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andresrr_gw

Replacing double wall ovens with range?

Andresrr
9 years ago

We are planning our kitchen remodel and are stuck at almost every detail. The latest is the decision between keeping our double wall ovens and cooktop or replacing with slide in range. Here are the particulars:

We'd happily move to a bigger house if we could afford it but we cannot. We may be there for the long run. In the six years we have been in the house, we have used both ovens exactly three times. Our children our young, we don't do holidays at my house but instead go to the parents. I don't like turkey.

We cook just about every day for a family of four. We bake maybe once or twice a week and must admit having the wall oven is very ergonomical. The second oven acts as storage for our cast iron cookware, which we use once or twice a week. Not a small thing actually.

I would say our kitchen is moderate size. Wall ovens are common in our area and I would say the current functionality is good overall.

A range would allow us to pick up cabinet space but not much in the way of counter space; at least as currently designed. Obviously, a range is also cheaper than double ovens, which is a consideration. Resale value I think should always be a factor as you never know, we could move sooner than we think.

Of course, we could comprise and get a single oven?

Comments (10)

  • plllog
    9 years ago

    Last first: If you get a single wall oven, it would be advantageous for resale if the cabinet it's in could easily be converted for double. That is, minimal carpentry for someone else's taste, rather than requiring a whole remodel. In other words, have a drawer or cupboard over or under the oven (or part and part), that can be removed to accommodate an average sized double. Compare the price of the cabinetry (drawers, doors, etc.) to the price difference between a single a double oven, given that you use your second oven for storage you'll need anyway. :) But you could fit more in a cupboard, and a cupboard doesn't depreciate at the same rate.

    As to ranges, have you ever had one? Have you cooked on the burners with a hot oven at your knees? A newer one with fans? Have you bent down to tend an oven?

    You acknowledged the ergonomics of the wall oven, but didn't say how that related to you and your family. If you'll all be fine with a range, there's no reason why not. If someone doesn't like your appliances, when buying the house, a range is much easier to swap out. That's freestanding range.

    One advantage of separate pieces is that when one fails, the other doesn't, so you can still cook, even if you have to be a bit clever.

    Also, as the kids grow, they can be finishing their cookie baking in a wall oven, while you're finishing dinner on the cooktop, if you have separates.

    Money is definitely a big question, especially in the position you're in where you're already compromising because of the budget. However, the most important things in the kitchen, given running water and delivered power, are the cooking appliances and the refrigeration. Any cheap fridge will keep your food cold, though you might have to fiddle to get the milk in the cold spot, the butter in the warm spot and keep the lettuce from freezing. Cooking appliances, while all will get the job done, are much more particular. A certain feature, a certain quality, a way it handles, can make the difference between loving and hating to cook. Therefore, if you're going to choose one thing to splurge on, it shouldn't be any of the finishes or other appliances. It should be the cooking. Get what you most want and use DalTile white 4" square tiles.

    Only you know if you'd really prefer a range or wall ovens and cooktop. Do consult with the rest of the family on what they like. But, in the end, since you do cook and bake, and don't use the ovens to store shoes, get the cooking that best suits you and find other places to be practical and scrimp.

  • lenzai
    9 years ago

    I don't have space in my kitchen for a double or even a separate oven so I'm going with a gas range with 2 ovens! If you don't need to make a large turkey, those seem to be a great compromise so you still have the utility of 2 ovens in a lot less space.
    I have no idea how this will affect resale however.
    The link below is to more expensive model, but they have cheaper versions in other brands.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Check this range out

  • cani
    9 years ago

    lenzai, I ordered the same range you linked to. I hope I like it as I am used to a wall oven and gave it up for more counter space.

  • lenzai
    9 years ago

    cani123,
    Let me know how you like it. I'm in the process of finalizing and ordering everything. I saw it in the store and liked it over the other 2 oven ranges, seemed very solid and roomy. I like the controls on the front as well. They said because the controls are on the front, when the oven is on, there will be a fan on to keep them cool so we'll see how noisy that gets. I've never had my own wall oven so I have nothing to miss, only to gain :)

  • fishymom
    9 years ago

    I switched from double wall ovens and cooktop to a slide in range with single oven. I rarely used both ovens and the warming drawer in my new range covers 75% of that. I also purchased a Breville 800XL oven for those rare occasions I may need another oven. My kitchen is small and replacing the wall ovens with a range and hood really opened up the space. I talked with a real estate agent who specializes in my neighborhood before we made the decision and she did not think it would have any impact on resale value. For me, it was a great decision!

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    I'd want the option of a second oven to have two different oven temperatures at the same time. What about the microwave? You could get a convection microwave that could serve as a second oven.

  • nuggly
    9 years ago

    I went from one range to double ovens and a cooktop. Your children are young now, and holidays aren't at your house...yet. Those kids will get older, as well as your parents, and the time will probably come when you will be hosting holidays. A kitchen remodel is expensive, not to mention a major PITA, and I certainly don't want to do it again any time soon. Try to envision being in that kitchen in 10 years and how it would work for you. I use my 2 ovens a lot more often than I thought I would, and just last night I had dinner in one, and dessert in the other. The lost cabinet space is not missed compared to the convenience and flexibility of my 2 ovens.

  • sayde
    9 years ago

    I have a 30 inch gas range, a Miele speed oven and a Breville countertop convection oven. Having 3 ovens, of 3 sizes, gas and electric, provides great flexibility. Don't need to heat up a large oven for small things, and can have different things at different temperatures going at once. Had a cooktop and oven before and switched to the range -- helped the entire layout.

  • andreak100
    9 years ago

    "We are planning our kitchen remodel and are stuck at almost every detail."

    Why don't you post your floor plan and let us help you with that...since it sounds like you're flexible still in your overall appliances, when you post the layout, let us know that you are toying between separate oven and cooktop or a range...maybe one will make more sense than others.

    It's likely that in your remodel, you will be able to pick up more usable space by carefully planning what you are doing - basing your cabinets on your storage needs and appliances on how you would find them useful.

    Personally, I wanted a separate cooktop and oven - I love that I can be at the cooktop and not have the heat from the oven right on me, particularly now with many (most? all?) having the oven fan vent blowing on you. We went with a single oven and the MW is above it. I've never had a double oven, so I don't know what I'm missing if I were to have one...and it it's really necessary, we have our old range hooked up in our basement.

  • chisue
    9 years ago

    Although I will not buy another 'combo' with one set of controls for both parts, I have liked having a microwave above a single built-in oven. There's 18" of counter space between this cabinet and my cooktop. This keeps all my cooking and plating in one area. I also have a toaster-oven on the other side of the cooktop that I use to heat dinner rolls -- or make toast in the mornings. I would never use two big ovens.

    I have a slide-in range at our condo with a microwave over it and a toaster-oven to the side. It's awkward to bend and reach over or around the low oven door when it is open, especially while broiling -- at the same time trying to mind the cooktop of the range and the M/W above all this! There aren't a lot of ways around this in a 9 X 9 "U" shaped kitchen.

    If you have room for an oven and M/W to be built in...good for you. Keep the wall oven and separate cooktop. (I have deep drawers under my cooktop that I would hate to lose.)