So the Sears guy came by and pronounced our oven dead today. (Well, not exactly, but a $300 part and untold labor on an oven we hate anyway made the decision pretty easy.)
It’s a wall oven; we have a separate range. The only problem is that we’re stuck with a 24" oven. The opening is about 26" and the total cabinet is about 30" wide, so we might be able to squeeze in a 27", but I doubt it.
We’d probably be willing to spend the money on a top-tier oven in the Wolf/Viking category, except that they don’t appear to make any 24" ovens. We’d really like a double oven, and we can probably fit one in the space. (The old one has a microwave as well, but we can get one of those separately.)
Any suggestions? Any other good brands to look for?
Weird, I was just reading the generic drug thread in IMHO and skipped tabs over to this one. So, frankly, do you think that there are any actual differences in appliance quality or do you want a Viking for fashion purposes? I think that once you get a reasonably high-quality oven that won’t break within the next decade, how can any particular oven bake food in a better manner than any other oven? Once the air reaches the same temperature, I mean what’s the difference?
Unless you’re willing to make the cutout a little bit bigger, it would seem as though you’re stuck with the 24". Don’t worry though…depending on whether you’re configured for gas or electric, you’ll have GE (not Profile or Monogram), KitchenAid, and Whirlpool to choose from. Frigidaire and I believe Kenmore make 24" ovens, but I wouldn’t trust a Frigidaire oven as far as I could throw it, and all Kenmore appliances are outsourced anyway so it’s easier to just cut out the middleman unless you’re really set on the brand, and you’ll probably pay even less (i.e. the Kenmore Elite Trio fridge is made by LG and costs about $300 more than the LG, the Kenmore Elite induction cooktop costs about the same as a capable Thermador, Gaggenau, or Wolf induction cooktop and is made by Electrolux–Frigidaire’s parent company).
As far as a single or double configuration, if I’m not mistaken, the only manufacturer that makes a 24" double oven is Whirlpool in white, black, and stainless. KitchenAid and GE make only 24" single wall ovens, and GE makes them in both gas and electric.
None of the commercial manufacturers (Viking, Wolf, Gaggenau, Thermador, etc.) will make a 24" wall oven, AFAIK. If you come across information indicating otherwise, be sure to let me know.
If you have any other questions, post them here, or feel free to email me.
The difference is partly in aesthetics, but mostly in longevity and versatility. The farther up the price spectrum you go with regards to appliances (and especially those in the kitchen) the more features you get. Viking and Wolf ovens will generally have hidden bake elements, recessed broil elements, and at least one convection fan/element. Those features, while standard on commercial kitchen appliances, are ones you don’t find on your entry level “middle-tier” appliances (Whirlpool, Kenmore, KitchenAid, etc.). You’ll pay more for those features in a middle-tier appliance because they don’t come standard. Moreover, commercial-grade kitchen appliances are made for the professional chef, meaning they’ll usually last longer and take more abuse (which isn’t always true…one reason why I’ll NEVER recommend anyone get a Sub-Zero refrigerator). My favorites among the commercials are Thermador and Gaggenau (part of the Bosch corporation) and GE Monogram.
As I’ve posted before, Consumer Reports will steer you away from buying a commercial grade kitchen appliance because 9 out of 10 times, you’ll never be using it in the way that the commercial was built to be used. So in the interest of saving you money, they tell you that it’s not worth it. But if you feel like you could use the extra features because it would make your life easier, then I say why not? It’s your money after all (don’t even get me started on my CR rant).
Upon double checking, Frigidaire DOES make a 24" single wall oven, but it only comes in gas. You’ll never go wrong with Whirlpool or GE for cooking. KitchenAid is made by Whirlpool, but it’s not necessarily any better if you don’t need the extra features, or if you REALLY want the double oven.
flood: I used to work at a place that sold high-end grills, including Viking. Vikings were the ones that broke the most often; they constantly needed to be repaired. Is that true of their kitchen appliances too, or are they better?
I agree with flood. I just bought a new stove and did a lot of consumer research before buying. GE and Kenmore consistently outperform all others in their class. GE used to have a terrible rep for their refrigerators, but their stoves have been good right along.
I’m mostly looking for quality. I won’t pretend that I don’t care at all about being fashionable, but I’m not willing to pay several thousand dollars for “ooh” factor. I just know how crappy a lot of home appliances tend to be these days, and I’d be willing to pay a premium for something I knew would last. I don’t know if the pricey commercial-style ovens are worth it or not–one question for the thread.
KitchenAid makes a 24" double oven, though oddly enough it’s more expensive than the bigger ones. I’m OK with widening the hole, since we’re going to have to make it taller anyway, so I might be able to get away with a 27". I’ll have to look at some specs.
I have a friend who works for GE, but their employee “friends and family” store doesn’t deliver out to the sticks where I am. Are their “premium” products (Monogram, Profile, etc.) worth the price difference?
Definitely. Like I said, you’ll be getting alot more features with the oven (convection vs. conventional thermal, hidden bake elements which really speed up cleaning and messes that inadvertantly occur, etc.) if you upgrade to a Profile or Monogram. Monogram doesn’t make a 24" though, and neither does Profile, so it looks like you’ll either have to settle for the base GE brand or widen the cutout. In the event that you move to 27", Monogram and Profile both offer ovens in single and double configuration, if I’m not mistaken. The Monogram will come standard with Trivection (GE’s patented cooking system which utilizes thermal energy in the way of halogen bulbs, convection, and microwaves to speed cooking times) or Advantium (microwaves and halogen bulbs only), but the Profile will not and you’ll have to pay more to get it. If you’re looking at GE, look seriously at Monogram if you can afford to widen the space.
Renee: I’ve never really cared for Viking. I’ve only heard good things about Thermador and Wolf (Sub-Zero’s a different story) kitchen appliances. That’s not to say that Viking doesn’t put out a good product, but it might be more of an example of name dropping. Most people wouldn’t know offhand about Gaggenau or Thermador, but might probably recognize Viking.
Also, DoctorJ, don’t worry, we’ll still come over for pie regardless of what type of oven you end up with but I cannot promise that a sigh over the Kenmore or perhaps a few snide remarks about the type of people that buy LG brand appliances won’t fall.
I’m in the market for a traditional stove. THEY’RE NOT CHEAP! I don’t require an appliance that can fight wars on other shores while I sleep, but I sure could use a self-cleaner. I don’t think I can go under about $600 for one. Damn.
I haven’t done any research (need to soon though for proposed kitchen remodel) but as far as GE goes: we have all GE appliances right now. The wall ovens (we have a larger double-oven) are great, the cooktop is fine (it’s a low-end model but it works fine) and the fridge is also fine. So, in my not-so-educated opinion, you’d do fine with a GE brand oven.
Not what you’re looking at right now as far as I can tell, but: the range-hood microwave is a piece o crap - we had it repaired a year after we bought the house after it died in a “unplug it or it’ll burn down the house” fashion, and it died again within a year; our former house also had a GE range-hood microwave that died at about 18 months old. I will never own a GE range-hood microwave again.
This range is your standard run-of-the-mill gas range. It’s got a self cleaning gas oven and electronic controls. MSRP is about $550, but I’m sure you could get it cheaper at Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Best Buy (generally big box retailers will undercut the MSRP on the website). If you have any other questions let me know. You could also go duel fuel if you wanted.