Range vs Cooktop/single oven

[mmasc]

Assuming it’s a new build and you can choose your preference, tell me about these two options—especially if you have strong opinions about something I need to know lol. My only “must” is gas burners. Here are a couple of examples for what I’m considering:

Range

vs.

Single oven/microwave combo

With this

 

 

[Katy]

Can you make the microwave a convection one, so you can also use it as a second oven? If so, I’d go with that. 

[mmasc]

6 minutes ago, Katy said:

Can you make the microwave a convection one, so you can also use it as a second oven? If so, I’d go with that. 

Like this?

Does the microwave still cook like a normal microwave too?

[Forget-Me-Not]

I have a gas range (burners and oven are gas) and an electric wall oven with a microwave above it. I wanted two ovens, but a double wall oven would have made the microwave sit too high. 

[Spryte]

Hesitant to say this, but will kick myself later if I don’t: do a bit of research to make sure GE has fixed the issue with the igniter going out on the model you want.

We just replaced a GE Profile that had the igniter go out 5 times. Yes, 5 times! We replaced it 4 times, but after the 5th — the night before we hosted Thanksgiving — we threw in the towel.

We were looking at their Cafe line and learned that that GE line still has igniter issues, and the igniter going out is still common. 

They may have fixed it on the Profile, but we went another direction and didn’t look back. I loved our Profile but it let us down one too many times.

YMMV, just felt like I should share our very recent experience.

[mmasc]

7 minutes ago, Spryte said:

Hesitant to say this, but will kick myself later if I don’t: do a bit of research to make sure GE has fixed the issue with the igniter going out on the model you want.

We just replaced a GE Profile that had the igniter go out 5 times. Yes, 5 times! We replaced it 4 times, but after the 5th — the night before we hosted Thanksgiving — we threw in the towel.

We were looking at their Cafe line and learned that that GE line still has igniter issues, and the igniter going out is still common. 

They may have fixed it on the Profile, but we went another direction and didn’t look back. I loved our Profile but it let us down one too many times.

YMMV, just felt like I should share our very recent experience.

Oh wow. Thanks for sharing. So this is the oven/microwave combo you’re talking about, right?What did you go with?

It’s nearly impossible to look at any appliances bc even the really high star review ones have multiple complaints. It’s all driving me a bit batty!

Edited December 20, 2023 by mmasc

[Clarita]

So in my own kitchen I have a cooktop. Then a separate full size double oven and a separate microwave. Here are my concerns with the different configurations.

Cooktop and double oven bottom: Are the double ovens going to be tall enough for your needs? I like to proof my dough in the oven, because it can proof faster in a warmer space (especially in winter). The stand mixer bowl is a bit tall.

Cooktop, microwave, and oven combo: So I would highly hesitate to get this combination because I'd hate to have to replace a cooktop and oven because the microwave broke. 

Cooktop and single oven bottom: I'd be OK with this if I didn't feel the need for two ovens. 

Of course also note we use our double ovens so we are always partial to the separate cooktop and double oven configuration. DH likes to cook and I like to feed people.  

FWIW I've been super happy with our Thermador gas cooktop and our Dacor double ovens. (I've also read some reviews that say Dacor has been bought by Samsung and that has affected some of their products.) 

[Laura Corin]

I've cooked on gas all my life. Our new kitchen will have an induction hob on an island and a separate double oven. The microwave will be free standing.

We bought a cheap single induction hob to try out and we are converts. Just a thought - we like the control and the easy clean.

[mmasc]

@Clarita good points to think about—thanks. I have considered the “if the microwave goes out/replace it all” scenario and have concerns about that. 
 

Originally, I hands-down wanted the double-ovens, gas cooktop, and separate microwave set-up. But it takes up SO much counter space to have it all separate like that! Plus, I’m not even sure I bake enough for two ovens. So now I’m considering other options. But I’m not sold on any one option yet. 

[Ellie]

I have a gas cooktop with a microwave installed over it. Love it that way.

I have a single oven, electric, on another wall. No room for a double oven, because I need to storage space above and below, but boy howdy, sometimes that extra oven would be awesome. At any rate, I am very happy with the cooktop/separate oven thing. Storage drawers below the cooktop, storage above and below the oven. I love surface-cooking on gas as opposed to electric, and electric ovens are supposed to be more accurate than gas, so there you go.

The only thing I wish were different would be swapping the fridge and the oven. The fridge should be closer to the sink, because I access it multiple, countless times daily, meaning I have to walk around the island multiple, countless times a day, whereas once I put something in the oven, most of the time I'm not going to touch it again until it's time to take it out, so it doesn't need to be in the center of things. Maybe in my next house, lol.

[Spryte]

1 hour ago, mmasc said:

Oh wow. Thanks for sharing. So this is the oven/microwave combo you’re talking about, right?What did you go with?

It’s nearly impossible to look at any appliances bc even the really high star review ones have multiple complaints. It’s all driving me a bit batty!

We didn’t have the microwave function on our GE Profile. It’s possible they have fixed the igniter issue, but GE has *not* fixed it on their Cafe line (which would have been our choice this time around, alas). The igniter issue is a known problem, and the good part of that is that the repair guys all know, so they keep the parts on their trucks — no ordering and waiting for them to come in. But still — it’s an expense and never convenient! 

DH and I did not feel confident that GE has fixed it on any of their lines, if they haven’t fixed it on the Cafe line, so we went with Samsung: https://www.samsung.com/us/home-appliances/ranges/gas/6-0-cu-ft-flex-duo-front-control-slide-in-gas-range-with-smart-dial-air-fry-wi-fi-in-stainless-steel-nx60t8751ss-aa/ Costco has it for a bit less.

We really wanted induction, and Samsung has a similar appliance in induction for not much more, but we hadn’t planned on this right now, and needed it in a hurry, so converting to induction wasn’t an option at the moment. Sadly. 

[Katy]

2 hours ago, mmasc said:

Like this?

Does the microwave still cook like a normal microwave too?

Yes, a convection oven/microwave works as either. You just have to be careful to microwave first because it takes about an hour after using it as an oven to cool down enough (for at least me) to be comfortable using it as a microwave. It’s super helpful when hosting holiday meals or dinner parties. 

[KungFuPanda]

I’d do the two ovens and get a separate microwave. I have a double oven stove and I use both ovens more than I ever thought I would and I use them differently than my microwave. I have a full oven on the bottom and a half sized oven on top. The lower oven has convection bake, roast, and broil(air fry).  I can use either oven as a warming drawer. 

[VickiMNE]

I have a gas cooktop, a single wall oven, and a separate single microwave/convection oven (Used mostly as a microwave and the occasional second oven (holidays, events).  I put the microwave nearer the fridge and coffeemaker because reheating is its main use.  🙂

[Murphy101]

I dislike that most wall ovens are too high up imo.

i miss the huge range I had in the previous home. While it was one oven, I could put two cookie sheets next each other in it. And didn’t have to lift heavy things like whole turkeys or whatever up so high to get in and out of the oven. 

I wouldn’t want the micro to be attached to either. We have a microwave just big enough for a dinner plate and it’s almost entirely just for warming up the occasional lost coffee cup or late night frozen burrito or nachos by a grown kid late after school or work. 

[Clarita]

26 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

I dislike that most wall ovens are too high up imo.

FYI you can choose where to mount the wall oven. Your cabinet configuration generally determines how high your ovens are. 

[Murphy101]

30 minutes ago, Clarita said:

FYI you can choose where to mount the wall oven. Your cabinet configuration generally determines how high your ovens are. 

Well yes you can if you are doing the cabinets too.

but it’s rarely lower than the counter top in any house I’ve ever seen so far.

because if you get two stacked wall ovens at least one of them is going to be taller than I’d like personally.

i currently have a wall oven and hate the thing. I miss the range the previous house had and if I ever have the funds to remodel my kitchen that’s what I getting if possible. I generally dislike my current kitchen and always have.  But I didn’t buy the house for the kitchen.  🙂

[Ausmumof3]

I love the idea of not having the microwave on the bench top. Our old oven had the control panel built into a cooktop so when the cooktop died we had to replace everything which was a bit of a pain. But it was second hand when we bought the house (installed by previous owners because they wanted to take theirs with them) and we ran it for 15 years so I can’t complain much.

My current cooktop has electric touch “buttons” and I hate it. If you splash a bit of oil or it steams it can turn things on an off. If you slide a saucepan over it it turns off. Sometimes it gets hot oil or something and it’s too hot to touch to turn off. So I’d avoid that if you can.

[gardenmom5]

gas cook top - oversize electric oven (they have more insulation on the sides, so they do tend to be smaller than a similar size freestanding range.  Hence the "oversized" to get the oven space.

by doing separate pieces, you have much more flexibility in the two pieces.  Electric ovens bake better than gas (your breads will thank you) - that's why "professional" style are dual fuel.  
I have a dual fuel - and I love it.

[mmasc]

Next question: If you do a separate gas cooktop with a single wall oven, do you prefer the oven to be below your cooktop, or elsewhere mid-wall?

[Laura Corin]

37 minutes ago, mmasc said:

Next question: If you do a separate gas cooktop with a single wall oven, do you prefer the oven to be below your cooktop, or elsewhere mid-wall?

Elsewhere mid-wall so that you can use land zones for pans more effectively. 

[VickiMNE]

1 hour ago, Laura Corin said:

Elsewhere mid-wall so that you can use land zones for pans more effectively. 

This is how we have it.  Oven mid-wall, some counter space, then cooktop, more counter space.  I also have an island workspace.

The cupboard over the oven is tall and has vertical dividers.  I keep my baking sheets, serving trays, muffin tins, and cutting boards on their sides up there.  Efficient and easy to get to.  

I have 3 different-sized drawers below the cooktop-a thinnish one where I keep "quick seasoning" blends (eg. lemon pepper, TJ's 21 Seasoning, other flavored salts, chili flakes, bouillon cubes)--stuff I might sprinkle on eggs, chops, or veggies or toss into soup/stew while cooking without measuring plus 2 deeper drawers to store pots and pans.  I measured my tallest pan (spaghetti cooker with insert) and made sure the bottom drawer could house it, the middle drawer was designed to fit my typical 8 qt. pot (and smaller ones). 

[mmasc]

9 minutes ago, VickiMNE said:

This is how we have it.  Oven mid-wall, some counter space, then cooktop, more counter space.  I also have an island workspace.

The cupboard over the oven is tall and has vertical dividers.  I keep my baking sheets, serving trays, muffin tins, and cutting boards on their sides up there.  Efficient and easy to get to.  

I have 3 different-sized drawers below the cooktop-a thinnish one where I keep "quick seasoning" blends (eg. lemon pepper, TJ's 21 Seasoning, other flavored salts, chili flakes, bouillon cubes)--stuff I might sprinkle on eggs, chops, or veggies or toss into soup/stew while cooking without measuring plus 2 deeper drawers to store pots and pans.  I measured my tallest pan (spaghetti cooker with insert) and made sure the bottom drawer could house it, the middle drawer was designed to fit my typical 8 qt. pot (and smaller ones). 

Oooo…I like the pan slot idea above an oven. Excellent use of space. Thanks!

[Laura Corin]

2 hours ago, VickiMNE said:

This is how we have it.  Oven mid-wall, some counter space, then cooktop, more counter space.  I also have an island workspace.

The cupboard over the oven is tall and has vertical dividers.  I keep my baking sheets, serving trays, muffin tins, and cutting boards on their sides up there.  Efficient and easy to get to.  

I have 3 different-sized drawers below the cooktop-a thinnish one where I keep "quick seasoning" blends (eg. lemon pepper, TJ's 21 Seasoning, other flavored salts, chili flakes, bouillon cubes)--stuff I might sprinkle on eggs, chops, or veggies or toss into soup/stew while cooking without measuring plus 2 deeper drawers to store pots and pans.  I measured my tallest pan (spaghetti cooker with insert) and made sure the bottom drawer could house it, the middle drawer was designed to fit my typical 8 qt. pot (and smaller ones). 

We have two deep wide drawers below the hob, one for pans and the other for lids. In our new kitchen we will have skinny pull outs for bottles of oil etc. to either side of the hob.

[Clarita]

7 hours ago, mmasc said:

Next question: If you do a separate gas cooktop with a single wall oven, do you prefer the oven to be below your cooktop, or elsewhere mid-wall?

I pick mid-wall. If I could put it anywhere (without care for anyone else) I'd make the middle rack of the oven about 1-2" above the countertop. I think it'd make transferring from the oven to the counter and cooktop easier. My current one is a few inches higher than I'd like, it's sized more for DH with a bit of compromise so I could use it. I feel like the bottom oven is too low for my taste because I don't like bending over to bring the things up.

A feature you want to look for in wall ovens is a telescopic oven rack. It's an oven rack that has rails built into it so it slides nicely. It's certainly not necessary but also I've moved both of mine into the oven I use most often because it makes a difference.

I put my pots and pans underneath the cooktop. The counter space between the oven and the cooktop has a drawer underneath for cooking utensils. I love this placement.  

[Bootsie]

I had one similar to the range you are considering.  It was gas cooktop and electric double oven.  The top oven was small and the bottom one was larger.  The top was great for toasting and broiling.  We loved it.  We would put it in our current home if we had the right layout/configuration.  

I have had a gas cooktop and a wall double/oven that I also loved in another house.  Where we live now we have a microwave/oven combination in the wall and a separate cooktop, and I don't care for it.  I have cookie sheets that won't fit in the oven and it is too small to do two racks with some of my pans.  The mcirowave is placed a little higher than we like to reach.  

[mmasc]

This is all such good information. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’m loving hearing all of it!