As mentioned in a previous post, the kitchen is something I'm quite particular about so a lot of thought went into this one item.
Which Brand?
Some are way out of our budget and others do not have name recall. So we went with brands we were familiar with and whose costs were not too steep. Here's our shortlist:
Ariston - I've seen ads for this in foreign magazines and their products looked nice. Their prices are cheaper than Elba or La Germania and come with a three year warranty.
Elba - This is the one currently being used by my Mom and from all accounts, it's not too bad.
La Germania - My parent's first gas range which lasted over 15 years and was replaced only because my Mom wanted an upgrade.
Built-in or Freestanding?
This can also be translated as "vanity or practicality?" Built-in looks sleeker but we had a cookie sheet to consider. To give a short background, after more than 15 years, my Mom decided to replace the old range with a new one. When it was delivered, she found out too late that her larger baking pans would not fit. Happily though I get to inherit said baking pans so I needed to find an oven that could accommodate them.
Once we decided on the brand, we found out that their built in ovens could barely fit the 42 cm x 36 cm cookie sheet mentioned earlier. Also, we wanted a gas fueled oven, but not only is it more expensive than the electric version, we would need two fuel tanks - one for the stove and the other for the oven. We do not have room for this set-up and no one could tell me how to connect both units to just one tank. (Here in the Philippines, gas lines are not connected to houses. Instead, we buy individual fuel tanks.)
Gas or Electric?
I'm used to gas but I've asked around and some have said electric is better for baking as the temperature is always even. Then again, those I know who really cook a lot say that gas is better.
Another factor to consider is the fact that there's usually a blackout every time there's a typhoon. If we go electric, we'd have a problem since typhoons are very frequent visitors in this tropical country we live in.
The Contenders
Ariston
.bmp)
Type: Built-in electric oven
Price: Php 18,495
Warranty: 3 years
Features:
- 60 cm
- 5 Multi-function program
- Electric oven
- Minute minder
- Convection
- Oven Capacity: 56 L
.bmp)
Type: Built-in gas oven
Price: Php 26,995
Warranty: 3 years
Features:
- 60 cm
- Gas oven w/ rotisserie
- Electric grill
- Minute minder
- Oven safety device
- Oven Capacity: 51 L
.bmp)
Type: Built-in Hob (Stove)
Price: Php 11,665
Warranty: 3 years
Features:
- 60 cm
- 4 Gas burners w/ electric ignition
- Pan Support: Heavy grid
.bmp)
Type: Range-Hood
Price: Php 5695
Warranty: 3 years
Features:
- 60 cm, 1 Motor
- Extraction Capacity: 250m3/h
- 3 Speed settings
- Charcoal filter
- 2 x 40W Lamps
Elba
Type: Freestanding Range
Price: Php 36,290
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 60 cm
Stove
- Stainless steel surface 18/10
- 3 Gas burners, 1 hot plate
Oven
- Thermostatic oven
Type: Freestanding Range
Price: Php 45,150
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 60 cm
Stove
- Stainless steel cooktop 18/10
- 3 Gas burners (1 double ring) + 1 rapid hotplate
- Original SABAF burners
- Safety devices on all burners
Oven
- 7-Function convection oven
- Thermostatic electric oven
- Electric grill
La Germania
Type: Built-in electric oven
Price: Php 26,495
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 60 cm
- Separate thermostat
- Chrome support, fan anti-grease filter
- Multifunction oven: 5 settings, fan assisted
- Auto shut off
- Cooling fan
- Oven Equipment: 1 drip tray, 1 chrome shelf, 1 grilling mesh
- Oven Capacity: 60 L
Type: Built-in Hob (Stove)
Price: Php 13,405
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Features:
- 1 HIGH ENERGY triple ring burner
- 3 Gas burners
- Instant auto-ignition integrated in each knob
- Enamelled pan support in two sections with rubber feet
- Heavy gauge enamelled gas burner caps
- High grade stainless steel body
Type: Range-Hood
Price: Php 5880
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 60 cm, 1 motor
- 3 Speed settings
- 2 x 40w Incandescent lamps
- Metal grease filter
- 120 mm Air outlet
- 705 x 594 x 253 mm Packaging dim.
- 11.5 kg Gross weight
- 380 m3/h Max air capacity free outlet
- 350 Max air capacity IEC point
- 300 Pa max Pressure
- 250w Max input
- 66 db (a) Max noise level
- Stainless steel
Type: Freestanding Range
Price: Php 36,450
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 59.5 cm
- Minute minder
- Turn spit
- 1 Enamel baking tray
- 1 Wire shelf
- Tempered glass top cover
- Single piece worktop in stainless steel
- Large enamelled matt pan supports
- One touch ignition on worktop burners
- Minute minder
- Double glass oven door
- Thermostat for the oven
- Oven shelves on side chromed rails
- Adjustable feet
- Building-in approved
- One touch ignition for oven burners
Stove
- 3 Gas burners, 1 electric hotplate
- Enamel trivet without safety device
Oven
- Gas oven with electric grill
- Safety device
Type: Freestanding Range
Price: Php 44,849
Warranty: 1 year
Features:
- 59.5 cm
- Tempered glass top cover
- Single piece worktop in stainless steel
- Large enamelled matt pan supports
- One touch ignition on worktop burners
- Minute minder
- Double glass oven door
- Thermostat for the oven
- Oven shelves on side chromed rails
- Adjustable feet
- Building-in approved
- Flame failure device for all gas burners (oven and worktop)
- One touch ignition for oven burners
Stove
- 4 Gas burners including triple ring gas burner
- Enamel trivet
Oven
- Heat surround-fan assisted gas oven with electric grill
- Minute minder
- 1 Enamelled baking tray
- 2 Wire shelves
- 1 Grill mesh
By the way, we will be using Ayala Electronic Gift Certificates worth Php 35,000 for the range and just paying the difference. Do we go with the cheaper option that way less cash out? Or do we go with the upgraded version already? I'm assuming that whichever we choose, it will be at least 10 years before we buy another oven.
I wonder though, what does "building-in approved" mean?
Note: All images were either obtained from various home appliance websites or direct from the company website.
11 comments:
Electric is best for ovens as it gives nice even heating while gas is better for cooking.
for me, the ideal combination is a built-in electric wall oven and a gas cooktop :)
You'lll never go wrong on La Germania. Tested na talaga yan.
i got a la germania cooktop and range hood from anson's. budget constraints forced me to "settle" for la germania instead of the elba cooktop and range hood i "wanted". the la germania cooktop and range hood set me back by a little less than 14k, which would have only gotten for me an elba cooktop had i gone with elba.
in my opinion, if you can get a combination of gas and electric, that would be safest. i know i saw some cooktops that have at least one electric plate...but again budget constraints prevented me from getting it. also i have two gas tanks, so i only need to remember to make sure the spare is always with LPG.
i also plan to buy a built-in oven in the future and i heard la germania has one that's 60cm, perfect for the space i have under the cooktop. i just don't know if it's electric... hopefully it is so i will not have to tear down drawers to cram 2 tanks in.
anyway, my kitchen renovation is almost complete. i'm quite happy how my design turned out but i'm not pleased with my contractor who made me wait 3 weeks after i paid 50% down only to "rush" my cabinets. the carpenter confessed that he made it in 3 days (maybe 3 days prior to the scheduled installation) because "kulang-kulang materyales".
also, instead of installing "finished" components they had to do some carpentry and the spray painting inside the house. some measurements were also off and the handles were only 4 inches instead of the 6" or longer i specified.
the part of the granite where the cooktop will sit also had to be cut inside our house because the installers feared it might crack if it had to be transported from the garage since the hole for the cooktop will leave only about 3 inches on the top and bottom part. just imagine the amount and extent of cleaning i had to do.
what's worse the painter already sprayed gloss after putting on just 1 coat of automotive lacquer... so "kita pa haspe ng kahoy" instead of the smooth finish i was after.
i'm asking them to re-do the paint job and i'm definitely not accepting the 4" handles.
they started installing last saturday and were supposed to come back tuesday to finish the job but they were a no-show. i'm still missing 2 doors and 5 glass panes. plus hinges still need to be adjusted or doors need to be sanded down because they don't close properly. some drawers also don't slide in perfectly yet and need to be adjusted.
another thing driving me crazy is the ballpen marks on the cabinet doors that showed through the paint! the d*mn carpenter uses ballpen instead of pencil to mark his measurements. it wouldn't be an issue if it did not show through the paint, but it did!
i've already paid 55k but have kept 3k as retention, i probably should have kept a bigger amount so they will be forced to correct everything according to my standard of "acceptable" quality.
what i plan to do instead, if they don't shape up and give me my money's worth, is to post my issues and comments about their work in every forum and discussion board i can find. i am a member of at least two and i can certainly blog about them to high heavens for those looking for a kitchen cabinet-maker to shun them like the plague.
hay naku! hopefully, tomorrow will bring an end to my issues with this cabinet-maker... bukas daw nila aayusin lahat. let's wait and see.
sorry to rant here... just can't help it.
@Jean - that was also the combination I had in mind =) But the brand we're 90% decided on doesn't have a built in oven that can easily fit the baking pan.
@Maxi - we'll most likely get La Germania but still scouting.
@Jen - Oh, I can SO feel your frustration! No worries and rant all you like =) Please give us an update as to the ending and we hope that everything will be fixed the way you want it.
at last i think i'm going to see the end of my cleaning days... cleaning grinder, sander and drill dust that is. gosh, it is so fine and covers literally everything!
sweeping it or dry dusting won't get all of it off so i really have to either wash the item or use a wet rag which has to be rinsed after only several wipings. and, i haven't even started cleaning the floor and the rooms yet (that's how fine the dust is, it gets into closed bedroom doors very much like smoke). waaahhhh!!!
this is the 3rd time i'm cleaning everything... 1st was when we were demolishing the existing counter, 2nd was when they cut the granite and did the initial spray painting, and now for the 3rd time because they had to spray paint again and re-cut the granite. waaahhh talaga!!!
we had to call the granite cutter back because the cooktop won't fit, and after he has left the cooktop still won't fit because there are these screws at the back of the cooktop that gives an extra cm or two. i instructed the carpenter to try to replace the screws with flat head ones but the stubborn screws won't even come out... or tighten. loose thread na agad? waaahhhh again!
anyway, the cooktop is in after a whole lot of prodding and sanding. hence, the need to really clean everything for the 3rd time.
i'm still missing two cabinet doors though because the sampaguita glass i insisted on using was not the right size. i have to "scavenge' for longer ones in my lolo's house. i "inherited" several panes and i really wanted to use them because of their sentimental value instead of the usual frosted glass.
i think those sampaguita panes are even older than i am. kinalakihan ko na mga yun.
aside from those 2 doors, the contractor is done. i made sure i had all my issues with the drawers, doors, hinges and paint resolved before i let them leave. inabot na nga sila ng 8pm.
salamat naman at tapos na sila... malapit na akong mag-amok. hehehe.
i still have to have the kitchen walls re-painted but aside from that my white and black kitchen is done... 1/3 of it is my mom's Christmas gift and 2/3 is my husband's Christmas and 5th Anniversary gift. sa 2015 na daw siya magreregalo ulit. hahaha!
haayyy thank God tapos na... pero ang paglilinis hindi pa! huhuhu.
:-)
Congratulations Jen and what a wonderful Christmas present to have - at least you're already done! Don't worry, you'll be enjoying the place in no time and the kitchen problems will long be forgotten =)
im into oven hunting too! tested na nga ang La Germania :)
Hi Ivy, that's exactly what we got today =) Good luck with the oven search!
I truly enjoyed reading your blog since I'm going to be a homeowner in a few weeks! I'm looking for a range combo (gas stove/electric combo), can you recommend a good brand/model?
Thanks Raul! I believe both La Germania and Elba have that but you'll have to check the stores to be sure. We've used both at home for years and so far no complaints.
Electric stove is best for ovens as it gives nice even heating while gas is better for cooking. Gas has an automatic pilot light a safety valve control device that can be retrofitted between the gas inlet pipe and the catch base. For me, the ideal combination is a built-in electric wall oven and a gas cooktop.
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