Consumer Reports: Ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens

Choices can be confusing, but you don't have to spend top dollar for impressive performance with high-end touches

If you're in the market for a range, you're faced with several choices. You can buy a freestanding range that combines a cooktop and oven. The oven can be equipped with a convection feature. If you have access to a gas hookup, you need to decide whether you want gas, electricity, or a combination of the two. All of these choices bring innovations and upgrades as competition among manufacturers heats up.

Electric ranges now include traditional coil and newer smoothtop models where the heating elements are below a ceramic glass surface. Both types offer quick heating and the ability to maintain low heat levels.

Gas ranges use burners, which typically don't heat as quickly as electric elements, despite increasingly higher power--measured in British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr.). Even the highest-powered burners tend to heat more slowly than the fastest electric coil elements, sometimes because the heavy cast-iron grates that typically come with them slow the process by absorbing some of that heat. But you can see how high or low you are adjusting the flame, and you can instantly shut off the burners.

You'll also see more high-end or "professional-style" gas ranges with beefy knobs; heavy cast-iron grates; thick, stainless-steel construction; and four or more high-powered burners. These high-heat behemoths can easily cost $2,000 or more and typically require a special range hood and blower system, along with special shielding and a reinforced floor in some applications. But because the look is so popular, you'll find a growing number of stoves that include stainless trim and other pro-style perks for far less.

Shared characteristics between electric and gas ranges are also a growing trend. Some gas models have electric warming zones. Convection features are available on both gas and electric ranges. More and more manufacturers are offering dual-fuel gas ranges, which pair a gas cooktop with an electric oven. These cost about $1,000 and up.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

GE, Kenmore (sourced from others), Frigidaire, Maytag, and Whirlpool are the leading makers of ranges, cooktops, and wall ovens. Other major brands include Amana, Jenn-Air, and KitchenAid. Mainstream brands have established high-end offshoots, such as Kenmore Elite, GE Profile, and Whirlpool Gold. High-end, pro-style brands include Bosch, Dacor, DCS, GE Monogram, KitchenAid Pro-Line, Thermador, Viking, and Wolf.

Freestanding range. These ranges can fit in the middle of a kitchen counter or at the end. Widths are usually 20 to 40 inches, although most are 30 inches wide. They typically have oven controls on the backsplash. Slide-in models eliminate the backsplash and side panels to blend into the countertop, while drop-ins rest atop toe-kick-level cabinetry and typically lack a storage drawer. Most mainstream ranges now include a self-cleaning feature and--for gas models--sealed burners, which keep crumbs from falling beneath the cooktop. Price range: $250 to $1,500.

Pro-style range. Bulkier than freestanding ranges, these gas models can be anywhere from 30 to 60 inches wide. Larger ones include six or eight burners, a grill or griddle, and a double oven. Many have a convection feature, and some have an infrared gas broiler. While you usually don't get a storage drawer, more pro-style stoves now include a self-cleaning oven and sealed burners. Price range: $2,500 to $8,000.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

On all ranges. Look for easy-cleaning features such as a glass or porcelain backguard, instead of a painted one; seamless corners and edges, especially where the cooktop joins the backguard; a warming drawer for convenience; six or more oven-rack positions for flexibility; and a raised edge around the cooktop to contain spills. Note, though, that a range's usable capacity may be less than what manufacturers claim, because they don't take protruding broiler elements and other features into account.

On electric ranges. Consider where the controls are located. Slide-in ranges have the dials to the front panel, while freestanding models have them on the backguard. Some models locate controls to the left and right, with oven controls in between, giving you a quick sense of which control operates which element. But controls clustered in the center stay visible when tall pots sit on rear heating elements.

Coil elements, the most common and least expensive electric option, are easy to replace if they break. On an electric range with coil elements, look for a prop-up top for easier cleaning, and deep drip pans made of porcelain to better contain spills and ease cleaning.

Spending $200 more will buy you a smoothtop model; most use radiant heat.

Some smoothtops have expandable elements--also called dual elements--which allow you to switch between a large, high-power element and a small, low-power element contained within it. Some smoothtops also include a low-wattage element for warming plates or keeping just-cooked food at the optimal temperature. Some have an elongated "bridge" element that spans two burners--a nicety for accommodating rectangular or odd-shaped cookware. And many have at least one hot-surface light--a key safety feature, since the surface can remain hot long after the elements have been turned off. The safest setup includes a dedicated "hot" light for each element.

Most electric ranges have one large, higher-wattage element in front and one in back. An expanded simmer range in some electric models lets you fine-tune the simmer setting on one element for, say, melting chocolate or keeping a sauce from getting too hot.

On gas ranges. Most gas ranges have four burners in three sizes, measured in British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr.): one or two medium-power burners (about 9,000 Btu/hr.), a small burner (about 5,000 Btu/hr.), and one or two large ones (about 12,500 Btu/hr.). We recommend a model with one or more 12,000 Btu/hr. burners for quick cooktop heating. On a few models, the burners automatically re-ignite.

For easier cleaning, look for sealed burners. Gas ranges typically have knob controls; the best rotate 180 degrees or more. Try to avoid knobs that have adjacent "off" and "low" settings and that rotate no more than 90 degrees between High and Low.

Spending more gets you heavier either grates made of porcelain-coated cast iron or a sleek ceramic surface--also called gas-on-glass--and stainless-steel accents, along with a low-power simmer burner with an extra-low setting for delicate sauces (though other burners often are capable of simmering).

On pro-style ranges. These models have six or more brass or cast-iron burners, all of which offer very high output (usually about 15,000 Btu/hr.). The burners are usually non-sealed, with hard-to-clean crevices, though sealed burners are appearing on some models. Large knobs are another typical pro-style feature, as are continuous grates designed for heavy-duty use. The latter, however, can be unwieldy to remove for cleaning.

A self-cleaning cycle uses high heat to burn off spills and splatters. Most ranges have it, although many pro-style gas models still don't. An automatic door lock, found on most self-cleaning models, is activated during the cycle, then unlocks when the oven has cooled. Also useful is a self-cleaning countdown display, which shows the time left in the cycle.

Higher-priced ranges often include convection, which uses a fan and, sometimes, an electric element to circulate heated air. Consumer Reports tests have shown that this mode cut cooking time for a large roast and, in some cases, baked large cookie batches more evenly because of the circulating air. But the fan can take up valuable space. A few electric ovens have a low-power microwave feature that works with bake and broil elements to speed cooking time further.

Another cooking technology, called Trivection, uses regular thermal heating, convection, and microwave energy to cut cooking time. Trivection is available in some top-of-the-line GE Profile and Monogram ranges and some Kenmore models. Though very good overall, Trivection is very pricey.

A variable-broil feature in some ranges offers adjustable settings for foods such as fish or thick steaks that need slower or faster cooking. Ranges with 12-hour shutoff turn off automatically if you leave the oven on for that long. But most models allow you to disable this feature. A child lockout allows you to disable oven controls for safety.

Manufacturers are also updating oven controls across the price spectrum. Electronic touchpad controls are common. A digital display makes it easier to set the precise temperature and keep track of it. A cook time/delay start lets you set a time for the oven to start and stop cooking; remember, however, that you shouldn't leave most foods in a cold oven very long. An automatic oven light typically comes on when the door opens, although some ovens have a switch-operated light. A temperature probe, to be inserted into meat or poultry, indicates when you've obtained a precise internal temperature.

Oven windows come in various sizes. Those without a decorative grid usually offer the clearest view, although some cooks may welcome the grid to hide pots, pans, and other cooking utensils typically stored inside the oven.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Think about your cooking. If you often cook for a crowd, look for at least one high-powered element or burner and a large oven. Indeed, you'll find more midpriced gas ranges with the ultrahigh heat once exclusive to pro-style stoves. High-heat burners can be useful for searing, stir-frying, or heating large quantities.

Ranges with convection can speed roasting a little. Models that excelled in broiling produced burgers seared on the outside and cooked quickly and evenly.

Consider the fuel. If you have a choice of electric or gas, decide whether you want the fast response and visual feedback of a gas flame or the simplicity of electric burners. Either type is capable of very good performance. Or you could opt for a dual-fuel range.

Balance convenience and durability. Electric smoothtops are pretty easy to clean, but they require a special cleaner. They can be damaged by a dropped pot or sugary liquids. Coil-tops aren't as susceptible to such harm, but they require more cleaning time.

Keep high-tech in perspective. Ranges with special baking modes may not outperform conventional models. Touchpad oven controls are more precise than knobs. But front-mounted touchpads can be bumped and reset by accident.