Stoves and Ovens: Wolf? Thermador? Bluestar? Viking?

[manton]

The hood vents outside. Am I supposed to keep the hood on at all times when the oven is on?

[JohnnyH]

Can the installation problem be fixed?

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According to the repair man, there is no problem. The range was installed correctly. It vents out the back like it is supposed to.

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Sorry -- I misread your post.

[budrichard]

The hood vents outside.  Am I supposed to keep the hood on at all times when the oven is on?

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We keep at least one of the hood fans on whenever the oven is on.-Dick

[Hassouni]

So in a couple weeks I'll be moving into a condo that has a Viking range. I guess it's a 30" model, 4 sealed burners with a small grate in the center. Did the home inspection, and even on high heat, each burner doesn't seem to produce much of a flame. I'm used to gas stoves where high means a veritable torch of blue flame - on this Viking, it's pretty sedate and the flame does not appreciably rise above the burner cap.

Is that normal for Vikings? I put my hand a foot or so over the burner and it was bloody hot, so I'm not sure whether something is wrong or not.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Hassouni (log)

[Lisa Shock]

Could be the pipe going into the house. Here in Phoenix, the size of pipe allowed under zoning laws differs for houses vs commercial applications. So, a stove in a restaurant gets fed (usually) about 50% more gas than a home stove.

[Joe Blowe]

Call your gas company -- *almost* all of them offer free inspection of residential gas appliances, and will adjust the air/fuel mixture (or provide other easy fixes) free of charge.

[Hassouni]

Cool, thanks. I haven't closed on the deal and taken possession yet, but I'll do that first thing when I do.

[NWsFirst]

Last Viking range I had had a combination of 15,000 and 20,000 BTU burners - significantly higher than the usual home range. Aside from others' comments, verify that the regular is right (whether by setting or replacement) with the type of gas you're using -- LP or natural gas.

[Ashen]

for some reason when I first saw this topic title , this is what came to mind .

swedish stove log

[budrichard]

On a Viking, 'Simmer' is just to the LEFT of 'High' and you turn the knob to the Right or Clockwise for OFF.

Are you sure you weren't in the Simmer position?-Dick

[Hassouni]

Well, just to avoid people needlessly looking up answers, I bailed on this place and am moving into another.

[PassionateAmateur]

Find one with a Blue Star!

[IEATRIO]

I am one of the many disciples of Fuchsia Dunlop, and now devoting a great deal of my cooking to Chinese, and particularly Sichuan food.

 

Like most home chefs, I am frustrated by the use of my western -- in my case Viking -- stove, and the problem of getting enough heat into my food quickly enough to sear it without steaming.  I have gotten some improvement by switching to a cast iron wok, which seems to get a good bit hotter than my carbon steel wok, but its still not quite what I would like.

 

I read the post about the WokMon below, and will consider that, but it looks a bit scary to be using in a home kitchen, and I'll need a stool to reach up and cook over it.  I see that Viking makes a special grate with a wok cutout that theoretically will allow the base of the wok to get into closer contact with the flames.  I'm wondering if anybody has used this, and can comment on its effectiveness.  Thanks.

 

http://www.allvikingparts.com/CWGT_Wok_Grate_for_Custom_Series_p/cwgt.htm

 

 

[Hassouni]

I don't think that grate will make much difference unless the heat is centered under the wok.

[IEATRIO]

I don't think that grate will make much difference unless the heat is centered under the wok.

 

I don't think it will be a magic bullet either, but I was hoping that by lowering the "bowl" of the wok, it might engage the flame closer to the bottom.  Was hoping that somebody might have some insight, before buying one, to see if there is any marginal difference at all.

[cmflick]

Does anyone have experience with the Wolf steam convection oven?  As part of a kitchen remodel we're considering getting one and I'm wondering how well it works, especially for bread baking (it has a bread setting).  Any input on performance of the oven would be appreciated.

[Barrytm]

Here are some posts on that oven  http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/appl/msg0713272216482.html?49

[cmflick]

Here are some posts on that oven  http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/appl/msg0713272216482.html?49

Thanks for the link.  A lot of good information there.

[Martin Fisher]

What are, generally, the maximum cooktop BTUs of the high-end ranges? ~15,000 to 20,000 BTUs?

What's the approximate diameter of the burner itself?

I'm considering setting up a high BTU outside searing station. 

 

[Martin Fisher]

I see the Bluestar Platinum series features 25,000 BTU PrimaNova™ open burners!!! 

[IEATRIO]

I have the Bluestar Platinum with the 25K BTU burners, and I now find it difficult to cook on other stoves.  I had also considered a Capital range, which as far as I know is the only other range available in the US with 25K BTU burners, but I preferred the Bluestar for the "Garland" shaped burners and the ability to fit a wok into a burner without a ring.

 

While the Platinum burners are excellent, the oven is much less so, and some elements of the range design are ridiculous to the point of un-useability (i.e., I find the griddle absolutely worthless and for aesthetic purposes only because of the lack of real grease traps), and I have found Bluestar's customer service unresponsiveness to be horrible.  If I had it to do over again I would consider a Capital range, or if I had enough space just go with the Bluestar cooktop (which is really better for Chinese cooking which I do a lot of), and put in a Rational or other good oven system (i.e., Wolf, Capital).

[gfweb]

My regular Blue Star I think has 18K BTU burners.  They are plenty hot enough for me.

[IEATRIO]

3 hours ago, gfweb said:

My regular Blue Star I think has 18K BTU burners.  They are plenty hot enough for me.

 

For Chinese cooking there is no such thing as "hot enough," and there are times when I wouldn't mind even more power, but the 25K BTU works much better than my old Viking, and I think that 25K is near the limit of my ventilation cababilities.  I have 8 burners, but find myself cooking mostly on the 25Ks, even for Western food.  There are many cooking tasks for which hotter is better, that you don't realize until you have the power to do it.  

[Martin Fisher]

Can you guys give me an estimate of the diameter of the ring (or whatever) of burner orifices at the widest point? 5"? 6"?

 

Thanks!

 

[gfweb]

@DiggingDogFarm my blue star has six inch burners. Their website will show the configuration. Lots of flameholes , ...if that's not a word it should be. 

Edited September 11, 2017 by gfweb (log)