How to Buy a Range

Choices in ranges

When shopping for a range, you'll first need to decide whether you want to cook with gas, electricity or both. If you're replacing an older range, then it's easiest to use the existing power supply (gas or electric), but if you are building or initiating a floor-to-ceiling renovation, you probably have a choice. Electric ranges are less expensive and more popular nationwide -- especially the newer models with their smooth cooktops. Some budget electric ranges still feature the old-fashioned coil heating elements, which are cheaper to repair but harder to clean. Experts also praise electric ovens for cooking more evenly than their gas counterparts.

Gas ranges, on the other hand, cost a bit less to operate, and serious cooks often prefer them for the fine temperature control they provide. Dual-fuel ranges offer the best of both worlds: the visual confirmation of a cooking flame with the even heating of an electric oven. However, these models are more expensive to buy and install. Few homes have both 240-volt and gas connections for a range, so changes to your kitchen may be necessary.

A new option for electric ranges is induction cooktops. These use electromagnetic technology to heat only the pan, leaving the burner plate cooler than a gas or electric radiant burner. They also heat more quickly and use less energy than traditional electric cooktops. Induction cooktops have become quite popular over the last few years, but freestanding ranges with induction burners have only become widely available in the past year or so. Induction ranges are still  more expensive than conventional electric ranges, with prices starting around $1,500 (while a budget electric range can cost less than $500).

Modern ranges include a host of popular features. Double ovens, found more often at mid-range prices, allow you to cook two items at different temperatures -- a handy feature if you entertain a lot. Some models skip the second oven, but include a warming drawer, which keeps food warm until serving. (Some warming drawers are actually mini ovens suitable for cooking small items, such as pizzas.) In addition, more ranges now have a convection-capable oven. Convection ovens use a fan to circulate hot air throughout the oven, which helps food cook a little faster (thus using less energy) and promotes even browning.

In addition to the above, experts say to consider the following when buying a range:

• Choose the right capacity. For a family of four, experts recommend at least a 4-cubic-foot oven, although singles and couples can get away with ovens of 2 to 3 cubic feet.

• Consider cleaning. Obviously, a self-cleaning oven is one feature that will make cleaning easier, though it does so at a high cost in fuel use. Reviews say a self-cleaning feature is virtually standard now in electric ovens, but quite a few gas ovens still lack this feature. On a gas range, sealed burners keep fragments of food from dropping below the cooktop surface. On an electric range, a smooth surface promotes easy clean-up, although special cleaners are often recommended to prevent scratches. A cooktop with a raised edge helps keep spills contained.

• Check out the controls. Many newer ranges feature electronic touchpad controls instead of dials. Pre-programmed settings for roasting, baking and temperature calibration simplify cooking, but failures of computerized control panels are a common complaint. Knobs rarely break, and when they do, they're inexpensive to replace. Another problem: if the touchpad is on the front of the range rather than the backsplash, it can be easy to bump it and reset the controls by accident. However, a control lockout button can prevent accidents of this kind by allowing you to disable the control panel while food is cooking. It's also a handy feature if you have young children.

• Have the right heat settings. Look for at least one high-heat burner, which is good for searing and stir-frying. A low-power burner is suited to simmering delicate sauces, but it's not essential; a standard burner can usually be turned down low enough. Another useful feature is a hot-surface light, which tells you when a heating element is still hot. The editors of ConsumerReports.org call this feature "a must" for smoothtop ranges.

• More oven rack positions are always better. They enable you to fit larger items in the oven and adjust the distance between your food and the heating element. Experts recommend choosing an oven with at least five rack positions.

• If price is important, don't buy more product than you'll use. Unless you cook for a crowd on a regular basis, you probably don't need a range with six extra-large burners and a grill. Price can also be affected by the style you choose. For example, a range with a stainless-steel finish will cost an additional $100 or so.

Choices in ranges

When shopping for a range, you'll first need to decide whether you want to cook with gas, electricity or both. If you're replacing an older range, then it's easiest to use the existing power supply (gas or electric), but if you are building or initiating a floor-to-ceiling renovation, you probably have a choice. Electric ranges are less expensive and more popular nationwide -- especially the newer models with their smooth cooktops. Some budget electric ranges still feature the old-fashioned coil heating elements, which are cheaper to repair but harder to clean. Experts also praise electric ovens for cooking more evenly than their gas counterparts.

Gas ranges, on the other hand, cost a bit less to operate, and serious cooks often prefer them for the fine temperature control they provide. Dual-fuel ranges offer the best of both worlds: the visual confirmation of a cooking flame with the even heating of an electric oven. However, these models are more expensive to buy and install. Few homes have both 240-volt and gas connections for a range, so changes to your kitchen may be necessary.

A new option for electric ranges is induction cooktops. These use electromagnetic technology to heat only the pan, leaving the burner plate cooler than a gas or electric radiant burner. They also heat more quickly and use less energy than traditional electric cooktops. Induction cooktops have become quite popular over the last few years, but freestanding ranges with induction burners have only become widely available in the past year or so. Induction ranges are still  more expensive than conventional electric ranges, with prices starting around $1,500 (while a budget electric range can cost less than $500).

Modern ranges include a host of popular features. Double ovens, found more often at mid-range prices, allow you to cook two items at different temperatures -- a handy feature if you entertain a lot. Some models skip the second oven, but include a warming drawer, which keeps food warm until serving. (Some warming drawers are actually mini ovens suitable for cooking small items, such as pizzas.) In addition, more ranges now have a convection-capable oven. Convection ovens use a fan to circulate hot air throughout the oven, which helps food cook a little faster (thus using less energy) and promotes even browning.

In addition to the above, experts say to consider the following when buying a range:

• Choose the right capacity. For a family of four, experts recommend at least a 4-cubic-foot oven, although singles and couples can get away with ovens of 2 to 3 cubic feet.

• Consider cleaning. Obviously, a self-cleaning oven is one feature that will make cleaning easier, though it does so at a high cost in fuel use. Reviews say a self-cleaning feature is virtually standard now in electric ovens, but quite a few gas ovens still lack this feature. On a gas range, sealed burners keep fragments of food from dropping below the cooktop surface. On an electric range, a smooth surface promotes easy clean-up, although special cleaners are often recommended to prevent scratches. A cooktop with a raised edge helps keep spills contained.

• Check out the controls. Many newer ranges feature electronic touchpad controls instead of dials. Pre-programmed settings for roasting, baking and temperature calibration simplify cooking, but failures of computerized control panels are a common complaint. Knobs rarely break, and when they do, they're inexpensive to replace. Another problem: if the touchpad is on the front of the range rather than the backsplash, it can be easy to bump it and reset the controls by accident. However, a control lockout button can prevent accidents of this kind by allowing you to disable the control panel while food is cooking. It's also a handy feature if you have young children.

• Have the right heat settings. Look for at least one high-heat burner, which is good for searing and stir-frying. A low-power burner is suited to simmering delicate sauces, but it's not essential; a standard burner can usually be turned down low enough. Another useful feature is a hot-surface light, which tells you when a heating element is still hot. The editors of ConsumerReports.org call this feature "a must" for smoothtop ranges.

• More oven rack positions are always better. They enable you to fit larger items in the oven and adjust the distance between your food and the heating element. Experts recommend choosing an oven with at least five rack positions.

• If price is important, don't buy more product than you'll use. Unless you cook for a crowd on a regular basis, you probably don't need a range with six extra-large burners and a grill. Price can also be affected by the style you choose. For example, a range with a stainless-steel finish will cost an additional $100 or so.