If you are looking to renovate your home kitchen, or outfit a new home with appliances, then you might be considering a dual fuel range and oven. These things look pretty fancy and sophisticated, but you might be wondering what exactly it is and if you really need such a luxury item in your home.
Keep reading and we will explain all of that so you can determine if you should buy a duel fuel range for your home. We’ll also share some of our recommendations on the top due fuel ranges for the money right now.
What Is It?
Most of the time, a duel fuel range is a slide-in range that has gas burners for the stove top and an electric oven, hence the gas and electric are the two (or dual) fuel types. So, you end up with two different cooking methods in one range. Of course, this means that you will need both gas hookup and electric hookup in your kitchen.
Many people prefer to use a gas cooktop when making sauces, sautéing, and cooking other food on the cooktop. And that is exactly what you get with this type of range.
One thing to keep in mind as you shop is that the term “stove” only applies to the cooktop (or burners) of the range, while the term “range” refers to the whole cooktop and oven unit as a whole. Knowing this before shopping will help you to avoid confusion about what you are actually getting for your money.
Who Is A Dual Fuel Range Good For?
The ideal candidate for this type of range is someone who has the dual fuel source hookup in their kitchen. And, someone who prefers to use gas burners on the cooktop. Overall, you really end up getting the best of both worlds with the two cooking methods in one stove.
Benefits Of A Dual Fuel Range At Home
If you do a lot of cooking at home, then you will love how a dual fuel range makes your life better. First, it is well know that gas cooktops heat up faster, which means that boiling water will be quicker than if you were using an electric cooktop. Plus, gas burners also offer easier to control heat. Since you can actually see the gas flame while the burner is on, you can visually gauge how much heat is working under your pan.
One thing to keep in mind is that cast iron pans and pots tend to perform better on a gas cooktop. So, to make the most of it, you should consider getting some new cast iron cookware.
Having an electric oven to go with your gas cooktop means that you get perfectly baked food. You see, with a gas oven it can be challenging to get the temperature just right. In fact, you might end up with burned food more often with a gas oven. But with an electric oven, your food ends up cooked perfectly. Also, electric ovens can reach higher temperatures than gas ovens, which is required for some foods. So, with an electric oven you do not have to worry about reaching the proper temperature for perfect cooking and baking in the oven.
Another benefit of the electric oven is that the ability to reach higher temperatures enables it to have self-cleaning functions. You don’t get this feature with gas ovens.
How Much Does A Dual Fuel Range Cost?
As you start your shopping for a new range for your kitchen, you will notice that the dual fuel ranges tend to have a higher price tag that your traditional electric range or gas range. In fact, it wasn’t all that long ago that this luxury item was too expensive for homeowners. Fortunately, prices have decreased since they first hit the market, and how dual fuel ranges are more affordable for families like yours.
Unfortunately, there is no standard price for these ranges since they vary by brand, size, and additional features. We suggest that you do a little shopping around to get an idea of the current cost before you make your mind up about a specific model. Or, check out our suggested model below.
Our Picks: Best Dual Fuel Range For The Money
Kenmore Elite 75353 5.5 cu. ft. Self Clean Dual Fuel Range in Stainless Steel
After comparing current models on the market, we’ve determined that the Kenmore Elite 75353 5.5 cu. ft. Self Clean Dual Fuel Range in Stainless Steel offers the best value for the price right now.
Click here to current price on Amazon
This one comes from a popular household brand with a strong and lengthy reputation of making high quality home appliances for families like yours and mine.
Here we’ve selected the 5.5 cu. ft. model, but you can order this one is other sizes as well – so it should be able to fit in most any kitchen.
It has a five burner cooktop, which is perfect for larger families or that talented home chef who needs to keep a lot of pans simmering at the same time.
Cosmo COS-DFR304 30 in. Freestanding Professional Style Dual Fuel Range with 3.9 cu. ft. Electric Oven with Turbo True European Convection, 4 Italian Made Burners, Cast Iron Grates, in Stainless Steel
If you want something a bit different and with that luxe feel, then we love this Cosmo COS-DFR304 30 in. Freestanding Professional Style Dual Fuel Range with 3.9 cu. ft. Electric Oven with Turbo True European Convection, 4 Italian Made Burners, Cast Iron Grates, in Stainless Steel as our top luxury duel fuel range. It’s also perfect for the home cook who wants a professional chef-style range.
Click here to current price on Amazon
The craftsmanship in this range are just truly amazing – the Italian made burners are great and this looks like a range that you will be proud to have in your kitchen for many years to come.
I love that it has the true European convection, which really takes your home cooking to that next level.
Overall, this model looks amazing and works even better! And the commercial style will have anyone who uses it just loving to cook on it.
Bosch HDI8054U 800 30″ Stainless Steel Dual Fuel Range
Another model that we’re a fan of right now is the Bosch HDI8054U 800 30″ Stainless Steel Dual Fuel Range. This one also offers a good value for the money.
Click here to current price on Amazon
This range is made by a brand that is known for making high quality home appliances, and it has a very nice sleek, luxury appearance that will look great in your modern kitchen.
It features a total of five gas burners, with a 18,000 BTU center burner that is perfect for entertaining. The 4.6 cu. ft. convection oven has 11 different cooking modes and a self-cleaning feature that we love.
top image: EddieRider at English Wikipedia [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons