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How to Buy a 30 Inch Gas Freestanding Stove/Range (Features)

September 30th, 2013 | 3 min. read

By Steve Sheinkopf

How to Buy a 30-Inch Gas Freestanding Range

A free standing gas range is a gas range owned by 90% of the American population. The majority of free standing gas ranges are 30’’ wide, although some manufacturers produce smaller 20" and 24" models for compact living spaces. Gas ranges are also available in 36 and 48 inch sizes.

Among many consumers gas is a preferred cooking method for a number of reasons. Gas cooking is more efficient than electric cooking, meaning that your food will heat up faster and more evenly without losing as much residual heat.

Gas burners are now almost 50% more powerful than 10 years ago and feature many more configurations. If you live in Boston, gas is about 65% of all purchased units.

Freestanding vs Slide-In

Freestanding ranges have a backguard behind the range displaying the cooktop and oven controls. A slide-in has the controls on the front and sits on the counter to prevent any seams for easy cleaning.

Freestanding is cheaper and typically has more selection than the more expensive slide-in.

Features of a 30 Inch Gas Freestanding Range

Typically, for any brand, you will start with a self-cleaning range as a standard, add higher output burners, convection, warming drawer, second oven and then a double oven.. Let's look at each.

Burners

Compared to all of the cooking products in the industry freestanding gas ranges have some of the most diverse cooktop configurations. Your standard entry level gas range has four burners. As you move up in price point you will find that ranges will have a greater BTU variety for higher heat and better simmer. Some 30’’ ranges have a five burner construction or an oblong griddle burner in the middle of the range. A five burner construction is more flexible, especially if you like to cook several dishes at the same time. A griddle burner is great if you like to do a lot of skillet or griddle cooking. This oblong burner will provide the most even heat to your large pans.

Warming Drawers

Some freestanding ranges feature a built-in warming drawer. A warming drawer will keep your dishes warm until you are ready to serve. I use my warming drawer on a daily basis, especially if I am cooking multiple dishes at the same time and the rice dish is finished before the meat. Warming drawers are great for people who like to entertain or for busy families.

Typically, a warming drawer will cost $200-500 more as an option. Buying just a warming drawer will cost typically $800-1500, so it's more cost effective to purchase it in the range.

Ovens

A gas oven is great for broiling and will meet all of your basic cooking needs. Higher priced freestanding models have convection, or fan forced heat. A convection oven will have a faster preheat and cooking time, and will keep the interior oven temperature even and accurate.

Some freestanding ranges have a double oven construction. Double ovens can be a regular stove with an oven where the storage drawer/warming drawer would be or two equal sized ovens. Both have advantages, the true double is more versatile whereas the larger oven would be better for turkeys and roasts.

Featured 30 Inch Gas Freestanding Ranges

Electrolux Corporation

Electrolux is the second largest appliance manufacturer in the world. Electrolux is widely known in the US for making great vacuum cleaners and laundry however they make nice cooking products as well. This manufacturer owns both the Electrolux and Frigidaire brands.

Frigidaire FFGF3053LS - $729

This range is very basic but has enough functional features without the fancy bells and whistles. It has four burners: a 14,000 BTU power burner and a low simmer burner and a large oven capacity with self-cleaning.

frigidaire stainless 30 inch gas range FFGF3053LS
electrolux stainless 30 inch gas range EI30GF35JS

Electrolux EI30GF35JS - $999

This range is equipped with four burners and an oblong griddle burner. The BTU output ranges from 18,000 BTU power burner to 500 BTU simmer burner.

This range has a self-cleaning convection oven with a pretty blue interior.

BSH Corporation

BSH is the largest manufacturer of household appliances in Europe and is a big name in the North American market as well. BSH produces Bosch, Thermador, and Gaggenau brands. Bosch is well known for producing high quality European dishwashers but also produces great affordable luxury appliances in every category.

Bosch HGS7052UC - $1,549

This range is one of the nicest freestanding gas ranges out there in the single oven category. The burners max out as high as 16K BTUs and as low as 400 BTUs.

This range has a large true European convection oven with a full extension telescopic rack and an integrated warming drawer.

bosch stainless 30 inch gas range HGS7052UC

Whirlpool Corporation

The Whirlpool Corporation is the largest manufacturer of household appliances in the world.
This corporation produces Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Maytag, Whirlpool, and Amana appliance brands. KitchenAid is a well-known brand in the North American market. It is known for making high quality affordable luxury products in every category.

kitchenaid stainless 30 inch gas range KGRS505XSS

KitchenAid KGRS505XSS - $1,979

This range has four burners with an oblong griddle burner. It has burner output as high as 16,000 BTU and as low as 5,000 BTU. This range has a central oblong griddle burner. You have the flexibility to replace the central grate with a cast iron griddle giving you optimal flexibility.

This range has a double convection oven configuration. For a cook who likes to make a wide variety of dishes and is seeking maximum flexibility, this is a great range to consider.

Additional Resources

Download our Gas Cooking Buying Guide with features, specs and terms for every brand of gas cooking products. Over 40,000 people have already found answers in a Yale guide.

View our gas cooking buying guide

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Steve Sheinkopf

Steve Sheinkopf is the third-generation CEO of Yale Appliance and a lifelong Bostonian. He has over 38 years of experience in the appliance industry, and he is a trusted source of information for consumers on how to buy and repair appliances.

Steve has also been featured in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Consumer Reports, The Boston Globe, Bloomberg Radio, the New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur, for his knowledge of how to buy appliances and appliance repair.

Steve is passionate about helping consumers find the best appliances for their needs, and he is always happy to answer questions and provide advice. He is a valuable resource for consumers who are looking for information on appliance buying, repair, and maintenance.

Despite being the worst goalie in history, Steve is a fan of the Bruins and college hockey, loves to read, and is a Peloton biker. The love of his life is his daughter, Sophie.

A Note About Pricing

Pricing on this blog is for reference only and may include time sensitive rebates. We make every attempt to provide accurate pricing at time of publishing. Please call the stores for most accurate price.