Jul 02, 2001 06:56 AM
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As someone who has cooked for many, many years I have had the pleasure or displeasure of having cooked on everything from wood to convection.
Just as there are different types of cook stoves as there are cooks. Finding what you like best will depend on you, but I will offer up my favorites and why to just add input to your making a choice.
Electric Eyes and Oven
This is what I have now. A total electric, no frills type of range. It was not my choice, had it been, it would not have been this type of range. Not because there is really anything wrong with my range, it is just not the most efficient way of cooking for me.
This range has four cooking eyes on top, three six inches in diameter and one eight inches in diameter. This alone is enough to drive me crazy from time to time, because I need more big eyes. If you cook for a big crowd or like to cook it ahead of time and store it for later use, you may want to check and make sure the one you are looking at has more than one big eye.
The oven to this range is adequate, it cooks things evenly most of the time. It does not have any self cleaning features however and a total self cleaning oven would be nice. There are several degrees of self cleaning ovens on the market, so make sure you get the one that you do not have to do anything to after it is finished cleaning off itself.
Total Gas Range
I have had the wonderful pleasure of cooking on several different models of gas ranges thus far in my life, and truly hope I get to experience it again one day.
With a gas range, you have instant heat. No waiting for pots or pans to reach the hot temperature you need to saute or boil something. Turn on the eye, and the heat is there. (This also comes in handy should your power go out as mine use to often. The gas does not need electricity to cook.)
However, the ovens on total gas ranges usually have left me wanting a bit more, so I guess you could say I love the cooking eyes or burners as they are called in my parts. The ovens that I have used did not brown things unless you placed them in the broiler, which was near the floor.
I can remember having to literally get down on hands and knees with a flashlight to see if my bread had browned. So this can be a real hang up. Make sure you do not get one with the broiler near the floor, it is a real pain.
Electric eyes, convection oven
If I had to have an all electric range, I believe this would be what I would choose if it were me. I already have a free standing convection oven that I use primarily, so having a bigger version of the wonderful ease of convection cooking with your eyes on top would be nice. In fact, because gas does not run where I live, I may eventually buy one of these ranges.
My dream set up
If I could set up my kitchen anyway I wanted, I would opt for gas eyes or burners and convection oven. I have been told that you can find a range designed with the gas cook top and convection oven but I am yet to find one.
At any rate, there you have it. What I prefer. If you notice, I mentioned nothing about microwaves in this review and that is because they are yet to incorporate one into a range in my area.
Thank you for reading and I hope this helps you make the right choice for you.
