A Short Guide To Cooktops And Ranges
More households are looking for top notch appliances to deliver a beautiful home cooked meal & look good doing it. The question of "gas or electric" is out the door as many variations of ranges are on the market, including induction, free standing & double ovens.
Features & Attributes
When shopping for your next range, the size of your kitchen should be at the forefront of your mind---if your kitchen is on the smaller size, it would be wise to purchase a range with multiple features, such as a convection oven & a griddle, to efficiently use your space. If you have a larger kitchen and are willing to dedicate more space to your range, a professional range at 36" or bigger could be a great dynamic add.
There are many elements to a range that can make all the difference in your cooking experience; we have rounded up some of our favorite traits in a great range-take a look & see what stands out to you!
Hot-surface Light & Electronic Touchpad
A hot-surface light is imperative for safety for you and your family. Some units have range wide lights, while others have burner specific lights--this keeps you aware of the surface temperature of the range, thus helping cut down on burns & accidents. An electronic touchpad is a slick & user friendly control that we have seen great success in homes with. It's visible when you cook & can be easily manipulated to meet your specific & unique cooking needs, dish to dish.
Self-Cleaning Cycle
This option turns on a very high heat cycle that is meant to clean up spills and spatter from your oven walls and floor. Most units have an automatic lock that won't release until the oven has cooled to a reasonable temperature. This is a hot commodity feature and makes cleaning easier on the user.
Types of Ranges
You will find three different types of ranges in residential kitchens; gas, electric & dual-fuel (a gas cooktop is fused with an electric oven). There are freestanding ranges and others that are installed right into your countertops. Slide-in ranges can easily slide between your surrounding cabinets.
Electric Ranges
Electric ranges work by having electric coils heat a ceramic-glass surface, which in turn transfers heat to your pot of spaghetti or pan of chicken. We like the smooth top of an electric range for cleaning up spills & the sleek look they offer in homes.
Most electric ranges offer elements that allow you to swap between high powered and lower powered elements & also a panel that can connect two elements together to allow for griddle or odd shaped pans to cook.
Induction Ranges
Induction Ranges are newer to the residential kitchen design & are becoming a top choice for cooks. They have a magnetic coil below the ceramic-glass cooktop & look quite similar to an electric cooktop, but the cooktop stays cool to the touch. Induction ranges heat quite quickly and offer precise control for cooking various dishes.
Induction ranges come up high on our recommendation, but can be pricey & you need magnetic cookware to cook with this type of range. With the "heat" element removed from the surface of the stove comes less room for injury & accidents & with the slick look, we can't get enough of it.
Gas Ranges
Gas ranges let you move quickly from high to low heat settings & many cooks love the overall elements a gas range offers. Viking offers high-end gas ranges that will set any cook up for success.
If you are looking to install a new range, research is a must along with evaluating your cooking habits to find the best option for you and your family. Is entertaining an important aspect of your kitchen life? Maybe a double oven is a good option for you! Do you have a large family where a traditional range at 30" won't cut it? Maybe a professional size range at 36" is a better fit!
