What should I look for when purchasing a range?
Convection cooking: Convection ovens include a fan that circulates hot air throughout the entire oven for optimal heating when you’re cooking on multiple racks at once. Some convection ovens also include a third heating element to enable fast cooking, like true convection by Maytag.
Gas burner btus or electric element wattage: Gas burner heat is measured by a btu rating (british thermal units) and electric element heat is measured in wattage. Most ranges have burners or elements with different heat capabilities. Look for at least one burner with high numbers that indicate high heat, such as the power burner by Maytag which puts out from 15,000 up to 18,000 btus of heat energy, or the power element which can reach up to 3,000 watts.
Burner or element size and shape: Some ranges feature burners or elements designed for unusually shaped or extra large cookware. Look for ranges with dual or triple elements that you can adjust according to the width of the pot, like the Maytag dual choice element. Long burners and elements for oblong cookware are also common, like the bridge element or oval burner by Maytag.