1. Cabinets and stove insulation

Is you KD thinking that the NXR is a commercial range which lacks insulation? Rest assured that the NXRs are true residential ranges.

Or, is this perhaps a case where NXR is such a small brand that your KD is concerned that that NXRs might be Chinese-made crappy knockoffs rather than Chinese-made high quality products like the iPhone with which he/she called you?

I've had my NXR for over two years with no ill effects on the my cabinets. Also, friends of mine have had a 36-inch NRG3601 since 2009 with no adverse effects on their cabinets. AFAIK, the only differences between the NRG and DRGB models are some cosmetic styling and that the former used grade 403 stainless on the sides while the DRGB models use more scratch resistant 430 stainless. None of that has any effect on heat emission from or insulation in the sides.

If you've been reading all the threads here, you've probably seen my posts on measuring how hot the sides of my NXR got (145F in the hottest spots -- mostly lower). That is not hot enough to damage any cabinets.

2. Heat from "sides" of the oven:

Well, there are "sides" of the oven as in side panels and then there are the sides of the gasketed gap between the door and face frame.

The side panels are not a problem, but the "gap" sometimes can be, and that is true of every brand of range. With pretty much every stove's oven, the gap does emit some heat, so you want a bit of clearance from the cabinet faces. (That is, you don't want the stove to be flush with or inset back from the cabinet faces). Also, with every stove, you want a good, functional gasket for the oven door so there is limited heat escaping there.

In case you haven't already seen these threads from last spring (they were about Blue Star ranges), I'm giving you links to the discussions. Hopefully, you can see what I'm suggesting that check when your NXR when arrives.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/appl/msg0512331427472.html?4

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0512415510564.html?41

3. Popping Sounds

Dunno if I can help here or not. We're talking about something rather subjective where It is hard to convey nuance in print. A "pop" to one person might be any slight ticking sounds as metal cools. To another, it might be the kind of banging and thonking heard from old furnaces. To yet another, it could be something in-between those extremes.

That said, I really haven't noticed any oven cool-down noises after use of my NXR's oven. I haven't noticed anything any different from oven cool downs with my previous range, a GE dual fuel. That may say I'm totally oblivious. It may say that any cool-down ticks are not obtrusive enough to notice.

Hope this helps.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Fri, Sep 26, 14 at 15:09

Thank you JWVideo. Your information was very helpful. I will make sure the range is placed the proper distance from the cabinets and am not too worried about oven noises.

Does anyone have any experience with the NXR hoods? I'd like to view the installation instructions and specs. Costco has very little information on their site and Durocorp doesn't even list hoods under their products. It'd be nice to see a diagram with dimensions before I purchase.