I want a new kitchen range

[JoeWras]

There's nothing like "cooking with gas." After all, there's a well know expression using that term.

But it isn't always possible. The "halogen/ceramic/smooth top" experience takes a few tricks. However, once used to them, they work pretty well.

The biggest trick is there is a significant warm up time, even more than coils. But once you know your range, and what the power output is once warmed up, it is pretty darn fine-tuneable.

But, yeah, I'd never argue against gas. Won't win.

[W2R]

I have never had a smooth cook top.

Still, the idea of flinging around a large, heavy, cast iron skillet above one is enough to make me cringe. What if you dropped it heavily on the smooth cooktop? Sure, that doesn't happen every day but some day it might. Maybe it would even break the smooth cook top.

My wall stove and separate cooktop predate my occupancy of this house, and my guess is that they are maybe 1990's vintage. They are electric, simple, and reliable, so I feel no need to replace them. The cooktop is a Whirlpool and the stove is Maytag. I haven't heard anything bad about GE and personally I would buy GE if that is what I wanted to buy.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Still, the idea of flinging around a large, heavy, cast iron skillet above one is enough to make me cringe. What if you dropped it heavily on the smooth cooktop? Sure, that doesn't happen every day but some day it might. Maybe it would even break the smooth cook top.

Breaking is very much possible. As is scratching. I skip the heavy stuff.

Friends and a few here report, however, that you can carefully use cast iron without problems. "flinging" will be verboten, however.

[chris66]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R I have never had a smooth cook top. Still, the idea of flinging around a large, heavy, cast iron skillet above one is enough to make me cringe. What if you dropped it heavily on the smooth cooktop? Sure, that doesn't happen every day but some day it might. Maybe it would even break the smooth cook top. My wall stove and separate cooktop predate my occupancy of this house, and my guess is that they are maybe 1990's vintage. They are electric, simple, and reliable, so I feel no need to replace them. The cooktop is a Whirlpool and the stove is Maytag. I haven't heard anything bad about GE and personally I would buy GE if that is what I wanted to buy.

I definitely don't fling my skillet, and although I have scratched the top, I haven't been worried that my abuse will break it. All appliances in our house predate our occupancy. The wall oven is the original HotPoint from 1973 (in Harvest Gold). The cooktop had been replaced, and moved by previous owners -- but to a spot that screams to be a work surface, not cook surface. I'm much more likely to break the darn thing dropping a cutting board on it. We're not only changing to gas, but moving the cooktop to where it was originally, since its a better workflow. The wall oven, although still working, doesn't seal well. We're replacing it with a wall oven and wall convection microwave combo. I'd love to have 2 ovens, but don't have room for it. Had a GE cafe (with second oven in the bottom drawer) and an advantium at our last house -- so effectively had 3 ovens.

We went with Bosch mostly because we wanted a Bosch dishwasher, and buying 3 items got us a special deal. I don't need or want crazy high BTU's, so we figured the Bosch 36 inch cooktop would be fine. I liked with Bosch for the cooktop, because the grill doesn't meet over the middle of the burner, leaving an opening to best hold my previously mentioned wok (it's a big hand hammered thing that is seasoned similar to cast iron). For the wall oven, we went with KitchenAid, because it was the only with with a convection microwave in the mix that would fit a 27 inch cabinet. Also, I'm interested in trying the steam cooking in the microwave. We would have bought a range, rather than separate cooktop and oven, but that wouldn't fit well in our kitchen.

Hope your contractor has some good suggestions, Ha.