Gas range question and opinions

[pete6032]

I have been reading up about gas ranges and some of them seem to have higher or lower BTU ratings. I haven't read anything about natural gas line capacity. Is it safe to assume that my existing natural gas line will deliver enough gas to fully fuel one of these higher capacity ranges?

Secondly, any opinions on whether getting a higher BTU range is worth it? I use my range every single day but I don't think I have ever though to myself that I wish it could get hotter than it currently does.

Finally any opinions on brands to buy? All I see is "stay away from Samsung and LG."

 

[NutBucket]

Simplistic answer; yes your gas line can support it. Your furnace or tankless hot water heater require more BTUs...the latter requiring a larger gas line.

As for whether you need it; if your current range is OK as far as cooking there's no need for it. Higher BTUs are usually needed for various Asian cuisines where you're stir-frying in large woks, etc. So if you're not doing that I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[herm0016]

if you want something nice, look at high end stuff used on cl, fb, whatever. We have gotten subzeros, dacor ranges, kitchen aid dishwashers used for way less than new cheap stuff and they have been great.

50 feet of 1/2 in pipe will supply about 50k btu. most houses have 3/4 from the meter as a trunk line and 1/2 from there to the appliance. each burner is 5 to 15k btu usually. a range with 4 burners, usually something like 15k, 7k 7k and 5k can easily be supplied by a 1/2 line. and I don't think I have ever used all 4 and the oven at once.

the Kitchen aid stuff seems solid, along with jenn-air, higher end GE stuff. we have had great luck with dacor ranges but the rest of their line gets terrible reviews. bosch is meh to me keep having to reset the breaker on a gas range from them some kind of software issue maybe. Meile has been good, our subzeros have been great after we buy them very very cheap and have them fixed. one is about 6 years out and another was just a factory reset and has been going great for 3 years. not bad for 500 bucks.

also check out the scratch and dent areas of your high end appliance dealers, often you can get a great deal on nice stuff. they will put out their display models, scratch and dents, miss orders, etc.
lower end stuff is pretty simple, and i would choose what ever seems to have the least amount of BS electronics on more budget stuff.

also check AJmadison.com, they have stuff in stock that I could not find anywhere else. just got the shipping notification for a stand up freezer we ordered last week!

 

[MrSquished]

Look at induction if you want raw power. Learned about their power on this forum actually. They'll boil water faster, get hotter faster, and you can't burn yourself on them like a traditional electric stove.

 

[sdifox]

Look at induction if you want raw power. Learned about their power on this forum actually. They'll boil water faster, get hotter faster, and you can't burn yourself on them like a traditional electric stove.

Well the residual heat will still cook your hand.

 

[deadlyapp]

Look at induction if you want raw power. Learned about their power on this forum actually. They'll boil water faster, get hotter faster, and you can't burn yourself on them like a traditional electric stove.

For someone who already has a gas line, going induction makes almost no sense. Gas generally cooks better still than induction and is far more versatile. Plus depending on your cookware you could have to buy new stuff.

 

[MrSquished]

For someone who already has a gas line, going induction makes almost no sense. Gas generally cooks better still than induction and is far more versatile. Plus depending on your cookware you could have to buy new stuff.

If you want hotter, induction is better. It goes nearly 200 degrees hotter than gas. I have a natural gas line, and after learning about induction, I'd strongly consider switching if my stove broke.

I want to create some wok hei, and that's not happening with pretty much any gas stove you can install in a home. Take a look at what Chinese takeout places are using. They are like furnaces, to get the temps they need.

What I like about gas are the visual cues. It's easy to take a quick glance and see where your flame is at, rather than staring at a dial.

 

[deadlyapp]

If you want hotter, induction is better. It goes nearly 200 degrees hotter than gas. I have a natural gas line, and after learning about induction, I'd strongly consider switching if my stove broke.

I want to create some wok hei, and that's not happening with pretty much any gas stove you can install in a home. Take a look at what Chinese takeout places are using. They are like furnaces, to get the temps they need.

What I like about gas are the visual cues. It's easy to take a quick glance and see where your flame is at, rather than staring at a dial.

Similarly though there is no way to get good wok hei without direct heat because you're constantly taking it off the coil.

I definitely agree though, unless you install a specialized burner, it isn't really possible to do ideal wok cooking indoors.

 

[MrSquished]

Similarly though there is no way to get good wok hei without direct heat because you're constantly taking it off the coil.

I definitely agree though, unless you install a specialized burner, it isn't really possible to do ideal wok cooking indoors.

That's a good point about the lifting off and the tossing of the pan on a coil vs a rocket engine flame.

I think perhaps trying to change one's tossing technique could maybe even the playing field, maybe. More on the coil, fewer lesser frequent tosses, let that higher output touch the pan more, so a quick less often flip still has the food land on a hotter surface.

I'll have to wait until a rich YouTuber gets a kitchen with both types of stoves and does the test. And if that person was Alton Brown even better.

 

[Scarpozzi]

50 feet of 1/2 in pipe will supply about 50k btu. most houses have 3/4 from the meter as a trunk line and 1/2 from there to the appliance. each burner is 5 to 15k btu usually. a range with 4 burners, usually something like 15k, 7k 7k and 5k can easily be supplied by a 1/2 line. and I don't think I have ever used all 4 and the oven at once.

That's the stuff most people don't think of. Properly sizing the lines is a big deal and going back to a 1" pipe may be necessary before stepping down to smaller pipes for the appliances. It can be fixed cheap enough, but requires pressure testing the lines and going through a pipe fitter and local code offices.

 

[herm0016]

That's the stuff most people don't think of. Properly sizing the lines is a big deal and going back to a 1" pipe may be necessary before stepping down to smaller pipes for the appliances. It can be fixed cheap enough, but requires pressure testing the lines and going through a pipe fitter and local code offices.

eh. im fine installing black iron for gas. but i also am certified to work on up to 10000 psi gas lines. houses are like 6.

 

[deadlyapp]

eh. im fine installing black iron for gas. but i also am certified to work on up to 10000 psi gas lines. houses are like 6.

Here in Texas (I think at least in most all cities), the homeowner is allowed to work on their gas system without a permit, however any repair or additions to gas line are supposed to then be inspected and pressure tested (the pressure I saw was 3psi).

Black iron is so simple to use, if you have any plumbing experience you should feel comfortable.

 

[NutBucket]

Our lines are like 0.4 PSI. Dope it up and call it good basically.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Here in Texas (I think at least in most all cities), the homeowner is allowed to work on their gas system without a permit, however any repair or additions to gas line are supposed to then be inspected and pressure tested (the pressure I saw was 3psi).

Black iron is so simple to use, if you have any plumbing experience you should feel comfortable.

Agreed. Pipe dope does ok sealing the line, but you should pressure test and verify you have no leaks.

I piped the gas lines to a tankless water heater once and had to install a stub out with a cap like in this picture: (black iron pipe on left bottom of the water heaters) https://images.app.goo.gl/K5VVMdwMgT4vkNAf7

Not a big deal, but if you don't expect to need the tee, you would need to get all new pipe to get the job done. It pays to read up on code for gas fixtures and know what you need to know to do the job right.

I always worry because of the number of houses that have "gone up" due to leaks....not to mention the gas mains that have blown in bigger cities...like Boston a few years back.

 

[Greenman]

eh. im fine installing black iron for gas. but i also am certified to work on up to 10000 psi gas lines. houses are like 6.

Around here everyone has gone to the flexible gas line. The pipe is cheap and easy to install, the fittings are stupid expensive.
This area runs half a pound of pressure off the meter, we test at 30psi.