Kenmore Elite Freestandin Inductin Range September 06, 2011

We haved owned this  less than 4 weeks and the digital electronic panel is already defective:  One of the LED lights is out in the clock.

Induction is great!  Faster cooking at lower temprature settings.  Water boils in 4 minutes in a 2 quart stainless steel LustreCraft sauce pan.

Like the fact that spills do not harden onto the cooking surface and that the surface is easy to clean.

Because of induction and the overall appearance, this range would have been rated 5 stars were it not for the defective electronic panel.

Why can't engineers design and manufacturers make a quality range like this with standard controls (non-digital)?

Excellent November 19, 2010

The induction stove works very well and I love the instant adjustments and rapid heating. The oven is large and works pretty well. The convection fan is reasonably quite. This is a frigidaire unit. The stainless is good quality but does have sharp edges on the side of the door, inside aspect. The convection element is not 1500W but is less than 200W but I don't quite understand why you need a convection element anyway when you have the fan to circulate the heated air from the other elements. 

Don't misunderstand -- I love the unit b/c of the induction stove. Otherwise it would be a decent oven, etc. I would not buy frigidaire normally but at the same time would not hesitate to buy their electrolux line. This is actually a frigidaire pro line appliance re-lableled as kenmore elite.

I took off the back panel of the oven while ascertaining the actual wattage of the convection element. It is well made and has tons of electronics. There are large circuit boards with tons of electronics. You definitely want to buy the extended warranties. 

Absolutely fabulous Kenmore Elite Induction Rge is fastest cook August 26, 2010

I absolutely love the Kenmore Elite Induction Range we purchased several months ago. It is the quickest cooking stove I have ever used. I can boil water for corn on the cob or pasta in less than four minutes. The top stays cool while cooking things in the pots and pans in minutes. It is amazing. I am still adjusting and learning to get all items ready at the same time. I also love the convection oven. It also greatly reduces the cooking time. This is the first convection oven I have used so am still learning how to use it. I highly recommend this range to everyone. I love the different sizes of "burners" to accommodate different size pans. I cook for a lot of people, (9 people almost every day) and so I use larger pots and pans most of the time. Even the smallest "burner" cooks rapidly using a larger pan. And the instant adjustment of heat is amazing. When you reduce thermostat (say from high to medium) the heat reduction is almost instantaneous. It is the same when you turn the "burner" off.  I do recommend caution when adjusting the heat because the controls are on the back of the stove and you have to reach over the cooking pots and pans to adjust the temperature; you will get burned or scalded from the steam being released from the cookware. Another disadvantage of purchasing this range is having to buy magnetic cookware. But if you are like me, I have been using my pots and pans for years and needed to replace some of it anyway. The magnetic cookware is still a on the high side of the purchasing scale, but almost all of the magnetic cookware I have purchased will probably outlast me. And on the plus side, prices are dropping with more and more people using induction cooking.

The convection oven is also wonderful. Everything I cooked before in my electric range is done several minutes before the cooking time. I have never used a  convection oven before so am still learning how to use it. I cook a whole lot more than I bake so will probably use it more this winter. The only drawback to the oven is that the top of the outside of the stove just above the oven gets hot (quite hot) and I have all my grandchildren here nearly everyday for supper and have to guard against them in the kitchen when using the oven. So I recommend caution using the oven or cleaning the oven when little children are present. I do however love the rack versitility in this stove. I can cook a lot at once. I like making an "oven meal" where everything I cook is cooked in the oven. I also like the warming drawer because when cooking a lot of food, I can utilize this and still serve piping hot dishes in a great quantity than I could before.

The pluses: Rapid cooking on top of stove and in oven, easy clean up on glass top even while cooking, self-cleaning oven, "burner" versitility, oven rack versitility

The negatives: Top of exterior of stove gets very hot when using the oven or cleaning the oven, will also get burned or scalded when adjusting cooking temperature by having to reach across cookware during cooking.

All in all, I think this stove is close to perfection.

The best perfoming range I have ever owned November 06, 2009

As a chef who caters in many many many kitchens over the years, I found that this range rivals some of the premium brands out there.  The speed at which the burners heat the pan is unbelievable. The even browning and simmering and just about anything else that needs consistant heat, it is fantastic.  The air guard subdues the big smells. You can smell alittle bit of what is inside, but nothing compared to other ranges. The oven is so well insulated.  The convection browns evenly and is accurate.

Cleaning this baby is a breeze, as nothing bakes on the surface. 

After reading other reviews, I will be on the lookout for what other reviewers have said.  As these reviews keep eachother informed.  I am thrilled with this range.

My only issues are the glass top. I am just waiting to drop something on it and ruin it. The other issue is the touch pad. I think Kenmore has alittle work to do here.  A feature that would make this range even better would be sliding oven racks, like the Electrolux has.

If you have not cooked on induction, you must. Especially if you live in a hot climate. As a Florida resident, not having the entire stove heat up and emit heat throughout the house is fantastic. 

I have a friend who has the viking induction range. This kenmore outperforms and has a larger oven capacity.  For a few thousand less, it is a phenomenal buy.

I agree with the reviewer regarding the pan configuration being a bit off.  However, I was able to boil a huge pot of water on the tiny back right burner! Go figure.. would have never thought that was possible.  My old electric range would have taken years to boil a big pot on a small burner.

By the way, IKEA , sells cookware for induction. It is sleek, well performing and extremely economical.  Europeans have been cooking on induction for years.  Give these pans a try before commiting to a more expensive set. I purchased a 7 piece set for 99$!