I bet you'd get lots of answers on the kitchen forum. It's very active there.

I would think the eliptical one would be bigger, therefore
giving more even heat to the griddle. Mine has 5 burners, but the 5th burner is for warming...
The two on the left have a "bridge". I can heat up either
burner, OR I can heat up both AND the "bridge' part between
the two so it would give even heat the whole length of
the griddle...

However, mine is a glass/ceramic top and was told NO cast
iron... but I might be looking for another kind of griddle..

Thanks debi, I'll post there as well.

I have a gas range with four burners. Sorry I have nothing to report. Maybe check the Appliance Forum.

kat wa
A little off op's questions, but why is one advised not to use cast iron on a glass cooktop?

I preheat a cast iron skillet on mine before pouring in the cronbread batter. Maybe I should reread the instructions. I probably missed the warning.

I did too, soxxxx, I use my cast iron on my ceramic top all them time!

Here's a photo of the cooktop part of our range. It's a GE Profile, model PGB918DEMWW. We wanted (and bought) White on White, but it also comes in Black on Black and Stainless Steel. The White and Black have an MSRP of $1,700 and the Stainless Steel has an MSRP of $1,900.

It has an oval-shaped fifth burner. We LOVE this range!!! It has a second, small, oven, too. It's on the bottom, which is fine because it's not something we use a lot, but it is SO handy to have to do the dinner rolls, or to bake a pie while dinner is in the main oven, etc. The bottom oven's highest temperature is 450� which is plenty for everything we've baked in it.

AND, it comes with a griddle that goes over that center burner!

This range has all sorts of great features -- convection oven, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE Profile Free-Standing Gas Range

I'd go with the bigger the burner the better. I assume you're talking gas? And if you use large oblong pots then the elliptical would have an advantage. But actually considering the way the gas burner works, when you fire it up high, much of the flame and heat can go up the side of the pan and not be as efficient. With cast iron it'll slowly spread the heat and I don't think it'd be a big thing either way.

The other thing is how often will you use 5 burners? I like the looks of the one lindsey_ca posted. Nice looking setup for a griddle or large oblong pot or roaster or something.

Are there any other features or a price issue that could impact the decision? I think I'd factor those in too.

With a gas stove if the flame goes up the side of the pan you're using the wrong size burner for the size of the pan. With cast iron the heat does spread but the area directly heated by the flame is hotter than the rest so it's not totally even. I'd get the elliptical burner unless your griddle is square (I'm assuming it's a rectangle).

Cynic,

Yes, I'm talking about gas. Nope, don't have any oblong pots, just my rectangular griddle like colleenoz mentioned.

While I like the looks of lindsey's range, it's out of the price range I'm looking at and has the convection oven which I really don't need. I'd only use the 5th burner when I'm using the griddle or when entertaining and need the extra burner.

My griddle is one that fits over two burners and that's part of the problem. The stoves that don't have the fifth burner (which seems to be fewer and fewer) so far have different BTU's for the front and back burners.

I'm still checking out the various brands and prices.

Appreciate everyone's input so far.

Secsteve, Cooking Forum is another good place to ask.
Lindsey, your stove top looks terrific.

Are you sure that this shouldn't be over on Hot Topics??

Some seem to get bent out of shape, over there.

And they have some fifth wheels, too, I think.

o j

Steve, the oven in our range can be used as a regular oven OR as a convection oven. It's not an all-the-time convection oven. We really like being able to choose when to use convection.

the sales person said no cast iron,
and the booklet that came with it also said
NO CaST Iron..
"painted/enameled bottom pans, stonewre and cast iron pots and pans are not recommemded because the will create scratches on the glas surface."

ours too has a convection choice.