September 15, 2016:
When choosing a gas range for your kitchen you should always try to find the product that best meets the needs of your family, your budget and the space you have available. During almost every remodel or new construction there comes a time when you’ll be faced with making some cuts to the budget. Here we’re going to show why you may want to reduce the size of your gas range but not the quality of the product.
1. High BTUs Means Power to Sear
Everyone wants more power and the higher end gas ranges definitely provide it. The open burners of BlueStar gas ranges max out at a scorching 25,000 BTUs of concentrated heat perfect for searing or achieving a rapid boil. Many of the less costly units will top out between 15,000 – 17,000 BTUs, but it’s not as efficient as the open burner versions due to the flame pattern of the burner. The sealed burners concentrate the heat in the center of your pan while the open burners spread it evenly across the cooking surface for better cooking results.
2. Wok Like a Pro
The key to cooking with a wok is to expose the bottom of the pan to controlled, high heat levels that will flash-cook the food producing a crisp, fresh flavor. You also need the ability to quickly increase or decrease the temperature level which can only be achieved on a gas burner. There are powerful electric burners on the market, but since these elements tend to retain heat you won’t have the same precise control that a gas range provides. BlueStar’s integrated wok cooking feature allows you to remove a burner grate and get the bottom of the pan directly over the flame. This produces remarkable results you won’t get when using the wok ring required with many other gas ranges.
3. Softly Simmer
Every range has a low BTU burner that’s called a simmer burner, but how well it does its job goes beyond temperature. BlueStar’s 130° open simmer burner efficiently spreads the heat across the cooking surface to provide a consistently low temperature for the most delicate sauces. This is another situation where the sealed burner design on lesser units will concentrate heat in the middle of the pan causing you to get sub-optimal results.
4. Endless Cookies (Restaurant Quality Ovens)
What would you say if we could drastically cut down the time you spend in the kitchen baking your holiday cookies? BlueStar gas ranges can accommodate a full size 26” x 18” commercial baking sheet that can fit so many more cookies than your standard 16” x 12” sheet. When you factor in the standard convection oven system will further reduce your cooking time by 10% you’ll have a lot more time to do your holiday shopping.
5. Heavy-duty Construction
When heavy-duty, commercial grade materials are used it’s almost certain a high-quality product will come of it. Higher end gas ranges use a heavier grade of stainless steel than their less costly counterparts which holds up better over time and a lot of meals.
6. Built-in Accessories (Flexibility)
Create a range that is perfectly suited to your cooking style and what your family loves to eat. Gas ranges like a BlueStar give you the option of adding 12” or 24” griddles, charbroiler and French tops which is just another reason to spend the extra money if it fits within your budget. A built-in griddle will produce a better result than a store bought griddle plate and makes clean up so much easier.
7. Customization Options
If you want to customize your gas range with color or trim finishes you’re not going to find it at your local big box store. You’ll be lucky if you’re even given the choice of stainless steel, black or white on these lower end ranges. The amount of colors and customization varies per brand, but typically when you move into the higher end class of ranges you have more options available to you. BlueStar offers such features as 750+ colors and finishes, colored knobs, trim finishes, swing door options and more.
8. Made in USA
Even though there are some very reliable ranges built overseas, the majority of the high end ranges in the gas market are made right here in the USA. Since 1880 BlueStar has been producing handcrafted cooking equipment in Pennsylvania for generations of discerning home chefs.
9. Makes Cooking & Entertaining Easy
You don’t need a gas range with all of the features we talked about above to host a successful dinner party, but it sure makes it a lot easier. Imagine having all of the oven space you need to fit all of your appetizers, enough burners to have everything cooking at once and a custom range that will be focal point of conversation while enjoying perfectly prepared appetizers. We can’t promise a high end gas range will make you a better home chef, but we can promise you’ll have the tools needed to do it.
10. Investment in Your Kitchen (Good Return on Investment)
Look at almost any real estate listing for a nice home and they surely mention the brand of the appliances that come with the home. Including a high end chef’s kitchen in your design could add as much value to your home as updating your bathroom or replacing that outdated flooring.
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