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gtadross_gw

Forum members ratings on Bluestar - running tally

gtadross_gw
9 years ago

Hey all. There's alot of posts on this forum about Bluestar, and within each thread, there's people who love it and people who hate it.

i'd like to start a thread as to how each Bluestar owner who's a member here feels about their product, and what kind of product they have.

i'll start. i have a 36" bluestar RNB and i love it. i haven't had any issues with it, and i would certainly recommend it to someone interested in a pro style range.

Comments (62)

  • jeffreyem
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Had a 48" range top for 5 years. Loved it, had some igniter issue, gut it was great to cook on and clean. Building a new house and we're installing a 36 RNB plus 2 Cooktek induction hobs.

  • eurekachef
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a 30" rangetop. Very happy with it and have had no problems. See my other posts for details.

  • Peke
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    36" rangetop. The only problem I have is burning things. I now have three pots with black scorched on bits.

    I don't know if the burners are not adjusted right and they are much hotter than the specs say. Or maybe I don't know what I am doing.

  • philwojo99
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Have had our 36" 6 burner Range Top for a little over a year now. Love it, the only small issue was scratches on the drip pan handle caused during shipping. It was resolved by contacting my sales guy and he got BS to send us an entire new drip tray and also the removable drip pans at no charge, had them all within 2 weeks of talking to our sales rep.

    Other than that, love the unit, and hope it continues on with no issues.

    Phil

  • ghideon
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    36 RNB with the griddle. I've had it installed for a little over a year now. Minor issue with ignitor clicking that was solved quickly with customer service.

    Takes awhile to preheat the oven, but that's understandable. Have a Breville smart oven for smaller tasks.

    Both the wife and I love to cook on it. I would definitely recommend one, and would buy one again.

  • SharonNM
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I had my 30" RNB installed 2 months ago. I love it. It is by far the easiest to clean of any stoves I have had. I hated cleaning the shiny black surface of the Viking I had in a prior house (purchased in 1999) We then lived in a loft with a brushed stainless Miele cooktop that was even worse. When we bought this house in December the range was on its last legs and after cooking on the Bluestar in the showroom I was sold. We cook with a Wok at least once a week and love how well it performs. I have found the oven to be very accurate when baking casseroles (no cakes in this house now that we are empty nesters!)

  • Kristen Hallock
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    36" RNB 6-burners. Installed in August 2013. We love this range. No problems with it at all. Love the burners. I dont think the oven takes that long to pre-heat, given the size of it. Yeah, it would be nice if it was faster, but I'm never waiting so long that I am annoyed. Broiler is good, oven is great. Burners are awesome. No complaints!

  • justmakeit
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    36" RNB 6 burners, installed a year ago. After cooking for 16 years on a 30" gas KA cooktop, which never had more than three burners working at one time, I can honestly say that the Bluestar has changed my relationship to cooking entirely. I love the heat and the satisfying sizzle I get when I'm stirfrying (and the way the wok fits in the grateless well). I love the even oven temperatures and that I can fit two large baking sheets to roast enough asparagus for a dinner party at one time. I love how easy the grates are to clean and how beautifully black the seasoned cast iron is. I love making a bechamel and simmering it gently without burning on the simmer burner. I've never cooked on another pro-style stove, so I can't compare it to other stoves like it, but you can probably tell I imprinted like a baby duck on this stove.

  • sonny_h
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Just installed 36" 6 burner range top about a month ago. Looks and works great. No issues so far. Burners are fantastic. I have dual wall electric ovens that work pretty well so hopefully won't have to worry about many of the oven related issues people have reported with BS. The range top is as simple as it gets. Loving it so far.

  • Mistman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We're a year into using our moss green 36" RNBV1 w/a griddle. It's true about cooking differently after using this range. I've never had an appliance that I feel the way I do about the BS, in fact I don't feel a whole lot about appliances in general :) Now if we're talking dirt bikes or sport cars, I feel a great deal about those (I'm a guy). However the BS elicits that same type of feeling in me, something that's very engaging and for some reason becomes attached to my emotions not unlike a 911 C4S. That, of course, is a very personal opinion, but being a foodie and spending more time in the kitchen than any other guy I know, my BS and I have become quite close ;)
    I like things solid, simple, and well built and am one of those people that when hearing about an exceptional 'thing' I'm interested in I become very intrigued. I hadn't heard of BS until I joined GW when researching appliances for our new home. I spent quite a bit of time looking into BS, heard about all the nasty's some were experiencing but the accolades rang much stronger to me so we pulled the trigger with fingers crossed and trusted for the best. It's an excellent appliance and performs exactly as I'd hoped (and my hopes were pretty high). I griddle a lot, 3-4 times a week, wok and hi-heat cook, simmer big pots, boil lots of water, char and sear with delight. My DW's learning curve has been a little steeper, she's more easily distracted w/the twins (currently 5) and things can go south quick on this range. Usually when I'm cooking I'm more focused on just that. Really the only problem that we've experience is the mess, not w/the range top, it's cleans up beautifully, but w/the hood and surrounding counters they get greasier than w/the old coil top. We have a 42" 1200 CFM hood and use it but the outside of it (it's also moss green) needs a good wiping at least a couple times a week, the spatter on the counters isn't a big deal. I think I may actually annoy my DW at times as I'm always thinking of things to cook or bake so I can be in the kitchen, my kitchen. She got the master bath and I got the kitchen when we were designing the house (the master is pretty much all marble).
    I don't use the oven as my primary oven but do use it for pizza, braising meats, baking big batches of bread or cookies, big birds, roasting and broiling. I can fit 4 1/2 sheet pans in it, one shot for a batch of cookies. I have a 30" Wolf and a steam oven also, hence not being the primary oven.
    I'm super happy with it and will put one in any future home (very loyal to good products). I got a hold of CS once as I broke the griddle thermostat when I was installing the hi back guard and shelf. I had a new one in 3 days after paying. I installed it and adjusted the burners myself, actually I installed the range myself too.
    It's a common sense product for common sense people that love to cook, that's why some don't like or appreciate it :)

  • catman_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had a 24" RNB for 2 years. I have a 30" BS Prestige hood with a 1000cfm BS roof mounted blower on an 8" duct.

    The simmer burner stopped sparking. I peaked at the spark module and found that the wire to that igniter was coiled up and pushed against another terminal on the module. I think it was arcing through the insulation. I pushed the wire away from the module and it has worked since.

    The knobs get too hot to touch even when using the oven at moderate temperature. I pull out the drip tray a few inches and it deflects the hot air so they stay cool. Within a few months of use it melted a plastic part inside the oven knob and the knob got floppy on the shaft. A replacement knob is around $45. I wrapped a small piece of aluminum foil around the end of the shaft and it's been tight since.

    If you broil with the oven door closed the burner is only on for about half the time. You can't take advantage of the intense heat which is unlike anything I've used before. I like to burn my steak on the outside and keep it cold inside. Other people think my steak is cooked but it's really raw which is how I like it. If people think you're eating raw meat it gags them. I've never been able to do that with another broiler. So I broil with the door open slightly and the element runs continuously, which violates the BS instructions. I don't know if I'm damaging something but I don't care.

    My wife likes to use the big front burners for everything but I seem to use the weaker back burners more. Greasy smoke goes into the hood completely at a lower fan speed from those burners.

    We're in a 1000 Sq. ft. house. We've never before been able to make all the smoke we want without making the house unbearable. The problems I listed are minor compared with the fun we're having with the stove.

  • cookncarpenter
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mistman, enjoyed reading your whole story :) it could have been written by me!...except for raw steak part, and the twins, we're empty nesters, ...and I've never owned a coil top ;)

  • Mistman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks ctycdm, I think the raw steak part was in the post below mine, I like my meat at least warmed thru :)
    We used to be empty nesters but decided we were too young, so at 50 we had twins. Actually I was 46 and my DW was 49 when she delivered. Our oldest kids are married and we have 2 g-children, we just like the commotion on life. Since we were both still working, being an empty nester was getting boring. I told my DW that she could retire if we had more kids, didn't have to say that twice although I think she found that work may have been a cake walk compared to the little 'angels' we have now :) We got lucky and got one of each flavor. It's pretty awesome being our age and raising another family, it's all so 'been there, done that' we're having more fun w/these guys.

  • cookncarpenter
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oops, I did get the raw steak part from the other post, sorry... but that means we have even more in common about our ranges, and our cars!... And congrats on starting a family over again, more power to you!

    This post was edited by ctycdm on Fri, Jun 20, 14 at 22:07

  • Mistman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I forgot to mention another very subjective point about the BS that may transcend my own subjectivity. I feel, not sure what the word is so I'll say 'special' when I use the range. Yeah, I know, spoon down throat. However, I have friends and family that come over and use the kitchen (at my behest) and I observe how they use the range. There are generally 2 reactions, you can see that some people feel the same way I do when cooking on it, 'special'. Like it's a treat to cook on it, grin from ear to ear, lot's of comments about heat or the looow simmer, or the 'pro'/commercial aspects (hi-back-guard w/shelf, big, baffled hood). On the other side are those who are completely intimidated by it and are a bit out of there comfort zone but enjoy the opportunity.

  • Mgoblue85
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Another happy BS owner here! I have a 36 RNB all burner range. I didn't even know about BS, open burners and the like until finding GW in my hunt for appliance reviews. I was sold as soon as I saw it, although at the time I thought I would get a range top versus a full range. It really is an impressive looking beast and I feel like I should give it a name - ha! I've always enjoyed cooking, but I certainly have an elevated appreciation for the transformation of raw goods to finished product since using.

    I'm in SE Michigan and bought it at Heydlauff's Appliance in Chelsea, MI. I've only had it since Feb 2014 and no issues to report thus far.

  • jakkom
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    catman, thanks for your post. Yours is perhaps the only post I have seen on the 24" wide Bluestar. I have been considering one of these as I can't fit a 30" wide range in my kitchen without $10-15K worth of modifications. My fault; when I was designing my kitchen it was my first effort and I didn't include any 'wiggle room' in installing the cabinets.

    Your comments on the broiler are especially helpful. Thanks again!

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    36" cooktop. Not installed yet and looks promising, but I'm a bit nervous after finding 2 washers and a nut roaming free at the bottom of the packaging! I'm sure extras were not on the blueprint; I wonder where they came from.

  • lentilpie
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Does anyone know of any problems with the Bluestar Platinum series? I wonder if they have addressed the locking of the oven door hinges that seems to be a problem with some BS's. I have narrowed down my choices to the 48" BS Platinum or a Wolf but am getting really nervous about pulling the trigger. I am really drawn to the BS but worry about issues and dealing with customer service. I guess it's a chance you take with anything you buy.

  • jormydog
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The oven hinge problem seems to have been resolved with a new design - no reports of that issue on the Platnium series.

  • catman_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    jkom51, you're welcome. I'll answer any question about this one that you have. Here's a pic.

  • tinyhomebuilder
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Like others here I read all of the GW stove posts I could find and evaluated them not only for the nature of the complaints but also for the attitude of the complainants as well.

    It wasn't even close. BlueStar won hands down.

    We've had our little 24RNB for about 3 months now and are totally pleased with it.

    We bought it from Curto's in New York even though we live in California. They were chosen by omen. Curto's has been in business since 1948 and I was born in 1948, so that was good enough for me. Their service was top notch.

    Even though it was freighted cross country, it arrived in absolutely pristine condition. Nothing bent, nothing dinged, nothing warped. On the first use of the oven a component failed which was quickly and simply resolved. And since then it has performed flawlessly and has TOTALLY exceeded ALL of our expectations.

    I love its rugged simple functional robustness. And the all cast iron top is pure eye candy.

    It says:

    Let's cook! : )

    (by the way, this thread is a splendid idea to have all the comments about one product all in one place. Thanks, tadross. )

    This post was edited by tinyhomebuilder on Sat, Jun 21, 14 at 20:42

  • cookncarpenter
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    tinyhomebuilder, couldn't agree more....let's cook! :)

  • kpaquette
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    30" RCS here, installed in '09. We had the door issue, and they sent us the newly designed door (free, despite being out of warranty.) Works perfectly and haven't had a door problem since. New purchasers shouldn't have to worry about this problem with the redesign.

    Currently having the burner ignitor issue - they sent us a new ignitor free of charge despite being out of warrantee and hubby installed but it didn't solve the problem. I'm sure it WILL get resolved…but it is a hassle.

    No one would be happy with dealing with service issues - but the way Bluestar has responded to every call has been exemplary. Their customer service has been wonderful to us. Overall though I do love the range and there are no regrets.

  • michjac
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My 36" RNB 6 burner range has been in the garage for 3 1/2 years waiting for me to get the rest of the new kitchen designed around it (and the $). Finally gutted the old kitchen and have to make a final decision about a backguard: 17 inch guard or island guard with fireproofed wall behind?

    Opinions? Especially interested in how easily an island trim gets gunky and how hard to clean for the extra depth gained for deep pots in back.

    Thanks!

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Our cooktop is great, with only one issue. Either the top or a grate isn't quite level, causing the iron grate to sit on only three corners and wobble some.

  • barryv_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Are there screws that the grates sit on. I have the range, not the cooktop, but each grate sits on 4 screws, and you adjust them so the grates are level and don't wobble.

  • wekick
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Posted by michjac
    have to make a final decision about a backguard: 17 inch guard or island guard...
    Opinions? Especially interested in how easily an island trim gets gunky and how hard to clean for the extra depth gained for deep pots in back."

    You might want to look at the island trim as it sticks up above the grates and might limit how much extra room you have for big pans. It would give you room for handles or maybe a flared pan but the base is limited. With standard depth counter tops. it is only about an inch or so more if you have island trim that is flush with the grates but if you have deeper countertops(or an actual island) with the idea of allowing pans to hang out a little in back, the BS island trim would impede that. The pictures above illustrate this.

  • jasedl
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a 48" platinum (installed for about 5 months) and right now the store I bought it from in the process of exchanging it for another platinum.

    I've had repair people out 6 times to work primarily on the PowR burner in the main oven. It's never functioned properly (according the manual) and last time they were out they replaced the valve to the burner. After they did that, the small oven stopped working completely.

    That being said, here's where I'm at with all of this:

    The stove top - and especially the amazing "charbroiler" feature on the stove top that allows you to grill (not with a grill pan or griddle, but with open grill grates) is spectacular. I love the simmer burner as much as I love the monster 25K btu burners.

    I love how this range looks compared to everything else out there.

    Repairs have happened relatively quickly, blue star rep has been moderately responsive and ABT - the place I bought it from has stepped in to work on an exchange. I don't really want a different range, I just want the one I bought to work.

    The doors don't get too hot, the hinges seem fine, the knobs do get hot, but as someone mentioned you can pull out the little drip tray thing to prevent that from happening.

    I remain skeptical about the PowR oven technology. There's nothing like it out on the market and no way to know if it's really doing what it's supposed to do. I'm hoping that the exchange means I have a functioning oven. But it's been really difficult getting any kind of perspective from people other than blue star reps because so few people have it. If there are any other platinum owners out there - speak up! I'd love to know your experiences.

    I'm hopeful that with the exchange everything will be in working order. If not, then I will be looking for another range entirely.

  • Bungalow14
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ^^ Not what I'd call a ringing endorsement. ;-P

  • lstevel
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had my 48" with griddle for a little over 8 yrs. I use the stove almost daily and have recommended to others. I had a couple cracked ignitors in the first year, but none since. No repair history either. My wife still complains about the hot knobs if oven is used. That doesn't bother me and keeps the untrained friends/family away from the stove.

    Only regret is the griddle is too small for my needs. I bought a stainless steel metal plate to cover and it makes a nice spoon rest.

  • tinyhomebuilder
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    shicksal writes:

    Our cooktop is great, with only one issue. Either the top or a grate isn't quite level, causing the iron grate to sit on only three corners and wobble some.

    ______________________________________________________________

    I'm not sure if this tip would apply to your cooktop as we have a BS range.

    All of our grates had slight wobbles. And when I looked on the bottoms I noticed that they had holes in the arms...

    {{gwi:1402106}}

    So I tapped 1/4-20 threads in them...

    {{gwi:1402108}}

    ...and inserted stainless steel recessed allen head screws...

    {{gwi:1402110}}

    The grates are now all as solid as rocks! : )

    I sent this idea to BlueStar with pictures as a suggestion to consider including it as a standard feature on their ranges...

    ...and only got crickets. (lol)

    But that doesn't mean any BS owner with wobbling grates can't simply fix it for themselves. It literally just takes a few minutes.

    This post was edited by tinyhomebuilder on Sun, Jul 27, 14 at 2:08

  • moosewoman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm interested in the BlueStar RCS 36" range. Wondering if I'm getting shirt changed by not stepping up to the RNB series. Is there a big difference in features, as the price difference is about $2,500-$3,000. Am I missing something fantastic. I do know about the lower BTU burners and I can't choose a color. Is there more?

  • moosewoman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm interested in the BlueStar RCS 36" range. Wondering if I'm getting shirt changed by not stepping up to the RNB series. Is there a big difference in features, as the price difference is about $2,500-$3,000. Am I missing something fantastic. I do know about the lower BTU burners and I can't choose a color. Is there more?

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    One other difference between RCS and RNB is something about the drip trays. I don't remember what, but something. LOL. One on bearings, one not? Something that made them easier to remove on the RNB I think. Maybe the RCS don't easily remove all the way and RNB do? It was something cleaning related I think, that made the RNB easier to clean that part.

  • gtadross_gw
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The main difference between the RNB and the RCS is that the former has the two 22K burners, with the ability to add more, whereas with the latter, you will only ever have the standard 15K burners across all burners. Bluestar has an iron grip over the parts necessary to updgrade the burners and there are members on this forum who can attest to their inability to get the higher powered burners no matter what their efforts.

    So, right off the bat, that's a big difference. Is 22 v. 15k enough to justify paying nearly double? Well, that's entirely up to you to decide. For me, it was enough to justify going with the RNB and I def don't regret it. In fact, I added a third 22k burner to my 6 burner 36" range so that all three front burners are 22k and all the back burners are 15K.

    also, more minor differences are that the RNB has a convection fan in the oven, whereas the RCS does not (at least i believe that's still the case, although you may want to double check that).

    Another distinction is that the igniters on the RNB are all individually operated, such that when you turn one knob, the igniter for that burner, and only that burner, clicks. The RCS, on the other hand, will have multiple igniters clicking while turning just one knob. This may not be a big deal when you're just lighting the burner, but b/c both ranges have that "self-lighting" feature that makes the igniters click when the flame is very low, it could cause constant clicking on muliptle burners on the RCS, while the RNB would only click on the one burner that's currently in use.

    Also, the RNB has a dedicated slide rack for one its 3 oven racks that you see on many higher end ranges, making it very easy to pull out even a heavy turkey, etc., while the RCS only has the standard oven racks.

    Also, as cal_quail mentioned, the RNB's pull out drip tray is on ball bearings making it smoother to pull out than the RCS. Also, the drip tray in the RNB has 3 subdivided inserts making their removal for cleaning much easier than the 1 large drip tray the RCS has.

    Lastly, others have mentioned that there is an overall better fit and finish to the RNB than the RCS. I haven't seen the RCS in person to verify this, but being that the RCS is the lower end model, I have no reason to disbelieve it.

    Hope that helps.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    @jasmith - I wish they worked like that... with the cooktop the grates sit on the cooktop with four rubber pads on the "feet" part and have to sort of spikes that fit through holes in the cooktop sheetmetetal. The only thing I can figure is that the sheetmetal is not perfectly flat in the front/right corner, preventing all four feet from being in the same plane. I need to investigate further but have my hands full with other things at the moment.

    Otherwise, two thumbs up!

  • Estoy_Listo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Have had a 30" BS for over a year. Great cooktop--fun to use and easy to clean. But it has issues. The lowest burner is way too hot, and the remaining three burners are worse. I found the Simmer Mat to be the most effective foil.

    As someone remarked above, it's not very refined. The oven control knob comes off so easily that you have to consciously hold the knob so that it doesn't fall off in your hand. And the rails holding the oven racks were manufactured wrong----Let me describe it. The rails mount to studs on the wall of the oven. Keyhole slots are cut into the rail for the purpose. Except they cut the keyhole upside down. I imagine someone goofed on the order, and BS had no other choice than to use them.

    Disappointing for a premium product. Can't say that I would buy another, but it's still fun to cook on.

  • suburbanjuls
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a 36" rangetop with all 6 burners. I am very happy with it and thoroughly enjoy cooking on it.

    I was on the fence about doing a built in griddle as I used my old cast iron one all the time on my previous 4 burner Whirlpool. If I had to do it again, I would probably build the griddle in since I use it every day. My solution, which I am happy with, is my Chef King steel griddle that is more or less always on the middle two burners. I got the 14x 23 size for the length, but may retire that one to the grill and get the 12x20 size so I can use larger pans on both sides without having to scoot the griddle over to the side.

    As for reliability, I have had a few small issues that were fixed, but some others that were disregarded. I would hope that if I had a serious issue it would be attended to in a timely manner, but I haven't made it my job to keep after them. Which reminds me, I need to give them another call about that bent bezel knob surround....

  • brightm
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    suburbanjuls -
    We waffled between 30 and 36" for our BS. My argument was that we didn't need 6 burners, so we went with the 30". If DH said he'd wanted a griddle or something, I could have seen going 36. He does most of the cooking. I do more prep and baking and cook occasionally.

    Now I'm the one intrigued by a griddle. :) With a 30" the way we have the extra little grates in the center, would you suggest the 14x23 or 12x20?

    I've been thinking of moving the burners around anyway. If we put the two same power burners one behind the other, would work better for a griddle, I'd think.

  • Mistman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Esto,
    Have you adjusted the simmer capabilities of your burners? I have a pot of pizza sauce simmering unattended as I'm writing, the tiniest of bubbles break the surface every once in a while but I can leave it go for hours if I want. My DW does it all the time. I've adjusted all my burners for a 'real' simmer, on the 22k's a gentle blow (from your mouth) will knock out the flames but they come back on. I like to simmer on them with bigger pots/pans as they have a larger diameter flame so heat more evenly.
    I'm very happy we went w/a built in griddle on our 36" RNB. We use it almost daily and 4 burners are generally enough for us. I use the griddle for a lot of things, burger, bangers, veggies, sandwiches, pancakes, eggs (in a variety of ways), quesadillas, chicken, hash browns, hash, you name it. I think some people have a limited vision of what a griddle will do, you can even put a pan of sauce on it and use it sorta like a FT as it's a bit cooler toward the front.

    So far no regrets.

  • suburbanjuls
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cal_quail-some of the other factors I took into consideration about griddles...

    I had previously used a ceramic coated LeCrueset cast iron griddle that was too small. I also wanted something non coated, and that meant Lodge cast iron or cold rolled steel.

    The largest Lodge is 10x20 and has a minimal lip. I frequently do a dozen scrambled eggs and really wanted the curved up edge to hold the food in. So by process of elimination I ended up with the Chef King. The raised edge is also good for holding a large load of hash brown or sautéed veggies for fajitas that you would be moving around a lot.

    My only small regret is that it won't fit into my sink all the way. I got the biggest single bowl sink i could fit in a 27" cabinet, but the griddle is just a few inches too long. I normally use a steel dough scraper and damp paper towel to clean and don't immerse it, but there have been a few occasions where I would have liked to set it into the bottom of my sink to clean if only so I don't scratch my soapstone counters when angling it into the sink. When I feel it needs a good scrub, I now put a towel under the griddle when angling it in.

    While the larger size will fit on your 30" top, if you won't keep the griddle out all the time, you need to have a place big enough to store it. And it's quite heavy.

    And yes, with front and back burners not the same BTU, you would need a bit more finagling with your controls if you are cooking something all over that needs the same temp like scrambled eggs, or pancakes. You would have to determine how and what you cook most often to see if you want to change your configuration. HTH

  • Debbi Branka
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So Cal, are you saying that you can move the two 22s to be lined up (one in back, one in front) and then put a griddle there? On your 30", right?

  • malabacat_gw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just spoke to a rep at Bluestar b/c due to budget constraints I'm most likely going to get the 36" RCS instead of the RNB. I'd read on this thread and others about a few issues that concerned me and wanted specific answers. I thought I'd share what I learned. Since about 2010, the RCS has each igniter individually operated, like the RNB. So turning on one burner won't lead to all the burners clicking. The oven is the same though the interior walls are not (black vs stippled). The RNB has stippled walls and they are "mainly for looks" I was told, not for easier cleaning. They tend to show gunk less than the RCS walls. As previously mentioned, the RCS comes with 2 standard oven racks, while the RNB comes with 3, one of which slides out easily. On the RCS you can't choose a color, you can't opt for a different oven door, you can't reconfigure the burners and the plate rail is different. I forgot to ask about the drip trays but the BS site says the drip trays are removable for the RNB. No mention of that on the RCS features. The 36" RCS has full motion grates (but not the 30"). Also the BS logo is different on the RCS.

  • mulchie
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Who knew deciding on a range was so tough? We agonized for months during a new build and finally found the BS. We had looked at all the regular ranges, plus Bertazonni (we thought it felt cheaply constructed) and something else I don't even remember. I drove quite a distance to see a BS in person and never looked back. Final decision came down to BS or American Range. We did NOT want electronics that would fritz out on us. Glad we went with our gut on that. We hope to never buy another stove. This thing is simple, straightforward, attractive and a dream to run. 12 months now into a 30" RCS. We were concerned about 15,000 btus, but it has never been an issue.
    Cooking is a pleasure. Total control. There were a few minor adjustments needed at the outset and a tech came far, far out of his way (we live in a rural area) to tweak it to perfection, and teach me the tweaks, too. It was set up for natural gas, but we run propane and since propane is heavier, it sinks before ignition and sparks need to aim down slightly. The tech/rep adjusted this with a needle-nose wrench and there hasn't been a single issue since. The local distributor said it was set up for propane. But... not. Miscommunication at that level, but otherwise complaint-free.

    One clicker got killed by a boil-over. BS sent a replacement and a spare overnight and it took about 3 minutes to install. I love the stove's simplicity. It is easy to clean. Good baking. Great stovetop. Drip tray is great. Very large oven for a 30" range. I love the darned thing! We are glad we did months of research because I had never heard of this make before. Never thought I'd be a big fan of a kitchen appliance. But go figure!

  • mayflower1032
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    30". Issues. Parts too expensive, they actually rip you off. The oven ignitor and range ignitors are well over the top priced, plus shipping costs that are a crime. My oven door froze in the closed position last week. So now I am dealing with that. Go figure. Fit and finish is kind of rough, not up to par with other brands in this price range. The only thing I like is the cast iron surface, with the center pieces, you get very little exposed horizontal stainless steel surface which is a plus for cleaning. Never like to clean stainless. The cast iron is durable and you can aggressively scrape and clean it without causing damage.

  • hawkster
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had my 30" RNB for about nine months and couldn't be happier. Superior in every way to the two Wolfs I had. There is a definite learning curve with the 22K burners. The blue leds in the switches failed recenty; Blue Star quickly replaced them, but warned me, correctly, that the replacements would not be very bright, so I've decided not to worry about it. I agree that the broiler could be bigger, but that's my only nit.

  • bdslack
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I WANTED a blue star - I wanted 2 burners and a grill. I think they dropped my distributor in my area (because they are terrible). Instead we ordered a white Viking D3 (or something like that).

    It has been one of the worst decisions I made with this house. It took like 5 months to get in - was installed incorrectly and is not a good product. The only thing I regret is not getting that range - and I may get one after we pay the place off - or the Viking bites the dust.

  • otterkill
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Had her about three years. Initially had some grate chipping problems and the door paint had a bubble in it. All issues were resolved. The door was replaced twice. The first door was the wrong one. She is a beast! (That's a good thing!)