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claire_pope56

Decision time for Range as one is 6months!!! Lacanche or Blue Star

Claire Pope
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

I have to make a decision soon on a gas range as one of my choices is 6months to get. I want a turquoise stove so I have 2 choices:

1, Lacanche

2.Blue Star

Lacanche is 6mo. out but that is not a problem and the price is comparable , anyone have experience with these? Which one do you prefer and why? Thanking everyone in advance and your help is appreciated. I will choose either a 36 or 42

Comments (59)

  • Fori
    6 years ago

    For looks, one of my favorites is the Berta. I love the knobs. The LaCanche is a bit too dressy for me--I can't imagine living in a kitchen that would suit it.

  • _sophiewheeler
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    You’re not even in the same categories. Blue Star is for the serious Fire Searing cook who loves a real stir fry or restaurant broiled steak. LaCanche is for the oxtail casserole baker wanting to channel the gentler side of Julia Child’s cookbook. Berta is for the Xer who just learned of meal delivery services and doesn’t own any good knives.

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    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    6 years ago

    I am sorry I am actually a trained chef and I have a wok burner on my my Breta and I also have a double wall oven in my kitchen as i do catering out of there . I have had mine for 10 yrs not one single day do I wish i had bought something different. I have the all gas model with convection a simmer burner wok burner and 4 more burners .All the pieces from the top go in my DW the burners are sealed so the rest wipes off no problem. As for fire searing I use my grill outside for the best possible taste for a steak .I own a huge collection of very good knives mostly Globals and I am definately not an Xer since I am 71 yrs old. Don’t make silly statements without knowledge about things. As for which range to buy you need to understand how you cook and buy what suits that style and of course to some degree the style of your kitchen.

  • John
    6 years ago

    Sophie,

    Piece of trivia:

    Julia Child used a Garland range in her home that she really loved: http://americanhistory.si.edu/kitchen/tools01_01.htm

    Bluestar is directly derived from Garland commercial ranges (Bluestar referring to the signature star shape of Garland burners). Garland commissioned Prizer-Painter Stoveworks to manufacture their new line of ranges specifically for the burgeoning residential market for professional style ranges. Garland later got out of that market and left it to Prizer-Painter to continue under the company name of Bluestar.

  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Sophie are you sayin g Blue Star? There are so many bad reviews on all but the wolf. I originally looked all the wolf but love the idea of a colored stove. I am not a big SS fan

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    6 years ago

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    Lacanche USA
    6 years ago

    Bonjour Claire Pope ! And big congratulations on your new kitchen to-be. A Range purchase is so personal, and will live in the heart of your home for years to come... you must be in love, regardless of whom you chose to cook with :)

    Please let us know how we can be of any use answering questions large or small for anything regarding Lacanche. Despite the more intimate nature of our ovens, they still deliciously welcome a 26 pound turkey in the Cluny size ovens, and a 32 pound in the Sully size ovens. Food is much smaller than we think, and the lack of excess space reduces the risk of inadvertently drying out food. Many of our VIP chefs tend to agree ;)

    Have a wonderful start to the New Year, and please say bonjour at frenchranges.com if you have any questions at all.

    Happy Shopping, and very happy cooking!

    Blair

    blair@frenchranges.com

    Art Culinaire | Lacanche US

  • TwoBelles
    6 years ago

    Hi Claire! I have had experience with both brands, and for me, LaCanche is the hands down winner. I cannot say that I am a Julia Child cook, by any means, but I do love to cook and I have enjoyed this range immensely since it arrived a year ago. I served my first large Christmas dinner in my new kitchen last week, with my sister lending her incredible pastry skills to the meal. My parents said it was one of the best meals they've ever eaten, which is saying something because my mother has always been a phenomenal cook herself. While I'd love to claim all the credit, I find that the tool does make a difference in elevating a great meal into an extraordinary meal. (This is a huge admission coming from me, as well, since I have served groups of 50+ in a small German townhouse with a Barbie oven when my husband was still in the service.) With the Lacanche, I love the option of both electric and gas ovens. I also enjoy the burner options and flexibility. And I don't think I can ever be without a warming oven again.


    In terms of direct comparison, the BS range has incredible fire power and for someone who does a tremendous amount of searing or primarily wok cooking, I can see a possible advantage. Having said that, though, I live in a temperate climate and use our summer kitchen for searing and even stir frying to keep kitchen smells at bay. The fit/finish on the Lacanche is light years beyond the BS. Having cooked on both extensively, I will add that in terms of function, I find the ovens on the Lacanche to be MUCH more consistent than the BS. Despite my concerns about the smaller ovens, I am now a huge fan of them. They heat quickly and efficiently and items are often done in a fraction of the time. Additionally, while I didn't mind cleaning the open burners, the LC stovetop is a snap. Finally, the customer service and support for LC has been nothing short of concierge. They have been incredibly helpful and responsive. The only thing that comes close is the service we have gotten from our family-owned, local W-SZ servicer for other appliances.


    Like Corie, I'm happy to answer any specific questions you may have, as I relied heavily on these boards during my own kitchen research. I will end my comments with this suggestion: think carefully about how you truly cook....not how you fantasize you will cook....when selecting your appliances. There are posts to support (or decry) just about every range out there. I can only share my experiences, YMMV. Best of luck!

  • PRO
    Lacanche USA
    6 years ago

    Bonjour twobelles !! What precious and wonderful words to hear. We love that you are in love. A very happy New Year from our family to yours :)

  • KD
    6 years ago

    This is just the debate I’m having with myself. I think I have to find a place I can try at least the BlueStar out and see if I need that much oomph. The LaCanche would certainly be easier to handle from a ventilation POV.

  • _sophiewheeler
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    The specs don’t lie.

    Wimpy. And the 4 cubic oven on the 36” is 2 cu ft smaller than most 30” ranges. Tiny.

    Also Wimpy. GE has bigger burners. Also this has tiny ovens.

    No wimps here. And the oven will fit a full commercial sheet pan.

  • wekick
    6 years ago

    This reminds me of years ago when some people bought into the idea that if you didn't have a BS you were not a serious cook and there was one person who said everyone else was a "play cook". You had to have "powerful open" burners or you were not serious. BS still has an article about sealed vs open burners on their website that is full of myths and mistatements so I guess this is where this stuff still comes from. They have a great product and could separate themselves from the competition with a credible article that is specific and leaves the myths behind.

    I like BS but why would anyone think that one size fits all and have to add desparaging labels to everything else. Some cooks might go for the most BTUs but then if it is important to go as high as you can why wouldn't you go to go to 25K or even a 30K wok burner? 22K might seem "wimpy" to them.

    Claire, you would be better served as twobelles said to think about what type of cooking you do. Don't fall for Internet shaming by someone who hasn't asked anything about how YOU cook or what kind of cookware you have. Determine your wants and needs and prioritize them. Try to go see the ranges you are considering live. You might still very well get BS or one of the other two, but for the right, well thought out reasons.

    Consider these features.

    BTUs --What do you cook on now? What type of cooking do you do? Simmer is important to me, so where are the specs on the BS for that? Temperature of simmer is not a spec but a nonspecific guesstimate. If you want to sear a steak, cast iron holds a lot of heat so you can get it hot enough to vaporize fat on a 15K burner but it takes a little longer to preheat. You can stirfry on 15K but in smaller amounts. Some people get a really big outdoor wok burner that is 65K. 22k will heat water a little faster than 18K but is it significant? I have 15K on 5/6 of my burners and rarely use them at full power.

    Burner cap--The term "open" is used in marketing in a confusing way. Some are really referring to the burner cap. BS is uncapped so the flame goes straight up. A capped burner has a lift off cap to protect the burner ports from spills and has more flare when on highest heat. This is where you need to see the flame with a pan on it to see what works for you because it can vary depending on how it is engineered. I use wider pans on high heat so a capped ring burner works for me.

    Burner shape-- The star burner disperses the heat over a greater area which is great if you have bare or enameled cast iron, carbon steel or thin pans. This is because they don't conduct heat all that well. Your pan must be sized to the burner to take advantage of that. If you have heavy copper or aluminum or some plied cookware the ring burner works well because the pan evens the heat out.

    Oven--as much as some people like a cavernous oven, others don't like the long preheats or feel it is wasteful to heat up the whole thing especially at the 36" size. You could talk an hour just about ovens. Electric vs gas, convection? One big oven vs two ovens. You might want two different temperatures.

    Look at the broiler. How do you use yours? I use mine mostly fixing half sheets of appetizers or browning so I like a wider electric broiler. It goes fast enough. Some people sear a couple of steaks there so like a gas infrared broiler. Look at the size though as they tend to be smaller.

    Cleaning--Here is another application of the term "open" and here it is open vs sealed. Open burner trays break down for cleaning or you could look at it as you have to take it apart to clean depending on your perspective. This is a video by an owner who used to post here on cleaning a BS.

    https://youtu.be/3K2DR2ub1sA

    Sealed trays keep spills from going underneath. Some people have strong opinions about what is easier to clean. I am 50/50 on it

    Is a self cleaning oven important?

    It is very difficult to find someone like twobelles who really cooks who has used BS and Lacanche and has compared them.







  • PRO
    Lacanche USA
    6 years ago

    Hi Sophie Wheeler ! Very Happy New Year :) It is to note that we are quite honest with our perspective clients when discussing Burner configurations, that one of the initial complaints about Lacanche burners is in fact, their power. Going solely by BTU numbers alone can be misleading, so we always suggest seeing the Ranges live before purchase. Most clients are shocked to see the burner power, and then configure the Range for more simmer options despite the very high BTU burners offered in the Hob, dependent on their cooking styles day to day. One reason many of our very special chefs love Lacanche is their intense, high power burners, perfect for searing, wok cooking, etc. Each Range brand is going to be slightly different, catering to a specific type of client, so finding your dream Range will mean the right range for you and your lifestyle :)

    Happy cooking in 2018 !

  • catinthehat
    6 years ago

    Why buy a Honda civic if you can get a BMW 5 series for the same price and cost to maintain? In reality the two cars are drastically different price points, but in the world of ranges the lacanche and bluestar are very close in price point. I think the whole celebrity chef endorsement played by both sides of the competition is silly, you can make restaurant quality dishes on either, just like you can get from point a to b in a Honda or BMW just as easily. The bluestar is obviously a better engineered range without getting into semantics and it costs the same. Cut through the marketing nonsense and look at that specs. I hate how products are advertised these days but it's the world we live in.

    If you choose a lacanche it's for the looks, not because it's more capable. Nothing wrong with that in my book, I've made plenty of those kinds of choices in my life. But let's not kid ourselves.

    That's my rant for the morning, this has bugged me the day I joined these forums, I usually try to keep my posts more positive. You'll love either range you end up choosing I'm sure, just know what you are giving up with either choice, good luck!

  • wekick
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    "The bluestar is obviously a better engineered range"

    To be helpful to the OP, which BS and why?

    "If you choose a lacanche it's for the looks, not because it's more capable."

    I would say both have different capabilities. One might be more usable for one cook or another.

  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    I appreciate all the responses and they are all so very helpful . It has caused me ask myself some questions and the answers. 1. I really cook outside on the grill a lot as we live in Florida (would never grill or broil a steak in the house) probably most meats are grilled out so Btu is probably not that important . 2. Rarely bake only on holidays and an occasional roast, I do roast veggies and bake potatoes. 3. There are only 2 of us and husbands cooks his breakfast in an electric skillet. 4. I do make a lot of soup but a rare stir fry but have an electric wok. Simmer would be important. 5. I love an electric oven but gas for a prime rib. You are probably wondering why I even need a range LOL. I love the look and color of the Lacanche and I am getting a separate oven that could be a full size for a giant prime rib on Christmas. Hopefully I will cook more as I did when my 4 children were all home it is so difficult to cook for 2. Still on the debate but I can go see a BS here but have a color chip coming from Lacanche.

  • TwoBelles
    6 years ago

    Hi Steven, I am not trying to be argumentative, I am gently asking: have you had an opportunity to cook on both ranges? I ask this because I was surprised myself by the sheer cooking power on the Lacanche, especially after cooking on a BS. I think many people assume that the LC is a bit of a cupcake because it is a beautiful, although highly stylized piece. This is not to take away from the aesthetics of the BS; I happen to also appreciate the industrial stance it takes in any space. However, to say, "If you choose a lacanche it's for the looks, not because it's more capable..." is a bit akin to saying if you date a beautiful professor it's for her looks, not because she's brilliant. I'd like to think in this day and age, it's generally understood that the two traits are not mutually exclusive. ;)

    Many of the same reasons that people appreciate the engineering of the BS also apply to LC: the firepower, the flexibility of the cooking space, and the ability to troubleshoot basic machinery without a lot of electronics. To use your analogy and apply it to my comments regarding finish, the difference between the BS and the LC is similar to the sound you get when you climb inside a Honda and slam the door and climb inside a Mercedes and slam the door. The weight, the insulated feel, the "solid-ness" of the construction, becomes more evident.

    As wekick said, perhaps you can expand on your statement to clarify the engineering details so that OP and others researching such a purchase can better analyze your contributions. I strongly agree with your conclusion that most people end of loving the range they choose, particularly when they have given it a good deal of thought during the decision process.

  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    This is my range in my Michigan home so maybe I am looks over function . Not that this has not been a great stove for 13 years and serves me just fine and with no problems.

  • _sophiewheeler
    6 years ago

    Then just buy a Big Chill. It’s made by Blue Star, so you get some awesome functionality as well as looks.

  • catinthehat
    6 years ago

    Hi twobelles, wekick, and others,

    I am a civil engineer by trade, so I wouldn't pretend to be a range "expert." At the end of the day I am a simple consumer just looking for the absolute best my painfully hard earned money can buy. Without getting into the nitty gritty and going off topic, here's a quick summary. Other posts on this forum and other (more technical) forums do an excellent job diving into specifics.

    1. Comparing both company's top products, the heat output of the burners is a big difference. Yes I've tested out both, and countless others. From a pure numbers perspective, approx. 15k of lacanche and 25k btu burners from bluestar is a big difference. 30% more power is nothing to sneeze at. 15k is plenty for 99% of restaurant quality dishes. I am OCD and want my money to cover the 1% of the time I need higher heat (in my case it's more like 10% of the time). Not only are the bluestar burners more powerful, as their competitor above nicely put it, bluestar puts the heat where you need it most with it's open configuration. Lacanche's sealed burners just can't perform at that level, it's an inherent design setback. No marketing can fix that, just try it yourself. I and others are not saying that will necessarily hold back your cooking, it certainly doesn't mine. I went 10 years living in apartments with horrible cheap electric and gas ranges that I made excellent food out of. If I wanted more heat I just moved what I was searing to the edge of the pan where the heat was more intense. Cooking is my passion. In my personal experience, wow what a great level of convenience a nice open burner adds. Regarding simmer control, I didn't waste my time doing scientific simmer tests. They both simmered my white wine reduction alfredo sauce nicely, just like my crappy ranges did in the past. You want to melt chocolate? Set up a bain-marie and do it the right way. I don't care how many commercials bluestar or whoever makes showing you can melt chocolate on paper over the fire. That's silly, demeaning marketing.

    2. The oven, simple simple simple is what I like. The less electronics the better. That means no electric oven for me. Those electronics can and will fail. You can thank RoHS compliance for that. "Dry" vs "moist" heat in baking? Maybe it matters if you are churning out soufflés regularly? I don't know. I cook a lot and have never noticed a difference in gas vs electric ovens. I am not a baker though, I like savory and primarily use my oven for finishing dishes, churning up biscuits, and the annual birthday cake for my amazing wife.

    What about size? Bluestar has a significantly larger oven capacity over lacanche. Why doesn't lacanche just up their size? Because with their business model they can't. Making an oven physically larger is easy, just look at all the commercial ovens that are thousands cheaper than either of these brands. Making a larger residential oven that meets third party mandatory testing requirements in the USA AND does not cause issues to adjacent wood cabinet finishes? That takes engineering, time, and trial and error. Bluestar, despite having roots from Garland, had to go through these growing pains in the 2000s. This was a key business decision that was extremely risky, but in the long term pays off and benefits us consumers today. Lacanche does not have this business strategy, didn't go through those growing pains, and the resulting product speaks for itself. I do not fault Lacanche one bit for their business decision, but let's be clear who took the risk.

    3. Aesthetics, fit, finish, feel. Purely subjective. I like both. I think lacanche makes beautiful ranges. Their style would actually fit into my "modern Spanish inspired" kitchen theme, but the performance bugs me. I would love to have an opportunity to cook on a lacanche in someone else's home though. I appreciate working with a solid, great looking product.

    You can't go wrong with either brand, but boy does all that nonsense marketing and misdirected hype make it hard to cut through what is important and make a decision. The sad part is these companies do it because it works. I love these kinds of forums because it is a step in the right direction to get people educated in the right direction to make a sensible decision with their money.

    Please post pictures of whatever range you choose, we love oogling at photos here =).

  • PRO
    THE FRENCH BARN - Lacanche Canada
    6 years ago

    Steven,

    I am a civil engineer by trade myself, who grew up just a few minutes away from the Lacanche factory (for those who wonder why I am now representing Lacanche in Canada!).

    I certainly appreciate your input, but I must say that it doesn't reflect the feedback we get from our Lacanche owners. As Blair mentioned earlier, if anything, our owners wished they had more low / medium-sized burners on their range, rather than more power. Whether they upgraded to Lacanche from a "regular" stove, a Wolf or a Garland range, the feedback is almost always this. And it goes without saying that many of our Lacanche owners are serious chefs themselves, whether as a hobby or professionally.

    The Lacanche burners are not sealed. Instead, the design of the burner assembly combines the advantages of both open and sealed designs: the aluminum body sits over the burner hole, which has a flange to prevent spillovers from going down the top (ease of cleaning, like a sealed burner). This also provides airflow around the burner (like an open design). The max BTU numbers do not tell the whole story.

    Re: ovens, we are certainly conscious of the fact that many homeowners and cooks in North America are accustomed to very large ovens, and it is indeed a "drawback" of Lacanche if that's what matters most. However, again, most Lacanche owners find that the size of our ovens is more than suitable for all their cooking. It will require a slight adjustment if you are used to very large roasters and full-size pastry sheets, but it doesn't prevent you from creating delicious meals. Lacanche has enough experience in the residential and professional world to design larger ovens. We prefer however to focus on what we do best, and continue to improve our current products.

    Lacanche is clearly not "the ultimate range for every single cook in North America", and we will never pretend that it is. It is however, one of, if not the best, French range for someone who wants quality, longevity and performance combined with an unmistakable French design.

    As you can tell, I tend to get carried away in my writing when speaking of Lacanche! At the end, the beautiful thing is that everyone can choose the best range for their use, with many great options from many different brands!

    Patrick

  • maire_cate
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    two belles - it would be helpful if you said which Blue Star you used. From what I have read Blue Star has made significant improvements in 'fit and finish' in recent years.

    We're not pros and I can't offer a comparison since I've never used a Berta or Lacanache however they are beautiful appliances. We do love the BlueStar Platinum 30" range that we installed when we remodeled. We wanted something simple without all the electronics that seem to be so troublesome.

    We recently downsized and decided that even though our kitchen is much smaller we didn't have to sacrifice on appliances. I was used to the convenience of 2 ovens so we also installed a 30" electric Thermador wall oven along with a 42" Sub Zero French door, a Bosch DW and a Prizer hood with MUA.

    My take on the BS ---- 25,000 BTU's is not only useful for searing or wok cooking. So far we've only seared steaks a few times and have yet to use the wok we received as an Xmas present. I like that it boils water quickly both for big pots of pasta and for a tea kettle. I appreciate the fact that after you add the pasta it comes back to a boil much quicker than my previous Dacor cooktop. I have used the simmer burner several times but I have also simmered on the other 3 burners - they all have a nice low range too.

    The cast iron grates have been easy to clean but we're careful cooks and simply haven't ever had a boil over mess. I do like the fact that the cast iron won't discolor the way the porcelain did on my Dacor or the stainless on my Thermador cooktop.

    We've used the gas oven for everything from Thanksgiving turkey to pear tarts and bread pudding. The temperature has been accurate and consistent.

    I debated on selecting one of the many colors BlueStar offered but we honestly couldn't decide on one so we went with SS. It does take a little longer for the models with color so be sure to order the metal sample to make sure it's the shade you want. The dealers do have sample color books in the store but they're paper, you can order metal pieces from BlueStar.

    One final comment - regardless of which range you select make sure you have options for service and parts.

    Maire

    Claire Pope thanked maire_cate
  • TwoBelles
    6 years ago

    Maire_cate, valid question; the appliances I had were made in 2016.

  • PRO
    Lacanche USA
    6 years ago

    Bonjour Kari Walter !! All our apologies you've had trouble with your gas oven. It is to note that Lacanche Ranges, for the most part, can absolutely be outfitted with two electric, two gas or dual-fuel, depending on the model. Most of our clients who are bakers are adamant about two electric ovens, to be sure. That said, the Ranges have since had a few adjustments made to their gas oven ignitions since your purchase, making it much more user friendly. While the first ignition was a bit cumbersome, it was utilized as a strong safety on the valve (similar to that of turning a pill box). Recent ignition upgrades still maintain the upmost gas safety, but it's much easier than in previous years to maneuver. Please let us know if we can offer any tips or tricks on your current ignition, we are more than happy to help.

    While it's true there is no set indicator light when the oven reaches a specific temp, we tend to suggest a 20 minute pre-heating time to ensure a thorough and even temperature. While Lacanche are certainly more 'Old World' than some, most any oven will heat up in waves, rising and falling over a specific amount of time, landing at just the desired temperature. The twenty minute mark is our typical suggestion for your most accurate temperature before using the oven.

    We cannot thank you enough for your kind words and for being such a lovely Ambassador for us. We do of course, want you to be able to simmer on your Range, so please let me know if I can be of help in using your portable simmer plate... they are truly so special, and incredible tools for simmering, infusing butter or even melting chocolate. Let us know how we can help :)

    Have a beautiful start to the New Year, and very happy cooking!

    Merci,

    Blair | Lacanche US

    blair@frenchranges.com

  • Kari Walter
    6 years ago

    UPDATE TO REVIEW: Well played - Arte Culinaire! Claire Pope - if you really want to know what type of company you are buying into with a LaCanche Range, this follow up is a great example. Today (one day after I posted the above review) I received a complimentary bronze simmering plate in the mail from Arte Culinaire to help with the simmering issues I mentioned above, along with a thank you for acting as an Ambassador. Just WOW! See respones ABOVE - they listened to customers and made the igniting of gas ovens more simple and therE are more options regarding ovens and burner types than there were 5 years ago. So for a very traditional looking range - the dedication to customer support and desire to improve an already awesome product is refreshing and innovative! Thank you LaCanche! This range is one of the very few "splurges" in our renovation that 6 years down the road I still feel was worth it.

  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Kari Walker Thank you for the update I haven't purchased yet but they are very helpful. I am going to Naples in the next few wks to meet with an Ambassador to few a range in the color I am looking at, so very nice them to find me one not to far away and the same color I am considering. I have made up my mind I am getting a Lacanche, now decision time on which one and color.

  • opaone
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    One other bit on open vs sealed burners. Burners like those on a LaCanche or Wolf throw heat out towards the edges of pans so a lot of heat is wasted and ends up heating cooks arms and face rather than the food. Cooking on an open burner is much more comfortable from this standpoint.

  • homechef59
    6 years ago

    Glad to hear that you are going to look at one. All that any of us want is for you to make an educated decision and be happy with it. I hope you like it. I miss my BlueStar.

  • cheri127
    6 years ago

    Why buy a Honda civic if you can get a BMW 5 series for the same price and cost to maintain?

    Because the BMW, while a blast to drive, has run flats instead of a spare and there's no way I'm getting stranded on a highway with a flat tire and no way to fix it.

    Like everything else, there are many things to consider when buying a range. The Bluestar has amazing power and the burners are phenomenal but you have to tinker with it to keep it running smoothly, it's a pain to clean and has an industrial vibe. The Lacanche is not as powerful but still perfectly adequate for most home kitchens, is robust and beautiful to boot. It's not one size fits all so why the disparaging comments?

    You can get from a to b just a quickly in a honda civic as you can in a BMW 5 series. It may be a less exciting drive, but the end result is the same.

  • PRO
    Deck The Halls
    6 years ago

    Hi Claire, If you still live in Michigan you are more than welcome to come and cook on my Cluny 1400. You can get in touch with me through the Lacanche people.

    I also agree that the burners, even an 11,000 BTU, can be too powerful at times even on low. I've learned to adjust my cooking to accommodate for it; using the French Plate or the 5,000 BTU burner once a dish just needs to simmer. As for the my one 15,000 BTU burner, it barely ever gets used because it's way too hot for anything other than searing. I can't imagine needed anything more powerful than my Lacanche.

    With regards to oven size, I think the Cluny ovens size is perfect! The only time I ever filled an American size oven was during the holidays. Generally most of the heated space goes to waste. I now have two ovens and a warming oven. So, when I want to bake a chicken I stick it in the small gas oven, it heats up quickly and cooks faster because the heat is contained to a smaller area. If I bake vegetables, lasagna, etc. I use the electric for the same reasons.

    During the holidays, I use the gas oven for my 24 lb plus size turkey and I cook the other dishes in the electric oven moving them once they are done to the warming oven which allows me to change the temperature as needed for each dish. With my American oven everything that could fit in the oven at the same time had to be cooked at the same temperature. Just for reference, I cook for six people on a daily basis and Thanksgiving dinner consist of a turkey and at least six side dishes that require baking. Personally, I think larger ovens are over rated.






  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks for the offer Corrie, I have a summer home in Harbor Springs where are you in Michigan? I think I going to order it even before I use one as they are so beautiful. I am choosing the coral blue with brass. What color did you go with?

  • cpartist
    6 years ago

    I appreciate all the responses and they are all so very helpful . It has caused me ask myself some questions and the answers. 1. I really cook outside on the grill a lot as we live in Florida (would never grill or broil a steak in the house) probably most meats are grilled out so Btu is probably not that important . 2. Rarely bake only on holidays and an occasional roast, I do roast veggies and bake potatoes. 3. There are only 2 of us and husbands cooks his breakfast in an electric skillet. 4. I do make a lot of soup but a rare stir fry but have an electric wok. Simmer would be important. 5. I love an electric oven but gas for a prime rib. You are probably wondering why I even need a range LOL. I love the look and color of the Lacanche and I am getting a separate oven that could be a full size for a giant prime rib on Christmas. Hopefully I will cook more as I did when my 4 children were all home it is so difficult to cook for 2. Still on the debate but I can go see a BS here but have a color chip coming from Lacanche.

    Sounds like you should be cooking on an induction cooktop. I believe both the LaCanche and the BS have induction capabilities. In FL, I wouldn't consider anything but induction. Especially since you also have the barbecue.

  • nononora
    6 years ago

    Then go with the one you like the looks of. They all cook incredibly well.


  • Beth
    6 years ago

    I too am trying to decide between Lacanche, Bluestar and LaCornfue. I've pretty much eliminated the LaCornfue as I'm concerned about the manufacturing. I have a really silly question that I realize I should know but here goes...can someone tell me what the ovens in the Lacanche and the Bluestar are made of? Cast Iron?

  • PRO
    THE FRENCH BARN - Lacanche Canada
    6 years ago

    Thank you for sharing, @wekick !

    Beth, the inside of our ovens are made of enamelled sheet metal. This makes the ovens relatively easy to clean, and you dont have to worry about rust or chipping.

    Patrick

  • Shin
    6 years ago

    I'm a big Lacanche fan, so I'm happy to see you've decided to go for that. The biggest problem with lacanche is settling for which model and colour. I started with a blue Cluny, but ended up ordering a Sully 2 + in yellow. Regarding power, I don't think you will be disappointed. I specifically tested it for wok cooking and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. Perhaps there are bigger burners, but for me this was big enough.

  • Mark Dobrowolski
    6 years ago

    I have had by 36" Blue Star RNB in White for almost a year. I love it. can't ask for more power. i have had no issues and would do it again.

  • PRO
    Deck The Halls
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Claire, I'm in Ann Arbor. Mine is terra-cotta. Coral blue is very pretty and will look great in a Florida home!


  • M
    6 years ago

    I am surprised so many people in this thread discount the BlueStar open burners because of difficulty keeping them clean. We have had our BlueStar RNB for several years now, and it is the easiest-to-clean gas stove that I have ever had.


    Most days, I just quickly wipe the cast-iron grates with a paper towel, and then clean the stainless steel area in the very front. Takes mere seconds and the stove looks nice again. It does develop a patina over time, but that is IMHO just fine. It's a working tool. It's OK if people can tell it is being used for work and no longer looks factory new.


    Every couple of months, I clean out the pull-out tray under the burners and replace the aluminum foil lining that I put in there. A thorough cleaning takes a couple of minutes. But that's it.

  • opaone
    6 years ago

    The difficult to clean bit was promoted by Wolf — according to our local Wolf sales folks.

    Background: The least expensive manufacturing situation is to make the exact same thing over and over and over. E.G., all sealed or all open for instance. It's more expensive to try to build both as it requires additional design work, more parts to be stocked, increased manufacturing time and machines, double the QA effort, increased effort writing user and technician manuals, more training for CS folks, more marketing effort, etc.

    Over time Wolf chose to focus on pro-look aesthetics over functionality. They chose to go after the consumers for whom looks was more important than functionality. From a sales revenue standpoint this was a very good choice as the 'Wolf Look' was/is very popular and the number of people who wanted the look is greater than those who want actual functionality to cook on. Offering sealed burners rather than open provided valuable marketing blurbs - 'easier to clean' and 'as easy to clean'. This was pumped out to sales folks all over. What they didn't want is DCS or Thermador telling the people that their ranges were easier to clean than Wolf.

    In reality, for people who want a spic-and-span-always-looks-brand-new-never-been-used kitchen then sealed burners are better. They are a bit easier to keep new looking. But only a bit, not the huge FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) difference that's been promoted. It's similar to FUD spread by Ford about electric cars and how awful they are or the FUD spread by Monster Cable about how much better stuff sounded over their cables. FUD is an extremely powerful marketing tool.

    Wolf still makes good stuff but as has been discussed, their sealed burners are not a cooks best friend. They waste a lot of heat/gas, they are hotter for the cook to cook on vs an open burner due to much of the heat going around the pan rather than under, often do not heat as evenly, etc.

    What's interesting is that Blue Star are supposedly going after more serious cooks but then have an inferior (vs Wolf) thermostatic griddle (flat top) on the RNB, only offer their higher BTU burners paired with an even more inferior burner-top griddle, have rack ladders that are too narrow for many pro pans, etc. They got the burner shape right but then miss on so much else and for no good reason. Interestingly, they also missed on their hood offering by putting out the exact same thing with the same problems as is available from every other consumer pro-look option rather than offering a hood with actual better functionality. Their product marketing decisions seem amazingly bad. There's a gob of people who want a really good range, a really good range hood and are willing to pay but BS doesn't want to take advantage but instead wants to try to partially compete with Wolf.


  • mlssas2002
    6 years ago

    Wow, such an amazing discussion. Not sure where it leaves me, as I ahve about 2-3 months left to make this decision. Have been cooking on a Thermador cooktop with 6 burners + grill for about 16 years,and double GE electric wall ovens, lots of lesser ranges before that over prior 25 homes! Just a home cook, only 2 of us now, but the Thermador has been good through 4 children, dozens and dozens of parties, extended family gatherings, entertaining, teen/young adult gatherings, you get the picture. My hubby and I both are passionate about cooking and feeding, had parents who also reveled in exploration of cuisines from around the world. New Years with just us enjoying - can take 3 days to prepare with roasting of bones for reductions and such. But we are not chefs or trained by any means! So my gift to us in the house we are building is either a BS or LC range. We are having difficulty in actually seeing live either the new BS sealed range - or any LC after seeing it for first time at Philly home show - but LC has been most helpful trying to set up such. BS blew me off entirely when I asked if I could stop by their factory on a rare cross state trip in PA - I asked to just "see one new range with newly introduced sealed burners" which I can't find anywhere - and they said "we don't have a showroom here anymore", and made not one attempt to help me find somewhere else to view. Very disappointing.

    For LC - Had a trip to NY all carved out and after making arrangements at work for thursday/friday off, for dog, housesitter etc., train, etc. - was told it did not work on thier end, that the "showroom" was closed at that time with no one available. Very disappointing. Hopefully there might be an ambassador in Philly area that they will connect us with, as don't think we can make NY in time to make decision.

    So - how we cook? I do soups, stews, casseroles, and lots of sauteing - and am lusting after that french top/ simmer plate like Hannibal lechter lusted after - well you know. Hubby does the meat - sears plenty, he is hot, hot, hot. So that is where we are - lustfully hoping to see what we want to buy and very frustrated. LC says "look at our stove website to create your range", it is not the same...................

    Does anyone have an update on the new sealed burners from BS? SUpposedly they are still able to get 21K BTU's? Thanks any in advance.

  • M
    6 years ago

    Just curious why you are looking for the closed burners? Is that because you can't find the space for a range top and need to install a cook top?

    I have used both BS open and closed burners (albeit an older design). I would never consider the closed option unless there is no possible alternative. The open burners are just so much easier to clean.

  • stevep2005
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    "new sealed burners from BS" - For me, you're losing a key advantage of the BlueStar, open, star-shaped burner when you move to the sealed burner. The open star shape provides wide, even heat distribution across the bottom of the pan. While counterintuitive, open is also easy to keep clean.

    Sorry for your bad BS customer service experience. I had the opposite last month. After 12 years of intense use and costal air exposure, rust on the cast iron was winning the day and I decided to rebuild the six burners of my range top. BlueStar service was super helpful, and even sent me about $200+ in parts no charge (without asking). So they are good in my book.

  • Claire Pope
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Missas LC had an ambassador call me and she called and set up a time to see the range, she even had the color I'm getting. It is sure beautiful. I found them very helpful but of course I am in Florida so no way was going to NY an option to see the range. I have decided on the LC with the BS french door wall oven.

  • stevep2005
    6 years ago

    I can't fault you for LC, they are nearly works of art. Circle back and post which you select.

  • PRO
    Lacanche USA
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    We are so sorry you had such trouble getting into the NY Showroom mlssas2002. Given the very intimate nature of the space, it is appointment only, Monday through Friday, to offer our wholehearted and undivided attention to each and every client we welcome. Of course we do honor the fact that not all clients can make it to our Showrooms in NYC, LA and Seattle, so we have an Ambassador Program in place for such clients as yourself that hope to see a Range closer to home.

    As these are private homes however, we tend to make these connections a bit further down the line, when we've discussed the most perfect Range with which to pair you, usually with a phone call to start.

    Kindly let us know how we can help in the future, and very best of luck in all your planning.

    Merci !

    Lacanche US

  • amykath
    6 years ago

    From what you have said I would go with the Lacanche hands down. They make the most beautiful ranges....it would be the big piece of artwork in your kitchen!!