But have you considered induction? =)

AARGH?Can you do gas??
My daughter chose induction over the costs involved with installing the gas line....and she is quite satisfied with it....
I cook with gas all the way....

I have a Whirlpool Ceran smoothtop and an oven with convection setting.

I like them fine. The new electric is control-sensitive, and mine packs enough power to be able to do canning on it (although I bought a flat-bottomed stainless stock pot to do it in.)

The drawbacks to a smooth-top
- Your pots and pans need to be flat, so those that are warped or do warp are out. For the same reason you can't use a regular wok on it.
- You can't shake a pan across the smoothtop or you'll scratch it - so the snap-wristy shake you need to do a perfect French omelet a la Julia is a no-can-do. (You need to hold it up off the stove then shake it - not exactly the same thing.)
- Just-used burners can be hot and you forget it. Mine is color-coded to show you what burner is still hot - but I still watch myself. Not an issue unless you are klutzy or have children.

They are not hard to keep clean. I've spilled hot canning stuff on it - no problem cleaning it off. I just use a regular sponge and use Barkeepers Friend for anything that gets cooked on.

I had an old, cheaply made electric coil. When I finally decided to stop repairing it I went with a gas stove top. I bit the bullet and the gas line installed. I love it.

Anyway, whatever the cooktop, do go for convection! (Be sure the fan can be turned off for when you don't want to be convection baking--not sure if that's a standard feature or not.)

I have had 2 electric smoothtops over 15 years and while I much prefer them over coil, you have to be much more careful about scratching the top and they look dirty after almost all cooking. However, as gas is not an option for me, I will buy another one next time.
Most aluminum pans warp, including calphalon, so keep that in mind and cast iron scratches so I mostly use stainless steel pans. I have a few enameled cast iron pans but I am extremely careful to not slide them at all. I would never use a black uncoated cast iron pan.

The upside? It looks sleek and is very easy to clean although it has to be cleaned all the time.
I have a ge profile slide in and it works well for me.

I think that the coil burners are now available only on the lowest level of electric ranges, and you probably can't too many extra features on a coil-top range.

But I'm a gas girl.

Gas. Love my gas stove.

When we moved here 6.5 years ago, I told the previous home-owners to keep their washer and (non-gas) dryer. I had the gas company come do a hook-up for our gas dryer, and for about $35 extra, I had them run a gas line to where the (electric) stove was. I lasted a couple years before I finally gave the perfectly functional (albeit, smooth-topped electric) stove to a charity and bought what I wanted. No comparison. Trying to can, use my wok, use my cast iron and finesse stuff on the burners was an exercise in frustration with electric...

Is your kitchen above a basement? If so, is there access to the ceiling joists? Is gas (or propane) an option? It might not be as expensive as you think...

I've been cooking with gas for about a year now, and I LOVE it. Before that, I've lived with a series of varied, but poorly performing stoves/cooktops. I cooked for 14 yrs on a smoothtop electric, which I couldn't wait to send to the landfill. It looked great, I didn't find that it scratched at all, and it was a breeze to clean, but as soon as it was turned on its shortcomings became obvious. It took forever to heat up, and just as long to cool off, so each pot/pan required 2 burners. It couldn't put out enough heat to stir-fry, sear, or deep fry. Even something as simple and basic as an omelette was an adventure every time. From conversations with friends, the new generation of this type aren't particularly more responsive. Mind you, nothing is worse to clean than those old coil burners.

Did I say that I LOVE gas???

Thanks, all.

The stove appears to be working again. Someone else said shut it off for 30 minutes and restart. It worked.

Natural gas is an option if I want to pay the gas company $35,000 to run a gas line to my house.

Propane is an option if I want to rip down the fence and put the gas bottles on my neighbor's patio.

In other words, no, gas is not an option unless I eat a LOT of chili and do something very uncomfortable with the gas line...

I like coils because I tend to be very tough on my stoves. I was hoping that they were still making the solid plate electric burners, but apparently not.

With the oven working again, I have time to learn, and consider.

But I can only consider electric.

Thanks!

I have an electric Maytag Gemini smoothtop and I love it. I loooove the small oven on the top - that's what I use 99% of the time vs. the big oven. I'm cooking for 1 or 2, so it's the perfect size, and preheats very quickly. When I do cook for more, it's great to have two ovens. Mine has the convection feature in the big oven, but I really never use it. I rarely bake cookies/cakes, etc, and when I do large roasts they are covered, so no need for convection. I think most people would use it though.

I don't find the smooth top getting scratched, but I've always lifted the pan to shake or flip, so maybe that's why. I did damage one of the burners though, when I accidentally let a sugar based sauce boil over. Hot melted sugar bonds with the glass and pits it. The burner still works fine, but there are pits around part of the perimiter where the sauce landed :(

There are different colors for the smoothtop - grey, white and black. They have some with 4 burners or another model with a 5th that's a 'keep warm', which is what I have. Looks like {{gwi:1569401}} Prior to that, (in my old house), I had a Kitchenaid smooth top cook top, and really liked that too. Worked great and easy to clean.

I am definitely not a gas cook. It actually takes longer to boil water, and the much lauded feature of "instant heat control" with gas does not impress me. I can cook just fine with "sort of instant heat control" ;) And, gas scares me. I can always smell it, and when I lived in an apartment with a gas stove, I called the gas co. several times because I was certain it was about to explode :)

It sounds like you should get another coil stove but as already said, it seems like only really low end stoves have coils these days so you might not get the performance you want.

I miss having a coil stove sometimes because I like shaking pans and in general not worrying about keeping my stove nice! I just want to cook! But I don't miss cleaning those things.

I shake my pans all the time and you'd have to look really hard to see the hairline scratches on my ceramic cooktop that's approaching 10 years old. If it was speckled - which I'd highly recommend over straight black or white for cleaning purposes - you wouldn't be able to see them at all.

Other than that I'd agree with Gina's post. Cleaning is NOT the big deal that people make it out to be. In fact I'd rather clean a ceramic top than any gas I've ever seen. Five minutes max if I've made a complete mess.

I haven't made up my mind about convection yet. I use it for re-heating, and there it definitely saves time. But I haven't used it for baking or roasting yet.

I'll be shopping for a new stove before long, mine is over 15 years old & the oven seems to be getting occasionally quirky. It got a new thermostat a couple of years ago, I probably won't invest more in it. I do have the option of a gas stove or another smooth top electric. I love my smooth top, but you do need to clean about every time you cook on a burner. My problem is that DH worked different shifts from me, then has been retired the last few years. Not a big believer in cleaning like that, so the burners discolored. I use cast iron, scoot stuff around on it some, there are a few scratches but not that much considering the age & abuse.
I know you don't have the option of a gas stove. I do miss my old gas stove, heat was either on or off. I will probably go back to a smooth top but may change my mind yet. I want a convection option, had been thinking of getting a microwave oven with convection option, but may go with the convection in a new stove. I haven't shopped new stoves yet so not sure what is out there.

Coil stoves are now days very low-end stoves?

Then why am I seeing coil stoves with tons of features and prices pushing $1K? Right in the mix with the price of solid-surface convection stoves?

Even though my stove is still working, I think I'm going to continue to look and narrow down my choices to a couple of models just in case my stove decides to really go dead on me.

Here's a place to browse and compare. I don't know if you need a slide in or freestanding range. I am posting the link to the slide in models. Scroll down for electric, they should be grouped together. On the left you'll find the freestanding range link. I love window shopping.

I didn't want to baby a smooth top. When I'm cooking multiple things, it can wild.

Here is a link that might be useful: Slide-in ranges.

A few years ago, that was true. Maybe the manufacturers figured out that not everyone wants the smooth tops? Thanks for correcting me. I am obviously not up to date!

Sorry, I need a full range, freestanding.

I have a galley kitchen, so that really cuts down on my possibilities.

I use a lot of cast iron, and I'm also pretty hard on my stove tops, which is another reason I'm not too crazy about solid surface. I just know my history.

They have those too. Scroll down to find the electric ones in a grouping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Freestanding ranges.

To confuse the issue even more:

There are soon to be arriving on the market some induction ranges; induction cooktop and regular or convection ovens. I know that Kenmore will have one, as well as GE.

I have a little induction hot plate and love it, but I think I'd really like a full-blown fully powered induction setup. Check on the Appliances forum, and you'll find a lot of people who liked gas but liked induction even more.

I like cooking with gas, but if I were limited to electric only, I'd certainly prefer induction to either smoothtop or coils. Search the Appliance forum for pros and cons of induction; main pro is that it's extremely responsive like gas. (Very efficient as well.) Main con is that you need special pans (iron and most stainless, no aluminum or copper).

Here is a link that might be useful: GE induction range

The responsiveness and power of induction is nice, but its awesomeness is in its easy cleanup--the cooking surface doesn't get hot enough to burn spills.

When we remodeled, we'd planned to replace our induction cooktop with gas but realized we were never going to get any neater and our last gas stove was always a mess. (Yep, we use raw cast iron on it.)

And I like a flat cooktop so I can chop onions under the hood.

Apparently Samsung has (or is soon coming out with) an induction range as well, the FTQ307NWGX. Google that term if you want to pursue it.

I don't know any details about the power to the cooktop, but it does have a nice big oven (5.9 cu ft.) and it's around $2000 (but some places list it for $1800). If it's a reasonably well powered cooktop, that's a pretty good price IMHO.

For an introduction to induction, check out the link. It seems fairly objective when comparing one manufacturer to another, but it doesn't have all the latest models listed.

Here is a link that might be useful: induction site

I have an induction cooktop and a separate oven. I love it. It's as responsive as gas, but easier to clean, more efficient, cooler and much safer. There is no way that I would ever return to the old fashioned heat sources.

I've had mine for 4 years. The stainless steel trim has some light scratching, but the glass is pristine. It's very hard to scratch.

A few years ago, I planned two big parties, one on Friday, and one on Saturday. Some friends came by plane from out of town.
Friday morning, we had a big blackout that lasted three days.

Fortunately, I have a generator and gas stove.
No food was spoiled, and the parties took place.

The only problem was traffic confusion for the guests, because there was no traffic lights.

dcarch

We have a propane tank and all of our "gas" appliances are run on propane. I could never again cook with electric -- had a smooth top in the city and hated the clean-up.

I'm another who loves my gas stove and Elery and I agree that, although we will be relegated to propane when we move to the farm, we'll keep a gas stove.

So, I'm no help, having never used convection OR induction, but I wanted to say that I'm glad you're going to get a new stove and I hope you love it!

Be sure to let us know what you get, so I can drool over it, will ya?

Annie

I have a GE Profile smooth top and still use all my cast iron skillets on it. I have been reading about the induction ranges over the past few months and hope to see them next month. No one in our local area have displays of them yet.
Hopefully now that your oven is working again, you won't have to make a decision for a while.

Linda

Hi kframe,

Here are a few links for the next time that stove misbehaves (you'll show it!) GE still makes a coil top, & Sears carries several brands with coils (though KitchenAid has evidently discontinued theirs; I bought a KA cooktop four years ago, but can't find it now).

GE electric ranges
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/html/GEAResults.htm#Category=Electric_Ranges

GE coil cooktop
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/html/GEAResults.htm#Category=Coil_Electric_Cooktops

Sears
Stoves, freestanding
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_12605_Appliances_Cooking+Appliances_Freestanding#viewItems=40&pageNum=1&sortOption=ORIGINAL_SORT_ORDER&&filter=Gas+or+Electric:Electric^Cooking+Surface:Electric:+standard+(coil)&lastFilter=Cooking+Surface
Cooktops
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_12605_Appliances_Cooking+Appliances_Cooktops#viewItems=40&pageNum=1&sortOption=ORIGINAL_SORT_ORDER&&filter=Gas+or+Electric:Electric^Cooking+Surface:Electric:+standard+(coil)&lastFilter=Cooking+Surface

I replaced all my coils and their connections on my electric stove. I couldn't afford a new one. When I did, I also bought an extra strength canning coil. I really like that one! Just a thought. I mail ordered them and my electrician neighbor helped me install them. Was easy.
I too cannot have gas due to no gas lines. I really miss gas, I love it. If I bought a new stove, I would try to get one of those double oven ones. It would be perfect for just me, since I rarely use the whole oven to roast something big. And I could bake two items at once. Depends on how you cook though. Veggie me doesn't do roasts!

I'm on my second glasstop and do not like them. They have bucked every pan I have, including cast iron skillets and there are other reasons I don't like them also. I recommend a coil stove in your position.

To bad, you can't use a cook top. I am getting rid of mine, as soon as the other house sale goes through, and I have the money to install gas. I did take my free standing gas stove out of the other house, but it is still in the garage, and not hooked up.

Moni... who can't wait to get gas back for cooking.

Update on my stove woes...

The stove is still working, so I've pretty much shelved my search for a new one for the time being.

I bought a gun safe instead. I needed that, too. :-)

Thanks for all of your advice and links, everyone!

I hate gas for cooking, ever since I was burned by a fireball that came out of the oven when I open it to put a dish in to cook. I had my hair burned off on both sides of my face and my eyebrows were burned off. My glasses protected my eyes but I looked real funny for a few weeks. So now I use electric only for the stove.

Holy Carp DayLily!

What were you cooking that created a flying fireball?

I saw the new Samsung induction range at Best Buy for $1700. Looked like a pretty good deal.

The link is to an Appliance Forum thread about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: samsung induction range

I was always an electric smoothtop person until my last kitchen redo. After researching quite a bit, I ended up with a Wolf 6 burner gas with super power. Best thing I ever did. If my house was on fire, I would find a way to grab my stovetop and go. I can heat up anything in seconds. Love it!

K Frame357:
I guess I'm one with a low end Range.
I had a GE freestanding electric range, just replaced it,
with the same.
I like it. Had a hard time changing from a Gas Range but

it does just about everything that you would expect from a Range.

It's a self cleaning model.

But !!! I MISS MY GAS RANGE.
I like to see a flame; that you can adjust, under the the Skillet.
Not just wonder ???

What do most of all the great chefs and restaurants use ???

Don't care for the Ceramic Top. Guess because I burnt my
hand on one and
I've seen them all scratched and beat up.
Also, like it was mentioned , some things don't heat right.
But some people love them.

I would go back to Gas in a minute.

But,it's like when someone says " have a nice night "
I usually answer
" It's according to who your with and what you're doing "

LOU

I agree with everything Lou said about cooking with gas.

Daylily, I burned off my eyebrows trying to light gas furnace once. The fireball was impressive.

Kframe, I would say a gun safe is a good thing to have if you have to have a gun in the house. Hope your stove dies soon so you can get exactly what you want.

Daylilydazed:
Now I know how you got your Handle.

Was that fireball from a buildup of Gas or Overheating.

You can do that with an electric range too.

That happened a lot with the very ,very , old Gas Ranges.
You had to put a lit match near a hole at the bottom of the oven, after the gas was turned on.

If you waited too long, there would be a Big Boom.

If you waited much longer than 'too long', it would be a very, very, Big BOOOM !!!!!
Sometimes with a Fire Ball.

You learned fast,to stand on the side, when lighting.

I think there are safety features incorporated now.
Lou

LOU

So happy that you're cooking again, Kframe19! This post was so timely because my old tried/true electric Roper (not the cool ones that people salivate over, but an ugly workhorse) had quite a selection of fireworks/flames in the oven this weekend. Wow ... am I the only one who doesn't have a fire extinguisher? Lesson learned.

You know what frosted me? As I was starting my search, each salesperson said a new one should last about 8 to 12 years -- planned obsolescence! It makes me look at this old Roper with teary eyes.

Lou, I'm glad you like your GE, cause that's what I ordered. We had to go with minimal options. We have one in college and another one soon going, and we can only spend so much.

You know what intrigued me? The Certified Sabbath Mode. Very interesting discussion with salesperson, and you learn something new everyday.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Cathy in SWPA

The fireball was from a buildup of gas. I had never cooked with gas before that. It happened in Pensacola FL in late 1975 when I was pregnant with my oldest son. I had to preheat the oven before cooking anything in it. It was an old gas stove that you had to light the pilot light in the oven before using it. It was not connected to an electronic starter.

LOL DLD! I used one of those old stove without an electronic ignition at a day camp I ran once. To light the oven you had to light a newspaper roll and hold it in the back of the oven where the pilot was. I can't believe we were using that with kids around, (it was always a fun adventure using that stove). One day while making cookies with her group of campers, a counselor had all the hair burned off her arm. The newspaper roll went up in flames which she dropped on the cement floor of the camp field office and she was stamping up and down to put it out with kids jumping up and down next to her screaming. I happend to be on the phone with the camp secretary at the time and I said, "Sorry I can't hear you too well there's a fire in the field office," to which she replied, "the field office is on fire?" at which point I could hear the director in the next office yelling "WHAT!" He was down at the day camp in a New York minute and I had an electric stove the next day!!

daylilydayzed:
I had to laugh when I read your last thread.
Thought I was the only one who remembered.
I liked to hear the BOOM !!!

K Frame: Does the Gun Safe have Gas or Electric Burners ???

I don't know what size Range you are looking for ???
Or what price range.

You mentioned a Gallery Kitchen. Three are many Options to choose from.
I've installed many Kitchens, in Residential and Restaurants and
Most of them were Gas. Definately in Restaurants.

Not up to date on the latest Appliances.
I don't think Cast Iron treats a solid worktop too good.
You are the only one who would know how it will be used.
I think the Gas Range top would take the most abuse, from shuffling a Cast Iron Skillet.
Like I said earlier, I like my GE Electric but I'm not doing as much Cooking as before.

If I did, my real preference would be a Gas Range, that didn't depend on electric,
to use the Burners, because of power outages.
Good Luck,
LOU