Gas Ranges

[N80]

JD, a lot of the higher brand ranges have a wok ring that will fit around one of the large, higher BTU burners.

After doing a good bit of research last night I'm starting to back track a little. Yes, a 6 burner 48" range with two electric ovens and a griddle would be a wonderful thing, but with any of the major brands that is going to set you back $10,000 or more if you include the hood and backsplash.

 

[N80]

We've had a Kenmore glass top range for many years now and I have to say, it has been a good, basic stove. It has not scratched and it is extremely easy to clean. Still looks like new. That aspect alone has been worth it. The oven works fine. We have had no quality problems with it, no repairs.

Its limitations mostly have to do with two things. 1) Size. For the type of cooking I'm doing there just is not enough space. The largest burner is only 10 inches which makes using large stock pots impossible. If you have a pot of pasta water going on one burner and a large saute pan going on another, there is hardly room to use the remaining two burners, one of which is quite small. 2) Electric burners. Fine for most processes but slow to boil water, hard to control precisely, hard to fine tune a simmer, somewhat uneven heating (although that could be due to low quality pots too).

 

[kenstrac]

check out this range




Monogram Model List Cooking Products_Professional Ranges

 

[Bird]

George, I agree with you. Of course, I assume your Kenmore was made by Whirlpool, just as our KitchenAid was. And if we were still doing a lot of canning, cooking for big parties, and didn't outdoors have the smoker, the grill, the turkey fryer, and a big LPG burner, then our kitchen stove wouldn't be optimal, but for 2 old folks, it's great.

 

[N80]

Well Bird, that's another issue. Right now cooking for me is just another new hobby. Could be a fad. And in about 2 years my daughter will be off at school like my son and it will just be my wife and I. Could be hard to justify a range that cost as much as a small car and nearly as big to cook grits ans eggs on.

Kenstrac, those GE's look nice and one would hope GE would be around for a while. Having a hard time finding a price though. These things seem to be a lot like tractors, no one wants to tell you how much they're going to cost unless you're standing there with your wallet in your hand. I'll search a little. There is an appliance store near me that sells them so I can check with them. They won't have one in stock, but they can give me a quote.

 

[N80]

Well, it looks like the GE 48 inchers are around $10k also. Another $2k for the hood. I just can't see it. I could buy another nice, used tractor for that!

 

[jdbower]

How are your welding skills? Buy 6 of these, drill them out to natural gas specs, buy a little tubing and a few valves and you can probably have a custom cooktop for <$200. Add to that a nice table fan and save some more on a hood and you're good to go! I have no idea why some of this stuff is so expensive, there's a reason I've been postponing my own upgrade.

 

[N80]

How are your welding skills?

Got no welding skills. Oh well. Might have to make do with a 36" model. You can get them with 6 burners and no griddle or 4 burners plus griddle. I'd rather have six burners. Problem is, I don't see any 36" models with double ovens and its my wife that wants the double ovens. Something or someone is going to have to give!

We're a good ways from having to make a decision though, so I've got plenty of time to research all this.

 

[Bird]

You can get them with 6 burners and no griddle or 4 burners plus griddle.

I used to think I wanted a stove with a griddle, but never got one. The one drawback I see to a griddle is they're a pain to clean, or at least the one I used to use occasionally on the job was.

 

[dooleysm]

Good point Bird. When I take a notion to use a griddle I get our electric one out, spread a newspaper out underneath it on the counter and go to town. When I'm done cooking I just wipe off the nonstick griddle, run the grease try through the dishwasher, and fold up and toss the newspaper.

Pretty easy, but not nearly as cool as a stovetop griddle.