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Need help with oven

post #1 of 15
4/3/06 at 11:20pm
Thread Starter 
I am a new member; a home cook.
We are about to invest a lot of money in new European model ovens and I need advice. Does anyone have home ovens--self cleaning--which they recommend. I know DaCor are supposed to be the best, but they are soooo expensive.
Thank you.
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post #2 of 15
4/4/06 at 12:45pm
Lucky you getting new appliances and all :smiles: So, is there any reason particularly that you are investing in European equipment over domestic?

Personally I wouldn't buy European unless I lived in Europe. There is nothing wrong with it but I'm always concerned about parts and service. Because they are imports they are more expensive to buy and maintain.

Most good ovens are self cleaning these days so pretty much anything you buy will be self cleaning. It's been a while since I bought a stove so I'm not too up on the latest models and I can't offer any advice I'm afraid.

Jock
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post #3 of 15
4/4/06 at 1:12pm
Welcome to Chef Talk, Cherman. We hope you'll enjoy all this sight has to offer. I'm a home cook too and am also beginning to keep my eyes open for a replacement for my 10-year-old Viking range.

One feature we have that could be of help to you on this site is the search button. You can search for earlier conversations about ovens, stoves and ranges. The button is near the top of the screen. Just type in your search term(s) and take a look. Be aware that some of the threads are several years old; the newer ones would be more appropriate for your quest. Of course you can also turn to Google to look for reviews as well (epinions.com is one site).

Good luck! I'll be interested to hear what you've learned.

Mezzaluna
Moderator Emerita, Welcome Forum
***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***
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post #4 of 15
4/5/06 at 12:30pm
I read a consumer report a few years ago regarding ovens and stove tops. Actually rated the most accurate, consistant performance and temps in ovens and found they were in the models of domestic ranges in the $700.00 to $1,100.00 range for most manufacturers.

The commercial stoves made for home use did not rate as well. With this information in mind, I looked for a the cook top I wanted and bought the ovens as a seperate item.

In idle conversation, the stove repairman also told me that he was seeing several new Vikings with a rear burner that won't stay lit if the oven and 2 other burners are on. Says that he has communicated with factory, seems to be a draft problem.
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post #5 of 15
4/5/06 at 2:28pm
I have a Fridgerdaire Convection Oven and its self cleaning too and its been great. They are around $600.00.
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post #6 of 15
4/5/06 at 2:49pm
That Viking problem is probably a pressure problem. I had to remove the pressure regulator on the incoming line.

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #7 of 15
4/5/06 at 3:21pm
I just received my new copy of Consumer Report. If by "European model" you mean something like AGA, it's not in this article.

But if you're considering a high-end brand like Thermador, Viking or Dacor, save your money (according to the article). Rated under the category "gas ranges", here's how they stacked up:

Most reliable: Hotpoint, Frigidaire, General Electric, Kenmore, Whirlpool
Less reliable: Maytag, KitchenAid, Amana
Very much less reliable: Viking; and the Dacor dual-fuel.

I can vouch for the report on the Viking! I've had three or four repair calls and several major parts replaced.

Their top recommendation (gas ranges) wa the Hotpoint RGB745WEH[WW] at $550. Also listed as "Quick Picks": GE JGBP35WEJ[WW], Maytag MGR5875QD[W]

Dual-fuel models listed a "Quick Picks": GE Profile J28912WEK[WW]; and Kenmore Elite 7938.

Just some more information to chew over!
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***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***
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post #8 of 15
6/23/06 at 6:05pm

DACOR oven best for baking!

I have had a Dacor oven for two years and have just bought a new home where I will immediately buy new Dacor ovens. The convection is fantastic. I bake for home and for catering and everything comes out perfect. It is easy to use and cleans up nicely. I also had a Wolf Duel Fuel initially and then traded it in for the Dacor. They are expensive but if you are a committed baker I highly suggest it. I have heard that Thermador is also an excellent contender.
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post #9 of 15
6/30/06 at 12:36pm
We bought a Kennmore Dual Fuel, and we love it. We are just simple home cooks, but it works really well. We have no complaints so far (we bought it in December). I am not sure of the model, but it has the gas stove and electric convection oven.
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post #10 of 15
7/7/06 at 1:18pm
Bought the KitchenAid double oven - top convection, bottom thermal, both self-clean - five or six years ago; no trouble in that time, and I was able to buy parts to change it from white to black when we moved it from the house to the condo.

My son has the same oven, marked "Fridigaire". It's physically identical - our KA has a few more bells and whistles in the controls. Maybe that's why CR thinks it's less reliable... HOWEVER my son just had to replace his oven's computer for about $400. He's an electrical engineer, so he put it in himself.

(I'm an economist, so I changed all the colored parts in mine, myself. :o )

Our KA goes for about $2,000 these days, while the most comparable Dacor is around $3,600 .

Why patronize those Euroweenies, anyway? Do your bit to shrink our balance of trade deficit! (Which is not nearly the problem the Mainstream Media would have you think. Sort of like Global Warming.) :look:

Mike :beer:

right, I've been drinking :roll:
travelling gourmand
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post #11 of 15
9/11/06 at 3:16pm
I just moved into my new house. We ended up going with Jenn-Air. I got a 36" 6-burner "Pro-Style" cooktop, it has similar specs to the Viking for about half the price. Paired that with a hood with a 6-speed fan and halogen lights. All the other appliances are from their "Euro-style" line, we got the 30" convection/micro oven unit (instead of double oven, I just don't bake/roast that much), dishwasher, and fridge. I believe Jenn-Air is made by Whirlpool. So far I'm very pleased with everything, and as I mentioned the prices were much less than the premium brands while performance and appearance seems to be pretty similar.
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post #12 of 15
9/12/06 at 8:25pm

thoughts on a wolf range?

I'm also in the market and will take the recommendation of the previous person to search for an earlier conversation but I thought I'd ask people's opinion about a wolf range while the thread is in progress.

thanks
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post #13 of 15
9/15/06 at 8:39pm
We have a 30" dual fuel range by Wolf and I'm very impressed with it. We've had it for a year now, and have made everything from holiday roasts to rouxs to pizza - it has gotten a lot of use and has never caused us any issues or concerns. In fact I'm just now getting to know the character of the range after all this time.

The dual fuel model is the one to get, if for nothing more than the extra features - self-cleaning oven, flip-and-hide digital panel, and that beautiful signature bright blue interior.
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post #14 of 15
2/16/07 at 5:50am

Kitchenaid & Wolf ovens

1. Kitchenaid. At work I’m using a double Kitchenaid built-in electric ovens and find it way underpowered. The elements are around 1600-1700 watts; many comparable ovens run 2500-3000 watts. When I try to roast 5-10 lb of food it steams rather than roasts. The second problem is that it locks up above 450 degrees, and won’t unlock for 15 minutes or so. By then the food is roasted and/or burned. As a paid cook whose proprieter has a service contract on this oven, I can’t modify the oven by, for example, sawing off the locking latch. The service person replaced the computer module twice but couldn’t fix the locking problem. This is a 10 year old oven, and if you look online you’ll find complaints about newer Kitchenaid electric ovens locking. Guess it’s cheaper to not re-engineer the problem.

2. Wolf: I have a 30 Wolf gas range at home (5 years) , and love the burners, but wife doesn’t like cleaning them. But the “convection” oven is disappointing for baking three half sheet pans of cookies. The “on” cycle is so long that the bottom heat overcooks the bottom pan. Having been spoiled by restaurant convection ovens and even simple “Cadco” countertop ovens (4 half sheet pans) which bake pretty evenly, the Wolf sucks.

I would appreciate advice on new electric double wall ovens (30 inch) and how to compensate for Wolf’s un-evenness.

Thanks!
Froggy
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post #15 of 15
11/20/07 at 8:42pm
did you buy dacor electric ovens? i am looking into new convection electric ovens.
are you happy with the dacor?
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