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ladoladi

vulcan 36' range

16 years ago

Anyone with a 36" Vulcan installed in residence able to share their experience? Positive? Negative?

Thanks.

Comments (5)

  • 16 years ago

    As the Vulcan is a commercial range that is unsuited to home installation, you are unlikely to get any responses to this. Read the FAQ, which discusses commercial ranges in home situations to understand why this isn't a good idea.

  • 16 years ago

    Since you probably won't get any other answer, here's what I know.

    Caveat is that I don't have a commercial range, I intend to have one, and I'm going to deal with the downsides involved. There are many.

    To use the Vulcan or other commercial range in your house, you will have to:
    - Have the required clearance (see specs, usually 4-6'') between the range and anything combustible, which includes cabinets and drywall. In other words, the range can't be flush-fitted between normal wood cabinets, or sit against a typical house wall.
    - Have a 3/4'' gas line. Typical residential range uses 1/2''.
    - Have adequate exhaust venting, which will be significantly more CFM than most residential venting, and that in turn may require makeup air. Expensive. A full commercial venting/makeup air system will cost more than the range.
    - Have a separate broiler, or go without a broiler. Commercial ranges don't usually have broilers in their ovens.
    - Skip the building inspector, as commercial ranges won't meet code in most places.
    - Be a confident do-it-yourselfer or have a cooperative commercial appliance repair guy who will work on the side. Most commercial appliance repair shops won't officially work in a residence. And a restaurant supply place usually won't install a commercial range in a residence, may not even want to sell it to you. (However, money can talk . . . .)
    - Check with your home insurer.

    Assuming you get past those hurdles, I don't know what a Vulcan is like, but I've used a commercial Wolf and a commercial Jade, both installed in a friend's house. I imagine these are similar to the Vulcan. Basically - lots of wonderful burner power - stir-frying and searing are pleasures. Have to light with a BBQ lighter (she had turned the pilot lights off). Body of the range gets hot when using the oven. Not calf-branding, skin-blistering hot, but hot enough to hurt if you lean up against it. I wouldn't want little kids around.

    If you want the big burners of a commercial range with less downsides, look into a commercial countertop cooktop. They have the same burners as the ranges, but can sit on a counter. Still have the exhaust, code, service, etc problems.

    Email me via the forum if you want more info.

    -

  • 16 years ago

    I had a 60" Vulcan for 5 years in my current house, which was essentially a 36" with a unit next to it with a large griddle and salamander (broiler equivalent). The burners were 6 20k btu with standing pilots, so the top of the stove was always hot enough to burn fingers and heat up the room a bit. The oven was cavernous and took forever to heat up (not uncommon or unexpected, just was). There was a temperature dial, but I relied on an oven thermometer for accuracy. It was fine, but did have some significant hot spots. The oven door got very hot and flopped open with the lightest of motion.

    The range was built into 36" deep counters with 6" on either side before either the wall (on the left) or the next cabinet (on the right). The rear wall was entirely stainless, and I did have a commercial hood.

    I LOVED the burners, never bothered with the giant griddle (which even had the trough to scrape crap into), used the salamander, and was ok about the oven. I did not love that I could NOT simmer consistently. I had to watch simmering pots like a hawk because their tiny flame would die out and the burner would just be seeping gas into the air, so no all-day simmers for me.

    I HATED that I couldn't get a 35-year-old range serviced at all because commercial appliance guys don't carry insurance to work in homes, and residential appliance repairmen just wouldn't look at it at all. I have tons of restaurant friends who all said they'd send their guys over, but obviously, despite the best intentions of my friends, the service companies were unable to do the work. The pilots went out occasionally. More than once I ran down in the middle of the night smelling gas, lifted out the grates, the surface, and lit them praying that there was not a boom.

    My kids were 4, 2, and 6 mo when I started using the range. I taught them to steer clear. No one got hurt. The older ones cooked a lot on it in later years. I was heartbroken to see it go last January, but it, at 40, had lived a pretty good life. I was a good cook when I started using it, but my cooking went up to an entirely different level with that stove.

    I replaced it with a Wolf AG because I've had too many clients with problematic Bluestars (I'm an architect who primarily does kitchens because I like to cook so much and architects generally find kitchens functional places not worthy of great design), and I have no bid for crappy customer service. It felt like a huge step down when I bought it. I was certain I would regret it. However, I love the Wolf. The ovens are very accurate and do a great job. I use the grill a lot for things I'd usually never grill (flatbread, naan, etc), and the measly 16k btu burners are adequate for most cooking. I do let pans heat up for a while if I need a good sear, but then I have an amazing infrared broiler at my disposal if searing is my objective. The simmering is what has me. I love to be able to do that. Good luck with your decision.

  • 16 years ago

    One more thing to look out for is insurance claim problems if a fire starts on the range. Your home policy may be invalidated by using ranges or appliances that are not certified for home use. You can always have you insurance company underwrite that variance but that will cost more in premium and they still might not approve the policy. Or they may require you to install active fire suppression.

    Honestly, the insurance issues is what stopped me in my tracks. With regard to Vulcan, it's a good range. I like the burners and they are pretty reliable... assuming that hasn't changed in the last 10 or so years.

  • 16 years ago

    We found one on CL for $600, had been used once, the guy had 2, used the other one all the time, this one he only needed one time. (He had started a catering business and then the economy tanked, so he decided to sell it all off). Anyway, we gave the guy $100 to hold it, we went home to arrange for pick up, etc. In the meantime, my stomach was in knots--I was reading the manual. Everything everyone here has said is true--the 6" clearance, etc. I figured this very hot piece of metal would end up sitting in the middle of my kitchen! My insurance company however, did do some checking. As long as we weren't using the range commercially, we would be covered. This was not a small insurance company it was S.F.

    So, long story short, I called the seller, explained the situation, he said no problem he would send me back my money he already had someone else lined up. The rotten dirty *$#@()% never sent the $100, he always said, "it's in the mail". Really made me angry--especially when I think his original line of work he is a contractor--I pity those who hire him.

    PS--I'm happy with my Capital!