Living in the past. Always melancholy. But some things are improvements over the past. Most things are. Except refrigerators.

I preferred the coil burners to a radiant smooth top, and actually replaced the hated radiant electric with a coil range (they had to special order it for me). If I can't cook on induction, I'd rather have coils.

awm03, I have those on the stove in my cottage -- I actually posted here to find out what they were! But I also bought a portable induction hob for the cottage, and that's what I use most of the time when I'm there.

TVet, so interesting you liked coils over radiant! Makes me think of my husband who detests gas grills -- charcoal forever for him.

Hi MWJ '90. I applaud you for staying on budget regardless of what you budget currently is. A few thoughts come to mind given my own experience cooking on all 3 available cooking types (Electric, Electric Induction, and Gas). You did not mention if there was anything wrong with your current range and so you may have any number of reasons for wanting to upgrade. Although I agree with most of the observations listed in the replies here thus far, here is a bullet list of thoughts on your question:

FIRST, THE GOOD PART:

• RELIABILITY: I would, in general, not worry as all electric ranges (Coil and Smooth Top Radiant) are quite reliable in just about every brand since the technology has not changed all that much in decades. Just because they are lower in cost than Induction and professional ranges in general does not mean your range won't give reliable service
• EASE OF COOKING: Yes, its true that smooth top radiant (non-induction) ranges take longer to heat up and cool down. In the past when I purchased a home that had one, I was able to adapt my cooking to the awkward heat control. It took a while but you should adapt just fine.
• HOME RESALE: If you are not planning on staying put for very long (depends on your own definition), you still want something that cooks well for you while in the house.

THE NOT SO GOOD: I actually think most all the limitations of a smooth radiant stove can be overcome and not be the end of the world. BUT......

CLEANING: The only appliance I have ever actually detested was my smooth top radiant. Not because of reliability (never had any problems with it). Not because it did not cook well. It baked and simmered just fine (once I learned to use the slow heat up time of the cooktop portion). I admire those who have found cleaning these types of ranges simple. Smooth Tops were invented to IN THEORY, make cleaning easier. This is because Coil Tops are, in essense, the electric version of an Open Burner. Just like the few open burner gas ranges left on the market, with coils, as you know, you take the burners and bowls apart to clean them. Sadly, when anything other than water spills on the glass, it BONDS to it with a strength that is hard to fathom. It is even worse for how I cook since we simmer, saute, and fry in skillets which makes for lots of splatter. I don't know if you have ever seen the opening scenes in the original "Karate Kid" movie, but if you have, you have an idea of what cleaning one of these CAN be like. I've never worked so hard to keep an appliance clean; much less in showroom condition. I also learned that using any Aluminum or Copper bottomed cookware is a recipe for disaster since some of those soft metals will rub off onto the glass and once fused by heat, are VERY hard to remove even with a razor blade.

OPTIONS:

• Within your budget range, you a number of options. You could keep your current coil top. (FYI, coil tops have better heatup/cooldown times than do the radiant smoothtops. Not as fast as gas but faster than the one you have ordered. If parts are available, your coil top could last longer than you had hoped, LOL.
• You could opt for a gas range but you did not mention if you have gas service.
• You could go through with the purchase of the new range you showed and keep it until time that you sell your home. But that is kind of a pain and takes up room
• You could hold off purchasing a new range until your house goes on the market at some point and market it as seller has "New Range never used".
• Or purchase the Frigidaire and use it in place of your old range. Just know that keeping it clean is most often a challenge. Its not the droplets of water you get from boiling a pot of water. Its the spatters of food, oils, sauces etc that will demand LOTS of elbow grease.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Each of my grandmothers and my mother cooked on electric coil tops for most of their lives and I did too when I was younger and renting. In each case, great meals were prepared and enjoyed. There was no suffering or misery. (Except when I had to clean a smoothtop, LOL )

"TVet, so interesting you liked coils over radiant! Makes me think of my husband who detests gas grills -- charcoal forever for him."

I don't think they cook any better, but they're at least easier to clean and repair. Both have good lows and highs, but no middle temps, in my opinion.

@HU-379772723 thank you for the detailed explanation of the variety of cooktop options. I'm not sure if you have seen any of my previous comments regarding why I went with a Radiant top as opposed to a Gas range, but our current townhouse doesn't have a gas line so electric is my only option here. Again, I'm not opposed to a Gas range by any means. As I said before I grew up with a Gas range and I really miss cooking on my mother's stove. So if our next house has a gas line, I will certainly go with a gas stove I have no issues with that whatsoever.

There are several reasons I'm getting rid of the Coil top:

1. Back around the summer of 2020 the power element (bottom right coil in the picture) died entirely and has since been useless. Also for about a year and a half or so, the bottom left element has been underperforming and doesn't heat consistently or sometimes almost not at all.

2. Don't even get me started on the oven which does ok for what we need it to, but it really takes much much longer to bake than any stove I've ever used including the Amana Radiant range I had in my apartment. Lately, it seems to have gotten even worse as I think it is on its last leg.

3. I really don't like the lack of balance coils provide while using bigger pots and pans, it is SUPER annoying to me and slows things down way too much. To be completely honest I've never been a fan of coils, so I'm really happy to finally move on from this unit to a flat surface.

4. My wife and I do a LOT of cooking so we need a reliable and cost-effective stove to get us through until we move (which would probably be in the next 2 years or so). So instead of replacing the individual coils, why not just replace the entire stove with something that is much better for our situation? Plus it will be better for those we sell the house to as well long term.

So those are a few of the reasons I'm going with the Radiant range. I'm not saying that Coil tops are the worst thing in the world, but I much prefer a Radiant or Gas stove over a Coil top any day, hands down.

@cpartist Maybe one day when we have the funds and are in our forever home but again for our current situation a Radiant range is just fine.

In CR's testing, the Frigidaire FCRE3052AS was one of the lowest-scoring radiant ranges. The LG LREL6321S scored much higher and is priced only $65 more.

Can you afford a few hundred more? The Frigidaire GCRI3058AF induction range is only about $1100 at Home Depot and Best Buy.

@wdccruise, lowest in performance or lowest in reliability? Or both? I receive my stove Tuesday.

Let's not overlook the op may also require new pans if they go induction. I love to see people make the transition to induction, however they have been clear that it is important to stick to their budget. If their existing pans are not compatible, this will be an additional expense.

"lowest in performance or lowest in reliability?"

baking-3, broiling-2, owner satisfaction-2; scale: 1-5 with 5 best

@wdccruise any information regarding reliability? This is what I'm more concerned with. I would look for myself yt Consumer Reports no longer make their printed issues very accessible as they used to. Plus I don't want to pay for the online subscription...not at this point at least.

@kevinande thank you for understanding where I'm coming from.

https://www.consumerreports.org/join/ - $10/month digital

New range came in Tuesday. Can't wait to cook my first meal on it tomorrow.

Another cleanup tip. Stop at Harbor Freight and pick up a box of single edge razor blades. Hold one at a low angle and it won't scratch the glass. A little soap acts as a lubricant. Surface must be cool. So maybe 30 minutes after use.

Hope you are enjoying your new range. Just wanted to say I have had a Frigidaire smooth top range for almost 15 years. I have had no problems & my top looks like new except for a faint ring on the burner I use the most. I bought this stove because it had a bisque top along with the bisque range. The light top has weathered well. Rarely do I have to scrape anything off & I'm a slop. I cannot say whether the black/gray tops are harder to keep clean. I sure wish manufacturers made light tops now. Have fun!

Let us know how it goes with your new range! Hope you enjoy cooking on it. Might be a slight learning curve after cooking with coil -- you may need lower heat settings. But the discovery period goes for any new appliance. It's taken me a year to get a really good feel for the power settings on my new cooktop & for what my new oven can & can't do well. Relax & enjoy the experimenting.

re cleaning, sometimes you can get by with a dab of Dawn & a clean damp microfiber cloth, & sometimes you can't, ex. starch stains. I've become a fan of Weiman's Max cooktop cleaner. I didn't like it at first because of the smell, the slight grit, & you have to rinse it off with a damp towel after applying (then buff w/ a paper towel). But it does a better job than other products, imo, and a little goes a very long way. My container lasted me a year. Cleans stainless steel pots & pans, enameled cookware, & oven glass too.

https://www.amazon.com/Weiman-Cooktop-Cleaner-Max-Burned/dp/B00E2USO52/ref=asc_df_B00E2USO52/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216559542401&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4717846951905022117&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003445&hvtargid=pla-374276273972&psc=1

I had a GE coil I loved and it could not be repaired in 2019. I bought a GE smooth top. The new coil ranges are not the same as the old. They are required to have safety sensors, that seem to break a lot.

I have found that I like the new range. It heats as quick as the old coil. It in a way is easier to clean. If something boils over, it does not run down into the pans and burn on. I have found that if after the top cools, if I wash the top with dish soap and cloth, then dry, it cuts down on the cleaning. I use the cleaner that came with the stove for the tough stuff. A small amount on a paper towel removes the stuff, then polish with a clean paper towel.

I actually like it better than coil since I got used to it. The only thing I do not do, is I cannot put the hot pots and pans out of the oven onto the coils like the old stove.

I did not want to get rid of all the pots I love to get induction and my house would of had to be rewired. I do not have gas available inside. I do have propane gas outside with my grills and cooker.

Sherry, induction uses the same 40 amp circuit and outlet your current range uses. No rewiring would be required.

Not the ones I was looking at. They were 50 amp. Anyway, I still would have to of changed pans. Mine did not hold a magnet.

"Sherry: The only thing I do not do, is I cannot put the hot pots and pans out of the oven onto the coils like the old stove."

Is there a restriction stated for your smoothtop range against placing hot pans on it? I've been taking things out of the oven and placing them on the glass radiant top (when it's cool, not onto hot burner areas) of my GE for 17 years to no apparent cause of a problem thus far.

Sherry Look at 40 amp units and the performance would still be 5 times and more than radiant. Plus, no cleanup issues. Remember, you can wipe clean the cooktop right away with a spritz of cleaner and a cloth or paper towel. With radiant you have to return to do that half an hour later. And that's a commitment everyone using the range needs to make. Reality for most is the razor blade. Poor performance and cleanup issues are two major drawbacks suggesting why so many of these completely functioning radiant ranges are for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $100-250. People do not enjoy them.

Ikea has inexpensive induction ready pans. Costco has sets. All-Clad has sales you can sign up to get the notifications for. D3 pans are excellent.

dan1888, Same reasons now as in 2019. The cost of induction.. My new GE only cost $750. I'm not getting rid of my pots, which would not work on induction. Now, there is another. I'm not getting red of a new stove. By the time we finish eating the stove tip is cool and I clean it when I clean up the rest of the kitchen.

It cooks as fast as I need it to and is very responsive to temp changes. I have only had to use a razor blade once in three years. I was making fig preserves and spilt the syrup when stirring.

dadoes, I'm not chancing a very hot cast iron onto the top. Maybe a cookie sheet, but I only use those once or twice a year.

Coil style ranges are generally one of the simplest and least costly to repair (except maybe for a digital pad control). If your coil burner or oven bske element starts to fail or just quits, those are wear itrms and not a reason to toss a range. That is muchveasier on a budget than ant new range. Also, dont forget that the time you spend cleaning a smoothtop radiant will add up considerably over time. Your time has value and is a cost we often forget to figure into any decision.

Not if you can't buy the part needed, you can't repair.

We changed to a new smooth top LG electric range from gas when we moved to FL from CA (no gas line in FL home). It took a little time to adjust but now find it to be a very good cooking surface. The smooth top is a big improvement over coil, much easier to keep clean with Weimar cleaner polish with cerama bryte pads. I use the speed broil and convection oven feature often. The oven took a little longer adjustment because everything cooks faster.

I actually had gas in my camper and on the patio, but find I prefer electric.

I will probably look at an induction range when mine goes & I will need new pots. I have never spent a lot of time cleaning my smooth top. I don't even use the Weiman cleaner every week. I wipe with a clean dish cloth. The amount of time I spend cleaning it probably averages minutes a week. This argument doesn't hold water with me. YMMV

I never had trouble cleaning my old radiant cooktop either. Never used the the cooktop cremes on my grey pebbled glass radiant because I never had to. I only use them now on my induction because the black glass shows every smear & streak. In general, I'm not one to crank up the heat & let foods splatter & boil over & don't put off cleaning messes. I just never had a problem with burned on stuff, never needed a razor blade to scrape it.

I probably put more time into cleaning the induction cooktop, keeping it pristine looking because I don't like those visible streaks & smears. That's the fault of black glass.

Wish you all could see my SIL's 2002 black glass JennAir radiant cooktop. It still looks brand new (as do her pots & pans -- she's an amazing if fanatic cleaner). She's a serious cook, doesn't like cooking with gas, doesn't want induction, & will go with radiant again when her old JennAir bites the dust.

Just wanted to provide an update. I cooked my first meal on my new radiant top range and I absolutely LOVE cooking on a flat surface again. The temperature control is great and clean up was a breeze. 

This is the first time using a range that has a burner with dual elements so that was a bit of an adjustment for the first few minutes, as the Amana radiant top I had in my apartment didn't have one. But once I got a hang of it, it worked great. Happy with my purchase so far.

Great news MWJ! Happy cooking!! Thanks for the update. :)

Thanks SEA SEA! :)

"Happy with my purchase so far."

Excellent! You obviously made the right choice for what you wanted.

Yay! May you enjoy many hours of cooking with your pretty new range.

Thank you Toronto Veterinarian and awm03! I'm hoping this range serves us well for the time we're in our current place and for those who will occupy it after us :)

MWJ ‘90 - I’m wondering which range you bought? I’m researching for a 30” electric. Either radiant or induction- just want one that is well made and looks good too. Thanks for any input from anyone.,

@Debbie Klausing: "I’m researching for a 30” electric. Either radiant or induction- just want one that is well made and looks good too."

I have the LG LSE4617ST induction range which replaced a GE radiant range. The induction cooktop is easier to clean because the elements do not heat up like radiant burners do so spills don't stick to the cooktop surface. The LG LSE4616ST is similar but with fewer features and a lower price. I required a range with knobs to control the cooktop elements. If you don't require those, the Frigidaire FGIH3047VF is a good choice per CR. The knobby Samsung NE63B8211SS appears to be an incredible bargain for an induction range at $1095.

Of course, induction has many advantages over radiant: elements generate no heat, changes in power level are instantaneous, boiling is super quick, etc.

I have the GE Model JS645SL4SS, purchased in 2019 at Lowes. I love it. I did not think I would, because I had always had the old style coil ranges. I too clean, when cool with a diluted mix of Dawn and water. When needed I use the cleaner that came with the range, Wellman glass stove top cleaner. and a paper towel.

Debbie- hi, the model I ended up going with was the Frigidaire Electric Range Model# FCRE3052AS for our townhouse. It's a radiant range. Originally I wanted a Whirlpool range to match our refrigerator but unfortunately the specific model we were looking at in our price range wasn't available.

Thanks everyone for recommendations! I’m checking into them.

Debbie, please keep us updated as to what you guys decide on. I'd love to hear which model you choose! :)

@Debbie Klausing: "Thanks everyone for recommendations! I’m checking into them."

Note that in CR's testing the Frigidaire FFEF3052TS achieved only a Fair rating in baking and the brand received a Poor rating in owner satisfaction for its radiant ranges. The GE JS645SLSS also didn't perform well.

Consumer Reports is a crock of! My range, the GE is fantastic. The oven is right on temp and easy to use. The burners are arranged well. the front two can be either large or small and the back two are small with a warm setting. The increase and decrease in temp very fast.

@Sherry8aNorthAL: "My range, the GE is fantastic."

Th GE JS645SLSS range was downgraded for low-heat performance of the lowest-power burner, lack of baking evenness, and several measures of broiling performance.

As I ststed above. I have that exact range and it bakes perfectly. The burners all 4 work perfectly. Consumer Reports is just a scam money making magazine. I have found that they DO NOT know what they are talking about.

I do not and will never trust anything they say.

@Sherry8aNorthAL: "I have that exact range and it bakes perfectly. The burners all 4 work perfectly."

You have one range. You don't have a means to compare that range's performance against others.

"Consumer Reports is just a scam money making magazine."

For whom?

For the business that owns it. I will never trust their opinion!