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trixieinthegarden

A review of my new NXR range

trixieinthegarden
13 years ago

Merry Christmas to me! What a wonderful gift my family gave me this year...a brand new 30" NXR range. I love it! Here's a link to the album and here are the specs and details.

http://picasaweb.google.com/yellowminicooper/NXRRange?feat=directlink

Each of the four burners is 15,000 BTUs. They are made by the same manufacturer that supplies Wolf with their burners. They are all triple tier, and sealed. The simmer is superlow and the high is super hot. I've put them through their paces the past few days and they performed like champs.

There are no electronics whatsoever, which means repairs, if needed, will be simple. There's a switch for the oven light, a switch for the convection fan, and the igniters are electric. Other than that, it's powered by natural gas.

The entire thing is stainless steel, even the sides and back. The low backsplash vents the oven, which also vents below the cooktop front. The burner wells are really deep, you could probably overboil and entire pot of pasta and not have a flood. So far, I've only needed hot water and a microfiber for cleanup, including spattered grease from burgers grilled on my stovetop grill.

The broiler is infrared, 16,500 BTUs. It worked great on making bacon this morning! I am looking forward to using it somewhat like a salamander (cheese melter) but probably won't broil steaks or burgers, since the oven is manual clean. I prefer grilled anyway for those dishes. It has a cool blue enamel interior, too! I baked cookies the other day and they came out great with the convection, evenly browned and no evidence of hot spots.

I do have a Zephyr Typhoon hood at 850 CFM and now I have a range to match it's power.

The only drawbacks that I can possibly say I see is that it is manual clean, and I would like one more oven rack. There are two racks but you can certainly put three in the 4.2 CF oven space. I've ordered the center grate to make the cooktop full-coverage, but that's backordered nationally until June 2011.

I ordered online from Appliances Connection, free shipping, 3 year full warranty extension, white glove delivery and installation included, $2600. They sent a local guy to do the install, which was nice because if I ever need service, he's the guy to call. He was impressed with it as well.

I think it's every bit as much of a performer as the higher end brands like DCS and Wolf. The object of my original lust was a Bluestar (I have a soft spot for Julia Child, and she used a Garland range, which was bought by the Bluestar folks) and I think I found a great alternative at half the price.

Comments (146)

  • jwvideo
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    AFAIK, the oven enamel chipping was a problem for a few NXR stoves a couple of years ago, as it was for Wolf ranges from 2007-2009. (Lots more postings about the Wolf's problems, btw, and I suspect that had something to do with the problem going away (I'm guessing from the similarlities that Wolf and NXR sourced their oven coatings from the same maker and that Wolf/SZ was big enough to get attention for getting the problem fixed.) .

    Anyway, my solution to that and any other potential NXR stove problems was to buy the stove from Costco. If anything like chipping had turned up, there would be no waiting around for warranty service and three tries to fix it and etc. I'd just take it back and get a new one or get my money back, no questions asked.

    Your other questions have been discussed at length in other threads. To summarize briefly:

    Dimensions:

    Actually, I think I read the other day that the both the Cafe DF and AG are also supposed to be a true 30" wide. Check specs on AJMadison or Lowe's to verify this. Numbers of pro-style and higher-end stoves are actually wider than the formerly standard 29 7/8"

    FWIW, I just measured my NXR across the bullnose at the front of the cooktop. I got 29 15/16" --- a mere 1/16" wider than the "standard" and also a mere 1/16th less than a true 30" width. I also know that machinery like this can bulge a bit -- heating, cooling, and time all can affect it by 1/16th of an inch --- so best to figure 30" wide.

    This is the game of "nominal" versus "true dimenstions. And, just as carpenters know that nominal 2x4 boards are 1 1/2" by 3 1/2 inches (and have been for the better part of a century), carpenters are supposed to know that a nominally 30" wide cut-out is supposed to be 30 1/8" wide. Heat, cold, moisture and time can make cabinetry and counters swell slightly, so you cut-out may have been correctly sized when first built. Or, maybe not.


    Storage:

    The bottom oven drawer on the Cafe is actually a "baking oven" or, as some people put it, warming drawer "plus."


    Seams on the stovetop:

    Mostly covered by the grates when the stove is in use so not the problem it might look like it could be.. Lots of discussions of this in various threads because it does look like a potential problem. But most of us NXR owners have not had to resort to toothpicks and toothbrushes. Stove top cleaning is mostly pull off the grates, sprtiz (windex, pinesol, whatever) and wipe with a microfiber cloth.

    Biggest Pot on the Back Burner:

    Center of burner to back-guard is just under 6.5" so, in theory, you could have a 13" diameter canning kettle/stockpot perfectly centered over the burner and the back of the pot would be touching the backsplash. If you didn't care about having it perfectly centered --- and for boiling water, why would you? --- you can pull it away a skoonch. I've got a couple of 13" stockpot/canning kettles that I have used both butting-against and skoonched from the backguard. Both ways worked fine. No damage to the surface of the backguard when the big pot touched it.

    If you really want to have "perfectly centered of the burner" while using 15" diameter kettles back there, -- ala the Cafe --- you can swap out the NXR's standard backguard/vent for island trim which Dvorson's (at least) is now carrying.

    Of course, bear in mind that there can be some hidden costs if your stove will butt up to a wall in back. With any "backless" gas stove --- including the Cafe --- you need to cover the rear wall (the part at and above stovetop level) with non-combustible material like a tile, tempered glass or metal backsplash. Figure in the cost of that if you don't already have it.

  • j-rad
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Couple of questions for owners:

    1. Is anyone having rust issues with the DRGB models? I found a 36" NRG model for sale, but its the 4 burner with griddle version. I really have no use for the griddle, so I'm wondering if I'll just be wasting $700 to have the older model with all 304 ss - if I get the DRGB model it'll be the 30".

    2. Anyone with a LP configured NXR, can you comment on the burner BTUs? Wondering what it drops to from 15k.

  • jwvideo
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    1. Rust on DRGB? I have my stove indoors and do not live in a marine environment. Haven't seen any rust on mine in the 8 months I had my DRGB.

    2. Built-in griddle? Maybe on a wider stove, but the griddle will be kind of narrow on a 36" stove (maybe a little over 10 inches wide) and likely a pain to clean. For a 30" or 36" stove, I'd say get something like a Chef King carbon steel griddle: use it when you want a griddle and stash it when you don't. Much easier to clean, too, I would think.. (Have you seen Nunya's posts and pictures of the Chef King he uses on his 30" NRG?)

    1. LP conversion and BTU drop? Seems to vary by stove. Major brands often suggest a BTU reduction of 10% to 20% when their stoves are converted from NG to LP orifices. Other makers indicate that an LP conversion will not reduce the BTU ratings. There was a thread here on LP conversions for the NXR within the last month, but I don't recall hearing anything about the effect of the conversion.

    I suggest you call the NXR customer service line and ask them what they think the effect of an LP conversion will be: 1-877-639 7264.

    This post was edited by JWVideo on Wed, Mar 20, 13 at 21:33

  • jayb34
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Again, thx for your input JWVideo.

    As it pertains to Cafe's, they are definitely not 30" wide. I've measured them several times (variety of Cafe models) to be certain. But as their is no dealer that I know of who has NXR's in the showroom, I'm a little stuck on that one. I underestand 30" would be a worst case scenario, so better to assume that, but just thought I'd point out that 29 15/16 is only 1/16 away from 7/8 as well. :-)

    I was not aware of the non-combustible material. Thx for that.

    Regardless of which stove I end up with, you've been extremely helpful.

  • j-rad
    11 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks JWVideo.

    I was able to see a 30'' DRGB in person today at a distributor, and he said he was informed by NXR that the LP conversion doesn't result in the loss of any BTUs.

  • stuspick
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Other then baking soda to clean stains inside the oven could you use Mr. Clean Magic eraser? Or will that damage the enamel inside?

  • oaktree_35
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi all, I live in Chapel Hill, NC and we have strict rules about make-up air, and our hood can not go above 400 CFMs without having to pay an extra $500 for air-makeup. Do you feel that a 30" hood with 400 CFMs is sufficient for a 30" NXR?

  • jwvideo
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I do not mean to be impolite, but did you miss the the discussions above about using 400 CFM OTR mircowaves with NXRs? Nunyabiz even posted pictures of his set-up above. Plus, I think there was another thread last summer on the same topic.

    If you are having trouble finding the discussions here about CFM and range hoods and higher btu-hr gas stoves, you could try going out to Bing or Google and use "gardenweb + nxr + hood" as your search string.

  • oaktree_35
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hey JWVideo - I hate to repeat a question that's already been asked, so I'm sorry about that. I had read the entire thread above, as well as everything else on here about the NXR (and on the web in general, I think) but still feel like I have questions about the ventilation requirements. Nunyabiz: after some time with the OTR microwave, do you still think it is enough? In a perfect world, would 600 CFMs be better? I have used an electric stove for the last 5 years and have only turned our clunky old hood on about once a month, so I'm trying to get a sense of how different the fire-breathing NXR will be. I'm so glad for this forum, because the people at the appliance store have never even heard of the NXR!

  • jwvideo
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nunya won't be able to answer because the powers-that-be here have kicked him off this forum because somebody in the garden forums complained that his response to something was somehow "too" intemperate Don't know any details. That's all he was able to tell us before he was banished.

    Beyond that, I'm not sure what your questions are. Sounds to me as though you've been affflicted with the overthinking that besets all of us when we try to sort through all the options and variables you find when you start reading the breadth of info here.

    Let me start out by saying that Nunya got his NXR in late 2009 or early 2010 Nothing has changed in the year since Nunya and others said that they had 400 CFM venting and that was often sufficient.

    Sorry if I sound testy, but venting is a subject that has been absolutely discussed to death then pursued into the afterlife. It stirs passions and, sometimes, vituperation akin to what turns up in the seemingly endless debates over open versus sealed gas burners.

    When all is said and done, though, the discussion is all about what is theoretically "the best" rather than what is "enough." Two very, very different things.

    You ask if 600 CFM would be be "better" than 400 CFM? Of course it would. But it is a yuppie/boomer disease to think that "better" is same thing as "necessary" and therefore amounts to "mandatory."

    The first thing that needs to be understood is that ventilation is neither mandatory nor subject to codes and regulation until you reach the point where your vent system is dawing so much air that it is sucking exhaust gasses from other appliances. Apart from that, everything is rules of thumb about potential worse-case scenarios.

    Now, If you really want to understand kitchen ventilation , have a look at the links on kaseki's clippings page. Also, check out the recent thread on the Livermore Labs study on range hood vent performance. Here's a link to the DOE study.

    http://eaei.lbl.gov/sites/all/files/lbnl-5545e_1.pdf

    (Disclosure: I used to work for DOE, although I worked on matters unrelated to the subject of that study.) And here is a link to a thread with the NY Times article on why you want "some" venting in your kitchen::

    http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/the-kitchen-as-a-pollution-hazard/?_r=0

    So, you look at that and wind up asking: if a 600 CFM range hood is "better" than a 400 CFM range hood with an NXR, shouldn't I get 1200 CFM hood which would be even "better?" Well, kinda, but that does not make the 400 CFM hood "bad" or useless or dangerous to you.

    As I said, everything we are taking about here are rules of thumb based maximum theoretical draw under maximum possible load.

    What is such a worse case scenario? With a 30" NXR, it would mean something like running four woks on the highest possible heat settings so as to instantly vaporize any oil you add (and melt lead at the same time!) while also running a marathon pizza-baking session by keeping the oven at 550F for hours.

    Plan to do that often, do you? I'm guessing not.

    But, let us say that you feel you can't be a "real" cook without often doing this this kind of gonzo production cooking in your home kitchen -- what happens if you only have an 400 CFM hood? Practically speaking:" (a) odors will not disssipate as quickly with a 400 CFM hood as with a 600 CFM. 900 CFM or whatever hood; (b) you will have vapors floating out that escape the hood and you will have to wipe down your cabinets and kitchen walls more often than you did with your old electric stove; (c) you will need to open windows, doors, etc.to clear the air, and (d) you will need a shower.

    But, you are not going to die, set fire to your kitchen, or risk poisoning your progeny.

    What is mandatory for safety is make-up air when your venting starts sucking carbon-monoxide laden exhaust gases from other gas appliances in the house. Not a problem --- or at least not a regulatory problem --- when you keep your hood power below 400CFM.

    All this being true, why do so many of us NXR owners here have more capacious hoods? Because they run quieter and clean the air better and we either have or do not need make up air systems,. And because we have kitchens that accomodate the bigger hoods.

    If 400 CFM is what you can have, then go with it.

    This post was edited by JWVideo on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 14:40

  • Sheppski
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just purchased the NXR 30" range, I did the LP conversion myself. I have 2 issues, both with the front burners: The flame doesn't seem to burn very "smoothly" (sort of dances around on lower settings), and comes up from the bottom of the burner from time to time where there are no ports; I've pushed it down all the way and checked that everything fits together and it seems like it's the way it's supposed to be.No issues with the back burners. Secondly, the igniters on the front burners seem to click intermittently once the burner is lit. The manual says igniters could be dirty (they're not), or that the polarity of the plug could be reversed. This never happened to my previous stove (Whirlpool), so I doubt this is the issue. Anyone else out there have these problems, or know of a fix?

  • bend_or
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    @sheppski, You have a perfect "excuse" to create a new thread with a succinct and accurate subject. :)

  • tbezold
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We bought the nrx for its simplicity, no electronics. We ignored the negative comments. After 3 years the stove is a lemon. Do not buy. We replaced the oven burner, the strikers and now the regulators are failing. We spent another $300 with our fuel company to check it. Our appliance guy of 12yrs will not work on it. Good luck with the service department. They are avioding our calls. The flame from the burners are rushing out!!! And are leaking from under the burner!!! DO NOT BUY!!!!!

  • Stacey Collins
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    @tbezold
    You probably need to really carefully clean your burners. We were having the same problem (plus ignitors "ticking") and a thorough cleaning of all the orifices solved it. Stuff can boil over when you're cooking and cause this. I believe it happens to all similar gas ranges (ie Wolf, Viking, etc.)
    Yes, we've also had our share of replacement parts over the last 5 years, but we still think the savings was worth it. I'd probably buy another.

  • dmcilvaine
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bad News!!

    I never thought i'd be writing this. We bought the 48" NXR gas range back in November. When we received it, the left oven didn't work at all. When we turned the griddle on it practically melted down, it went all the way to the highest temperature and stayed there regardless of the setting. The front panel of the unit where the control knobs on is simply cheap, painted on metal and the paint job was smeared like some kid did the work. I had to buy an oven thermometer to regulate the temperature. E.g. when I set it for 350 degrees it only heated to 275, so I have to manually gauge the temperature. The broiler is super hot, which I like, but it has a huge hot spot in the middle so you must constantly watch and rotate the pan. OK, here's the kicker...the issues I have had when I first received the unit back in November have never been fixed to date. That was over three months ago, despite calls and service visits, I am still without my second oven, griddle and a crappy looking stove front. No one has disputed the issues, they just haven't fixed it yet.

    Spend a little extra and get yourself a decent range!

  • jwvideo
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Maybe I am remembering incorrectly, but didn't you buy your range from Costco?

    If so, I would just call Costco and arrange to return it. Costco has a full-money back satisfaction guarantee. Three months is not too late to return it. That was one of the factors that led me to purchase my NXR from Costco. Have you read black88mx6's postings where he explained how he did that and wound up with a satisfactory NXR? If you don't want a new one, you can get your money back.

  • black88mx6
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Agreed, return it and try for another if you purchased through Costco.

  • bmorepanic
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So sorry dmcilvaine. Definitely take it back.

    Their service seems to vary a lot depending on who you talk to and where you live.

  • black88mx6
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    dmcilvaine,

    Something else; one of your main issues is the thermostat being off a bit. There have been a couple discussions here on how to adjust and calibrate.

    I do believe that appliance vendor/mfg service in general is lacking, my thread has what is almost a rant about issues I have had with multiple appliance vendors. Luckily I had no problem getting minor parts and doing work myself. To me this is worth it as I don't have to take time off to wait for a "serviceman" to come and mess up my stove and make it worse. I realize that not everyone is willing or able to work on brand new appliances like this on their own. Issues with insurance and liability has clouded the issue even further. I believe that appliance vendors should be delivering a product that are 100% upon delivery. If the product is not working, taking it back or replacing it with new should be an easy option. Neither is happening.

    That said, I understand that disconnecting moving or returning a 48 inch range is more that even I might be willing to do. I returned a 300lb NXR back to Costco with in the back of a minivan with only assistance from 130lb my wife and lifting straps . We are both in our 40's and it was not an easy task or what we looked forward to doing. Paying someone to do this work would of seriously cut into any savings we would have done by buying the NXR over say a Bluestar or Wolf range, serviced by the same company.

    If purchased though Costco, I would contact their customer service on this and discussion any options. If moving out the range yourselves, make it as light as possible. Remove all grates, doors and to what you can to make it lighter. Another recommendation being a regular Costco customer is to keep the packing as long as you can, as this helps with the return process. We will keep the NXR packing for about 2-3 years just for this purpose.

    Hope this helps.

  • halshoops
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Can anyone tell me what the inside width of oven is? Thanks!

  • halshoops
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Can anyone tell me what the inside width of oven is? Thanks!

  • jwvideo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    24" wide,

  • goodguy2k2k
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    we have had our nxr for about 3 months and love it so far. no issues.

    Update: 6 Months and no problems...love it even more.
    Bought the Lodge Logic Pro Grid Iron Reversible Griddle and it fits perfectly across 2 burners front to back.

    Note: Lift off burner grates fully when cleaning. If you only lift them from the front, they will scratch stainless at back of burner tray area.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lodge Logic Cast Iron Griddle for NXR

    This post was edited by goodguy2k2k on Fri, Sep 26, 14 at 9:43

  • WisteriaPath
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We got our 36" DRGB3602 delivered today and upon opening it up found rust and pitting on the cooktop. Talked to ADCO the service people, who didn't call or email back when i submitted photos, and then called and asked Costco for a refund and pickup. Done. It should be over with in about 10 days. And yet, i'm not satisfied. This was the stove i wanted for over a year now, damn it. I don't want to shop for stoves again.

    Part of me is now wanting to get replacement parts from Adco and hope they are made of better steel and won't rust like these did. Part of me is cynical and thinks that the quality will be the same and it will only be a matter of time before they rust again.

    What do you all think?

    Here is a link that might be useful: my nxr story on another thread

  • WisteriaPath
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The search is on again; my old Kenmore Elite stove tried to kill us today; it needs to be replaced ASAP.

    DCS is out because apparently it is very difficult to keep clean, which would drive us absolutely nuts. And, that's basically it as far as something that has all the qualities we want near our maximum price range, besides the NXR of course. I wish we could afford Bluestar, but it's double our maximum budget ($6k!) and for all that it has some pretty mixed reviews.

    A 36" all-gas stove built to last with little to none electrical extras to screw up with excellent heat range and control on all the burners, easy to clean, and a large sized convection oven at around $3k..... maybe we'll just keep the NXR after all and put up with rust spots. What we want seems impossible; to get the price tag we need it seems cheapo steel is what we're going to get.

  • bksinaz
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WisteriaPath, have you experimented with a little chrome or metal polish? Beleive it or not, maybe some automotive chrome polish might work.

  • WisteriaPath
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I guess it's the principle of the thing... so excited to open it up and found rust on it brand new. I will probably just get the parts exchanged and try to maintain it with the polish. Good thing Costco's return policy is so great; if i regret it in a month it's not too late. Also a bit annoyed that the ADCO guy never called back or replied to the photos and emails i sent. If he can't/won't send us parts, that will be more difficult for us. *sigh

    Anyway, thanks for the idea =) Hopefully we can get it fixed because it looks like we have no other options if we want to get exactly what we want.

    This post was edited by WisteriaPath on Tue, Nov 4, 14 at 0:22

  • jdoenumber2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Quit being picky. The rust you have is nothing to worry about. You got what you paid for. It's a work horse not a pro range. It will not stay looking new forever.v just use a steel scrubby and some baking soda and it will clean right off. Stainless rusting is not unheard of I deal with it from time to time(sales/manager for appliance retailer).

    If you are really just having buyers remorse get rid of it and get a more conventional range. NXR ranges are not designed to be perfect, subpar quality control. It's top looks tough to keep clean with all of those sharp corners for crud to collect. Personally I like the range for the cheap price. A little crude but decently built. Again not a pro range. A pro styled range at a intermediary price point.

    There is really nothing professional about any range quite truthfully. It's the professional who can cook on anything that is what makes the difference. I do feel it's about having the right tools that gives us a higher level of appreciation for the range we choose to use. Possibly giving us more control of the cooking experience.

    Good luck!!!!

  • WisteriaPath
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    But it was Supposed to be new out of the box...is it really being picky to expect something to look new when you literally just unpack it? That's not fair. We paid good money for it, not scratch and dent prices. We are not wealthy and saved up for this for a very long time. We didn't expect perfection, but we didn't expect rust!

    We have no choice but to keep it; we cook a lot and roast large things often and can't find anything that does what we want for this price. We weren't buying it for appearances and we don't like what you get with conventional ranges or we would have bought one in the first place.

    We feel the company has quality control issues and does not respect its customers, but because we are not rich we will have to put up with it unless some other problem surfaces, in which case we'll just get a refund and just buy a super cheap scratch and dent POS because that's the only way we'll really pay for what we're getting.

    This post was edited by WisteriaPath on Tue, Nov 4, 14 at 0:46

  • black88mx6
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree 100% with what you; the part that your having an issue with is easy to replace, once replaced you will really like the stove.

  • jdoenumber2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yes it is being picky. It happens. Just fix it and move on. Cook on it and you will forget what happened after you fall in love with how it performs.. Life is not fair sometimes you get a Monday Friday deal. Going forward just remember that you didn't pay for a range for the customer service or quality control. You purchased a niche brand who is good and cheap(by comparison). Usually good is not cheap, cheap is not good. This particular range is somewhat of an exception to that rule. However, the company is not part of the Exception.

  • Aunt Nancy
    8 years ago

    I'm considering buying the NXR 30" from Costco in the next few months and was wondering if there are any recent updates from people who have owned the NXR for a couple of years. I have read through this thread and really appreciate all of the input.

  • Huzkit
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Nothing but good things to say about the NXR. Looks good, is a strong gas range. Basic and very functional.

    Only things of note is:

    oven temp is probably 25deg hotter than indicated (not a big deal to adjust and I am only just guessing it is anyway).

    And seems to brown a little faster on right side of oven.. Perhaps this is how the fan circulates air.. Not a big deal and my wife has not noticed.

    Also, note stainless scratches easily so don't use anything but microfiber and be sure to not wipe gritty crumbs and or salt, too harshly .... to get them off of surfaces as they could scratch. We have scratches and it still looks good.

    We purchased the center grate and highly recommend this feature.

    We previously owned an radiant electric kitchen aid with all sorts of bells whistles, thought we would miss the features.. Haven't missed them at all as the NXR just works... The whole family uses is multiple times daily (teenagers) and works like a charm.

    I cant see any possible issues cropping up as it is pretty simple straightforward design.

    Make sure you have decent venting as it can generate some heat if you really are cooking a lot - that being said, the NXR does not seem to kick off a lot of unecssary heat into the kitchen. We don't need to use our fan often, only when really boiling things a lot or if oven is running for a long time at high heat. But you will not have to worry about sweating over a "hot stove" as temp from this range seems completely within normal limits.

    Wife was worried about cleaning, but if has not been that bad as we are a bit more careful about watching out for messy things in the oven.

    After some one time with the NXR, I often see the Samsung, GE and LG ranges we were considering every time I am in my local Home Depot or lowes stores... So GLAD I went with the NXR as it is more like a real "tool" than the cheap flimsy mass market ranges that are sold at so many places. We were considering the GE cafe line but that was very expensive and sort of mainstream oven that is trying to look like a commerial style range.

    For the price, you can't beat the NXR. My sisters have the wolf and Viking ranges and while those are nice and maybe have a couple more features. The NXR looks and Essentially does the same job.

    In fact, they have had theirs serviced while my NXR has been service free.

    So while you may not get people saying "wow, nice NXR range" like you would with a Viking or Wolf.. The dinner will be just as hot with a few more dollars left in your pocket.


    btw- our range had none of the "rust" issues mentioned in this thread. Also, don't use "steel scrubby" on stainless unless you want major scratches. Use a rust converter like "must for rust" wiped on a couple times with a cotton ball (that will neutralize any rust) and DONT try to scrape off or sand off any pitting, it will only look worse. Just kill the rust and you will probably not notice it anyway as it is so small.

  • Susan Reynolds
    8 years ago

    I've had mine since 2010 and we love it. It has it's problems but I'd MUCH rather buy an NXR for $2000 than spend the same $2000 for one with electrical panels and have the same problems PLUS the electronics go bad and I have to replace it in a few years..... Our NXR has only had the oven ignitors replaced twice which I diagnosed and fixed myself. Easy Easy Easy.

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2288437/if-susan-fixed-her-nxr-oven-ignitor-u-can-2

    It is a bigger oven than our previous wall oven of 50 years so it sometimes needs the fan to spin the heat around for even heating but it works fine in my opinion.

    The only other complaint is..... on ONE burner... gas leaks out under the ceramic part and that one burner mostly ticks when we use iron skillets. Those little pin holes need cleaning I think.

    NXR is the right stove for me. I didn't get mine from Costco but with the return policy I think that sounds good for any large purchase. I had to wait to get mine from Austex (I think it took 2 months)....but Austex gave me the center grate for free... it was worth the wait and actually came just in time... just at the completion of our kitchen remodel.

    I'd do it all over again.


  • Aunt Nancy
    8 years ago

    Oh, thanks so much, huzkit and Susan. You guys are great! I've been pretty obsessively researching and am not yet ready to buy. I think I'll wait a couple of months to see if Costco has any deals, but it looks like the last time they discounted the range was in 2014. It's so helpful to hear some updated long-term experiences. I'll post again when I've gotten my range.

  • jwvideo
    8 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Actually, I think Costco ran a discount sale last year, too. In past years, they've run one in June or July and another in November.

    My DRGB3001 has been fine for going on four years now except for needing to replace the oven ignitor/glowbar last year. Cheap and easy thanks to Susan's post on how to do it. (ETA - I look at this like replacing spark plugs in my vehicles. Some plugs last a really long time and some of them fail early. Same thing with stove top and oven ignitors )

    If you have not seen it, here is a long review that I posted for Consumer Reports. I noted that my experience was at variance with some of the CR test results, but that
    may be from differences between how they test and how I use it, what I
    cook, and what I cook with.

    The high heat test results will, I
    think, depend on the pans you use. Here's an example. I have a 12
    quart stockpot with a 7.5" disk base. Above the base, the pot swells
    out to a 9" diameter. With six quarts of tap water, it takes just over
    22 minutes to reach 195F. (I'm at 6000 ft elevation.) Same test with
    another stockpot, this one with a 10" diameter base. Time to 195F =
    14:50, 50% faster. Same amount of water in one of my 13" diameter
    canning kettles, time to 195F = 14:05.

    Basically, the burner
    size is best adapted to pans with bases of 10" or greater for high heat
    applications. Smaller pans are okay as long as you are not trying to
    melt lead. I boil single servings of oatmeal in a saucepan with a 5.5"
    base. (2.5 minutes, btw.) You certainly can melt butter in a steel
    measuring cup, but this stove is not for you if you dearly love cooking
    in tiny pans. (FWIW, induction burners have the same problem.)
    Basically, if you like searing shrimp in tiny 4-inch fry pans at 600°F, this stove
    is not for you. You can't use one of those 3"
    diameter Bialetti moka-coffee pots that suddenly seem popular again. No problem with more normal sized pots and pans.

    The
    burners' low setting is so low that there are internet videos of folks doing the
    stupid pet trick of melting chocolate on a paper plate. But, as CR's
    rating shows, you won't need a double boiler to maintain low heat for
    hours and hours.

    I've found the oven excellent for some things
    and average for others. For me, it is doing a great job with bread --
    noticeably better than the oven in the once highly rated GE dual-fuel
    range I bought a decade and something ago. But, the NXR is pretty much
    average for small-sized baked goods like trays of biscuits and trays of
    sugar cookies. Where the convection in my former GE
    range didn't require rotating these things, with the NXR I do have to rotate
    trays of these things to get them evenly browned. OTOH, roasting meats
    and poultry comes out "Martha Stewart" perfect just as it did on my
    previous stove, the GE dual fuel.

    Contrary to CR's statement,
    there is a pre-heat light/signal for the oven. There is an indicator light next to the oven dial. It comes on when the burner is running. It goes off
    when the preheat temp is hit. Of course, as with pre-heat signals on every current range I've seen,
    the pre-heat indicator is grossly inaccurate. With most stoves these days, the preheat
    just tells you oven air temp but does not reflect the full heating of
    the walls which is where even heating most comes from. (Info confirmed by Nathan Myhrvold and his team of Modernist Cuisine obssessive testers.). A full preheat takes at least 20 to 30 minutes on pretty much every residential range.

    The
    NXR oven can do something I've never seen on other stoves I've tried: hold a steady 130F temp. (I'm sure that some other stoves can do this, too. I think there have been reports that the Blue Star ranges can do this, but I do not have first hand experience.) The very low temps can be useful for some sous vide types of cooking and maybe
    dehydrating flowers. My stove, at least, is pretty accurate at holding a
    set temp under 200F. Great for drying tomatoes. Also, allowed me to follow the famous/infamous 130°F Heston Blumenthal English roast beast recipe. (Christmas guests said "best roast beef ever" when I tried it last year.)

    Once the oven
    is fully preheated, it seems to hold a very even temperature setting and
    does not seem to cycle more than about 10F above and below. (My
    previous GE DF would sometimes go as much as 50F in cycling as it
    maintained heat.) The one quirk I've run into is that the oven temp seems to settle about 25° below the set point when running the convection fan at temps between 200°F and 400.°

    The oven is not as large as those on some
    stoves, but at 4.2 cu. ft., seems to be about the same size as on some
    of the expensive Electrolux ranges. It handled a 25 lb. turkey last
    Thanksgiving.

    In my list of "cons" I mentioned that the oven is
    shallow. By that I meant that that the housing for the convection fan
    projects far enough out from the back wall that you can put half-sheet pans across the oven but not with the long dimension front to back. This will be of
    concern to some and unimportant to others.

    There is no oven self-cleaning, obviously. The oven lining (and the extra-large-size broiling pan that comes with it) have a slick, bright blue
    surface that often wipes clean. I hardly ever used the broiler pans that
    came with my previous stoves because they were so hard to clean.
    For the most part, the NXR pan cleans up quickly and easily with a blue
    scrubby and Dawn detergent. (ETA: at four years, now, it has a bit of grunge in the corners and underneath the slotted top piece.) This blue coating seems similar to the stuff
    that Wolf uses in its ovens. That said, I haven not seen (so far) any
    of the crazing or surface cracking that seems to be a problem for some
    of the recent Wolf oven coatings. I've only had to resort to some fume
    free oven cleaner a couple of times to clean spatters off the back wall
    and the convection fan housing after intensive roasting sessions (as
    with Thanksgiving.)

    I've also done the same kind of
    steam-cleaning that Whirlpool/Maytag/\KitchenAid have been offering as
    the so-called "AquaLift" oven cleaning. (I often bake bread with a pan
    of water n the bottom of the oven.) This seems to work better for me in my NXR
    than it does for Maytag/Whirelpool/Kitchenaid posters judging from the complaints I've read
    about it.

    Of course, the lack of self-cleaning means a diminished
    risk of cooking oven and stove circuit boards. And there aren't any
    to cook, anyway. Some will see that as a positive thing. To be sure,
    the lack of electronics means that you will not have conveniences like a
    Sabbath/Shabbat mode with the NXR. This will matter to some and not
    others.

    The oven does sit a bit low and there is no warming
    drawer or storage bin beneath it. Does not matter to me, but that may
    be important to some. The design does make for space under the stove
    which, in turn, makes it easier to clean under it. Also handy when
    leveling the stove at installation.

    The stove slides easily
    on my laminate floor. Despite its 300 pound weight, I can pull it out
    and push it back all by myself. If you have tile floors or older vinyl,
    I would recommend using furniture glides.

    The oven has two
    halogen lights (one on each side). This gives much better illumination
    than the typical single incandescent appliance bulb found in many major-brand stoves'
    ovens. The halogen bulbs seem to last a really long time, replacements can be sourced from places like Dvorson's. (ETA -- Hyxion/Duro/NXR has used three different bulbs over the years, so you'll need to match the burnt out one from your particular stove.)

    The oven has an infra-red broiler which
    has pluses and minuses. (ETA: the infra-red ceramic block radiates heat sort of like an electric broiler element/) For me, the plus is that the IR broiler does a
    great job broiling a couple of steaks or burgers or salmon steaks. The minus is that
    coverage is not as wide as multi-pass electric broiler elements. WIth a
    large tray of burgers, for example, the middle burgers will cook
    through before the perimeter burgers do. Also not so great for roasting dozens of peppers at time. Something to consider if you
    regularly broil whole trays of burgers or peppers. I don't (I prefer my gas bbq grill, instead), so I find the broiler
    excellent for my purposes.

    The top of the stove has the so-called
    "pro-style" burner arrangement. This means that the burners are more
    widely spaced than on standard most stoves (11" centers, front to back
    versus the standard 9" centers). That spacing, combined with the thin
    backguard/oven-vent, gives you the convenience of being able to run four
    large pots at a time. This will be important to some folks and
    unimportant to others. I really like this convenience for the
    entertaining I do and for cooking during canning season.

    The
    front of the stovetop has a bullnose that projects out above the control
    knobs. Nice touch that keeps spatters and goo off the knobs.

    Another
    aspect of the top is that the burners sit in rather deep wells. This
    means boil-overs and spatters rarely bake on to the surface as they do on many major brand gas stoves. I'm using a lot less scouring powder (Barkeeper's Friend) than I did with
    the previous GE stove. For me, clean-up is often no more than pulling
    the grates, spritzing with glass cleanser or bottled cleaners like
    Pinesol, and then wiping with a microfiber cloth. Not much more than
    with an induction range, actually. The top is a bit softer stainless steel, so you can scratch it. I've done so over the years. I don't care. Others will. YMMV.

    Do be aware that the NXR stove
    top has seams on it. This could seem like a cleaning nightmare but
    actually has not been a problem for me. The hefty burner grates mostly
    cover the seams during cooking and the seams are far enough away from
    the flames that stuff doesn't bake into them. (ETA - I've resorted to toothbrushes and toothpicks about a once a year, usually after the cooking marathons of the holiday season. At my house, that extends from Thanksgiving through Twelfth Night.)

    CR knocks
    this stove for lack of digital readouts. Some will see that as a positive
    benefit because there is a lot less to break. From my own experience, major brand stoves' circuit boards are
    very expensive to replace when they fail.

    The stove is
    manufactured/assembled in China by a company called Hyxion. The North
    American importer/brander is a California corporation called Duro Corp.
    Hyxion apparently fabricates the stainless steel body (and oven, I would
    guess) but otherwise uses standard, readily available components that are used on
    other stoves. For example, the stove-top burners are from the German
    manufacturer, Isphording, which supplies the same burners to numbers of
    other stove makers such as Wolf and DCS. (Good, solid cast brass, a lot
    sturdier and more stain resistant than the cast aluminum ones on my
    former GE stove.) Actually, the NXR reminds me a lot of the Wolf
    residential stove from a couple of decades ago (back when the Wolf
    Equipment Co. made them and before it sold that division to the current
    owner, SubZero).

    Pretty much everything on the stove that can
    fail is something that can be repaired with readily available generic
    parts. (ETA -- for example, posts from Susan and Stacy pointed me to the variety of readily-available oven glowbar/ignitors which are also used for Frigidaire, GE and other makes. In a recent thread addition to Susan's thread, somebody pointed to an online source where the glowbar could be purchased for as little as $18.)

    Now,
    for a few negatives. The exterior of the stove gets really hot during
    the initial burn-in. After the initial burn in, it will not be hot
    enough to burn, but spots can get still get warm enough to be
    uncomfortable. I've measured temps in the center of the kick-plate
    beneath the oven door (which is the point directly in front of the lower
    oven burner and glow-bar ignitor) to be about 145°F. The higher heat is
    spotty, though. When the kick plate had the 145°F spot, tHe oven glass
    was only 92° to 95° F. Other "pro-style stoves seem to have a similar
    patterns of hot exteriors, and some are worse than others.

    There
    are slots above and beneath the oven door where heat is dissipated from
    the oven door and the slots are wide enough for little fingers to reach in
    and get burned. Again, though, this seems typical of "pro-style" gas
    stove designs. Maybe, might want to skip this kind of stove while you have toddlers.

    The oven door has the hinges mounted to the door with the arms dropping
    into the face frame rather than the more common arrangement of mounting
    the hinges on the face frame and having slots in the door. (This seems
    to be increasingly popular with premium priced stoves including some by major brands
    (Electrolux being one --- and, btw, the pdf Electrolux manuals have a good illustration of how to put the doors back on when you've removed them.) While this makes for very strong hinges and a
    well balanced door, it also makes for a lot of fussing to re-install a
    door that you've lifted off (as you would when bring the stove into the
    house, say.)

    ETA: The stove top turns out to be pretty easy to take apart if you need to replace a burner ignitor. The burner assemblies disassemble easily but occasionally may need to have ports cleaned out (after, say, a serious boil over.) Compressed air and pipe-cleaners are recommended for that task. Attention is required in reassembling a burner -- no big deal, but the fit is tight enough that it is possible to have a part slightly tilted which will make for ignitors continuing to click and/or flame leakage until you get the offending piece seated correctly.

    Warranty service can be very slow. This will be a
    concern for anybody who gets a freight-damaged stove delivered or a
    lemon (and every line of manufactured products will have some lemons.)
    When I say "slow," I mean it can take six weeks or so. Not many reports
    of this, but enough to be something to weigh if you are considering
    buying one of these stoves. Again, this kind of warranty delay will be a concern
    with any small-volume manufacturer. Actually, from what I've read
    around the 'net and what I've seen locally, it seems that warranty
    service has been outsourced by the major manufacturers and some service
    providers are much less "serviceable" than others.

    Still, this is a stove better suited to the DIYers and self-reliant.

    The
    fit and finish is not great. Not bad. Not great. The oven-backguard vent is pretty flimsy
    and has some sharp edges. (Discovered this when a hand slipped and I got a cut on my forearm while pushing the stove into place.)

    FWIW, the NXR can be converted to a slide-in with the purchase of island trim as an accessory. (Dvorson's and others carry the parts.)

    Getting the center grate is recommended by many but some are perfectly happy without it. The price varies from place to place. Last time I checked, it was a $75 add-on at Costco.

    Another
    caution: the stove is actually a true 30" wide. There are a few other
    pro-style stoves out there that are also 30" wide, but most nominally
    30" stoves are 29 7/8 inches wide. Countertop cutouts and cabinet
    spacing is supposed to be 30 1/8 inches, but that's a "more or less"
    thing. Best to check your location before ordering this stove.

  • sweetgumacres
    8 years ago

    There are more details here in other comments than I'd ever thought to consider, but just wanted to add that we've had our NXR about 5 years with no repairs or problems despite daily use.

  • gwbasic
    8 years ago

    Almost four years now and I've had no major issues with my NXR. No repairs. No rust. No flakes. Occasionally the sparky thing keeps going but that's usually from a wet pan or the tiny pin holes need to be blown out. Cleaning has been no worse than any other stove. After all these years, I'm no longer a stove fanatic. It's an appliance and it just works. Very happy with it.

  • speedlever
    8 years ago

    A few months ago I posted my calibration results near the bottom of this thread:

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2348340/nxr-30-range-from-costco-now-up-and-running?n=30

    We have been very pleased with the NXR thus far.

    I removed the burners to clean underneath and found one a little finicky to put back together. I kept noticing the ignitors continued to fire and the flame from one burner was not normal shaped.

    Come to find out, I didn't quite get it put back together properly. Once I did, the ignitors returned to normal operation and the flame resumed normal shape.


  • Aunt Nancy
    8 years ago

    Thanks so much, everyone. Each of these responses is so helpful. I have much more confidence in selected the NXR for my kitchen.

    Now, let's hope for a Costco discount! I'm not in a rush since my fairly basic Frigidaire is a decent little stove and has served me quite well.

  • hotskilz19
    7 years ago

    Anyone have any information on the

    NXRPRO3651 from Costco? I have looked around and haven't found any reviews about. It doesn't even have any reviews on Costcos site nor is it even on Durcos site. Wondering if it's a new model? Any info would be appreciative!

  • jwvideo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I can only confirm that it is a new model. .

    Since you have not yet received any other responses to your question here, I suggest that you try starting a new thread. This thread started five years ago and mostly discusses the 30" models. If anybody here has an NXRPro3651, they might not be looking at the end of this very long thread.

  • Huzkit
    7 years ago

    This may be the one that they have been selling in Canada for a couple years .. Not sure but when I bought my NXR, noticed Canada Costco had a newer model which I couldn't get in the states? Canada Costco also had a Bluestar I wanted but PITA to drive 1/2 to Canada and worry about duties, etc.

  • jwvideo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    If memory serves, Costco Canada did have a second line of NXR stoves for a while, but those stoves had burner layouts different from those used in the current NXRPro models as well as the NRG and DRGB models that were imported by Duro Corp. IIRC, the stoves in that other line did not have the upscale oven roller racks that the new NXRPro line sports.

    We had a thread here on this subject two or three years ago. IIRC, CostcoCa got these other models from Hyxion (the manufacturer) through the California-based Duro which is why they were sold under the NXR brand in Canada. On this side of the border, Hyxion used a different importer, a New Jersey-based importer/distributor. IIRC, they used/use a brand name like "Kucht" or maybe "Kucht Pro." AFAIK, those "Kucht" stoves were and probably still are sold through Amazon. I kinda recall seeing one on offer someplace else like, maybe, Home Depot.

  • hotskilz19
    7 years ago
    thank you for all of your responses. I made contact with costco and they were able to provide me with owners manuals in PDF but unfortunately there wasn't anything describing the features and differences between the two. they then provided me with a customer service number for NXR so I will be calling them this afternoon. Hopefully they'll be able to get me what I need.
  • hotskilz19
    7 years ago
    Just received this via email

    Hello Nick,

    The NXR Pro is an upgraded model which is now available through Costco.com in early May.

    The differences between the NXR Pro is that Door is wider, the enamel color is different inside of the oven (turquoise), knob are stainless steel, taller cooking grids, LED lights on the control panel.

    For additional information please click on the Costco link.

    http://www.costco.com/NXR-36"-Stainless-Steel-|-Professional-Style-GAS-Range-|-DRGB3602.product.11748747.html
  • jwvideo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Seems like a pretty skimpy response, eh?

    Just looking at the linked Costco web page, I see that the DRGBs now have a 2 year warranty just like the NXRPro.)

    A couple of additional differences that I picked up from the link to Costco.com:

    NXRPro has glide/ball bearing oven racks vs. regular sliders on DRGB models.

    NXRPros have separate ignitor circuits for each burner --- only the ignitor for the selected burner will click. On DRGB models, turning one burner on makes all the ignitors fire until the burner ignites (used to be called "multi-point ignition")

  • jen152638
    7 years ago

    I hate starting a new post if the idea is already out there. So I hope to get some feedback here. But if it is already discussed, please let me know. I would love to find a solution.

    Has anyone come up with a "hack" of sorts when it comes to simmering with small pots?

    I need to express first and foremost that I love my NXR range. I purchased my 30" NXR DRGB3001 about 3 years ago. I did a lot of research before buying it, hours of comparison shopping on similar models, accepted the potential issues that I read here on this forum (thanks everyone!), and when Costco had a sale I snatched it up immediately. I love my stove! Not only does it look great in my modern kitchen, I love the no-frills aspect of it. Simple design and simple operation. I am no chef, but I love to cook and I cook on it almost every day. I have yet to encounter any major problems that cause me pause. There are some small issues, but like I said before when I decided to buy the range, I accept them and am committed to fixing them as they come along. I did/do encounter the clicking igniter (expressed here as well as in other threads), but is so minor and rare that it barely registers more than a small annoyance. Also small, compared to other high-end ranges, I think it gets very "warm" for my tiny, open-concept kitchen/living area, but in the winter it can be comforting (I think it lacks bulky insulation, but that I think it is also why the price point is so appealing). I love the wide burners so that I can use my 12" cast iron skillet and have it heat uniformly, not just in the center as I have experienced with most other ranges, but simmering in those same larger pans is almost impossible. The simmer feature is confined to the small inner burner and I wish it had the ability to turn it off and use the outer burner only for simmering. Also in contrast, to my initial concern, I have a lot of difficulty using small pots for small-batch cooking. When using a small 1 or 2-quart saucier to whisk up some hollandaise or similar, the small inner burners do not reach the bottom of the pot to bring it to boil, and the larger outer burners only heat up the outside of the pot and handle, burning the sides of the sauce and my hands trying to hold the handle. And being a house of only two, much of my cooking is in small batches. So I encounter the problem often.

    Has anyone come up with a trick or solution for this or similar? Possibly a replacement grate or 3rd party ceramic burner cover? I know of solutions for wok cooking, and heat diffusers (they don't work because of how tall the grates are) but have yet to find anything that will concentrate the flame to get it closer to smaller pots and would love to know what others do in this scenario.

    Thanks in advance.

  • PRO
    Li'l Inspirations, LLC
    7 years ago

    Hi @Jen152638 Have you tried contacting the manufacturer? Maybe they have different accessories and now that it's a few years later, maybe a smaller burner could be installed (would probably be costly though), can't hurt to ask.

  • bmorepanic
    7 years ago

    @Jen152638 I got a really heavy simmer plate from Eurostoves that works well. I still use it! It's still sold on Amazon. It has fins on the bottom and those you can see on the top. The hole in the center lets some heat come directly up when you use only the small burner.

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