Gas cooktop questions

I went to a big builders supply appliance store after work today, to see what was on sale that we would want in the house we're planning. I was comparing gas cooktops primarily, and would like comments/opinions from all the fine cooks here as to pros/cons of my candidates for place of honor in the future Reynolds kitchen.

First choice is the GE Monogram Professional 36", 6-burner cooktop. Says it will go from a 140 degree simmer to 18,000 BTUs on all six burners, plus the iron grates all reverse to make a wok stand.

For roughly the same price I could get the Thermador 6-burner cooktop. 15,000 BTU high, but they were demonstrating the 375-BTU simmer by melting chocolate chips - on a paper plate - without burning the plate! Downside is that I'd have to have a separate wok ring.

Both of these have the option to get a center griddle ISO the center 2 burners, but at higher cost.

Anyway, I could go cheaper, or much more expensive, but these are my contenders. And I still like the GE best.

I got a 5 burner Caldera cooktop a year and a half ago and I still like it very much. Its grids allow me to use a small pan easily - a lot of grids just don't like small pans - and the center burner will boil a big pot of water or burn out a wok before you know it. It has a small burner that I've used to make an egg-yolk and broth sauce in an aluminum pan. I think that's sort of a test.

John

Robert,
The two models look quite comparable. I have a Thermidor mixed fuel range, so I am quite familiar (and happy) with their gas burners. I don't think you could go wrong with either, so my comments relate to features. If you plan on using a wok, the reversible grates of the GE sound interesting (but the photo made it look as if the wok were held well above the flame -- not ideal) but getting a wok ring for the Thermidor is always a viable option, too. How often do you need 6 burners when cooking? I cook some pretty demanding stuff, and rarely need more than 4 at one time. I suppose if you're working from Larousse, you might need more, but otherwise I'd opt for the central griddle, as that's a feature I could use quite often (kind of like a built-in comal for Mexican cookery). I'd also opt for the backsplash if going with the GE, but that's again a function of the cooking that I do, too. Anyone who pan fries, browns meats or sautées with any regularity benefits from a backsplash IMO.

Good luck!
Mark Lipton

Robert, I have a GE range that I have been using for just under two years now.
I would not buy it again.

It has many features I like, and, in the big picture, it performs adequately. However, I find an annoying lack of control in one of the burners, and it happens to be the one I use most often.
My range is set up with a simmer burner at the right rear position, and a power burner at the right front position.
So my go to burner for saute work is the left front position. If I turn it too low, it goes out. If I try to goose it up a bit, it's too much. I can't find a sweet spot, and believe me, it's not for lack of trying.

It's enough of a defect to me that I could not recommend the product to anyone else.

We have a five burner DCS that we love to pieces. Among other features it gives you a low simmer on all burners. The GEs I've seen only give you that on one.

Last year my next door neighbors purchased a Blue Star (range and oven, not the airline). I've cooked on it several times and love it. I would seriously consider one if I were to replace my existing range/oven.

Does GE actually still make GE ranges? I thought I had read in Welch's autobiography that the division was sold and another company makes the products but slaps the GE name on them.

[Robin Garr]

Robert, I have a GE range that I have been using for just under two years now.
I would not buy it again.

It has many features I like, and, in the big picture, it performs adequately. However, I find an annoying lack of control in one of the burners, and it happens to be the one I use most often.
My range is set up with a simmer burner at the right rear position, and a power burner at the right front position.
So my go to burner for saute work is the left front position. If I turn it too low, it goes out. If I try to goose it up a bit, it's too much. I can't find a sweet spot, and believe me, it's not for lack of trying.

It's enough of a defect to me that I could not recommend the product to anyone else.

I think we may have that same range, John! White "glass" top? I dislike it, and Mary hates it. We always used to buy GE because the company has a huge plant here, so it was supporting our neighbors. But I think Jack Welch destroyed the GE brand. Both our GE range and refrigerator turned out to be crap. And by your description, you have the same (or similar) range as we do.

Robert, I have a GE range that I have been using for just under two years now.
I would not buy it again.

John, was this range from GE's Monogram line? It's important not to generalize across product lines. GE might make lousy dishwashers but good ovens; the Monogram line Robert is considering as I understand it is of completely differnet design and manufacture than other GE ranges.

Does GE actually still make GE ranges? I thought I had read in Welch's autobiography that the division was sold and another company makes the products but slaps the GE name on them.

Dave, "rebadging" is common in the appliance trade and it's always hard to know who made what. For example, until the Korean brands showed up, basically all bottom-freezer fridges sold in the US were manufactured by Amana but sold as Amana, Maytag, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, probably GE as well.

Along that line, Robert, I believe the GE Monogram cooktops are manufactured for GE by DCS. A quick Google might verify that. If so, and you're leaning that way, you might want to check price/warranty/features of DCS cooktops to see if there's another option there.

First choice is the GE Monogram Professional 36", 6-burner cooktop. Says it will go from a 140 degree simmer to 18,000 BTUs on all six burners, plus the iron grates all reverse to make a wok stand.

By the way Robert, know that specifying a simmer in degrees is complete marketing BS. It would be tempting to disqualify GE on that basis alone but so many manufacturers specify this way these day you might not be left with many choices.

Robert, I recently (Last December) purchased and had installed a Bosch 36 inch Stainless steel 5 burner cooktop. I've wanted to switch from electric to gas for a large number of years and just didn't for one reason or another. I finally made up my mind and did it though, all in one fell swoop. Click the link and you can see the one I bought. Am not sure just why I went with the Bosch instead of some other brand, but have heard over the years that the company has a good reputation, and now I am completely satisfied. Any way here is a link for your perusal. http://www.boschappliances.com/kitchen- ... 654UC.html

Robert,

One thing to also consider...The photos you posted of the land look like you will be building in a rural area. Do you know if you will have natural gas or LP? I am not sure that all ranges and stoves can be converted to LP.

One thing to also consider...The photos you posted of the land look like you will be building in a rural area. Do you know if you will have natural gas or LP? I am not sure that all ranges and stoves can be converted to LP.

Virtually all makes of ranges and cooktops can be converted for use with LP (including the ones Robert is looking at, I'm sure) but it *is* something to pay attention to if you're an LP user. A few makes actually manufacture separate gas-specific models but most are field-converted; in fact, many these days ship with the conversion kit included just in case you're an LP user. The issue is that burners are optimized for NG since that's what most people use and don't generate as much output when LP is burned instead. A loss on the order of 10%+ is typical but some are much worse. So if you burn LP, it pays to find out before you buy how many BTU's you're actually going to have after conversion.

Thanks for all the responses. Yes, we will need propane where we are building, and The GE cooktop ships from the factory set for either gas or propane, as requested, and it drops about 3k BTUs with propane. As I was told, any of the burners on the Monogram can handle to full range of temps, from the simmer to full throttle.

I'm trying real hard to justify a GE purchase, as I'm a stockholder (albeit small) and it needs all the help it can get to shore up the financials. LOL

Mark, I did wonder about using a temp for the simmer, when the full-burn is listed in BTUs. The Thermador did show the simmer in BTUs.

As for the 6-burner vs 4-burner plus griddle, I noted that the griddle option cost extra, and we do have an electric counter-top griddle already. I doubt I'd ever need more than 4 burners at any one time, but I'm thinking that the ability to space the pots & pans out a little at holiday dinner cooking might result in a little less jostling and blue language filling the kitchen. Then again, maybe not on that last point...

I think we may have that same range, John! White "glass" top?

No Robin - this is a gas, with standard burners and metal grates. But it does sound as if we share the same frustration.

John, was this range from GE's Monogram line? It's important not to generalize across product lines. GE might make lousy dishwashers but good ovens; the Monogram line Robert is considering as I understand it is of completely differnet design and manufacture than other GE ranges.

Fair point, and no, it is not a Monogram. It is a GE Profile. And as I said, while not completely dissatisfied with it, I don't love it, either.
If it were a wine, I'd give it 82 points on a good day. (assuming I used the 100 point scale to score wines, which I don't)
In Stuart speak, it would probably merit a Larry.

One other thing to think about when considering Thermador: I believe their "Extra Low" (or whatever the trademark is) simmer is still achieved by stopping and starting the burner several times per minute. That means you get to hear the "crack" of the electronic ignition relighting the burner that often. My parents have one of these and I think the noisy would drive me batty, although it's possible I'd get used to it. Also, while many cooktops use solenoid-actuated valves in order to implement auto-reigntion in case of flame-out, a Thermador on Extra Low uses that solenoid a lot more than other makes. In my parents' case, that has meant some rather expensive service calls. Obviously, that's not a scientific study of Thermador reliability, though.

Robert, I don't know how often the powers goes out in your area, but a requirement up here is that you can light the burners with a match or a click-click. You might check and see if this is possible with your purchase.

[Jenise]

We have a five burner DCS that we love to pieces. Among other features it gives you a low simmer on all burners. The GEs I've seen only give you that on one.

I have owned in the past, loved and bought again a Viking for the remodel we're doing now, but I have to tell you that from everything I've read/seen since, I'd probably buy DCS if I had to do it all over again. The Blue Star that David mentions is a gem too, and because they're not so well known they're a good value even when not on sale.

Robert, re the two brands you've named, I have no personal experience with the GE but a friend who is a real scratch cook of considerable excellence has had a Thermidor for ten years and she loves it, wouldn't trade it. She has the whole range and hood combination. Thermidor was, I believe, the pioneer of the sealed worktop making stovetop cleaning a breeze compared to unsealed units (like mine). Definitely an important consideration. Oh, and most of the big brands have wok rings that you can buy extra for your gas cooktop. I'm surprised the Thermidor is only 15K BTU though.

[Jenise]

I believe their "Extra Low" (or whatever the trademark is) simmer is still achieved by stopping and starting the burner several times per minute. That means you get to hear the "crack" of the electronic ignition relighting the burner that often.

Ditto. That's why I didn't consider Thermidor when I bought my first Viking.

[Robin Garr]

No Robin - this is a gas, with standard burners and metal grates. But it does sound as if we share the same frustration.

For the record, John, this is gas too, with four gas burners (and one oven heat vent) cut through it, and heavy, restaurant-kitchen-style grates that set down over the glass. It's a Profile, too, and we belatedly found out that it's really intended to LOOK good in tract mansions where it's rarely used. (Our theory.)

I figured it might be similar because we have what sounds like the identical configuration: High-power burner front-right, simmer burner back-right. Standard burners on the left, and a combined standard and convection oven. (The latter has also been disappointing.) The thing cost $2K, and Mary keeps trying to figure a way to justify junking it.

I just browsed around the DCS and Blue Star Websites. I'll have to price those cooktops to see how they compare in cost toe the GE and Thermador models. I pretty much already ruled out Viking appliances because of cost.

It's a Profile, too, and we belatedly found out that it's really intended to LOOK good in tract mansions where it's rarely used. (Our theory.)

Ok, I'll ask...why would it be rarely used? Are they typically ripped out and replaced?

It's a Profile, too, and we belatedly found out that it's really intended to LOOK good in tract mansions where it's rarely used. (Our theory.)

Ok, I'll ask...why would it be rarely used? Are they typically ripped out and replaced?

I photograph a lot of kitchens. Those beautiful high end ranges are rarely used because the people that own them don't know how to cook. The most often used appliance in many of those trophy kitchens is the microwave. That being said, when the caterer comes for the big party, you'd like the appliances to work properly.

Fair point, and no, it is not a Monogram. It is a GE Profile. And as I said, while not completely dissatisfied with it, I don't love it, either.
If it were a wine, I'd give it 82 points on a good day. (assuming I used the 100 point scale to score wines, which I don't)
In Stuart speak, it would probably merit a Larry.

In Larry-speak, I'm deeply honored that I'm obviously residing in your gray matter and have been awarded a unit of measurement. I look forward to being in the next edition of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.

Oh, and thank you for buying a GE. I own GE stock.

In Larry-speak, I'm deeply honored that I'm obviously residing in your gray matter and have been awarded a unit of measurement. I look forward to being in the next edition of the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.

Sorry to tinkle on your Cheerios Larry, but apparently you are unfamiliar with Stuart Yaniger's somewhat famous wine rating system, the units of measure of which are the members of the cast of the Three Stooges.

You owe it to yourself to become familiar with the system, described here:

http://the-stupids.com/wp/tasting-note- ... ing-system