Whether you cook for a hungry family each night or only once a year during the holiday season, your kitchen should be a comforting and inspiring space to prepare meals and visit with houseguests. You should enjoy spending time in your kitchen and your appliances should help make your routine cooking and meal prep as convenient as possible.
If you’re thinking about replacing or upgrading your current appliances, it’s important to consider the right features to fit your lifestyle and your needs in the kitchen. When it comes to narrowing down your search for cooking appliances, how do you choose a wall oven vs a range? You can’t go wrong either way—it simply comes down to your available space, your cooking routine, and how much you’re willing to spend.
We've highlighted everything you need to know from price to style to installation to help you answer some of our most frequently asked questions and come to a decision on which appliance is a better fit for your home.
Wall Oven vs Range: What’s the Difference?
If you’re still unsure what exactly separates a wall oven from a range, it’s quite simple. A range is a two-in-one appliance with the oven compartment and the cooktop combined into one product. A wall oven is its own cooking appliance that can be built into your wall space and placed separately from your cooktop.
Wall ovens are easier to install and most wall ovens are placed around eye-level, cutting back on bending, kneeling, or crouching to place food into the oven. This ease of access can be seen as an advantage for cooks of all ages, especially when transporting large holiday dishes or hot foods.
What Are Some Key Features?
Most wall oven models feature an electric display and control panel so it’s easy to monitor the settings and temperature. If you’re looking for an efficient electronic appliance, a wall oven is the best bet for those who cook on a routine basis because it heats evenly and thoroughly for dishes of all sizes. And if capacity is what you’re lacking, a built-in electric double wall oven is here to answer the call.
Ranges have many of the same features as wall ovens, but it’s much easier to find a gas range compared to a gas wall oven. You also have the option of induction or dual-fuel range options that make the most of gas and electricity. Luckily, ranges can also come with double oven capacity and warming drawers if you’re looking for a real workhorse in the form of a compact kitchen appliance.
What’s the Cost?
Dedicating a certain amount of space to your cooking appliances can be costly, so it’s important to set a price point before buying a new appliance. A wall oven can be more expensive than a range because it requires two appliance purchases—a single or double wall oven and a cooktop. The combination of separate appliances can add up if you’re aiming to take a financially conscious approach. A wall oven can start as low as $800 but can go over $7,000 in some cases—plus the cost of a cooktop.
The cost of a range can vary greatly depending on the model, style, and performance features. You can find reliable ranges for as low as $400 and pro-style ranges that are near $13,000! If budget is a deciding factor and you’ve had your eyes set on an appliance that is a little pricier, we’re happy to offer special financing options that allow you to buy now and pay later.
What Size Appliance Do I Need?
If the price isn’t your main concern, then the layout of your kitchen might be the thorn in your side. Wall ovens and ranges are both great options if you’re looking to maximize the space in your kitchen—especially if you need apartment-size appliances. If you keep these appliances separate, it allows for greater storage space under your cooktop for pans and other cookware.
A range is slightly less versatile, but you may prefer the stationary approach of doing all your cooking in one location. On the other side of the coin, because the stove and oven come together, you won’t be able to modify each appliance individually.
The cooking capacity will be roughly the same if you choose a single wall oven or a single oven range. The real advantage comes if you invest in a double oven appliance. A double wall oven will come with two equal, full-sized ovens, while 30, 36, and 48-inch range units will not.
Ranges come in standard widths from 24 to 60 inches. They are typically counter height so they can slide right into the space allocated in your kitchen's configurations. But if you’re searching for the luxury of a double oven in a range, you can certainly install this type of model if you have the available space.
What Are the Style Options?
Regardless of which appliance type you invest in, consider the benefits of both wall ovens and ranges. Are you looking for a style with contemporary or minimalist details? Are you a budding home chef who wants a professional-style appliance that blends seamlessly into your kitchen? Do you want a trendy appliance that draws your eye but won’t take too much attention away from the rest of your space?
Wall ovens are a more simplistic looking appliance (unless you’re interested in a French door wall oven). Ranges provide greater design options if you’re hoping to add a modern and more industrial flavor to your kitchen. Professional-style ranges with customizable features and vibrant exterior finishes will make a long-lasting impression in your kitchen.
What is Installation Like?
Installation of a wall oven should be done by a professional because it requires hard-wiring. This can be challenging, but luckily, if wall ovens have internal vents, they don’t need to be vented outside.
To ensure a cohesive design aesthetic, a kitchen with a wall oven needs a cooktop surface of some kind. Since there are two separate appliances, this will double your installation costs—but if you have the available space it’s more than worth it.
A range will slide in-between two base cabinets, or it can stand on its own without surrounding cabinetry. You don’t need to customize your existing cabinetry, and this helps preserve valuable counter space that a separate cooktop and wall oven combination do not offer.
What’s the Lifespan of Each Product?
Whether you have an electric wall oven or electric range, the lifespan of each appliance is virtually the same. However, if you have a gas range or cooktop, you’ll notice greater longevity. A gas range will last about 15 years; whereas, an electric range or wall oven will function properly for slightly less time—around 13 years. The internal components in electric appliances may wear down or crack easier over time, and the ignitions of gas appliances tend to hold up and weather wear and tear better over the years.
Top Brands
And to give you a better idea of the options available, here are a few of our top appliance brands to choose from:
- Wolf: High-end appliances known for their sleek red knobs and dials.
- Bertazzoni: Super high-end appliance brand known for ranges. With offerings much more than cooking, they bring a decorative feel to the kitchen with their unique style and color options.
- Samsung: Offers sleek and powerful appliances that offer flawless baking and cooking results.
The Choice is Yours
Purchasing a new wall oven or range is a big decision. These cooking appliances set the stage for your kitchen and how you utilize your space. Luckily, you don’t have to make the decision alone—our helpful team of experts at Don’s Appliances are here to answer all your questions and make the decision-making process easier.
Give us a call or stop by one of our stores to shop our entire collection of kitchen appliances and discover the right fit for your kitchen and your culinary needs.