How many BTU do I need?

[Carter]

Thanks Jeff......AJ says discontinued and clearance price of a tad under $1,700....if I were ready, I don't mind buying last year's model and getting a discount. Actually did that with my Wolf...not for the discount, but they were changes the burner grates to be more stylish and less industrial, and the red knobs were getting a similar makeover that did not appeal to me.

[jbart65]

Kitchen aid makes excellent wall ovens too.

I’ll offer more home reno thoughts later. So much goes into it ...

[inzite]

it depends which model you are getting for bluestar, the platinum series has 25k btu while the other series might top out at 22k btu. My 48 inch plat has fully removable grates (2 parts) along with a drip tray which i lined with alu foil so cleaning is super easy.

[PaulME]

Went with capital on ours about a year ago, very happy with the decision. Capital burners are supposed to be 25k ea except the one small simmer burner. Went big with a 48 inc grill which is nice to have. Get a big hood! I sourced a used Wolf 54” island hood and put in a remote 1500cfm blower. Will see if I can figure out pictures on this board later.

Yes I put it in the island - and I’m happy with that decision. It’s a really big island so lots of room on both sides.

Good luck
Paul

[Jeff B]

This has been an excellent education on ranges/cooktops for me!

I bought a $1000 Weber Natural Gas Grill in 2011 from AJ Madison at an exceptional discount and it was delivered to me in excellent condition within less than a week. Was skeptical at first because of the price but glad I used them in the end.

[ken123]

I had a chance to do some baking with a steam convection oven - absolutely loved it. Super fast and effective baking for bread, etc. This oven required fairly extensive plumbing - able to handle steam output at full heat and excellent ventilation and a good bit (amps)of 220 volt power. It was retrofitted into a fireplace.Anyone considering a setup like this incorporated in your setup? I know many consider it sacrilege but are you also including a serious microwave too? Also what about induction cooktops?

Some amazing setups in this thread!

---
Ken

[Kit Craft]

I had a chance to do some baking with a steam convection oven - absolutely loved it. Super fast and effective baking for bread, etc. This oven required fairly extensive plumbing - able to handle steam output at full heat and excellent ventilation and a good bit (amps)of 220 volt power. It was retrofitted into a fireplace.Anyone considering a setup like this incorporated in your setup? I know many consider it sacrilege but are you also including a serious microwave too? Also what about induction cooktops?

Some amazing setups in this thread!

---
Ken

As much as I like gas I will likely go induction when we remodel. It looks good, which is important to my wife and me to a lesser extent. But we have induction in Spain and I really grew to like it. Seemed quicker than what I am used to and particularly for boiling large amounts of water. I liked the cleanup too. Just wipe it down, it is flat. If something gets stuck, use the razor cleaner thing. Simple! But to be fair I have never had a "commercial grade" range to compare it to.

Speaking of ovens I must go with an electric convection because that is what has resonated with me most over those that I have used. I seem to get crispier food easier. Never even heard of a steam convection oven though! But I can imagine what it is.

Didn't have a microwave for seven years either. Space is a premium in such small apartments like we had!

[jbart65]

I worked construction in high school and college and have been involved with several major renos. Here are a few things I've learned.

1)Hire an architect.

Cost more, but I think it saves more money and headaches in the long run.

Case in point: My contractor and I came up with several ideas to run ducts through an addition, but some of the duct work would show. My wife hated our ideas and called the architect. He came over, took one look and had a far superior solution just like that. You can’t tell where the ducts are.

2)Don’t assume the best or even trust your contractor.

I’ve worked with good contractors, but they are only as good as the weakest link in the chain. I once found a contractor’s son installing a simple toilet holder incorrectly. That told me I had to check his other work.

Right now contractors can’t find enough skilled labor so pay very close attention. Ask a contractor how long he’s had his crew, esp his foreman. That will at least let him know you are savvy.

Check the work as the project progresses. Or little things can become big things.

3)If something seems too cheap, there’s a reason.

I got a good bid for a deck and it came out fine, but the contractor saved money by using nailguns and nails. The nails pop out each year and I replace them with screws. Screws should have been used in the first place.

4)Decide on everything before a project starts and buy whatever you need ahead of time.

Know what you want. My wife and I did all our haggling about what to get well before construction began. I then ordered everything in advance after consulting with my contractor on a timetable. I had a check list for everything we needed and when it needed to be purchased.

If you hesitate or delay, the contractor will end up sitting around waiting for you. It will cost you more money and slow the project down. By having everything ready, I was able to allow my contractor to speed up his timetable.

5)Keep all the installation guides.

Work crews are notorious for not using guides during install and they are prone to junk the directions along with the boxes. Sometime they will do the install wrong, but you won’t know if you can’t find the guide.

6)Pay attention to duct and electrical outlet placements.

Know where these are going to go before the work starts. A contractor might put a vent on the floor where you plan to put a couch. Or, in my case, a big subwoofer.

Figure out where you'd like to have your electric outlets. Have extras added in key spots. Relatively cheap to do. If you plan to put a toaster in an offbeat spot, make sure it’s got one of those outlets with a circuit breaker.

Add some outlets with USB connections in spots where you might recharges phones and tablets.

7)Insulate any areas of the house you can if they were not previously insulated.

Not an issue in northern climes, but the further south you go it can be. My house (1933) has brick and plaster and nothing in between. Now I’ve got insulation in two-thirds of my house because of several renos aimed at achieving other purposes.

8)If you want to update your thermostat and make it wifi capable, a big reno is the time to make sure you have the right wiring running from the AC/heater to the thermostat. Most wifi thermostats need a “C” wire connection, but not all older heating/cooling systems have such a wire.

9)Put speaker wires in during the reno, especially if foam insulation will be used.

That’s for home theater nuts like me. Add ethernet wiring too for hardwire connections to home theater setups for more reliable connections.

10) Two birds, one stone.

Most contractors are happy to do add-on jobs during a big reno for relatively small fees. I had most of my electrical sockets updated, for example, and had a few ceiling fans installed away from the main work area.

Doesn’t hurt to ask.

[ken123]

Thay is one excellent post !!

---
Ken

[Seattle_Ben]

I had a chance to do some baking with a steam convection oven - absolutely loved it. Super fast and effective baking for bread, etc. This oven required fairly extensive plumbing - able to handle steam output at full heat and excellent ventilation and a good bit (amps)of 220 volt power. It was retrofitted into a fireplace.Anyone considering a setup like this incorporated in your setup? I know many consider it sacrilege but are you also including a serious microwave too? Also what about induction cooktops?

Some amazing setups in this thread!

---
Ken

As much as I like gas I will likely go induction when we remodel. It looks good, which is important to my wife and me to a lesser extent. But we have induction in Spain and I really grew to like it. Seemed quicker than what I am used to and particularly for boiling large amounts of water. I liked the cleanup too. Just wipe it down, it is flat. If something gets stuck, use the razor cleaner thing. Simple! But to be fair I have never had a "commercial grade" range to compare it to.

Speaking of ovens I must go with an electric convection because that is what has resonated with me most over those that I have used. I seem to get crispier food easier. Never even heard of a steam convection oven though! But I can imagine what it is.

Didn't have a microwave for seven years either. Space is a premium in such small apartments like we had!

Induction is such a game changer if you have the cookware to use it. One of the last places that I cooked in professionally used induction and it is just so much better than any other option. (Unless you're somewhere where your utilities are crazy high)

If you're really going to throw around some money get induction for your range and a combi oven. I think Rational has some home use ones that come in around 6k and Viking may or may not have one too.

[AlbuquerqueDan]

So just to round out this thread, I'm happy to announce that I ended up choosing a Capital Culinarian 36" 6-burner range. It's on order, but I'm definitely looking forward to hooking it up and firing up those 5 25k burners!

I purchased from Eurostoves, and (so far) have gotten great customer service. Trevor over there is very quick to respond to questions and seems generally enthusiastic about selling stoves.

[jbart65]

Sounds like Trevor all right. Everyone who deals with him says the same.

[keithmarder]

I love my Capital Culinarian and the high end is great for searing meat and wok cooking. It has great versatility from simmer to blazing. If you are interested in one, you should check out Trevor at Eurostoves. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to Capital and Blue Star. He helped me save a lot of money, explaining the Blur Star wouldn't be good for my purposes because a grill would smoke out a NYC apartment.

[AlbuquerqueDan]

Well, this just showed up.

Capital Culinarian 6 burner.

[Drewski]

Well, this just showed up.
20180718_150031.jpg
Capital Culinarian 6 burner.

Gorgeous! Now I know what to shoot for.

[Jeff B]

SWEET! I am so jealous!

[inzite]

Well, this just showed up.
20180718_150031.jpg
Capital Culinarian 6 burner.

looks great!

[jbart65]

Good choice, Dan. Love my Culinarian. I'd recommend Capital or Bluestar over just about any other brand.

Mine is an original model that just turned 6 years old (yours has been updated methinks). So far the only problems have been one burner ignition going out, one knob cracking and another burner ignition getting funky for awhile.

The knob cracked because I twisted it wrong trying to take it out. My fault. (BTY, I'd recommend asking Capital for an extra knob. Good to have around in case one does break).

The first burner ignition went bad after 3-4 years. The problem with the second ignition switch happened earlier this year.

In both cases, I suspect my cleaners mucked something up when they cleaning the top of the stove. Both problems occurred the day of, or he day after, they came.

The first burner I got replaced and it cost almost $300. The second time it happened, I just used a lighter to turn on the burner. After doing that off and on, it started to relight on its own occasionally. Now relights every time and is back to normal. More evidence it was something the cleaners did.

I suspect the first burner ignition would have worked eventually if I had done the same then. The repairmen said the ignition switches did not go out easily or often on simply designed ranges like Capital or Bluestar. Just an FYI.

[AlbuquerqueDan]

Good choice, Dan. Love my Culinarian. I'd recommend Capital or Bluestar over just about any other brand.

Mine is an original model that just turned 6 years old (yours has been updated methinks). So far the only problems have been one burner ignition going out, one knob cracking and another burner ignition getting funky for awhile.

The knob cracked because I twisted it wrong trying to take it out. My fault. (BTY, I'd recommend asking Capital for an extra knob. Good to have around in case one does break).

The first burner ignition went bad after 3-4 years. The problem with the second ignition switch happened earlier this year.

In both cases, I suspect my cleaners mucked something up when they cleaning the top of the stove. Both problems occurred the day of, or he day after, they came.

The first burner I got replaced and it cost almost $300. The second time it happened, I just used a lighter to turn on the burner. After doing that off and on, it started to relight on its own occasionally. Now relights every time and is back to normal. More evidence it was something the cleaners did.

I suspect the first burner ignition would have worked eventually if I had done the same then. The repairmen said the ignition switches did not go out easily or often on simply designed ranges like Capital or Bluestar. Just an FYI.

So happy to hear you like yours. Great to hear first-person accounts. Good call on the knobs. Mine is indeed upgraded: 5 of those burners are rated at 25k, and all have low simmer capability.

Mine won't be hooked up for another three weeks, though. We haven't even begun demo on our new kitchen. Can't wait to see how it performs when I do get it up and running!

[jscully730]

thought i would a photo of mine as well.

hey, was that a granite? your kitchen looks really fantastic. did you find that countertops at this store? https://marble.com/articles/granite-cou ... o-consider it seems like they have the same design you've got. I'm planning to have my kitchen remodeled by July.