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Capital Precision vs DCS 30 Inch All Gas

16 years ago

I have narrowed my choice of a new range to Capital and DCS. Obvious they are based on the same design since I understand Capital was started by former DCS employees. My problem is that the two different salesman (at 2 different appliance stores) each mildly runs down the quality and service/repair experience of the other product.

We like both of them and would go with either, making do with the feature differences if the service/repair history was markedly different.

I can find almost any opinion on the web after a week of seaching, so I am back where I started. Which view is more complelling? The 'reinvigorated" DCS after their purchase or the original DCS founders in their new company?

Thanks

E

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Comments (5)

weissman
16 years ago
I've had a DCS all gas 30" self-cleaning range for 5 years now and I'm very pleased with it. Mine is the slightly older version - for some reason the current model has slightly less powerful burners. DCS is now owned by F&P.

If I were looking at this point, I'd give serious consideration to the Capital. I think the specs on the Capital are a bit better than the DCS and I think it has more features. On the other hand, I don't know how they compare pricewise. I know there are people on this forum who have Capitals and are pleased. I think the product is too new to easily be able to evaluate its long-term reliability. Honestly, I think you'd probably be happy with either range - just compare the features, price, etc. and pick the one that feels right.
eandhl
16 years ago
If the Capital Precison is the early one (pre Performance) the one thing I liked better on the DCS is it has continuous grates. The Capital didn't have a middle grate.
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"Those dual stacked burners will give you an average lower temp but not a lower temp under the flame. " Can you explain what this sentence means? The Culinarian will give you a very even 140 or even lower in a few reported cases. Capital gives the high end rating in BTUs but is not forthcoming with the rating in BTUS on the simmer end so that you can compare. The self reported temperature is a meaningless number. The number will vary wildly depending on cookware and what you are cooking. My point is that it has been an issue on this forum. I will leave that to the OP to read and make up their own mind if it is an issue for them. For me it would be. The evenness of heat of any burner is more a function of the pan. Plus,those super-low burners give a clickety-clack from the the burners turning off and re-igniting. " Yes, the only ones that work that way on purpose are the Thermador. You might be thinking of the discussions about the Culinarian doing that when turned low. There might be a few others with those issues. The dual burners have two separate burners for this reason and eliminates any clicking. This thread has more about the clicking and why it occurred. Culinarian Clicking If looking for even super-low simmer better off with double boiler or simmer plate than dedicated simmer burner. It is a matter of personal preference I guess. I love that all my burners go to just warm. I don't have to fool with a double burner or simmer plates. I will often have 3 or 4 burners going at low temp and I don't have to ever worry about burning anything. My double boiler is in the basement and hasn't been used in 5 years. I was cooking something with eggs the other day and couldn't believe I didn't need a double boiler. And no amount of cast iron will make a 15k burner sear like a 23k btu burner. It actually can. If you study the properties of various metals as they relate to cookware, it will help you maximize the usefulness of your range. It is a matter of getting the temperature up to a certain point and having enough mass to hold enough heat to properly brown and cook a steak. In this case it is a matter of the amount of heat collected in the cast iron. Maybe you have seen where they heat rocks to a certain temperature and then cook steaks at the table in restaurants. Sort of the same principle. There is no direct heat under the rock at the moment but it is holding enough heat to cook the steak.
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weissman
16 years ago
eandhl - you've got it backwards - Precision is the new line - the old line is the Performance.
eandhl
16 years ago
Thanks for correction, I did say "if". In that case from what I have seen there is a quite a price difference in the two ranges that the OP is interested in.
peggross1
16 years ago
IMO, Capital being smaller and "newer" and fighting for floor space by good word-of-mouth will "try harder". At the much larger F&P, I would think every customer is just a number.

I bought a 48" Capital Precision 8 burner gas rangetop, sight unseen, based on reviews on GW, where I first heard of the brand, and based on my numerous phone calls with them. They were extremely patient while I sort of freaked out after my appliance retailer told me that due to whatever reason, my rangetop was going to be delayed beyond the 12 week window I was quoted (I ordered at the end of Oct. and the holdays were coming, blah blah). I think the delay originated with my area distributor wanting a full truckload or something, but all parties rallied and I got my range within the promised time frame which prevented my countertop fabrication from being held up!

It is beautiful and I can hardly wait to cook on it!

But, I wasn't yet done harrassing the kind people at Capital and my GC, KD, and myself, called their tech guys a thousand times as we tried to get my rangetop installed flush to the countertop AND cabinet face (I have a very deep cab. and can get it that way). It was designed to sit on top of the counter and in front of the cabinets - exactly as it would if it were a regular range installed in a 24" deep cab. But I dind't want it that way, and through persistance I'm told I'm ultimately able to have it the way I want it.

I'm most impressed and grateful to the professional and friendly service we've had after the money was already spent, and fully expect that IF I have any troubles with performance that they will be quickly corrected.

I never looked at DCS; are the prices similar?

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