Culinarian 36'

11 years ago

Well . . . my American Ranges performance level keeps deteriorating so it's about time to consider making another freestanding range purchase.

I won't buy another AR product due to lack of engineering excellence and customer service issues. From the first day I purchased it I had all sorts of problems.

Anyway I've posted this on another thread.

I am thinking of buying a 36" Capitol Culinarian with grill from Trevor at Eruostoves. I am in Riverside SoCal about 15-25 miles from the Capitol Factory and will pick it up with my dually.

It's gonna be expensive for me 7600 $U.S. plus. There are some things I don't really know about this range's performance. Any insights might help.

An avocation is baking artisan bread. I'm pretty serious about it . . . that is to say my mixer is a Globe SP10.

Anyone who bakes artisan bread knows that steam is essential. I have a 13" heavy cast iron skillet filled with lava rock to generate steam. This means I am opening and closing (not slamming mind you)the door quickly with some strength. My AR is so wimpy in the hinges it's hard to open and close now.

I'm not so sure Capitol does a better job with it's engineering so maybe, in lieu of a commercial range, I'll have to live with a door that drops to the ground like my AR does now. I also require a inner oven deck that is stiff enough to accept the weight of the skillet. I think the sheet metal used on the AR is really cheap as it distorted the first year.

I also have to slide the bread onto a baking stone. This means flour is always spilling off the stone onto the deck. My AR has lots of openings that allow foreign material to enter the burner chamber. This exposure to flour (imagine an oven designed to accept serious artisan baking . . . what a novel idea) may have screwed up my AR's burner is now popping slightly when it tries to keep the temp within the thermostat's setting. This is consistent with AR's lack of excellence . . i.e., the broiler never worked from day one and I gave up replacing the ignitor last year. I cannot get at the burn chamber on the AR. I can't rely upon their service guys either as all they will do is recommend someone. The last time they recommended a tech he turned out to be a turkey. Cost me 300 bucks to have an ignitor put in that crapped out the next day.

Anyone have any experience baking artisan bread in their Culinarian? I am sure The Capitol Culinarian is a far superior product to the AR; always was even when it was just the precision line.

Thanks,

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Comments (5)

jscout
11 years ago
Call Trevor and see if he can help you broker a visit to the Capital factory and take one for a spin. I only bake a loaf or two at time, so I'm nowhere near as hardcore as you. I do pizzas more, but that's not really a huge test. I also use a large 18" square soapstone tile for my baking stone. The stone is very heavy and I do see a little sagging in the one rolling rack that I use exclusively with the stone. You should definitely put that to the test too.
doc8404
11 years ago
I have a 36" CC and probably bake as much bread as you do. I go through 25# of bread flour every two weeks. My family hasn't eaten store bought bread for many years - they think all Dads bake bread.

Anyway, more to the point, the oven door is built like a truck but nevertheless, does not 'fall' when it is opened. It will stop and stay at any position you leave it.

The oven deck is also built of very heavy materials and can easily support a cast-iron skillet filled with rock. I don't generate steam the same way you do but your way should work without issue.

The deck of the oven does have some perforations but they are at a near 90 deg. angle to the deck itself and as such, I have not noticed my flour going into the burner chamber. The deck is removable and is easily comes out for cleaning if you're into that sort of thing. Go to the gym to prepare to move it - it's very heavy.

The stone I use does not stress the rolling rack at all but it may not be as heavy as jscout's.

Since you are so close to the factory, call them and schedule a look at the product.

I'll bet the visit will ease your worries.

Best wishes,
Doc

I'd kill to get a Globe SP10. :) No - really, I would.
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eve72
11 years ago
-psient

I don't want to highjack the thread, but could you point me to your post about the AR problems?

thanks-best.
eve
bellsmom
11 years ago
Go to the Capital website below and watch their video on the new Maestro oven. It has a reservoir in the door to dispense moisture during baking.

I don't know if there is a range with this oven in the offing or not. The demo concentrates on baking meat, not bread, so I'm not sure if this feature would work for bread cooking. A question to Trevor at EuroStoves might clarify.

Sandra

Here is a link that might be useful: Capital ''moisturizable'' oven
wekick
11 years ago
Go to the Capital website below and watch their video on the new Maestro oven. It has a reservoir in the door to dispense moisture during baking.

They make a big point of it not being steam.
Maestro

As far as roasting, outside moisture will do nothing to keep it juicy. It is all about the inside temperature. Moisture would inhibit the surface drying and therefore browning and crispiness. I don't think the concept is very well thought out.

Culinarian 36'

Comments (5)

jscout

doc8404

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