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Gas Range Advice, Please

MassWineGuy

By MassWineGuy
in Kitchen Consumer

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KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, MassWineGuy said:

Hmm. Not electric. I’ve never used induction, but I’m open to it. 

I don't think you'll find induction cheaper than gas.  It's still new-ish and gas is usually the least expensive range option.

  • Like 1
lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, MassWineGuy said:

Hmm. Not electric. I’ve never used induction, but I’m open to it. 

I went from a GE dual fuel gas range to a GE Cafe Induction slide-in range.  I absolutely love it and would never go back.  Now I'm just a home cook so I don't need super duper hot burners.

What I didn't like about the gas range was: 1.  Open flame.  2.  Indoor pollution   3.  Excessive heat it produced.  4.  Difficulty in cleaning the cooktop.  

My induction burners boil water faster than anything I've ever seen.  Burners are plenty hot and it is a dream to keep clean.

Here's the one I got.

Granted, it was a little pricey but there are induction models more in keeping with your price range.

  • Like 2
lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted

Sometimes cheapest isn't the best idea.  (I get it though, it's the OP's choice)

  • Like 1
MassWineGuy

MassWineGuy

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I am tired of repairing my “high end” POS stove and won’t buy another expensive one again. Does everyone here cook only on $2,000 plus ranges?

blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, MassWineGuy said:

I am tired of repairing my “high end” POS stove and won’t buy another expensive one again. Does everyone here cook only on $2,000 plus ranges?

 

I think there are plenty of people here cooking on < $2000 ranges.  I was one for many years. Most probably aren't responding with specific model recommendations for you because they are cooking on electric or induction or they have cooktops or rangetops rather than ranges.  Or, the models they have are quite a few years old and no longer available or they feel the models they have are meh enough that they don't warrant being called out in a specific recommendation. Or they don't meet your specific 30-inch, very hot burner, no electronics, sub $1,000 requirements.  

 

 

 

  • Like 4
lindag

lindag

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, MassWineGuy said:

I am tired of repairing my “high end” POS stove and won’t buy another expensive one again. Does everyone here cook only on $2,000 plus ranges?

 

there are a lot of induction owners in this forum, maybe they will comment.

 

paulraphael

paulraphael

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, MassWineGuy said:

So, can anyone make further suggestions for a stove?

 

TL;DR is that there's no perfect option, and you'll need to figure out which compromises are best for you.

 

A piece of advice I'm glad I took was to go to a big appliance store and look at things in person. Don't rely 100% on advice and online research. For example, we discovered that some ranges have grate patterns that are so open, a small sauce pan could easily tip over if you're not careful. This wouldn't be obvious from pictures and no one talks about it. Some ranges felt much flimsier than others. 

 

I'd keep an open mind toward induction. It's the future. Gas appliances are going to be phased out of existence, probably in the next 10 years. It wasn't an option for us; our building doesn't have the electrical capacity for electric ranges. And I'm stubbornly nostalgic about cooking on fire, and don't want to eBay my copper pans. But the revolution is coming.

 

Commercial ranges: no. This has been a pipe dream for many of us, but once you do the research, it seems crazy. Reasons:

1. They're not as cheap as they used to be

2. Even the nicest ones look like industrial equipment (maybe this is a plus for you. I'm ok with it, most aren's)

3. They are 6" to 10" deeper than your counters

4. To make them safe, you will need a full-powered commercial hood, oversized, with makeup air ventilation.

5. You will also need to build a certified non-combustible firewall behind it. This alone will more than kill any cost savings.

6. You'll need at least a foot of clearance between it and any combustible cabinetry.

7. Kids, pets, and the unwary will burn themselves on the oven door.

8. Your homeowner's insurance company will laugh at you and walk out of the room

9. Authorized service people will probably refuse to work on it in your home.

 

 

  • Like 1

Notes from the underbelly

CentralMA

CentralMA

Posted
Posted

I may as well jump into the fray here....

I did a full demo and build on the kitchen in my mid fifties 1000sf ranch. Bathroom too.

Well before commencing the demo I had been looking around for the goods I'd need to complete. Thinking about flooring, sink, range, dishwasher, fridge. 

Found a NIB JennAire 30" hood for 1/4 the price of new. Ordered the other appliances during the big sales days and haggled the price to much better pricing.

I did find a 30" residential Bosch gas/gas convection range at the local Habitat for Humanity Restore. Just over $300, looked as if it it never been used. Needed to have the gas extended to the kitchen area, that gave me enough time get myself in trouble with this forum.

Started looking at the threads for "high end" ranges, the BlueStar, with it's open burners, got me in it's clutches. Covid Stimulus $$$ sealed the deal. Got the wife pissed off at me when I ordered (haggled a good price) it.

Yes, it was $4500. Running the gas line was another $500. I've saved close to that this year by not being able to eat out as often as before. I think I've become a better cook due to that. I think the expenditure was worth it. 

 

Sometimes it is the arrow that can make a better Indian. 

And that statement sounds somewhat wrong, these days.

 

And I sold the Bosch at a small profit.

 

Spend the money if you want the simple appliance. 

 

And @weinoo, I was in PTown a couple of weekends ago. Passed by Pop And Dutch, it was late in the day, off hours unfortunately. Wasn't able to go in.

 

  • Like 3
heidih

heidih

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

I think there are plenty of people here cooking on < $2000 ranges.  I was one for many years. Most probably aren't responding with specific model recommendations for you because they are cooking on electric or induction or they have cooktops or rangetops rather than ranges.  Or, the models they have are quite a few years old and no longer available or they feel the models they have are meh enough that they don't warrant being called out in a specific recommendation. Or they don't meet your specific 30-inch, very hot burner, no electronics, sub $1,000 requirements.  

 

 

 

Exactly. I serendipitously had the same range oven in the last house I sold and  then the cottage I rented. Gas. 4 burners - 2 medium, 1 high output, and a low simmer. But the model surely  no longer made. Whenever this comes up I think back to a show Ken Hom did cooking with his mom in her miniscule 1 or 2 burner kitchen in Hong Kong making her specialties. For baking - yes consistency is important. You begin a dance with your oven and develop a relationship.

Marya

Marya

Posted
Posted (edited)

"I’m never buying anything from Blue Star, formerly Viking. Mine is an overpriced, poorly designed piece of something." 

 

Have to chime in. BlueStar is a Prizer-Painter product. It's the company that produced burner components for the sterling line of Garland professional ranges. The BlueStar's appeal is that it has the same burners Garland was lauded for. I've had my BS range top for 16 years. No issues with grill, griddle or burners. 

Edited by Marya (log)
  • Like 2
paulraphael

paulraphael

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, Marya said:

The BlueStar's appeal is that it has the same burners Garland was lauded for. I've had my BS range top for 16 years. No issues with grill, griddle or burners. 

I just saw a video where a Bluestar rep confirmed what I'd suspected: when the company split off from Garland, they negotiated to keep the star burner intellectual property. Those burners are the darlings of the commercial range world. Bluestar added their own refinements to get the things to simmer.

Edited by paulraphael (log)
  • Like 3

Notes from the underbelly

Marya

Marya

Posted
Posted (edited)

When I was researching ranges, I called BlueStar and asked if the burner components were comparable to Garland's as I found them to be superior to other brands. They assured me that they were because they owned the manufacturing process. Sealed burners were the other nagging issue I wanted to avoid as they decrease burner efficiency. And, I simply didn't want to lose BTU power by retrofitting to propane after market. Turns out BS makes them propane ready before shipping, so there was no loss whatsoever. Love this product!

Edited by Marya (log)
  • Like 2
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, lindag said:

 

there are a lot of induction owners in this forum, maybe they will comment.

 

 

$69 Paragon.

 

  • Like 1

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MassWineGuy

MassWineGuy

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
2 hours ago, Marya said:

"I’m never buying anything from Blue Star, formerly Viking. Mine is an overpriced, poorly designed piece of something." 

 

Have to chime in. BlueStar is a Prizer-Painter product. It's the company that produced burner components for the sterling line of Garland professional ranges. The BlueStar's appeal is that it has the same burners Garland was lauded for. I've had my BS range top for 16 years. No issues with grill, griddle or burners. 


Well,  consider yourself very lucky. 

heidih

heidih

Posted
Posted

I think it was @paulraphael who brought up a pet peeve and a good concern. One - the damn glass window - hard to clean (my Bosch is 2 layers and aerosolized whatever gets in there. Useless as any cooking update. Why??  Two - small pans falling through grates - who'd have thought but I've cooked on nice stoves and had to micromanage location of pot to avoid tilt.

palo

palo

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, lindag said:

 

there are a lot of induction owners in this forum, maybe they will comment.

 

I started off with a GE gas cooktop (I was persuaded that gas was the only way to cook) but after a couple of years the novelty wore off and I began exploring induction - ended up removing the cooktop and replacing it with two induction burners - I'm only cooking for one so I don't need a 6 pack of burners. I have a 3500 watt commercial unit and a standard 1800 watt burner with fine adjustments (100). More than adequate for my needs and together they were 1/3 the price of the gas cooktop. Their precise and controllable output are what works for me - the commercial burner also has the non-domestic feature that allows you to remove the pot for a minute or two and though it beeps at you it picks up where you left off when replaced - a godsend when you just want to add a little more water to something you're cooking - yes you'll have to e-bay your copper pots but there's more good pots that work with induction than not - btw my oven is the APO :)

 

I wouldn't be afraid of doing the 220 volt wiring yourself - read a bit and of course think before you act (be careful) this assumes you have access to your electrical panel and some beginner skills - I wired mine in about 1/2 day and the cost of wire and socket was less than $50

 

p

 

  • Like 3
paulraphael

paulraphael

Posted
Posted
44 minutes ago, heidih said:

I think it was @paulraphael who brought up a pet peeve and a good concern. One - the damn glass window - hard to clean (my Bosch is 2 layers and aerosolized whatever gets in there. Useless as any cooking update. Why??  Two - small pans falling through grates - who'd have thought but I've cooked on nice stoves and had to micromanage location of pot to avoid tilt.

 

I've shattered the windows by spilling water on them when they're at roasting / bread baking temps. 

 

They also make ovens heat unevenly. Glass doesn't radiate as much heat as dark enameled steel. It's just physics. This is the main reason ovens usually brown better in the back, especially at high temperatures.

 

The Decor we just got has one of the better grates as far as keeping things from tipping over. Not perfect but pretty good. Bluestar could be improved here. Some of the worst grates we looked at were on the Bosch and a couple of Italian ranges (Bertazzoni, Verona).

  • Like 1

Notes from the underbelly

dscheidt

dscheidt

Posted
Posted
On 10/20/2021 at 5:11 PM, Shelby said:

I have had this gas stove for probably....ugh.  I'm bad with time...but 3 or 4 years maybe 5.  General Electric.

 

I have a somewhat fancier (and more expensive) version of this.  Mine has a 20K BTU front left burner, the other front burner is 18K, a different center burner (it's got the ring mode like this, which works for the griddle, but also a center section that's got a pot shaped flame), came with the center grate (and two griddles, but I think that was a mistake).  It's also a free standing model, with oven controls on the back.  I'm generally pleased with it.  I'd prefer the higher output burner on the right, which is an artificat of my layout.  I find the oven controls a little annoying, and it always takes me five minutes to reset the clock.  Oven thermostat went wrong, and I had to fiddle with it to get it right, but once I did that, it's been fine.  It came with three oven racks, which I find annoying.  It's great for baking cookies, and stuff like that, but the extra rack gets in the way, and I never remember to adjust the racks before I turn the oven on.  (Were it up to me, I'd simply remove one of the racks, and put it back when I needed it, but it's not, so it stays in.) 

  • Like 2
weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted
On 10/22/2021 at 12:02 PM, CentralMA said:

And @weinoo, I was in PTown a couple of weekends ago. Passed by Pop And Dutch, it was late in the day, off hours unfortunately. Wasn't able to go in.

 

Cool - maybe next year. They're done for the season at the end of the month.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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MassWineGuy

MassWineGuy

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

“Sometimes it is the arrow that can make a better Indian. 

And that statement sounds somewhat wrong, these days.”

 

Oh, I am just so sorry. I meant to say Native American, but to me it’s synonymous. 

CentralMA

CentralMA

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, MassWineGuy said:

“Sometimes it is the arrow that can make a better Indian. 

And that statement sounds somewhat wrong, these days.”

 

Oh, I am just so sorry. I meant to say Native American, but to me it’s synonymous. 

 

No, I'm sorry to offend you, if indeed I did.

 

Where are you in Mass? I'll meet you at Yale Appliance in Framingham, we can go over options. Be prepared to be appalled at the pricing of the offerings.  

  • Like 2
MassWineGuy

MassWineGuy

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Thank you, but I was in no way offended. Yale is where I bought my POS Garland (not Viking). I will never pay more than $1,000 for another range, if that. 

CentralMA

CentralMA

Posted
Posted

Well, I've offered. Not sure what can be found for your request. 

As I stated previously, I spent more than my budget allowed at the time, but I'm happy with the purchase. 

Good luck with your search 

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