Ranges - Finding the Right Kitchen Range
TYPE OF RANGE
Several factors need to be considered before purchasing a new range and among them, the most important decision is the type of range. There are four basic options from which to select:
Electric Ranges - Coil
Electric ranges are the most popular type and among them, the most widespread is the electric range with exposed electric coils on the top cooking surface. The reason this type of range is so popular can be generally summed up in one word: price. This type of range is the least expensive on the market. General Electric, Hotpoint, and a few other brands offer budget- priced electric ranges that easily fit within even the tightest budgets.
While electric coil ranges are great for those with little money to spare, they offer some distinct disadvantages and chief among them is cleaning. Keeping the oven clean is no different from other ranges, but keeping the cook top clean is a different story. Not only does one have to clean up splattered food and grease, they also must scrape burnt- on food off the coils and scrub out the drip pans underneath each coil. Often, the mess can get so bad that the drip pans have to be replaced completely. The clean- up process, alone, could discourage many potential buyers from purchasing this type of range.
Read Reviews of Electric Ranges
Electric Ranges - Smooth Top
These electric ranges are favored by many consumers due to their smooth surface. Smooth top electric ranges are more expensive than the coil electric ranges, but they offer many advantages that many feel makes them worth the added cost. The most important among them is the ease of cleaning. These electric ranges offer a smooth surface, with the coils hidden from view underneath the surface. Cleanup is easy because there is no need to remove and scrub drip trays or scrape burnt foods from the coils. All you have to do is wipe the surface clean.
Smooth top electric ranges are often more stylish, but there is one fact that may concern some consumers: You don't always know when the surface is hot. Smooth top ranges usually have a light that indicates when the surface is too hot to touch, but many people do not pay attention to this and may touch the surface unknowingly. If too little time has elapsed, the surface will often be hot enough to result in a blistering burn.
Read Reviews of Electric Ranges
Gas Ranges
Gas ranges operate by the use of natural gas. The gas is fed into the range from a natural gas supply and, since natural gas is flammable, it quickly ignites from the smallest spark. A pilot light is constantly lit inside most gas ranges, hidden from view. When the knob is turned, gas is slowly released underneath the burner. The pilot then ignites the gas, resulting in a hot, blue flame.
Gas ranges offer certain advantages that make them a better choice for certain circumstances. With a gas range, the heating is instantaneous because the flame appears immediately upon turning the knob. There is no waiting time for an electrical current to properly heat the coils to the desired temperature.
Gas ranges do have their critics and the main problems cited with gas ranges include their tendency to cook food less evenly than electric ranges, due to the placement of the open flame. The fact that gas ranges have an open flame is another concern to many consumers, not to mention the fact that natural gas is flammable and thus poses the risk of an explosive fire.
Convection/Gas Combination Range
This type of range offers the ability to cook via electricity or gas and it is a favorite among more serious cooks who want the best that both types of ranges have to offer, all in a single appliance. These combination ranges usually offer gas burners on the top surface and an electric convection oven. The electric convection in the oven is perfect for the meticulous chef because gas ovens, as mentioned above, do not always cook foods evenly. The use of electric convection eliminates this problem. Read
RANGE DESIGN
Freestanding
This is the most popular range design and it is the type that most homebuyers purchase. A freestanding range is exactly that- a range that is comprised of a full unit with four steel sides and that can be placed most anywhere provided there is ample space. Freestanding ranges are offered for electric- coil, electric- smooth top, gas, and combination styles.
Drop In
This type of range is also referred to as a slide-in range and, like its name suggests, it is dropped between two cabinets with the top of the range level with the surrounding countertop. This style of range does not have a rear console, and that means all of the controls are in the front. Some people like drop-in ranges because they like having all of the controls in front, within easy reach. Other consumers dislike the drop-in style because they like having the large, rear panel that can be seen from a distance. With the drop- in style, the viewing panel is parallel to the floor and cannot be seen unless a person is standing nearby, looking down at the panel. Drop-in ranges are also offered for electric-coil, electric-smooth top, gas, and combination styles.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Once the decision has been made between gas or electric; coil- electric or smooth top electric; etc., it is time to factor special features into the buying process. Some of the many features offered by different ranges include:
- Self- Cleaning: These ranges help save time by cleaning the oven themselves. They use intense heat to accomplish this task and while they cannot eliminate all cleaning, they are considered a must by many range buyers. Most all of the top-of-the-line ranges include a self cleaning oven and they are offered for electric, gas, or combination ranges. Read Reviews of Self- Cleaning Ranges
- Extra Cooking Surface: Most consumers are perfectly happy with four burners, but some want more and one special feature offered by some ranges is a fifth burner, located in the middle of the four burners. Some ranges offer more than just a fifth cooking surface- they offer a separate grill.
- Color Options: Ranges com in many different colors, but the most common are white, stainless steel, and black. Other color options are sometimes available, like yellow, olive green, and a few others. But the trend is toward offering only the three basics and some ranges are not even available in anything besides white, stainless steel, or black.
RELATED PRODUCTS
Kitchen Cook Tops
For those who have limited space, do not need an oven, or have a separate oven already in their kitchen, a cook top might be all that is necessary or needed to complete the kitchen setup. A cook top is nothing more than a set of burners built into the kitchen counter top. Cook tops are sometimes sold in mini, two- burner versions but most cook tops have four burners. They are offered in both gas and electric versions, and the electric versions can be coil or smooth top. Read Reviews of Kitchen Cooktops
Kitchen Hoods
To improve kitchen décor and functionality, many consumers add a kitchen hood directly above their kitchen range. Kitchen hoods have different features, but most all of them offer at least two basics: A light and a fan. The fans on kitchen hoods are usually exhaust- like fans that pull the warm steam from the surface of the kitchen range or cook top and then disperse it into the kitchen via slotted openings at the top of the kitchen hood. This helps get the hot steam away from the immediate area, making cooking a little more bearable. In the more sophisticated kitchen hoods, the exhaust fan action is taken a step further by sending the hot steam completely out of the kitchen; often outdoors via a chimney- like tube that forces the warm air outside. Read Reviews of Kitchen Hoods
THE BOTTOM LINE
The most basic decision to make when buying a range is the type of range desired. You'll also want to consider its design and what will be most functional for your home. Special features are common with kitchen ranges and there are many different options to consider. Self-cleaning is the most commonly requested extra feature, but some also like having an additional cooking surface, electric countdown timers, startup timers, etc.
Kitchen ranges are an important part of any food preparation area, but with a little prior planning, selecting the right range for your family needs can be painless and sometimes it can even prove to be fun. Deciding between gas and electric is the fundamental decision to make. After that, it's a matter of finding the range you like best with the sharpest styling and the desired features. In no time at all, you can be heating and baking food like a professional.
Read Reviews of Kenmore Ranges
Read Reviews of General Electric Ranges
