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mcattrone

BlueStar Platinum vs. Capital Connoisseurian

mcattrone
10 years ago

Hey All,

So I've been browsing this forum since I started building my house in January. My home is due to be completed in January so I'm getting pretty close to appliance selection time.

I was pretty set on the Capital Connoisseurian until I saw the Press Release for the BlueStar Platinum series. I really like the fit and finish of the Platinum - looks very nice.

I'm concerned about the hot doors and I know that it has been discussed many time. I called BlueStar and they stated that the doors use the same insulation as previous models and are UL certified to 180F.

I have a 2 year old and another on the way. What is the current consensus on the BlueStar's external door temp? Is it only at its peak when heating up?

Also, how does the BlueStar oven work for baking? I was drawn to the Capital Connoisseurian as my wife likes to bake a lot and the duel fuel compliments baking.

Has anyone seen either of these ranges in person yet?

Mark

Comments (12)

  • wekick
    10 years ago

    I am looking to replace my Wolf DF due to chipping of the blue enamel. These are both very new so not much feedback. In theory electric ovens of this caliber should have electronics to control the elements and fans to keep even heat throughout, especially with a full oven and give you the ability to direct heat. In my experience, some do this much better than others. In order to see how either of these work, someone will have to try them and let us know specifically how they use them. If you are baking a bundt cake in the middle, most ovens will do that. The difference comes in when you are using the oven top to bottom and side to side.

    I worry somewhat about Capital in that they have some ideas that are in error and promote these ideas on their website. They seem to think that a gas oven has moist heat--see the link below. While gas will release moisture as a product of convection, it is quickly ventilated out so the gas oven is low humidity. Electric ovens are more of a closed system and keep humidity in.

    They also seem to have the notion that external moisture will keep the inside of a roast moist. This is also in error. It is the end internal temperature that keeps moisture in a roast. If you want the outside to be crispy, you do not want moisture but dryness as in a gas oven or convection in an electric oven.
    food myths
    "DISCOVER THE MOIST-ASSIST FEATURE
    Capital's latest innovation, combines the best of stable electric heat and the moisture of a convection oven."
    The last part of this sentence from their website is an astounding misunderstanding. Convection is air movement which is drying.
    On the other hand even though they don't understand how the oven works as it relates to cooking, it still might work ok but just not how they say.

    The BS (48 and 60 inch only I believe)has the interesting addition of a burner in the back of the oven. It is not clear how this burner is used other than in preheating and it is unclear what they mean, at least to me by complete exchange of air. I won't work for me anyway in that I need a 36 inch range.

    I too am anxious to hear how these ovens are especially from bakers that fill the oven when they bake.

    As an aside I used a Frigidaire oven with a convection fan(only) a couple of weeks ago for a week and it worked pretty good.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Moist roast

  • joeboldt
    10 years ago

    I just don't think I could own something named "Connoisseurian"

  • mcattrone
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Just put my Blue Star Platinum Series on order. Can't wait to start using it in February.

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    All residential ranges for sale in American stores are UL listed and pass industry standards for safety.

    Since Bluestar redesigned the hinges and doors in late 2010? for their VI RNB version the vast majority of owners say the oven doors are warm but not dangerously hot. A few said the doors were hot and were annoyed with the Appliance Forum board for not warning them as if we collectively lied.

    One store owner measured a 2010 Bluestar VI with a painted door. The average Temp was 120 F degrees and the hottest section was 175 F degrees after one hour with the oven set at 350 F degrees.

    An owner here measured his door after the same time and temp and found one small section was 160 degrees F.

    The only complaints I have read about the Capital Wall oven(electric) was that the display was too dim and someone ordered two singles and one came with current generation styling and another with previous generation styling.

    At first Captial would not take bake the old oven but after the owner yelled over the internet and potential Capital customers posted reservation about buying any Capital product they relented and replaced old style oven with new.

    Both the new Platinum and the Connoisseurian oven have not had one review. Remember the Connoissseurian has the 40 lbs capable rotisserie in addition to self-clean and moist roast.

    When you buy one come back and review it please.

  • mcattrone
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Moist Roast seems a bit gimmicky to me IMHO. I have a wonderful rotisserie coming on my Alfresco ALX2 that will be out on my screened porch along with a green egg all vented by a Modern Aire hood. Self clean was the only draw back but I just love the look of the new platinum series versus the capital and was enthused by the additional new burner and oven features. I was at the 11th hour with capital and then the BS Platinum came out.

  • deeageaux
    10 years ago

    I am a big fan of Green Egg and Modern Aire.

    Alfresco not so much. I am a big fan of FireMagic.

    Can't say about moist roast because I have never used it and have not read any reviews on it by owners.

  • mcattrone
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Interested, why the negativity on Alfresco?

  • barryv_gw
    10 years ago

    I bought by BS in 2013 so it has the new hinges and doors. IMHO the door is pretty hot, not necessarily dangerous, but it is a consequence of a design feature. My prior range was dual fuel with self clean - with the Self Clean feature, the interior of the oven gets much hotter, so the door is much thicker, and it has a thick gasket on it that is compressed when you turn on the self clean function. The downside is that if you use a thicker door, and both ranges have the same depth, then the one with a thicker door will have a smaller oven interior, all other things being equal. The interior in the BS is much deeper than my prior oven. I often use it up to 500 to bake bread, and have not been burned on the door, but do admit it is much hotter than my prior oven. If you want - need the deeper oven, you have to be willing to put up with a hotter door.

  • psient
    9 years ago

    I am late to this thread sorry.

    I just wanted to say, I have an American Range and bake bread 2-5 times a week. I steam and use the max temp.

    The range cost me about 4500 USD 7 years ago.

    The broiler never worked, I have replaced the knobs 2 times, the bake burner sputters really bad, the door handle is so hot you can burn yourself, and the hinges will allow the door to hit the floor. Back then the dealers could discount the price if they desired. Now American Range prohibits this with its distributors.

    I caution anyone about buying an American Range without ensuring that the company will stand behind the product beyond the one year for specific problems . . . in writing.

    Otherwise, spend your money on a different brand.

    For 1500 bucks back then I could have had a Capital Precision top of the line.

    I tell you, all ranges have their quirks but Capital is my preference so far. The only thing I've heard is that the racks are funky. The Blue star had problems with customer service, the doors, and the igniters when I was looking at buying.

    I cannot decide between the culinarian and the connoisseurian.

    You probably will not read this but how do you like your Blue Star Platinum?

  • omega73
    9 years ago

    Psient, which American Range model do you own that gave you these problems?

  • veech
    9 years ago

    A lot of incorrect numbers regarding "safe" or "agency approved" temperatures are bandied about on this forum.

    The third-party (verified by other than manufacturer) agency listing companies, UL and ETL, follow the certifications listed in ANSI Z21.1 (Household Cooking Gas Appliances).

    In order to obtain a "listing" (approval), an appliance must pass all criteria and tests which are named in ANSI Z21.1. All gas (and electric) cooking appliances made by manufacturers in the United States possess a certification by one of these two agencies and are usually tested in good faith; however, there are countless ways for the manufacturers to massage the testing procedures or results in their favor or even change a design after the testing was complete and never submit the change to the listing agency to re-test for verification.

    ANSI Z21.1, summarily states: "Steel surfaces must not exceed 152 degrees F after the appliance's thermostat has been set to its highest setting for one hour."

    That's not 350 on the thermostat, it's 500 or 550 (not broil).

    This can be cheaply, yet accurately, verified by buying a pack of "temperature indicating labels" from McMaster-Carr (mcmaster.com) and placing them in suspect areas. "5950K32" gives a good temperature range of 149 thru 199 degrees F (package of 5 for $8.10 plus ship) and they're accurate to plus/minus 1.8 degrees.

    (Note: IR thermometers DO NOT give accurate readings on sheet metal, nor do cheaply purchased surface probes)

    The rub is that any company can claim that they are to "UL temperatures" because it's so hard to prove. Why?

    1. it costs hundreds of dollars to buy ANSI Z21.1

    2. even if one was to buy it, it's copyright protected so one couldn't post the information regardless

    3. a manufacturer could still state the testing an individual does at home wasn't "under controlled conditions" or "with proper instrumentation" regardless of the obviousness of the results