Best Burner Configuration w/larger pots? Best range?
dreamhouseforsomeday
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
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dreamhouseforsomeday
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Question on best set up with oil as a fuel / burner & water heater
Comments (8)Furnace or boiler? Depending on what model, 20 years may be nothing. Replacement with something more efficient depends on a lot of things. How long will you have the house? Assuming boiler/hydro-air, Is there excess capacity in the hydro-air so lower water temperatures can be used for a significant time? How large are the hydro-air units compared to the low end of a new modulating-condensing boiler? If you really want a condensing boiler, propane may price out better because they can be made more efficient, condense more. Combination boilers (instant hot water + heating) tend to be larger and it is difficult to match them to smaller heating loads. (The zone is relevant here more than the whole house.) Compared to oil and propane, electric water heaters may cost you less in the long run. That would solve your leaking indirect tank problem cheaply too. If your boiler is not a modern, cold-start boiler, it will save you a lot in the summer too since you can shut the boiler off. If I were in your shoes, I think that I'd hire a local energy rater to help you pick the low-hanging fruit with respect to saving your coins. You might be best off switching to electric hot water, and keeping the boiler for now while making improvements in the house envelope. In the intervening time, you can think about what to do about heating and hot water. Heat pumps, air sourced, are working in colder and colder weather all the time. Ground-sourced have been there for some time, but are a costly investment. You might be able to keep your boiler and use it for back-up for the next 30 years in that role. Someone has to look at some numbers based on your fuel costs to make any rational decision....See MoreLarger family in need of a larger Range.
Comments (7)In the way you describe what you want your kitchen to do, I would recommend a range top and separate wall ovens. You can then pick the appliance that best fits your needs for each part. If an oven goes out you are not stuck replacing the whole thing. I can't really recommend a DF range. I have a 36 Wolf DF and it works great but if you search blue enamel chipping on this forum, there are plenty of posts about wolf blue enamel woes in the wall ovens and ranges. You can pay a lot of money for a range and it only lasts 4.5 years. If you like to use cast iron, I would definitely consider a Blue Star rangetop. Cast iron has some great characteristics but they do not conduct heat as well as something like heavy copper or aluminum. BS has the star shaped burners and they will spread the burner ports across the the bottom of the pan better than ring burners, especially if you can match the pan size to the burner. You might even consider a 48 inch rangetop. An additional benefit for prostyle rangetops is extra room front to back. You will be able to use a little bit bigger griddle too. You might want to have BS put 2 burners the same size front to back or side by side depending on how you use the griddle. I use a heavy 7 guage aluminum Royal Industries griddle for something like grilled sandwiches. It conducts heat well so is pretty even and is 15x23". It will also season but not as quickly as iron or steel. You can also get a Chef King steel griddle but it is heavy. There are also some that are fitted and I think BS has one. The BS Platinum comes with a cast iron griddle overlay and a grill overlay. If you are used to cast iron and the way it seasons, I think you will like the way the top of the BS seasons too. As far as an oven goes, I would certainly consider convection. It is a learning experience as to how it works but well worth it. I use it where it will benefit what you are cooking. Convection is different oven to oven. By moving air, it is drying to what you are cooking. This is great for things you want to brown but not so great while something like a cake needs to rise. If you want the benefit of baking trays of cookies, a third element is helpful in even heating and this is mostly found in an electric oven. It will usually have its own mode like "pure convection" but also works in the other modes. This is also marketed as True or European convection. The Platinum range has a gas element but not sure how that works in relation to making the heat even. You can get a simple gas or electric oven with convection, no baking modes but it is likely the fan will just turn on and off rather than variable speed so that you get a slower fan speed for baking and higher for roasting. The air movement will also increase the rate of heat transfer, making things cook a little quicker. Most ovens turn the convection fan(s) on during preheat to help even out the temperature quicker. I have an Electrolux wall oven that preheats to 350 in 7 minutes and bakes very evenly. If I am baking a cake or something that needs even heat, I let it preheat for 30 minutes to stabilize. Even with convection the heat radiating from the walls of the oven is very important. They have just redesigned the Elux oven but made it with dual fan and you can leave the racks in now for self clean. Some people like Bosch and Gaggenau as well. I would read the use and care manuals online as you can learn a lot....See MoreHelp! Best induction cooktop w/ bridge burner for a pancake queen?
Comments (2)Are you asking about an induction cooktop or griddle? Your subject asks one thing but your ending question asks something else. If induction cooktop, then I suggest posting your question on the Appliances Forum: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/appl ....See MoreBurners and BTU's on Gas Ranges. What's Best?
Comments (18)You are correct ask about the lower end of the heat range capabilities of a new cooktop. But, most manufacturers will only provide one low burner for simmer. It's been my experience that the one low burner, regardless of brand really isn't low enough to guarantee no scorching. If you want to make and hold Hollandaise, mashed potatoes and a chocolate sauce at the same time, there will only be one very low burner on any unit, regardless of size. My experience is that a really low burner really isn't low enough. Finding a unit that has two low burners may be close to impossible. You could order that custom configuration from BlueStar. That is a lot of money and trouble for something that is easily solved. Instead, you place your Hollandaise, mashed potatoes and chocolate sauce in a hot water bath. In professional kitchens, that's how we hold delicate items, hot water baths. Order the unit that you like the best. Just use a hot water bath....See Moredreamhouseforsomeday
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