Aztec’s Guide to Shopping for Your Next Electric or Gas Range [Bonus: Dual Fuel]

Are you in the market for a new kitchen range? Well, look no further than Aztec Appliance’s catalog! Our generous selection of gas, electric, and dual-fuel ranges is bound to have something special for every kitchen novice and seasoned chef alike.

Leave it to our experts to help you unearth something truly special—we can even help you determine which cooking power is ideal for your household’s meal habits and kitchen design. Dare to explore the culinary possibilities with the help of our product guide.

Without further ado, let’s get cookin’!

First things first: One of the primary considerations when buying a new kitchen range is whether you need a freestanding or slide-in model. The difference between both lies in how each type fits within your surrounding cabinets and/or counters, so this could largely depend on the layout of your kitchen as well as personal taste.

Here’s a quick rundown of these popular installation types:

Freestanding

The most widely sold option, freestanding ranges are also considered the easier model to install, regardless of fuel type. Visually, freestanding ranges are defined by their finished sides. Most often, their controls are located on a back panel behind the cooking surface, although there are freestanding models that appeal to a more modern aesthetic with front controls.

Pictured: GE® 30" Free Standing Electric Range in Stainless Steel (JB256RMSS)

Slide-in

By contrast, slide-in ranges have unfinished sides and are usually without a top console at the back. Luckily for stylish home cooks, both features are conducive to a “built-in” appearance that is in line with the modern design trend of having flush inset appliances. True to their name, slide-in ranges can be easily inserted between surrounding cabinets. In addition, because the controls are displayed at the front, you can showcase a snazzy kitchen backsplash behind your appliance.

Pictured: Café™ 30" Stainless Steel Slide in Dual Fuel Range (C2S900P2MS1)

When it comes to determining the appropriate dimensions (i.e., height, width, and depth) for your new kitchen range, it is important to check and double-check your recorded measurements of your available space. That said, you don’t have to be limited by your existing cabinetry and counter spaces—if your heart desires, you can modify your cabinets to fit a larger appliance, with some brands offering “fit guarantee” rebates to reimburse you for the costs.

Now, aside from your kitchen design, another factor that could help determine the dimensions of your new appliance is your household’s meal habits.

Among a slew of questions to consider: Do you normally find yourself adjusting recipe portions to serve a large family? Do you only reserve oven-roasted entrées for holidays and special occasions? Are there days of the week you don’t even turn on the stove? Would you call yourself an at-home Iron Chef, or are you more of an amateur in the kitchen?

These and other semantically related questions are ones you should mull over as you explore your options, especially since they could sway you in either direction when deciding between a splurge or a frugal purchase.

Single Oven or Double-Oven?

If you need to accommodate more than two baking sheets of cookies or two foil pans of entrées at any given time, you might choose to invest in a range with a double oven.

It should be noted that most double-oven ranges typically have a smaller oven resting on top of a larger oven. Keep in mind that a minor drawback of this configuration is the fact that the lower oven’s door is closer to the floor, so if you’re cooking a large roast below, it will be slightly more difficult to retrieve from the appliance, so we invite you to exercise caution should you pursue this double configuration.

Overall, double-oven ranges are a great option when you want to prepare two different foods at different temperatures, both at the same time. So, if your starving kiddo is craving some frozen chicken nuggets before dinner, you can pop them in without a second thought while your delicious casserole is baking underneath.

Pictured: GE Profile™ 30" Black Stainless Steel Slide-In Front Control Gas Double Oven Convection Range (PGS960BELTS)

Sing it with us: Let’s get technical! Yes, we’re now diving into the differences in possibilities posed by gas, electric, and dual-fuel ranges. Generally speaking, your choice in cooking power should rest on personal parameters and preferences, including budget, long-run energy costs, energy-efficiency, and culinary expertise; however, remember that, sometimes, what you have determines what you buy.

With these considerations in mind, check out how gas, electric, and dual-fuel ranges stack up:

Gas

Favored by professional chefs, gas range stoves grant you more control over your cooktop, enabling instant changes in heat since a flame doesn’t need time to warm up or cool down.

Speaking of their electric counterparts, gas ranges are also more durable, and in the long run, more cost-effective. As you scroll through our catalog, you might find that gas ranges are priced higher than electric models; however, while gas ranges are typically more expensive upon initial purchase, they are more less costly to maintain, as gas costs are generally lower than those of electricity.

To put it simply, if you’re looking to get a lot of use from this appliance or prepare homecooked meals almost daily, a gas range is considered the more prudent purchase.

Electric

Unless your kitchen is already equipped with wiring for a gas stove, it might interest you to learn that it is less expensive to install an electric range, provided you have a 240-volt power outlet in tow. Not only that, but compared to gas ranges, there are also more electric options available for any-size budget, with electric-coil options being the most affordable ranges overall.

Despite their jarringly dissimilar appearances and price points, electric-coil and smooth-top ranges actually run on the same source of power and use the same type of coil burner; these electric range stoves are different in that the electrical wire embedded in the flattened metal spiral for a smooth-top range sits underneath a glass- and ceramic-top surface.

If you admire the luxurious appearance of a smooth-top electric range, you’ll be excited to learn that this cooking surface cools down quickly, making easy work out of post-dinner cleanup. And because there are no flames involved, electric ranges are safer to operate around young children.

On the pricier end of the spectrum, induction (a subtype of electric cooking power) ranges are worth the extra cost if you appreciate efficiency, both in terms of quicker meal preparation and energy cost savings. Marked by their ability to transfer heat electromagnetically into conductive cookware with virtually no trace on the cooking element itself, an induction range cooker is even safer to operate, with the smooth-top surface cooling down instantly once it’s powered off.

Dual Fuel

Lastly, if you’ve got a gas line hookup, congratulations: A dual-fuel range offers the best of both worlds. Combining the control and speed of a gas range stove with the reliability and the precision of an electric oven, a dual-fuel range provides enhanced heat distribution, fast preheating, and an easily controlled heat source. So, if you’re a culinary genius who wants to reap the benefits of a gas stove without missing out on the advantages of an electric oven, dual-fuel ranges have got you covered.

Pictured: KitchenAid® 29.88" Imperial Black Commercial-Style Free Standing Dual Fuel Range (KFDC500JBK)

After you’ve narrowed down your preferred installation type and fuel type for your new kitchen range, you can start compiling your wish list for what we call “the fun stuff.” At this point, you can scour brand profiles to see what appliance finishes and high-end features complement your personal style.

As you explore brands, you might come across advanced cooking tech like steam, true convection, and air fry settings on your oven that can enable you to cook your favorite dishes with precision and finesse.

Along the same lines, you might find the word “smart” alongside product names for mid- and high-end ranges. Home cooking has never been as streamlined as with smart cooking appliances. If you’re willing to spend the extra bucks, you’ll find there’s much to gain from WiFi-powered cooking.

By syncing your smartphone with a smart range, you can save time by preheating and monitoring your oven from anywhere—even while you’re stuck in traffic on the way home from work. If you’re minding multiple responsibilities at a time, you can also monitor power-level settings and check or change timers with your smartphone or tablet.

In short, the culinary possibilities are endless.

Pictured: Samsung 29.94" Fingerprint Resistant Stainless Steel Slide-In Electric Range (NE63T8511SS)

Build the kitchen of your dreams today! Whether you call or visit us in store, our friendly staff is always happy to help. More available than ever, our Aztec Appliance experts are also reachable via chat!