I'm in the market for a new 30" freestanding range/oven. If you love your oven for baking bread and other things and it might be available in the US, please share the make/model with me. My current Maytag gas double oven is on its last legs.
I'm willing to switch to electric, go convection, consider steam injection. Price range would be $2,000-$4,000.
Thank you!
-Katina
this one. It's a KitchenAid dual fuel, dual oven model. It has a five-burner gas cooktop and two electric ovens. Unlike the LG “dual oven” ranges, each oven is completely independent of the other, with its own controls and own door. The lower oven has both conventional and convection baking modes. A steam rack is included (it's a small tray that attaches to the underside of one of the racks).
We bought ours in 2020. It replaced a Jennair-branded near-twin that we had purchased back in 2006 or 2007 but had to leave behind when we moved in 2020. Both the older and the new ranges have served us well. I especially like that I didn’t have to give up wall space in the kitchen to get a second oven.
Things to consider: there is no storage drawer in the range, in case that matters to you. The larger oven is low, which can make loading and unloading somewhat more challenging. The upper oven has a single rack, preheats very quickly, and is great for pizzas, pies, cakes, and other low-profile items. There is a single switch for the oven lights and both ovens are illuminated, no matter which is in use. The center burner is elongated for use with an included griddle or with a fish poacher or…. Unlike our earlier Jennair range, this one does not have a proofing cycle.
There are plenty of other options out there for you to think about. This one happens to suit our needs very well.
Paul
Thanks for this, Paul. Our dying oven is a double oven situation like this and I've been leaning towards going that route for the new one, too.
Two questions for you:
1. Is the top oven big enough to fit a dutch oven?
2. What do you think of the steam rack?
I like the 6.7 cu. ft capacity on this--and the rec from a fellow baker!
I also so this one with a combined 7.3 cu. ft capacity, which is tempting. If you have any thoughts on this model, I'm open to hearing them.
-Katina
1. No, the top oven will not accommodate a Dutch oven. The space between the rack and the top burner is 5-6 inches.
2. I like the steam rack. It sits right up front, which makes access with a kettle of boiling water easy. It doesn’t occupy any rack space the way a steam pan does. I’d guess capacity is nearly a pint but a cup of water is usually plenty.
It appears that the LG model you referred to actually has two independent ovens; their earlier models required the user to slide a divider panel into the single cavity to create the “double oven” effect. Note that each oven is only 10.6 inches high. The lower oven apparently has a single fixed shelf, although you can order a slide out shelf as an accessory. My impression is that the KA model better suits my needs and preferences but note that I haven’t had an opportunity to play with the LG range.
Paul
My current model also has two independent ovens. That is what I'm used to. The divider situation sounds unideal.
Am I correct in guessing that you can only get one rack of dutch ovens in your bottom oven? Or are you able to get covered bakers on both racks?
My current bottom oven has a 4.3 cu ft. capacity and I can only really bake using covered bakers on one rack.
Thanks, Paul!
-Katina
Unless the DO used has a relatively low profile, maybe. I think that some clay bakers/cloches might be accommodated on two racks, since they seem to be flatter than most DOs. One would have to measure to be sure.
Paul
I am looking for a similar type of oven/range but I haven't settled on a model yet. I really liked the gas burners in our old house but there is no gas line from the street where we are now. After recently reading about the air quality issues inside homes with gas cooking and the fact that some states are already doing away with gas appliances in new homes for that reason. The flat top electric burners I have are worthless so I am looking at induction burners which are much more energy efficient. The oven I have is a large capacity convection oven and it does okay but a smaller oven generates more radiant heat and the non convection ovens are easier to keep steam in for baking bread if you don't mind rotating halfway through the bake. I saw what I was looking for at IKEA and it was at a good price but I am still doing more research and would like to hear from someone who has one. MTCW
Don
Thanks for your insights, Paul.
I'm going to do more thinking on this. I'm not sure what the trade-offs are going for the largest capacity double oven if it doesn't increase the number of breads I can bake at one time. I'm just a home baker but some of these recipes make so much dough that I end up making 4+ loaves of varying size (and I'm bad at remembering to scale!).
Happy baking!
-Katina