At $700 you are really limited in your choices and functionality.

Thanks. It is for a condo/starter home. DD who recently graduated college is living there and will then be a rental so induction really isn't the right price point for this place.

And wow--just looked at aqua lift reviews! What happened to cranking the oven up to 800 degrees and having it all turn to ash? Aqua lift gets really bad reviews.

Ok. Last range I bought was a Frigidaire. It was induction and it was awesome. Not sure how well that translates for the radiant top ranges. I ended up with the Frigidaire in large part because I was avoiding aqua lift due to the terrible reviews.

You might find something at a good used appliance store that would be better quality than the new stuff you could buy today for a limited budget. When I was starting out, I bought a used washer and dryer that served me well for several years until I could upgrade, and even came with a short warranty period.

Also, maybe a scratch and dent or floor model.

Yes, you should consider GE ranges because they get good online, owner reviews. I bought a GE range a few years ago and I've been pleased with it's performance and reliability. Whirlpool makes some ranges where the oven uses a steam cleaning system called AquaLift to clean the oven. That steam cleaning system does not work to clean off grease so make sure to avoid buying one of those ranges. I've read a lot about reliability problems with Samsung and the ability to get parts and find qualified technicians to repair Samsung appliances. You might want to read the Samsung owner reviews closely before buying one. If you can hold off on buying a new range untiil late October then you will be into the early Black Friday sales and can get a better price.

If you want a range with a convection oven then the advertising can be a little tricky. If the oven is advertised as just "convection" it usually means there is a fan in the back to circulate the air. If the oven is advertised as "true convection" or "European convection" then it means there is a fan and also there is an extra heating element that encircles the fan. The extra heating element is supposed to help keep the air temperature more standard when the fan circulates the air.

I'd probably not get Samsung anything. We went to our local appliance dealer to get a washer and dryer. After we'd already decided on the Maytag commercial beast-machines, I asked the absurd-looking WiFi-enabled Samsung machines in the showroom. Saleslady went on an tirade about Samsung appliances and how if it weren't for the sheer force of uninformed customer demand, they wouldn't sell Samsung appliances at all due to how finicky they are, higher rates of failure, and difficulty getting parts and repair. That was for washers and dryers, but I wouldn't touch their cooktops with a ten-foot pole either.

In my last home which sold in May, with an eye to resale I put in a Samsung gas range. It was recommended by CR and was very reasonably priced. We only used it for about 6 month or so, and it was fine. That said, when it came time to replace the washer/dryer in the new home, I did see that Samsung also got some high marks but the reviews seem to be all over the place for Samsung. I went with Whirlpool Washer and Dryer and I think when I replace the range here, I am inclined to go with Maytag/Whirlpool. this was the Samsung range. Induction and $650

I would highly recommend the entry level Frigidaire induction range. It is barely above your stated budget goal, but light years in functionality ahead of anything radiant in that price range. It’s what my sister and BIL put in their modest kitchen redo, and believe me, it’s not babied at all. It performs like a champ.

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Frigidaire-Gallery-4-Element-5-4-cu-ft-Freestanding-Induction-Range-Smudge-Proof-Stainless-Steel-Common-30-in-Actual-29-875-in/1000288779?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA--Appliances--FreestandingRanges-_-1000288779:Frigidaire&CAWELAID=&kpid=1000288779&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=1988&k_clickID=85cf3afd-1e06-4b5e-90be-7d4964164ac1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrszdBRDWARIsAEEYhrfxHbXSPX2vgBju0Wt-nGZBcqTNRIGifrV7LuY8f8U6KkPh30yr9D4aAtvcEALw_wcB

Thanks, I wasn't sure about Frigidaire; seems it's not as "popular" as Sumsung/Whirlpool, etc. But we have a (probably 20 year old) white Frigidaire refrigerator there now and it continues to work fine.

We are really limited to a much smaller refrigerator with a top freezer so we will probably go with Frigidaire again for that also when we switch to stainless for our fridge.

I has the predecessor to that Frigidaire induction range and loved it. (we moved). I also had a Frigidaire refrigerator and liked it a lot better than the Samsung we have now.

Here are a couple of threads about the Whirlpool & Maytag (Whirlpool owns Maytag) Aqua Lift problem with over 150 comments about how bad it is for cleaning off grease.

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/aqualift-technology-on-maytag-ranges-oven-cleaning-dsvw-vd~2293510?n=133[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/aqualift-technology-on-maytag-ranges-oven-cleaning-dsvw-vd~2293510?n=133)

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/do-not-buy-whirlpool-aqualift-range-dsvw-vd~4654971?n=54[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/do-not-buy-whirlpool-aqualift-range-dsvw-vd~4654971?n=54)

Here's a link to a class action lawsuit where Whirlpool customers are taking Whirlpool to court over the failed Aqua Lift cleaning system.

https://www.aqualiftovenlitigation.com

Another vote for the Frigidaire induction. With the 11% Menards discount match it's very close to your budget.

Years ago, someone explained to me that Frigidaire was basically the same product as another big name company (GE maybe?) but without the massive advertising budget. We have a 12 year old Frigidaire slide-in electric that we adore. We just got another one for the lake last year. So far, it seems to work well, but it is too early to tell if it's the same quality esp. since it doesn't get heavy use.

ETA: a couple of reservations about the new Frigidaire is that, like most makes, it now has the covered element which I dislike. Also, it now has something called "quick bake" while in our old one, it is called convection. I could be wrong, but I think there is a difference b/w the two (new one may just have a fan to circulate heated air, while the old might have another heat source near the fan? - not sure about this).

Frigidaire is owned by Electrolux