In the mid-90s and early 00s, a market space began coalescing in the realm of kitchen appliances. Restaurant chefs were seeking to bring the cooking tools to which they’d become accustomed in their workplaces into their homes. Gastronome celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain and Delia Smith elicited the desire for home cooks to create gustatory wonders for themselves. Brands answered this call and began to offer professional style ranges for the domestic kitchen.
At first, the benchmark for professional ranges was open burners on the cooktop. These deliver quick high heat for sears and low flame for simmering and melting. Conversely, they are difficult to clean and most households don’t have an afterhours crew dedicated to this task. This prompted the implementation of sealed burners which can be restored to pristine condition with the swipe of a damp cloth and are also more efficient. Now professional ranges are identified by clean aesthetics usually marked by stainless steel finishes and configurations that maximize mise en place. Here’s a look at some of the best professional ranges of 2020.
Which brands offer some of the best professional style ranges?
Viking VGR5606GQSS Professional 5 Series 60-Inch Freestanding Gas Range
This stately Professional 5 Series double oven from Viking will be the envy of any who enter your kitchen and a pleasure for any who get to use it. From the six high output burners to the built-in griddle and grill to the double convection ovens, this is one appliance that can cook it all. Highlights include:
- Five 15k BTU burners and one 18.5k BTU burner
- Convection and standard infrared broiling
- Sturdy and precise control knobs
- Automatically relighting burner function
- Cast aluminum removable grease trough
The key to great cooking is control: the better a chef can control the temperature of the foods being prepared, the better the taste to come. This 60-inch professional range from Viking is as precise a cooking apparatus as a chef could ask for. All six of its burners use the SureSpark Ignition System and automatically reignite if they go out during use, and all employ the steady VariSimmer feature as well, so whether you’re keeping a huge pot at a rolling boil or a little pan at the lightest simmer, you can count on the cooktop.
Both ovens (each has a capacity of four cubic feet) feature electric spark ignition and six functions, including convection baking, infrared broiling, convection defrosting, and more. And back up top, both the griddle and grill measure 12 inches wide by more than 24 inches in depth, providing ample cooking space and the perfect cooking surfaces for all sorts of foods.
ILVE UPN150FDMPIX Nostalgie Series 60-Inch Freestanding Dual Fuel Range
Don’t let this ILVE gas range’s classical styling you fool you: though the Nostalgie Series's elegant aesthetic would have looked as perfectly in place in a kitchen from the mid 20th century as it does well into our own 21st, this is a thoroughly modern appliance with the performance and variety of functions to prove it. Highlights include:
- Dual function triple ruing burner can quick boil large pots or simmer the smallest pans
- Cooktop features sealed brass burners
- Oven pizza function perfect for pizzas and baking breads
- Large storage and/or dish warmer drawer beneath range
- Thermocouple safety valves shut off gas flow if burner goes out
Even if you cook three meals a day and cater your own parties on the weekends, your range is going to sit idle more than it is actually being used. So it’s a good idea to choose a gorgeous appliance like this one from Ilve so you can enjoy its good looks even when you’re not using it. From its finial-capped handles to its handsome brass burners to the gentle curve of the oven windows, this dual oven range is nothing if not easy on the eyes.
But of course it’s much more that. It’s an eight-burner stove with an optional griddle and a multi-function burner with a 15.5k BTU top output. It’s got multi-function ovens including multiple fan cooking that allows for simultaneous baking (or broiling or roasting) without food aromas mingling with one another. It’s got a rotisserie function, a defrost function, robust cast iron grates, safety shutoff features, and so much more. And in the realm of full sized gas range stove and oven combos, this is an affordable professional gas range.
American Range ARROB6602GDN Performer Series 60-Inch Freestanding Gas Range
This large and in charge range brings the heat like few others. It features three max output 25k BTU burners and dual 20k BTU grill or griddle burners. If you need to boil, sear, and generally cook a high volume of food at high temps, this one should be high on the list. Highlights include:
- Three 25k BTU burners
- Open burner design for maximum heat concentration
- Precision analog controls
- Large 4.4 cubic foot ovens
- Multi-function ovens with convection and infrared modes
By now, you know the term professional gas range does not mean an appliance only fit for use in a restaurant. But if ever there were a model that could hold its own in a professional kitchen, it’s this one from the Performer Series by American Range. Let’s discuss just a few of the features that prove that point. First, the sheer power burners sets this range apart. Half of its six burners produce 25k BTUs, with another two at 18k BTUs (more than the largest burner on many stoves) and one at 12k BTUs. There are also two large griddle/grill burners rated at 20k BTUs each. And as these are open burners, the heat is delivered directly, allowing for maximum efficiency and control.
Then we move down to the pair of 4.4 cubic foot ovens. They are large enough to accommodate commercial sheet pans and can be set to standard bake, convection bake, infrared broil, and fan cooking. Simply put, if you can think of a food you can’t properly prepare using this range, you are going to have to invent a new appliance yourself, because there isn’t one out there.
Wolf GR606CG 60-Inch Freestanding Gas Range
This elegantly understated gas range will transform the way your kitchen functions while adding a touch of style without impeding on the décor. Highlights include:
- Five 15k BTU burners
- Automatic burner reignition system
- Classic brushed stainless steel finish
- 18k BTU broiler for perfectly seared steak or salmon
- Dual convection ovens
Why do you need a professional gas range for the home like this one? Because you care about making food the right way, and not all foods can be cooked same way if you want to get it right. Between the dual ovens, the six burners, and the built-in grill and griddle you’ll get with this Wolf appliance, you can make perfect steaks, fish, roasts, omelets, sauces, and so much more. The precise burners keep anything on the stove at just the right heat, while the 16k BTU charbroiler and 15k BTU griddle are perfect cook surfaces themselves.
The large twin ovens have an overall capacity of 8.8 cubic feet and both feature convection options and infrared broilers for fast searing. And thanks to their large windows and bright halogen lighting, you won’t have to open the ovens up to check on your progress.