# Kitchen Range reccomendations?



## jharkin (Oct 18, 2012)

(Disclaimer: I am cross posting this from another forum also, looking for a variety of opinions)

So here is the deal. In our kitchen we currently have a relatively new GE Profile smoothtop convection electric range. It came with the house.

We HATE it.

The cooktop works fine but the oven is a pain. Its got the hidden elements and takes all day to preheat - 30+ min to 350, sometimes an hour for Pizza temp (475). And even worse it chronically undercooks baked goods - sometimes we have to double recipe times or more. Testing with 2 different oven thermometers indicates the thermostat is calibrated ok, so I'm hesitant to blow a couple hundred bucks on a service call that will tell me its working as designed.

We have gas in the house, but not in the kitchen and our long term plan was to get the line extended to the kitchen and get a dual fuel range. We are so annoyed with this thing I think we are ready to do this now.

So my dilemma - what brand to buy.
* We need a standard 30" slide in size range
* We want dual fuel
* We'd like to get a range with a matching microwave/hood combo (to replace our current 80s vintage Magic Chef)
* We would prefer a model in black


Lots of searching finds basically only 4 - Im not kidding just 4 - options!!

GE Profile (either slide in or freestanding)
http://www.sears.com/ge-profile-30inch- ... ockType=G4
http://www.sears.com/ge-profile-30inch- ... ockType=G1
Pro - ?
Con - Most expensive (2500), See above

Kenmore Elite
http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-30in ... ockType=G7
Pro - 5 burner cooktop, would be a matching set with our KE dishwasher, we have had lots of Kenmore appliances over the years without any problems
Con- Not the cheapest option, matching microhoods are expensive

Frigidaire Gallery
http://www.frigidaire.com/products/Kitc ... 065KB.aspx
Pro - Cheapest of the bunch ($1800 at Lowes), has an inexpensive matching microhood (300ish), some nice features like 5 minute preheat, good looks with all the controls upfront
Con - only 4 burner (but then again we have never used more than 4 at once), cant find many reviews

Jenn Air
http://www.sears.com/jenn-air-30inch-sl ... ockType=G5
Pro - ?
Con - no matching microhood, cant find a price ( i imagine its $$$$$)

Anyone have experience with these brands and would recommend one? 

Of course if we wanted stainless suddenly there are 50 models to choose from !!


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 18, 2012)

We got (I think) a Frigidaire, all gas with the 5 burner arrangement maybe a year ago. Can't speak for the electric oven on a dual fuel, but we absolutely LOVE the stove.

We got stainless


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## jharkin (Oct 18, 2012)

Thanks Adios... Hmmm - in all gas there are a zillion 30" black options including double oven models etc.  Most are cheaper as well.  My wife really wants the duel fuel for her baking.  Maybe we need to do more research.


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 18, 2012)

Not sure what the advantage of electric is for an oven. I like gas ovens because combustion produces water vapor- a somewhat moister environment that some claim is a benefit to both bread baking and roasting meats. Then again- I'm only an occasional baker


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## SlyFerret (Oct 18, 2012)

I've got my eye on the GE cafe line.
http://www.geappliances.com/products/cafe/

I probably can't afford them, but dang!  It's nice to dream.

-SF


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## jharkin (Oct 18, 2012)

A friend of mine has GE Cafe. He has the same problems with slow preheating that I do and has had to have his fixed a few times. Seems to be an issue across the GE lines.

And they don't produce anything in 30" size that would fit our tiny kitchen.
Edit - I was wrong, just not in black.

From what my wife reads in her cooking magazines the benefit of electric is supposedly more accurate temperature control. Might not be worth the added expense and limited options though I'm now seeing.


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 18, 2012)

I could see the electric having better control. I "cook until done" however, which probably varies/changes results more than a really good cook might allow


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## SlyFerret (Oct 18, 2012)

Interesting, good to know!

I was disappointed that GE didn't have an electric double oven range.

I'm also really interested in the electric induction cooktop ranges.  A friend of mine has one and raves about it.

-SF


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## semipro (Oct 18, 2012)

A 50/50 constructive/not-so-constructive post:

Constructive part: have you considered the convection feature on the oven.  We really like that in ours. 
Edit: oops.  I just checked out one of your links and it was a convection model.  Never mind.

The not-so-constructive part:
Having had every type of oven and cooktop, (except an inductive stovetop) I fail to understand why so many want gas stoves/ovens.  
They're basically a vent-free appliance much like heating units heavily discredited/disqualified on this site. 
They consume oxygen and release CO2 and water vapor and potentially other contaminants into your living environment. 
In the case of propane, they leave an unpleasant odor in the house. 
Its easier for stovetop fires to erupt when frying or using other flammable materials (there's a flame there to ignite things). 

I've found that our electric smooth-top ceramic with convection oven works better than any stove/oven we've ever had. 
The elements heat up fast, adjust infinitely and instantly, and its very easy to clean. 
The electric convection oven does everything we need.
The only downside that I'm aware of is total burner capacity and (possibly) not being able to use a large pressure cooker on it (per another discussion here).  I added "possibly" because many apparently use large pressure cooker  on these types of stove without problem. 

Ok, been waiting to get that rant out for a long time.  Thanks.


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## firebroad (Oct 18, 2012)

For what it's worth, my choice would be gas. I have had both gas and electric stoves, and there is no contest. Gas is cheaper than electricity, it is infinitely easier to cook with. It gives you precise control over the temperature. When you turn the fire off, it is OFF.
That said, there is some danger with gas leaks, but modern stove today have things like electronic ignition (no pilot lights) and sensor lights. If it is installed by a qualified technician, danger is very low. In fact the_ smell_ of natural gas is _added_--natural gas really has no odor. That smell is there to alert you to a possible leak. If you can smell it, get out and call a pro!
I do can on my smoothtop, but it is not my first choice. I made the decision that if the flat top was killed by my canner, then I have an excuse to go pack to coil. Of course, if there were gas lines out my way, I'd have that in a heartbeat!


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## Adios Pantalones (Oct 18, 2012)

semipro said:


> The not-so-constructive part:
> Having had every type of oven and cooktop, (except an inductive stovetop) I fail to understand why so many want gas stoves/ovens.
> They're basically a vent-free appliance much like heating units heavily discredited/disqualified on this site.
> They consume oxygen and release CO2 and water vapor and potentially other contaminants into your living environment.
> ...


 
Cooking on a stove with gas is AWESOME.Heat is on fast, or off fast as needed. There's a reason that chefs cook on gas.

The amount of O2 consumed and CO2 produced is negligible and should not be a concern.

We have been in this house 10 years (with propane) and I can remember one time I ever smelled gas and it was weak. Never had a fire- but I very rarely fry anything to be fair.


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## Delta-T (Oct 18, 2012)

you can't "cook with fire" on electric. electric broiler? and that should be all the reason you need to buy gas.


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## Delta-T (Oct 18, 2012)

on a side note, you can still light a gas stove when you have no power....pretty useful during our increasingly popular power outages here in Nude England.


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## jharkin (Oct 18, 2012)

I want gas because I love to cook.  Growing up we had electric coils. Hated them.  In my 20s through early 30s every apartment I had was on gas.  I got very used to using gas. Smooth-top I will admit is the nicest electric Ive seen and not nearly as annoying as coils but still it takes a while to react and when something is boiling over or my saute pan got too hot I cant just turn it down and have it cool instantly - I have to take the pot off the burner.  They retain heat a long time after being turned off. A real pain.

I also miss being able to use my heavy cast iron pans without fear of damaging the cooktop.

Induction is out because I wont want to have to buy all new cookware.

As far as ventilation... I agree I'd never have a ventfree heating appliance in my house but the amount of daily usage on a stove doesn't concern me.

On another discussion I was pointed towards AJ Madison.. I had forgotten about them, a lot more brand options than the local brick and mortars.  I'm also going to take a look at all-gas models - the prices are a lot more reasonable and there are more brands and features (double oven units etc) than you can get in dual fuel at this size.  It seems like most of the dual fuel selection are in the 36 and up pro sizes.  I'll see what the Mrs thinks for baking.


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## ironpony (Oct 18, 2012)

I have Kenmore Elite series and love them. Gas 6 burner cooktop and dual electric convection ovens. No problems at all,


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## jharkin (Oct 18, 2012)

So now the better half decided she might want stainless.  The options open up more....


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## Highbeam (Oct 18, 2012)

Electric range sucks. I am now using a flat top and when trying to simmer a pot of chili the burners don't just go low as I set them, they cycle more or less frequently from on to off to produce a low average output. That sucks when you're trying to just simmer but not scorch the chili.

I miss gas and never had a problem with odors.

Oh and in a power outage the range is great but the oven still requires power for ignition and for stat function. Still, the range top is nice to have.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 19, 2012)

Random thoughts . . . some of which may be of no use to the OP.

I love my gas range . . . doubt I would go back to electric . . . especially when you compare the cost of running the two. On the stove top it gives me more precise cooking . . . and the gas oven works fine . . . actually gas ovens . . . we went with the double gas oven which has been useful on occasion . . . but mainly we use the smaller oven on top.

That said . . . I have heard gas burners and electric ovens are an ideal combination for the true gourmet cook . . . me . . . my idea of a good meal is Kraft mac and cheese with hamburger added to it, so I'm not exactly what you would call a Rachel Ray, Everyday Italian Girl, etc. Well, truth be told . . . I do some more cooking . . . but nothing too elaborate. For me, the gas range/burners work well.

We ended up with a Maytag clone/Kenmore Elite . . . I don't see that particular model being sold any more. We bucked convention and went with a white oven . . . figure white really never has gone out of style . . . and as mentioned with with a double oven. I did have one issue with it when a control board for the oven went . . . but thanks to folks here at hearth.com I was able to diagnose the problem and get a cheaper fix by ordering on line instead of Sears and made the repair myself.

Propane smell . . . only time I smell propane is when a burner (just one) doesn't ignite right away . . . all the other burners are electronic ignition and there is no smell. Other than that, all the other burners always light up right away . . . no smell in the home, food, etc.

Safety . . . NFPA states that you are more likely to have a a fire involving an electric range vs. gas range. Not sure if that is because more folks use electric ranges (and whether they took this into consideration) or whether it is due to the fact that when you turn on an electric stove top many times it takes a few seconds for the electric coil to start glowing vs. the instant flame of the gas fire and if you have food packaging, oven mitts, etc. on the stove on this burner you could have a fire -- another reason to always keep the stove top clean with everything except that which is cooking. Factor in the safety devices on a modern gas stove, electronic ignition, etc. and I feel these stoves can be as safe as electric stoves.

Moisture . . . Never noticed this . . . in fact I see more moisture in the house on a cold day while boiling spaghetti than I ever do running the stove for normal cooking. CO levels are also very low . . . low enough to not trip two nearby CO detectors in fact.


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## MasterMech (Oct 20, 2012)

We have an electric double oven (Maytag) and love it.  More so the double oven than the electric part.  Small oven pre-heats fast, nice for quick dinners.  Also can bake dessert while eating dinner! 



jharkin said:


> Smooth-top I will admit is the nicest electric Ive seen and not nearly as annoying as coils but still it takes a while to react and when something is boiling over or my saute pan got too hot I cant just turn it down and have it cool instantly - I have to take the pot off the burner. They retain heat a long time after being turned off. A real pain.


 


Highbeam said:


> Electric range sucks. I am now using a flat top and when trying to simmer a pot of chili the burners don't just go low as I set them, they cycle more or less frequently from on to off to produce a low average output. That sucks when you're trying to just simmer but not scorch the chili.


 
+1 on electric smooth-tops not being all that.  Cleaning is a pain as well.


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## firebroad (Oct 22, 2012)

Odd thing, I most definitely prefer gas for my range, but electric ovens seem to bake more evenly for me.


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## FanMan (Oct 22, 2012)

I'm in the process of converting our house from oil to propane heat now and plan to switch from electric to a gas range when we remodel the kitchen in a couple of years.  I prefer gas for all of the reasons mentioned above.  My wife isn't that enthusiastic probably because of the somewhat anemic 1950s vintage gas range in our cabin.  We had a glass top electric range a few years back and _hated_ it; not only was it slow to heat up (both the burners and the oven) but the construction left openings into the insulation and mice got in, after which the oven was useless because even after replacing the insulation I could never get the smell out.

I don't know how far you want to drive, but in Newington, CT (just SE of Hartford), there is a Sears warehouse where they sell scratched/dented, returns, floor models, and overstocks, often for around 30% off.  We've gotten several appliances there... who cares if there's a minor dent or scratch on the side up against the counter?


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## TMonter (Oct 24, 2012)

Another vote for the gas range/electric oven here. We do a lot of baking and canning (600+ quarts a year canning) and the control ease of use on a gas range is much better. That being said there is no substitute for the temperature control on an electric oven. If you don't have room for a separate oven, dual fuel is the way to go.

That being said one of my wife's friends has a Kenmore dual fuel for about a year now and loves it. I'm not sure who makes the Kenmore range but I would guess Whirlpool.


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## jebatty (Oct 24, 2012)

A small + for an electric smooth cook-top (no oven) is that it can be recessed into the counter-top, leaving about a 1/16" elevation above the counter-top. The result is endless counter-top, fully usable when not cooking, and a counter-top heat protective surface to set stuff on as it comes from the over, or a hot anything. If you're short on counter-top, this is a ++. That said, I prefer gas for cooking; just that we live rural and no gas available, electric our only option.


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## jharkin (Oct 24, 2012)

We are still researching.  We will get a gas cooktop for sure. We would prefer electric ovens but in reasonable priced 30" models I see a lot more options and much better prices for all gas.  My wife is the baker so I need to see whats she wants to do.

I signed up for consumer reports to read their recommendations and reviews and have also been reading te gardenweb appliance forum and reviews on AJ Madison.  CR rates GE as having the best reliability overall but the consumer reviews are mixed at best.  Our own experience with GE makes me leery. The higher end options like KithenAid get both poor CR ratings and bad reviews.

In a lot of reading I've now got my eye on some Frigidaire Gallery models. The prices are very reasonable, they second or 3rd in the CR reliability ratings and are the only models I can find with overwhelmingly positive consumer reviews on both CR and AJM.  There is a nice Gallery stainless gas range with 5 burner cooktop and double convection gas ovens for 1800 that gets all positive reviews and a CR commendation for under 1800 (same option with single oven 1600). You cant find anything in dual fuel much below 2500 which is a bit of a budget stretch.

We also have to go look at some of these in person.  I was reminded that there is a great Appliance outlet in Braintree that gets the same scratch and dent stuff FanMan mentioned. 

Decisions decisions.


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## jonwright (Oct 28, 2012)

Had gas. Now have induction. That is the shizzzznit. 

Only a problem if you have aluminum cookware. If its ferrous it will work. Cast iron is great on our stove. Decent stainless cookware is fine. 

The "burners" are smart in that if it doesn't detect a pannit will turn off. Also can detect a spillover and will shut off, too. 

Boil a gallon of water in under a minute. But. Requires a good circuit so if electricity is limited might be an issue. 

Regular electric is horrible and I've had that for a long time.  But choosing between gas or induction I'll pick induction every time now that I have one.

Double Electrox convection oven has been very good to us. Cooking with a meat probe has really made roast and other meats turn out perfectly.


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## ColdNH (Oct 30, 2012)

In the same boat here, our 15+ year old kenmore gas range thats running propane is on its last legs, only 3 of the four burners work correctly and correctly still takes 15 minutes to boil water???

problem here is that our dishwasher and fridge and overhead microwave are all the bisque color. wife wants ss of course. but the other appliances are no where near the end of their life. so its a waste of money to upgrade them all and id rather not have miss matching appliances.

regaurdless im looking for a 5 burner gas stove with convection for under a grand. sears has a fridgeair and a kenmore in the 900$ range. anyone know if these are decent brands?


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## firefighterjake (Oct 30, 2012)

ColdNH said:


> In the same boat here, our 15+ year old kenmore gas range thats running propane is on its last legs, only 3 of the four burners work correctly and correctly still takes 15 minutes to boil water???
> 
> problem here is that our dishwasher and fridge and overhead microwave are all the bisque color. wife wants ss of course. but the other appliances are no where near the end of their life. so its a waste of money to upgrade them all and id rather not have miss matching appliances.
> 
> regaurdless im looking for a 5 burner gas stove with convection for under a grand. sears has a fridgeair and a kenmore in the 900$ range. anyone know if these are decent brands?


 
As you probably know Kenmore is usually a rebadged brand from another company . . . if you do a google search for the particular model you can usually find out who actually builds it and then get an idea if it is good or not.


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## eclecticcottage (Nov 6, 2012)

semipro said:


> In the case of propane, they leave an unpleasant odor in the house.


 
As someone who has used electric, electronic iginition and now a standing pilot propane stove, this is NOT supposed to happen!  We have only smelled propane due to the stove for these reasons: #1) old electronic iginition hotpoint circa 1980's had some sort of malfunction in the oven (we blew through 20% of of a tank of propane in a 700ish pound tank using it TWICE).  I don't know what, but we hauled that hunk of junk to the scrapyard and replaced it with my beloved Floyd Wells.  #2) when someone doesn't light the match FIRST when lighting the oven and leaves the gas on while lighting the match.  I do NOT do this, I like the nice mellow swoosh when I light it by lighting the match first, then turning on the gas.  It's not as mellow the other way around, lol (it's not dangerous, like a mini explosion or anything, but it's a little more dramatic).


I already posted my opinion on the original post on Old House Web and I'm sticking to it :D


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## JeffRey30747 (Nov 12, 2012)

We have a 5 year old Jenn-Air double oven dual fuel range and have had no problems with it so far. There wasn't a matching Jenn-Air branded microwave hood for it at the time either but the Maytag unit (same parent company) did match. My wife loves it and I have always preferred to cook on a gas stovetop but have had less than stellar results with gas ovens. At the time we bought ours, it was available in white, black and stainless. Our kitchen appliances are all white.


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## ColdNH (Nov 12, 2012)

We ended up going with a samsung 5 burner gas/converted propane stove. was debating going offwhite/bisque to match the existing appliances or making the switch to stainless to stop the never ending bisque appliance cycle,  as you can see I chose to stop the cycle. now I need to replace the dishwasher, fridge (gd, those are $$$) counters, floors... never ending..

More then pleassed with the stove tho.


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## Corey (Nov 12, 2012)

IMHO, something is CLEARLY wrong with your oven.  It may hit the right temp, so the T-stat is OK... don't know if you've lost one leg of the 240V, have a loose connection, burnt out an element or two, but something is severely limiting the heat output.  No stove on the market is going to take an hour to warm up normally.  I don't know what exact model you have.  I have a GE Profile oven circa 2007, I doubt it take 5 minutes to warm up to 400ºF, so you might want to take a deeper look in your unit.  Even if you don't plan to keep it, a simple fix might boost the resale value quite a bit.

As far as cook top, I've actually become partial to my smooth top.  I like the way I can turn the burners on in stages depending on what size pot is on the stove.  I don't know how it stacks up 'on paper' for burner BTU's vs gas, but it seems a gas stove has quite a bit of heat going into the air and going around the pot.  With the smooth electric top, 99% of that heat goes into the pot.  I can put my hand on the cook top 2 inches away from a boiling pot of water and it's barely warm.  Very noticeable in the summer if you happen to have a couple burners going...you're really heating the pot, not the air and rest of the kitchen.  It also makes a very even heat...not like a gas burner where you get a ring of heat in the center and cooler edges.  When I brew, I actually put my 6 gallon pot on the 12" mega-burner for steeping and to get the wort boiling fast, then transfer outside to my gas burner for the rest of the boil.


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## jharkin (Nov 12, 2012)

Ok, I just went and timed the preheat.  Convection bake 350F...  12 minutes.

regular bake takes around 20 if I recall. 475 for a pizza takes 30+

From what Ive read this is normal for ovens with hidden bake elements.  Mostly we just want gas


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## Corey (Nov 13, 2012)

Matter of personal preference to be sure.  If you want gas, then by all means get a stove you like.

For grins, I just turned my oven on for a warm-up.  Room temp to 350ºF, 6 minutes, 3 seconds - I walked away for a minute and missed 400ºF.  The 'ready' beeper was chiming to signal 475ºF at 9 minutes, 55 seconds.  This oven does have the hidden element, but I've noticed it's also much better insulated than my old unit and this new one kicks on both the 'bake' and 'broil' elements for the warm-up, where I believe the old oven just used the bake element.


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## semipro (Nov 13, 2012)

Corey said:


> As far as cook top, I've actually become partial to my smooth top. I like the way I can turn the burners on in stages depending on what size pot is on the stove. I don't know how it stacks up 'on paper' for burner BTU's vs gas, but it seems a gas stove has quite a bit of heat going into the air and going around the pot. With the smooth electric top, 99% of that heat goes into the pot. I can put my hand on the cook top 2 inches away from a boiling pot of water and it's barely warm. Very noticeable in the summer if you happen to have a couple burners going...you're really heating the pot, not the air and rest of the kitchen. It also makes a very even heat...not like a gas burner where you get a ring of heat in the center and cooler edges. When I brew, I actually put my 6 gallon pot on the 12" mega-burner for steeping and to get the wort boiling fast, then transfer outside to my gas burner for the rest of the boil.


Voice of experience here: that kind of talk will get you "flamed" in this thread. 

Also, to those here that think you can't smell an open propane flame in your house; you're just used to the smell. Its called "odor fatigue". It happens with other gases such as hydrogen sulfide. I (and others) can tell the minute we walk into a house where they've been cooking or heating with propane. (not that you can do the 1st without the 2nd as Corey mentions). The only time I've experienced someone cooking with propane that I couldn't smell was because they were using some monster range hood. 

No combustion is 100% complete especially that of simple stovetop burner. The ethyl mercaptan added to propane is not fully burnt so some sulfur-like smells result.


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## jharkin (Dec 14, 2012)

Update:

I finally found a reputable plumber who could run the line for under a grand (tie into the existing 1" boiler line and run 35ft of 3/4 black pipe through a tiny crawl and up to the range location) and we are having it installed Monday.

Still cursing some previous owner who disconnected the original range line at both ends (and no plumber will take the liability of reusing it) rather than just capping it when they switched to elec. 

Range shopping to follow.


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## Highbeam (Dec 14, 2012)

jharkin said:


> Range shopping to follow.


 
We did a sears range shopping walk through and I was a bit disappointed. The cast iron grates above tthe burners have become a style and often there were parts that easily flexed and looked very weak. Keep an eye on the strength of these grates.

Then the prices were very high but we had limited out search to the dual oven models. We really like the idea of a small upper oven.


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## ColdNH (Dec 14, 2012)

Highbeam said:


> We did a sears range shopping walk through and I was a bit disappointed. The cast iron grates above tthe burners have become a style and often there were parts that easily flexed and looked very weak. Keep an eye on the strength of these grates.
> 
> Then the prices were very high but we had limited out search to the dual oven models. We really like the idea of a small upper oven.


 
We visited Best Buy, Sears, home depot and lowes, sears definitly had the best selection of ranges on the floor to choose from, but bestbuy by far had the best deals. YMMV


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## jharkin (Feb 20, 2013)

Update:


Its been a long time coming, but we are finally cooking with gas! We ended up changing our mind re: stainless and looking at a lot of brands including LG, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE, etc... but after seeing a lot of them in person and talking to the folks at a couple of appliance shops about repair rates we kept ending up back at GE.

Its a bit more expensive than the other options, but we love the looks and the controls are very familiar being pretty much the same as our old GE electric. We especially liked their stainless model because its not overpowering - rather than all stainless its mostly black with some stainless trim, and helps tie in our other mismatched appliances (black DW, Stainless fridge).

And best of all?

That bad boy will preheat to 500 in 10 minutes flat





We also got the matching profile over the range microwave to replace the 25 year old Modern Maid  I have to install that this weekend.


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## firebroad (Feb 21, 2013)

Congrats, Jeremy! I know you will be very happy 'cooking with gas'! Is it a dual fuel, with electric oven? I actually prefer an electric oven, it seems to bake more evenly.

I wish I had gas. Oh wait, I did the other night after that bean burrito...


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## jharkin (Feb 21, 2013)

Its an all-gas model.  We decided to splurge and get a double oven unit and there we very limited choices for double oven dual fuel units in standard 30 inch size.  The larger lower oven is convection and has all the modes (bake/roast/convection/etc). the upper over just has a temp dial and has the broiler.

I was surprised to find that though its technically "all gas"  the lower oven has an electric top element.

We are just delighted to be back to gas, we had gas for years in the various apartments we lived in before buying the house and its the one thing we wanted to do since the day we moved here.


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## jharkin (Feb 21, 2013)

We are especially excited to try out the built in center cast iron grill/griddle.  Which interestingly is made by lodge.


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## jharkin (Feb 23, 2013)

Well, I got the microhood in this morning.  Thought it would be a 45 minute job but it ended up taking twice as long.  It looks like the same idiots who did the electrical and plumbing around here installed the last microwave, and the rear vent was dumping into a roughly 12x6 inch jagged hole in the drywall, with no sealing around the short duct stub connecting to outside.  It must be a testament to how weak the previos microwave's vent fan was that th inside of the wall cavity was not coated with grease.  got it sealed up and venting outside OK for now but sometime I might pull it out and redo the entire duct.

Overall I am very pleased with the result.  It will be nice to have a real functioning exhaust for once.  The oven bakes so much better than the old one the Mrs already almost burned a couple things - we have to unlearn bad habits!


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## begreen (Feb 23, 2013)

The moment we moved into the house I pulled the drop in electric range. It was replaced with a new lower cabinet and a simple gas cooktop. This was 19 yrs ago and it is still going strong and trouble free. I put in a Kitchen Aid wall oven, which was ok, but not great. A few years back I changed it out for an Electrolux convection oven which is the bomb.


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