How do you like the electric oven..I am really torn about purchsing this item--I love all of the different cooking elements( I am looking at the Chateau 150) but don't want to be disappointed after spending all of this money. I have been hearing negative comments about the ovens.

Much better than our Thermador Pro gas oven at our other place. That one is hard to bake in. The oven is a little small for the size of the range, the elements are not exposed inside the oven. For awhile we were baking with the top and bottom elements on. Basically, burned the top and did not get the inside fully cooked because we were pulling it out too early. Dumb us were broiling the top of our cake while trying to bake it at the same time. Now that we are just using the bottom element, our results have been good. The oven is a bit hotter in the back, so turning is sometimes needed with cookies. I'm thinking there must be a few ovens that cook more evenly.

The oven door shuts like a bank vault, I like this, but you might not. Our door does not lay totally flat when open, so your hands get a little close when pulling things off the lower rack. Ours has no oven light, but I think the newer models do.

What negative comments have you heard...maybe I can share my experience with what has been said.

We do not bake a lot and have not had a lifetimes worth of ovens under our belt, so our experience is limited. Hope this helps.

Thanks so much for the info. I think there have been some changes since yours. I know there is a light in the oven now and the racks are easier to use. I finally met a woman in my area that cooks on one(she also has an older model). She really dislikes her electric oven, doesn't even bother using it any more, she says it always overbakes. She mainly bought it for the look of the stove, she feels there are probably better stoves out there that bake and cook better for less money. I like the look of the stove but my top priority is performance..I don't think I going to get the performance I'm looking for out of this range.

People like their Lacanche ranges very much; similar look and color. There are longstanding threads on those. I'd inquire about oven lights (none previously).

Pamela1 had a Morice range -- again similar look and perhaps she can comment on that brand though I don't know if it had an electric oven available.

A great performer appears to the Wolf dual fuel -- you might inquire -- though it's a different look. Huge oven, solid door and temp calibration is very fine.

Also might check out the Jade, which has a gorgeous pro line though I'm not sure of the sizes & fuel possibilities.

Thanks, I just checked out the Morice website..you're right.. looks like the LaCornue, I've never heard of the range. Before my husband sent me off in the LaCornue direction I was choosing between the Wolf and the Bluestar. I currently have a Viking(which I think is nothing but junk, and befor the Viking I had a Gagganeu which I thought was great.) Unfortunately the Gagganeu doesn't fit the style of the kitchen--it's going in a very old house. I think I'm going to go and look at a Bluestar in person and make my decision. There seem to be a lot of positive comments about the Bluestar.

Bluestar appears to be the "range of the moment". Very popular on this board so someone should surely be able to report on the oven performance and I'd inquire about the heat issues (in some places on the range) though I haven't read anything about those lately so they may have been resolved.

I'm with you on Viking. Been there.

But I wouldn't overlook the Wolf. No complaints on their dual fuel very often.

Although I don't know much about La Cornue I do know that they recently came out with a new model that is "in stock". I think it is the La Cornue Fe but could be wrong. If I am not mistaken, all other La Cornue ranges are hand made and may take several months to be built and delivered. Williams Sonoma sells them but I think Standards of Excellence sells them as well. I don't know where you are located but hopefully that will help with your decision. They are beautiful! We decided to go with the Wolf AG but everytime I see that La Cornue I sigh.

La Cornue gives free cooking class via Purcell Murray.

They will even organize a custom cooking class on Cheau if you want.

I would contact them if you want to experience La Cornue.

They know what they are talking about

Here is a link that might be useful: La Cornue cooking class

Other French ranges are Delaubrac, and Cormatin (which is a professional range also sold by Art Culinaire). Pamela 1 once told me that you can find floor moldels of the Morice and others at significant savings too.

The Cormatin is the smallest model of Lacanche range sold in the US. The Caumartin is the other line of French ranges sold by Art Culinaire.

I didn't actually cook on one, but I did find one on display that was hooked up, and turned it on to observe the flame. It seemed to me that the simmer wasn't low enough. Can't recall about the maximum setting. A beautiful stove, but I don't think it's the best performer if you want to control your cooking.

CornuFé is not at the same level as the Château line. No doubt. You don't get the features of a $30K+ range with an $8000 range.
The ultimate simmer tool is the piano: it's the heart and soul of the Château line.
When I visited the Château factory near Paris, I was astonished by the thickness of the metal used. It's built like a Panzer Tank. Good luck to bend the panels: the thumb test.

The thumb test: use your thumb to push as hard as possible on the front panels of any range: look at the distension and how far the metal bends.

On CornuFé with great effort, you can slightly bend them.
On Château, you break your thumb.
On Morice: it's butter, quality is horrible.
On Lacanche: butter (normal, they are actually semi-assembled by hand, they distort the facts extensively for marketing purposes)..a real clunker
On Bonnet: you break your thumb
On Viking-Wolf-Dacor-Thermador: butter
On Diva: butter/clunker
On Molteni: you break your thumb and you can use it to armor a Tank: good quality here, no doubt.

Chassis of the range: is it welded? Is it bolted? Is it riveted? Key element of longetivity. If itâs not welded, itâs cheap.

Burners: Solid brass burners and the rest...
If it's not solid brass burner, it's low quality: simple!

Color of the range: is it wet enameling? Is it dry enameling or is it "enamel" pint?
If it's not wet enameling, it's cheap: it will fade or discolor...

So many things count in a range.... Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Under-ground ressource info....

foodnut, I'm not sure your assessment of build construction directly translates to cooking performance, which is what I believe the OP was after. I would also wager that the majority of the commercial ranges that see more action and abuse in a year than many residential ranges do in a lifetime, would not fare as well in the thumb test as the Château. The circa 1970 Garland in my friend's restaurant with it's 'low quality' cast iron burners, for example, is still going strong after many lifetimes worth of use.

Point to OP is: most of the above mentioned brands will far outlast your lifetime. Cooking performance, your cooking style, budget, quality, and looks should determine your purchase, not weather it can stop a speeding truck in its tracks.

foodnut,

Thanks for that link. Nice to see the origin of the rumors which masqueraded here a few days ago as facts on another thread.

Re: build quality and finish. All very useful and informative. No doubt accurate and, if someone is paying north of $20K for a range, it's all sugar for the cake.

But here's the assessment I would want and feel that most who post here would want. If you can provide these answers it would be most appreciated:

brass burners: open or closed?
Firepower on each burner?
Insulation?
Hood requirements
Does all that lovely real brass for the oven and burner handles get very hot after the range has been on for a while? How hot? Touchable?
Oven sizes?
Lights in the ovens?
Broiler type? How many?

And finally, the all important after-purchase issues. Who, exactly, installs, services and troubleshoots Molteni or a Bonnet? How would one get a replacement part?

Are the operating manuals in English or do we need degrees from the Sorbonne?

Are there readily available converters for electrical and gas hookups?

Warrantys? Customer service?

Forgive me for raising all these annoying questions but I feel they are as important -- if not more so -- than the 'thumb test'.

In aggregate, I'd want to know whether or not one of these would be a real piano or just another expensive PITA.

I won't even ask about delivery issues.

We're currently looking at the CornuFe. The distributor told us that Purcell Murray prices them at 8K. The chateau line ranges are gorgeous--we were hoping the cornuFe would be just a smaller version of the chateau. Unfortunately, it's smaller, flimsier, and only seems to come in glossy finishes (white, black, blue, ss). I do like the oven doors on the cornuFe--a little more manageable, but even as my husband pointed out, the rivets on the cornuFe looked a bit cheap. (they were screwed in right in the front by the knobs--it would have been much nicer had they been set in the sides) And you can't choose your cooktop configuration at all. I'm out to go look at LaCanche this week and hopefully a Morice too--just wondering if I won't get more for the money. Although I love the look of the lacornue products, I would like to have a bit more room on the cooktop.

I'm not sure if anyone here has the La CornuFe range, but if so, I'd love to hear what your experience has been. It's one of our top contenders after seeing it in person. Thank you!

It's meant to compete with all the ranges that are knocking off the La Cornue (Lacanche, et al). It's a decent range as long as you don't try and compare it to a true La Cornue. Between the Lacanche and CornuFe, its a tough call. You might even go for the impersonator over the Jr of the actual item. I think if you don't ever look at a real La Cornue, you'll appreciate the CornuFe for its price point and market. If you look at the LaCornue and think you're getting its little brother - you're going to be sorely disappointed.

In response to the above question regarding performance - I think the 48 (or 47.5") configuration has a problem with the dual ovens. They are a bit small to fit two ovens in that configuration - although they claim you can get two good size turkeys in there. The 60" with two full size ovens are excellent. I'm not sure if they changed the draft configuration of the ovens, but they appear to be quite even in their cooking, although our experience has been more with gas.

In terms of pure cooking - its like tennis. A good cook will get it out of a Dacor, Wolf, Viking, GE, KA, or La Cornue. A bad cook - a La Cornue isn't going to make the food any better. . . That being said - once you hit the point of a good range - everything else is aesthetics and how the range makes you feel. There isn't going to be many things that will touch a La Cornue (a molteni, and select few, but not many)

Thanks, anthem, I appreciate your input! I've never seen the La Cornue Chateau (except some beautiful photos of it online) so my DH and I were quite impressed with the La CornuFe (we haven't seen any impersonators in person, either).

Honestly, I think that I'll be pleased whether I get a La CornuFe, Lacanche or Wolf and any one of these are more than enough range for me (I'm not a pro by any means, but still enjoy l'art de la cuisine!)

However, the Wolf range (although previously at the top of our list, before seeing La CornuFe) never gave us any "feeling" except that it would be a smart, sensible choice and a reliable, powerful range. The La CornuFe DID give us a feeling of "Ooh la LA!" so what can I say...

In the end, I think as long as I never have to call in for service/repairs, I'll really be happy with the range in the long run!

bobleilani, I checked out the CornuFe but wound up getting the Lacanche Sully+2. Very happy we are. I felt like we were getting exactly what we wanted since its completely customizable.

We were set on a dual fuel Wolf until we stumbled over the Molteni website while looking at an Electrolux. I'm flying down to Portland to look at one Friday next.

We did then start looking at other options, and are going to look at a Lacanche as well. I decided not to look at La Cornu because I didn't want a "Fe" version and the real thing is more expensive than the Molteni by quite a bit (correct me if I'm wrong, but this is what we've seen so far).

Personally I'm excited about the Molteni and we're leaning towards that. It's such a work of art (and I'm just thinking the professional 120...or is it 140? style). I love the look, and the claw feet :) and my husband is enamoured about the cooking abilities of the thing. We also must admit to liking the "wow" factor of the thing. It is gorgeous and if we're going to have a "wow" kitchen we might as well put in a wow range :)

It will be interesting to see which we end up with, but these discussions are helpful. I personally love the thumb test :) because I want a tank! I have a small child and I don't want his airplane to leave a dent in the door when he flies it into the stove!

Hi, igloochic! As a reference, here is the Molteni Professional 120:
{{gwi:1380022}}

And the Molteni Professionial 145 Evolution:
{{gwi:1380024}}

Yes, I do believe the La Cornue Chateau ranges (pardon the pun!) from about $30k to $38k vs. the La CornuFe at about $8k.

Here is the La Cornue Chateau 120:
{{gwi:1380026}}

Here is the La CornuFe:
{{gwi:1380028}}

Although I find both the La Cornue and the Molteni to be very beautiful, I like the simpler "look" of the La CornuFe over the Molteni, which seems to be a bit more ornate with the knobs on the face. Honestly, even though some people may not like the La CornuFe, I actually prefer to have all the knobs at the top, instead of having the oven controls on the face...so in my personal opinion, I actually do like the "look" of the La CornuFe the best! Not to mention the fact that I would not benefit from a French Top or grill (we'll have an outdoor grill), so the 5-burner configuration on the La CornuFe suits me well.

More importantly, for me at least, is the practicality of value and the price difference! Given the fact that I'd be equally happy with the performance of any of the ranges I'm looking at, I can't justify spending 3x as much by going to a La Cornue Chateau or Molteni. In my case, I'd rather spend the money in other areas or better yet, just save it. So for me, I think I'm sticking to my choices between a La CornuFe and Lacanche (I guess I've given up on the Wolf DF).

Keep us posted on which one you end up with, no matter what it will definitely be a WOW! What colors are you liking in the Molteni?

Thank you for that post. The 120 would be our only option with Molteni. It's 47.5" verses 57" for the 145. Sadly I just can't fit in that extra 10" and meet code. I'd have to give up the new powder room and I REALLY want my guests to quit peeing in my bedroom (master bath) :)

I think we're darned close to the Molteni, and I'd go with a black finish. I'm tempted by red, but as much as I want the stove to "wow" I don't want it to entirely distract from the view (we live on a lake with views from the range side and front of the kitchen). I also tend to lean towards classic colors, and that black Molteni can be used in a wonderful kitchen in 100 years and still look wonderful.

But then the big problem decision comes to a head: Brass or stainless accents? I just love that brass on black look. Very classic. But the counter tops surrounding the stove to left and right will be stainless....which the top is, so can I mix the two? I struggle over these little choices far more than I should LOL but it's a question in my little mind right now that I can't answer.

The other counter tops will be Vulcan Gold Granite with a great wave of gold running through the black, so again, that black is going to look fabulous with it. And then there's the lighting. I'm using 1925 art deco slip shade pieces which are gold and aluminum....so maybe I could talk myself into that darned gold trimwork.....(At this point I'm talking to myself and have completely lost you haven't I?) heh heh

I can almost say with a 95% certainty that we're going to end up with that Molteni, but only if I can afford the claw foot option :) I'll be sure to post pictures....as soon as I can nail down a contractor. (But that's a whole 'nother thread!)

Hmmm...your Vulcan Gold granite seems to be asking for the brass accents. :) In my opinion, the black/brass combination is more attention-grabbing than the black/stainless counterpart, which I think is more subtle. With the surrounding decor that you described, you can't go wrong either way!

I can't wait to see pictures whenever you're done; how much, may I ask, is the Molteni claw foot option?? Hopefully it's a three-digit number, but I couldn't find ANY accessory on the La Cornue website in the hundreds (even the darn utensil holders were I think $2k???) YIKES!

Last night after typing this up I convinced myself that we have to go with the brass accents :) Thanks for the push forward!

I'll have an answer on those feet on Friday next and will be sure to post it. I think I've developed a foot fetish...I really want those things! heh heh I'm hoping three-diget as well, but I'm probably so deep into this new fetish that I'd consider a low four-diget number...LOW! I'll have to dig out the picture...I'm thinking a diget per toe is about right? :)

When Molteni sells the clawfoot accessory, is it a set of 4 or 2 (for the front only)? I would hope you have the option of buying only 2, especially since you'd never see the back feet anyway, but I don't know how Molteni thinks...maybe they think if you're buying their range for $_____, an extra $____ for the clawfoot option is not a big deal?

Your kitchen will be sooooo gorgeous, I'll be looking for your future "New Molteni Kitchen Pics" thread here! :)

They're only in the front where the two gold posts are there on the edges. Since they custom build, I supppose on an island they could do four (we discussed this type briefly and I told my husband to give up and just park a porsch in the middle of the kitchen instead since it would be cheaper).

I'm very interested in those extra add on costs. They could be the deal breaker. I do know that the 120 as is in the picture above is $20,000 and the 145 is $21,500. Sadly we just can't fit in that extra space because you get another function with it. According to the dealer I spoke with in NY, the major costs are really all around the body build, but then he could be thinking that if I'm willing to spend $X an extra $xx wouldn't matter. I hope not! I am going to have to rein in this budget somewhere!

If you hear of a husband and wife injured in a violent tussel while trying to get out of the appliance store for less than the cost of a porsch next week on the news....it's going to be us :p He's a big "ahhh it's great, screw the budget" kind of guy while I'm a bit cheaper :)

Okay, I am fairly new to this forum, but igloochic, how 'bout if we start a new "Molteni" thread instead of discussing it here? I believe that would be the proper etiquette, as I just realized below it says "A copy of your follow-up will automatically be emailed to the original poster" (oops! sorry, lbalames, I think we got carried away and "hijacked" your thread, our sincere apologies...)

igloochic, see you on the new "Molteni" thread! :)

P.S. Anyone with LaCornue info/feedback, I'll still be monitoring this thread for new posts! :)

Build your La Cornue! Quiet convenient

Here is a link that might be useful: Build your La Cornue

My CornuF� is excellent! I just love it. I selected the white one with satin chrome in my siematic cabinetry. It's stunning.

The cooking is soooooooooooooo easy! Finally!

THE COOKTOP
The large capacity cooktop features five solid brass
gas burners equipped with a thermocouple safety
mechanism and cast iron grates.
Center Burner � 17,500 BTU�s � 3,500 BTU
simmer rate
Large Burners (3) � 12,000 BTU�s � 2,400 BTU
simmer rate
Small Burner (1) � 6,000 BTU�s � 1,200 BTU
simmer rate
The two crucial elements for successful stovetop
cooking are Power and Control. for best results
when cooking with the CornuF� follow these
recommendations:
-Use good quality pans that conduct heat
well.
-Choose the appropriate burner for the size
pan you are cooking with.
-Heat pans over moderate heat, add the
oil when the pan is hot and increase the
temperature when you are ready to add
the food. This will give you more control
over the cooking process and create
less splattering on the cooktop.
-Turn the overhead ventilation on to low
speed before you begin cooking, this will
establish the airflow and aid in effective
capture of steam and grease.
-Clean the stainless steel surface with
non-abrasive cleansers such as Bar
Keepers friend or Bon Ami. To remove builtup
caramelization around the burners, use
Dawn Power Dissolver.

THE OVENS

The two powerful CornuF� Convection ovens provide
exceptional results when baking or roasting, or
for cooking an entire oven meal. In addition to the
Convection mode, the left oven features multiple
functions for a variety of cooking applications.
Each oven is equipped with 1 flat oven rack, 1 dropdown
rack to accommodate casserole pans and 1
black enamel oven tray with a rack for roasting.
Convection
Convection is the heating mode that
has transformed oven cooking, enabling
us to:
- Cook an entire meal at one time with no flavor
transference
- Cook a 20lb turkey in 2 hours with no turning or
basting
- Bake multiple racks of cookies at one time with
perfectly even results
Roasting with Convection
- Place roasts on the rack in the shallow roasting
pan. This allows the heated air to circulate
around the food, ensuring moisture retention.
- For best results, begin roasting at 400 degrees
for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to
350 for the duration of the cooking time.
- Fish, vegetables and chicken pieces can be
placed directly on a rimmed baking sheet for
roasting.
- Timing � the cooking time for large cuts of meat
is drastically reduced when cooking in
Convection.

- Small Roasts
1lb � Pork Tenderloin, Rack of Lamb
30 minutes
4 - 5lb � Chickens
60 minutes
p Large Roasts
7 � 9lb � Chickens, Pork Loin
1 hour 15 minutes
10 � 15lb � Turkey, Prime Rib
1 hour 30 minutes
15 � 20lb � Turkey, Prime Rib
2 hours
20 � 25lb � Turkey
2 hours 15 minutes
Baking with Convection
- For best results, when baking in convection
� use light-colored aluminum or steel pans and
reduce recipe temperatures by 25 degrees.
- When baking in a glass container, reduce the
recipe temperature by 30 degrees.
- Convection is a strong driving heat, if your baked
goods are cooking too quickly on the outside
and are not done in the center, a further
temperature reduction is recommended.
- The ovens accommodate a variety of different
sized baking sheets:
Jelly Roll Pan � 14" x 15 � ", Cookie Sheet
10 �" x 15 � "
Half-sheet pans measuring 18" x 13" x 1" slide
directly into the oven rack holders. The Williams-Sonoma Nonstick Half-Sheet Pan - item # 67-7087034 is the one

ADDITIONAL COOKING MODES OF THE
MULTI-FUNCTION OVEN

Convection Broiling

Broiling food with Convection ensures
fabulous searing, reduces the drying
effect of direct heat and minimizes
the amount of splattering in the oven. Broiling
temperatures range from 400 for Low Broil to 500 for
High Broil. The door must be closed during broiling,
additional tips for successful broiling include:
- Marbled cuts of meat are best broiled on a
traditional, 2-part broil pan so that the dripping
fat is shielded from the direct heat of the broiler.
This will prevent excessive smoke build-up.
- Fish, shrimp, skinless chicken pieces, and
vegetables suitable for broiling can be lightly
tossed in oil and broiled on the oven tray or a
baking sheet.

Fan Assisted Oven

In this mode, the primary heat sources
are coming from the lower and top
heating elements while the convection
fan circulates the heated air in the oven. The
circulating heated air provides the same benefits as
the regular convection mode, while the additional
bottom and top heat provide stronger direct heat that
is useful for certain types of cooking.
- Large Roasts � for even searing and browning
- Casseroles � heavy, dense casseroles cook
thoroughly and evenly when heat is directed from
the top and bottom
- Single Rack Baking � pies, quiche, breads and
pizza. The heat from the bottom element will
ensure that crusts are perfectly cooked through.
Be sure to reduce the recipe temperature by 25
degrees when baking.
- Roasting Vegetables � for crispy, roasted
vegetables place the rack in the lower portion of
the oven close to the bottom-heating element

Conventional Oven

Certain items benefit from being cooked
in a traditional, radiant heat oven, no
temperature reduction is necessary in
this mode.
- Baking - popovers, souffl�s, cheesecake and
Angel food cake
- Braising � braised dishes and stews that require
long, slow cooking in a covered casserole dish

Browning Element

There are times when a touch of
browning is all that is needed to
"finish" a particular dish. If the heat
is too intense, the dish can be quickly ruined, so the
option for gentle browning provides an additional
valuable tool.

Bottom Heat

To perfectly finish baked items such
as quick breads and pies, change the
mode to Bottom Heat only for the last
ten minutes of cooking time. In this mode, the baked
items will gently finish cooking through without
getting overcooked on the edges.

Defrost Mode

In this mode, the ambient air in the
oven is circulated by the Convection fan,
which will evenly dissolve ice crystals.
Use this mode only to defrost small items such as
frozen appetizers, desserts or small cuts of poultry
or fish.
To avoid cooking the food in any way, do not use this
mode if the adjacent oven is in use. When defrosting,
place items on a rack in a shallow pan to capture any
moisture and keep the oven door closed.
Bottom Drawers
The bottom drawer is for storing oven trays and
racks. When the ovens are in use, the contents will
get warm. Do not store flammable materials in the
drawer such as oven mitts, cookbooks and towels.
Cleaning the Ovens
The moisture retention experienced when cooking
in Convection has the added benefit of keeping the
ovens much cleaner. A benefit of the CornuF� range
is that some of the lining panels can be removed and
washed in the dishwasher.

Pfouuuuuuuuuuuu !!!! I am tired. Ok, off to work to the restaurant now.

Good luck with your CornuF� and enjoy the amazing features it offers.

And yes, I am Chef (some of you asked me).

Ciao.

Here is a link that might be useful: La Cornue Recipes for Ch�teau....

Morice produces ranges comensurate with Molteni. They are the best of the best french cookers. It is true that Morice Equipment has been closed down. However they were a division of MTI Group (Morice, Tournus & Illico) and they are still in business. If you go to the web site (http://www.morice.com) and click on the British flag for an English version, you get a message at the top that directs you to Illico for parts and service for the Morice ovens. I have seen nearly all the top french range/cookers and have used several. The thumb test that I have recently read on one of these threads was perplexing to say the least. The hefty weight of these ovens certainly reflect the amount of cast iron and steel used in their construction, But the rigidity of side panels for instance does not mean that they are of inferior quality. The side panel is not the wall of the actual oven. Additionally, the sides are generally protected by cabinets on either side. The doors however are another matter. None of the top manufacturers of french cookers have door that can be pushed in by your thumb. The fact that a Morice stainless steel french top is ~2mm thicker than a La Cornue does not necessarily make it better. For all those wondering, I do not have a Morice in my home. I am considering one along with a Molteni and a La Cornue. But I just want to caution all those considering these ranges not to believe all that is posted

I'm new to all of this and am in the middle of new construction. Any updates on the Cornu Fe? My designer is steering me toward the 48" Wolfe df etc.. I like the Cornu Fe visually, but how is its performance and can a 20lb turkey really be cooked in it? Any other suggestions for a comparable show stopper range 46-60"?

Thanks!

Multiple videos are available online:

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=cornufe

Here is a link that might be useful: Convection roasting with CornuFe

As usual, lots of manufacturers are infesting this forum.

I am biased and defend my selection: La Cornue Château in my main Residence and CornuFé in my vacation home in the Hamptons.

This beeing said, I come from the "burner" industry. I used to work for the biggest manufacturer of burners.

I know about all the luxury appliances because I cooked on all of them. I worked with the manufacturers.

Shortcuts in quality are taken by the Molteni-Lacanche-Diva de Provence.

I have to say that I was never able to supply La Cornue with our burners: they simply refuse because they have their own Brass foundery. They do almost every single thing themselves. They are crazy but they do a heck of a work.

Molteni-Lacanche-Diva and the rest are not manufacturers: they are assemblers...

Do your homework. Visit the La Cornue factory in France. It's free. It's near Paris. It's transparent. Nothing hidden...

Here is a link that might be useful: LA CORNUE DOCUMENTARY

Foodnut,
Ifyou don't mind my asking, what ventilation system are you using with the La Cornue Château? What configuration are you using?

I have a La Cornue Chateau 120 and it cost $30,000. It is not reliable and not easily repaired. We had problems with using the electric oven, gas oven and stove top burners together. The gas oven would not light. Next the Gas oven burned out some kind of circuit and will not ignite at all. It has not worked since easter and 3 different repairman have worked on it since then with no success. I was told that the 700lb stove would have to be pulled out onto my new oak floor to replace the damaged sensors/circuitry. When I complained to the distributor Purcell-Murray and asked for some compensation for all of this they agreed to send me a $1500 pizza stone with electric element (which is an option even though you pay 30k). The stone arrived broken and the element was missing. I was told the parts to fix the gas oven are at the appliance repair shop but despite numerous calls to La Cornue Service at Purcell-Murray the gas oven remains un-repaired.

Ouch! This is why I didn't buy the Molteni. I loved the look of the stove, but the store I would have had to buy it from was just terrible. I worried about service issues in the future. You would think that with a 30K stove you'd get excellent service. I'm sorry to hear that's not the case :o(

Okay. Fantasy now cured.

kitchendetective,

I used a commercial grade ventilation system - custom made by Modern Air.

Just curious, what range did you go with and are you happy. I love the look of LaCornue but not the $ and service concerns.

man oh man this thread is full of misinformation and untruth's

1. the diva de provence ranges are by far the sturdiest in the industry, they are a thicker guage steel on the exterior than aany other french range, so if you can push in the front panel 'like butter' you possess super powers that are unrivaled.

2. the la cornue cornufe is actually a aga built range, it has nothing to do with la cornue, it is the classic range master frame that would run you 2700 dollars but with fancy trim, they are poorly constructed and definately a step below the lancanche even.

3. none of these companies are 'imitations' all of the names companies in this thread have thier roots in the legacy of the french range, some are not as sturdy or as pretty as others but none are fakes.

4. there are top tier ranges like diva de provence, and below that you have la cornue and delaubrac and molteni ( wich for the most part are not ul approved) then on the bottom rung you have lancanche, however any lancanche will out perform a wolf or viking by a long shot.

5. the history of the french range is a cool story, one day i will sit down and right it out.

6. when a us company starts making quality custom ranges that actually have chassis they will out sell even the la cornue with thier multi million marketing scheme that seems to have worked wonders on you folks.

7. as for range hoods, there is only one company that makes a hood that can go with these type of ranges, and that is metallo arts, they sell more hoods to go above la cornue than la cornue does...lol

Here is a link that might be useful: for la cornue etc hood

foodnut.....

i have a la cornue a diva and a delabrauc sitting in front of me in my showroom, all live...... i find it dubious that you would say that diva takes shortcuts in quality, have sold many of all of these ranges i would like to know where you get the info.?

It's good to see the Diva de Provence dealers freaking out on this forum: tells you a lot about their lack of confidence in the product. How defensive!

The problem is that La Cornue is still years ahead of all brands with the Chateau line.

Diva the Provence ranges are proven low quality products with obsolete burners, ovens known for their bad calibration, terrible service and slow part sourcing.

My neighbor in Connecticut has a Diva de Provence that is going to the junkyard. She hated it. Her story is simply too long to tell but she had enough. She just got a new Wolf. Clever move - now she is cooking.

Just wanna point out Lacanche is heavier than La Cornue for the same size. Find this strange since La Cornue claims using heavier and thicker material.

@foodnut How does one tell if a range has been wet or day enameled? Also, where on the chassis would someone look to see if it has been welded? On the outside? Back? Sides? Bottom?

@rowhouseboston ! I am aghast! :O :(

Can anyone comment on whether the brass burners are worth the investment as an upgrade? I’m purchasing a Cornufe 110. Blanc with brass details. Debating the $600+ for the beautiful brass burners?????

I have been fortunate to own two LaCornue Chateau series ranges! truly a piece of art!

It is definately a learning curve even for the most seasoned cook but, worth the time in learning the features the chatea series come with a gas and elelctric oven. I’ve cooked with Viking and Wolf as well and there is no comparison to the results you get from the LaCornues gas oven in roadting or braising meat! Outstanding Baking in the electric oven is just as wonderful but, in both you have to play around with time A 20 LB Turkey for example will cook in just over 2 hours!!!!

Shana,

Can you comment on your ownership experience as a La Cornue Chateau owner? Cooking prowess aside, was it also a pleasure to simply see the Chateau everyday sitting in the kitchen? The artistic presence of the Chateau - especially the 150 and up - I'm guessing is majestic.

Thanks,

Robert

I think, gas is more efficient and provides better control over temperatures and heat.