verizonbear
Well-known member
Looks in pristine condition , hope someone grabs this
Wow!!! Stainless Chambers Electric Range Baltimore
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That is decidedly different and good looking. Cooks with the fuel turned off,, does that mean sort of like an Aga range?
Cool 1960s Chambers Electric Range
I have a customer that has this same range in RED, they took it with them when they moved from Washington DC and retired into the Virgina countryside. They are now building a new house and she cannot find anything she likes as well so it is being trucked back to our shop for a few tweaks before being installed in the new house.
One of the unusual things about these ranges is it only has 8" top elements, burner size queens take note. On the many electric ranges I have had I have always hatted the ranges that have two 8" elements unless one is a muli-size element that can be switched to a 6" size. When I am cooking a meal for 2-4 I just almost never need two large elements let alone 4, LOL.
I have a customer that has this same range in RED, they took it with them when they moved from Washington DC and retired into the Virgina countryside. They are now building a new house and she cannot find anything she likes as well so it is being trucked back to our shop for a few tweaks before being installed in the new house.
One of the unusual things about these ranges is it only has 8" top elements, burner size queens take note. On the many electric ranges I have had I have always hatted the ranges that have two 8" elements unless one is a muli-size element that can be switched to a 6" size. When I am cooking a meal for 2-4 I just almost never need two large elements let alone 4, LOL.
firedome
Well-known member
Another Model "D"
there was a thread on one a few days ago... we had this range in the gas version. Made after Chambers was sold to RangeAire and moved prouction to Mississippi. Still had the Chambers legendary quality, you wouldn't want to move one! How many ranges had precision ground cast iron door seals instead of gaskets, and cast iron inserts in the oven for heat retention, and something like 20 lbs of insulation? None ever, before or since. We have copper Chambers built-ins at camp.
there was a thread on one a few days ago... we had this range in the gas version. Made after Chambers was sold to RangeAire and moved prouction to Mississippi. Still had the Chambers legendary quality, you wouldn't want to move one! How many ranges had precision ground cast iron door seals instead of gaskets, and cast iron inserts in the oven for heat retention, and something like 20 lbs of insulation? None ever, before or since. We have copper Chambers built-ins at camp.
firedome
Well-known member
Retained Heat
was always a Chambers feature, beginning with John Chambers first models in the 1920s, until their lower "economy" line was introduced in the late '60s, and those were built by Thermador or Caloric or someone else. The real Chambers had the features listed above, and one could cook a 20 lb turkey with a hour of heat, then turning off the gas or electricity for the remaing 3 or 4 hours. One had to learn a new cooking/baking style when cooking in a Chambers oven.
Baltimore had a very active Chambers dealer, and they are frequently seen there. Our gas version came from the Hamilton neighborhood of Baltimore (our hometown).
A new $3000 Wolf cooktop feels lke a piece of junk compared to a vintage Chambers 42-4BH 42" In-A-Top stainless cooktop circa 1956. Available in electric or gas models and 27", 33" and 42" sizes. The smallest have no griddle. We have a 42" one waiting in the garage, hat we've never installed, and the smaller 27" version at the lake house.
Your customer has good taste, John, once one has used a Chambers, there is no substitute.
was always a Chambers feature, beginning with John Chambers first models in the 1920s, until their lower "economy" line was introduced in the late '60s, and those were built by Thermador or Caloric or someone else. The real Chambers had the features listed above, and one could cook a 20 lb turkey with a hour of heat, then turning off the gas or electricity for the remaing 3 or 4 hours. One had to learn a new cooking/baking style when cooking in a Chambers oven.
Baltimore had a very active Chambers dealer, and they are frequently seen there. Our gas version came from the Hamilton neighborhood of Baltimore (our hometown).
A new $3000 Wolf cooktop feels lke a piece of junk compared to a vintage Chambers 42-4BH 42" In-A-Top stainless cooktop circa 1956. Available in electric or gas models and 27", 33" and 42" sizes. The smallest have no griddle. We have a 42" one waiting in the garage, hat we've never installed, and the smaller 27" version at the lake house.
Your customer has good taste, John, once one has used a Chambers, there is no substitute.
The Built-in Version
This one, just a single component of an entire Chambers kitchen located in Santa Barbara, was posted in another thread recently. Looks like there are two of each size burner on the cooktop. Does that mean it's not a true Chambers?
This one, just a single component of an entire Chambers kitchen located in Santa Barbara, was posted in another thread recently. Looks like there are two of each size burner on the cooktop. Does that mean it's not a true Chambers?
Chambers Dual Fuel Cooktop
I am quite sure that this CT is a real chambers built appliance, but this one does have a more popular 2+2 burner arrangement, it even has an automatic thermostatically controlled RF element, now if it just had a two sized RF element for more versatile and efficient cooking.
I am quite sure that this CT is a real chambers built appliance, but this one does have a more popular 2+2 burner arrangement, it even has an automatic thermostatically controlled RF element, now if it just had a two sized RF element for more versatile and efficient cooking.
Check thread 45608
for the first posting
for the first posting
firedome
Well-known member
It is a Chambers...
it's a RangeAire era Imperial Surface Range model AT-42-C, these were made up until the mid '70s. The right front element was the Thermo-Controlled, ie burner-with-a-brain 8"er. Still legendary Chambers quality, and the best you could find.. then OR now.
it's a RangeAire era Imperial Surface Range model AT-42-C, these were made up until the mid '70s. The right front element was the Thermo-Controlled, ie burner-with-a-brain 8"er. Still legendary Chambers quality, and the best you could find.. then OR now.
Chambers Cooktop
Whirlpool continued to built the gas version of these CTs till around 1990, while they were certainly interesting I never saw any reason that I would want one in my kitchen. I still have several customers with these, the daisy burners were a pain to clean and certainly did not work any better than regular round gas burners.
Whirlpool continued to built the gas version of these CTs till around 1990, while they were certainly interesting I never saw any reason that I would want one in my kitchen. I still have several customers with these, the daisy burners were a pain to clean and certainly did not work any better than regular round gas burners.
Daisy burners
In fact, in one test of gas cooktops by CU in the late 70s or early 80s, I believe, they spread a thin layer of sugar in a medium weight aluminum skillet and placed it over the burner to check for evenness of heat distribution by the pattern of melting and caramelization of the sugar, their standard test for heat distribution in cookware also. The daisy burners actually produced burned sugar in places while other areas were still in the white granular state.
In fact, in one test of gas cooktops by CU in the late 70s or early 80s, I believe, they spread a thin layer of sugar in a medium weight aluminum skillet and placed it over the burner to check for evenness of heat distribution by the pattern of melting and caramelization of the sugar, their standard test for heat distribution in cookware also. The daisy burners actually produced burned sugar in places while other areas were still in the white granular state.
Tom,
That is easy to do with any burner out there. Gas burners were never admired for even cooking, more for speed and responsiveness. Most pastry chefs who work with sugar and chocolate use electric, now induction, burners for their work. Gas is for fast cooking, saute' work,<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> etc</span>. Chefs who don't have a choice will usually have a French top somewhere.
One of my classmates in high school lived in a fancy Madison Avenue coop that had a copper Chambers Stove that was one of the most beautiful appliances I've ever seen. I've always been curious about how they cooked. That electric beauty must be one of the last stoves they produced.
That is easy to do with any burner out there. Gas burners were never admired for even cooking, more for speed and responsiveness. Most pastry chefs who work with sugar and chocolate use electric, now induction, burners for their work. Gas is for fast cooking, saute' work,<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> etc</span>. Chefs who don't have a choice will usually have a French top somewhere.
One of my classmates in high school lived in a fancy Madison Avenue coop that had a copper Chambers Stove that was one of the most beautiful appliances I've ever seen. I've always been curious about how they cooked. That electric beauty must be one of the last stoves they produced.
firedome
Well-known member
the perpetual debate...
but gas is superior for saute, stir fry, work, electric for other stuff.. the only answer is to have BOTH... but our preference for baking is strictly electric, we have the electric version of the Chambers retained Heat In-A-Wall oven. No electric oven ever made has the insulation and cast iron that Chambers used. It cost nearly twice the price of ordinary ovens, and you got quality as a result.
but gas is superior for saute, stir fry, work, electric for other stuff.. the only answer is to have BOTH... but our preference for baking is strictly electric, we have the electric version of the Chambers retained Heat In-A-Wall oven. No electric oven ever made has the insulation and cast iron that Chambers used. It cost nearly twice the price of ordinary ovens, and you got quality as a result.
Actually, Julia Child, in her first book on French cooking recommended a strong electric surface unit for stronger heat to saute when gas burners did not seem to supply enough heat. It makes sense when you consider that you want the heat directed into the base of the pan and not up the sides.
norgeway
Well-known member
Ive used both..
And I guess im the oddball here, but I like a gas oven better, but electric surface units, But the fact remains, 99 percent of restaurant kitchens use gas, mainly because they dont have time to wait on electric units to heat up and cool down.
And I guess im the oddball here, but I like a gas oven better, but electric surface units, But the fact remains, 99 percent of restaurant kitchens use gas, mainly because they dont have time to wait on electric units to heat up and cool down.
I always love people that state that gas is superior because its used in commercial kitchens. It reminds me of wanna be racers that think that slick tires are better on street cars because racers use them. It really isn't a valid argument.
A commercial kitchen (and the race track) have vastly different requirements then what the typical consumer has. A commercial chef needs a LOT of heat which their big commercial burners give, most homeowner range burners have nowhere near that BTU output.
Both gas and electric (conduction, radiation or induction) have inherent weaknesses and strengths. Anyone can learn, or at least adapt, to using any heat source. Ideally its fairly controllable and not too slow. In the end it really comes down to personal preference. My preference is that I would never have cook over a fire except for outdoors...
I stopped by a local Edina,MN appliance retailer last night and I was amazed at the break down of gas vs electric cooktops/ranges they had on display, probably 70/30% gas. Many had big 18,000 BTU burners. Of course this retailer does a large amount of their business with very wealthy customers that need their status-symbol kitchens. They just have to look good, they won't actually cook in them. At least there are no longer standing pilots to make the kitchen smell like they have a gas range...
A commercial kitchen (and the race track) have vastly different requirements then what the typical consumer has. A commercial chef needs a LOT of heat which their big commercial burners give, most homeowner range burners have nowhere near that BTU output.
Both gas and electric (conduction, radiation or induction) have inherent weaknesses and strengths. Anyone can learn, or at least adapt, to using any heat source. Ideally its fairly controllable and not too slow. In the end it really comes down to personal preference. My preference is that I would never have cook over a fire except for outdoors...
I stopped by a local Edina,MN appliance retailer last night and I was amazed at the break down of gas vs electric cooktops/ranges they had on display, probably 70/30% gas. Many had big 18,000 BTU burners. Of course this retailer does a large amount of their business with very wealthy customers that need their status-symbol kitchens. They just have to look good, they won't actually cook in them. At least there are no longer standing pilots to make the kitchen smell like they have a gas range...
Ideally.........
Everyone who cooks would be able to have his/her fuel preference in a well-made, great performing cooktop and oven.
To quote Marion Cunningham from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, Knopf, 1984, page 30: "I've found no important difference between gas and electricity in baking-either can produce fine results as long as the oven is performing well."
Cunningham was James Beard's protogee and loyal friend. The author of many good, cook and eater friendly cookbooks, she is an American treasure.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
Everyone who cooks would be able to have his/her fuel preference in a well-made, great performing cooktop and oven.
To quote Marion Cunningham from The Fannie Farmer Baking Book, Knopf, 1984, page 30: "I've found no important difference between gas and electricity in baking-either can produce fine results as long as the oven is performing well."
Cunningham was James Beard's protogee and loyal friend. The author of many good, cook and eater friendly cookbooks, she is an American treasure.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
norgeway
Well-known member
Im so glad!!
Someone loves me! LOL, As I said RESTAURANT and hotel kitchens...I use electric in my main kitchen, I dont use gas that much for the surface units because I dont like the handles burned up on my cookware, but as for the oven, if im baking something delicate like an angel food cake, I will 9 times out of ten use the Hardwick, the heat is convected heat, not radiant, and to me it bakes more evenly, I dont use the gas much in the warm months because it will run you out of the house! It gets HOTand humid here, the ac has enough trouble keeping up.
Someone loves me! LOL, As I said RESTAURANT and hotel kitchens...I use electric in my main kitchen, I dont use gas that much for the surface units because I dont like the handles burned up on my cookware, but as for the oven, if im baking something delicate like an angel food cake, I will 9 times out of ten use the Hardwick, the heat is convected heat, not radiant, and to me it bakes more evenly, I dont use the gas much in the warm months because it will run you out of the house! It gets HOTand humid here, the ac has enough trouble keeping up.
Actually, due to reasons of cost, efficiency, safety, cleanliness and speed, many institutional kitchens are going with induction cooking. Fagor is a very big producer of commercial induction cooking equipment. The waste heat of a kitchen is a big, if sometimes indirect, load on a building's air conditioning system.
