Kitchen ranges

What's behind our kitchen range Ratings?

Experts at our National Testing and Research Center tested 161 models in kitchen ranges to see which ones perform best.
We look for:
  • Overall score
    This is based on oven capacity, cooktop speed and simmer performance, and oven baking, broiling, and self-cleaning performance. The displayed score is out of a total of 100 points.
  • Cooktop high
    This reflects how quickly the most powerful element could raise a 6-liter (6 1/3 quart) pot of water from room temperature to a near boil.
  • Cooktop low
    This reflects the ability of the lowest power element to melt and hold chocolate without scorching it. We also set the most powerful element to its lowest setting to test its ability to hold a large pot of tomato sauce below a boil.
  • Baking
    This reflects the evenness of cookies and cakes in multi-rack baking tests.
  • Broiling
    This denotes upper-element evenness as well as high-temperature searing, using a broiler pan full of hamburgers.
  • Oven capacity
    This is our evaluation of usable space, including shelf area and vertical space for casseroles. For dual oven models, the score includes both ovens.
  • Self-cleaning
    A gauge of the oven self-cleaning cycle's effectiveness at removing a baked-on mixture of eggs, lard, cherry-pie filling, cheese, tomato puree, and tapioca.

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Recommended kitchen ranges

Recommended kitchen ranges are standout choices with high scores. They include CR Best Buys, which offer exceptional value. When narrowing your choices, weigh features, price, and attributes that matter to you.
  • Buying Guide
  • Price & Shop
Freestanding ranges still rule the kitchen in most homes. You can choose between gas and electric ranges and in the latter category, smoothtops dominate the market. You'll find more big name kitchen ranges competing at the "pro" end of the kitchen appliances price spectrum as kitchens morph into places to show off as well as cook. If you're looking for information about ranges, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports’ range reviews will give you honest buying advice that you can trust. Use our range buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and range reviews to help you choose the best range for your needs.

Recently reviewed kitchen ranges

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RB757DP[WH]
This Hotpoint freestanding electric coil range has the following:
• 4 surface cooking elements
• Among surface elements, 2 high-powered element(s).
• Touchpads for setting oven temperature.

Kitchen range buying guide

Gas or electric ranges can give you fine performance. Serious chefs often prefer gas for the quick response and visual confirmation of a flame. But electric elements generally heat faster and maintain low heat more precisely. Dual-fuel ranges combine a gas cooktop with an electric oven though we've found no advantage in that combination. You'll also find induction ranges, which use an electromagnetic field to heat the pot or pan more quickly and effectively while leaving the cooktop surface cooler.

Electric smoothtop ranges sell the most overall and are tops in performance and value. The best blend superb heating and simmering with a large oven and maybe a cooktop warming zone that keeps the vegetables warm while you cook the main course. Induction ranges heat roughly 25 percent faster than conventional electric smoothtop models, using an electromagnetic field that heats mostly the pot or pan.

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