1 - really a personal choice based on appearance, etc, they will all do a good job

2 I have the Bluestar 30 inch RNB. The door is warmer than a range with a self clean option, but I don't think it is a danger. I don't recall reading any stories of toddlers hurt by a hot oven door. Don't forget that if you have a grill, that is likely as hot or hotter than an oven door. The sticking door problem was a long time ago, the door hinge was redesigned, so that is no longer an issue.

3 I don't know which one is better , but the BS oven is pretty large.

I have a 30" RNB. I have 2 and 3.5 year old grandsons who are running around the kitchen all the time. The door is not hot. It was installed on 12/22/14. I have had no issues with it. I love it and love cooking on/in it.

You say the CC oven is larger. Really? The BS oven holds a full sheet pan and I thought it was the only one in the industry that did so.

I don't know anything about the CC, but the BS is beautiful and I loved that I could pick my color for the oven and knobs.

I have a BS as well and no hot door issue, but my kick plate does get HOT under high heat oven situations (450*-500*) using it over 60 minutes. I don't necessarily consider it a hazard but I get the concern from parents who have young children. I looked at the CC and AR (both good ranges) when buying my BS. I have cooked on CC and it was great. I ultimately really liked the star shaped burner on the BS a bit better than the round CC burners. Just my preference. I have a lot of control over low simmer settings and the air shutters too (they can be adjusted) to achieve the perfect flame. I think the CC has a bit more styling over BS or AR. My BS is a total work horse and a joy to cook on. AR, CC, & BS are all petty much comparable to each other. It really comes down to personal preference...

I've had my 36" RNB with griddle since Feb. 2013, and absolutely love it!

The oven is huge, hard to believe the CC oven could be any bigger? No hot door issue, yes it does get warm, but after all it is a stove. Love the cast iron burners/grates for their function, ease of keeping clean and the simplicity of design. I was researching between Wolf, Viking, Thermador, etc. when I found out about Bluestar, (which I had never heard of), but once I saw the open burners perform at a demo, I was sold hands down! No regrets...

I'm sure the CC is a great range as well, and I'm not familiar with American Range. I would try to go at least look at, and possibly use all three, or attend a demo if available.

The CC oven is larger by less than 10%. Most of that difference is in the height of the oven, which is not a very usable dimension.

I side with CC just from my experience. I don't think you are going wrong with those 2. I sell American...but I have no love for the product. Had a few issues over the years that were minor, but endemic of a company who doesn't have much direction on the residential side of things.

I really enjoy my AR Performer, so powerful yet gentle at the same time! :-)

I am in the process of remodeling and we chose a 30" BS RNB. The RNB just went through a refresh recently and a few of the changes they made were to the door and oven heating element position. I was told that the heating element in the oven was moved a bit further back away from the door to keep the door cooler.

If you're concerned about CC's customer service, DO NOT buy an AR!

Couldn't get the pic to post the right way, O'well

Very nice, and good choice!

Congratulations! Welcome to the Bluestar family!

WOW $1600 is a great price for your range. Fantastic deal, enjoy...

just wondering how eric was enjoying this bluestar a month later.

i am in the planning/purchasing stages right now and was pretty set on the bluestar after seeing them.

i am a retired chef and have owned 3 commercial restaurant ranges in three homes and loved them all- but have moved and the state i live in now makes it a bit more difficult to have them in a residence.

then i saw an american range and thought i would go that route but the salesperson in a store we have used many times told us he is NOT allowed to sell the american ranges anymore even though they have them on the floor. there have been too many customer service problems.

we had a dcs fisher paykel in a beach house and it cooked/baked well. it had an excellent simmer but it was hard to clean although it had sealed burners. but the finish on the bottom of the burner area always stained badly. it was some kind of steel but not stainless.

when the range was only about 6 mos old a friend came to visit and wanted to know how many years the range had been there! it looked like it was well worn.

so i am wondering about the bluestar, simmering and baking and of course clean up.

any help or suggestions? thanks

Cresskillgirl. We're actually in process of installing our cabinets and our range arrives tomorrow! Range hood and some of the cabinets are in. We had a few hiccups along the way (like having to push back part of the wall for the fridge to sink into, etc), but everything except counters should be done this week (rest of the cabinets, rest of the flooring, the paint, electric, etc). Here's a couple pics of some of the progress!

@Eric

i cannot speak for other brands but I am in love with the new BS range I got.

FYI, I have a 2.5 yo toddler boy in my family.

In the new version, the door is not hot at all during the bake in. The drip tray is definitely hot to touch but it wont burn you instantly, enough just to make your hand move away instantly. Kick plate is definitely warm.

In addition, BS service call was excellent. I contacted BS on Monday and the same Thursday my local BS service person contacted me and came.

For what it's worth, American Range does not support their customers over retailers. I was sold a "new" range. Turns out it was an old one and AR won't honor the warranty, claiming it was a floor sample. It could have been a floor sample. I don't know. I certainly didn't pay for a floor sample.

I would recommend you avoid AR.

Is that typical for AR to be non supportive to their customers? Sounds like really bad customer service....I have a BS and no door issues for me, the heat problem is over blown IMHO.

Problem with AR is they are a commercial company first and foremost. In the commercial world support is through service networks and distributors because of the way warranties are structured. The manufacturer almost never gets involved directly.

Consumers have this weird expectation that, when calling the manufacturer, they should be "helped" and treated like they are "important." The nerve of them! It may change one day...but for now that's the simple truth of it.

Actually AR was very pleasant and responsive until they figured out they didn't have to be. They didn't even give me the number of their local service company.

They were entirely disinterested in learning about bad behavior of their retailer and seem to think buyers should be able to interpret serial numbers. (Also they told me they'd take care of it only to change their mind a week later. Because apparently they don't know serial numbers any better than I do.)

Our BS was installed 2 days ago. Upon installation it was discovered that the simmer burner is not functioning properly. I called prizer and the said they'd send someone out. Was contacted by the servicer next day saying that prizer was sending them parts that they believe are needed and would contact me when they arrive. Easy to deal with. Very happy thus far.

Seems to be a retailer issue not the manufacturer? A retailer should be able to handle most problems that arise with consumers right? If not then you contact the manufacturer. I know my retailer was clueless regarding my Bluestar range. I then contacted Bluestar myself, thankfully BS has been very responsive on both my minor issues. That's when being an informed buyer is a big plus....also these type of ranges are so easy overall to maintain and work on that I believe the manufacturer believes the customer has some liability to know what kind of range they bought and that most issues can be resolved fairly easily by the person who owns the range....