oven guide for the conscious consumer

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Hey everyone! when I was remodeling my kitchen, I had no idea what to look for in a new built-in oven ; ( I ended up doing a lot of reseach and then made this lens to show you all what I've found

looking to go green with your next oven?  This guide will tell you what you need to know in order to make an informed oven purchase

first things first

What you need to know about ovens and ranges

The first decision to make is your power source. If you don't already have a gas-line in your kitchen and properly-sized ventilation hood (which vents outside), you may want to get a quote from a professional before making your decision. Having a Gas-range can save you lots of money on electricity, especially in areas where gas rates are much lower than electricity. All Electric-ranges require a 240 Volt outlet. All new Gas-ranges require a 120 Volt outlet, and some models require a 240 Volt outlet.

Once you've decided on the power source you can look at whether you want an all-in-one model or if you prefer to have a Wall-oven and seperate cooktop. If you are installing a cooktop on an island or somewhere where there is no ventilation hood, you may require Downdraft ventilation. These models have a vent next to the cooktop which suck the vapours down and out of your home. This is a must if you are cooking with gas. One of the disadvantages of Downdraft ventilation is that they require a more powerful fan then a conventional updraft hood. These fans can make more noise and if you live in a cold climate your furnace will have to work harder.

* As with all appliances, consult the EnerGuide to see which models are more efficient. Currently there are no ENEGY STAR listings for ovens or cook-tops.
* If you would like to save time cleaning your cooktop, look for Solid-disk or Smoothtop burners.
* If you have a large family there are 6-burner cooktop models available.
* On smoothtop models you can get a dual-element which has a small element in the middle surrounded by a larger ring. This is a great energy-saving feature.
* If you have small children look for safety-features like knobs or touchpads that are on the backsplash or push-to-turn knobs.
* When selecting a new Range-hood check the noise rating.

Self-cleaning Ovens are better insulated than standard ovens and although they often show a higher usage on the EnerGuide, if you only use the Self-cleaning feature a couple times a year, the extra insulation makes them more energy-efficient.

Oven photos

Here are some photos from some of the leading manufacturers of ovens

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  • jadeshine Nov 1, 2007 @ 5:51 pm | delete
    Another cool post chels, putting all your kitchen remodeling research to work i see ;D

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Youtube videos with ovens and cooktops

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chelsea1980

I love helping people be healthy!  I like green products and sustainable solutions =D

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