 range.
A range combines a cooktop and an oven in a single unit. You can find ranges as small as 20 inches wide, which are ideal for tiny homes and RVs, or as large as 60 inches wide.
A standard range is 30 inches. Most folks building custom home will choose either a 30, 36 or 48 inch range.
Ranges come in three basic types: slide-in, drop-in and freestanding.
A slide-in range slides between two lower cabinets and because of that, has unfinished sides. Slide-in ranges are more expensive than freestanding models. A slide in range sits on the floor.
In contrast, a drop-in range is dropped into the lower cabinetry, so it has cabinetry on 3 sides. Instead of it sitting on the floor, the bottom of a drop in range rests on a short piece of cabinetry. A drop-in range also has unfinished sides since cabinets will be on each side of the range.
Freestanding ranges are an economical option and can fit anywhere in a kitchen. A freestanding range can be placed between two cabinets or it can be placed at the end of a row of cabinets.
Freestanding units have finished sides, and the range controls are often located on raised panel on the back of the unit. This raised back control panel is a less expensive to manufacture than controls on the front of a range, so free standing ranges are less expensive than other models.
Now, what about the different types of ovens.
When selecting an oven it’s best to look at its interior dimensions. The amount of interior space can differ greatly, even in ovens with the same external dimensions.
If you choose an oven with a 24-inch-wide interior, it can probably accommodate a standard cookie sheet, but most roasting pans will be too big.
A 27-inch-wide oven can handle just about any size roasting pan, even a large turkey roaster.
A 30-inch oven has room for two cookie sheets side-by-side.
Conventional ovens cook food by using non-circulating, heated air inside the oven. Conventional ovens can be powered by either gas or electric.
Convection ovens were developed in the 1950s to help commercial bakers save time and bake things more evenly. Convection ovens cook with an electric heat source and use a fan built into the back of the oven to circulate hot air. That fan helps to evenly disperse the heat and is especially nice if you're baking food like cookies on more than one oven rack at the same time.
Because the unit uses moving air to cook the food, convection ovens cook food more quickly than conventional ovens, but convection ovens can dry food out.
A steam/convection oven gives you the best of both worlds, as it combines the speed and browning capability of a convection oven with the moisture of a steam oven. The convection part of the oven also prevents flavor transfer between racks, so you can bake muffins right along side a seafood casserole. There are also combination convection/ microwave ovens.
Dual-fuel ranges combine an electric oven with a natural gas or propane-powered rangetop in a single unit. These ranges are popular with home chefs who want the even heat of an electric oven without sacrificing the precision control of a gas burner.
Wall ovens: Adding a second wall oven is a popular upgrade, especially if you do a lot of baking. You can have a cooktop and double ovens, or you might choose a range and a single or double wall oven.
Wall ovens come in 24-, 27-, and 30-inch widths and can be either gas or electric. There are also convection and steam wall ovens.
A wall oven is usually smaller than a range oven—typically 3.5 cubic feet, as compared to the 5.0 cubic feet of a range oven. That smaller size is why many homeowners choose to get double wall ovens. For those without the space or budget for a double oven, a less expensive option is to look for a single, large wall oven with maximum interior space.
You can find good quality ranges, cooktops and ovens at any price point, but the more money you spend, the more bells and whistles and more options for finishes you get. Be realistic about the features you need and will actually use in an oven or range to keep yourself from wasting money on u