Photos... new version BlueStar RCS304.
casey_wa
13 years ago
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trouper
13 years agocasey_wa
13 years agoRelated Discussions
BlueStar No. 24
Comments (150)I am getting dangerously close to ordering a 30" RNB and am looking for some advice... 1. burner placement--is it better to have one 22k burner in the back instead of both in front? Scorching shouldn't be a problem because the range will be 5-6" from the backsplash (which will be fireproof if it ends up close enough to be necessary). 2. ventilation--we can only go 30" wide but can do 27" deep IF we can find an appropriate hood. It does need to be under and in-between cabinets. VentaHood seems to have some, 18" high, that go up to 600 CFM. Is 600 enough? Are there other brands with lower profiles? I assume a 19" deep hood would be inadequate, even with 600 CFM. Would it be OK for most cooking though? (There's a nice selection of 9" and under models, but they don't go out to 24+"). If I put both 22k burners in back and get a ~20" deep hood, could that be mostly OK? If I could pull off a compromise with the spouse that would involve a 36" wide hood, but only 20" deep, would that be approximately as good as 30" wide and 24" deep? (I might be able to pull this off for 2 reasons--first, the 20" deep one would have more reachable storage above that would partially replace the cabinet space lost because we could get a shorter hood and second, the shorter hood would not be as visually overpowering as the 18" tall one in a 36" width. It's a small room.) Are there other cabinet-compatible brands that are as good as VAH that have 30" wide, 27" deep hoods, preferably shorter than 18" tall? I haven't been able to locate any, but they must be out there! 3. Any potential issues to to having the range not quite against a wall but instead tucked into a 30" deep counter with island trim and an appropriately mounted hood? 4. Where the heck can I get an RAL color chart? The local shop is more than happy to sell me the appliance but won't loan me their color book--not even long enough to run to the hardware store to make my own book. Not sure I'm making sense here....but thanks for trying! :D...See MoreAmerican Performer vs. Blue Star RNB
Comments (51)Ugh, I'm sorry, all... I will make every effort to write a comprehensive review very soon. It's been on my list! For now, by way of a quick update, I'm still very pleased with the AR Performer. Awesome burner power for searing, quickly heating everything. The simmer is comparable to any other range I've used in the category of commercial/semi-commercial gas ranges. (I've used Wolf, Viking, Blue Star, but not Capital). The low simmer remains WAY better than even my mom's Viking cooktop, which is not nearly as powerful as the AR.) I do a lot of sauces and candy-making, and I have no complaints about the low-heat and simmer properties. (I usually use reasonably heavy/good quality cookware, mostly All-Clad, which definitely factors in). There are times, when doing a smaller batch of pasta sauce on a long simmer, for example, that I'll turn it off for a bit, but that's been the case with every gas range I've ever had. For most medium to large batches of soups, sauces, etc, the simmer is just perfect; I can get it quite low. The oven, also, is fantastic. I LOVE the large (full-sheet) capacity, and that's one of the reasons I chose the AR over the others. Heats very evenly, and I've been really pleased with how it handles everything from cakes to macarons, and the roasting and broiling is also superb. As I've mentioned before, none of the other ranges in this category can compare in terms of the quality of the shelves; they are heavy-gauge steel, as are the racks, and they are super solid and slide smoothly. That is actually something that makes a huge difference to me, especially when taking delicate items, like souffles out. I still highly recommend the AR Performer; I love it and have no regrets about my decision to buy it over the BS or CC. I say go for it!...See MoreAnyone have a 30' BlueStar RCS 304BSS range?
Comments (4)BlueStar's are awesome. One of my favorite brands out there. Not only do they come in 190 different colors, I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the open burner design. Is there a reason that you're not going with the Nova burners? Anyway, BlueStars have a very simplistic design meaning there aren't a lot of parts or electronics that can go bad. It's a home run in my opinion. Here is a link that might be useful: Want to laugh and learn about appliances? Read my blog!...See MoreBlue Star - differences in RNB and Platinum lines?
Comments (9)I would try to have separate ovens and range tops for about the same reasons. There are a few differences in the oven between the RNB and platinum. Two things would be important if you are a baker. The platinum uses the Pow-r burner and it is not additional but the only burner. There is no bottom burner. This is an issue for me in baking pies and even cakes as most recipes count on heat from the bottom. There might be some other things that rely on that but those would be the main issue for me. the Platinum has the convection fan on low every time the burner comes on as it must because the heat is in the back of the oven. You can't turn it off. This is drying to what you are baking. This is on top of an already dry environment in a gas oven. As a side note most manufacturers state on their website and in their literature that a gas oven is moist heat because water is liberated as a byproduct of combustion. Gas ovens have more air moving through so the moisture is removed. Electric ovens hold onto the moisture from food or added moisture. If using convection during roasting it will only run high speed when the Pow-r burner is off and low when it is on. Drying is a good thing when you are wanting something to brown because it evaporates superficial moisture allowing the Maillard reaction to take place. It is not such a good thing at the beginning of baking cakes or things that need to rise. As as far as a griddle, it is interesting that some of the features often listed can be a good or bad thing depending on how you use your griddle and burners. I'll use cookncarpenter's bullet points for a framework. There are all kinds of options. "Always on the stove top ready to go" The flip side is that you have less flexibility. This might be less of an issue with a 60" range, more with 36" One positive here for built in would be more stability unless you bought an overlay that is fitted. Some people use the griddle everyday so never would take it off. If you want a 24x24" griddle it would be very heavy but some people just have 2 overlays and use as needed. "No need to remove, store, replace" You can remove and store. "Thermostatically controlled, set desired temp and forget about it" I think it would be easier to reproduce a temperature with a thermostat. One side while talking about temperature would be that you are limited to 15K BTUs on the BS RNB built in. With overlays, you could have 2 15K burners or maybe more lined up front to back so much more power. "Once seasoned, extremely non stick-Cleaning is essentially a scrape, and wipe with paper towel (never soap)--Use for pretty much anything that can be cooked in a skillet or on a grill--Can be used as french top for sauce pans, great at keeping foods/plates warm--Excellent for warming tortillas and or leftovers" These things are pretty much true with all griddles. Chef King is popular and seasons well as does cast iron. Soap is somewhat controversial. :-) Even aluminum will season but it takes longer. Some aluminum griddles come in a nonstick coating. One thing to consider is the metal that makes up the griddle. Griddles are generally made of steel, cast iron and aluminum. Steel and cast iron tend to have zones of heat, lower and higher while thick aluminum tends to heat much more evenly. There is a photo of this in the review of the platinum that is on the front page of the appliance forum. An aluminum griddle can be bigger because of its excellent heat transfer properties. I have one that is 17x23 that can grill a boatload of sandwiches. Aluminum takes less time to heat and is much quicker to respond to adjustments in the flame. Some people like to have both and you can always buy the add on aluminum if you have a built in. It's not near as heavy as the steel. Some have replaced the griddle that comes with the Platinum because the heat is so intense coming out of the hole on top....See Morejsch
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