Stoves redux: Stinky et all.. need your input

[supernova]

I will be redesigning my kitchen in the coming 24 months, incorporating not just what I want, but what my new SO wants. When Mr Supernova was a teen, his family had a restaurant/pub. Nothing fancy and he doesn't miss the days when he was the family bus boy, but the vestige of that is he really likes quality kitchens where you can do some damage. :D

Mr Supernova really wants a 6-burner gas stove, esp one with a wok burner. Yes, he really does like to cook and is pretty good at it too. As for me, I'm bringing the heart healthy stuff to the party.

God, I didn't know I was marrying someone with Martha Stewart tendencies. :P :rofl: I didn't buy the KitchenAid mixer, he did. I agree with this, since we both love good food, exploring tastes, and love to cook. :D

We went to the home show this past weekend, we were both taken aback by this:


http://www.bertazzoni-italia.com/Product/detail.aspx?CatID=PS&ID=2

The one we looked at was the right size to fit a wok on one eye and except for that, this pic is a good representation of what we saw. What is your opinion of the Bertazzoni brand? Have you heard of it? We were told by the dealer that Bertazzoni makes Bosch stoves for the American market. Is that true?

Would love your input or anybody who knows about mid-grade stoves, somewhere between heavy use residential and professional equipment.

[Warpy]

1. Do you feed that many people at a time?

Do you really need 6 hobs? I've cooked dinner parties for 30 on an ordinary kitchen stove, stacking pots on 4 hobs when some things needed to be cooked but others needed only to be warmed.

While a kid who grew up in a restaurant might lust after restaurant equipment, those stoves don't really fit well in a home kitchen. For one thing, they need to be surrounded by metal because they're poorly insulated and those puppies get HOT.

Many stoves built for home installation have that one blast furnace hob for stir frying. Others have a central hob suitable for a griddle or stovetop grill.

Unless you have a kitchen with acres of space and can afford to have a stove that will heat the whole house every time you bake a loaf of bread free standing in it, I'd strongly suggest you start checking out the higher end of stoves built for the home.

[supernova]

2. Yes, I'm planning to

do much more cooking and entertaining when I finish. My house is such that, while it's fine for me, it's not comfortable for visitors. He has family (grown children and grandkid) and so do I (cousins nieces and nephews). I would love for them all to be able to come over and enjoy our huge yard and welcoming kitchen.

Secondly, as to your point about safety, I'm with you there. My home is brick, but the inside wall is not. That's why I wanted to ask about these types of ovens. The one we looked at was classed as suitable for residential use. I'm aware that they have to be vented properly and I may have to have the kitchen floor reinforced if I go this route.

Even my brother when he rebuilt his home four years ago (five years after a winter fire) got not one, but TWO stoves for just he, his wife and two sons. One of the sons is now out on his own and about to graduate collage.

[Tesha]

3. Be sure to see this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=73691

I wrote Reply #2 about our choice of cooktop and ovens, but
there's *LOTS* of good information all over that thread.

We continue to be very happy with our prosumer DCS gas
cooktop+ grill (with lots of pots/pan storage under it) and
separate electric ovens, one big with a pizza stone and a
rotisserie and one smaller but with steam.

Tesha

[supernova]

5. Thanks, Tesha

I remembered we had talked about stoves at some point, but could not remember when. I look at that for sure! :-)

[Stinky The Clown]

4. I've never heard of that maker, but that means almost nothing .....

..... since my expertise is in commercial kitchens, not residential. If, indeed, they make for Bosch, that might be in their favor. But keep in mind that Whirlpool makes a lot of other brands and the Whirlpool stuff is just ordinary.

All that said, if it is in the same price bracket as any of the usual high end brand names, I'd bet it is good stuff.

We continue to be happy with our Viking six burner. Even with just two of us here, the six burners do, indeed, get frequent use. Could we get by with four? Yeah, probably. But we like the six and find it handy when we're doing a more elaborate meal for company.

Have you considered an induction cooktop? I am convinced it is the system that will be standard in the not-too-distant future. It is more efficient than gas or (resistance heat) electric. It is as precise in temperature control as electric, and as quickly responsive as gas. While still pricey, they're down dramatically from even a year ago. Were I doing my kitchen again, there is no doubt that induction is what I would choose.

[supernova]

6. Thanks for replying, Stinky

Yes, if it were just me, I would consider the induction cooktop. I've looked at them and really like them. But he has his heart set on a gas stove. I've said a conditional yes, provided we can put all the safety precautions in place.

Is there one brand of induction cooktop you like above others?

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Heh ..... induction burners are like microwave magnatrons ........

...... only a few companies make them and then private label for everyone. Most are now made in Asia, with Korea making the lion's share of them (not China, for a change). They get used as components built into everyone's own ranges. Worldwide, Electrolux probably sells more than anyone else. I'm not sure who in the US is best since Europe is way ahead of us in consumer acceptance of induction. Over here, induction is a tiny percentage of the market.