Best Ranges for Entertaining

Tradition might be the byword this holiday season, but when shopping for a range you'll want the latest and greatest. Many innovative, timesaving features are borrowed from restaurant kitchens. High-power burners put out fast heat, convection fans trim cooking time by circulating the oven's hot air, and induction rangetops provide fast heat and precise control. 

Electric smoothtop freestanding ranges still win the popularity contest. But if you entertain often or cook multiple dishes at once, you might step up to a double-oven range. For a built-in appearance, consider a slide-in range that rests on a countertop; the controls are up front, so there's no rear panel to hide your beautiful backsplash.

We've rounded up the best ranges for entertaining from Consumer Reports' range tests. They offer generous capacities and features that speed up cooking. Look online for great deals. 

Check Consumer Reports' 2015 Holiday Guide for our picks of the best gifts, details on the latest deals, time-saving tips, and much more. And see our countdown calendar for top gift ideas for everyone on your list.

For avid entertainers

These ranges offer fast cooktop heat, impressive or superb simmering, and a large oven that was impressive or excellent at baking. They have a convection option that trims the cooking time of some foods—read your manual as it takes some practice. The $2,000 LG LDG4315ST gas range pairs a smaller top oven with a larger oven below. Among electric smoothtops, the $1,800 LG LDE4415ST has a smaller top oven and a bigger oven below. The $1,000 LG LRE3023S has a single oven. Induction ranges are expensive, but at $1,700, the top-rated Kenmore 95073 is among the least expensive in our tests. 

Best at baking

These ranges were impressive or excellent overall, but they stand out because they have large ovens and were excellent at baking. They turned out evenly browned cookies and cakes when baked on two racks simultaneously without our moving the pans to different racks or rotating them to get impressive results. Among gas ranges, the top-rated Samsung NX58F5700WS, $1,600, has seven oven rack positions. The $1,100 Kenmore 95052 electric smoothtop has six.

Splurges

Impressive or superb overall, these ranges also have lots of style and features. The $2,500 Samsung NX58H9500WS gas slide-in is loaded with style and has a warming drawer. So does the $2,800 GE PGS920SEFSS gas slide-in and it was excellent at baking. Note that slide-ins have their controls up front. The $2,800 GE Cafe CS980STSS electric smoothtop also has its controls up front, aced baking, and boasts a warming drawer. The $3,600 Samsung NE58H9970WS induction slide-in is part of Samsung's stylish Chef Collection and is loaded with extras, such as virtual flames. And if what you really want is a pro-style range, then you'll be happy to hear we test them too. See our range Ratings for details.  

Bargains

Who says you have to pay a fortune to get a range that offers fast cooktop heat, impressive or superb simmering, and a large oven that was impressive or excellent at baking? Consider the $700 Kenmore 74132 gas range, the $800 LG LRE3083SW and the $700 Frigidaire FFEF3018LW electric smoothtops. And for $430 the Kenmore 94142 electric coil top was the best of its bunch. It even comes in stainless, as many ranges do, which ups the price by $100 or more. 

See our range Ratings  for all your choices and check the brand reliability information to see what over 6,000 people had to say about the brand they bought. Email questions to kjaneway@consumer.org. 

—Kimberly Janeway