Information on GE Profile Cooking Ranges

The Profile series is one of GE's elite brands.

GE Profile ranges come in many different configurations, with close to 75 models to choose from. GE offers four different range colors: black, stainless, white or bisque. Depending on the color you choose, your options are somewhat limited. For example, only seven models offer bisque as an option, whereas 25 models offer the option of stainless. The majority of the GE Profile Ranges come with a cabinet width of 30 inches. Only three come with a cabinet width of 27 inches. Comparing your options ahead of time makes for a more pleasant buying experience.

Cooking Technology

GE Profile ranges offer two types of cooking technology: convection or traditional. With convection cooking, a fan is used to circulate air throughout the oven. This shortens cooking times and ensures more even baking. Traditional cooking provides heat from either below or above (depending on the setting you choose), and maintains an even temperature inside the oven. If you purchase a convection range, it will also provide the traditional cooking option.

Configuration

According to the GE consumer website, there are four range configurations to choose from: range with storage drawer, range with warming drawer, range with a versatile drawer, or a double oven range. The versatile range drawer is used for storage, warming or cooking. The double oven range has a smaller oven door below the main oven. Only 17 of the 74 different models offer the double oven, so again, configuration limits your options.

Burner Type

Induction, smoothtop and sealed gas are the three burner types to choose from. As of March 2010, induction is the newest cooking technology available. Induction cooktops use an electromagnetic field for heating cookware. The cookware must contain iron or be magnetic for the transfer of energy to occur. This method of cooking heats only the area that comes in contact with cookware. Any surface not covered by cookware stays cool to the touch. Induction cooking allows for very fast, even heating. Smoothtop uses electric heat that comes from burners below the cooktop surface. Sealed gas requires that you have a gas line installed in your home. Sealed gas ranges offer easy clean-up and cooking versatility.

Special Features

All of GE's Profile ranges offer the self-clean feature. This feature allows oven cleaning to take place automatically with no scrubbing involved. In addition, 29 of the 74 models are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These models offer controls that are easily accessible without reaching across burners. The ADA compliant models are also designed for one-hand operation.

Considerations

Selecting options that meet your needs easily narrows your range options. If you cook often, choosing induction burners and a convection oven makes more sense. Induction and convection technologies cook faster and range/oven temperatures are more precise. If you frequently eat meals away from home, choosing a smoothtop range and traditional oven saves money. Hosting lots of dinner parties may steer you towards a double-oven configuration. However, if you only cook a couple large meals per year, the single oven with storage drawer configuration will suffice.

References

• GE Appliances: Profile Ranges

Resources

• GE Appliances: Induction Cooktop Info