New ovens - anything special?

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
Eyeing possibly replacing our kitchen oven/stove if a good deal can be had this week.Nothing wrong w/ our old stove, kills me to think about replacing it, but now it's the only thing crème colored in the kitchen so it stands out badly. Plus it's probably 20+ years old.

Is there anything special about newer ovens to look for? Hard to believe oven technology has changed much. Just need a standard slide-in electric range (will do glass top). Our kitchen is small so we actually use the drawer underneath, and have a separate large microwave/convection oven combo (I know the big thing now is dual ovens).
 
My mom has a dual oven and loves the small portion because it heats up so quickly. Its all she uses. I'm a clean freak in the kitchen, and I love the glass top. Its amazing how durable they are. I've used several different brands, and they are all about the same. One thing to watch out for is the hot burner light. Mine has a light beside each burner knob, my in-laws has a little grid with a light for each quadrant, but my moms just has a light that says hot burner, but doesn't indicate which burner it is. Another thing is whether you want front controls or back controls. I've used both, and rear controls is more intuitive because its what I'm used to, but really doesn't make much difference (unless you have small kids).
 
Last edited:
While double ovens are cool, we don't need one. We have a large GE Profile microwave/convection oven combo, so the rare cases we need to do something small OR two at once we use that. We also use an aur fyer for quick things (side note - those are awesome) Also, I worry about being able to fit a large turkey in those ovens? Even the larger tray isn't that big.

Interesting point about the lights. My mom's glass top has a lit ring around the rings that stays on until it's no longer hot. I like that, it'a way more intuitive than just a light on the dashboard.
 
Ours replaced a toaster oven. Pizzas, breakfast burritos, anything in a casserole dish, etc, gets cooked in the upper oven. Perfect for keeping stuff warm, too.

The bottom oven is normal-sized, if a bit closer to the floor.

The microwave sits right across from the oven. All three get used.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Interesting point about the lights. My mom's glass top has a lit ring around the rings that stays on until it's no longer hot. I like that, it'a way more intuitive than just a light on the dashboard.
Click to expand...

I'll echo @jeepinmatt about the damn light.

When we bought our house it had the builder grade cheap faux stainless (also know as fawking grey paint) appliances by Frigidaire. Previous owners took the fridge and I was able to get a fee new side by side GE Profile through work at the time. So as shit has broke we have replaced it with the GE Profile stuff, that is pretty but garbage as well.

Anyway the stove has held up nicely so we have kept it to date. It has the single indicator light.
I cant tell you how many times Ive wanted to sit something non heat resistant on the stove but had the warning that "something" was hot...how do you determine which something is hot? Well you spit on them and see if they sizzle. But the couch isnt comfortable and the wife doesnt approve of spitting on the stove (Come one it gets hot enough to sterilize any bacteria) so you get to play the "how close can I get my hand without actually touching this burner..oh shit not that close" game
 
I cook with cast iron and do not like the glass tops. When I replace my oven I'll buy another with the old style electric eyes, even though they're getting harder to find.
 
We bought an Electrolux range when we had our house built three years ago. I has gas top, not sure about inside since I don't cook, at all. My wife loves it and it has been trouble free so far.
 
stay away from Frigidaire! our 3 year old Gallery range is shooting sparks when the timer is on. There was also a class action lawsuit for them coming on by themselves a few years back , I found that out after trying to figure out what was going on with mine.
 
I hate the glass top and won't have another one. The wife wanted one (her first) and I tried to tell her her ocd would be tested. Less than a year and she is sick of it. Everything makes it look dirty.
 
Whats your model number and Serial @Willc ?
PM me if you dont want to post it here.

That's my employer and if you got problems, I know who to talk to.
:popcorn:


Dave, you can get a double oven from Frigidaire that will fit your slide in spot. 36" I assume.
The top you could get induction if you like glass top, that way it doesnt get hot - it uses a magnet to heat up the cookware.

p.s. I prefer gas and have gas in my house but that's just me. I too use cast iron and don't want to risk smashing the top. Both induction and gas heat up with the most powerful burner at roughly the same rate though.
 
FGEF3041KFA
VP90245687
There you go . I have to turn it off at the breaker now because I do not trust it .

11/05/12 delivery date to the house according to paperwork
 
I really like my convection oven, I think that's a must-have if you really enjoy cooking. It cooks faster, better, more evenly.

Lorenzo816 said:
Both induction and gas heat up with the most powerful burner at roughly the same rate though.
Click to expand...

Energy wise, induction is more efficient at putting energy into cooking heat, and usually heats faster. I still like gas the best though. I can't blacken chilies on an induction range.

I would like one of those standalone induction burners for big pots....
 
Good point. Forgot about convection too. I have a microwave that has convection cooking as an option also. Tough to get past the habit of using regular microwave settings tho.

Dave, meant 30" .. my bad.
Here is what I was talking about:


Willc, one last question. Have you already called for support?
 
we where told there was only a year warranty. so looking at control boards now but with working out of town hard to replace it.
 
GotWood said:
I hate the glass top and won't have another one. The wife wanted one (her first) and I tried to tell her her ocd would be tested. Less than a year and she is sick of it. Everything makes it look dirty.
Click to expand...
Note to easily clean glass top. Easy Off oven cleaner. Spray it on before bed. Whipe it off in the morning. Clean it up with 409. Looks like new.

That being said, as soon as I have a house plumbed with gas, I'm getting a gas stove.
 
Bar keepers friend keeps the glass cook top looking new. And it's a lot easier to clean than the old style elements.
 
shawn said:
Don't. Electrics are better. Gas tops put out less heat.
Click to expand...

No, they just put less heat into the pan per BTU of burner output. The rest warms the house nicely. Our gas stove has 12k, 15k, and 20k BTU burners, and it's not even a DCS, BlueStar, Wolf, Viking, Bertazonni, etc, with semi-commercial burner output.

Once you have the low thermal latency of a gas stove, it's painful to use an electric that takes soooo long to change temperature.

Plus, if you use non-enameled cast iron, glass top stoves are a bad idea if you slide pans around while cooking.

It's most important to get something that suits your needs through, not my needs. ;)
 
Last edited:
Fabrik8 said:
Our gas stove has 12k, 15k, and 20k BTU burners, and it's not even a DCS, BlueStar, Wolf, Viking, Bertazonni, etc
Click to expand...

That's unusual. Most anything that's going to come from a box store and cost less than $1500 will have at least two (more likely three) burners that can't bring two quarts of water to a boil. Check the reviews, and you'll find lots of people changing out the jets to get decent heat out of them.
 
shawn said:
Most anything that's going to come from a box store and cost less than $1500
Click to expand...

Ah, there's the problem. I could see that happening with lower-end stuff, I didn't think about that. Same with lower-end glass tops too, I've used a bunch in spec houses that really struggle with the most basic stuff like boiling water. Most of the people that I know that buy gas stoves are going for the higher end stuff because they're food nerds, so thermal power isn't a problem. We actually use lids to boil water regardless, because it speeds up boiling no matter what kind of stove you have. Ours is just a Bosch (middle of the road price-wise in the market), we're not flush enough to buy the fancy stuff.
 
My stuff here is all Frigidaire. Came with the house. It's not awful but you definitely get what you pay for with appliances. My oven is a glass top. I'm still not sure I'm a fan of them, even after living in 3 different houses with them. I'm always paranoid of breaking them or scratching them. I've had good luck with a drill buffer and standard scratch remover getting anything major out.

My stove top here is a mess though. The previous owners must have never cleaned it and I can't get a lot of this junk off. I think it's like melted candy. I used a razor blade and still nothing. Also, the on light for my warming eye fell into the stove so I always forget it's on now.

If I had it my way, I'd have a double oven with gas stove top.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
My stove top here is a mess though. The previous owners must have never cleaned it and I can't get a lot of this junk off. I think it's like melted candy. I used a razor blade and still nothing. Also, the on light for my warming eye fell into the stove so I always forget it's on now.
Click to expand...

Try the good glasstop cleaners, and oven cleaner. If you try both, and neither works, you've really got something special bonded to that thing....
 
Double wall ovens with a gas cooktop here and would not change it. We've had regular stoves, glass top stoves, and induction cooktops and hands down gas all the way. Check Hendricks appliance in Shelby or Forest City before you purchase. We saved about $3000 when we built our house dealing with them for all our appliances.
 
Fabrik8 said:
Try the good glasstop cleaners, and oven cleaner. If you try both, and neither works, you've really got something special bonded to that thing....
Click to expand...
I'll give oven cleaner a shot. I've used all the best glasstop cleaners and had no luck. I was afraid to use oven cleaner on it.
 
Back
Top