Yes, it is noticable. But only at the very highest limit temperature cooking, like a stir fry. 90% of the time, it will not make a difference.

Do not forget to plan the code required make up air system as well as the ventilation.

We have a Bluestar RNB. When we bought it more than 10 years ago, the Platinum model didn't even exist. When we remodeled the kitchen a few years ago, we had the option of upgrading the range but decided to keep the one we had, as we like it so much (and the savings were nice too). Couldn't find any model or brand that we'd like better. The RNB is a joy to cook on.

I prefer the traditional oven in the RNB, and while we don't have a griddle, I believe the griddle that you can get for the RNB is better than the one in the Platinum.

The only thing the Platinum really has going for it is the stronger burners. They don't make a big difference for "normal" cooking, but they certainly are a real improvement when wok cooking or at any other time when you need maximum power. In practice, I find that I really only need a single burner with this much power, though. You really need to be on top of things while handling full power, and I can't do that with two or more burners at the same time.

So, we reconfigured our stove top. The two burners in the back are now 15 kBTU, one of the front burners is 22 kBTU, and I believe that thanks to a bigger jet opening and a different burner head, the other one is about 27 kBTU. I have always been tempted to open up the power even more (someone else on Houzz has done that), but so far 27 kBTU has been good enough and it never really felt necessary to go higher.

Unfortunately, Bluestar won't configure the range for you like this. Your dealer might be able to help you to set it up with more powerful burners, if you ask nicely enough; or they might not. But if you manage to buy the burner head aftermarket, you can easily do this upgrade yourself. Should cost around $200 in parts and tools -- give or take.

In other words, I don't begrudge Bluestar the money that they can get from upselling a more powerful model. The extra cost is steep, but the extra power is sometimes very nice. If that was the only difference, I would recommend the more powerful model (with reservations due to cost). What makes this a harder decision is the fact that I personally feel the RNB is a better design than the Platinum. In an ideal world, Bluestar would allow you to freely customize all their products and then this discussion would be moot.

Oh, and if you are customizing your range, consider getting a custom color, extra-tall feet for taller counter-tops, and/or a different backguard (just read the installation manual, as you must use a raised backguard unless installing in an island or with a specially constructed back wall). These are all changes that we made to our old range when we remodeled. It's cool how Bluestar is so modular.

And yes, you do need a strong range hood for all of this. But wok cooking is such a joy on this appliance. No other residential stove comes even close.

LOVE your detailed response! Thanks for taking the time.

In terms of the oven, I really don't have a strong preference -- I mean, ideally I would like to have a steam-assisted oven or a steam oven because I do a lot of sourdough baking, but neither is available in BlueStar ranges. But it's not really a deal breaker for me because the burner power is much more of a big deal for me. So I guess, really, the higher price of the Platinum model is due to both the higher BTU and its oven.

You mentioned reconfiguring the burners -- did you do that yourself or did you ask a dealer to do it? So based on what you said, if I were to buy the higher BTU burner head, then I could easily do it myself, but if I were to reconfigure the existing burners, then I probably would need a professional?

You mentioned the backguard -- what exactly does the backguard do besides reducing splatters? The spot where I will be placing the range has white tiles behind it, but I was also planning to buy a 30 by 30 in stainless steel backsplash from Amazon (specifically intended to be used behind a stove) and install it behind the range, and it would extend right up to the range hood. But i don't know what the BlueStar backguard does exactly.

I have a combination steam oven that gives me very precise humidity control, and I have the Bluestar RNB. I can bake sourdough in either one, but for some reason I use the Bluestar more often; maybe, because it has a higher top temperature. The oven is super reliable and predictable. It's boring. The CSO is much more exciting, when I need its features. But I like baking bread with the RNB. And the broiler in the Bluestar is just amazing, but that of course doesn't matter for baking. Great for making toast though.

The only downside is that it takes a very long time to preheat. That's the trade-off that you make for having such a large oven cavity, which easily holds at least two full-size (not the regular half-size) sheets. If I want to make sourdough, I need to preheat for at least 20min, but it would be better if I waited 40min or longer. By comparison, the steam oven is much faster to preheat its small oven cavity, but it then only goes up to 435°F, whereas the Bluestar can exceed 500°F.

If I want bread with thicker and more rustic crust, I bake on a big baking stone (or maybe, I should invest in a baking steel at some point). If I want a softer crust, I bake in a Dutch oven. Cover for the first 20min, then remove the lid for the rest of the baking time.

The backguard directs where the heat from the oven goes. If you have the tiny island trim, the hot air goes almost straight up. This is a potential fire hazard if your wall hasn't been built with that in mind. Unfortunately, tile and/or stainless steel isn't good enough. You also need cement board and steel studs. This is doable, but requires planning.

If you don't want to go that route, you either have to pull the range 6" forward from the wall (rarely an option for anything other than island installation) or you have to order the range with at least a 6" raised back guard. The back guard redirects the hot air so that it can't damage the wall.

Most stronger gas ranges across all brands have this limitation, but it is frequently subtly hidden in the installation instructions. Houzz is full of distraught home owners who only found out too late and now have scorch marks on their wall. It of course affects higher-powered gas ranges more than traditional low-powered residential models. So, people often get fooled because they upgraded from a builder-grade model and didn't expect that it's more than a mere drop-in replacement.

Oh, and yes, I did change the burners myself. For the rear burner, my dealer ordered a second 15 kBTU burner head and orifice, and I took out the simmer burner on day one. I know that many people like a dedicated simmer burner, but I find that when adjusted correctly (and that's important!) the regular burners turn down very well. So, a simmer burner isn't often needed. And if I really need very low temperature for extended amounts of time, I'd rather move my pot into the oven. Much better and more even heating.

For the front burner, things are more difficult. Bluestar doesn't want to sell you the Platinum burner head unless you can verify the serial number of your Platinum range. But if you look hard enough, I bet you'll find somewhere online to buy one (I prefer not to post any links to avoid getting anybody in trouble). In addition to the burner head, you need the suitable orifice and a deep socket driver. Search Houzz for information on which orifices work. They are standard Garland-type parts and should cost less than $10 if you buy generic components. Depending on your altitude, you should be able to make the opening one or two numbers larger than the one that Bluestar uses. That's how I got 27 kBTU out of the 25 kBTU burner.

Don't forget to adjust the low set point and the venturi shutters after making this update. There are Youtube videos that show you how to do that. You might need to buy an extra long precision screwdriver, if you don't already own one.

Overall, very easy to do, if you are DIY inclined.

@M Just a follow up. I think I am set on buying a 30 inch RNB. While digging through all the old posts about BlueStar ranges, I saw the post where you explained how you made the 22k to 25k+ modification, and you mentioned buying a 25k burner head and a burner orifice. I found a 25k burner head online, but I don't know what I should purchase. Would it possible for you to tell me the model/type I should get (as well as any other parts I should get in order to make the update) if you still have the information. Thanks!

Thanks again for your detailed response. So I ended up buying a floor model RNB from a local appliance store that happened to have it on display, and it will be delivered to me this Saturday -- Of course, I got a discount on it. It's been on the floor for 3 years. Because the range was hooked up to the gas line, the customers could test it, so it's obviously not completely unused. This probably means I will need to buy both a new venturi tube and a gasket, just to be on the safe side.

Chances are, they only turned it on and off briefly. So, the flange of the venturi tube might not even have gotten all that hot. And in that case, it won't be warped and is fine to use. You'll notice pretty much immediately, when you unscrew it.

I have bought floor models before, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. They won't be horribly broken. But they also won't be factory new. If you are good with DIY projects, this can be a good purchase. But if you install it without checking all the parts, it can be very frustrating.

If there are cosmetic scratches, get a red Scotchbrite pad and buff things out carefully. That should restore the grain of the stainless steel.

Check that the range is installed perfectly level. If the feet are the wrong height, Bluestar sells different sets of feet. But chances are good that the installed feet will be fine and just need to be adjusted. They have a pretty big range. Read the installation manual for the correct setting. The range needs to be a little bit taller than the surrounding counter tops and the oven door is going to be proud of the front of your cabinets.

Check that none of the grates wobble. If they do, adjust the screws that support them.

Make sure that the drip trap moves freely, but don't pull it out all the way. That can damage the linear ball bearings. Line the trays with aluminum foil.

Check that the oven and the broiler turn on. Check that the oven light works. Check that the oven pull outs operate smoothly and the door opens/closes properly. Check that the oven fan spins and isn't rattling.

Turn the oven on and let it run for at least 30 minutes, then check the oven temperature. It is normal to fluctuate a good amount. But if it is crazily off, the thermostat can be adjusted. I would only do that after talking to customer support, though, as you might not know which temperature swings are expected.

Check each burner. They should turn on after a small number of clicks and the igniter should then stop clicking. The flame should be blue without any yellow tips. There shouldn't be any loud noise from the flame. And the flame should be "connected" to the burner head.

Then turn the flame all the way down and verify that it doesn't go out.

Now repeat all these experiments with a pot on the burners, as that can affect the flame.

If you are not happy with the burner's performance, watch the YouTube videos that show how to adjust the lower set point and the air/gas mixture. And in fact, since this is a floor model, check that the correct jet orifices and burner heads are installed. It's always possible that the dealer swapped out parts at some point.

If your stove is closer than 6" distance from the backwall, make sure you have a raised backguard as you'll otherwise scorch your backsplash.

For a three year old floormodel, you probably won't have manufacturer's warranty. But you could call the manufacturer with the serial number (underneath the cast iron grates on the left-hand side) and ask them to verify the information for your appliance. Even if they won't honor warranty, they might be persuaded to send you spare parts for free. It's just a question of how expensive the part is and how politely you ask. I bought a floormodel for a friend's vacation home, and when they installed it they discovered that some parts had been stolen. Bluestar had pity on us and offered to send the parts as long as we'd install them ourselves. I thought that was awesome.

Once you are happy with all the parts, rub the cast iron components with some oil (linseed would be ideal, but any vegetable oil works in a pinch) and put them into the oven at maximum heat for at least an hour. That seasons them and makes them easier to clean. If you don't season them up front, they'll slowly develop a patina over time. But it won't be as even. If you don't like what they look like, wash in the dishwasher and start the process of seasoning all over again.

Also, running the oven at full heat for this long will burn off any residual grease or smells from when it was manufactured.

@M A quick question: what size gas ball valve is needed for the BlueStar range? I have one installed on the gas line for hooking up the range, but since a plumber installed it before, I don't know if it is the right size (I think i've seen 1/2", 3/4", and 5/8" ones). Thanks!

@M Thanks for sharing so much great Blue Star knowledge. You seem very experienced with these appliances so I am looking for your opinion on a somewhat contentious topic. I realize that the rangetop installation instructions say you need the 6" high backsplash or 6" clearance to the rear wall. Even if I have one of those protections, I intend to use cement board and steel studs for fire safety. My question is whether I need the 6" backsplash or 6" clearance from a quartz backsplash to prevent scorching of the quartz. I am pretty sure all of the scorching I have seen is from using the oven. But I won't have the ovens -- just a 12" griddle and burners, so am wondering if it is necessary.

Youll burn your quartz. Forget it.

Before our remodel, the stove was placed directly next to the wall. It had a 6" back guard, and operating the rear burners managed to leave permanent brownish stains on this raised section. It wasn't very bad, and with enough application of harsh chemicals, I might have been able to get it off. But it nicely demonstrated just how scorching hot it gets. Quartz wouldn't stand a chance. We now installed island trim instead, but put in much deeper counters. So the back splash is safe. Besides it's a solid slab of inch thick ceramic.

Pull the stove forward or install a back guard. You'll thank us

@M @User Thanks so much for the input. I'm not trying to argue, honestly :) But I am confused about how certain you are of having a problem yet my designer and architect say they've done dozens and dozens of houses with quartz backsplashes without a problem. In any case, are there any materials you can recommend that would not require the extra clearance or the stainless backsplash? I've heard that Dekton is adequately heat tolerant, as are some tiles?

Your designer deals with stage sets, meant to be pretty only, not actual working kitchens. Do you want to totally reframe your walls with steel studs and concrete board?

@User I'm already planning to use metal studs and concrete board. At this point, my only concern is not damaging the backsplash.

And yes, many of those kitchens probably don't see heavy use. I'm sure some have never had the read burners turned on.

Lots of people build show kitchens but never seriously put them to any use. It's a little pointless to put an extra-high-BTU range into a kitchen like that. But who am I to judge. Happens all the time. So, I am not surprised your designer has done this many times and nobody complains. And honestly, if that's what your designer was asked to design, please ignore my comments. I know I'm an outlier in how serious I take my cooking hobby. Not many people do that.

Also, to answer your question, yes Dekton should work much better than regular tile or quartz. Just make sure you get the thicker slab. That's what we installed. But we still pulled the range forward anyway.

Without doing that, the ceramic material is likely going to survive (unlike quartz). But you still have to deal with burned in splatter. Grease and high heat can result in annoying and hard-to-clean stains. But at least with Dekton, you stand a chance to clean things, unlike with regular tiles where the burned in grime will forever stay in the grout. Just expect to need a lot of elbow grease after using the rear burners at full heat.

So, yes, if you use steel studs, cement board, and Dekton, I think you'll do ok. I still believe pulling forward would overall be a much nicer experience. But if your kitchen doesn't allow for that, this is the next best thing.

On the other hand, if you have the option, then install extra deep counters. They are one of the best design decisions that we made in this kitchen (we adjust raised the counters by about 2" which means a lot less fatigue while cooking)

@M Thanks for the additional comments, especially about your personal Dekton experience. I am going to investigate making the counters deeper. Alternatively, I wonder how bad the 6" stainless backguard would look?

EDIT: My original post accidentally said stainless backsplash instead of stainless backguard

@M btw, what depth did you use on your counters? 30" or something more?

I wouldn't install a 6" backsplash, but the 6" backguard that is installed onto the range is actually not that bad. I know that everyone wants the streamlined look of a completely flat cooktop. But if you push the stove all the way against the wall, then I bet within a few days you won't even notice the raised backguard. It's just part of the stove.

On the other hand, I can't say enough good things about deeper countertops, and in that case the (almost) flush trim is nicer. I love all that extra space in my kitchen. It makes prep work so much easier, and I can finally make bread and pasta without constantly having to juggle for a sufficiently large working area. If it's in your budget (as you need to customize things), and you have the space, then this is an amazing upgrade. It isn't very "shiny" compared to other kitchen upgrades, but it makes it so much more of a pleasure to work in the kitchen.

@M Sorry, I actually meant the backguard. The deeper counters do sound nice, and I think I have the space for them. Well, I know I do. Assuming I make them 6" deeper than normal, the question is whether to leave the island where it is and reduce the space between the counter and the island to 4' or if I also shift the island out. Or I suppose I could make the pantry a bit smaller. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I think any of these options are defensible. It probably just depends on how you expect to use your space. Do you use your pantry to actively do any tasks in there, or is it for storage only. If it's just storage, then careful design would probably still allow enough storage even with 6" less footprint.

Is it mostly one person cooking and only occasionally more than one, then a 48" walkway through the kitchen is likely good enough. On the other hand, if you regularly have multiple people bustling around, then even 54" can cramp your style. Only you would know how much space you really need while cooking.

Pushing the island out by few inches could be the most pragmatic choice though. I don't know what the rest of your floorplan looks like, but it appears as if you do have a good amount of space to play with.

Oh, and if you aren't crazy enough with making all these decisions, take a look at Rachiele sinks. Pricey, but well worth it. We do all of our prep in the sink. I can't even remember how I ever cooked without such an amazing workstation sink. There are cheaper options, but I like how Dino builds all the sinks to order and can accommodate custom requests easily. Also, his attention to detail is unrivaled. Even if you don't order from him, read all the information on his website. It's super informative about what makes an ergonomic choice. We love how our counter tops are 2" taller than normal, and the sink is shallower than many. My back thanks me every day.

@M Do you have pictures of your setup that you can share? Did you make your upper cabinets deeper as well?

I've decided I don't want to mess with the pantry size because it will affect the size of the bar above it (on the plan) and will also have implications for some related walls. I will only have 1 person in the kitchen 99% of the time, so 4' is probably adequate. I have only 39" now and don't find it constraining...in fact, I sort of like having the sink and stove so close. It makes it easy to toss a dirty utensil in the sink, is less distance to move pots of hot water, etc. But if I wanted to move the island out, I do have plenty of space.

I have already looked at Rachiele sinks (and all of the info on the website) and am strongly considering one, or perhaps a Havens. I am expecting to have a 52" sink with 2 faucets plus a filtered water faucet (this is a bit different than what is shown on the version of plan I posted).

I am only 5'9" so I don't think I need higher countertops, but thanks for mentioning it.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5729192/counter-depth-fridge-love-yours#24244586

Havens is less expensive, but they're a bit of a knock off. They used to manufacturer Rachiel's designs, but then separated and sold under their own brand instead. Give Dino Rachiel a call and pick his brain. It's impressive how well he understands ergonomics. I had no idea, sinks could be this complex to design, but love using ours every single day.

As for filtered water, we have chilled and carbonate water in the beverage center just off the kitchen. And then we ran a line from there to our pot filler. It's the only faucet the has filtered water in the kitchen, but it's really the only place where we need it.

Oh, and to answer your question, yes, we did increase the size of the uppers a little bit. The bottom shelf of the uppers is a pull out. Very convenient for all sorts of oils, vinegar, soy sauce, ...

The lowers are all oversized drawers and hold all of our plates, bowls, and pots. Super accessible that way.

@M: Your kitchen is so beautiful....

Thanks for all the info M! Hubby and I recently broke ground on our new house build, and we ordered our 36” RNB months ago. We may eventually upgrade a burner, hubby is extremely handy. I do a lot of wok style cooking too. I opted for the 6” back guard, and I’m excited about the ventilation too. Our last house we did a gut job diy remodel on the kitchen (and most bathrooms) and I went from an original kitchen that didn’t have any ventilation (Ugh!) to a floor model 60” Viking with great ventilation that I just loved. (It was a deal we couldn’t pass up, LOL!) We sold that house and I’ve missed having a great kitchen so much (temporary living situation with a relative while we build) but I knew when we sold it that I wanted blue star for my next range in what we hope will be our forever house. I love working with good tools. My hubby loves working with good tools. (He’s a talented woodworker) We sometimes catch flak from relatives because they think we spend too much on certain items, (seriously not their business though!) and my hubby usually responds with “and excellent musicians don’t NEED top of the line musical instruments, but they sure make playing more enjoyable!” Anyways, I stayed away from the platinum series because I preferred the more basic oven of the RNB.

@M Forgot to ask: what is the range hood you have?

It's a ModernAire hood. They build every hood to order, which was perfect, as we needed to increase the depth to match the placement of the range. Works exceptionally well.

I just cooked a bunch of Indian curries. Took a few hours of cooking, and the rest of the house doesn't have any smells. Very impressive.

The neighbors can smell all of our great food though.

that is FANTASTIC to know. Because my range (delivered and installed this morning) is installed a few inches away from the back wall, I want a hood that can cover all the way from the back wall to the front of the range (ideally extending a couple of inches beyond the front of the range.

Here is my range: https://imgur.com/a/bHE4Q7A

@M Thanks! How much deeper did you make your counters? In the picture it doesn't look like there is much clearance between the back of your range and the backsplash.

I have talked to Dino and he does indeed have good information to share. Last I checked, though, the pricing was getting a bit out of control. I need to check back to see where things stand now.

p.s. I love your kitchen!

The depth of the cabinets varies a little bit depending on what's above and behind. But it's between 29" and 32" in different places.

@M So how much space is there between your island trim and the backsplash?