashers.

Pro Versus Regular

You want a new gas range and why not? It was three cars ago since you replaced the old one.The new ranges have at least 40-50% more BTUs(or heat) than the older ones, have a convection feature(fan forced heat, more even cooking) and a warming drawer or second oven option.

There are, however, more options to choose than ever. So lets look at 2 more popular styles.

The Wolf Pro. Perhaps one of the best ranges on the market with 3 15,000 BTU burners and a simmer rating of 500 BTU. It has clock and timer and two convection fans in an electric oven for improved circulation. At a price over $5000, it is on the high end.






The JennAir Pro. Jenn air has one burner at 16,000 BTU, another at 15,000 and a dedicated simmer burner as well. The JennAir is an all gas oven and also has a warming drawer, which maintains foods in a low temperature without dehydrating and refreshes leftovers as well...The JennAir has a price tag of just over $2100






The Wolf has the better burners and with convection fans will probably cook more evenly. However, JennAir, like most traditional manufacturers, are quietly catching up to the Pros

In other words, you do not have to spend a fortune to buy a very likeable product

In the next week, we will look at less expensive, yet decent products

How to...Buy a Gas Range

This first stove post will cover the basics. I will show the exactly the differences between the basic, better and best ranges. To simplify, I chose Frigidaire as a product line. I could have chose GE or Maytag, because the "step up" features are the same. Certain lines like Bosch and KitchenAid do not manufacture a lower priced range. Others like Whirlpool and Amana do not have a more upscale product. Regardless, the comparative features are the same.
Lets Look:


The Frigidaire FGF368. This is the base self cleaning with a 14,000 BTU power burner and oven with a storage drawer. Frigidaire will also manufacture this same model sporatically with convection Model number FGF375. This same range type is also available as the GLGF 376. The only difference is the right front burner is 16,000 BTU. BTW, a BTU or British Thermal Unit is a of measure for heat.






The next logical step is their Gallery series GLGF388. This unit has stainless handles instead of black. The right front burner remains 16,000, but now you have a fifth burner.






The PLGF397 is a new range. Instead of a fifth burner you have a griddle or oblong shaped design. Also intead of a storage drawer, you have have a warming drawer. I love this feature(well maybe not love), beacuse its great for warming and refreshing without dehydrating foods. Think about. When is a family ever at the table together? Now you can serve anytime without microwaving. Buying just a warming drawer alone costs $700-1200. This range sells for around $1200.






The PLGF96 is Frigidaires' best range. Curiously, it has 5 burners instead of the griddle burner, but instead of just a warming drawer you now have a second functional oven






So really the differences are: Convection, BTU output, 5 burner or griddle burner, warming drawer or second oven

Warming Drawers

Hi Chef Kurt here. People often neglect the warming drawer in their kitchen plans…Most customers will say “But Kurt can’t I just keep my food warm in the oven?”.

Well the oven is a larger chamber in which allows the moisture in the food to evaporate and dry the food out. Most ovens do not go down to a low enough temperature and may continue to cook the food.

It is a great way to help the family on the go, keep items warm in the event that everyone cannot eat dinner at the same time. There are several brands offering them and they can be covered by a panel to blend into you kitchen cabinetry. The best location to install one is under the cook top. This is more convenient since you do not have to walk to another location.

Warming drawers can be found on most higher end ranges. Actually Frigidaire seems to be the cheapest at about a thousand or they can be purchased independently for starting $699

Frigidare PLEFZ398EC


Thermador WD30BP

The Five Best Appliance Buys In June

The KUDR02FSSS at $799 has comparable features to their best model for almost $400 less. I love this dishwasher.




3 Months ago, we were selling this unit well at $2299. The manufacturer closes it out and now it is $1599. The KSCS23INSS is a fully featured shallow depth refrigerator with ice and water.




The WFMC3301UC / WTXD5321US is the most efficient laundry pair in the industry. Because the dryer has a Siemens name, it saves $300 off the purchase price at least.




The SEC302BS is a great wall oven near the $3000 price point. Its almost $2000 cheaper than a Wolf or Miele and better than similarly priced brands.




The Frigidaire PLCS389EC is a slide in oven with a 16,000 BTU burner, a dual fuel convection oven and warming drawer. The price of this range is $1299 down from $1799 for no apparent reason.




There are many dealers with these types of offerings. Write the models and shop it.

The Five Features to a Gas Range

I once visited the new Whirlpool gas manufacturing plant in Tulsa. I remember watching the cabinets sent through the line and really the demarcation between models was the control panel, burners and the fan(for convection). If you want to purchase an gas freestanding range, this is the list of upgraded features



1. Self Cleaning: Heat cycle that incinerates the baked on food in your oven



2. Convection: Fan forced heat that distributes air more evenly throughout the oven. Convection is a fairly affordable feature starting at $599-$699



3. Power burner: On the better units, the BTU output increases from 12,000-16,000 BTU on one burner for faster cooking. 16,000 BTU is the same as a professional burner, just less costly

4. Fifth Burner: Kind of self explanatory.

5. Warming drawer/ Second oven: A built in warming drawer sells for about $900. In a stove, however, it is a $200-300 upgrade. The warming drawer allows for foods to remian warm for up to 3 hours. It can also be used to effectively refresh leftovers

How to....Buy a Single Wall Oven

Why separate single and double wall ovens, you ask? Simple. Two of the most elegant installations involve single wall ovens, so the topic is worth independent discussion. I still think that the best product to purchase for reselling homes is still a double oven. In certain applications such as space constraints, it may not be the most practical


Two great single wall oven ideas:

The first is the wall oven under a cooktop. This configuration allows for the granite and toekicks to run continuously. Big red flag: Try to stay within the same brand especially with gas cooktops. Mixing brands can cause installation issues. Here is an example a good combo:

Cooktop" src="http://yaleappliance.com/blog_pics/oven_under_cooktop.jpg">

The second idea is placing a microwave over a single wall oven with a warming drawer underneath. The double wall oven may be the most popular, but this combination is the most practical. All of the cooking products are in one area. Also, there are some great microwaves available, if you like speed/convection cooking. One small caution: A few microwaves are not recommended for that application:

The Best Appliances on the Market

I am not advocating that people should shell out 8,000 for a refrigerator or 5,000 for a wall oven. When renovating or selling a home at the top end of the market, buyers expect certain names in that category. They will not check the shingle or the heating system, but one look in the kitchen will identify to them the type of quality of construction.

Following are products to consider:

Refrigerator: SubZero, Thermador Freedom.

SubZero is the name in the appliance business with an 88% awareness level with consumers. They do manufacture a great product with 2 compressors, vacuum seal and magnetic crispers, which are designed to keep food fresher longer.


The Thermador Freedom collection is brand new. It is designed in "towers" or components meaning the refrigerator and freezer are not attached so they can be placed anywhere. The whole line is integrated, so it fits inside a cabinet.


Pro Stove: Viking, Wolf

Viking is basically the inventor of Pro ranges back in 1989. The Viking look is still a signature in most high end homes.


Wolf is owned by SubZero and is a real innovator in this category with 2 convection fans, light up knobs and retractable clock.


Wall Oven: Wolf, Miele

Miele is a great wall oven. The company outsources almost nothing so their repair rate is excellent, and Miele has a rotisserie, pizza stone and the Master Chef control system. Master Chef will allow a consumer to cook any dish using preprogrammed recipes. The interface is incredibly easy, but then again company does have 270 people just manufacturing controls.


Wolf is another interesting product. The controls retract and like their pro range, Wolf employs 2 convection fans for even baking.


Dishwasher: Fisher-Paykel, Miele and Bosch

There is something about dishwasher drawers that seems to intrigue people. Fisher-Paykel uses two drawers instead of the standard standard dishwasher one door. It is also offered as a single drawer as well.


Miele manufacturers the most upscale dishwashers over $1000. They have unique features such as plate guard plus and unique drying capabilities in an incredible reliable machine that is designed to safeguard china, crystal and silverware.


Bosch is the most popular selling dishwasher in the high end. Quietness and high temperature washing are the hallmarks of this dishwasher.


Induction Cooktop: Thermador

There are many induction tops in the market, but the Thermador has a center element that is lightning quick.


There are certainly other brands and products of note: Coffee systems, compactors, warming drawers and steam ovens, for example. We will cover them in later posts for further differentiation.

Gas Stoves

Gas comprises about 70% of the Boston market currently. These ranges are available in 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 48 and 60 inches. Of these sizes 90% are sold in the 30 inch category. For simplicity, we will cover regular 30 inch ranges in this post and professional ranges will be published later

There are two types of gas ranges. Free standing ranges have the controls on the back of the range. A basic gas range has four burners with the same BTU output, self cleaning oven and a storage drawer.


When you step up in a range, a power burner of 16,000 BTUs is added as well as a low simmer burner. Power burners are almost double of a regular burner(9,000 BTU on average), and the simmer or low burner, lets you...simmer or slow cook.


The next upgrade would be convection, which is a fan forced heat, so it keeps a more even heat in the oven. Convection is primarily a baking mode, and you will bake and brown more evenly. Convection is not a time saver per se. On average, bake time is decreased by 10-15% with a temperature adjustment of 25 degrees less. According to the Green Project, the dollar saving is a nickel per hour.


The Last upgrade is a warming drawer or oven instead of storage. The oven is self explanatory, but a warming drawer allows you to maintain warmth without dehydrating the food. Its a very nice option for two working members of a household. You can also refresh leftovers efficiently.



The other type of stove is the slide-in. A slide-in stove has the controls on the face and no backguard. A slide-in will have most of the upscale features, but the main benefit is the aesthetic. Because there is not a backguard, custom tiling, wall paper and other treatments can be placed in the back of the range for a much more linear or polished appearance in the kitchen.



Thus ends my gas stove rant. Please realize that I am starting with the basic and will cover more specific points later(or when I run out of basics)

If you are looking for more information, have a look at our Gas Cooking Buyers Guide. It breaks down the terms and brands and allows for informed decision making.