Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.
Skip to Main ContentThe payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.
Re-activate
Cooking appliances are the engine of any kitchen. Wimpy burners, a wonky oven, and a microwave with a mind of its own can get in the way of efficient meal prep. Our latest tests of kitchen appliances found plenty of first-rate models with true timesaving enhancements. That includes high-powered cooktops that will bring water for pasta to a rapid boil and double ovens that let you simultaneously prepare two dishes at different temperatures.
But not every speed claim from manufacturers pans out in our labs. Case in point: the infrared oven broiler we tested that cooked burgers only a minute faster than the brand's standard broiler. We also see gas burners with high Btu/hr., or British thermal units per hour, that don't deliver faster cooktop heating.
Read on for our picks of appliances (and watch our video buying guides, below) that will help keep your kitchen running at top speed, including steam-enhanced technology. Professional chefs have embraced the technology for years, and it's just starting to catch on in homes. We've also included our take on steamable frozen dinners and provided a bunch of tips for maintaining a clean and tidy kitchen—before, during, and after the mealtime rush.
Promising speed, versatility, and healthful meal prep, combination steam/convection ovens are becoming more popular. They were used by 18 percent of kitchen designers in 2013, up from 11 percent in 2012, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association. We bought three models to see whether the hype is real.
The ovens can cost thousands of dollars, but Cuisinart has a $300 countertop version, model the Cuisinart CSO-300 (shown). It resembles a standard toaster oven, with a removable reservoir that you fill with tap water. Its size is suited to cooking just one dish at a time, but the results were impressive. Set to the 450° F steam-bake mode, it cooked a fairly evenly browned 4-pound chicken in about 40 minutes, or half the time required of a conventional electric wall oven set to 350° F. The Cuisinart also made tasty yams in two-thirds the time. Tender rice and broccoli followed, though we didn't save any time compared with our cooktop and microwave preparations of those dishes. And in our bread test, the steam-baked loaf was slightly crispier than what came out of a conventional oven.
We also bought two built-in steam ovens: the Thermador PS0301M, $4,000, and the Wolf CS024 Convection Steam Oven, $3,800. Both have larger capacities than the Cuisinart. Testing continues; so far the Wolf has cooked a nicely browned chicken in about 40 minutes using its 425° F convection steam mode, but it took some getting used to. The Thermador has been easier to operate, but temperature and cooking time were similar to a conventional oven when we prepared a chicken using its "easy cook" mode.
Our tests of hundreds of ranges revealed more than 25 picks. If cooktop speed is your priority, consider an induction range, which uses an electromagnetic coil beneath a glass-covered surface to deliver more heat. The models we tested cooked about 20 percent faster than conventional electric smoothtops. Gas burners were the slowest, though they provide quick temperature response and visual feedback.
As for ovens, we like the multitasking capability of double-oven configurations—say, broiling fish in one chamber while baking a pie in the other. Whether you opt for a single or double oven, pay attention to usable capacity, especially if you do a lot of entertaining. Few 30-inch pro-style models made our recommended list, in part because their smaller ovens can cost you time when you're cooking for a crowd.
Ever since we started testing microwave ovens more than 40 years ago, they've been hailed as the ultimate speed cooker. Our first report from 1968 conjured up "giddy visions of 2-minute lunches and 15-minute company dinners." But for all of their enduring value, there are limits to what a microwave can do, as we found when we cooked a whole chicken and a frozen pizza in three high-priced models with special speed-cooking claims.
The Electrolux IQ-Touch EI30BM60MS, $630 (shown), comes with promises of "oven results at microwave speed." The Dacor Discovery PCOR30S, $1,270, "allows your food to cook more evenly." and the Kenmore Elite 74153, $300, has special features for "browning food and shortening cooking time."
All three microwaves did require less cooking time than our standard electric oven; 10 to 30 minutes less for the chicken and 7 to 10 minutes less for the pizza. But quality suffered, in the form of dried-out poultry with pale skin, and pizzas that had unevenly melted cheese and doughy crusts.
Where microwaves did well. In our regular tests, even some less-expensive models excelled at the basics: reheating and defrosting. The Sharp R-323TKC midsized countertop model, $140, is also relatively quiet. The Kenmore Elite 74229 large countertop model, $180, comes in stainless steel. And the GE JVM7195SFSS over-the-range model, $400, adds impressive venting.
Any of those microwaves should be able to handle an array of tasks, including these five:
Fish. Sole, flounder, and other thin fillets turn out tender and moist. Simply cover and cook until the fish is milky white, it flakes with a fork, and it reaches an internal temperature of 145° F on a meat thermometer.
Steamed vegetables. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of water to a bowl and cover the veggies with wax paper or a paper towel to hold in moisture and reduce splatters.
Oven-cooked chicken. A whole chicken won't taste great out of the microwave. But you can cut the cooking time in the oven or on an outdoor grill by partly cooking chicken pieces in a microwave first. The same goes for long-cooking veggies, such as winter squash.
Melted chocolate. Heat chopped pieces on medium in a microwave-safe dish—skip the lid—for a minute, then stir until smooth. If the chocolate isn't fully melted, continue in 15-second increments, stirring after each.
Lemon juice. Microwave lemons for 20 seconds to get more juice when squeezing
A cooktop/wall oven combo can save time by creating a more efficient layout, especially in two-cook kitchens. Food is also more accessible from a wall oven. Here are three combos to consider:
The GE Profile PHP900DMBB 30-inch induction cooktop, $1,400 delivers fast heat and precision simmering. Two large ovens let you bake and broil at once; both ovens also have a convection option. The Wi-Fi-enabled GE PT9550FSSS 30-inch electric double-oven, $3,500 can be controlled from a smart phone, allowing you to save time by changing settings without having to be in the kitchen.
Two of the four elements on the Maytag MEC7430WS electric smoothtop cooktop, $700, are high-powered for fast heating and boiling. Low-heat cooking is also superb.
The Maytag MEW7530AW 30-inch single wall oven, $1,000 outperformed models costing two and three times as much thanks to its large capacity, impressive baking, and excellent broiling.
This combo mixes brands to tap the top models in their categories. Fast heating and superb simmering made the Thermador SGSX365FS 36-inch gas cooktop, $1,900 (shown), our best 36-inch cooktop; three of five burners are high-powered. For the Whirlpool WOD93ECOAS 30-inch electric double-oven wall oven, $2,500, space and convection in the upper chamber are potential time-savers.
This article appeared in the February 2014 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
Build & Buy Car Buying Service
Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience.
Get Ratings on the go and compare
while you shop
