Hoping to hear about the Big Chill Pro Gas Range
bluesky88
9 years ago
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bluesky88
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agomwkbear
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Big Chill Pro Style (manufactured by BlueStar)
Comments (28)Hey, I'll give an update. So now I've had the stove for 3 years and a couple of more observations. First of all I hate cleaning the thing. It isn't that easy to keep it completely spotless the stainless steel lining underneath the burners is very hard to clean without scratching it. They were a couple of burnt on spots that I tried cleaning with Bar Keepers Friend and it still ended up scratching the stainless steel. Also the grates themselves have developed rust spots on them and I don't know if that is normal but it doesn't look great. I have tried not to use any steel wool or harsh abrasives on them just soap and water but that doesn't seem to have mattered. A couple of other observations. First, the burner lighters are a little wonky. Sometimes when I turn the burner on, the solenoid will still continue to click even after the burner is lit and it can go on for 30 seconds or even a minute before it stops. Also when I am using the stove and the oven at the same time the stovetop will suddenly deform with a loud bang and sometimes will throw the ceramic burner cover off of the burner. I guess overall I am happy enough with it I have not placed a service call because none of the issues are worth bothering to call service for. I will say that keeping the top looking like new has been a struggle that I have given up on. If I sell the house people are going to have to understand that the stove has been used I clean it but it's not going to look new anymore. If you are the type of person that needs to keep the stove looking pristine then you might want to consider another option. On the positive side the burners cook well they are powerful and I enjoy boiling large pots of water and doing stir-frys with the power that I have. The convection oven is a dream it cooks all sorts of things really fast. The broiler is very powerful but I find sometimes when I open the door to check on the food if the broiler is on the flame will come shooting out of the oven and it's a little scary. I do not know if other people using the stove have noticed that. Would I recommend this stove to other people? Would I buy it again if I had the chance? I would have to say probably not. I would probably have sprung for the electrical upgrades so that I could have gotten a induction range instead. It looks great and that's why I really bought it so I guess I can't complain too much. It works okay with some of the quirks I mentioned. Buy one because you like the way it looks but if you are looking for a top performing stove and oven you might find others that are better....See MoreWhich 36 in. pro style gas range- features, reliability,USA,$
Comments (45)Well ours is without question made of 304 stainless. But honestly I don't really see a problem using 430 SS either, depends on the way it was built as in some cases the 430 is better because it holds a weld better and can bend to certain specifications better without cracking. A range made of 430SS inside your house is not going to rust anyway, that is pure nonsense. I DO however think that 430 SS could have more adverse reactions to acidic type foods such as say Tomato Sauce or Lemon juice Vs 304. maybe if you sat it in a corner of an abandoned house for 30 years maybe, but if you use it everyday in a house with AC it is not going to rust, but it very well could have more staining with acidic foods. I think that 304 stainless is critical on a BBQ grill, but not so much on an indoor stove. But I am still glad mine is made of 304 Stainless anyway. But there are many things made of 400 series stainless that work just fine, never rust, one I can think of is most "Food Slicers, Deli meat slicers etc" are made of 400 series stainless. Car exhaust pipes are usually made of 409 stainless because of the better welding and heat resistance. I once had the pleasure of meeting an old guy out in California, he lived in the middle of no where on many acres of land and when I met him I drove through the classic old gate with elk antlers on top and his house was built in around the 1830's, was an old adobe that was built by a Mexican General when California was actually Mexico. House still stands today with the same tile roof, just one addition was added on about 100 years ago but other than that was all original, No AC. He had as his stove a old wood stove that was thickly enameled color of like a seafoam blue/green and all the corners and edges were all Stainless Steel. Had to be a 400 series stainless because I don't think the 300 series was even in use yet. That stove looked like it brand spanking new and at the time I saw it was about 90+ years old. Not a speck of rust on it, of course it was thick as hell but still the surface was still like new. I actually find products "Made in USA" about 75% of the time to be pure crap in every way. I bet 95% of the world views items "made in USA" exactly the way people like Deeageaux does about China. In general about every product I see with "Made in Germany" tag on it is probably about the only one I can generally count on being very well made, I can usually count on a high price for that item also. Most of the working parts in the NXR come from every place except China, it is basically just "Assembled" in China and who better to assemble than those that have been assembling things for decades. Also it is probably the larger brand name companies that are forcing retailers not to carry a quality product that cost far less, that happens all the time in every category of product....See MoreDouble oven + gas cooktop or Kenmore pro 36 in. range?
Comments (5)This is mostly an efficient use of space issue, so I suppose it would come down to more of a look than specific performance that I am looking for, since I have never cooked on higher end appliances. I do hope to be inspired to be a more adventurous cook with the new kitchen! The big issue is whether the double oven being across from the end of the peninsula will bother me. I am afraid it will. I have 36 in. of space allotted for the cooktop on the other side of the room, so I feel like I can easily switch from cooktop to range and in so doing get better cooktop performance (I do mostly stove-top cooking.) I saw the Blue Star 36 in range today and did not particularly like it. I did like the Viking, though. I was advised against the Kenmore pro line. I am new to this forum. Thanks for your responses....See MoreWant a Pro Gas Range - But is it worth the cost?
Comments (22)Spent last night finding great deals out there. As for the question about the range hood is 600 CFM good enough? I tried to stay away from the lower numbers like 200. I found a great deal at the Sears Outlet center by us. Only $380 after coupon - online price $700+. Brand new special order item. Really exciting. We don't have to pay installation since my DH is a pro at everything. Kinda looking into the GE CAFE model now. Didn't know it existed until yesterday. My local store has 3 on clearance for $2000. My new neighbor has one and it's a pretty good looking range with 5 burners and a total of 6.0 cu feet for the oven/warming drawer. I think for the money and the look it's the best deal around. I want something that looks good, but do not want to sacrifice for a small oven or small burner area. I have a smooth electric top now and love that I can use the entire surface top when taking hot pans out of the oven etc. Do these sound like good deals? The only thing is I am wondering if that Kitchenaid range hood will be a totally different stainless color than the GE Cafe range. Does anyone think that will look funny? Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchenaid 600 CFM Range Hood...See Moremwkbear
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