In the market for a new kitchen range? Read on and get ready to cook like a pro!
So. Many. Options. We’ve all been there, pointlessly staring vacantly at our screens. We’re at our wit’s end, and the all too familiar distractions of anything-but-this are starting to creep in. We get it—you’re trying to digest, and decipher all of the options that are now available on modern cooking ranges.
Which is the best cooking range? What is freestanding, and why do I care about slide-ins? Do I give up, and call my mother for help? Do I throw darts at a board, and hope I hit what I need?
What do I need? Why do I need it?
When it comes to shopping for kitchen appliances, choosing the best cooking range is crucial. Your range is a pivotal piece of kitchen equipment that will ensure a flawless cooking experience from meal prep to plating. Whether you only cook on special occasions or you prepare the nightly gourmet dinner, a new range is one of the most useful investments you can make for your kitchen space.
Your range is a very versatile cooking appliance—it combines a common stovetop with an oven in one single appliance. This provides a sleek and convenient way to boil, fry, bake, and broil all your favorite meals. Even if you only need to reheat some leftovers, a cooking range makes the most out of every meal. There are plenty of options and features to consider when shopping for the range to best suit your needs, and that's why East Coast Appliance offers ranges in a variety of sizes, styles, and fuel types to fit any kitchen.
As you begin your search for the best kitchen range, you’ll discover features designed with the cook in mind. You can prepare family favorites quickly and easily with features like convection, induction, and Air Fry, or control your range from your smartphone or tablet with smart appliance features.
Whether you're replacing, upgrading, or remodeling, before purchasing a new kitchen range, follow our latest buying guide so you can make an educated and informed decision when scouring through the great appliance options and features.
Items to Consider
Type
The three main options to consider for cooking ranges are freestanding, slide-in, and built-in.
Freestanding ranges are easy to install and the most widely sold of all range types. You'll typically see the oven controls on the back panel above the surface of the cooktop.
Slide-in ranges allow for a custom, built-in look that blends seamlessly between surrounding cabinetry. The oven controls are located on the front of the range and there is no back panel—drawing more attention toward your kitchen backsplash.
Built-in ranges are commonly dropped into custom cabinetry that includes a front panel where the cookware storage drawer is located.
Size
Kitchen ranges come in a variety of sizes to adapt to your cooking needs. Common gas and electric range sizes are 30 inches wide. Pro-style ranges can begin at 30 inches and climb to 48 inches with custom configurations such as additional burners and ovens, and add-ons like griddles or woks. Even most smaller range sizes are still large enough to feature one high-power burner and a dedicated simmer burner.
Capacity
Do you need a larger cooking appliance for baking for your kids or whipping up appetizers for game night? If you’re an avid baker or entertainer, a roomy and spacious oven will come in handy. When shopping for a new range, be sure to measure the space you can actually use—not the space below the rack position. This also introduces the option of how many ovens you desire—one or two? Many ranges come in single or double-oven configurations with the smaller oven on top and the larger oven located below.
Double oven ranges are a great option if you want to roast two different foods at different temperatures. If you need to warm some leftover pizza as a pre-dinner snack, you can use the smaller oven on top to save time on preheating, and still access the bottom oven to prepare your main course.
Which Fuel Type or Configuration Is Right for You?
There are four popular types of ranges:
electric,
gas,
and
dual fuel
(which pairs a gas cooktop with an electric oven), and
induction.
Let's take a look at all four configurations.
Electric Range
Ranges with a smooth and radiant electric cooktop are always a popular choice. Many electric models have high-power burners with expandable dual or triple cooking elements that allow you to switch from a large cooking element to a smaller, lower-power element within it. You may even find a warming element in the center of the range to keep side dishes warm while you prepare the entree.
Electric ranges are quick to heat up up-top and their ovens produce an even and consistent heat. They are easy to install if you have a sufficient power outlet (240-volt), they are easy to clean, and they are the safest of the three options.
Gas Range
If you’re an inspiring home chef, you might enjoy the versatility and accuracy provided by the open flame of a gas cooking range. The flame makes it easier to control the heat and provides a certain level of sensory feedback that you won’t find in an electric model. Most gas ranges have four to five burners of different sizes, typically with four main cooking burners and one side burner for simmering or reheating.
Response time is far quicker on a gas cooking range—when you turn the dial to lower the heat from “high” to “medium,” your cookware and the food inside will experience that change almost immediately. Depending on your appliance model and natural gas rates in your area, gas-powered appliances can also be cheaper to operate and more energy-efficient, using less energy to transfer heat directly to your food. Waiting for your appliances to heat up can be an ongoing frustration, and gas ovens certainly have the advantage with a faster preheat speed as specialized vents on the sides of the appliance introduce heat into the oven.
Dual Fuel Range
A dual fuel range is the best of both worlds, combining the benefits of a gas cooktop and electric oven for a unique experience. Serious cooks prefer gas because they can explore more cooking techniques with responsive temperature control, and bakers are likely to be fans of electric appliances because the heat source is dry and is distributed evenly. If you’re a fan of both, this is where dual fuel comes in.
A dual fuel option provides improved heat distribution, fast pre-heating, controlled heat source, fast-cooling burners, and potential cost savings. You don’t have to sacrifice your love of baking or your desire to experiment with new cooking techniques like roasting, charring, or flambéing—you can channel every one of your culinary aspirations with the right dual fuel range.
Induction Range
Induction ranges allow you to cook at the highest and lowest temperatures. Instead of transferring heat to your food, induction cooktops use magnetic coils below the ceramic glass surface to send heat currents directly to the cookware or heating vessel. You can prepare meals faster than ever and boil or simmer steadily. You have ultimate control over your meal and your appliance because changes in temperature are immediate.
Induction is a safe, easy-to-clean, and energy-efficient cooking model that allows for versatility and consistency in the kitchen.
Features to Consider
If you aren’t sure what features you’ll use most often, keep it simple. Here are some resourceful features to keep an eye out for:
- Double ovens
- Oval burners
- Hot surface warning lights
- Convection
- Broil
- Delayed start
- Quick boil
- Self-clean
- Corner-to-corner grates
Appliance Recap
When it comes to choosing the right kitchen range, the first question to consider is fuel type: gas vs electric, or dual fuel vs induction?
We know that gas ranges deliver precise heat control and consistent temperatures on the cooktop. Electric ranges heat quickly and the air is distributed evenly throughout your dish. Dual fuel offers a hybrid approach that takes features of both gas and electric models, and induction ranges can offer an innovative and energy-efficient option if you’re looking for fast heating. And because they don’t use flames or direct heat, induction ranges are considered a safer choice.
You can typically find a convection setting on any of these range models, as well. Convection uses fans to blow a burst of super-charged hot air throughout your oven so your meal can cook evenly and in less time. And if you frequently prepare large meals and need additional cooking space, don’t forget to consider double oven ranges in any of these configurations.
Range Brands to Keep an Eye On
GE
A GE range is an excellent choice if you need a large cooking surface with plenty room for pots and pans. High heat for fast boiling quickly prepares your meal so it’s ready to serve.
GE Profile
Electric ranges from GE Profile are easy to operate and easy to clean. The large cooking surface wipes away effortlessly and cookware fits perfectly on the flexible heating element.
Frigidaire
A kitchen range from Frigidaire allows you to get meals on the table faster with a large capacity oven that provides additional space to cook more dishes at once.
Frigidaire Gallery
Frigidaire Gallery ranges offer faster, more even baking results and healthier cooking options so you can enjoy a nutritious meal without a mad-dash to the finish line.
Samsung
A gas range from Samsung provides the ultimate cooking flexibility so you can bake a casserole, boil water, and simmer a pot of homemade sauce all at the same time.
What Next?
Before purchasing a range, make sure you have the right amount of space allotted for it. Measure first, measure again, measure a third time, and then buy your new appliance. Along with the size of your new appliance, measure the walkway or kitchen opening to be sure the range will fit.
If you have any questions or you want to explore any of our range options further, give us a call or visit us at East Coast Appliance to shop our entire line kitchen appliances.