Hi Ratflinger,

You may be an engineer but you are making some big assumptions. I have a Bluestar and experience none of the problems that you and so many others just assure me I'm going to have. Cleanup from spills is very easy, I even managed to boil milk over one time. Second rate at best, eh? How many pieces did I have to clean up? The cast iron grate (NOT the burner head, btw, it was under the pot), the drip pan and... well, I guess that was it. In the CC you have all those extra stainless steel collars and supports that try to prevent anything from getting onto the burner assemblies. Why is that? Because the CC has the air shutter, ignition wires and gas orifice directly under the supposedly "open" burner. They need to do everything they can to minimize the chance of anything getting down there because, as I understand from reading other threads, it started out life as the sealed burner Precision and they just adapted it for being open burner.

The Bluestar is based off a commercial design that was always open burner.

Ahhh, and those burning oven doors! So far after a year of using my oven, my 3 kids and dog have yet to burst into flames. In fact, not ONCE has any one of them even said or barked "ouch." Why is that? I dunno, maybe because it's not a problem! There seem to be lots of questions in other threads, though, about CC and their cooling fans. Looks like added complication that Bluestar didn't need.

Does no one get it that it's SO easy for a retail store to make one brand look bad versus the other? If you're an engineer please apply some scientific method, not just a bunch of per-conceived conclusions.

You picked the CC, congratulations, enjoy. Most everyone else here can recognize that each has pros and cons that appeal to different people.

-Stooxie

There are plenty of advantages of a BS over a CC.

I'd love to know what real world experience anyone would have with a BS that states something as blatantly incorrect as spill overs would be harder to clean on a BS. The cast not only looks good but it is maintenance free if you are willing to let it season, which is one reason why garland and many other commercial ranges use all cast. Oh ya, I have over 3 years of real world experience to back it up.

Oh and "cheesy"? Really? I think I will resist the temptation.

I'm not sure where ratflinger is coming from. Ooh, Ooh, and I'm an engineer, too.

I'm not a fussy cleaner, so cleaning consists of periodically running the burner bowls and grates through the dishwasher. I don't bother with the supports (well, maybe once every 18 months). Just not sure how the ignition wire is a problem.

The one thing I don't love is the open igniters. Water gets in them and rusts them eventually. There was an old post that I saved about trading them out for flat-top igniters from Guy Banks (intended for a Viking). I did that and have been working on a long writeup about how to do it.

Right now, I'm out of town and will make time when I get back to finish up that post and put it on the board.

Hi Thull,

Maybe they changed something with the ignitors already, I haven't had an ounce of trouble with them at all, not in cleaning or in operation. Sometimes for fun I put the burner on simmer and blow out the flame just to watch the one "click" re-ignition.

I wouldn't touch them at all. Mine ain't broke so no need to fix.

-Stooxie

Ok, I still don't get why anyone needs to be criticized for choosing a BS over a CC. There's this childish back and forth between some members of both camps. The bottomline is both ranges are great cooking appliances. I compared both and I chose the CC. But I would NEVER knock someone for choosing a BS. IMHO, it's like 1A and 1B and depending on the circumstances behind each consumer, either one is a good choice. One thing is certain. Both certainly represent a better value over a Wolf, which is also a fine appliance, albeit pricier.

Congrats on your choice Sandy. I hope you have a smooth sailing from order through installation through enjoyment.

Never said anything about the door being too hot did I? I actually burned my hand on the drip tray, but perhaps that has been corrected. Seems everyone missed the sarcasm in the engineering bit. As far as clean up I spoke about the grates, & I will agree that they look nice. However, the BS I saw disassembled was a mess under the grates. It looked to be a very messy clean up. And before anyone asks - this was not at Eurostoves so maybe the dealer didn't have a clue, but if the BS dealers can't present the unit in a proper manner then what conclusions are one to draw? So everyone can get off their high horse - there was plenty of gushing earlier & I presented what I experienced. Deal with it.

"If you have children keep them away from this unit or they will get burned."

Sounds like something about being hot. I have children and a Bluestar and no one has been burned or even complained.

"but if the BS dealers can't present the unit in a proper manner then what conclusions are one to draw?"

...that some retailers are clueless about the very products they sell and you need to decide for yourself what matters and what doesn't? This is why Apple came out with the Apple stores.

I appreciate you relaying your experiences but honestly, Rat, I don't believe some of these comparisons are valid and I'm not just trying to defend one product over the other. You are comparing a range that has sounds like it's been abused and neglected for years on the floor to the shiny new model placed right next to it. Give the new one with lots of chrome the same abuse and neglect and then compare.

That's why Viking, Wolf and Thermador all ended up being shadows of their former glory with sealed burners. People want the brand and the idea of a commercial unit but then they whine about actually using the darn thing.

-Stooxie

Stooxie- our 36" RNB is six years old. Built in '05, though we didn't get it in and running until spring '06.

The single-wire igniters with the open-top ceramic insulator rusted internally on our range. A few had cracked, too. Some of the issues I had were with igniters that needed replacing, but I also had at least one channel on a spark module that had gone bad.

I put in the flat-top igniters and a single, six-burner Tytronics spark module (replaced two modules). Works great so far, though we've been so busy that we haven't cooked much.

The only reason I'm squawking is the 'deer-in-the-headlight' syndrome I sometimes see. Every range has it's downside, otherwise why would there be any competition? If one buys a range knowing that the drip pan may get hot enough so that one shouldn't grab it bare handed, that's fine, you knew it going in and deemed, that for you, it wasn't that much of an issue. Not having that pointed out ahead of time leads to overall disappointment and after purchase regret.

Believe me, my choice of range has been given exhaustive research. I compared a sizeable number of ranges before settling on the Bluestar. There was no question left in my mind about which range I wanted. That big red beauty sitting on the showroom floor just beckoned to me and won me with her (his?) charms:)

The Bluestar is a solid, attractive, extremely well built cooking machine. I have absolutely no doubts from looking at the burners about how well they work. I didn't need to see them lit up. I've cooked long enough, and had enough mediocre ranges in recent years, that I can tell when something will heat evenly or unevenly by looking at it.

I saw NO issues with cleaning the range. A range only gets disgusting if someone doesn't ever take a dishrag to it and wipe it down. I like the fact that there are minimal stainless parts, if I buy one that is painted.

I spoke with Bluestar directly and they have redesigned the door to eliminate the "hot door" issue. Customer service was candid and answered every one of my questions.

I like the fact that this is a simple range. I don't need all the doo-dads and gimic electronics. I don't use them anyway. I just want the thing to cook...properly.

This is the range that I fell in love with. Someone else may be drawn to and love a different range. It by no means intended that someone else should feel insulted because they really like their Capital, or their Wolf....or DCS...or...... The important thing is getting the range that YOU like to cook with, and enjoying the good food that comes out of it.

Sandy

Wow sandy808, you have been busy this morning. You must be excited about your new purchase, and had a hard time sleeping. Have you narrowed down your color choices yet? Congrats on your new range.

I was set on a Bluestar until I actually saw one. The fit and finish were terrible. Then I heard about the terrible problems with service. After the CC came out I took a look at it and visited their factory in California. Surjit Kalsi personally showed me around the factory and a working CC. The fit and finish were beautiful and the burners were superb. So I ordered a 48 inch rangetop/cooktop and it is working great.

There are no "gimmicky electronics" in either the Bluestar or Capital Culinarian rangetops, so that's a non-issue. All they have is the ignitors. By the way, my understanding is the Bluestar uses a single ignitor system for all its burners so if it goes out it affects all the burners (but I may be wrong about this). The Capital Culinarian has a separate ignitor circuit for each burner so they operate independently, and the ignitor wiring is neat and placed smartly.

I'm sure your Bluestar will be a great machine but there's no need to disparage other units as having "gimmicky electronics" when it's not true. As for the range, I'm not sure I would call the convection fan or rotisserie gimmicky electronics, either.

Anyway, you'll love cooking on open burners - enjoy!

Billy

The Bluestar has independent ignition for all burners. That was changed two years ago.

As for fit and finish, I keep hearing the same comparison: a Bluestar range that's been beaten to hell at some retailer versus the spit-polished, artisan crafted CC personally overseen by the CEO of the company. Seriously?

Every new BS owner that has reported on GW lately (meaning the last year+ that I have been on) has been nothing but impressed. I think there was one person who needed a colored panel replaced and that was done on short order.

Yet we still have so many non-owners telling us all day long about how bad the fit and finish is and how hot the doors will be and how the ignitors explode on demand, etc, etc.

Utterly fascinating.

-Stooxie

Billy, Please don't automatically assume things that I said apply to the Culinarian. I never once said the Culinarian had gimmicky electronics. My GE, however, has them, as many ranges, dishwashers, washer and dryers, etc. have today. I've also never once said the Culinarian is a "bad" range. I'd have no way of actually knowing that. I have no doubt that it is a decent range. I(notice this please....ME)personally like the Bluestar the best out of anything else out there.

I wish some of you people would quit taking things so personal to the point you get angry. It's almost like some people transfer a comparison and opinion about a machine to themselves. I don't get it. It's a machine. Not a person.

As far as problems with some of the Bluestars...well, there rarely is anything existing that can't at some point develop an issue. What I look for is over all track record. There's been grumbling about many ranges, cooktops, and ovens on the Gardenweb, including Capitals. That's just the way it is. Nothing is perfect.

I chuckled about my lack of sleep. Yes, I'm very excited, but also building the house has been the main culprit in my lack of sleep. Some decisions are hard to make because they seldom are inexpensive ones. My kitchen is important to me, and has been a challenge to lay out due to both an open floor plan and all the windows I wanted in there. I love it but it sure has kept me up at night. You think it may have something to do with me being a little cranky?:)

I'm hung up on the ventilation system to go with the range. That's what I was up so late trying to figure out. Any insight on that would help! Our dealer likes the Ventahood the best, but I want to make sure before we buy one. Modernair also looks good, but it looks as though they put components together from a couple of sources and then sell them. That doesn't mean they aren't excellent though, so there you go with the confusion.

I guess the main issue is a baffle type system or the Ventahood system.

Sandy

Sandy - I went with Modernaire, but the shell & baffles only. All the piping & blowers I sourced elsewhere. Fantech is Fantech so I searched for best price.

Stooxie - Just to clear things up - I never said the door got too hot. If you say it's been fixed, then I believe you. It was only the drip tray I was concerned about.

Sandy, regarding your ventilation choice, I say go with any ventilation system with baffles and an external blower. You're building new, so you should be able to plan for that. I don't care what anyone says, the Vent-a-hood magic lung is not quieter than an external blower. I've seen and heard it first hand and I'm not impressed. Is it quieter than other internal blowers? Perhaps. But then again, if you or the homeowners association (if there is one) value external aesthetics more then compromise by getting an inline blower. Of course judging by how people take things around here, you know my criticizing of VAH just implied that every VAH owner an idiot, right? LOL

sandy I posted a long answer with pics and details on your thread on Kitchens...I hope it helps. Please ask any questions...via email if you want. c

I've been holding off commenting, but since this thread continues to live on, I can't help it. I have a Bluestar rangetop and I love it. Ignitors are independent. Drip pan does not get hot. Fit and finish are fine, but the look is dependent upon your personal taste. Bluestar look is much more industrial and utilitarian. I like it, but not everyone will. Having said all of this, I'm sure that CC and Wolf make fine ranges too. At a certain point, it's splitting hairs, and there have been GW posts complaining about all 3 brands. Since the topic has shifted to hoods, I'll just mention that I have a Broan ES with 1100 CFM inline blower. I really like the baffles and the inline system results in less noise. I was put off a bit by problems posted here on GW regarding the "squirrel cage" in VAH.

Sandy ..... Modernaire make everything from scratch, with the exception of the blower , which is the sane for all hood manufacturers including vent a hood

Thanks everyone about the ventilation feedback. I've given the hood a great deal of thought today. I finally sat down and made a detailed list for myself of my personal pros and cons. That coupled with my gut feelings gave me my answer. It seems I have to drive myself nuts first though!

I feel that Ventahood, Broan, and many other brands make fine ventilation systems. I just didn't like the looks of the Ventahood chimney style hood...it reminded me of an air conditioning duct. Their designer series doesn't come in a 27 inch depth, only 24. If I'm spending a good amount of money on a ventilation system I may as well get the best coverage.

I've decided that I like the Modernaire the very best. I'm impressed with Trevor's video of how well it performs, and I like the nice finished look it has. I also like that I can get a nice style that will fit my "refined" country look that I want in my kitchen. Best of all, they can match whatever Bluestar RAL number I finally decide on. I'm back to red again but perhaps something a little bit brighter than the Ruby Red. I'm going to order a few actual metal samples from BS before ordering.

Trevor, I did call one afternoon to ask if you still sold Bluestars. Unfortunately you do not, so I had to search for a local dealer. Fortunately, I think he will be good to work with.

jscout, we tried the whole gated community homeowners assoc. Once. Thought I would die. We sold our home that we built there and bought some land out in the country. We're country folks anyway, and I had gotten caught up in some of the hype of the developments when we first moved to Florida. It got old fast. It's very peaceful now and I can't wait until our house is done.

My husband has already warned me the vent cap on the roof will be quite large for this hood, but it's on the backside so I don't care. Even if it was on the front I wouldn't care. The range abilities mean more to me than the ventcap.

Trailrunner, thanks for hopping over to the kitchen forum and taking the time to answer. I will check it out tomorrow morning. I didn't get much sleep the past couple of nights worrying about the hood and I'm about fried right now.

Good night everyone!

sandy

Hi Sandy,

Sorry I thought you were talking about the CC as having gimmicky electronics. I looked at your comment again and that's not what you said. Sorry about that. I'm suffering from lack of sleep too!

For most of the people who decide on open burners those are the two choices (Bluestar and CC) and you can't go wrong with either one.

I expressed my opinion about Bluestar fit and finish based on several that I saw personally in more than one retailer. I can tell the difference between manufacturing issues and assembly and "getting beat up in a retailer" issues. I expressed my personal opinion based on what I saw and I won't change that. If Bluestar has addressed that recently, that's great. They certainly should be able to correct fit and finish issues at the factory.

I based my opinion of the CC on the one I actually received and installed, not on the showpiece at the factory.

Both the BS and CC units are built like tanks and are great cooking machines.

As far as ventilation we went with a custom Modernaire hood insert that I designed after discussing certain guidelines with the factory. I also visited their factory near LA, about 30 minutes from the CC factory.

I settled on an Abbaka 1400CFM vent fan that mounts on the roof. Many of the fans use the same parts but I can tell you that not ALL vent fans use the same parts. Abbaka uses a premium motor manufactured by Pabst in Germany and they use curved impeller blades for high performance and low noise. I spend a lot of time looking into this (and like you, not getting enough sleep!) When I tried to compare sound levels of external fans I found that most companies will not publish this information. Even when I called the Broan factory and technical support they would not tell me the measured sound level of their external blowers. BTW, the best price I found for Abbaka blowers was at www.dvorsans.com

Good luck with your project! With all of your research you are bound to be pleased with the end result!

Billy

The best part of having the roof vent on the front of the house is that when your guests arrive their mouths are already watering.

I think many of us suffer from lack of sleep periodically, which makes us all take things personal sometimes when we shouldn't. I'm guilty of that too.

I do believe both ranges are good ranges. In the end it's how we react emotionally to something that prompts us to buy one over the other. You're right Billy, no one would go wrong with either one. If I ever came across as being critical about someone else's choice it was not my intention.

I was just so excited about being able to get a range like this in the first place that my enthusiasm overflowed. I've also decided to quit doing the "what if" and "I should" routine about the color and am getting the ruby red one. Hey, we only live once! It'll make my heart sing every morning when I see it.

Sandy

Sandy,

I think you and your guests will LOVE the red range! Most of the things we debated about whether they would be "over the top" or "too much" or "too risky" ended up being things that we really enjoy and that we receive lots of compliments on. You and your friends will love gathering in the kitchen with Ruby Red Bluestar. I look forward to seeing photos. With that much character, you know you'll have to give her a name...

Billy

It's just a tool

Sandy808, though I'm still leaning toward CC, the BS is a fabulous choice too. Congratulations! I was heavily leaning toward the A-C Copper Core (BEAUTIFUL), but I got talked into de Buyer Prima Matera on the Chowhound forum, and they are BEAUTIFUL. Not cheap, but they're a full 2 mm of copper along with an induction compatible SS disc base (if that matters, we're also getting 2 induction 3.6 kW burners) and SS-lined on the interior, which is much tougher than tin.

Stooxie, what a beautiful range and kitchen! Now I understand why your anti-CC posts are so passionate! I really do like the look of the Bluestar, especially the oven handles, which I like better than the CC. I like the larger oven capacities, though I worry about the tradeoff in insulation. I do like the CC's asymmetric ovens on their 60" for all the small baking jobs you don't need a full size oven, though the idea of baking 4-6 full sheets at a time in BS's 60" sounds awesome for the rare times we need that kind of capacity. And I suppose we could do most small baking jobs on something like a Breville counter top oven.

Are the BS oven doors actually cool now? Because I've read they're still uncomfortably hot. No injuries yet isn't the same as no injury potential (there are smokers who never get lung cancer, but that doesn't mean smoking is good for you). I understand "kitchen safety" is an oxymoron (cast iron grates are WAY more dangerous than a hot oven door, and pots could burn or scald even with induction), but just wondering how the oven doors are. Honestly, not with your BS beer goggles on. :)

David

@David - I was leaning toward a CC early on in my search and had dismissed the Bluestar due to hot and sticky doors as well as customer service issues. I was all set to purchase the CC.

I then began seeing issues with the CC simmer cababilities (the current threads confirm it is still an issue), rack positions and a few customer services issues and decided to do more research on the BS.

I found that most of the past issues were resolved including customer service which is pretty important when spending that amount of money. The retailer put me in touch with the regional BS rep and I attended a multi hour cooking session with him. It was love at first cook.

One of my concerns was the hot door. My 8 yo niece loves to cook with us and I couldn't take a risk. The door did get hot during the pre-heat phase. Hotter than I would like but it cooled down once it reached the correct pre-heat temp. I wouldn't put my hand on the door and leave it for a long period of time during the pre-heat cycle.
I felt comfortable it wasn't the issue some claim it to be.

Having said that, he did warn me that if broiling with the door cracked open, the knobs would be blazing hot and should not be touched. I think that would be the case with any broiler and a door cracked open but I appreciated the warning.

I believe both ranges are GREAT choices and our decision was based on several factors - looks, simmer, racks and local representation. Capital is not carried locally so that was a concern for me. The BS rep has been handling the line for 30 years and is onsite for install and provides a "get to know your BS" cooking session once installed. I liked the personal service so that solidified my decision.

Good luck with your decision.

M

Michelle, thanks for your input. It's good to know that the door is hot but not dangerously so. No, we won't be broiling with the door open, but yes, one would expect the controls to get dangerously hot.

I'm definitely more open to the BS than I was even yesterday, mainly because I'm a sucker for bigger and more capacious, and I'm noticing the BS 60" range has TWO 26.25W x 15H x 20D ovens, whereas the CC 60" range has ONE 27W x 14H x 21D and one 12x14x21. My wife likes the availability of the small oven for most small jobs, but yikes, the BS has TWO ovens that could do full sheets! Tempting.

I wonder if the fit (18 x 26 in a 20 x 26.25 space) is so tight that convection currents won't work well? Truth be told, 18 x 26 is a tad tight even in a 21 x 27 space, though not quite as tight. Any bakers know the answer to this question? Is 26.25 x 20 too tight for a 26 x 18 pan? Or is 27 x 21 too tight, for that matter?

David

Stooxie, what a beautiful range and kitchen! Now I understand why your anti-CC posts are so passionate!

Thanks, I think! :-)

My posts are not "anti-CC," per se. They are anti-fantasy, anti-spin, anti-baloney and anti-Second-Coming-with-no-history-in-the-field.

What I, and most of the Bluestar owners, respond to is the notion that just because a new range has come along that was "designed to be all things to all people" that is necessarily is. What's even funnier is all these people saying "I wanted to get a CC but I see these issues. Now what do I do??" Ummm, get something else?!

Bluestar is, in all fact and reality, the no compromise range. It does not apologize for what it is or try to be mana from heaven. There are attributes about it that people don't like, i.e. the industrial looks, but others love it for exactly those reasons.

Simple as that!

-Stooxie

>Having said that, he did warn me that if broiling with the door cracked open, the knobs would be blazing hot and should not be touched. I think that would be the case with any broiler and a door cracked open but I appreciated the warning.

I do this often and although the knobs do get quite warm they don't get blazing hot. The very easy work around to this tho is to pull the drip try out 6 inches or so. This deflects all the heat out of the way of the knobs.

Stooxie: EXCELLENT post.

>My posts are not "anti-CC," per se. They are anti-fantasy, anti-spin, anti-baloney and anti-Second-Coming-with-no-history-in-the-field.

Amen to that!

Tyguy - good idea, that would deflect the heat. I can't imagine ever letting the little one broil anyway so it did not scare me away. As long as she can hold the handle and peek inside without combusting into flames, I am good. She has also been cooking with since she was 3 so she knows not to hug and kiss a hot stove. ;-)

Michele, David - please see the post I made today about my interactions with the Capital engineer. As I have been quite vocal lately about my simmer issues, I feel it incumbent on me to make it quite clear that they are now in the process of addressing everything. Please look at this post and ask for further clarification about something I may have missed or glossed over.

I have been vocal lately in my dismay about the ongoing simmer issue. But as this problem is being addressed for me personally and I do believe for the community of all CC owners very imminently, I am fast becoming a seriously happy owner/customer.

I wonder if the fit (18 x 26 in a 20 x 26.25 space) is so tight that convection currents won't work well? Truth be told, 18 x 26 is a tad tight even in a 21 x 27 space, though not quite as tight. Any bakers know the answer to this question? Is 26.25 x 20 too tight for a 26 x 18 pan? Or is 27 x 21 too tight, for that matter?

There is plenty of clearance in the rear of the oven, behind said baking sheets. The convection fan will swirl the hot air around properly. The convection fan "reserves" that space, if you will, to do its job.

-Stooxie

Thanks Aliris....for us, the CC is off the table for the main kitchen. I spent several hours cooking on the BS and it was love at first cook. I put it though quite a bit - melting butter and chocolate (holding it till I was ready), a pot of rice, stir fry, broiled steaks, oven door temp tests and baking. It did what I needed and more. I have already spec'd the 60" BS in my new build.

It sounds like you are making great progress and I hope they resolve the issue very soon. I was impressed with the focus and personal attention they gave you but how will they do that for all the other owners across the US having the same issue? I will keep a close eye on the threads as I still need a 30" colored range for my prep/pantry kitchen although I am leaning toward an induction or an electric range for that area.

Cheers,

M

Stooxie is correct. The oven depth measurement quoted above is from front of oven cavity to front of convection fan. This leaves a lot of room at the rear to each side of the fan unit for air movement/convection.

"My posts are not 'anti-CC,' per se. They are anti-fantasy, anti-spin, anti-baloney and anti-Second-Coming-with-no-history-in-the-field."

Stooxie, no offense intended here, but I've read MANY of your posts, and you, sir, are the proverbial pot, being PRO- every one of those things you claim to be anti-. But it's cool, you're clearly in love. We've all been there, and a lot of us still are. :)

@Aliris, thanks for reporting your experience with making progress on your CC's achilles heel!

David

So.. I don't want to hijack the thread but since I am "all in" for a 48" BS and there is so much interest and experience here, I'd like to ask for your perspective on the following:
Range ovens or wall ovens? Allow me to explain: I love the ease of use with wall ovens- easy to view what you are cooking, easy to reach inside and clean (love a clean oven so I keep it up using the self clean only once every 12 -18 months.) And I'm not getting any younger... I am also concerned that this is my retirement kitchen and these old bones will have a hard time being raised from the floor and reaching the back of the range ovens to scrub down.
With this in mind I had decided that, assuming I can get some good references, I will get the 30" BS FDWO (LOVE- LOVE -LOVE the FD)coupled with a less expensive electric wall oven. Thought this was a good choice because I am way out in the country and if one oven broke I wouldn't have to worry about waiting for service and also because of the whole electric better for baking "thing".
But my dealer, who has a RNB, has suggested that with my budget, it is more cost effective to get the RNB than the separate wall oven.

The other issue is that my kitchen wall space is limited so the rangetop can go in the center island allowing for more cabinets.

So its 4:45AM and I am wondering... what do you think and do you love your BS oven? Thanks all. nighty, night!

Stooxie, no offense intended here, but I've read MANY of your posts, and you, sir, are the proverbial pot, being PRO- every one of those things you claim to be anti-.

I'd love to ask for some examples of where I've spun some obvious deficiency into a feature or rationalized away bad design, but skip it. You're entitled to your opinion.

-Stooxie

I had a chance to spend about 1.5 hrs at BS HQ touring the facility with Matt Schutte. I was already leaning towards a plain 36" but am now giving serious consideration to the MS model. The tour was fantastic and I would highly encourage anyone who can make the trip to take it in.

Matt addressed some of the issues with the ignitors and said they have worked with the supplier who claims it was a bad part run. He also said they include extra ignitors with new units.

Additionally, for those of you who might like a different burner configuration, apparently they can accommodate. So, if you want all 22K, or 3 22k's and one 9k you can have it.

Also, I was thinking of going very plain stainless, but after seeing the MS in infused copper I have to rethink that!

what is MS?

The Chef Marcus Samuelsson product line.....Beautiful!

Here is a link that might be useful: Inspired by Marcus Line

I think it is now being called "the precious metals line"
I'm not a fan of its appearance my self, but it does make a statement.

I also toured the factory. Loved the french doors on the MS.

We've had our Blue Star MS sitting in our garage for weeks now waiting for the kitchen to get to the point where appliances can be installed. GC tells me he's going to do it today. I'm not sure I believe him. Here's a picture from the garage. It's really pretty in person and can't wait to see it in the kitchen. I think I'm going to love the french doors.

Dolode - those knobs look all wonky or it just the picture?

One knob (for the oven) is lower than the others.....both of your oven knobs will likely be lower too unless they have changed. They are on my 48".

So now they'll put the french doors on the non-MS units. Glad they changed their minds.

Can any of you modernaire owners post a pix and/or comment on how you like your hood? I have ordered one, and can't wait to see it. I do suspect a problem though. GC says hood can't go to the ceiling. Big problem...

So, it is now 2013. Are you still loving the bluestar?

I am torn between the 36" bluestar and i was able to track down a 36" Unsealed wolf that is now discontinued.

Ay opinions? Need to act fast, the wolfs are disappearing ...

This post was edited by endives on Wed, Jan 23, 13 at 19:12

I don't know how stale this is, or if you've gotten the opinions you've needed, but I'm well past the honeymoon period on my Bluestar.

I've got one of the older ones, back when Trevor was selling them at Eurostoves, and his service was excellent.

I have basically no complaints with the cooktop portion of the range and enjoy cooking on it immensely. The burners are easy to regulate and both the mid-heat and the simmer burner get low enough for my needs. I have never found that I needed another simmer burner.

It sounds like Bluestar has improved the ignitor circuitry somewhat so that only the burner that needs lighting fires. It's not a big deal and I haven't had any significant problems with the ignitors in the three or four years we've owned the range.

If it were just for the cooktop performance, I'd go for another in a heartbeat.

The gas oven? Not so happy. Big bangs from the oven floor that were never resolved. The broiler isn't anywhere near a commercial salamander, no matter the construction. It cycles on and off so you have to watch everything in it every time, not just go by time and then check. The temperature is off around 25 deg. on the low end one way, and about 25 deg on the high end the other. Not able to set the span of the control -- only a single-point calibration. Oh well, there are worse things. Have to keep the door hinges well greases or they will sieze. The front of the door gets uncomfortably hot -- claimed to be within UL standards, but it just doesn't seem right.

I do love the ball-bearing shelf and wish it had more.

The oven seems reasonably uniform, based on baking on both half sheets and full sheets. Even though they'll fit, we don't find the uniformity on the full sheets to be that good.

Was it the right choice at the time -- yes.