When you're cooking for a crowd do you use that 5th burner?

[shreck]

We have a 36" cooktop with the 5 burners, and for me it's not the 5th burner that's necessarily great but having 36" of continuous grate is very nice. We're a family of 11, and I don't think we've ever used all 5 burners at once, not even at Thanksgiving. Ours is a Dacor Preference that we got as a floor model closeout for about $1000 off the retail price. It came with a full warranty and has worked great in the 2yrs we've been using it.

[gingerpeachee]

Well, I went with this one

http://products.geappliances.com/App...ku=JGB810SETSS

It had less to do with the 5th burner and more to do with the price and quality. I'm getting a killer deal and compared to the lower level models it feels more sturdy. I won't be getting another stove for like 20 years (hopefully). I'm really excited. The stove I have right now came with the house and I think its from like the 1980s and it sometimes shocks me if I try to stir with a metal spoon.

[gingerpeachee]

Oh goodness, I didn't even consider 36 inch..... *sigh*

[triplomom]

I think you made a good choice. Mine is very, very similar to the one you're getting. The cast iron grates are great, and very low-maintenance, because anything that spills onto them either burns off or becomes part of the seasoning. If I'm not mistaken, all GE ranges have a functional bottom oven, i.e., that thing that looks like it's just a warming drawer actually goes up to 450º. It accommodates large casserole/roasting pans, so it can take anything from a big tray of lasagna to a brisket flat.

You know, when I cook for a crowd, I find that I use a lot of other appliances, which free up burners on the stove. Between the fryer, electric roaster (good for huge batches of chili, soups, stews, and even rice dishes), grill/griddle, etc., I end up not even using all my burners. Besides, when I cook for a crowd, it generally involves things that I make ahead and/or bake in the oven. I don't think I've ever used all the burners at once.

As for the 36" range, I looked into those when we were setting up our kitchen while rebuilding our home after Hurricane Katrina. There was a 36" Kenmore Elite model that I was seriously considering. It had a main oven and a side oven. But if I'm not mistaken, I changed my mind because the interior dimensions of the main oven were way small, and reviewers said the side oven was not very useful because it was very narrow. So, I went with the GE, primarily for the bottom oven.

[Mamatoabunch]

We use an electric griddle for pancakes, makes 8 big ones a6t once. I need a second one though.

[triplomom]

Originally Posted by Mamatoabunch We use an electric griddle for pancakes, makes 8 big ones a6t once. I need a second one though.

Ehhhhhhhhhh, plugging in two separate griddles at once might overload your kitchen circuits. What you probably really need is a commercial/catering griddle. They're not cheap, but you'd probably do well to get one on auction. Still, even with a commercial model, I'd hesitate to operate any other kitchen electrics while the griddle is on.

[pharmmama]

Originally Posted by triplomom I think you made a good choice. Mine is very, very similar to the one you're getting. The cast iron grates are great, and very low-maintenance, because anything that spills onto them either burns off or becomes part of the seasoning. If I'm not mistaken, all GE ranges have a functional bottom oven, i.e., that thing that looks like it's just a warming drawer actually goes up to 450º. It accommodates large casserole/roasting pans, so it can take anything from a big tray of lasagna to a brisket flat.

You can also use it to cook a turkey Remove the backbone so you can lay it flat and you can cook a whole turkey in just a few hours AND free up your oven for mashed potatoes or pies. It's called spatchcocking.

We have a cast iron griddle on our stove and get miles of use out of it. We can even flip it over and it has a grill side if we are so inclined. But we rarely use the grill side, just the griddle.

[triplomom]

Originally Posted by pharmmama You can also use it to cook a turkey Remove the backbone so you can lay it flat and you can cook a whole turkey in just a few hours AND free up your oven for mashed potatoes or pies. It's called spatchcocking.

Yes, right you are! Would you happen to be a Good Eats fan?