Slide-in vs. Freestanding Ranges
What is the difference between these two? This is a frequently asked question and the only difference is style. Slide-in ranges have the controls on the front. They sit on top of the countertops and give your kitchen a more custom, built-in look, especially behind the range.
Freestanding ranges have oven controls on the backguard of the range. Freestanding ranges are less pricey than slide-in ranges with the same features.
Slide-in models and freestanding models are most often 30” wide. However, while they both require a 30” cabinet opening, slide-in models have unfinished sides so they are truly designed to be built-in between two cabinets.
Freestanding ranges have finished sides and could be placed anywhere in the kitchen. They do not require countertops on both sides to hide the unfinished sides.
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Why buy a slide-in range?
Slide-In ranges are about 2” wider on top so they overlap the countertop. One of the main benefits to the overlap is cleanability. Food and crumbs can’t drip down the sides like it can with a freestanding range. So really the reasons to buy a slide-in are cleanability and style versus price for the freestanding.
GE Café Range
General Electric is one of the largest appliance companies in the world. Although the GE name is huge in the American market, household appliances are a very small sector of their massive corporation. Café was a popular introduction 8 years ago.
Its hard to know the future of GE with their recent acquisition from Electrolux. Café is still a competitive product especially in cooking. To be transparent, we do not sell any GE appliances
GE CGS985SETSS - $2997
- Freestanding range
- 5.4 cubic ft. self-cleaning convection oven
- 5 burners
- 20,000 BTU tri-ring burner can go from a low simmer up to a high flame
- Baking drawer under the oven for additional oven capacity
- Central griddle burner with griddle accessory
New Jenn-Air Slide-In Ranges
Jenn-Air is the premium brand owned by the Whirlpool Corporation. The Jenn-Air line is really extensive and is one of my favorite affordable luxury appliance brands, and luxury appliance brands. I am really excited for this new product release. We will soon see new gas, electric, dual-fuel, and induction ranges. Jenn-Air will only offer downdraft ranges in electric and dual fuel.
I really like the new style and luxurious upgrades they added, take a look at the features below:
Jenn-Air JGS1450DS - $2999
- 5.8 cubic ft. oven capacity can fit all of your largest dishes
- Baking drawer underneath the oven can operate as a second oven
- Glide rack makes it easy to move heavy dishes in and out of the oven
- Soft-close door adds an additional level of quality to the range
- Theatre lighting illuminates your dishes while you are cooking so you can better monitor your cooking
- 5 Brass burners are high-quality and more durable than other type of burners
- 19,000 BTU Dual-stacked burner on the cooktop surface can easily transition from a high sear down to a low simmer
- Central oval burner for griddles and skillets
- From an installation perspective, new Jenn-Air ranges will install back to the wall so you can easily replace your old freestanding range without modifying your countertop (if you have an old slide-in that required you to have countertop behind your range, you will want to remove this before installing the new Jenn-Air ranges
Conclusion
On paper, both ranges look pretty similar. GE offers a slightly more powerful burner whereas Jenn-Air has a larger oven. Both ranges offer 5 burners, a griddle burner, a backing drawer and the price is also really close.
They both can fit a freestanding or slide-in space without modification, which is not true of other slide-in ranges. Most slide-ins need the cabinets modified()referred in the industry as notching)
There are a few key features that distinguish Jenn-Air:
- Jenn-Air is a true slide-in meaning that crumbs won’t fall down the sides
- Soft close doors add an additional level of luxury to the range
- The glide-out rack makes it easy to move heavy dishes in and out of the range
- Brass burners are the best burners you can buy, they are the most durable
- Jenn-Air is a newer, more updated look
Both are great ranges. Invariably, you should decide whether burner output, oven size, cleanability or style is the most important for how you cook.
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