Kenmore Elite Model #77563

Well, anyone that has been to our house, or knows us well knows how much we love to cook. Since we moved into our house, we have been looking for a new stove, but I've never pulled the trigger. It's been several years in the making, and after doing serious research for the last year, it's happened. We finally picked up the Kenmore Elite Model #77563 on sale on "Black Friday 2009," and had it delivered and installed today, 29 NOV 2009! I have been researching a new range for the longest time, and functionally and aesthetically, I kept coming back to this one. As of 8 hours after it's arrival, I have ZERO regrets. This was purchased from a local Sears in NJ, and I was given a 2 hour window for the delivery, and they showed up right within the window as specified. Robert, the driver / installer was very professional, and was just a darn nice guy to boot, as was his nephew that worked with him. Getting it in the house was no easy task. It was too big to get in the front door, so they had to bring i through our side gate, then lift it up over the house reel mounted to the house, and in through the side door. They pulled the old stove out for me, and brought in this hot new baby! Once they got it in, they hooked up the gas line, got the stove level, plugged in, removed all the packing, plastic, etc, and did a function check. Everything worked just as planned, and I couldn't be happier! "Please sign here" he said! After they left, I set the oven to 400 degrees as the manual states to burn off anything that might be inside. The oven warms up fast compared to our old one, and the temperature was less than 10 degrees off from the oven thermometer that I use (which could be off). I let it run for 60 minutes, and any funk that was in there was burned away. So what do I think of it you ask? Let me say that this is a beauty to look at! The stainless with the stainless steel top is absolutely gorgeous, and a feature that I really wanted. There is nothing at all wrong with the black top, but I find the stainless very sharp, and yes, I know it is going to be very difficult to keep clean. A sacrifice that we are willing to make! The control center is also a nice, sleek, black design, and seems to be very high tech. I am sure that it is going to take me some time to figure it all out, but I look forward to taking the time to do so. Tons of settings, from convection, to non-convection, broil, etc, etc. And I love the fact that it is touch screen! One of the most important features that made me choose this stove is because of the 5 burners. Is this a must? No, but it sure is nice to have. Let me first however say that the grates over the cooktop are very nice. They are quality made, and they definitely serve a purpose. More than anything, it is very nice to have a flat surface to work on if need be, and is perfect for cookie sheets, large cutting boards, etc. Much better than your standard round rings found on your typical stove, so you are not doing a balancing act while working on a cutting board on the stove top.

So back to the burners, here is what we have: Low output: one 5,000 BTU Precise Simmer burner. High output: one 12,000 BTU. All-purpose: four 9,500 BTU, and a High output: dual ring 18,000 BTU. Note that the stove and burners are all natural gas, not electric, and not dual fuel. Gas is a must for us! The center oval burner, along with the dual ring burner are what had me sold on this model. The dual ring burner is great for boiling water, as I experimented with just minutes after the install. This burner also works nice for simmering, with just the center ring lit, although, there is a simmer burner directly behind this one. The center oval shaped burner is the one that I really wanted, and one of the most important. If I am going to invest thousands of dollars on a standard 30 inch cooktop, I want to have that 5th burner. This will be great to add a griddle, or a ridged grill of sorts. I really look forward to making pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns, cheesesteaks, etc on the grill plate once we get one. There is actually a white page that came with the stove where you can order and accessory pack direct from Kenmore for $19.95. It comes with the griddle and some great other accessories. Unfortunately, you cannot order it online, but I do plan on putting a check in the mail tomorrow! Another great use for the large center burner I think will be for making gravy in your large roasting pan after baking your bird. It will sit perfect right on top of there. Is the 5th burner a necessity? Absolutely not, but it sure is great, and I am glad to have it. We'll see just how much use it'll get in the future! MUCH MORE TO COME, so stay tuned!