[spuddaddy]

I am replacing a Hobart 6 burner stove I would like to get one with 6 burners
convection oven and a broiler . Any recomendations on brand vs brand or things to think about this purchase ?

[chef_oz]

Whats your budget? My kitchen is a mixture of wolf (60's) w/ 4 x 2 burners and 2 castle fryers. IMHO Wolf >Viking They've got great quality. Strong craftmanship and I haven't had one problem in about 5 years. Try calling http://www.rwsmithco.com/foodservice/index.html That's who I go through for all my small/largewares. Let me know if you need any contacts. cya

[happybaker01]

I had a Dacor 30" Dual Fuel. The oven was absolutey amazing. It had a fabulous broiler (commercial gas style) and baked like a dream. The downside was that the rangetop did not have any simmer burner. I originally had a Wolf 30" and I loved the range top but hated the oven. I guess I would suggest either a Viking or Wolf Rangetop or Cooktop and Dacor ovens. I hear that Thermador ovens are really great as well.

[ChefTorrie]

On my section of the line, we have Viking 10 Burner with 2 Convection ovens and a Broiler to the right... of course I am not the owner so it is not my budget, so that is what corporate dollars will get you, but my advice to would be either Wolf or Viking. Chef Oz said that he likes Wolf better but I have had great experience with both of them... Hobart is not bad either.

[Al_Dente]

We recently replaced a vintage (1960's) Garland 6 burner which had dual ovens and a flat top griddle with a broiler below. The replacement unit was the same model that Garland makes today. It was interesting to see the changes they had made to the unit over 40 years. Coated steel stove top sections have been replaced with cast iron (nice). Where the older burners had only a single row of gas ports, the new ones have 2 rows of holes on each arm of the burner. (lots of heat indeed). Also they have extended the stove top forward so it jutts out over the control knobs (to the point that you cannot see them while working). I wondered about that change at first, but soon recalled all the wasted time spent with a toothpick trying to get the gunk out of those things.

So some good things to say about this stove.

But you know what...the quality of construction is not what the old one was.
Perhaps this is the way for all stoves today. The catch trays are flimsy, the ovens are poorly coated and peel easily, and the exterior is tacked together with low gauge metal. I kind of feel that garland lost a little pride somewhere along the line. But you wouldn't know it by the price. $6,000 and change CND.


Al

[foodpump]

Garland makes a few different lines of quality, yours (and mine too)is the "basic" quality. "Hotel" quality is alot better: Heavy guage s/s panels, double porcleainzed oven interiors, heavy nickel plated oven racks, 35,000 btu burners, extra heavy (7/8" thick) griddle plates, etc. etc. Of course you will pay for this. Garland knows it and pushes the basic line because it is cheaper and sells better.

[ChefTorrie]

I have worked with Garland in the past... Have always been loyal to me...

[Al_Dente]

Good points foodpump. I never really considered the upgrade options
that the manufacturers might offer. And I had to sit and think a while about why that didn't occure to me. It didn't take long to figure out.

In my 25 years of experience, working for various establishments (for the man, lol), there has only been one that has replaced a stove during my employment with them. I suppose that says alot about how long a stove will last. Or, more probably, how long an employee in this business will last with each establishment.

I chocked it all up to being an owners game. Get a stove that lasts and let the various chefs worry about it's performance problems throughout its life.
My life story, heh. (The stove and I have a love/hate thing going)

Al.