best type of oven

[puppycat]

We are going to be moving soon and lucky me, I get all new appliances. I need to get an electric stove and am having a hard time picking out one that does all I want. I cook and bake alot and sometimes use cast iron cookware. I would like an oven where I can set it to go on and off if I'm not home and it has to be self cleaning. Any suggestions would be appreciated <font color="red"> </font color>

[robertn]

For a range type, I like the flexibility of the Jenn-Air systems.

Our oven works really well, and seems to have a very even temperature when baking. On the cooktop, we can switch between regular burner/elements, a grill, a griddle, even a Wok.

I like the ability to have a coffee cake going in the morning, while at the same time cooking rye/wheat pancakes on the gridle. In the winter, you can still grill inside...

[Pat]

Yeah, yeah, I know you said ELECTRIC but electric is a poor substitute for gas (propane, butane, or ???) when it comes to stove top burners. I know it is a poor workman who blames his tools but gas burners are superior to electric. Ever see a chef in a commercial kitchen cooking with an electric stove top?

I have just bought a dual fuel range (5 gas burners on top) and two electric ovens below (side by side... OK one is quite small) and I expect to like it fine. What isn't to like? Electric ovens are typically better than gas but not always by the margin that gas burners beat out electric. This is a Sears Kenmore in Stainless that will match our new frige (3 door.)

I realize that the electric stove tops with totally sealed surfaces are convenient and don't let spills get "below decks" to create a cleaning nightmare. My dual fuel range has a sealed ceramic stove top that likewise prevents spills from getting below the top surface.

The ovens are self cleaning. The burner grills lift right off and go to the dishwasher (they rest on the top with no holes.)

The ovens are fully programable even though the stove top isn't. The larger oven is convection or conventional, your choice.

Oh yeah, the most powerful burner has a porcelein covered cast iron wok holder.

I realize that Jenn-Aire has a huge loyal following B U T they don't fare so well in "consumers Reports."

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[robertn]

I like gas better for the cooktop too. But, I really like the flexibility of the Jenn-Air setup; we use the features often.

Also, we are all electric here... Would like to get a propane tank and change some stuff out one day, but it will not happen soon...

Not sure about the consumer reports. This setupp came with the house, and has worked well for the last 9 years.

[Pat]

Robert, Life is what happens while you are making other plans.

Jenn-Air has quite a loyal following. What counts, of course, isn't what Consumers Reports or anyone else thinks about what you have but what you think about what you have. If it works for you and you are happy and sitisfied, that is enough.

Of course, I can cook on an electric stove top but I don't like it very much. I can look at the flame or the action in the pan and decide if I need to have more or less fire and can see the results of an adjustment immediately. Most electrics store too much heat and tend to keep right on cooking after they are turned off or down. Eventually I learn about where to set the knob to get the heat I want but the delay in response and stored heat problems bug me.

Most folks would be happy with electric if they never used gas much but if you have reasonable experience with gas you are not likely to choose electric. On the other hand, electric ovens are just fine and are often superior to gas. These factors are what made dual fuel so attractive to me.

Your situation is pretty straight forward, the range was there, it works OK, and although you have a personal pref for a gas stove top, it isn't a crisis.

I didn't think I wanted to pay the price for this particular dual fuel so I didn't wire for it but got the wiring added yesterday, days ahead of the bed and tape sub so it wasn't a panic. I found the Sears Kemore Elite series stainless steel dual fuel for over $600 off and that tipped the ballance for me.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[robertn]

I grew up around gas stoves, and it is THE WAY to go for a cooktop.

When the time comes, I want to go to the gas cooktop. I also would like to go with six burner instead of four.

No matter which type of cooktop we get eventually, we like to cook and would like some room! Also, with a setup like the Jenn-Air, we have the griddle on one side right now. It's easy to take out and put burners in, but when I'm already cooking and go "Oh man!", it's time and effort while watching the cooking, to switch the cooktop. It would be nice to have four burners availble while still having auxillary stuff installed.

Some day... This cooktop will probably last forever... right now a failure would be the reason to replace it, otherwise it is low on the priority list [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

when the time comes, it will be a new stove, and a new hotwater heater with solar and gas backup.

[Pat]

Bob, Our selection may not be right for lots of folks but it will be good enough for our needs. It is 5 burners with a wok attachment for one of the high output burners. I would have liked a built in grill but with two ovens with broil and a large aluminum griddle to fit two burners, we'll get by somehow.

I used to have a cheap electric waffle iron with reversable guts. One side did Belgian waffles and the other was flat and worked great for grilling sandwitches or whatever, open as a double grill or closed to use some compression and double the heat. I used it to cook steaks before George ever sold a cooker. It cooked tham fast and good and at an itsy bitsy fraction of the cost of George's cookers.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[robertn]

See, those extra burners; I like that! Let us know how it cooks when everything is ready [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

[JazzDad]

Hey, Laura.
We will be going with a dual-fuel unit. We looked at the Jenn-Air, as that is what we have in the house we are leaving. Part of what steered us away from buying Jenn-Air for the new house was the inconvenience pertaining to replacement parts. You can't just go to the box store and get replacement parts, and the OEM compatible parts are EXPENSIVE. (But that should be a long way down the road from a new purchase.)
We are getting a GE push-in unit. We like the 3 piece grate top. It has 4 burner sizes, and the electric oven is convection also.
Price really varies between the outlets available. Good luck.

(Oh, BTW, our cats approve of our choice. Important factor.)

[GaryM]

The just published issue of Consumer Reports is mostly devoted to kitchens. Has a good writeup on stoves.