Italian range lacks gusto in Consumer Reports Ratings

If you're into Italian culture, especially cuisine and cars, you might be tempted by Bertazzoni cooking appliances. Started in 1882 by Francesco Bertazzoni, the family-run company claims to combine the two great traditions of Northern Italy—culinary craft and engineering skill. "This is why people around the world who know how to cook use Bertazzoni ranges and cooktops, built with passion and precision by people who know about cooking," says the website. But when it comes to performance, our latest tests of gas ranges show that the Bertazzoni is more early Fiat sedan than Ferrari sports car.

We tested the Bertazzoni A30 4GGV XE, a 30-inch freestanding gas range that sells for about $2,400. It comes with four burners, including one rated at a powerful 14,800 Btus, along with continuous cast-iron grates, a convection oven, and heavy-duty stainless steel construction that gives it a serious pro look. So far, so good. But when our testers actually started cooking on the Bertazzoni, the results were mezzo-mezzo at best. In fact, the range's overall score of 24 is the lowest of the nearly 100 gas and electric models in our Ratings.

The biggest strike against the Bertazzoni came during the low-temperature cooktop test we use to gauge a range's ability to hold a large pot of tomato sauce at a gentle simmer. Piece of torta for a range born in the land of Bolognese, right? But it earned a poor in that test, our lowest score. Its high-temperature cooktop score was better—"good," to be exact—though a bunch of other gas ranges from our tests did notably better. Subpar scores for baking and oven capacity didn't help.

A better bet for serious cuochi: LG's LRG3091SW gas range, the newest member of our Recommended list. And at just $800, it will leave you money to spend on San Marzano tomatoes, the finest olive oil, and other worthy Italian imports.

—Daniel DiClerico