I had a basic GE Spectra for 6.5 years and never had a problem. It was basic though -- had a turn dial oven setting. I actually like it a lot. As you will learn here and on the appliance forum, heat and electronics do not mix. They fry or bake at some point. I just upgraded to a no-electronic professional range because I wanted a range with continuous grids, higher power and convection baking. It is all gas and has no electronics.

We have the Hotpoint RGB745 (it's made by GE). It was top-rated by Consumer Reports a few years ago. We've been happy with it. Price is below your low end (I think still ~$500).

I agree with maria410: the fewer electronic gizmos, the better. The Hotpoint has electronic oven controls and knob burner controls, but so far (knock on wood!), the electronics have worked well.

After losing the electrical "brain" on two electric ranges, we are very leery or those things! Especially when we started looking at the more "pro-styled" ranges under $2000, like the GE Cafe, etc... it just seemed like a bad idea to pair sensitive electronics with high-BTU burners. We really wished for a plain gas stove, but the nicer ones seemed to either have too many electronic bells & whistles, or be totally out of our price range (i.e. Wolf,Bertazzoni, Dacor, Viking, et al.)

We finally foun what we hope is the perfect compromise. It is a Chinese-assembled range that uses all imported parts from Europe & the US (gorgeous burners that I think Wolf uses). Unfortunately I can only comment on the looks and price ($1829) since we just picked it up and its not installed yet. It is a NXR DGB3001, with sealed burners, 4x 1500 btu. It LOOKS great, and I am really excited to have powerful burners to cook on!!

One downside, if you consider this avenue, is that you need a much more powerful range hood for burners this powerful. I spent months searching for a great close-out deal and still spent over $500 on the hood. You'll need at least 600 cfm, so an inexpensive hood won't cut it...

HTH

We have a GE JGBP89SEMSS ss, double oven, and it is great I love the burner for big pots, and I use the lower oven all the time, it is $1549 but we got it in home depot with the 10% off so we paid about 1350, and we are very happy with this stove. We bought it almost 2 yrs ago and it's been great, it has the same than the ge profile that goes for about $2200, we even wrote a review in the home depot website but never showed up, anyway I hope this is useful for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE JGBP89SEMSS

Just out of curiousity, how many EMFs are we talking about?

Staceyneil, Where did you find your range? I'm looking online to learn more about it, but can't seem to locate any matches...

Hi Bibolette,

I used this site called Epinions to search for
ranges and opinions of ranges. The neat thing about
this site is you can search specific features you want.
Self Clean, Convection, Sealed burners, Gas fuel....

http://www.epinions.com/Kitchen_Ranges--price_range_580_1070--fuel_type_gas

I also researched through Consumer Reports.
CR is very brand model year specific.

I would also recommend you visit web sites of
Sears, Home Depot, Lowes to get an idea on price.
Don't be afraid to negotiate. You can get a lower
price on a brand you like. And visit brand sites
like Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Amana... Research
exactly what you want so you can better negotiate
the price for a new range.

Good luck,
~Boxerpups

My NXR range eventually came from Boston Appliance, but they (the most "local" retailer at 2 hours away) beat the best price I found, which was at Aus-Tex Appliance in Texas. Their website advertised price was quite a bit higher, but I found them offering my model for $1899 on Craigslist, and called them.

NXR makes two models of the 30". I saw the other model in person at a showroom, and chose this one, because the door handle is more refined.

I compared it side-by-side to the other big brands, and, yes, the fit and finish is slightly rougher. However, the burners were far superior to the Capitol Range that was next on my list. My biggest beef with it was the lack of center grate--- but guess what? They just started offering an optional center grate! Mine's backordered. I also love the blue enamel oven interior.

{{!gwi}}

If you are researching this, try calling the president of AusTex, Ben hallman, to ask for the best price. Shipping was going to be like $50, I think-- a good deal.

Consumer Reports just came out with their annual kitchen magazine. They have ratings for ranges.

We have the Dacor PGM 365 36" 5 burner. I love it. We got it for $1330, as the model has changed. Good luck!

J D Power and Associates rates how satisfied people are with their items and gas and electric ranges are categories they have.

Here is a link that might be useful: JD Power and associates

We are in the market to possibly buy the nxr 30 and i was wondering if you need the hood for sure or will a microwave do ok over top? also who is the best company to purchase from? i will be ordering online.. thanks.. would love to see pictures of one installed!!

With that budget, your options are somewhat limited. Liquid propane ranges tend to be more expensive than other types. At $713.00, there’s the Frigidaire 30” FFGF3052TD. Frigidaire is a perennial favorite appliance brand with a reputation for dependability and this model’s no exception. People who’ve purchased it report reliable performance for over 15 years. They love the versatility of a five-burner rangetop with continuous cast iron grates for easy movement of pots and pans. Its 4.2 cu ft oven capacity fits virtually anything you need to cook.

It’s a bit more than you mentioned you wanted to spend, but I wanted to also recommend the previously mentioned NXR 30” DRGB3001LP. It can currently be purchased for $1848.00. In beautiful stainless steel, it looks great in any kitchen. The powerful burners max out at 15000 BTUs and will give you a great sear on a steak, but can go down to 620 BTUs so you can melt chocolate without fear of scorching it. A favorite feature of this model is the infrared broiler with true convection cooking. This ensures that food is cooked quickly and evenly.

Perhaps once you’ve shopped around and realize the normal price point for liquid propane ranges, you’ll adjust your budget. If so, at $2599.00, you can get the Bertazzoni 30” MAS304GASXELP. Bertazzoni is a preferred brand for ranges among professional chefs the world over. This Master series model is especially beloved. It is Italian engineered for even the most robust use. Its burners include a dual-ring power burner that can put out up to 18000 BTUs. The rangetop setup is designed with mise en place in mind so with the mere flick of a wrist, you can move cooking vessels around to use direct or indirect heat. There are little luxuries as well that let you know where the extra money went. Soft-motion hinges are perfectly calibrated for smooth one-handed opening and closing of the oven door. If you’re willing to spend moderately more, this is the perfect companion for any home cook.