Gas Range - starting some research

Cooking Discussions Cookware
#1

Hi all,
I’ve been using an electric range for years and I HATE IT. I keep saying one of these days that I will get a gas range again, but I’m intimidated by (1) not sure if there’s a gas line to the house and (2) how to figure out what to get. I thought I’d ask y’all for help with the latter.
Do you have one that you are happy with? Tell me about it.
How would I decide whether I also want a gas oven, or I should get one of those combo gas top/electric oven ones?
What else would you look at to figure this all out?

Ultimately, I don’t have a huge kitchen, so 2 ovens is out. Also, I wouldn’t be looking at anything above a standard size, nor anything superpowered (OP as the kids say). I don’t cook for a living.

Thank you.

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#3

I have a Viking gas cook top which is pretty nice, but it’s my second Viking with ignition problems. You hear clicking when it is struggling to ignite. It has six powerful burners and requires a serious hood, but it might be the most important thing in my kitchen besides me ( :smile:) .

I have a separate Dacor electric oven, and I prefer the electric oven because it has a cleaning cycle, not that I ever use it.

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#4

Before you get too concerned with a brand, find out if it is even feasible to use a gas stove in your house. No sense finding the ideal stove only to find no way to connect it in your house

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#5

Yes. That’s smart. I believe there was a a gas line at the street and it may just need to be run to the house from there. So cost and logistics but not impossible…

#6

My brother found himself in a similar situation a couple of years ago when he completely renovated his kitchen (he’s in Westchester, specifically Mamaroneck). What was supposed to be an easy connection to the gas line turned out to be a mini-nightmare for him and his family that dragged on for weeks…and they were supposed to host us all for Thanksgiving. They ended getting a pre-cooked meal.

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#7

Excellent point. Here’s our experience to illustrate. Connection requests and upgrades are more involved than I thought.

We had a natural gas powered standby generator installed a few weeks ago because the electricity goes out so frequently here.

Upon town inspection of the generator installation, we learned that we needed to look into an upgrade to the gas line that already supplies our house. (Technical term is relay for capacity.)

We’re now a few weeks into working with National Grid on the various steps. After our town returns the permit to the utility company, I have been told the general timeframe is 8-10 weeks until installation. The gas line is in a location that means the installers will have to dig through part of the asphalt parking pad/driveway in front of the house.

We were not expecting our project to morph into a mini Big Dig, but there you have it. Ultimately the pain will be worthwhile because without a standby generator we would have been challenged to ride through electricity outages four times over the last month. Extremely disruptive when working from home, so that’s why we took the plunge.

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#8

You might consider an induction range if it turns out installing a gas line is too expensive, too complicated or will take too long.

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#9

Oh no! I better be serious then about verifying my possible connection.

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#10

Well, all I can say is - I will do my homework regarding connection. In the meantime, if you have any good/useful information about gas range brands or models, please do share. I’d love to have this info to look through while I figure out the other.

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#11

Do you have an existing exhaust hood over your electric stove? Also consider whether that will need an upgrade.

Running the gas line from the street shouldn’t be that big a deal, my mom had that done for a new furnace a few years ago and it was minimally invasive, no big trench in the yard or anything. The gas company wants to sell you gas, after all :slight_smile:

#12

I do have a hood. It blows everything out into the yard.

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#13

Bump. I have the $ and I have a nearby gas line. Please share your research or experience with gas ranges-combo electric oven. Thanks!

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#14

Since no major responses have popped up yet, I’ll make a minor one to say that from my own point of view (cooking and baking using gas vs electric, not regarding ownership) I think your choice of combo gas/electric seems like it really should provide the best and easiest food preparation.

#15

I have a GE Cafe gas range with with two ovens that I love. Not sure if it comes in a dual fuel model but I have no issues with the gas ovens. This model: https://www.cafeappliances.com/appliance/Cafe-30-Smart-Slide-In-Front-Control-Gas-Double-Oven-Range-with-Convection-CGS750P4MW2

The smaller top oven heats up in a snap and is perfect for my everyday cooking (roasting a single sheet pan of vegetables, etc.). Lower oven is spacious enough for a big turkey. The 21K BTU power burner is fantastic and the wide-spaced arrangement of the burners means I can actually use all 6 at once if necessary.

#16

Thank you. A friend on facebook also recommended the GE Cafe series. That’s 2 votes for that company, which makes it a front runner :slight_smile:

#17

My gas range doesn’t come with an electric oven, but I do use a counter-top Breville Smart Oven, which is electric. I’ve bought this as an upgrade because it can roast a whole chicken, and of course I’ve yet to ever roast a whole chicken in there in the last 2+ years - I just use my regular gas oven (but that’s a whole other story). I do like the electric oven much better as I don’t always feel like I’m in danger of setting my kitchen on fire like with the gas stove. The big oven is for Thanksgiving, other special occasions, or when I don’t want to have to bake 20 batches of 8 cookies each time. The plus with the counter-top Breville is also it’s a toaster oven and air-fryer too, but I guess convection and perhaps air frying are now common features in new ovens?

I have a 7 yr old GE gas range and I much prefer the gas from using electric stove tops (my last 2). I use a wok though, and that requires bare minimum a gas range, in my opinion, for any decent “wok hei”. Never had any real issues, except I find the metal grates to be a pain to clean because the metal isn’t completely smooth. I haven’t scratched any pots or pants that I really care about, but that could be an issue if you care about this. I too have the occasional “click click click” and it won’t light, but it’s few and far between. I just stop and re-try and it’s fine. I’m more concerned with hot coils or hot surfaces and my cats accidentally stepping on it if they jump up on it when they are naughty.

#18

Thanks. I’m pretty set already on the idea of a gas range and mostly set on a combo unit that also includes an electric oven. Now just really looking for experience with particular makes and models.

I’ve also been using electric everything (dozen years now) and have finally decided to treat myself, given how much more often I’m cooking.

#19

I looked for something that’s similar to my vintage Wedgewood- gas, open burner, no electronics, good quality build. Settled on a Bluestar RCS with open burners, convection oven with good IR broilers. Not quite exactly the same as what you are looking for when it comes to the oven. It is, however, built like a tank. No electronics in the range so there is no failing electronic circuitboard down the road. Not even a clock.

Its actually pretty hard to find such a stove. Price aside, I believe Wolf has only sealed burners. This year’s Thermadors all have electronic circuitboards. So Bluestar it is for me.

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#20

We have had dual fuel ranges for the past 20 years or so. Definitely the way to go. I would recommend
looking for controls to be on the back of the stove or on the flat top but not in the front.
Not being the tallest person in the house, leaning in for the back burners or cleaning can be a pain.

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#21

“On the back” means on a vertical panel (or slanted) behind the burners, right?

And “on the front” means above the oven door? Why not there? Too easy to move them by accident?

“Food is a pretty good prism through which to view humanity.”

― Jonathan Gold