Choosing a dual fuel range, Wolf, GE Monogram, or Five Star.

12 years ago

I am in the process of building a new home that will be our last home. I am making myself crazy over the range. We are looking at a 48" dual fuel range. The choices are the Wolf, GE Monogram Professional, or the FiveStar. I know that they are different in their own way. I am a bit frugal and my husband is not. The clean up of the Five Star is a concern of mine (the open burners). I think part of the problem is the cost. I am not avid cook, I can/do cook but it is not a passion. Do I need all the BTU's? I like my eyebrows. I guess I just don't want to make a purchase and be on a first name basis with a repair man. Looking through past post most of them are from a while ago. Anyone with more recent experience, especially with the GE? And does a range really affect the resale value of a home, this will be our last home, how long should a range last? Thank you for any advice.

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kitchengirl

12 years ago

I had an all-gas convection 30" Viking in the mid-90's then a duel-fuel Lacanche Cluny (gas oven for roasting + electric oven for baking) in the mid-2000's. My experience was that the electric oven turned out better baked goods, even without convection, but I preferred the gas oven for meats, as it seemed to retain more moisture.

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Comments (6)

wekick
12 years ago
What appeals to you about the dual fuel? The FiveStar DF means something totally different than what it means for a Wolf.
barryv_gw
12 years ago
My last range was DF, a Viking, I replaced it with an all gas, and not sorry about my decision. I couldn't justify the extra cost for the DF.
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cookncarpenter
12 years ago
I also went from dual fuel to all gas, (Thermador with grill, to Bluestar with griddle), and haven't looked back.... Not missing the timers, self clean or other gadgetry at all.
My decision was more for the simplicity than the cost, so it was a win/win for me.

This post was edited by ctycdm on Thu, Feb 13, 14 at 9:19
rodneyfbs
12 years ago
Hi Michelea!

I'm actually new to appliances, since I just took a job in appliance sales here in Texas. I just got back from a GE Monogram training in Kentucky though, and one of the things they focused on was a feature comparison between their 48" range and a few others, Wolf included.

We actually sell both Wolf and Monogram at my store, but not FiveStar. Basically what I've learned from our other salesmen here is that FiveStar will work, but it won't look pretty doing it, and its not worth the price. I'm told they're primarily commercial based, so you'll see them in a lot of restaurants, but because they're not seen by the customers they're not what you'd call "prettied up".

As far as the other two though, one of the things it comes down to is the stylistic choice. Is your kitchen a place where company is going to be a lot? It doesn't sound like you'll be doing too much high level cooking, so while all those BTU's sound good and may be nice to have, it probably won't be fully utilized.

Wolf is pretty well known for their big red knobs on the front, as well as the flip up screen so that you don't have crouch down to read or play with the controls. They do have the name as well which is usually synonymous with a high quality product.

Personally though, I liked what I saw of the Monogram. It has a nice beveled finish on the front which I haven't really seen on any others, and you get more with what you pay for it with all the extras. For example, if you plan on having any large parties, the Monogram can fit a full size caterer's sheet in the oven, which is not something they all can do. Plus it comes with grill/griddle covers, a cutting board, and every grate on the top can be flipped upside down to accommodate a wok. Basically, they have it set up so that they're not bombarding you with extra costs, and their range tends to be cheaper to boot.

As far as service goes, I can't really comment on how good/bad any of them are since I really haven't had to deal with it yet.

Anyway, hope this helps a little bit! By the way, if you find out any of this is different, feel free to point it out. I'm still learning here, so I wouldn't call myself an expert! ;-)
xc60
12 years ago
Also switching from dual fuel to gas. Also I think a while back there were members here saying the new Wolf ranges are closed burner now too?