What is a range?
A range is an all-in-one cooking appliance that combines a stovetop (or cooktop) for boiling, sauteing and searing with an oven for baking, roasting and broiling.
What is a stove?
The term "stove" goes back to a time before the modern kitchen, when cast-iron, wood-burning stoves were used as heating sources as well as for cooking. Today, "stove" could describe a range or could refer to the stovetop/cooktop.
What is an oven?
An oven is an enclosed, heated space used to bake, broil, roast or air fry. An oven can be integrated into a range or exist as a standalone appliance, installed in a wall or in specialized cabinets.
Cooking appliances
What are the top considerations?
When choosing between a range, stove or an oven, consider the type of installation, size, kitchen layout and features.
Installation
All ranges include an oven and a stovetop, and can be installed within a wall of cabinets (slide-in) or standalone (freestanding). Cooktops and ovens are also available separately and can be installed as built-in appliances in countertops, walls or special cabinetry. No matter which appliance you choose, it's a good idea to have a licensed installer set it up to ensure proper venting and safety.
Size & capacity
Typically, slide-in and freestanding ranges have larger capacities than wall ovens. However, wall installation allows for more vertical space, making wall ovens ideal for those who need more options for baking and prefer having an oven at eye-level. Oven capacities will vary depending on specific brands and models.
Kitchen layout
Before you choose, consider the available width, depth and height in your kitchen. While slide-in and freestanding ranges can be installed in a wide variety of places in the kitchen, wall ovens are limited to available cabinet or wall space. Stovetops/cooktops can be installed on a flat surface like a countertop or kitchen island.
Common features
Ranges and standalone stovetops/cooktops typically have multiple burners of different sizes, with different heat types including electric, gas and induction. Ranges and standalone ovens have a variety of temperature controls and cooking modes like convection cooking or air fry. Ranges can incorporate most of the features of standalone cooktops and ovens.
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The term “stove” pre-dates modern kitchens, referring to enclosed ovens (typically in cast iron) with multiple openings and surfaces on top for heating food. It’s believed that they eventually were called ranges because they provided a “range” of places to cook.
Though both terms are often used interchangeably in casual conversation, a range typically combines a stovetop or cooktop with an oven. A stovetop/cooktop is generally a surface, or a group of surfaces you can cook on, whereas an oven is for baking and roasting.
The three types of fuel options for cooking appliances are gas, electric and induction.
Cooktops radiate less heat since there isn’t an oven, and they can be installed in a wider variety of locations in the kitchen. Cooktops are generally more ergonomic for people with back or knee issues, because there’s no need to bend or crouch to use a range’s oven.
A range combines a stovetop (also called a cooktop) and an oven into a single appliance. Ranges let you boil, sear or sauté on the top and bake, broil or roast inside the oven.
Gas ranges use gas heat on the stovetop and inside the oven. Electric and induction ranges use electric for both the stovetop and oven. Dual fuel ranges feature a gas stovetop and electric oven.
A range combines an oven and a stovetop/cooktop. An “oven” simply means the enclosed, heated space where you can bake, broil or roast food. Ovens are typically available in ranges and as individual wall ovens.
An oven is an enclosed space that heats the air inside to bake, broil or roast food. A range is an appliance that combines an oven and a stovetop or cooktop to allow for different types of cooking.
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