How I finally picked a replacement range - steps that actually worked

I went through this last spring when our coil-top Whirlpool finally quit after something like fourteen years. The measurement thing saved me twice over. My cutout was 29 and 7/8 wide, and the floor in front of it has a slight hump from an old repair, so I also measured at the floor level, not just counter height. Turned out a few models I liked online would have caught on that hump going in.

One thing I'd add about the outlet check: ours turned out to be an older three-prong receptacle, and the new range came with a cord for a four-prong setup. The cord is sold separately, wich nobody tells you until you're standing in the kitchen with a box and no way to plug it in. Worth confirming before delivery day. On features, I'll slightly push back on convection. Mine has it and I bake a fair amount of bread, and honestly the difference is modest for me. The thing I actually use constantly is a simple timer and the oven light. The touch controls, though, I regret. My mother-in-law's range has physical knobs and after using hers I understand why people complain about touch panels. Wet fingers and glass tops don't mix. The haul-away point is real. Our old unit went out with the delivery crew for something like thirty bucks and it was the easiest money I've ever spent.

One thing I'd check before you even start browsing is the breaker. When I did mine, the panel showed a 40 amp double-pole for the range, which told me right away the kitchen was wired for a full-size electric unit. If yours turns out to be a smaller circuit, that changes the whole shopping list. Also, test everything the day it's delivered, before the crew leaves. My new one had a dented side panel and one burner that wouldn't heat, and because I turned both burners on while they were still standing there, the swap happened on the spot instead of turning into a two-week warranty fight.

Agree with checking the breaker before anything else. Mine looked fine on paper untill I pulled the old range out and found the previous owner had spliced in a shorter cord with a twist-on connector sitting loose behind the unit. Had an electrician swap it for a proper junction box and a new whip before the new one showed up. Added about a week to the whole project but zero regrets, since I would have never seen it otherwise.