Advice on new range

[Zz Yzx]

After a measly 32 years, my range has cratered.

Any rec's for a new one? $500-$700 price range?

Any ones to stay away from?

Thanks a heap,

-Zz

[ransley]

I have an apt bldg and the 50 yr old stuff I dont throw away, I think for 5-700 they are all very poorly made, I have a used appliance dealer that got me a few real nice units worth maybe 6-800 new today for 150 instaled. You dont know what you are getting anymore with china in charge, at least we dont buy chinese milk, and know about chinese kids toys, and chinese dog food. You wont get the quality you now have unless you pay thousands. Just compare price by inflation over 32 years. Get what you like, its all disposable stuff now, Consumers Reports has good ratings on how well they cook, subscribe online.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Why? My wife was a Home Ec. major in college and has taught Home Ec. She has used both gas and electric ranges over the years and seems perfectly content with her new ceramic-top electric range. We could have had gas run to the kitchen for a gas range (the furnace is gas), but she decided that electric was fine.

Perce

[terry]

Oh gee; we have always since 1960 used bog standard 30 inch electrics. Including some intensive catering activities between 1970 and 2003. We are currently on our third or fourth used stove in this 38 year old house. This one and the last having cost nothing. They are fairly easy to repair. Discarded stoves often being free or very cheap as people renovate. Stick to white that colour always seems to be available. Based on experience of friends/neighbours; stainless shows marks very easily and colours such as black can be dull and go out of style quickly. Difficult here, now. to get any new stove that does not use electronic clock/timers which can be a pain and less reliable than the older style. Not a big issue here since our power is very reliable and we are now retired. Keep it simple and reliable. Avoid unnecessary features. Self clean, for example, often doesn't!

[ransley]

Unless you have subsidised Hydro you pay alot more to cook, I pay 30% more per Btu for electric. Now Electric companies over the last year has successfully got major rate increases put through that will stay in effect, last I saw Ng is in a big down trend. Cooking on electric, no pro will use electric nor will I. Plus electric electric elements dont last.

[Pete C.]

I'm particularly happy with dual fuel, i.e. gas burners and electric ovens. I'm not sure if there are any available in that price range however. In that price range I've used GE electrics and they've been fine.

[SteveB]

Stay away from electric.

Steve

[HeyBub]

Electrics are deficient in the following areas:

• They take a while to heat up,

• You don't have full control over the heat,

• They don't get as hot as a gas range,

• They cost more to operate,

• You can't tell by looking whether they're on or off,

• You don't have the versatility: #You can't toast marshmallows on an electric range. # You can't burn the pin feathers off a freshly-plucked chicken.

[HeyBub]

Monitor Craigslist for your vicinity. You can get one free.

[mike]

Get an electric with "tight" coils. They are higher quality than the scrawny-coil types.

Advantages of electric;

-No dangerous open flame

-No added humidity from combustion

-No explosion hazard

-No stink

-More efficient transfer of energy from element to pan instead of wasting energy on hot combustion gases flowing up around the pot/pan unused in large quantities

-Cooler workspace above pan for stirring (see previous point)

-Durable coils

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't appreciate the finer aspects of gas cooking. But if you don't already have a gas line in place by your range, and any of the above points are important to you, I suggest electric, especially if you're already used to it's heating response characteristics.

I don't recommend smoothtops. Too many people have too many problems with cracks, stains, pot size acceptance problems, etc.

[ransley]

Oh gee, my electric elements lasted 5 years, you can`t have heat control like gas offers, or cook as cheaply. Electric is for those that have no gas or don`t know how to cook. Show me a pro chef restruant that uses electric, and it will be on Kitchen Nightmares show for sure. And you closed your catering business!.

[mike]

On Nov 20, 8:50=A0am, ransley wrote: Show me a pro chef

Enough with the insults ("don't know how to cook"). The difference is that this person is talking about an appliance in his home, not in a restaurant kitchen with industrial ventilation and huge mixers. If you want to get industrial everything in your home, fine... but not everyone does. I don't have a 747 parked in my driveway.

[ransley]

Who said industrial, what pro uses electric, electric sucks unless boiling water is what you call cooking.

[SteveB]

If it works for you, go for it. I do not like electric. PLUS, electric stoves have more parts and more to go wrong than gas stoves.

Steve

[mike]

WHY does it "suck"? Because it doesn't have as fast of response as gas? Ok, it's not the end of the world. It's not that hard to deal with.

By the way, there are pros that use huge electric grill tables. But that alone doesn't mean that you should have one in your home.

[trader4]

Any poll of profesional chefs will show that they overwhelmingly prefer a gas cooktop. It's not even close. You can get more heat, faster heat, better control, and it's uniform. A common problem with an electric cooktop is that pots and pans are very often not perfectly fat, nor is the electric element. Consequently, one side can be in tigth contact and super hot, while the other is not and cooler.

Give me gas for the cooktop and electric ovens any day.

[Phisherman]

Stick with the well-known brands as you'll never know when you may need a spare part. Might be good to make a list of features you need, features you want, and then order the list by importance. Research Consumer Reports repair records for brands you might want to avoid. My Whirlpool gas range has made it 17 years with one valve controller diy replacement; ranges can last a very long time.

[salty]

Gas is overwhelmingly superior in all respects for a cooktop except one. Electric is a little better for simmering at a low temperature. That sure isn't enogh to make me want an electric cooktop. I also prefer an electric oven. If I have to have either gas or electric for everything, the answer, without reservation or hesitation, is gas, even if it means having an above ground tank behind the garage.

[mike]

On Nov 20, 10:28=A0am, [e-mail] wrote: . =A0 =A0You can get more heat,

1. I've never had a problem with inadequate heat with eletric.

1. I've never had a problem with heat uniformity with electric.

2. I've never had a problem with my pans not being flat enough or with improper element mating with electric. I do admit that I don't buy garage sale pans. But neither are they very expensive.

1. I've never had a problem controlling heat with electric. I concede that it is easier to control heat response with gas, but it is simply not that hard to get used to and compensate for electric heat response characteristics.

[Pete C.]

Electrics do far better at low simmers without burning than gas, except for the high end gas with intermittent burners for simmer. A separate electric cook pot (not crock pot) does an acceptable job of covering for this failing with a gas stove.

Electric ovens are nearly always superior to gas ovens, hence my preference for a dual fuel setup with gas burners and electric ovens.

Operating cost on either type is not a factor unless you are cooking in commercial quantities.