I'm at my wit's end trying to pick a burner

Submitted by -snowflakesmasher86- t3_11ddmny in BuyItForLife

TLDR: In UK trying to pick a new 6 ring gas cooktop/burner/ hob/rangetop but can't because they're not available in the UK or they're from shit brands.

I've been looking at gas cooktops now for a week, and every time I find one that looks good and go to find out the experience people have had with the brands they're all constantly complaining.

  • Wolf hobs are terrible to clean hard to repair and have a terrible mid range precision

  • Viking and BlueStar aren't available in the UK

  • Smeg products are made to look good but don't work well and their 6 hob burner seems completely underpowered

  • Neff, Bosch, Siemens, Miele don't sell 6 rings in the UK

So then what the fuck do I buy, do I go down the custom built route? All I want is a high powered 6 ring burner, I didn't realise the market was so completely oversaturated with shit options and the high end was all completely overpriced garbage designed to be sold to milionaires who don't cook for themselves anyway.

Any advice or contradictory information would be appreciated.

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SmittyFjordmanjensen t1_ja85xfo wrote

custom built instead of just having it shipped overseas? It's not ideal but I'm assuming you can have these products shipped to you regardless of where they are from.

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-snowflakesmasher86- OP t1_ja8bjrq wrote

Shipping to UK involves paying tax on the import paying shipping fees, finding someone who will import it and finding someone who can convert from US to UK gas plumbing. Do you know anything more specific about the import process, or about having one custom built?

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ladz t1_ja9ohgy wrote

Bluestar is a spinoff of Garland, as far as I know, which does seem to be available in the UK. Prices seem to be about the same as my area in the US ($$$). But, commercial ranges are simple and don't really break often and they are easy to repair. Avoid computerized ranges if possible.

Just make sure to get one with auto-ignition. That feature should be mandatory.

There's also this brand:

https://www.rangecookers.co.uk/range-cookers/bertazzoni/

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-snowflakesmasher86- OP t1_ja9s436 wrote

I didn't know that thank you! I'll check out Garland now :)

Beratazzoni are not highly rated by the people that use them, apparently they break easily and often and are expensive to replace and have bad customer service. If you have information to the contrary I'd love to hear it though!

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ladz t1_ja9wlql wrote

Don't have any personal experience with them, just bluestar and commercial ones.. Bluestar is the same as a commercial unit, just a little more compact and lighter.

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-snowflakesmasher86- OP t1_jabqxmb wrote

I thought so. Would you mind telling me how BlueStar manages low heat? I worry if it's like the commercial ones I've seen it'll be very good at maintaining high heat, but not so good at maintaining a low, or even mid low heat.

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ladz t1_jadnn1m wrote

You can buy them configured with different sets of burner BTUs, usually you'd have a small BTU one in the back for stuff you want to simmer and higher ones in the front for hot cooking or wok'ing.

I've never had any problems with getting low heat, but do have to put covered stuff to simmer on the smaller back burner.

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Character-Fondant-26 t1_jaa57hj wrote

What do the restaurants buy and use? That’s where I would look if I wanted to step up.

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-snowflakesmasher86- OP t1_jabr4by wrote

Unfortunately they require a much beefier gas supply, and they all seem to come attached to a gas oven which is far from ideal. They are incredibly powerful though and I have found some countertop ones, but I am yet to figure out if they literally sit on your counter, or if they are built in like the ones you normally see. I am also concerned about their ability to maintain a low heat, as that's not typically important in most restaurant settings.

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