I’ll tackle all key aspects of their new dual fuel lineup including performance, design, and build quality and I’ll compare them with Bluestar’s existing open burner all gas ranges.
What Is Dual Fuel and Why Is It Great?
Dual fuel ranges offer the best of both worlds by combining two fuel sources. Gas for the cooktop, electric for the oven. Gas burners are highly favored among home cooks due to their responsiveness, precise flame adjustment, and visual indicator of the flame, which allows for better control and a more intuitive way to monitor heat.
Gas ovens on the other hand can be unpredictable with temperature fluctuations, which can affect baked goods. Electric ovens offer more reliable temperature control for consistent cooking and baking.
A dual fuel range requires both a gas line and high amperage 240v electrical line. If you are upgrading to a dual-fuel range you’ll need to consider the potential costs of hiring an electrician or plumber. However, if you’re undertaking a new build or renovating your kitchen, the associated costs should be minimal.
Pros: Reasons to Buy BlueStar’s Dual Fuel Range
Bluestar Dual Fuel Range 36″
- Outstanding oven performance. The electric ovens on this Bluestar range offer ample space, precise control, and a range of cooking modes to elevate your culinary skills. The oven cavity is remarkably spacious, accommodating full-sized commercial baking sheets. Bluestar ensures consistent performance across all three racks, delivering perfect results from front to back and top to bottom.
- Say goodbye to the inconsistencies of traditional cooktops. Bluestar’s X-8 burner, a robust star-shaped design has 152 individual ports and no burner cap. This results in 152 individual mini flames evenly distributing heat across your entire pan – no hotspots, just the perfect temperature wherever your ingredients lie.
- Easier to clean. Their all-gas counterpart requires you to remove a pull-out tray (similar to a grill) to clean your cooktop. The dual fuel has a smooth surface that you can easily wipe down with a sponge. And when it comes to cleaning the inside of your oven, you can leave the racks inside. They are engineered to withstand the self-clean cycle, eliminating the need for removal!
- All new control panel. Bluestar’s latest dual fuel range introduces a modern touchscreen control panel, departing from traditional knob controls. With eight cooking modes and convenient timers, this user-friendly interface simplifies cooking with as few as 3 touches.
Cons: Reasons to Avoid BlueStar’s Dual Fuel Range
Bluestar Dual Fuel Range 48″
- New touchscreen panel. While it offers a modern and sleek aesthetic, it can be considered a drawback for some users due to the need to cycle through screens, which can be inconvenient when dealing with messy cooking or if you’re in a rush.
- Less well-known brand compared to some of its competitors. If you prioritize brand recognition or desire a sense of vanity in your kitchen appliance, Bluestar might not offer the same level of prestige or status associated with more established names.
Dual Fuel Feature Breakdown
For most cooktops on the market today you’ll notice the flame ports are hidden beneath a burner cap. While this design is intended to spread heat evenly, it still manages to create an uneven cooking environment because the flame that originates underneath makes inconsistent contact with the pan via the cap, often leading to hot spots. The result is usually food browning faster on one side of the pan than the other or parts of your meal ending up more cooked than others.
Bluestar underwent a complete redesign, aiming to replicate the excellent heat distribution of their open burner design while transitioning to a less daunting and easier-to-clean sealed burner format for the dual fuel range’s cooktop.
Bluestar’s X-8 burner, a robust star-shaped design made from durable cast aluminum, has 152 individual ports and importantly, no burner cap. This results in 152 individual mini flames beautifully distributing heat across your entire pan – no hotspots, just the perfect temperature wherever your ingredients lie.
Burner flexibility. If you need the ability to transition from a high-heat sear to a gentle simmer, Bluestar’s X8 burners embody this concept. With a commercial-grade high output of 25,000 BTU for quick searing, they can also delicately simmer at just 500 BTU. And thanks to their unique burner design, this heat doesn’t escape around the sides of the pan as with other burners resulting in faster boiling, enough firepower for high heat wok cooking, and quicker heat-up and recovery times for your pans.
LED safety feature: Rear burners offer an 18,000 BTU high down to the same 500 BTU low, but with such a low simmer, it’s easy to forget a burner is on. That’s why Bluestar has cleverly equipped each burner with an LED light that indicates when a burner is active.
Oven Performance
Bluestar ovens impress with their exceptional build quality, particularly the heavy, smooth-gliding stainless steel racks. These ranges feature two full extension racks and one standard rack, all engineered to withstand the self-clean cycle, eliminating the need for removal. The oven cavity is remarkably spacious, accommodating full-sized commercial baking sheets, allowing for baking up to 20 cookies on one sheet or 60 at a time with all three racks in use. Bluestar ensures consistent performance across all three racks, delivering perfect results from front to back and top to bottom.
The oven performance on this Bluestar range is nothing short of extraordinary, offering ample space, precise control, and a range of cooking modes to elevate your culinary skills.
Touchscreen
Bluestar’s latest dual fuel range introduces a modern touchscreen control panel, departing from traditional knob controls. With eight cooking modes and convenient timers, this user-friendly interface simplifies cooking with as few as 3 touches. Additional features include dehydrating, proofing, and a sabbath mode, expanding cooking possibilities. Their dual oven models offer a split screen mode to monitor both ovens simultaneously. Plus, you can customize the screen clock color to match your range or kitchen decor, adding a personal touch to your cooking experience.
Color Customization
While the standard stainless steel finish is certainly appealing, the true excitement lies in the extensive range of colors and trims available for customization. With over 1,000 color options to choose from, the possibilities are endless.
Bluestar even offers curated color collections like their current summer collection to inspire your decision. If that’s not enough, you can even opt for a custom color match, just like our realtor friend in Montclair who matched her beloved pistachio-colored KitchenAid stand mixer! These custom options only add about 10 weeks to the lead time, while other brands can take six months or more for custom colors. On top of the vast color selection, you can also personalize your range with 10 different trims, including variations of brass, copper, and bronze.
Conclusion
Bluestar’s dual fuel range elevates the experience of owning a range, especially for baking enthusiasts. With the perfect blend of gas cooktop precision and electric oven reliability, these ranges offer a truly exceptional cooking experience.
But it’s not just about performance. Bluestar understands that a kitchen is a reflection of personal style and taste. That’s why they offer an extensive array of customization options allowing homeowners to personalize their range and make it a centerpiece of their kitchen decor, whether it’s a bold red, a soothing blue, or a sleek metallic finish.
Owning a Bluestar dual-fuel range is more than just having a high-performing cooking appliance—it’s an experience that combines culinary excellence with the joy of self-expression.
FAQs
My current range is all gas, what do I need for dual fuel?
A dual fuel range requires both a gas line and high amperage 240v electrical line. If you are upgrading to a dual-fuel range you’ll need to consider the potential costs of hiring an electrician or plumber. However, if you’re undertaking a new build or renovating your kitchen, the associated costs should be minimal.
Can I purchase a BlueStar range online?
We would advise against purchasing Bluestar appliances without the help of a trained sales associate. Since each option on a Bluestar range is custom-made for you, it’s a bit like signing your life away so you want to make sure you get the details right. Also, keep in mind that color and trim options may appear differently online compared to in person.
Credit : Source Post
