Walton Gas reminds that November is the best time to shop for a new natural gas oven, stove or range.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your ovens! With the holidays almost here, your kitchen appliances are about to get their biggest workout of the year.
Will your oven have the big bird roasted on time for Thanksgiving dinner? Is your range up to the job of cooking a holiday feast for the family? Nothing will put a damper on a holiday feast quite like the death of an old appliance.
Now is your last chance before the holidays to snag a great deal on gas appliances.
If you’re considering buying a new gas stove or converting from an electric to gas range, now is your last chance before the holidays to snag a great deal. You’ll find some bargain prices at this time of year. Plus, new kitchen appliances equipped with latest technology and features can make cooking more pleasurable.
Walton Gas provides these tips for buying the appliances that will help you successfully cook your way through the holidays.
1. Shop this month
The best time to buy major appliances — kitchen and otherwise — is in the fall when manufacturers unveil their latest models. To make room for these, stores discount their year-old appliances.
The deals can get even sweeter when a holiday sale is involved. Major appliance sales tend to correspond with holidays, especially those associated with three-day weekends. Great deals can be found in November. If you can wait, great deals can also be found on Black Friday.
2. Heed the signs
The only thing worse than an overcooked turkey is an undercooked one. Pay attention to these signs that may signal impending death for your cooking appliance.
- Items don’t cook or bake in the amount of time they should.
- Error codes show on the stove’s display screen.
- Burners don’t heat properly, or at all. On gas stoves, if the flame is no longer blue or flickers or sparks from blue to red to yellow, it may be time for a replacement.
- Glass on the oven door is cracked.
- It’s over 15 years old.
Danger sign: You smell gas
That rotten egg smell indicates there’s a gas leak somewhere between the gas source and the stove. This is a serious problem that requires immediate attention for your safety. DO NOT turn on your stove. Exit the area immediately and leave the door open. Call Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321 or 911 once you are out of the area and in a safe place.
3. Make the switch
Up your cooking game by making the switch from electric to gas. If you already have a capped gas line in your kitchen, an installer can easily hook up your new gas range, stove or oven. If you have an existing gas line but it’s too far from where you plan to install the new appliance, you’ll need a licensed plumber to run a new line. Today’s gas stoves also require electricity to ignite the burners. A licensed electrician can convert your existing wiring configuration to accommodate gas cooking appliances.
4. Know before you go
If you head out to shop for a new stove or range without a good idea of what you want or need, prepare to be overwhelmed. Some stores have as many as 60 models to choose from right on the showroom floor. The variety of features available can number in the hundreds. Before you go, take a look at websites such as Consumer Reports to learn more about the features, performances and prices of current models. Tip: Don’t be afraid to check out professional-grade gas ranges. Some of the top-rated ones have a median price point.
5. Stay open to options
While doing your homework, be sure to read up on these on-trend options that can help make holiday cooking a snap:
- Flexibility – At least one manufacturer is offering a removable barrier that divides the oven in half, allowing you to cook at two different temperatures.
- Connectivity – Many models are now equipped with WiFi and apps that will let use your smartphone to adjust the time and temperature of the oven remotely.
- No preheat – A special setting lets you bake foods without having to preheat.
- Better burners – Newer models now have more burners, including a mix of high-power and low-output simmer burners, an oval burner for larger pots and a griddle option.
- Continuous grates – Slide heavy cookware from one burner to another with no heavy lifting.
- Convection cooking technology – If you want a gas range with a convection oven, look for dual-fuel options.