Advice / Recommendations needed for remodel (48' range)

19 years ago

Hi all! I'm so glad I found this site. As all of you know, researching high-end appliances is tough... so hard to find any real reviews / experiences.

We are remodeling our late 70's lakeside house, and completely gutting the kitchen. My wife and I, while not pros, cook a lot, and really enjoy it. We entertain often (6-10 people), so capacity and performance are a must in the products we choose.

We've pretty well decided on Electrolux Icon for our speed oven / micro... and a wall oven (if we end up needing one). Our in-laws have these items, and we've all been very pleased with them.

We are strongly considering the Electrolux Twin all-fridge / all-freezer with separate trim kits. While the build isn't as sturdy as some others we've looked at, the appearance, capacity, and price are in-line with what we want.

This leaves us with the biggie... the range. We had initially decided upon the Electrolux icon 48". It looks nice, has the great ovens, and is reasonably priced. However, I have not been able to find anything discussing reliability / user experiences.

Next, I saw a La Corneu... oh my! While we can't afford one, it did bring up the idea of getting a "funky" range (traditional, old-world style). AGA is a choice, but the oven sizes scare off my wife. Corneu Fe is a thought, but my wife again is nervous. I personally like the Lacanche, and after reading all the reccs here on this one, this is my emotional favorite. (Volnay). Con: Pricey, ? service issues (only one US dealer, etc)

I had never heard of Blue Star, but everyone here seems enthusiastic about it. We're looking at this one.. Con: Pricey.

Finally, there is the least expensive option, from a household brand. Jenn-Air pro-style 48" range. Pros: Easily serviced. Cons: Don't know... no reviews, reccs.

So, what do you guys think? What would you get in the 48" size, $10k or less?

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Comments (6)

jab913
19 years ago
I can tell you that I pretty much was having the same dilemna. In my case I chose the Capital 48". Since price was also a major consideration I had to weigh out my options. In my case I decided to order their Precision model but without the self cleaning feature. Of course I do not get the rotisserie either. These were trade offs for the price. You can have these and still be under the $10k price. Basically I found that for a little more than the JennAir I was able to get what I felt was a better value. Unfortunately I am unable to give you any feedback as to how well my decision has gone since I have not yet reached the point of installation for my new range.
soshh
19 years ago
Is the Bluestar MORE expensive than the Lacanche? That surprises me. I remember a recent thread where I read the 48 bluestar was about $7500. I am curious about this as well, esp. one with the grill and griddle.

The Lacanche, I believe is higher, plus there's also the shipping charges.

I don't know much about the Electrolux or the Jenn-Air. We had the 30 inch Jenn-Air dual-fuel downdraft in our old house and I liked the oven but felt the burners weren't powerful enough. It came with a grill top that heated very uneven. I loved the concept and that's why I'd seriously consider a grill on a 48 range for our reno.

The Aga 6-4 lists at about $8500, but it seems they can be found for a little less.

Of all the ones above, I love the look of the Lacanche but think the price is a little too high for us. The Bluestar, from what I've read, would be a very good option.

Other, possibly less expensive options might be the Capital Precision and the American Range. I am not sure how these price out.
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alywa
Original Author
19 years ago
Soshh

The Bluestars vary a lot in price. Overall, it is less than the Lacanche, but to get an all-burner top (8 burners) it jacks it up a lot. I can't imagine using a griddle, and the grill option sounds messy to me. We have a nice Weber gas grill, as well as a Big Green Egg smoker, so it would be a rare occurrence for me to grill indoors.

As far as Capital Precision or American: Are these any good? What about DCS?
soshh
19 years ago
Capital Precision and American have started receiving quite a bit of airtime on Gardenweb as of late. Much of what I have read on both of these has been positive.

DCS is another one I don't see mentioned too often.

Re: the griddle...I realized there are quite a bit of things I cook on flat pans that I could use the griddle for. My kids love "hibachi" shrimp, and obviously there's the breakfast thing...pancakes, french toast, eggs, etc. We have a weber grill too, and I love doing veggies, salmon, etc. (Don't eat meat or cook it much.) but if it's just our family doing it inside (esp. in the winter months) would save me a lot of footwork. A recent thread had a lot of people mentioning they do like grilling on the bluestar. I do enjoy grilling outdoors now though, esp. because my kitchen is horrid!

How have you gotten specific pricing info? Have you called around? Most of the sites don't list prices off the bat.
coleen3201118
19 years ago
FWIW I got the Capital Precision 48" self clean/rotisserie - with griddle for $7999.
julier1234
19 years ago
I have the Capital Precision 48" self/clean with grill. I have yet to try the grill and will let you know how well that works. We had a custom hood made for it because of a location issue in our kitchen. I heard from GC that the hood will be installed within the next week or so (most likely "or so" [sigh]). Since that grill (which is adjustable from lite to high) is one of the main reasons we bought the Precision, we are very curious to see if it lives up to the hype. As far as the rest of the range goes, the ovens have worked well and the SS top is extremely easy to keep clean (easier than I was afraid of).

I have not used any of the other ranges suggested. I was tempted by the Bluestar burners, but Capital had more features for the money including windows on both ovens (I do not like windowless ovens).

Last night I was thinking about what I don't like about the range. I do wish it had some sort of signal when the oven temp reaches the desired temp. It is silent and kind of a hassle to go check to see if the light is on or off.

Oh yes, another thing I do like is that my oven door/handle and knobs stay cool at all times.