I found this forum very helpful in my recent appliance purchase decisions (new dishwasher, gas range, and microwave).

Additionally, I visited a myriad of places that sold appliances to check out stuff in person. Many times appliances that seemed ideal on-line I found that I didn't like in person.

I read numerous reviews and watched youtube videos.

Although i spent considerable time researching appliances, I am pleased with my new appliances.

Good luck!

I'm at the same stage as you. I currently have a dual fuel ge cafe, and I think I'm going to end up re-using my current range in the remodel, but I've been doing LOTS of reading about staying with dual fuel or potentially moving to all gas. I think I've ended up believing that it's a matter of personal preference and what you're used to, and that there likely is no "best." I found an old Houzz/gardenweb thread that referred to a cooking thread that might be instructive on this point, but I never managed to find the thread under the "cooking" umbrella. Maybe that would be something to look for? Good luck, and please report back with your findings. :)

Thanks Muriel! Would LOVE to hear any comments you have on your GE, pros/cons, your cooking style, what you came from before, etc. Honestly at this point perhaps what I need to hear is feedback from people with the ranges in question. It's so hard to find that outside of Home Depot, etc. reviews which I don't put too much stock in aside from warranty/servicing concerns.

I had a dual fuel range for 12 years prior to our renovation...sold it, and bought another dual fuel in a larger size. I love the gas burners and the even cooking of an electric oven (I used to make custom cakes, so I'm picky how my cakes come out). I don't think that there is one range that is perfect for everyone. My choice of range brings me so much joy everyday, yet I'm sure that this wasn't the ONLY range that could do that ;)

Maybe there is no consensus, and I just need to jump. Maybe I'm just looking for someone to tell me that?

Jump, Timothy. For the love of GOD, just pick something!

I've been pleasantly surprised with the gas oven in our Blue Star Platinum range. We installed it 3 years ago when we moved and since I always had double wall ovens we also put in a 30" electric Thermador wall oven but we use the gas oven most of the time.

We're updating the appliances at our vacation home and buying another 30" Blue Star all gas - haven't decided if we'll do PLatinum again or the RNB.

And definitely open burners. Love them.

We have a Jenn-Air (same as Maytag?) dual fuel, gas top and electric dual ovens. My wife really likes it.

We had a Blue Star in previous house and we have the GE Cafe six burner (30") dual fuel in this house. The Blue Star burners are more powerful and flip for wok cooking, so that may be a factor for you. If you're doing baking, consensus seems that electric is better. As far as open vs sealed burners - this can be a real preference. For me, as the cleaner, I have to be a lot more careful cleaning the GE with sealed burners. They clean up nice, but it's a stainless steel surface that won't hold up to scrubbing. Placing the grates can cause scratching around the edges. It's just more finicky. The Blue Star with open burners is bulletproof. I'd push the crud through the burners into the tray beneath (which I kept covered with foil) and every so often I'd change that out.

Neither of these were without their issues and brand new still required several service calls to get everything functional. When you spend that much money, you expect it all to be perfect, but I think the amount of money is directly proportional to the issues you will have. Buyer beware.

crcollins - if you had to choose one; which would you choose?

Also, do you do much baking re: oven performance?

Hubby is our primary cook and he'd say the Blue Star, no doubt. "MORE POWER"

If you're a baker, I'd say go with dual fuel. The Blue Star was not dual fuel and there was some condensation from the gas. I think the gas with a convection oven seems to cook unevenly, too - think whop-sided muffins. Also, it was a 36" single oven and that thing took forever and a day to preheat. We ended up getting a Breville Smart Oven that sat on the countertop and used that 90% of the time. Still do, actually.

What type of oven do you have now?

What type of cookware Do you have?

KitchenAid electric - believe it's this model https://www.kitchenaid.com/major-appliances/ranges/electric-ranges/electric-freestanding-range/p.30-inch-5-element-electric-convection-range.kfeg500ebs.html?

Cookware is mainly tri ply pots/pans (All Clad/Cuisinart/Calphalon), two carbon steel pans, a few pieces of enameled cast iron (skillet, two different styles of dutch oven), four (or five?) cast iron skillets, two AllClad nonstick skillets. I think that's about it. Baking is sheet pans and similar (bunch of Nordicware), Pyrex, ceramics, glassware, etc.

To me there isn’t one “best”. It all depends on how you cook, cookware, budget., etc.

Be sure to read threads relating to ventilation and possibly make up air required for something like a BS. I’m surprised gat no one has told you to consider induction. There are many threads on that. I have written quite a bit on this in recent threads so this is a little shortened.

For gas burners, “open” is just referring to the burner pan. People have a preference about one being easier to clean, but performance is really about other aspects of the burner. Manufacturers tend to use this term in very nonspecific ways.

For you the star shape burner would be a good thing because it distributes the heat well. Iron and steel are not the best conductors of heat so can hot spot. The star has increased distribution and as you turn it up, keeps the heat more within the foot print of the burner.

A ring burner can work just fine if you are using your more heat conductive cookware (thick aluminum or copper). .

The burner cap is another aspect that determines performance. A capped burner has more flare as you turn it up. Some people complain that it goes up the side of the pan. If you use a narrow pan it might because the prostyle burners are wider, no matter what type you have. Some are dual stacked burners so that you have less flare. I have dual stacked ring burners which work well for me because I use the highest heat on larger skillets. I have heavy aluminum and copper For those.

Look at BTU ratings both high and low. The design of the BS star will keep the heat more to the center for something like a wok.

if you are used to an electric oven, you may notice more difference with a gas oven. The differences are due to the construction of the oven than the fuel source. Because gas has byproducts of combustion, it needs more ventilation. These are the things many cooks seem to notice.

You will have more heat and moisture into the kitchen. If you are adding steam to your bread, it is much harder to keep the steam in the oven. Many chefs and manufacturers are still saying gas is “moist heat” because they are only looking at the fuel source not the oven. There is more superficial drying which promotes browning which can be great for roasting. You can have less starch gelatinization though which may decrease the rise of a cake and give it a different appearance.

Look at the broiler on a gas prostyle oven. They are usually infrared and very hot but can be smaller.

Electric ovens can have more control. Many have different modes to control direction of heat, fan speed and direction and something like a combi oven can control humidity. It can be very hard to get all that right and expensive computer boards can be subject to heat damage. The convection in either gas or electric oven increases the rate of heat transfer so is superficially drying which is helpful with an electric oven and can decrease cooking times.

I would say get a rangetop and separate oven but I think you are replacing a range with a range. measure front to back on the burners you are considering to see how big pans will fit. Notice how the burners are laid out. you didn’t day what width you are getting but some that try to fit 5 burner on a 30” top push the outside burners out pretty far.

You can bake with gas but you might have recipes that work well in electric and might have to adjust them. My sister and I make the same oatmeal cookies, same bakeware, same ingredients. Hers always come out thinner and crisper in her gas oven. They are both good, just different.

Thanks wekick - lots of great info! I guess one of the burning (no pun intended) questions currently is: would you consider triply pans as highly conductive? Asked another way: would my triply pans perform "good enough" on a capped burner?

I do like the GE Profile/Cafe with the triple ring burner...but I can't seem to find any specific feedback as to whether or not that performs decently enough like an uncapped/star burner. That could be a decent compromise.

I have all gas & find meats more moist than my past electric oven. I don't bake a lot but it has been fine for my needs.

I have no complaints about my cafe dual fuel —it does have a dysfunctional center oblong burner, but I’ve put no effort into having it fixed, so that’s not much of a complaint. It was in my current home when I moved in 10 years ago and I’ve used it that long. I’m used to electric ovens, so I can’t compare it to gas. The convection electric does not bake multiple racks of cookies or other goods evenly, some racks are hotter and the oven is hotter at the back side. I don’t know that that’s abnormal, but it’s my experience. A sales lady at a local appliance shop has the triple ring burner and she told me it’s amazing for her.

@Timothy Fisher

”would you consider triply pans as highly conductive?”

There are huge differences in these pans. This guy has done a lot of studies and ranks some

here.

https://www.centurylife.org/cookware-even-heating-rankings-butane-propane-natural-gas-etc/

The nonsticks are all pretty good because they tend to be aluminum.

I think you would almost have to try the burner to see how much flare it has on high. Also I don’t see 3 rings but two. I guess three choices, inner, outer ring or both.

This is a screen shot from a video of GE’s burner with a 12” pan. I don’t know if this is the highest heat. Typically on this type of a dual burner the middle burner doesn’t carry many BTUs so still basically a single ring burner.

As you turn this up the burner ports are along side the rays and the flame stays to the middle. This is why it is good for woks. This may be one of the smaller burners but the principle is the same.

if you cook with a lot of wider pans on high heat, the GE is probably fine.

@eandhl2

”I have all gas & find meats more moist than my past electric oven”

Many people make that observation but the moisture in meat is determined by the internal temperature. Gas ovens, vented to move moisture out, superficially dry meat and it browns quicker, looking done before the internal temperature gets too high and the meat dries out.

Can't thank everyone enough for their comments. And wekick - really appreciate that link! The pans I have rank in the upper-middle of the pack, but I think a Demeyere pan or two are going on the Christmas list...

I think I've decided that what makes the most sense for me right now is the GE Profile Dual Fuel. Maybe it will be a learning experience, maybe not, but I figure it's a great range and a pretty good step up in the stove department from where I'm at now.

Now for the real question - jump now with a $300 discount from Home Depot, or wait until Black Friday? The only thing giving me pause is potential supply chain issues; range is currently backordered until 11/22, and I read on another thread someone opining that, due to supply constraints, prices may actually increase this fall...decisions decisions.

A local shop where I am told me they are not expecting Black Friday discounts on GE appliances based on current back orders, but they weren’t sure. She said her expectation was that discounting products that are already back ordered would result in unhappy customers, so she wasn’t optimistic about sales. A Home Depot appliance salesperson also told me last week that they’ve gotten no hint that the typical Black Friday sales are coming this year.

Thanks Muriel - might have even been your comment I read somewhere else? Thinking I might just pull the trigger now...supposed delivery date would be a few days before Thanksgiving, which would be great to use the new range for a major holiday. But I've read elsewhere delivery dates have been getting pushed back since mid-August, so I wouldn't be holding out much hope. More than anything would just want to lock one in at a (seemingly) good price now.

@Timothy Fisher

Great!

Come back and let us know how you like it.