When I first wrote this post my thesis was that there is a hole in the American market, but after doing more researching and self-reflection, I’m now wondering if it’s just our perception. I wonder if just because we are used to a convenience/luxury it doesn’t actually mean we need it or should have it. Today’s appliance tale (and the 6 I’m seriously considering) is an exploration in just that.
For the farm, I wrote that I’m shopping for an induction range instead of natural gas for environmental reasons (read this post as to why if you are just catching up). But my intent to find that 48″ induction range of my dreams has been thwarted by, well, what feels like a massive hole in the American market. This has been frustrating for everyone as it has totally held up the design of the kitchen and with long lead times, my lack of decision will most certainly hold up the construction. So what happened? I was so sure!!!
It seems like, after a lot of research, I have not found a 48″ beautiful full induction range that has the large oven capacity that we are used to (if I’m wrong – please, PLEASE let me know). But maybe I’m used to a big SUV (double wall oven) and shouldn’t be surprised that by getting a beautiful crossover (a 48″ range/stove) we’d have less storage (interior cooking cubic feet). What I’ve kinda come up with is that you really can’t have everything, and furthermore exploring whether we actually NEED everything anyway. Americans specifically think we “need” all these conveniences in life, and the bigger the better, and we are learning more but perhaps we really don’t (and shouldn’t). Just because we are USED to something does not mean we need it or that our life will be less fulfilling without it. It’s a “more is better” mentality, and we all know how this ends – it’s not. Today we are talking ranges, but it’s a larger conversation that we are having a lot at our house and in the office.
Another good example of this is our main bedroom in the farm. We are adding on 8′ to make it larger (so we can have a big walk-in closet) and sure for resale I think this is smart, but the reason we are doing this is because we are used to a large bedroom here so now we “need” it in our next house. This is a dangerous way to consume and is making me rethink a lot. Working with Anne (who is European – from Germany) has been very enlightening because this mentality (and I’m even pretty conservative in this way) is very American. But I still struggle with the deprogramming that “bigger is better”, and it’s worth chatting about (and asking you all). So here goes:
I want full induction range to reduce our natural gas consumption (again, Oregon is electrifying really quickly meaning that we have a lot of green energy sources in which to electrify our houses, thus reducing our use of fossil fuels in our home). Brian wants lots of oven and stove capacity – many burners as well as big oven space for some fantasy future dinner parties. I want it to be BEAUTIFUL. Brian is fine with it just being normal.
Currently, at the mountain house, we have a 36″ gas cooktop and a double wall oven with 24″ wide by 17″ deep interior space. It’s GREAT. We’ve never struggled with fitting in ANYTHING and I’d say we use both ovens at once at least twice a month. We hosted Thanksgiving during Covid and it was quite the success. Of course, maybe on a day to day, we could stagger the cooking times, and not NEED both ovens but this is a case of “you use what you have, if you have it”. It’s like how you can dirty 15 towels a week if you have them, but if you only have two towels, you’d only dirty two.
At our old house in LA, we only had a 36″ range with a single oven and you know what? We lived happy fulfilled lives, but we also VERY rarely cooked and now Brian and I have both found the pure joy of cooking together and know it’s something we want to continue to pursue when we move to Oregon.
But after HOURS and WEEKS of researching I’m realizing we just can’t “have it all” – full induction, 48″, with large oven capacity and beautiful (please tell me if I’m wrong). So here are our options:
Option #1: Downsize To A 36″ Induction Range
If we could let go of our 48″ dream size there are SO MANY more options. Apparently, these are plentiful on the market because a lot of apartment buildings or new construction homes don’t have gas lines so induction (which is electric, but not the ’80s electric) is the best if not the only option. So if you are in the market for a 36″ range you have a lot of beautiful options.
Pros: There are a ton of 30″ – 36″ induction ranges that are awesome, beautiful, and well-reviewed. And obviously the smaller they are the more affordable they are.
Cons: My fear is that our kitchen is on the medium to big side and we cook a TON so it might be too small, both aesthetically and functionally. A 36″ one would likely look small and not meet our cooking needs – but also, that might just be my perception and it might be totally fine!
1. Bertazzoni Professional Series 30 Inch Wide 4.6 Cu. Ft. | 2. Viking 30″ Electric Induction Range | 3. 36″ Transitional Induction Range | 4. Majestic II 36 Inch Electric Freestanding Range | 5. 30″ Retro Electric Induction Range | 6. Cafe 30 Inch Wide 5.7 Cu. Ft.
Option #2 – ILVE 40″ Full Induction Range
Like I said we lived with a 36″ range in our old LA house and we didn’t die, so would a 40″ range with a double oven be enough? Maybe! These are awesome are VERY pretty and while I know very little about them besides being made in Italy, it could work.
Pros: So pretty. Lovely colors. Full Induction, with still two ovens.
Cons: The interior size of the large oven is 17″ wide by 14″ high by 16″ deep which is technically big enough for most large roasting pans (16 x 13″) but still on the smaller side. And the other smaller oven could be for sides. Would 40″ feel too small for our kitchen? I don’t know!! Maybe not???
This could work, it really could. We’d have to change some of our habits and we might only be able to do a 20lb turkey in the future, but It’s doable.
Wait, Why Are There So Few 48″ Full Induction Ranges In America??
There are SO FEW 48″ FULL induction ranges in America and that’s because the market just doesn’t support it right now. The electrical output for this size of a range is a lot, and until more states start electrifying then not a lot of people or states will likely purchase these. “Electrifying” is a term that means switching our dependence on natural gas to clean energy via solar and wind power (not coal). California has now mandated it with new construction, and Oregon is certainly up there too, so we could do it, but it’s good to know and something I didn’t realize. Also, yes, currently for many states an induction range is more expensive to run on a daily basis than natural gas – so your bills could be higher. We know this and are willing to pay more to reduce our footprint and hoping that the market changes and clean energy can be more democratized for all. Of course, induction is so much more energy efficient (not wasting nearly as much heat), but in our current electrification status in most states, it’s indeed more expensive to run. I didn’t know this before and was SO FRUSTRATED to only find a handful of options. But when I did I realized they all had something in common – smaller oven capacity.
As we were about to pull a trigger on one of these below beauties, Anne warned that a friend of hers had one of these and they ended up adding a wall oven in their pantry because they felt the oven size was too small. That would be a REAL BUMMER. So I actually went and experienced one for myself and indeed they are much smaller than what I was used to… But here are the options and thus begs the question that just because we are used to something (double wall oven) doesn’t mean we NEED it. Does it??
Option #3: La Cornue – Chateau 48″ Full Induction
This full induction 48″ range is STUNNING.
Pros: I mean, so beautiful. So many color options. Reviewed SO WELL in regards to cooking, baking, etc. It’s epic and can make a kitchen.
Cons: The oven size is so much smaller than we are used to. The interior oven size of the larger oven is 17 1/2″ wide by 18 1/2″ deep, and 9″ high. I tried a turkey roasting pan and it fit, then I tried a slightly bigger one and it didn’t fit (the handles made it unable to close) but that might just be a handle problem. But almost all reviews that I’ve read are that you just have to mentally adjust your thinking and often use two cookie trays instead of one. Also while we don’t typically host for Thanksgiving, Brian was not psyched about possibly not being able to do so in the future. And I get that. But I also don’t want to make huge decisions based on a future fear of inconvenience. But Brian is a real “Thanksgiving guy” and the possibility of this future fantasy day being thwarted by a current design decision was really bumming him out. Also, this model has a very long lead time and is not cheap (nor should it be). But boy would it make me happy.
Option #4: Aga 48″ Elise Full Induction
Another BEAUTIFUL option from a very trusted brand.
Pros: So beautiful. Classic if not a bit more modern. Full induction at 48″. Less expensive than La Cornue. Lead times seem doable. Each oven can have different functions meeting a lot of different cooking needs. It’s GREAT.
Cons: Interior oven size. When we looked at the specs we realized that it is 17″ wide by 14″ deep. That felt very shallow but when we confirmed with a salesperson they said that they’ve never received any complaints about it. And when I looked at most turkey roasting pans they are 13″ x 16″ so technically they can fit, but it’s a tight squeeze for sure. And again you need smaller baking sheets, but that’s just a slight lifestyle adjustment. These don’t come in as many colors YET, but they are launching new colors in 2021 and I confirmed that you can get it with the brass knobs (which I was very excited about).
This is a firm contender and I’m excited to see it in person at a showroom.
Option #5 – La Canche 48″ Dual Fuel
Now this one is duel fuel for the burners which means they have some induction and some gas, but the oven is electric as well so it’s MOSTLY electric. Usually, when it says Dual Fuel it means all gas burners with convection or electric oven. Technically we could use the induction almost exclusively and reduce our energy bill and gas output. But it’s not available in America yet in full induction.
Pros: These are also SO BEAUTIFUL. AND the interior capacity of the larger oven is 21″ wide by 16″ deep – WAHOO!!! So certainly big enough for Brian’s future fantasy turkey. Brian is campaigning hard for this one and it might have my vote, too.
Cons: Not full induction burners, which is something we really wanted. I’d love to reduce the use of gas when possible, but if we truly can use the induction burners most of the time it seems responsible still. Also, these do have a 10-11 month lead time as they are made in Europe and shipped via boat (which is better for carbon emissions, but certainly far away).
Option #6 – Get A 36″ Induction Cooktop With A Separate Electric Wall Oven (BlueStar)
While we did kinda want larger than 36″ to have more space, I know that 6 burners are plenty for the Hendersons as it’s what we have now (Brian tried to argue this one, but I’m right:)). I love BlueStar as a brand so I’m considering them.
Pros: Full induction cooktop. Relatively affordable. Made in America and so beautiful with a lot of customization. The wall ovens are so pretty in the colors they come in and can be panel ready as well (integrated)
Cons: We’d have to literally redesign the kitchen as we’ve designed it for a 48″ visually epic range and have left no place for a wall oven. We have already ordered the windows so this is not an easy redesign AT ALL. We would have to lose a window and the overall kitchen design might suffer. Also, the 36″ induction cooktop is way more contemporary than a range in style. It looks far more modern, which is obviously fine but we are going for a casual, shaker, farmhouse vibe, and this doesn’t have that same impact so we’d need to redesign the whole kitchen to de-emphasize this area and make more of a design statement somewhere else.
Option #7: Use A 36″ Or 40″ Range And ALSO Put A Single Wall Oven In The Pantry
This is where Brian looked at me with a hard side-eye and he worried about my common sense. In his perception, my obsession to have a beautiful induction range means we are now buying TWO separate ovens and putting one in a pantry? It didn’t make a ton of sense, but sure, it would solve the problem… but if we are trying to reduce consumption does having TWO ovens do that? I guess we could find a used one?? I can tell you what he’s going to say about that:) We could also see how it goes and when we go to redo the Victorian house (which has no oven or range now) put in a 36″ range with a large oven for overflow. Again, not the most relatable choice but an option for us because this special property came with that original farmhouse. This would take likely 4-5 years, though.
So that’s where we are at. All of these are valid options – all BEAUTIFUL, all truted brands. But there are a lot of unknowns – mostly about the future lifestyle of our family. I’ve read a ton of reviews on all of these and as you can tell I trust that most of these will meet or surpass our cooking needs so I didn’t really emphasize that as a pro or con in our considerations. This is more about size, number of burners, and oven capacity. I love ALL of these stylistically.
HELP – FEEDBACK ABOUT OVEN SIZE NEEDED…
So what next? Well. First off I wanted to write this post to get your experiences, specifically those of you who have one of the stunning ranges with the smaller capacity ovens. Does this really bother you? Like in your heart of hearts are you bummed that your oven space is a bit more crowded? Or is that just a fear that we all have that should be debunked? If so I’m HAPPY to do that publicly with your endorsement. My hope is that you’ll have a similar experience to many bloggers that have reviewed these (that I worry are sponsored) where the smaller oven capacity is actually fine, because the larger one was not really NEEDED anyway. Brian will be reading EVERY SINGLE COMMENT 
Beyond listening to your experiences I’m going to challenge Brian and I to not use the lower oven and see if we truly need TWO or if so, note how often we do. I’m also going to buy some smaller cooking sheets and see if we can get away with them – like maybe we are just used to those big 22″ trays and once we move to using two smaller ones we’d be fine! And lastly (and possibly more importantly), we are going to a ton of showrooms in Portland to test as many out as possible. I might even bring my dutch ovens and a turkey roasting pan to pretend cook
Of course, what we end up choosing will also be dependent on lead times, color options, availability, and cost. So my hope is that we don’t finally decide on one and then realize it’s an impossibility or out of stock for 3 years:) But like I tell my kids all the time – almost every problem has a solution and no one is going to die if I don’t have my dream range.
I hope that through these conversations we can A. get the induction market going in more price points and sizes, and B. create more conversation around noting what conveniences truly enhance our day to day lives and what “luxuries” aren’t exactly a daily value-add, we are just “used” to having them. You guys have taught me so much about this, so thank you
So what are the pros of smaller oven sizes from those of you who have them and THANK YOU. xx
Opening Image Credits: Right – Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp, From: It’s Finally Here: The Reveal of the Mountain House Kitchen | Left – Photo by Tessa Neustadt, From: Our Modern English Country Kitchen
The post A Tale Of A Girl In Search Of The Perfect 48″ Induction Range And The 6 Different Options I’m Considering (Along With A Rant, Of Course) appeared first on Emily Henderson.
from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/large-induction-range-options
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