New Range Advice/Opinions/Comments...Blue Star 48"

So the time has come to move up to a production grade range. I have pretty much settled on a Blue Star 48 incher with a custom colour for the oven doors. Now that the easy part is done, I am looking for board experience on ANY brand for burner choice/arrangements. Without question, I am getting all the burners as the 22,000 BTU Ultranova option.

With 48", I have the room for eight burners, but I am about 95% set on six with either a gridle or sear station.


TIA for any responses as to your experience(s).

To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever turned on my gridle station on my Wolf range. Figure a pan might be just as efficient without all the clean up.

Never buy the griddle option, as it can never become a grill. However, a grill can become a griddle by putting an external griddle on top of it. I’m looking at a replacement for my POS 36" Viking range, and have narrowed it to either Blue Star or a Capital Culinarian series, which was IMO a better burner design, which happens to be 23K BTU, negligably higher than Blue Star, not that I would notice. All burners are standard 23K on the Capital, whereas I believe you have to pay extra and custom order on Blue Star. Fewer custom colors to choose from on the Capital, but might be worth a look.

Chuck, why is the Viking rated as POS?

Good point on burner vs. griddle.

Mine is 10 years old, but it has been problematic from the get go, but it may have just been my specific unit. I never thought it deserved to be thought of as a high-end range from a build quality perspective. Short story, defective thermostat on delivery, insulation wrapped around convection fan spindle from the get go, plastic knobs where the markings have worn off, door never sealed properly, and now almost won’t open and needs replacement door hinges. They may have improved some issues over the years like the knobs, but I’ll never buy another one. I did hear that they were just sold a couple weeks ago, FYI.

Interesting. Sounds like you definitely got a lemon for sure.

I went to a kitchen design studio and got to handle all the big names side by side. Build quality on the Viking/Wolf seemed about the same, but the Blue Star was above both. Granted, I did go in with a bias of what I wanted. I just needed to get a tactile and visual affirment.

I surely could use a conveyor fryer that the new parent company offers.

Will a French Top fit in the spot for 2 burners?
Like Chuck’s strategy around the griddle/grill
Still think 8 burners looks slick
Which model specifically of the Bluestar Bill?
Any word on if BS will do a duel fuel? Kristi bakes, bakers I know love electric vs. gas ovens. Last I read the standard in that combo was Wolf.

No dual fuel on Blue Star. Wolf is switching to a new sealed burner with lower BTU output.

I have been on the fence trying to decide between Blue Star and a Capital Cullinarian. Both seem to be good ranges. (I’m looking at the 36" models.)
People with Blue Star like the Blue Star range. People who have a Capital like the Capital.
Anybody try both?
What is it that moved you to a Blue Star?

French top requires four burner spaces.

Duel? Pistols at twenty paces? neener

Open burner, colours and talking to people that cook a bunch at home.

Wish I would have done duel fuel…not a fan of my gas oven (love the burners). (Viking 36" btw)

Dual. I swear I typed dual. Fucking apple products.

Have moms step it up next time and buy something useful.

I just went through a major kitchen reno. Got rid of the viking 48" with griddle - never used and got a 36" American Range. Not Dual Fuel, since when you get that option the inside oven is smaller. Just Gas. American Range and Blue Star were neck and neck - and we did a ton of homework. I don’t think you can go wrong with either product, just depends on the model, the amount of burners - we have 6 with a simmer, option. but the key for us was the spacious oven - which had the biggest capacity of any 36" range and was so much bigger than our viking - which we sold for a good price just for the name, but we always found the baking uneven.

Good luck.

I have a six burner dual fuel Dacor that I have had for 11 years. I have a griddle pan that fits over the center 2 burners that we use relatively often for tortillas, pancakes etc

I have never wanted for a grill. I really love the dual fuel as my wife Bakes a lot and Dacor has a pure convection option that eliminates the use of the burner on the bottom which is great when roasting chicken, meats etc. It also has a gas IR broiler that gets freaking hot… almost too hot. In the 11 years I have had it I have had 2 repairs. 1 a broken oven window when I spilled water on it. The second was just last month when I had to replace the electric heating element in the bottom of the oven $500.

I went with Dacor because at the time they had the largest BTU output (across all burners), the top is very easy to clean unlike Viking and all of the features the oven had.

I have been very happy with it.

I looked at the 8 burner 48" but the second oven was so small it seemed almost unusable. In retrospect I have never needed 8 burners. Although a second oven would be great.

George

Alex and George, thanks for the input.

Assuming the design studio for the home builder will play ball on changing the kitchen up and moving a couple of things, I think we are going to roll with the 48" Blue Star with six Ultranova Burners and the sear station/grill option. Going to go with a medium dark blue for the color.

After reading up, it seems like the Viking has dropped from the top of the heap and is on cruise control from name recognition. Wolf and Dacor are still up there, but the big selling point for us is the color option and grate design the Blue Star has.

All are welcome for dinner when in DFW, once we get the crib built.