Hybrid

What's the Difference Should you buy a slide-in or a freestanding range?Find out at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center Freestanding A freestanding range will have its control panel and knobs rising from the back of the range. It is finished on both sides and in a typical installation, a freestanding range is pushed back against the wall in a 30" space with adjacent standard 24" deep cabinet. Also, since the sides are finished, a freestanding range could easily be installed at the end of a cabinet run. However, they don't work well in an island installation since the control panel sticks up in the back and is unfinished on the back. Slide-In To the contrary, a slide-in range has the controls in the front so there is no back panel, and it works well in an island installation. The sides are not finished, so without an accessory end panel they cannot be installed at the end of a cabinet run. There is normally a lip on each side of a slide-in range that overlaps the countertop, giving the range a built-in look and eliminating the space between range and adjacent counter. In addition, slide in ranges do not slide all the way to the back, thus allowing for a strip or moulding behind the range further enhancing the built-in look. Though choices in slide-in ranges are limited and they cost more than equivalent freestanding ranges, slide-in ranges are an excellent

Trends in Induction Ranges and Cooktops Induction Cooking at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 2014 may be the "year of induction" when it comes to ranges and cooktops. All the major manufacturers seem to have joined the fray. Prices have never been better, and choices abound with a variety of outstanding features all available at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC) . Brands include everything from Gaggenau, Wolf, and Viking in the luxury categories to Bosch and KitchenAid in the affordable premium category, and GE, Frigidaire,and Whirlpool among the mass brands. Today, there are induction cooktops in both popular sizes of 30" and 36" as well as ranges in free-standing, slide-in, and double oven configurations. There is even a "hybrid" range which offers both conventional radiant cooking as well as induction. Here are just a few interesting choices: Most Flexibility in an Induction CooktopThe Thermador Freedom 36" Cooktop contains 48 - 3" induction coils that give the consumer the ability to move pans around anywhere on the cooktop, hence the term "Freedom". It's a clever design that provides great flexibility for the user. As you might expect, all those coils come at a price but if you're in the luxury market this item should be part of your consideration set. Most Powerful Induction Cooktops. Though, several brands have laid claim to being the most powerful, it looks like the Jenn-Air 36" cooktop has the most powerful element at 5,000 watts. In addition,