Buying a kitchen range is a lot like buying a car. The prices can vary dramatically. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute says consumers need to consider many factors.
"The very first thing they have to think about is what type of power do they have in their home -- do they have gas or do they have electricity? Next of course is price. How much can you realistically afford to spend and then what kind of cook are you?" said Sharon Franke of Good Housekeeping.
Testers gave high marks to a $600 self-cleaning Hotpoint range for its even baking.
"In this oven we were able to make two racks of cookies at the same time -- you can see that every cookie looks identical," said Franke.
The five-burner Electrolux electric range is a good mid price option. It sells for $2,500. The top choice among so called professional ranges is the Viking with a gas burner and an electric oven. It sells for $5,000.
