When purchasing a new oven range it’s important to avoid getting burned. That’s why we’ve taken the time to put together a practical guide to what’s out there, to help you make the best, most well informed choice possible. Most ranges are built to last for close to 20 years, so it’s important to choose one with the best performance for your needs. Furthermore, purchasing the right model for your family can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars in electricity and gas bills over the life of the appliance.

Although when most of us were growing up there were either gas or electric ranges, nowadays there are a few more choices on the market including various types of electric heating elements, dual fuel oven ranges, and a brand new futuristic technology that is finally hitting the stores in America known as induction ranges. Let’s highlight some of the pros and cons of each option:

Bosch 500 Series Free Standing Gas Range - HGS305US

Electric Ovens:

Electric ovens and ranges are still the most popular choice in America with over 50% choosing them over the other options. Electric ranges offer a very low heat option, something that is not always possible with most gas ovens. There are a number of different types of elements available on the market today: regular coil burners, solid disk elements, smooth top, and halogen elements. Standard coil burners are generally available in the least expensive models and anyone who’s ever had one knows that they are difficult to clean. In smooth top electric ranges, radiant elements are placed under glass, making for a totally smooth working surface for easy cleaning. The disadvantage of solid disk elements and smooth top is that they take longer to heat up and therefore use up more electricity in the process. Halogen elements are more efficient than conventional electric coil elements. Electric ovens are reported to cook food more evenly than gas ovens, since their built-in sensors are designed to react to even a one degree drop in temperature, whereas gas ovens only start reheating once the temperature drops by ten degrees. Nonetheless, many house owners report not noticing much of a difference between gas and electric when it comes to ovens.

Gas Ovens:

Gas stovetops are still the preferred choice amongst professional chefs and food connoisseurs. They begin heating up food instantly and are more accurate, so that you can achieve the exact flame you desire. Some fancier models even have special burners for faster, higher heat as well as others for very low flames.

More importantly, however, gas ranges cost less than half as much to operate as their electric counterparts. Even though gas ovens may be slightly more expensive to purchase, they will save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the oven, making it well worth the initial difference. It should be noted that models possessing an automatic pilot light use 30 percent more gas than an oven with an electronic ignition instead, making the savings much more insignificant.

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Popularity: 13%

Weber Summit® Gas Grill S-620

With spring literally around the corner, it’s time to dust off the old grill and get ready for America’s favorite pastime. Although delicacies like sushi weren’t around fifty years ago, some things never change: everyone still loves a good barbeque! What has changed however, are the grills we use. Long gone are the days when all that existed was the good old charcoal grill. Now there are numerous models to choose from. Here’s a list of the pros and cons of the different types of grills out there to help you make the best, most informed choice possible.

Charcoal Grills
What’s a barbeque without the smell of lighter fluid in the air, right? Although it takes longer to light, longer to cook, and longer to clean, about 33% of American grill owners agree that anything without charcoal is just not a barbeque. Any self respecting barbeque cook-off contestant swears that a traditional charcoal grill simply tastes better and they wouldn’t dream of using anything else, although taste tests seem to reveal no tangible difference. Charcoal grills are also substantially cheaper than the other types of grills on the market. At the end of the day, the heart of the issue might also be an ego thing. Men love being in control, and manning the coals is simply one of the greatest pleasures out there. We may not hunt for our meat anymore, but at least we worked for it!

If the time and inconvenience still hasn’t deterred you, the harmful effect of the smoke and toxic lighter fluid fumes might. Smoke and fumes are bad for the environment and possibly for your health as well, although fumes can be eliminated by using an inexpensive charcoal chimney starter to light the coals. Studies have linked all types of barbequing to possible risk of cancer, but charcoal grills are probably the worst since it’s harder to adjust the heat level to prevent the amount of charring and fat dripping on the fire, both of which have been found to contain carcinogens.

Gas Grills
Gas grills definitely win in terms of popularity, accounting for about 60% of sales. Gas grills are easy to use and get the job done efficiently for those of us who are more interested in the results than the process. They’re ready to use instantly, without having to wait for the coals to turn white hot, they cook evenly and quickly, and there’s no ashes to dump at the end. Buying a gas grill is a no brainer for anyone who isn’t emotionally attached to old-school coals.

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Popularity: 1%

Remember when you got your first dishwasher all those years ago? You gladly said goodbye to sinks full of dirty dishes, hours spent scrubbing those stubborn stains, and dishpan hands forever! Dishwashers were once a rare luxury. Now few people can imagine life without them. Doing dishes by hand is soon to become a forgotten art, especially since dishwashers do the job better, faster, with much less effort, and believe it or not, more efficiently–washing dishes by hand uses twice as much water as an average dishwasher, no matter how frugal you may be at the faucet! It therefore pays to investigate properly before purchasing a new dishwasher, since finding the right model will save you time, money, and heartache, while conserving valuable resources.

Types of Units

Whirlpool GU3600XTVY Built In Dishwasher

The first factor to take into consideration is whether to purchase a regular large built-in dishwasher, a portable model, or a dishwasher with smaller capacity. Standard 24’’dishwashers have capacity for 12-14 place settings. This is sufficient for at least one regular family meal, taking into account pots, pans, and serving utensils. A compact 18’’ dishwasher is less common, and only holds between 6-8 standard place settings. Tall tub models have two smaller motors as opposed to one big one, making room for 2 more inches in the tub. Countertop dishwashers are the size of a large microwave and rest atop a counter or table and must be attached to the sink before use. With room for only 4 place settings without any pots, they are ideal for single people or couples as well as for use on RV’s or boats. Obviously, they require additional counter space.

There are a few different types of dishwashers, in addition to a traditional built-in model. Portable dishwashers are a good option for home renters since they do need not need to be permanently installed. Simply attach a pipe to the kitchen hot water faucet whenever needed. Portable units are built on wheels for easy mobility and usually have the same features as built-in models while saving valuable space since they do not need to be installed in place of a cabinet. Portable dishwashers also come with a cutting board surface on top, providing you with additional counter space. Nonetheless, many people prefer the stability of a built in unit that does not need to be hooked up to the sink before each use. Drawer dishwashers, first introduced by Fisher and Paykel, have two separate units that can be run independently for smaller, more frequent loads, generally recommended for people with many frequent guests. According to Consumer Reports, they seem to require more service than a regular dishwasher.

Adjustable Racks
Ever get frustrated trying to fit a large or awkwardly shaped item into the dishwasher? Dishwasher models containing adjustable racks and tines allow for greater flexibility and comfort. Lower the bottom rack to make room for large pots or the top rack for long stemmed wine glasses and the like. Some models come with removable cutlery baskets that make it much easier to load and unload flatware.

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Popularity: 4%