Back in the good ol’ days, gas wall ovens were very popular and desired appliances for the kitchen. Typically, the units would be 24” wide, but now you will find that manufacturers have provided more electric wall oven options that are 30” wide. This has been making it difficult for people who have had their oven for 20-30 years to find a replacement without needing any type of modifications to their cabinetry or electrical. Let’s find out why they are so limited in today’s kitchen options.
Gas Wall Ovens
There are definitely some positives to having a gas wall oven. They provide more moisture than an electric unit so your meats, quiches, and vegetables are going to come out of the oven just right. Some people will also say over time gas may be less expensive than electric but that is to be determined on usage in my opinion. The ultimate question before looking for a gas wall oven is “what do I cook”? It would not be beneficial to someone who likes to make foods like beef jerky, pizza or anything that needs a dryer environment to bake correctly.
BlueStar is the elite brand in the world of gas wall ovens. BlueStar has been in the U.S, based in Reading PA since 1880 and they handcraft all of their products in the same location today. The BWO30AGS starts at around $4,000 and you can customize paint colors which will increase the tag on this beautiful piece. Bluestar is one of the only brands that offer convection in their gas wall ovens that blow the heat from the rear side of the oven cavity providing a more even bake. They offer units with French doors, they have a heat assist element, they are available in 190 colors and their main burner provides 25,000 BTU’s. It has a 1,850 degree infrared broiler for any searing necessary and can accommodate a full size 18” x 26” baking sheet.
Some other more affordable options are GE and Frigidaire that make 24” gas wall ovens. These units will only come in basic kitchen colors such as stainless, black, and white. They are not going to be as efficient as Bluestar or their competitive brands but they are available if a customer just wants to “fill the space”. Usually these units will range in price from $1,600-$3,000. They offer around 15,000 BTU burners but are pretty tiny on the inside.
Electric Wall Ovens
If you would like to replace your gas wall oven with an electric wall oven like most customers are these days, the options are no longer limited. Many different manufacturers provide 24”-30” wide electric wall ovens. For instance, Wolf has an E-series model that is 24” and will give a perfectly even bake, roast, or broil to any meal attempted in this unit. You can resolve the moisture issue in the gas oven by putting a baking sheet of water in the oven. In the electric oven, it will help with those different environment dishes which make this necessary.
Electric ovens are going to perform a more exact temperature range for situations such as holiday dinners. Nobody wants to eat that dry, over cooked, bland dish that grandpa thought he timed perfectly, when realistically we all know we should’ve had dinner at Aunt Matilda’s newly renovated house. The newer generation wall ovens are going to come with built in temperature probes that tell you exactly when the meal is ready if you want rare, medium, or whichever temperature you desire. I would highly recommend any customer looking for a gas wall oven to consider spending the time to research the proper steps to convert to electric. The first step is to rip out your old cabinetry and make way for a 27” or 30” wide unit. Have a certified handyman cap off the gas line and valve. He will need to install a 3 or 4 wire 240V dedicated line to hook up the new oven. This might sound like an excessive amount to change your mind but I can assure you it will be worth the time and money.
These days, home buyers are looking for modern, convenient, digital effect lifestyles where they don’t have to have a stressful life at home. By converting your old style kitchen with a gas oven to a newly innovated piece like Wolf, the resale will increase in your home. And if you’re not looking to sell, then you get to enjoy the luxuries of better cooking experiences.
When thinking of cooking, usually the words work, family, gathering, entertainment, and most importantly safety come to mind. We all know there weren’t as many boundaries then as there are today. Grandpa hooking up the gas line 30 years ago through the shed probably is not up to code in today’s builder specifications. Making a change to your kitchen is not a waste of money to modernize. It is investing in a change of your lifestyle which will give you peace of mind and a certainty that will last the life of your kitchen.