Input and/or suggestions please on new stove
 

We are planning on purchasing a new stove with income tax next year. I have always wanted a stove with a convection oven. Every year after the bulk of income tax is set aside for savings, my husband and I talk about what we want to do with what is left over. This coming refund we plan on replacing the stove and giving my old one to our son who just purchased his first home. My old stove is still in excellent condition for its age(11 yrs old).

So here is where I need some input and/or suggestions from the family here. Our budget is $600.-$700.00 give or take a few dollars. And it HAS to be electric!

Which brand do you have?
What do you like or dislike about it?
How well does the oven bake, roast etc.?
Is it easy to clean?: Stove top, do the rings come off, does the top lift up for cleaning under burners?
Oven, do you prefer the self cleaning mode or oven cleaner, Baking Soda/water paste, baking soda/vinegar solution?

Thanks in advance for the help. :)

P.S.
Other things on our list are:
Completely redoing the front flower bed
Replacing that evil printer that hates Windows 10
A new mattress (Temperpedic type)
A new firearm for hubby

I have a Frigidaire election stove, glass top (no rings or visible burners), self-cleaning oven; not a convection. I've had it for years and love it dearly. It's perfect for everything and extremely easy to clean. I would buy the same one again if I had to, but it has had no problems at all. And, it isn't top of line. It was very reasonably priced when I got it ... several years ago.

I have a glass top GE electric stove. The oven can be convection or regular depending on the settings. It also has a second oven at the bottom where there is usually a drawer. I tried the convection function a few times and honestly could not see any benefit to it, so quit bothering with it. Recipes and temperatures are a bit different, so easier for me to revert back to what I was used to. The second small oven is not as useful as I thought it would be, either. Used mainly on holidays as warming space. It has a self cleaning oven which is essential to me! I like the glass top also, so easy to clean. This one is capable of using a canner which I guess some are not. I like the stove a lot but we will be replacing it in the next 6 months or so. I will look for one without convection and second oven, not useful to me. We also have to have electric, no gas here. So will see what we can find. Do want glass top and self cleaning for sure.

Mine has convection and I use it less than I thought I would. Probably my favorite feature is the flat top ceramic stove. Super easy to keep clean!

I would only have a gas stove. Mine is self cleaning but, with a bird I can't use it or oven cleaners. I just wash with blue Dawn and paper towels. Doesn't need cleaning often. Not a convection, doubt I would use it.

Do you do a lot of cooking with "big" kettles or canning with a large canner/pressure cooker?

That might be a factor in your decision.

I use cast iron cookware: dutch oven, saucier, covered casserole pan and a flat griddle. I do prefer the coiled burners.

My pressure cooker is electric, and my large pasta pot, stock pot both fit the stove. I do cook a lot when the kids all show up. Usually I start the day before with some of the dishes on the menu. Like Spaghetti sauce (it always tastes better the next day), potato salad, or chopping lots of veggies for a relish platter.

Thank you all for your responses. Your input is most appreciated.

We bought a Jenn Air convection oven with smoothtop electric range in 2003, and it’s been very good. I was looking for Kenmore (our budget was $600) . This Jenn Air one was regularly $1200 at the time but as a floor model , half off! Deal!

What I like: 1) smooth top looks as good now as then. 2) knobs are easy to control —no annoying beeping you have with electronic buttons. 3) big interior with a solid surface that hasnt chipped 4) bottom drawer can be used as a warming drawer but I only use it for storage of huge pans. 5) self-cleaning 6) ENd Cook Time button. I can set it to shut off so I don’t have to babysit it.

What I don’t like: 1) one of the back burners has only worked on the HIGH setting since about 2010. We use it just to boil stuff. 2). I wish I’d measured my widest baking sheets to see if I could put two side-by-side. I can’t. 3) The convection unit stopped working at some point but I didn’t notice. I wasn’t an avid baker and didn’t use the convection feature often anyway. Never missed it.

Definitely figure out your must-haves, then your like-to-haves, and your hate-to haves. You are in a good position to make an informed decision since you are under no pressure. Win!