February 2008
Ranges add new features
DOUBLE COOKER GE's PB970SM smoothtop range features two ovens.
If it's been a while since you shopped for a range, you'll find that they're becoming more and more like microwave ovens.
Some ranges now have a second, upper oven designed for pizzas and snacks.
Maytag's Gemini range debuted the dual-oven concept a decade ago. Sales have recently surged as more brands woo busy families juggling different schedules and empty nesters who want a smaller oven most of the time and a larger one for holidays.
We put 66 ranges through the gamut of our cooking tests. Some of the best cost the least and include more work-saving features. But several new models left our testers cold. Our range versus microwave cook-off also revealed that some microwave features might not be all they're cracked up to be.
Ranges steal from microwaves. Two-oven ranges from GE and Jenn-Air are the newest to the table. GE's $1,750 smoothtop did well in our tests and includes a microwave-inspired pizza setting for the upper oven, which yielded crispy pies and faster preheating time. But Jenn-Air's even pricier, $2,150 two-oven gas range proved only mediocre at quick heating, baking, and broiling.
Jenn-Air's new smoothtop electric JER8885RA and JES8850BA ranges also borrow a leaf from microwave ovens with preprogrammed
cooking and a recipe-recall button that stores temperatures and cooking times. But like the company's dual-oven models, both
are pricey, and Jenn-Air has been a repair-prone brand of electric ranges in our surveys.
New names, so-so cooking. Better-known for low-priced furniture, Ikea now sells a smoothtop electric range made by Whirlpool that costs just $600. But mediocre cooktop heating speed and oven broiling kept Ikea's new Hemkar model among the also-rans in our tests. LG's first, $1,300 gas range proved no faster at cooktop heating and was judged only fair in our broiling tests.
How to Choose
You can get top performance and even stainless-steel trim on $500 ranges. Our CR Quick Picks list tested gas and dual-fuel and electric ranges (both available to subscribers) that combine impressive cooking with good value and brand reliability. To decide which model is right for you:
Choose the right type. Serious chefs prefer gas cooktops for the quick response and visual confirmation of a cooktop flame. But electric elements generally heat faster and perform better overall. Dual-fuel ranges combine a gas cooktop and electric oven, though they have offered no advantages in our tests. Slide-in ranges come without sides so they can mount flush with surrounding counters. But slide-in ranges typically cost more than freestanding models.
Buy the right features. Look for continuous grates, which make it easier to slide heavy pots across burners. For electric smoothtop models, opt for expandable elements, which can better accommodate larger cookware when you activate their outer rings.
Think twice about pro-style. With their stainless-steel construction and available 36-inch widths, these ranges often star in shelter magazines and real-estate listings. But designers tend to like them better than our testers do. What's more, our readers have reported high repair rates in past surveys for several professional-style brands.
Consider slow-cooking with care. A slow-cook feature, found on GE's dual-oven ranges, targets working parents and other busy homeowners who might otherwise use a slow cooker to prepare dinner while they're at work. Our oven tests showed that ranges with this feature kept cooking temperatures high enough to cook thoroughly. But for safety's sake, we advise against leaving any appliance on when you aren't at home.
Maytag's Gemini range debuted the dual-oven concept a decade ago. Sales have recently surged as more brands woo busy families juggling different schedules and empty nesters who want a smaller oven most of the time and a larger one for holidays.
We put 66 ranges through the gamut of our cooking tests. Some of the best cost the least and include more work-saving features. But several new models left our testers cold. Our range versus microwave cook-off also revealed that some microwave features might not be all they're cracked up to be.
Ranges steal from microwaves. Two-oven ranges from GE and Jenn-Air are the newest to the table. GE's $1,750 smoothtop did well in our tests and includes a microwave-inspired pizza setting for the upper oven, which yielded crispy pies and faster preheating time. But Jenn-Air's even pricier, $2,150 two-oven gas range proved only mediocre at quick heating, baking, and broiling.
Consumer Reports Video  |
| CHICKEN COOK-OFF | |
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Convection microwave vs. electric range |
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New names, so-so cooking. Better-known for low-priced furniture, Ikea now sells a smoothtop electric range made by Whirlpool that costs just $600. But mediocre cooktop heating speed and oven broiling kept Ikea's new Hemkar model among the also-rans in our tests. LG's first, $1,300 gas range proved no faster at cooktop heating and was judged only fair in our broiling tests.
How to Choose
You can get top performance and even stainless-steel trim on $500 ranges. Our CR Quick Picks list tested gas and dual-fuel and electric ranges (both available to subscribers) that combine impressive cooking with good value and brand reliability. To decide which model is right for you:
Choose the right type. Serious chefs prefer gas cooktops for the quick response and visual confirmation of a cooktop flame. But electric elements generally heat faster and perform better overall. Dual-fuel ranges combine a gas cooktop and electric oven, though they have offered no advantages in our tests. Slide-in ranges come without sides so they can mount flush with surrounding counters. But slide-in ranges typically cost more than freestanding models.
Buy the right features. Look for continuous grates, which make it easier to slide heavy pots across burners. For electric smoothtop models, opt for expandable elements, which can better accommodate larger cookware when you activate their outer rings.
Think twice about pro-style. With their stainless-steel construction and available 36-inch widths, these ranges often star in shelter magazines and real-estate listings. But designers tend to like them better than our testers do. What's more, our readers have reported high repair rates in past surveys for several professional-style brands.
Consider slow-cooking with care. A slow-cook feature, found on GE's dual-oven ranges, targets working parents and other busy homeowners who might otherwise use a slow cooker to prepare dinner while they're at work. Our oven tests showed that ranges with this feature kept cooking temperatures high enough to cook thoroughly. But for safety's sake, we advise against leaving any appliance on when you aren't at home.
