Best Gas and Electric Ranges in 2021: Buying Guide and Review

Deciding on the best range oven for your kitchen is a choice between a gas range, an electric range, or a dual fuel range. All have their pros and cons, but your needs, your situation, and how much you’re prepared to spend, will help determine which is the best choice. Regardless of which one you’re used to or currently own, our guide to the best gas and electric ranges will help clarify the choices you have. Our product reviews will also help you choose the best gas range, the best electric range, or the best dual fuel range for your home.

Which is Better - Gas or Electricity?

The general consensus is that gas is almost always the cheaper fuel. Gas is also more ecologically friendly, but a recent study suggests that the pendulum will shift towards electricity in the near future.

In terms of health and safety, electricity has the edge over gas. If a gas range is not properly ventilated, it can pose significant health risks. Regardless, even with no broad regulations covering home oven ranges, a quality range hood is always recommended.

On the other hand, gas has the upper hand in the situation of a natural disaster, or an event that disrupts utility services. The reason being that most gas ranges can easily be converted from using natural, piped gas to liquid propane.

Pros and Cons of Gas and Electric Ranges

There are a number of things to consider before deciding to go with either a gas or an electric range: purchase cost, installation cost, running costs, reliability and repair costs, performance and design features. But, which of these is more important?

In terms of value, gas tends to be the better deal for lower priced or basic ranges. For mid-range models both fare equally well, while an electric or dual fuel range is the better deal if you’re prepared to pay more.

If you’re simply replacing a gas range with another gas range, installation is fairly straightforward. But, if you’re switching to a gas range or choosing gas for a new home, then installation will cost you more upfront. If your current set up is for gas, or if you want a dual fuel range, running a 220V electric line can cost from $132 and $287 on average.

Electric ranges cost more to run, and depending on where you live the difference can be up to 30%. On the other hand, electric ranges are more energy efficient in how much energy is transferred while cooking.

The life expectancy of a gas range is 15–17 years, and 13–15 years for an electric range. Gas ranges are also easier to repair, but tend to have much higher call out rates than electric ranges, which adds to potential costs.

Lastly, the performance of gas ranges can be adversely affected by high altitudes—you may have to buy a high altitude conversion kit— as well as inconsistency in local gas pressure.

Verdict

When you add all the costs into the long term, gas may only have a slight edge, so you’re better off looking at design and performance features to see whether gas or electric is the best for you.

Gas Cooktop vs Electric Cooktop

This is where there’s a big difference in terms of performance and cooking style. Most professional cooks prefer a gas cooktop because it has better heat control, especially with instant heat on and off, and it heats more evenly.

Cooking Styles

Electric cooktops have the edge with heating a pot of water faster and maintaining higher temperatures. This is especially true for electromagnetic induction cooktops, which also have very similar instant heat properties compared to gas. Ranges with induction cooktops, however, tend to be quite pricey. For searing and braising, gas is much better because the flame reaches up the sides of the pan, and the stove can handle rough movements. With low heat and simmering, tests show that electric ranges only have a slight advantage.

Design Features and Cookware

Most electric cooktops these days are ceramic glass coated with magnetic induction plates or radiant coiled elements beneath. These glass smoothtops are rather delicate so they scratch and smudge easily. Induction plates can also break easily in the event of an electrical surge.

Gas cooktops, on the other hand, hold up to rough usage, and with continuous grates you can easily drag your cookware over the top— something you should never do with a smoothtop. Gas cooktops can handle most types and sizes of cookware, whereas radiant smoothtops require the pan to match the ring diameter, and some cookware can scratch the glass surface. Induction cooktops require compatible metallic cookware, but this restriction can be overcome with a simple induction heat diffuser.

Finally, gas cooktops often have an oval or fifth element in the middle that fits a griddle pan, a large stock pot, or a casserole dish. Radiant and induction smoothtops can have mergeable elements that offer a similar advantage, but these are, for the most part, found on mid ranged and higher end models.

Verdict

Gas cooktops are more versatile for the price, but require more repair than electric cooktops. Electric cooktops may have the speed advantage, but mergeable elements and the similar advantages of induction to gas come at a higher cost.

Gas Oven vs Electric Oven

It is said that most cooks prefer an electric oven because it produces a more constantly even heat. Even so, both gas and electric ovens often come with a convection fan which ensures better heat distribution, faster cooking times, and energy savings. Nowadays, a range with basic convection is relatively affordable.

Electric ovens, however, can have additional convection and infrared broiling. Having said that, gas ovens are for the most part faster at preheating. Additionally, gas produces a less dry heat, so it’s better for foods that need to conserve moisture such as larger cakes, flakey pies, and some confectionery.

Apart from these differences, additional features that electric and gas ovens can have are much the same namely: delay start timers, meat probes, self-cleaning, digital controls for ovens, safety locks, automatic switch off, Bluetooth and WiFi interfaces.

Verdict

If you use your oven more for cookies, bread, casseroles, roasting, and broiling– electricity is a good choice depending on what you want from your cooktop. If you prefer a moist heat for larger cakes, delicate pastries, or flakey pies– gas is a better choice.

Dual Fuel Ranges:

These have an electric oven and a gas cooktop to essentially offer you the best of both worlds. They tend to be more expensive, but there are a few good affordable choices out there. In addition to a gas line, they also require a 220V electrical input, so either way additional installation costs may be incurred.

Summary: Which Should I Choose - A Gas, Electric or Dual Fuel Range?

For most people, choosing the best range oven is usually a question of what they can afford. People also like to stick to what they are familiar with, but this may not always be the best choice. Besides price, it’s more useful to think of things in terms of what you need from your range, and what your situation is.

• Price
• Needs
• Circumstance

If you’re looking for versatility at an affordable price, then gas is probably better. If you don’t do a lot of moist baking, an electric range with a high spec cooktop is worth considering for the best overall value. And for those who don’t mind the extra cost, a dual fuel range will get you cooking like never before.

Electric ranges are the best choice if health and safety are your primary concerns, and an electric range is all round safer if you have young children.

If your living situation is uncertain an electric range is better—even if you must run a 220V connection— because your next abode may or may not have gas.

BTU’s and Watts: Power Talk

Gas power levels are measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs), and electricity in Watts. 1 BTU = 0.29 Watts, and you can easily do an online conversion. Here’s a convenient reference table for the most common (rounded off to watts) power levels you will encounter when comparing gas to electric ranges.

Best Oven Capacity: What Can I Fit Inside?

A standard 30 inch freestanding range can hold a turkey about 24-26 lbs. Smaller capacity slide-in ranges and double ovens can take a 20 lbs bird. It’s better though to check the inner dimensions of your oven to see what roasting pan is the best fit.

Pro style ranges are typically 36 inches, but some are 30 inches, and larger ones are 48 inches wide. 36 inch and 30 inch ovens are generally less than 4.0 cu.ft., often around 3.8 cu.ft. for the popular 36 inch models. A 2.4 cu.ft. oven should easily be able to take an 16‒18 lb bird.

Reviews of The Best Gas Ranges in 2021

Our best gas ranges include two dual fuel ranges, the best 36 inch gas range, and one standard 30 inch range.

Here’s our picks of the Best Microwave Ovens.

1. Cosmo 36 Inch Dual Fuel - Best to Buy in 2021
2. GE Slide In Single Gas Range - Best Value
3. Cosmo 36 Inch Freestanding Single Oven - Best Single
4. Verona 36 Pro Dual Fuel Range - Best Double Oven

1. Cosmo 36 Inch Dual Fuel Range - Best to Buy in 2021

Enjoy the benefits of an electric oven with European convection, and a high spec gas cooktop. This Cosmo has over eight oven functions including multi dish baking, rapid convection broiling, and a cook timer.

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• Dual convection

• 7 cooking modes

• Multi dish baking

• Delicate baking

• Cook timer

• Detachable backguard

• 2 year warranty

• No heavy duty racks

• No LP conversion kit

Dual fuel ranges are becoming more popular, and they give you the best of both worlds. Electric ovens are more powerful than gas ones, and for the price, this oven doesn’t shy away with what it has to give.

Dual Convection Oven

This 3.8 cu.ft. oven has two heated convection fans for rapid or European convection, and each element adds 1 550 watts of extra power. There are two oven elements, upper and lower, and the grill element has quite a high power rating too. You can do a lot more with this electric oven than any type of gas oven:

• Static cooking with upper elements and no fan - best for cakes, pizzas, breads, and casseroles.
• Delicate cooking with lower element and fan - best for pastries and cakes with wet covering and little sugar and damp desserts in moulds.
• Upper element cooking - best for browning.
• Grill element - best for melting cheese, toasting, and browning.
• Grill element and fan - best for broiling meats, vegetables, and poultry.
• Convection with cook element and fan - best for multi-rack cooking for various types of foods with the appropriate cooking times for each dish.
• Defrosting with bottom fan - for all types of food by circulating air at room temperature

There’s no self-cleaning function on this oven, nor are the racks heavy duty. The oven will switch off with the cook timer, it has an overheat protection mechanism, cool to touch handles, and a bottom storage drawer.

High Spec Cooktop

The five burner cooktop is quite similar to other high spec cooktops. The center burner is a top 18 000 BTUs for a stock pot, intense boiling, or a griddle pan (not included). The front left burner is for searing and rapid boiling, and like all other Cosmo cooktops, the front right burner is the low heat auxiliary burner. It has the usual safety ignition and the back guard is removable for a more built in look.

Final Words

Most people are really happy with results from baking and roasting, and find the cooktop to be quite versatile. After using the oven, the fan tends to be a bit noisy and vents hot air out the front. Installation is fairly straightforward if you’re replacing an existing dual fuel range, but otherwise you’ll need a 220V line with 50 amps and the stove has a 4 pronged plug.

2. GE Slide In Single Gas Range - Best Value

A popular range with good performance ratings. The oven is nothing fancy, but has a couple of nice features, and the cooktop showcases an integrated non-stick griddle pan that fits six grilled cheese sandwiches.

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• Slide in or freestanding

• Large non-stick griddle pan

• Two 15 000 BTU burners

• Continuous grate

• 35 ℉ temperature adjust

• Steam-cleaning below par

• Rough grate

This range has finished sides so it can stand at the edge of a counter. There’s an optional trim kit if you want to create a slide in look, but it’s in actual fact a freestanding range with front controls. Most of the specs are pretty standard, and the oven is a static oven meaning there’s no convection fan.

The Cooktop

Most competitively priced ovens, although very similar, try their best to stand out from the crowd is some way. For this GE, it’s the large, integrated griddle pan, and you can also get an optional grate to replace it when you need an extra burner for a pot. There are two fast boiling burners with a maximum of 15 000 BTU, and the center griddle burner is 10 000 BTU which is ideal for searing meats. It also has a continuous grate, but some people find their pots get scratched from dragging.

The Oven

The 5.3 cu.ft. oven is also pretty standard, but it has a delay start timer as well as a standard timer. One extra feature is the 35 ℉ adjust which allows you to adjust the temperature up or down without having to reset. For the price, the cleaning mode is only steam-clean, even so, it doesn’t do such a good job. It has other standard features such as a storage drawer, control locks, and an LP conversion kit.

3. Cosmo 36 Inch Freestanding Single Oven - Best Single

This all gas model is a no frills range, that has a standard convection fan, looks good, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

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• Standard convection fan

• 17 400 BTU burner

• Removable backguard

• Wok grate

• Halogen lights

• Safety push knobs

• 2 year warranty

• No temperature gauge

• No LP kit included

• No heavy duty racks

Ranges with a lot of extras are nice, but sometimes the frills are just an over compensation. As such, this range doesn’t have any super specs to boast about, but it’s easy to use, more robust than a standard type of oven, and less expensive than a fancy pro style range.

The Convection Oven

This Cosmo has a standard convection fan with no extra heat element. The advantage of a gas oven is a more moist heat. Convection, on the other hand, creates a more intense though drier heat, so a simple convection fan is more than sufficient in this case.

The broiler only uses the top gas element, and you cannot do intense or fast broiling using the convection fan. The oven has a basic timer, meaning that it just alerts you when your food is done, and there are three bright halogen lights inside.

One disadvantage of the oven is that it doesn’t have high quality, heavy duty racks, which would have been a nice touch for the price.

The Cooktop

This cooktop doesn’t boast any 18 000 BTU burners, but the 17 400 BTU center burner is more than enough without going over the top. It’s all you need for a big stock pot, for intense boiling, or a griddle pan. The front left 8 200 BTU burner is the best for braising and rapid boiling, and the two semi rapid burners (6 900 BTU) are placed at the back. This range places the auxiliary low heat burner (5 000 BTU max) in the front right position, so this is a bit different from other ranges where it’s usually at the back.

The knobs are very neat and stylish, and use a safety push mechanism for starting. The cooptop also comes with a removable wok grate, and the backsplash is also removable if you need to create a more built in look. For LP gas, with this range you have to purchase the conversion kit separately.

User Experience

Most people love how this range looks and are happy with what it can do. Most negative reviews relate to delivery issues from shippers and customer service is inconsistent. Sometimes they are really good, but other times fifty-fifty. Another thing people feel lacking is a temperature gauge, so you may have to purchase an oven thermometer separately.

4. Verona 36 Inch Dual Fuel Double Range - Best Double Oven

A sturdy oven with a high performance cooktop and two electric ovens with identical functions including six different cooking modes. It has a delay timer for all programmed courses, and the cooktop comes with a wok grate too.

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• Two convection ovens

• Triple broiling in both ovens

• Delay bake and standard timer

• Detachable back guard

• Two dual and one triple burner

• Wok grate and griddle pan

• Ideal for large stock pots

• 2 year warranty

• Small ovens

The Electric Ovens

The ovens in this range are not exceedingly large—2.4 cu.ft. and 1.5 cu.ft.—but there’s a lot you can do with them. They are both convection ovens, each with a 2 450 watt convection fan and two heavy duty racks. The larger oven should accommodate a bird between 18 to 20 lbs. The smaller oven and its broiler have slightly lower power ratings than the bigger one, but they both can both do the same things:

• Traditional baking with no convection fan.
• Ventilated or fan cooking using the circular element and convection fan for food well-cooked outside and soft or rosy inside, such as lasagne, lamb, roast beef, or whole fish.
• Tradition convection using the lower and upper elements, but not the circular fan element. This is for equal internal and external cooking for rolled roasts, turkey, legs, spare ribs, or cakes.

The infrared broiler alone is good for browning, crisping, toasting. With dual broiling, the top element comes on for faster and more intense cooking. Triple broiling additionally deploys the convection fan, and is ideal for fast outside browning while keeping in the juices for foods such as veal steak, steak, or hamburger patties.

The Gas Cooktop

What gives this cooktop an edge over others is its center fifth burner. This burner ranges from 1 000 BTU to 16 000 BTU and is particularly good for simmering and boiling a large stock pot, but it can easily take a large casserole dish or a dutch oven. The two front burners both reach 12 000 BTUs, so they are good for boiling water and braising meats.

Other Features and Additionals

The backguard is detachable and there is an optional island trim kit if you need a lower level vent for a built in look. The model reviewed here is stainless steel, but check with your vendor if white, antique white, burgundy and matte black are also available. The oven has a standard timer and a delay timer for all cooking courses, there’s no self-cleaning, but the high grade porcelain interior is easy to keep clean.

Review of The Best Electric Ranges in 2021

Our selection includes one of the best priced 36 inch fully electric ranges, the best value you can get for a convection oven with an induction cooktop, and the best freestanding range with front controls.

These products are the same as the updated electric range products

1. Verona 36 Inch Convection Oven - Best to Buy
2. Frigidaire 30 Inch Induction Cooktop - Best Value Single Oven
3. Frigidaire 30 Inch Radiant Smoothtop - Best With Front Controls

Here is our selection of the 3 best electric ranges in 2021.

5. Verona 36 Inch Convection Oven - Best to Buy

With this Verona you can enjoy the benefits of a pro style range with a spacious electric cooktop, dual convection, and three levels of broiling including closed oven broiling. It also has a 24 hour delay timer and programmable cooking courses.

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• Spacious cooktop

• Dual convection

• Triple broiling

• Rapid defrost

• Multi dish baking

• Adjustable legs

• Programmable

• Two year warranty

• No safety locks

• Basic cooktop

There are several advantages to choosing a pro style range. They are more robust and their ovens, although smaller compared to standard ranges, are often more powerful. They are built to last longer and as such come with a two year instead of a one year warranty. They can also lift up a kitchen with a much bolder aesthetics, and even add to home resale value.

The Verona Oven

The draw of this larger than average 4.0 cu.ft. oven is its versatile and high performance convection oven. With the handy oven dial, you can choose from seven select settings, and you can operate the convection fan independently for rapid defrosting. While pro ranges don’t have the largest ovens, this one is big enough for a sizable roast, or a large 20 pound turkey.

The type of convection used is European, rapid, or true convection which incorporates an extra heat element at the back of the fan. It has three baking or roasting functions:

• Traditional baking with no convection fan.
• Ventilated or fan cooking using the circular element and convection fan for food well-cooked outside and soft or rosy inside, such as lasagne, lamb, roast beef, or whole fish.
• Tradition convection using the lower and upper elements, but not the circular fan element. This is for equal internal and external cooking for rolled roasts, turkey, legs, spare ribs, or cakes.

Another key feature or this oven is the ability to cook different dishes at the same time. Using convection bake, odors are not mixed, but you have to select the best medial temperature, and put dishes in at different times.

The Verona Triple Broiler

Perhaps where this oven distinguishes itself more than others is its broiling capabilities. The infrared broiler reaches up to 2 200 watt, and you can further deploy the top oven element as well as the convection fan, with closed oven broiling.

The infrared broiler alone is good for browning, crisping, toasting. With dual broiling, the top element comes on for faster and more intense cooking. Triple broiling additionally deploys the convection fan, and is ideal for fast outside browning while keeping in the juices for foods such as veal steak, steak, or hamburger patties.

The Verona Cooktop

The key advantage to a 36 inch cooktop is how spacious it is, and Verona is one of the few pro style ranges with an electric cooktop. It’s very roomy and the central plate is an adjustable dual ring which is good for everything from simmering at 700 watts, to boiling at 2 100 watts. The other two elements are identical single burners with a 1 200 watt and 1 700 watt in both the front and the back.

Unfortunately there’s no melt element or mergabe elements for a griddle pan. Some people feel he dials are a little difficult to read at first before you get to know them. Unlike most smoothtops, there’s no safety lock, but there is a hot plate indicator.

Timer, Programmability and Other Features

Not many pro style ranges have a delay timer, but this Verona offers a little more. The delay timer can be set to just below 24 hours, and you can program in different cooking courses—meaning you can program a convection roast at your selected temperature to start and end at a particular time. All cooking courses can be programmed to end at any time without the need for a delayed start.

The bottom drawer is a storage compartment, and the range also has convenient adjustable legs for uneven floors. There’s no self-cleaning function, but the oven has a high grade porcelain interior which is easy to clean.

6. Frigidaire 30 Inch Induction Cooktop - Best Value Single Oven

An energy efficient range with the cost savings of both a convection fan and an electro magnetic induction cooktop, but minus a few typical extras.

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• Convection fan

• Induction rapid boil

• 3 500 watt oven

• Hidden bake element

• 3 900 watt oven broiler

• 100% made in USA

• Digital only controls

• No cooktop melt element

• Storage drawer poor quality

This 5.4 cu.ft. Frigidaire is the best affordable choice if you want the convenience and energy savings of convection fan cooking in addition to an induction cooktop. These two features together are typically found on more premium ranges, but Frigidaire makes them relatively affordable with this range. On top of this, you also get a powerful 3 900 watt broiler.

In order to keep this oven within an affordable price range, there are few typical features that are not included such as a delay start timer, rapid preheat, or keep warm functions. It has a standard timer though, a lock, as well as quick self-clean and longer self-cleaning cycles. People are quite happy with the induction cooktop, even though it doesn't have any special melt or keep warm function.

One drawback to this range is the fully digital interface. For people who are used to knobs, it might take some getting used to the digital controls. Most users seem in agreement that the storage drawer, although functional, is poorly made.

7. Frigidaire 30 Inch Radiant Smoothtop - Best With Front Controls

A modern looking, front control freestanding range that has the look and feel of a slide in. This is a powerful oven with an excellent broiler, and a cooktop has everything you’ll need.

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• Freestanding or Slide in

• 3 500 watt oven

• Hidden bake element

• 3 900 watt broiler

• Keep warm element

• Rapid boil element

• Self-cleaning

• Cooling fan a little noisy

• Oven only 5.0 cu.ft

With neat, finished sides, this is actually a freestanding range with front controls, but it has the look and feel of a slide in range. A true slide in range doesn’t have seams as it overlaps the counter, but this model can easily replace any existing freestanding range.

This Frigidaire is a range that attempts to push limitations. The 3 500 watt oven is more powerful than most deluxe ranges, and the broiler manages to top some 3 900 watts. It doesn’t have a convection fan, but it’s a top performer for its class. It has all the other specs you’d expect namely a delay start timer, oven lock, auto shut off, self-cleaning, and a hidden bake element.

The cooktop is similar to other Frigidaires, but also excellent value. There is everything from a 100 watt keep warm or melt element, to an expandable rapid boil element which reaches up to 3 000 watts. It also has a 12 inch diameter plate, which is quite common for newer cooktops.

Comparison Table of The Best Gas and Electric Ranges

What Are the Best Gas and Electric Range Brands?

It’s difficult to conclusively say which are the better brands because consumer organizations and other parties tend to have a bias towards testing big, popular household brands. Also, ratings and opinions differ a lot between organizations and distributors who rate ranges.

Within top recommended brands there are both high and low performing models, and with electric ranges, coiltops, smoothtops and induction ranges score differently according to the manufacturer.

Most manufacturers of standard 30 inch ranges such as GE, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Samsung, LG, Bosch, Premier and Hotpoint to name the main, make both electric and gas ranges. Pro ranges tend to focus more on gas or dual fuel ranges, but pro style ranges, despite their higher cost, are not necessarily better than cheaper household brands.

Conclusion

There are equal pros and cons to gas and electricity depending on what you need from your range, the price you can afford, and what your situation is. Once you understand these, you can more easily choose the best gas range, the best electric range, or the best dual fuel range for your home.