i love my wolf all gas range!

Capital's 23k btu burner can go down to 145 degree

New ones being built, not old stock, have 8k btu small pot (simmer) burner. The two outer rings on the 23k burner have been closed leaving only the inner ring.Capital has not released a low btu or degree rating on the 8k btu burner yet.

Advantages of American Range Oven

It has two convection fans.

It is bigger.

Advantages of Culinarian Oven

Lowest temperature door on market.

It has more insulation but as a result is smaller. 36" oven still fits full size commercial baking sheet.

It has steel mesh type broiler that is more durable than
Ceramic broiler in AR. Also Culinarian broiler is under glass and is easier to clean

Optional self-clean oven has motorized rotisserie, rolling racks and obviously self-clean.

I have never baked/roasted in AR double convection oven so I don't if or how much better it is than others.

"I've looked at Bluestar (hot door, more difficult to clean - we have small kids)"
...I have a 36" Bluestar, no hot oven door, and the easiest range top to clean I've ever owned

Trevor from Eurostoves measured a 2010 Bluestar VI with a painted door. The average Temp was 120 degrees and the hottest section was 175 degrees after one hour with the oven set at 350 degrees.

Bluestar owner Stooxie measured his oven door with a less expensive and perhaps less accurate thermometer.He said " I measured my oven doors to be about 120 - 140 degrees for the most part (@350 degrees inside), with the one exception being right by the bottom hinge where it can be 150 to 160."

According to Eurostoves the Culinarian after one hour at 350 degrees the average temperature was 82 degrees and the high was 102 degrees.

Regarding the Bluestar burners, I don't understand how can they be easy to clean. I just checked them this afternoon on the floor model the local Appliance vendor displays and it's not obvious at all how one would clean a spill-over.

The liquid will likely drip straight to the bottom, which seems to be un-cleanable. Is the user supposed to place some aluminum foil under the cast iron star burner and its matching enclosure so that the spills would be contained?

Below is a video on cleaning a bluestar

Most people put aluminum foil in the driptray to catch drips.

I remove and replace the foil in my CC drip tray about once a year.

A major spill on any cooktop/rangetop is not going to be "easy." It will get in the "seal" of a sealed burner and burn. Major enough it spills over the cooktop on top of knobs and onto the floor.

Here is a link that might be useful: LINK

I haven't seen the need to use foil in my drip trays. The trays lift out easily enough to take to the sink, or just wipe them out in place. Usually it's just crumbs that have fallen through the grates. As far as the cast iron grates and bowls, they just wipe clean with a damp sponge or towel. When new six months ago, I seasoned the griddle and cast iron parts with peanut oil, and have not needed to use soap on them yet!

I find it easier to let any spill dry on the foil with any crumbs and simply through away.

Rather than clean them in the sink.

I agree on the enameled cast iron grates.

Just let them patina over.

It is a kitchen not a surgical room.

Thanks all. That video of cleaning a Bluestar may have scared me away from buying it! I am ok with the drip tray and burners, but not sure about drips on the wires and other metal parts below the burners. I saw the capital and american tops and like the extra piece they have below the burners- seems much easier to clean.

Any thoughts on the oven abilities for these ranges? Having a hard time finding reviews on the oven part.

That video is very misleading! I have not had to remove the bowls to clean in six months of two to three times a day use. Anything that falls through the bowl ends up in the pull out drip tray, and for me that has been a few crumbs at the most. Oven is great! Broiler is small, and it cycles too much. Luckily, my broiling needs are minimal, since I can grill outside year round.

Courtney,

What more do you to know?

Nobody has any real complaints with these ovens.

They are significantly more even than standard gas ovens.

Not as even as the very best electric ovens, Gaggenau and Wolf.

Gas ovens are better for roasting meats and baking certain dense breads.

Electric is better for baking particularly on multiple racks.

I really like the rotisserie in my Culinarian oven.

Particularly when cold outside and can't use my outdoor rotisserie.

BTW That vid is made by a super hardcore Bluestar fan/owner.

Stooxie, he does not post very much anymore but defends Bluestar to the hilt.

I think you should be more concerned about the size/function of the broiler than just asking about how the oven functions. There have been complaints from many about the small size of some of the broilers in the ranges in these brands.