In the market for a new gas range, your help is requested

[norgeway]

Oh yeah...Range recommendation

I would probably buy a GE,Unless you really want to spend a ton of money on something like a Electrolux,I personally have no use for induction, I use vintage West Bend and Vita Craft as well as Guardian Service aluminum, and I have NO intention of giving it up,I believe before long they will find out being around that strong electrical field is unhealthy, just as I would NEVER live under a high voltage power line, I don't want one of these things, I didn't even have a microwave for many years, I wouldn't now but Donald likes to heat things in one,I use it for melting butter or something like that, never cooking or popping corn, I have a Presto automatic corn popper for that, mainly, if I don't have time to cook, I don't, I never try to hurry up cooking, rarely use high heat, and NEVER broil anything in the oven, I don't like a greasy smoky kitchen.

 

[foraloysius]

If you find a gas oven gives better results than an electric one, try and put a little bowl with water on the bottom of the oven. The air in the oven will be a bit more humid, may make all the difference.

 

[norgeway]

If you will remember

When Julia Child baked French bread, she would throw a handfull of cold water in the oven and slam the door to make steam, I wouldn't try that as its bound to hurt the finish..

 

[mattl]

I know we are really getting off topic, but when I bake my sour-dough rye bread I always put a broiler pan filled with hot water in the oven first.  The steam makes the crust perfect.  I can see where the added moisture from a gas flame might add some moisture to the heated air, but I'm sure it's quite small.  I guess putting a bowl with water in the electric oven would be about the same.  I may try it next time I'm baking.

 

[frigilux]

Hans is right: Absolutely DO NOT throw a handful of water into the oven to create steam if you have a self-cleaning oven! I used a spray bottle to create steam in my Maytag gas self-cleaner in 1994 and the floor and walls wound up with a million little hairline cracks in the finish. Eventually, very thin shards of it would come up off the floor of the oven when I'd try to wipe it with a damp cloth.

Pro ranges sometimes don't have the same coating on the floor and walls. Those ovens can handle the Julia Child method.

 

[combo52]

Throwing Water In A Hot Oven

DON'T DO IT, I have seen the porcelain finish damaged in many ovens by doing this, it would make no difference if it is a self-cleaning oven or not or a professional range for that matter, they all use the same type of porcelain enamel which is powdered glass that is fired on at around 1,500 degrees F.

 

If you care about the finish in your oven don't do it, however putting a pan of water on a lower rack should not cause any problem [ don't set the pan directly on the floor of the oven however ]

 

[stricklybojack]

.
I have got to see one of these in person. This seems a good price.
I was really impressed by a GE Cafe Refigerator I saw while looking for those.
If this impresses in person as that one did I may jump on it, and be driving up to OC soon.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/app/5393088697.html

 

[norgeway]

Re Water in the oven

I remember Julia doing this with Thermador wall ovens....Might help the bread, but NOT the oven,,LOL

 

[114jwh]

I just bought a new range recently....

And did lots of research and shopping around......really depends on your budget as there is such a wide price range.

I almost did decide on gas...not necessarily because I prefer it but because I wanted the extra room on the electrical panel. I didn't end up doing it however because of the hassle of running a gas line and having to build in the proper ventilation.

Had I decided to go with gas I would have gone with a GE Monogram 30". Unlike many other pro-ranges they actually come with many great features such as a temperature probe, self clean, timed baking, proof mode etc. Apparently they have some of the best simmer elements in the industry. They are available in all gas or dual fuel depending on your preference and after seeing them in the showroom, they appear to be built like a Volvo. They are expensive however. The one I was looking at was a scratch/dent model so it was significantly discounted and the little scratch wouldn't have even been noticeable so that might be a way to go if you can find one.

Because I ultimately decided on electric I went with the GE Induction Slide In. It has great reviews and they've been making them long enough that I'm confident it will be reliable in the long term. So far I can't say enough good things about it. Elements are extremely fast/accurate, super easy to keep clean, amazing true convection oven, nice warming drawer etc. I think GE's self cleaning oven racks are also some of the best I've used.

Thats my 2 cents!

http://appliances.monogram.com/ApplProducts/ZGP304NRSS

 

[toploader55]

Electric vs. Gas (seems to be the way the thread is going )

I am a Chef (and only recently started using that title after cooking for 40 years) and would like to add my opinion...

I think in 40 years I have only used Electric in a Commercial Kitchen once. It just wasn't happening for me especially a la carte service. But, then I only had that one experience and did not like electric commercially.

As John L said, a Gas Range does not make anyone a "better" cook.

I remember my Mom making the switch from a Tappan 1950 era Gas Range to a Westinghouse Electric around 1960. (The same year she installed a Bow Tie Princess).

I have cooked on both Electric and Gas domestically for 40+ years.

I prefer Electric for home use. And it doesn't matter whether it's Radiant Tubes, Calrod, Corox, or whatever. It' boils down to getting use to controlling what you are using.

I purchased a Kenmore Range 10 years ago. Next up from BOL. I have turned out Beautiful Delicious Meals on that range and paid $299.00.

My Grandmother who was an Excellent cook showed me and I watched her go from Calrod (Push and Pray) which again I had no problem with to Frigidaire's Radiant Tubes (which I had no problem with) and always prepared delicious dinners.

It's a matter of preference and what one desires to have in their kitchen.

However I will totally bash the Sealed Glass Top Ranges. NOT Induction.

The Glass Top range is for me the worse Range I have ever cooked on especially Bosch. Now there is something I have never been able to get use to or control. And as far as clean up goes they just plain suck. That glass if you dare spill anything on it is a PITA to clean period. All the cleaners in the world take a lot of effort to keep those tops looking clean.

Give me a Porcelain Enamel Electric Coil Top any day to clean as for daily cleaning is generally a quick wipe with a soapy towel or sponge.

So for what it's worth... Those are my thoughts.

If you really want Gas, Then have it installed. That way if you don't like it.. you will have no regrets and will never have to use the phrase " I should have ...".

 

[neptunebob]

Mom's happy with the Artistry range...

She has it in white and it works well for her. Easy to clean the outside with Windex and it has the cute little clock. 3 of the burners are rather wide, so it helps to have big cookware. The smaller burner will work on small pans but is a bit weak. I'm happy with it. Some gripes though are that because Artistry "is all about style" there is no electronic package and thus, no self cleaning oven. You will have to use Easy Off. That is still better than the Aqua Lift (Aqua lie) so-called self cleaning on some Whirlpool ranges. It doesn't work and using an oven cleaner will ruin the inside so stay away from that one.

http://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-specs/AGBS45DEFWS

 

[combo52]

Cleaning WP Aqua-Lift Ovens

These have the same porcelain oven linings that all ranges have and you differently CAN use regular oven cleaners on them.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Though I know little about gas ranges.

 

 

Here's my input.  I really like the Thermador ranges.  The Star shaped burner.  The looks of the range itself. 

 

Draw back is you would have to mortgage a child and sell a kidney to buy one.  $14,999 for the double oven 48" commercial grade dual fuel model I liked.

 

Could maybe keep the kidney if I went for the 30" model, but the kid would still have to go.

 

 

 

 

 

[this post was last edited: 1/8/2016-14:16]

http://www.thermador.com/star-burner

 

[jerrod6]

Do you have to have gas?  If you don't can you use Induction?  My next range will be induction no more gas for me. 

 

[stricklybojack]

.
.
So finally got out and checkouted some gear. First off I can scratch Sears off the list as far as prospective merchants go. They carry fridges and vacuums with aplomb, gas ranges not so much.
Knobs already falling off, storage drawers jammed, "oh don't worry it was always like that." Ah that's exactly what the worry would be salesman-dude.

Much better luck at a joint that caters to builders, Pacific Sales. We bought a Bosch DW there and I got a look at pretty much everything I've short listed.
The big surprise was an LG, a brand I wasn't even considering, now looks like best in class.
The GE Cafe was decent, good enough at the right price (radical discount) like I posted above, but otherwise the LG won the day.[this post was last edited: 1/8/2016-17:20]

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Well it looks like I got a fish on the line.
I'm scheduled to pick it up tomorrow and will post after I get off the road and back home.
Wasn't needing this just yet as it will be 6 months before it's used, but the deal was too good to pass up.
As another poster mentioned these pop-up warehouse direct appliance joints abound, with their scratch&dent/last-years-model deals, especially in LA and the surrounding area, which makes it a buyers market this time of year. Also being this deep into the real estate boom is also a plus. I have to think those that plan ahead are planning on less easy money in that business, and the many others related to it, like appliances, as we go forward.[this post was last edited: 1/10/2016-13:57]

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Well that was a long day. I got cold feet on the deal I found on Craigslist and bowed out yesterday. Then I rethought the situation and made a significantly lower offer, we compromised, and I hit the road this morning.

This range won't even be used until August at the earliest, so I was in no hurry to get anything.
I answered an ad that was over a month old, and once on the phone I hit them with a price 1/2 of what they were asking ($1,000), that is if the goods were as described.

I continued to read about this brand and got worried I had bite off more than I wanted to chew, especially since we are flying back east until June on Saturday. So as stated above I backed out, only to then think better of it, and ended up with a 30"...Thermador!

Before you go callin' me yuppie pond scum, remember I bought this used for only $400 and busted my ass hauling it down here from...well if ya have to know, Palm Springs. Yes a nice place to visit but I was there on business and it took all day for the whole trip including detours. Ahem, which comprised of hitting the thrift shops of Hemet California in search of vacuum gold. Vacuums being my first, and much more developed appliance interest.

Anyhow, I was prepared to get a current model LG, Samsung, or Bosch, or perhaps even a Frigidaire Professional or KitchenAid, depending on the scratch and dent deal I could find at one of these liquidators, or (shudders) Sears Outlet.
But that NXR 30" called to me, especially after reading a web comment/fan-letter from an owner of a Wolf range, that extolled the functional design timelessness of that brand's products.

Also, suddenly, $1,300 for a scratch and dent electronic touchpad, app driven, feature ladden wonder stove didn't feel right. After buying the Speed Queen set, and appreciating the choice more and more after finally getting a chance to use them, well, I wanted the same feeling of solid longevity that the aforementioned wiz bang offerings couldn't impart. And I could get a NXR scratch and dent up in LA for the same price. But NXR is pretty new on the scene, with some scary feed-back on the web about the build quality of the initial units in the market. And, $1,300 is still a lot of money to indulge our preference for a gas range as the late 80's Frigidaire electric is still working as good...err, well, the same as ever.

Enter the so called high end offerings, with their nosebleed price levels. But I was in luck, and a couple of retires had bought a condo and were in the process of gutting it, with plans for a separate cooktop oven arrangement in the new kitchen. They wanted the Thermador out-the-door sooner than later (as I said earlier the ad was over a month old already), so they accepted a fairly low amount for it. Consider the same range, albeit in newer guise, sells from an outfit in LA for $3,000, as last years demo model, before tax(!), and with no delivery offered. And well over $4,000 from a dealer for this years model.

She looks lightly used, even more rarely cleaned, so I can't wait to get her spiffed up.
Pictures to follow...thanks for the help!

*Btw, the last picture was from the ad.[this post was last edited: 1/13/2016-01:22]

 

[combo52]

Thermador Professional Range

Congratulations on scoring a great price on a lightly used TDP range.

 

Hopefully this range has the X-Low simmer feature on the two left burners that higher end TD gas cook-tops often have. The X-Low simmer feature is a complicated but really cool feature that TD has used for around 20 years on their better gas cook-tops and I have said many if I ever had to have a gas CT it would differently be a TD with this feature, this XLS feature actually allows you to melt and hold chocolate all afternoon or cook an egg on a paper plate with out burning it, I have never seen any other gas CT with this type of control.

 

This TD range was made by DCS, DCS also makes many of the GE Monogram PRs and they sell ranges under the DCS brand as well. They are heavily built but when you start taking them apart to repair them you quickly find the build quality very lacking. TD-Bosch is also very bad about keeping parts for their appliances available, I am sure that there are many parts that are NLA already for this range.

 

Overall these are not ranges for people that do a lot of cooking, between the bending over to use the oven and keeping the CT and oven areas clean it is easy to see why the home buyers opted to send it on its way, but their decision to get something better is your gain, Yay.