If I get a Capital Culinarian Range...

15 years ago

In many ways the Capital Culinarian Range solves my range decision problem but I still have a few reservations:

1. Previously I've found that electric bakes better than gas. I've been told that the gas convection oven solves this problem. Does it? I'm looking at the 48in. range. I've thought of supplementing it with either an electric wall oven and/or a combo convection microwave and/or a steam/convection oven. If I add 1 or 2 of these I will have 3 or 4 ovens which is a bit of overkill for me. My kitchen is not all that big so this supplemental oven issue will have a big impact.

2. Since all burners are 23,000 btu, isn't there a lot of wasted gas if you run burners consistently at less than full power? I anticipate the power is great where power is needed but what about most cases where it is not?

Thanks to anyone who can help.

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Comments (6)

weissman
15 years ago
Gas ovens should be fine unless you're a very fussy pastry chef :-)

I don't quite understand your second concern. Each burner has a gas valve. As you turn the burner down, you use less gas so you're not wasting anything.
Jon T
15 years ago
dumb question (and I have not been keeping up with all posts, so this may have been answered elsewhere)...has it been confirmed that Capital does not offer smaller rated burners as an option for those who don't want all 23k burners? The initial builds came with smaller burners standard until they made the switch to all-23Ks, so there should not be a technical reason it can't be done.
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dzaner
Original Author
15 years ago
Maybe the gas question is ill conceived. It was suggested to me that burners run more wastefully when at less than full capacity. As far as baking, Neighbors and I have experimented by dividing batter or dough for cookies, cakes, zucchini bread ... and baking 1/2 in their gas oven and 1/2 in my electric and consistently the electric has produced better crunchy or crusty edges and tops. These are all old appliances. Is this still an issue with new convection appliances?
gayl
15 years ago
I was facing a similar dilemma about oven choices. I finally decided on a 36" AG range and an electric wall oven. Haven't completed the build yet, but I am happy with my decision. I thought 3 ovens would be overkill, also.
User
15 years ago
Gas produces more moisture, which is better for breads and meats, not as good as electric dry heat for light fluffy pastries.

The secret to having a nice even oven (gas or electric) is to allow for a long pre-heat, because these big ovens just take awhile to really start radiating heat.

My gas oven cooks cookies perfectly, without rotating the cookie sheet. It is very even. (Not a Capital, but the theory is the same.) Foods that are not inside a pot will cook faster with convection, and convection may help an uneven oven during pre-heating, but not necessarily during the baking.
djg1
15 years ago
No experience with the Capital, but another option is to purchase the 36" range and an electric oven. 36" should give you 6 burners, or 4 plus grill/griddle, and the sum of the range plus a good quality oven should be no more -- and quite possibly less -- than the price of the larger range. Plus, if the size of your kitchen makes placement of a 48" range an issue, this might give you more flexibility to arrange things to suit. OTOH, if you really want the 48" range top . . .