Presto Pizza Pizzazz Revolving Pizza Oven
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Kitchen Range Buying Guide
The traditional kitchen range with a 4-burner cooktop above that sits atop a standard oven is still the most common choice for homeowners looking to save money and space in the kitchen. If you think kitchen range technology hasn’t advanced in the last few years, it’s time to kick your avocado-colored appliance idea to the curb and upgrade to the modern cooking experience. Pronto’s Kitchen Range Buying Guide will help you get the best range for your buck (see also Cooktop Buying Guide and Wall Oven Buying Guide).
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the five
What are the five key points I need to look at?
Know your size
Measure your kitchen and doorways and choose a kitchen range that will fit both.
Consider the size of the largest pans or foods you will cook and choose a kitchen range with an oven capacity that fits them. Pay close attention to advertised oven capacity, remembering that protruding elements like heating elements and oven rack guides will reduce the usable space.
Gas or electric?
Choose gas for faster heating times, but keep in mind that digital controls have made electric kitchen ranges as precise as gas now. A kitchen range with a convection oven includes a fan that circulates air for quicker, more even heating.
Cooktop choices
Open burners and heating coils are the most cost-effective option. Glass and ceramic cooking surfaces are easier to clean and maintain. Look for a thermal indicator light on solid kitchen range cooktops, which remains hot after the burners are turned off.
Essential extras
Look for kitchen ranges with additional burners or an additional broiler beneath the oven to handle additional jobs during big meals. Choose thick oven racks that can hold 20 pounds or more and at least a six-pass broiler.
Keep it clean
Consider a kitchen range with a continuous-clean or self-cleaning oven to minimize cleaning. For self-cleaning ovens, look for a kitchen range that uses the bottom heating element, which is where most messes gather. Solid kitchen range cooktops need special cleaners that won’t damage their surfaces.
pronto pick
What product do we recommend?
We like the Maytag MER6758A Electric Kitchen Range, which packs an impressive amount of cooking power into a small package. This kitchen range offers a five-element solid cooktop and two ovens. The smaller oven heats in half the time of conventional electric kitchen ranges, and the larger bottom oven offers convection for quicker cooking. Digital controls and separate displays for each oven mak...
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experts say
J.D. Power and Associates—“KitchenAid ranks highest in both the dishwasher and kitchen range/cooktop/oven segments, with exceptional ratings in the areas of performance and features, which are the most important drivers of satisfaction among new home owners.”Source: JDPower.com
Popular Mechanics—“If you have a need for precise low-temperature cooking, consider General Electric's Monogram gas cooktop. It's specifically designed to have precise low-heat settings.”Source: Popularmechanics.com
Good Housekeeping—Kenmore Electric Kitchen range 95321—“What's on your wish list for a kitchen range? An easy-care cooktop, electronic controls, bright lighting and a self-cleaning oven come standard on this stove.”Source: Goodhousekeeping.com
hot buzz
What's the latest in the world of kitchen ranges?
You’ll probably need a hood to vent the smoke and steam from your kitchen range. Some hoods offer museum-grade sculptural designs that add character to your kitchen. If you prefer function to form, consider the Siemens Media Hood, which offers a built-in 17-inch LCD TV screen, DVD player and Internet access. Now you can surf, watch TV and movies or listen to your favorite music while you cook. And yes, it vents steam, too. Look for a North American introduction in early 2008. http://www.appliancist.com/hoods_vents/siemens-media-kitchen%20range-hood-lc8m950.html
Wallet Impact
What can I expect in my price range?
| Price | Description | Good Pick (see all Kitchen Ranges) |
| $ | Now that electric kitchen ranges have digital controls, the bargain kitchen range is almost exclusively the domain of open-burner gas kitchen ranges, though you will find some smaller electric kitchen ranges. Look for self-cleaning ovens, six-pass burners and sturdy oven racks. Check the size of the oven cavity to make sure it fits your largest pans. |
Compare prices at 3 stores $549 - $565 |
| $$ | Mid-priced kitchen ranges let you take advantage of many new technologies. Look for solid cooktops, sealed burners, double-oven kitchen ranges and self-cleaning ovens that use the bottom heating element. Digital timers with auto shutoff and additional cooktop burners can make the biggest cooking jobs much easier. | |
| $$$ | Professional cooking quality can be found in high-priced kitchen ranges. Look for larger capacities, multiple ovens and extra burners along with a full suite of digital controls. Solid cooktops are the norm in these kitchen ranges, which can include specialized bread ovens, broilers or rotisseries. |
Compare prices at 4 stores $3,899 - $4,678 |
shop talk
What are the terms and definitions I need to know about?
Analog
Kitchen range controls, such as dials, that have no electronic components. Many gas kitchen ranges still rely on a simple dial that opens a valve to release more or less gas.
Bridge burner
An area on a solid cooktop that lies between two heating elements, drawing heat from both to create an additional cooking area.
Cavity
The cooking area inside an oven. Depending on its construction, a kitchen range may have a cavity that is significantly smaller than its outside dimensions would suggest. Cavity space is further limited by protruding elements, such as rack guides, fans and heating elements, which typically are not included in cavity dimensions.
Continuous clean
A kitchen range oven that is coated with materials that prevent food from sticking. Over time, the heat from the oven reduces any food particles to ash.
Convection
An oven with a built-in fan that circulates air around cooking food for faster, more even heating. Better convection ovens include a third heating element near the fan.
Digital
Kitchen range controls, such as touchpads, that operate electronically with the help of a microprocessor. Digital controls are far more accurate than analog dials on electric kitchen ranges, and some deliver consistent performance within a degree or two of the temperature you set.
Element
A source of heat in a kitchen range, such as a broiler or an electric burner coil.
Pass
A single bend in a broiler element. The total number of bends in a broiler tells you its number of passes, so a broiler with six bends would be a six-pass broiler. More bends can deliver faster, more even heating.
Sealed burner
A gas burner that is enclosed beneath a solid cooktop. Sealed burners are easier to clean, since splatters and drips can’t get into the gas jets or burner openings. However, some users have found that sealed gas burners don’t work as well as traditional open burners because there is less air to feed the fire.
Self-cleaning
A kitchen range oven that uses extremely high heat to vaporize any spills or splatters.
Solid cooktop
A piece of glass or ceramic that covers all the burners on a kitchen range, providing a flat surface that is easier to clean.
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Research Central
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