The first decision is easiest since your kitchen cabinetry will either have space for a slide-in model or not. When it comes to size and features, think about how often and how much you cook. If you like getting creative in the kitchen and have a full cookware collection, you should invest in higher-end features like a built-in air fryer and flexible cooktop elements. If you prefer to eat out (or salads) more and only use your kitchen for the basics, those same features would go to waste. If you’re in the market for a slide-in model that fits your kitchen, the GE Profile PSS93YPFS 30-Inch Smart Slide-In Electric Convection Range with Air Fry is our choice. For a freestanding option, we recommend the LG LREL6323S 6.3 Cu. Ft. Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Fan Convection Electric Oven Range with AirFry. Whether you want a range that can connect to your Wi-Fi or a basic stove that gets it done, here are the best electric ranges on the market today. What We Don’t Love: Pricey, issues with self-cleaning feature With a smooth cooktop and glide touch controls, this GE Profile cooking range provides a modern clutter-free look. With a maximum 3,600-watt power boil element, the radiant stove features flexible sizes to match your pots and pans with the ability to synchronize two elements together for your griddle. The oven features an advanced convection system that uses a third heating element and reversing fan to stabilize heat and air circulation. This results in effective and consistent performance for avid cooks. It also comes with a built-in air fryer (bonus!) which is an excellent option for making those mozzarella sticks or french fries, without taking up extra counter space for an extra appliance. There’s built-in Wi-Fi so you can control oven functions with GE’s SmartHQ app, and precision cooking modes in the oven, for cooking your food to perfection. Plus, this range also comes with that highly sought-after feature all cooks love: a self-cleaning mode. Type: Slide-in | Cooktop: Radiant | Dimensions (WxDxH): 29.9 x 28 x 47 inches | Capacity: 5.3 cubic feet | Self Cleaning: Yes What We Don’t Love: Air fry tray sold separately, odd blue oven interior Though a freestanding range doesn’t have a streamlined design like a slide-in range, it more than makes up for that with multiple functions in the LG LREL6323S. This comes with a few key features which you usually only find in high-end models, such as a built-in air fryer, convection cooking, flexible cooktop elements, and a special low-heat melt element for keeping sauces warm. This model features LG’s ThinQ technology which allows you to use your smart device to plan your meal, check on your dishes remotely, and activate a timer by voice command. The best part is that it comes with a powerful 3200-watt cooktop element to deliver a fast boil. Another feature that cooks love is the 10-minute oven cleaning cycle technology. There’s also a storage drawer so your most-used pans are within easy reach. Type: Freestanding | Cooktop: Radiant | Dimensions (WxDxH): 29.9 x 28.9 x 46.5 inches | Capacity: 6.3 cubic feet | Self Cleaning: Yes What We Don’t Love: No self-cleaning function, no large burner Affordability doesn’t mean you have to compromise in quality. Look at this Amana, for example. Sure, it may not come with all the frills of a more expensive range like a self-cleaner, but you still get a lot of offerings. This 30-inch range has four burners: two 1200-watt elements and two 1800-watt elements for cooking power and flexibility. Though you do have to use knobs to adjust the heat, those are located on the back panel making it safer for kids and easier to clean. The slightly small oven does feature an extra-large window and features technology to evenly distribute heat. There are also preset temperature settings, which makes cooking even more convenient. Just select a temperature, and press start! Other features include a large bottom storage drawer, an oven lock to prevent accidents, and a warm setting for when dinner’s ready but you’re not. Type: Freestanding | Cooktop: Radiant | Dimensions (WxDxH): 29.9 x 27.75 x 46.9 inches | Capacity: 4.8 cubic feet | Self Cleaning: No What We Don’t Love: Odd blue interior With its double oven design and a powerful 3200-watt element, you can cook an entire meal in one go with the LG LTE4815BD. It has a very sleek design, with a smooth cooktop and seamless built-in look as a slide-in. You can easily transition from a 12-inch burner to a 6-inch one with the simple push of just one button on its angled glass controls. With a total oven capacity of 7.3 cubic feet, you can create multiple dishes for your family and friends, utilizing the 4.3-cubic-foot lower oven and smaller 3.0-cubic-foot upper oven. Think souffle in the lower oven and a pizza in the upper oven. This LG also has the ProBake feature where the convection fan is placed at the back of the oven for even baking (no more slightly burnt apple turnovers!). The strong and versatile machine also uses voice control and artificial intelligence with Wi-Fi and ThinQ technology. Clean-up is efficient and easy, too. Type: Slide-in | Cooktop: Radiant | Dimensions (WxDxH): 30 x 28.9 x 36 inches | Capacity: 7.3 cubic feet | Self Cleaning: Yes What We Don’t Love: Lacks self-cleaning feature Just because you are tight on space, doesn’t mean you don’t love to cook. You still may fancy a sleek oven range! So why not try this compact-size electric range by Summit Appliance? This 20-inch range comes in an elegant black finish and has a versatile design with its removable 2-inch backguard, granting you the flexibility to install it as a freestanding or slide-in range. It has a smooth cooktop with four 1200-watt elements, though they only measure 6.5 inches wide. At 2.3 cubic feet, the oven cavity is big enough to prepare food for a couple of people and still features a window big enough to peer inside. It comes with slide-out oven racks, which can be adjusted in four different positions, and the broiler is easily accessible at waist height. Type: Flexible | Cooktop: Radiant | Dimensions (WxDxH): 19.75 x 24.25 x 36.5 inches | Capacity: 2.3 cubic feet | Self Cleaning: No

What to Look for When Buying an Electric Range

Freestanding or Slide-In

A freestanding range comes with finished sides and a backguard, a.k.a the panel featuring the oven controls, and can fit in pretty much anywhere in your kitchen. A slide-in is sleeker but must fit within a specific space in your cabinetry to give it that seamless, built-in look. The controls are almost always on the front of a slide-in range. Though more expensive than a freestanding range, a slide-in looks more streamlined and is easier to clean. It can be safer to use, as you don’t have to reach over the elements to change the controls, but you may need to get a child stove guard.

Capacity

Most cooktops are 30 or 36 inches wide, but you can also find smaller ones (20 inches) or wider ones (48 inches). The capacity of the oven will help determine the size of the range you want to buy. A standard range oven, for a freestanding or slide-in, is around 5 cubic feet. If you are going for a range with a double oven, the larger oven will be anywhere from 4 to 5 cubic feet, large enough for a 20-pound turkey, with the smaller one being 2 to 3 cubic feet. In order to determine which size to purchase, and whether to buy a double oven range or not, you’ll have to consider how much you use your oven, do you need to feed a large household, and do you need to prepare a variety of meals at the same time (cookies on top, a roast chicken on the bottom). If you don’t intend to use your oven that much, it is best to go with a standard or small oven capacity.

Cooktop Features

A smooth cooktop has a tempered ceramic glass top, and though it can scratch easily, they are much easier to clean and maintain than the old technology of exposed-coil elements. They vary in the number of features and come with different levels of wattage. What is especially convenient about smooth cooktops is that they come with flex-width elements, which provide you with the flexibility to choose the different sizes that match the circumference of your cookware. Most have expandable dual or triple parts that let you alternate between a large, high wattage element and a smaller element. 

Can you use cast iron cookware on an electric range?

According to Ken Riemann, the Cooking Buyer for regional appliance giant P.C. Richard & Son, the inability to use cast iron cookware on an electric range is “totally a myth,” he laughs. “Electric stoves—even ones with glass tops—can handle the trendy, trusty, and yes, very heavy cast iron cookware.” 

What are the best types of cookware you can use on an electric range? 

“Flat-bottom cookware is ideal for electric stoves with flat surfaces,” says Riemann. “This ensures that the entire bottom will heat equally and evenly.” Warped pans will perform poorly on any type of stove, but even more so on electric ranges. Materially, though, you can safely use cast iron, copper, stainless steel, and aluminum. 

Do electric ranges use a lot of electricity?

“A lot” is contextual and dependent on many factors: what model of range you have, where you live, et cetera. “Most electric ovens draw between 2,000 and 5,000 watts, with the average electric stove wattage coming in at around 3,000,” says Riemann. “If you were to try to calculate the cost, assuming an electricity rate of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour, a 3,000-watt appliance will cost you about 36 cents per hour at high heat.”  This doesn’t sound like very much money, but in comparison, an electric range is generally less energy efficient than gas, which can save 10 to 30 percent off your utility bills. Energy company MGE has reported an average expenditure of $5.94 a month to run an electric range based on a 14-cent kWh as opposed to $2.34 for a gas range without a pilot light, based on a dollar-per-therm rate. Regardless of what you choose, look for the Energy Star label for your best bets.

How do you clean an electric oven?

If your electric oven has a self-cleaning feature, use it! Raimann is a fan of this function. But it works best if your oven is A) dirty enough that the tremendously high heat will melt grease or grime, but B) not so dirty that it’ll smoke and catch fire. You may also want to avoid hitting that button if your oven is Teflon-coated, or it may break down prematurely and create fumes. To clean it manually, use a cleaning solution of your choice, be it store-bought or a baking soda, vinegar, or lemon DIY mixture, and handle it with care. This means rubber gloves, protective glasses for industrial-strength cleaners, and something to line the surrounding floor with, just in case discoloration might occur. To start cleaning, remove all of the racks and spray the inside liberally, avoiding the heating elements. Let it sit, then use a damp cloth, sponge, or soft-bristled brush to have at it!

Why Trust Simply Recipes?

Shayma Owaise Saadat loves her electric slide-in range and has used myriad ranges over the years while teaching her Pakistani and Persian cookery workshops. Read Next: The Best Pizza Ovens