Purchasing A Stainless Steel Range

There are many different ways to cook and heat your food these days. The microwave has become increasingly popular. There are also cooktops and wall ovens. Yet, the stainless steel range still retains its popularity. A stainless steel range is the choice of many for their kitchen. It fulfills its duo function - baking and boiling.

A stainless steel range offers the most value for its money. It provides you with economic options. A stainless steel range also can be stylish. There are a variety of different models and styles from which to choose. Even if you are very selective, you can find a model that will not just cook. If you choose wisely, your stainless steel range will actually grace your kitchen. Ranges certainly have come a long way since their early days.

There are a number of factors you need to look at before you buy a stainless steel range. These, if you will pardon the pun, range from price to repair rates to cooking speed and cleanup. Ask yourself these following questions before you actually go shopping for a new stainless steel range.

• How much can I afford? This is a prime question to ask yourself. A stainless steel range can vary in price according to both its specifics and the manufacturer. Sometimes an economic stainless steel range is available on sale or after rebates.
• Do not let the obvious cost be your sole criterion. A stainless steel range may be cheap in more ways than one. Always consider what you are getting for the price. Economically speaking, you need to look at other factors such as repair rates and options.
• Always check the repair rate of the stainless steel range you are admiring. If the models are constantly subject to repair work, reconsider. You do not have the time or the energy for this aggravation. What good is a “steal” if you cannot use it a goodly part of the time? Save yourself trouble by selecting a good brand of stainless steel range. Hotpoint and GE, for example, have lower repair rates than Jenn-Air or KitchenAid, according to some consumer reports.

• Find out from friends, neighbors and consumer reports, the cooking effectiveness of your favorite stainless steel range. How does it function? How fast and evenly does it cook? Do the elements perform correctly and efficiently? Can they heat large amounts of food quickly? Can the burners of your desired stainless range boil and simmer water as you need it?
• Besides the burners, check out the speed and efficacy of the oven. Does the oven of your stainless steel range bake evenly? Does it have a broiling function? Does this function perform effectively? Do you want a convection oven? The fan these come with may actually act as a time-saver. You can buy a stainless steel range with a convection oven from Amana, Frigidaire and Kenmore, to name a few.
• When it comes to elements, you need to decide whether you prefer coil or flat top. Does your preferred stainless steel range offer you a choice?
• One reason for wanting a stainless steel range with a smooth top is ease of cleaning. It is far easier to wash down a flat top model than one with coils. How much do you enjoy cleaning? Are you a naturally messy cooker? Do you have people who are neat freaks or spill food all the time on the stove?
• You might also want to check out what types of controls are available on your stainless steel range. Are they touch pad? Are there any shortcut programs? How high tech are you? A stainless steel range can look like a foreign object if you are used to a basic turn-on, up, down and off system.

Do your homework before you set off to purchase a stainless steel range.

Take your time. If you want to reduce costs, you can also look into rebates and discounts. Some are only offered in-store.

You can also find some manufacturers and retailers providing coupons and specials of all sorts if you buy online.

Alternatively, manufacturers may provide you with the coupons to use in specific outlets.

There are many different models on the market.Some are best in specific categories.

GE and Kenmore both provide smoothtop models with excellent cooktop performance. The best coil ranges, however, are made by GE and Kenmore.

GE is among the best, but Kenmore actually performs almost as well for less money. If you have a choice, do consider the following models.

• Kenmore (Sears) 9800 [3] - This stainless steel range model is free standing and a smooth top. It has a double oven. There are 4 surface elements. Two of them are expandable. There are digital oven controls. The stainless steel range has a convection oven option. It may be a little pricey but it rates highly overall in most of its functions.
• Whirlpool Gold GY399LXU [Q] - This stainless steel range is a slid-in appliance. It has 4 elements of which 2 are expandable. This is a very capable stainless steel range. It is generally good to excellent in its performance of both burners and oven functions.
• Electrolux EW30EF656G [W] - This freestanding stainless steel range provides 3 expandable burner elements out of 4. It features an electronic touch screen control for surface and oven. There is a convection oven option as well as a temperature probe.

by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com

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