Because they can dramatically improve your day-to-day, appliances are not only the biggest financial investment you’ll make in your kitchen, they’re also the most critical. And the range is perhaps the most important of all. Choose one based on the needs of your life: Do you never have enough oven space? (Consider adding extra wall ovens!) Or are you always heating a cavernous oven in order to warm a small dish? (Get a model with a secondary smaller oven.) Choose wisely, and you'll never have to replace it. Here's how to pick the perfect range, oven, or cooktop.
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- Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets
- All About Induction
- Classic Range Sizes
- The Pros of Wall Ovens
- The Best Ovens To Shop
What Gadgets Do You Need?
- Induction Cooktop A magnetic field heats just the pot you’re cooking with, bringing water to a roaring boil in under two minutes.
- Convection- Steam oven The benefits of having both? The best roast chicken of your life: juicy from the steam and crispy from the quick-moving heat.
- Warming drawer For busy families or entertaining aficionados, this little add-on keeps food hot for mealtime. No microwave reheating is required.
- Convection oven With a fan to circulate hot air, it can cook food up to 25 percent faster than a standard oven.
- Built-in Sous Vide Hooked on this method of cooking vacuum-sealed food in a water bath? Signature Kitchen Suite offers the feature built into its cooktops.
- Extra Burners A 48" range can have up to eight gas burners, but most people opt for four burners in combo with other cooktop features.
- Griddle/Flattop An easy way to get bacon, eggs, and pancakes on the table fast—without dirtying any additional cookware. The less mess, the better.
Convection Steam Oven
If you’ve never cooked in one, sign up at a kitchen showroom to see what they can do. This Thermador model can create a full meal, without transferring flavors between dishes. thermador.com.
Integrated Burners
Pitt Cooking burners are installed directly into countertops for a seamless look. Space them far enough apart so you can make two pots of chili at one time. pittcooking.com.
A Faster Oven
Bake, broil, and microwave, or combine different cooking modes (like convection-microwave) to heat food in half the time. Professional Series Convection Speed Oven, $1,899 for 24". bertazzoni.com
What's the Deal With Induction?
While pulling out all the stops for dinner is worth it in the process, (Americans love playing with fire), not every home has access to natural gas utilities. If you have to stick with an electric range, take a cue from the Europeans and choose induction. In the past, they were prohibitively expensive. But now almost every manufacturer has a model for every price point. Induction cooktops are safer, faster, and offer more precise cooking than standard electric models.
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In order to activate the “burners,” an induction-friendly pot or pan has to be placed on it (and these days most cookware, from nonstick to stainless steel and cast iron, is made to work on induction). Since the connection is magnetic, no excess heat escapes—versus with gas cooking—so the pan heats up quickly and distributes heat evenly.
What Sized Range Is Best?
Modern ranges are customizable on multiple levels: Choose the number of burners, type of heat (induction for quick-boiling water, gas for serious searing power), one oven or two, and whether you want a warming drawer. It all depends on your cooking habits! Make it truly your own.
SMALL
Compact ranges can start at just 20" wide. The 24" models by Bertazzoni (above), Haier, and Smeg are perfect for small apartments. If you can’t spare the space, get a two-burner cooktop and a countertop oven. us.bertazzoni.com.
STANDARD
A 36" range, like this one from Fisher & Paykel, offers plenty of cooking surface and a single, large-capacity oven (that will generally fit a 3⁄4 sheet pan). This is the most popular size requested. fisherpaykel.com.
LARGE
Super-size ranges—best for serious cooks—can be up to 60" wide. Thermador’s 48" Pro Grand has an induction cooktop, six burners, a convection-steam oven, and an optional warming drawer. thermador.com.
In Defense of Wall Ovens
Triple Speed Oven 30'' Stainless Steel Oven
Triple Speed Oven 30'' Stainless Steel Oven
Perception: Wall ovens are a waste of space. Reality: Installing wall ovens allows you to skip the full range and just get a cooktop, freeing up those precious lower cabinets for extra storage underneath.
Plus, wall ovens are easier on your back—no more bending down to pull heavy pots and pans out of a range. Just add one, or get two of the same model, or top a single oven with a built-in coffeemaker, steam oven, speed-cook oven, or a microwave.
What Hood Should You Choose?
Smoke. Smells. Steam. The reality of cooking in a kitchen is that it quickly gunks up the air we breathe. That's why an excellent range hood--one that effectively and efficiently ventilates your kitchen—is non-negotiable. (Sure, you could just open the window while you sauté anything, but save for a few perfectly temperate days of the year that's either going to be freezing or make you extremely sweaty...and the oil smells will linger!) On the upside, contemporary range hoods come in every make and model imaginable, from nearly invisible to stylish and statement-making.
Custom
Custom hoods, like this brass-lined one from François & Co. featured in our 2019 Kitchen of the Year, can add a strong architectural statement.
Downdraft
Don’t want a hood over the island? This Zephyr downdraft has great perks and looks. The hood pops up to remove smoke and disappears when cooking is complete.
Invisible
Blending your hood into thesurrounding area can help it seem to “disappear.” Just use the same material that's on the walls—in this case, plaster.
Ready? Set? Start Shopping
Available in white, stainless, or black, and with four hardware finish options. Café 48" Smart Dual-Fuel Range with six burners and a griddle. $11,499. cafeappliances.com.
Features reverse gas grates for wok cooking. 48" Dual-Fuel Professional Range with four burners, grill, and griddle. $14,000. monogram.com.
Customize with any design you love. By Design 48" Platinum Range with an extra-large convection oven. $16,890. bluestarcooking.com.
A touch screen gives guided cooking instructions. 48" Professional Range Dual Fuel Range with five burners and an oversize griddle. $10,499. fisherpaykel.com/us.
Self-cleaning mode and storage drawers assist in kitchen cleanup. Majestic II 40" Freestanding Electric Range with smooth-top cooking and warming drawer. $8,999.perigold.com.
A triple-layer insulated glass panel door encapsulate heat which reduces energy usage. 48'' Professional Gas Burner/Electric Oven available in a gorgeous piano black. $5,399. premiumhomesource.com.
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I am the Market Director for House Beautiful. At any given point I’m searching for my next foodie and design-related travel adventure, drinking a nice pour of bourbon or a perfectly poured martini, or searching for my dream home in Mexico/North Carolina. My personal design style: lots of pattern, color and art on every surface.
