Since we have so many excellent cooks on our boards, I’m asking for a recommendation (or dont buy this one!) on a smooth top range and oven. This would be a slide-in. I’ve heard you can’t use cast iron on them, but my cast iron is all enamal coated. I’m replacing a 20+ year oldie. Has to be electric, no gas here.
Your experience please?
[This message has been edited by LadyFisher (edited 22 February 2006).]
LF, When my wife gets home I’ll ask her…we have just replaced one from about the same length of time and I know she fussed over it for a long time.
You might use… [url=http://www.epinions.com:3d5c8]www.epinions.com[/url:3d5c8]
as the name implies they give user evaluations…I’ll see if I have any others in my favorites.
[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 22 February 2006).]
Can’t be of much help since our stove is 31 years old. It is a Sears Kenmore Corning glass top, electric, and is still in great shape. My wife has taken very good care of it and is dreading the day it has to be replaced.
Just had to replace the fridge after 29 years. Yes we do use them frequently but have very good luck with Kenmore, Thank You Lord!
The new fridge is a Hotpoint as it was available to be delivered that day, and was on sale,lucky??? YES!!
Wyo-blizzard aka Bloody Tom Bonney
LadyFisher;
Just an FYI. The Sear’s brand “Kenmore” is made by “Whirlpool” down in Ohio.
LadyFisher,
Several seasons ago I went out with my bride looking to replace our 22 yr. old drier and ended up with both a drier and this great Kitchen Aid “convection” oven.
Initially Jude didn’t want to spend that extra $150 for the convection feature but she got a little “nudge” (well, she deserves it!) because the assistant said it really excells if you do a bit of pie-making etc…
I’d highly recommend looking at one. That convection feature really speeds the cooking time PLUS…gives “something” to the ability of the cook as our meals seem to be much better.
Wish I could better describe it but things just taste better. A++.
And the amenities on the oven panel controls are right up there…but I suspect most are these days.
HTH.
Jeremy.
Jeremy.
We have been told [and it may have been Sears hype] that Sears indicates the specs to Whirlpool that they want and that they are frequently better than what Whirlpool uses for their own named product.
Agree with the convection feature. Have used a coulpe commercial ovens at the two praish centers here. They are NICE, the wife says her next one will have that feature.
Wyo-blizzard aka Bloody Tom Bonney
[This message has been edited by Byron Zuehlsdorff (edited 22 February 2006).]
forgoing brands…there is no way I will ever have anything less than a double wall convection oven ever again. a little more expensive but well worth it.
just had a serviceman replace an oven element in our maytag oven. we’ve had it for about 7 yrs and like it alot. however the service man said that they were, maytag, bought out recently and the quality went down. he recommended, if you were in the market, kenmore was still good.
First Gas or Electric? Mine is electric.
Second if you do not currently have a smooth top stove, actually ceramic, you need to know that flat bottoms on all of your pots and pans are required. Any grooves, ridges etc really makes the stove top work harder to keep the heat on the pots/pans. plus there is a real danger of scratching the ceramic top.
Definitely go with the convection. It is great. The best I found for my money is the Whirlpool gallery series, it is about two steps below professional grade, cooks like a dream plus it has a bottom warming drawer, a stove top pot/pan warming spot and a bridge element for using a griddle.
I can’t speak for the quality of the gas model though, although I would rather cook with gas any day.
[This message has been edited by Bearmon (edited 22 February 2006).]
Ladyfisher;
I have a top of the line maytag glass top smooth stove/oven. I am fairly happy with the workings of the stove but the appearence is not what I would expect from a stove that cost over 600.00. The finish on the top is wearing. I have very expensive copper bottom pots and they are not the cause. This top is just not holding up to the wear like I was informed it would. While it is a small detail I just hate that all the other appliances look brand new and the stove which is the newest looks old. I will tell you this clean the top with the recommended cleaner. I have a friend that had the same stove and he used a household cleaner and ruined the top. Scatched the surface.
While I love the way it cooks I would not recommend it to a friend.
Hugs
Harold
We’ve installed Jenn-Aires in 2 homes. The oven is conventional. The stove top features a center exhaust fan that has to be vented to the outside. On either side are plug in cartidges that can be easlily swapped back and forth between conventional electric, ceramic, a barbecue grill and a large griddle.
We like the versatility and the ability to barbecue indoors in any weather. We’ve had the latest one at least 6 years and the ceramic burners look like new.
Hey there LF,
Here’s your opportunity for a bit of kitchen remodel. Where the stove was, put in a new cabinet and countertop with a oooktop.Find a spot in your kitchen for a built in wall oven.The wall oven is the hardest to place since it requires about 22" wall depth for installation. I’ve done some where part of a pantry was used or a small 36 wide X 24 deep ( enough for a 28" oven) bump buildout was made inside the kitchen usually in a corner. Depending on the size of your kitchen, countertop configuration your sink/faucet tastes, this is not that expensive a project.
The b/i wall oven could be a double one with one being convection and the other, regular.
If all this is TOO MUCH ?? Never Mind!
Mark
PS: To save MORE money, you can apply ceramic tile to your existing countertops and just fill in a piece where the stove was.
I’d rather be in Wyoming!
PS: And if you do pick the stove option, choose a top color that will at least make wear less obvious. NO WHITE.
[This message has been edited by Marco (edited 22 February 2006).]
Hi LF,
The wife and I both love to cook and
both have worked as cooks and managed
resturants. When we remodelled our kitchen
there was no thought of electric, for either
the stove top or ovens. Gas is just so darn
easy and quick to work with. Warm regards,
Jim
LF,
I honestly think that picking out a new stove/oven is a lot like picking out a new fly rod. You really need to try out the different models out there and see which ones fit your cooking style. So, with that thought in mind, I think you need to come to each of our homes and prepare a meal on our stove/ovens and see which model fits your style of cooking! 
Warren
[This message has been edited by WarrenP (edited 22 February 2006).]
I like gas too but my halogen hob is actually better. Good 18 gauge pots make all the difference. Too many years of cows and 50lb buckets have ruined my wrists and elbows. Being able to slide a pot off the element saves me from adding yet more burn scars to my chest.
I have cooked on gas, but we don’t have it here, except if we bring propane in. So it has to be electric…keep them coming folks, really appreciate it!
LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL
Ladyfisher, I replaced my stove last August with a smooth glass top stove from sears (Kenmore) I did all my homework before buying. The unit I bought has 4 burners and a warmer, digital over controls, self cleaning. Both of the front burners can be used in either 6" or 10" for larger pots. It cleans up great and looks like new(we use the cook top cleaner they recommend). If you do a lot of cooking with sugar (candy & jelly) a ceramic top is NOT for you. Sugar will leave a permanent indentation in the surface and must be cleaned up quickly. If I had it to do all over again I would buy the same stove in a heartbeat.
Oh…and that Kitchen Aid is electric with the flat top. So far the top has held up nicely.
I know. I clean it…:-))
Jeremy.
Got a Jenn Aire, trading cartridges gives me burners or grills. Real nice, and the dutch oven works just fine too.
The inside grill with a vent in the middle means you can fix steak in the house when it’s wet outside, and it’s just as good.
I think some models even have a deep well option for a fryer.