I cover large kitchen appliances for Wirecutter and have nearly 20 years of experience writing about food and cooking. I’ve written guides to induction cooktops and portable induction cooktops, and I also offer advice on how to make the most of large kitchen appliances (including how to clean an oven).

We’ve been evaluating electric ranges since 2018. For this guide, we did the following:

• We interviewed a variety of experts, including repair technicians, appliance-store owners and staff, chefs, home cooks, appliance engineers, and kitchen designers.
• To get a feel for the quality of our picks, we visited appliance trade shows and dozens of big-box stores and appliance showrooms.
• We evaluated hundreds of owner reviews and reader comments to identify reliability problems or real-world quirks.

This guide covers 30-inch electric ranges with a backguard and a freestanding design. These ranges have finished sides and can be installed anywhere in the kitchen: between two kitchen cabinets, at the end of a counter, or entirely on their own. Most now come with sleek, ceramic-glass cooktops and increasingly high-tech ovens, and they are generally considered safer and more efficient than gas stoves.

If you’re willing to spend a little more on a stove, we have a guide to slide-in (or front-control) electric ranges; these are designed to be installed between two cabinets (though many have finished sides), and they do not have a backguard. Most have front-mounted controls that look sleeker and may be easier for some people to use. These stoves sit flush with your countertops, creating a built-in look, and they tend to come with better hardware and features. Many of our freestanding picks come in a slide-in version that isn’t that much more expensive.

Most of the ranges in this category have radiant-electric cooktops, but a few have induction, which works via electromagnetic induction to produce heat in the pan itself. They’re arguably better than radiant electric cooktops by nearly every measure, but they’re more expensive and hard to find in a freestanding range. We currently have one pick with an induction cooktop.

After years of research (and cooking), we determined these features are the most important to consider when you’re investing in a new freestanding electric range:

Cooktop

• A durable, well-designed cooktop: Found on all but the most affordable cooktops, ceramic glass is sleeker and more attractive than exposed-coil elements. It heats more evenly, and according to scientists researching indoor air quality at Stanford University, it releases fewer volatile organic compounds into the air as you cook. Though it can scratch or chip, significant cracks are rare (most owners with major cracks told us a dropped bottle of olive oil stored above their range was the culprit).

Radiant versions can be harder to clean if you don’t wipe away spills each time you cook, as food heats up on the surface and becomes hard to remove—this is not an issue with an induction cooktop. If repairability and longevity are important to you, though, note that a ceramic-glass surface is much harder to replace than a coil element, which typically plugs into the cooktop without any tools.

• Elements in a range of sizes: Every stove should include a large, powerful element, ideally at least 8 inches in diameter. Many are even larger, which is recommended if you frequently use pans with bottom diameters of 10 or 12 inches. (The 8-inch large element won’t heat the pan’s outer edge as effectively.) For radiant-electric cooktops, we also look for a medium-size, lower-power simmer burner (typically 1,200 watts), which is good for holding a larger pot at a medium or low temperature. (Higher-end radiant-electric ranges often include a fifth, low-heat element for tasks like melting butter or keeping a finished dish warm.) Induction elements automatically adjust to fit smaller pots and can easily hold low temperatures, so element sizes are less important.
• Power-boil settings: Higher-end ranges usually have a large element with a highest setting of at least 3,000 watts, which is sometimes called a boost or power-boil setting. More power means less time waiting for pasta water to boil or for a skillet to get hot enough to sear.
• Flex zones and bridges: At least one large element on a higher-end radiant-electric range will allow you to choose between two or three element widths, so you can match the pot or pan you’re using. This is more efficient, and you don’t needlessly heat up the kitchen. (The elements on an induction cooktop auto-adjust to fit a pan.) Some cooktops also have a bridge: two medium-size elements that can be synced to use with a larger pan or dual-element griddle.
• Knobs made of sturdy plastic: Freestanding models rarely have metal or ceramic knobs, but the plastic knobs found on better ranges should feel solid and secure and turn easily. Traditionally, nearly all electric freestanding ranges have had cooktop knobs located on the backguard. Now it’s also possible to find models with front-mounted knobs (our picks offer both options). Induction cooktops often have digital touchpads on the backsplash or cooktop surface, rather than knobs.

Oven

• Around 5 cubic feet of oven capacity: This applies to most good, freestanding, 30-inch electric ranges with a single oven, which should accommodate a 24- to 26-pound Thanksgiving turkey and standard-size baking sheets. Most now have 5.3 cubic feet of capacity. Some less expensive models have a little less. (Extra-large freestanding ovens, which have around 6.2 cubic feet of capacity, are rare, but we have a few recommendations.) Most ovens have five or six rack settings and two basic racks. Anything beyond that, such as extra racks or racks with handles or gliding rollers, are typically found only on higher-end models. (You can generally buy these as add-ons.)
• Convection cooking modes: Even mid-priced ovens usually have some form of convection mode. Those with basic convection have a fan at the back of the oven to spread heat evenly. This allows you to cook at lower temperatures for less time. Cookies bake more evenly, crusts come out flakier, and anything roasted will be crispier on the outside and juicier on the inside. You also generally get better results when you’re using more than one rack at the same time. True (or European) convection ovens, which are usually more expensive, add an extra heating element near the fan; this helps the oven do a better job of all of the above. Most ovens with convection allow you to choose between convection baking and roasting or a standard baking mode (without a fan). Today, nearly any convection oven comes with an air-fry setting.
• Extra oven features and modes: The more you pay for a range, typically the more features you get, such as delayed-start mode, a temperature probe, food-specific presets (pizza, bread, leftovers), Sabbath modes, or scan-to-cook settings. These modes are based on personal preference—everyone wants (or needs) different ones. If you desire a particular feature, check the product manual before you buy to make sure the model has what you’re looking for.
• Display and controls: More-expensive ranges tend to have a number pad for inputting oven temperatures and cook times, rather than plus and minus buttons. The number pad is a little faster to use and easier to see. And all but the least expensive models tend to have timers, oven lights, and digital time and temperature displays.
• A solid build: We looked for doors that feel substantial, open smoothly, and have a thick gasket for insulation that is secure around the edges and preferably lined with cloth rather than rubber. And while bottom storage drawers seem to get flimsier by the year, those on well-built ranges should be deep and sturdy enough to hold at least a few baking sheets.
• A hidden lower baking element: When an oven’s bottom baking element is covered by metal, it makes the oven easier to clean, reduces smoke from drips and spills, and is more attractive. It also tends to help an oven bake or roast a little more evenly, as the metal spreads the heat.
• A self-cleaning setting: Ranges can have two types of self-cleaning—high heat (very high temperatures burn off cooked-on food) and a lower-temperature, faster steam clean (for more-frequent, less-intense cleanings). In the past, we’ve advised to make sure a higher-priced range has high-heat self-clean. But many brands are moving to only steam-clean systems, even on more-expensive models, and we’re fine with that. Our reporting shows high-heat versions can damage many ranges, and they don’t always fully clean overly dirty ones. (You don’t technically need a steam-clean setting to clean with steam, but it’s still easier to have it as an option.)

Wi-Fi connectivity

• Remote monitoring, operation, and upgrades: Until recently, most freestanding ranges weren’t equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, but that’s rapidly changing. And while these features aren’t true game changers yet, they have potential. Using an app on a smartphone or other smart device, you can do things like track the status of your oven temperature and timer or control oven settings, either remotely or with voice commands, which could be especially beneficial for those who are blind or have low vision or for those with hearing loss. Connectivity can also allow for upgrades to new oven features or even remote diagnostics (though both of these features are rare).
• Privacy and data usage: Safety and security is an ongoing issue with any product connected to Wi-Fi, and no brand can truly say it can’t or won’t have a data breach. That said, the brands we recommend have strong privacy policies pertaining to storing and using your personal data, and most are working within shared, industry-wide standards through groups such as the Connectivity Standards Alliance and the Home Connectivity Alliance. These companies have, however, told us that usage data (such as functions you use or how long an appliance is on) informs product design. (If you don’t want a connected appliance, most don’t typically require you to connect.)
• Automatic syncing with ventilation: Some Wi-Fi– or Bluetooth-enabled ranges claim to automatically sync with a range hood or over-the-range microwave vent from the same brand, so it turns on to the proper power level when needed.

Reliability and customer service

• Large network of service repair professionals: Most freestanding ranges come with a one-year warranty. We prioritized brands with good reputations for customer service and national repair teams, with the ability to provide parts and support in metropolitan and rural areas.
• Widespread availability of models: Repair technicians are more likely to be familiar with a range if issues surface, and you likely won’t have to wait as long for parts.

Top pick

GE GRF600AV

The best electric freestanding range

This sturdy, powerful stove with basic convection has a great cooktop and baking features for a good price. It’s made by a dependable brand, and it comes in four finishes.

Buying Options

$778 from The Home Depot

$750 from Best Buy

We’ve been recommending GE Appliances ranges since 2018. The GE GRF600AV, introduced in early 2024, is our top pick. Here’s why:

The cooktop has five elements in a broad range of sizes. The two larger elements are in the front: a 12-inch element, which is large and powerful enough to heat extra-wide (14- or 16-inch) pans evenly, and a 9-inch element. Both have a power-boil setting (for bringing water to a boil or heating a pan for a sear a little faster) and are flex-width, meaning you can use different pot sizes on one burner (12 or 9 inches, and 9 or 6 inches, respectively).

The two medium-size elements in the back are ideal for simmering (both have a low setting). A low-power warming burner sits in the center of the cooktop and is useful for gently melting chocolate or keeping a dish warm.

The oven has a convection mode and other better-than-basic features. The GRF600AV comes with basic convection mode—this setting uses a fan to better distribute heat, so you’ll get more-evenly baked cookies, flakier pie crusts, and crispier, juicier roasted foods, typically in less time than a standard oven. You’ll also have better results when you bake on multiple racks simultaneously. But you don’t have to use convection if you don’t want to—some people don’t like the sound of the fan, or they don’t want to adjust familiar recipes.

Along with roast and bake settings, this range has quick-preheat and air-fry modes, two broiler settings, and more custom features like pizza mode or settings for reheating cold leftovers.

The oven’s bottom baking element is covered, which makes the oven easier to clean, reduces smoke from drips and spills, and is more attractive.

The standard 5.3-cubic-foot oven is ample, able to fit half-sheet baking pans or a 24- to 26-pound turkey. And you can adjust its two oven racks to six levels. (If you need a larger oven, we have a recommendation.)

The oven has a steam self-clean setting and a removable tray. Instead of a high-heat self-clean, the GRF600AV has a steam self-clean setting, which is typically faster and accomplished at lower temperatures. The bottom of the oven cavity is also removable for cleaning using two built-in handles (GE Appliances calls this an EasyWash Oven Tray), and the company says it is dishwasher-safe.

The rear control panel is intuitive. Clearly marked, with decent plastic knobs, the control panel has a number pad for the oven that makes it easier to input times and temperatures. All stove and oven knobs and controls are at the rear of the range, which many people with small children prefer. (If you’d rather have front controls for the cooktop, consider our pick that’s best for baking.)

Its storage drawer is sturdier and bigger than many. You can actually use it for your pots and pans.

This range comes in four finishes. Available in white, black, stainless steel, and fingerprint-resistant slate, the GRF600AV has the most options of our picks. Some finishes cost a bit more.

It has Wi-Fi connectivity. You can use an app on a smartphone or device to track the status of and get alerts for your oven temperature and timer or to use oven modes like delayed start. Connectivity also supports Scan-To-Cook, which requires the GE Appliances SmartHQ app. Using the app, scan the QR code on the label of any product that is in the database, and the app will wirelessly send the oven cooking instructions (including power-level adjustments and timing).

Wi-Fi also allows you to control a handful of oven settings (such as changing the cooking timer or temperature) remotely or with voice commands and to take advantage of software feature upgrades (like downloading a new oven mode as soon as it’s been developed). And if you have other GE Appliances connected devices, like a range hood or over-the-counter microwave, you can sync their clocks to your range via Bluetooth.

The company has a strong customer-service track record. Though you can find complaints about any company, GE Appliances ranked high for customer service in our 2021 and 2023 surveys. And GE is rare in that it has its own repair fleet that reaches most of the United States. (That fleet was recently renamed Bodewell and expanded to include appliance sales as well as service.)

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The GE GRF600AV doesn’t have true convection. An extra heating element near the fan would make for even faster, more-consistent baking, but this model’s basic convection mode should cook more evenly than a standard oven.

The cooktop doesn’t have a bridge zone. It doesn’t have two elements of the same size next to each other either, so you can’t easily use a double-burner griddle or oblong pan.

The backguard display panel feels a little wobbly. But that’s common on freestanding ranges.

It is not Energy Star–certified. It is not eligible for federal rebates and tax credits for buying and installing an electric stove. A couple of our other picks are.

The GE Profile PB900YVFS has an advanced oven (true convection, with an extra element by its fan) that is notably larger (6.2 cubic feet) than our top pick. This model, which is generally more expensive than our top pick, also has an attractive black interior and both high-heat and steam self-cleaning settings.

Budget pick

Whirlpool WFES3030

Less expensive, still a strong choice

This stove offers especially good value from a brand that ranks high for repairability. It has only four elements and doesn’t have convection, but it comes with a quick-preheat mode.

Buying Options

$598 from The Home Depot

$580 from Lowe's

$600 from Best Buy

Whirlpool makes a lot of reputable ranges. The new Whirlpool WFES3030 is a particularly good value, with a powerful cooktop and useful, beyond-basic oven modes at an affordable price.

It has a great cooktop. The WFES3030 has four elements, while most of our other picks have five. But it has two powerful, 3,000-watt large elements (about the same as our top pick) that are positioned in the front. Both elements can be set to either 9 or 6 inches to accommodate different pan sizes. The two lower-power burners in the rear have a melt setting, which is useful.

The oven is solid and has a few extras. The amply sized 5.3-cubic-foot oven doesn’t have convection or an air-fry mode, but it does have no-preheat settings for frozen foods like pizza and lasagna, which are nice to have (and uncommon) at this price.

It is Energy Star–certified. The WFES3030 is eligible to be purchased using appliance rebates or some tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. (This is especially useful if you are switching from a gas range, as it covers some costs of installation.)

Service techs should be readily available. Whirlpool appliances are easy to find and likely easy to have serviced, too.

It comes in three finishes. The WFES3030 is available in white, black, and stainless steel.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Its lower baking element is exposed to splatters and spills. This can make cleanup harder.

Its control panel doesn’t have a number pad. Like most less expensive ranges, the control panel on the WFES3030 has up-and-down arrow buttons, which aren’t as easy to use to input times and temperatures.

It doesn’t have a self-cleaning mode. You have to clean this range manually, though we tend to recommend that approach, anyway.

The Whirlpool WFES3330 is typically slightly more expensive than our budget pick and has a few more features, including a fifth warming element and a steam self-clean mode.

The Whirlpool WFES5030 is similar to our pick but with a fifth warming element and a more advanced, basic convection oven with a high-heat self-cleaning setting. It is also Energy Star–certified and eligible to be purchased using federal appliance rebates.

The Whirlpool WFES7530 (pictured above) has basic convection, as well as several extra oven cooking modes (like air-fry, air-baking, and no-preheat) and an air-fry basket. This model’s cooktop features a coating that is designed to make food stains and spills—which are often difficult to remove on radiant electric cooktops—easier to clean.

If you want an extra-large oven, the Whirlpool WFE975H0HZ has a true-convection oven with lots of cooking modes and 6.4 cubic feet of capacity. This model is also smart.

Whirlpool Corporation also makes Maytag ranges with similar features to the models mentioned above: The Maytag MFES4030R (Energy Star–approved) has a standard oven, a five-element cooktop, and a steam self-clean mode; the Maytag MFES6030RZ (Energy Star–approved) has basic convection, a bridge on the cooktop, and a high-heat self-clean mode; and the smart Maytag MFES8030RZ has true convection and a griddle that you can use on the cooktop (it has a bridge) or in the oven (it has a grilling mode). All three have a more professional stainless steel look and feel, with chunky round handles.

Best for...

Frigidaire Gallery GCRE3060

Best for baking

This handsome front-control range has a true convection oven with advanced features for bakers and a cooktop bridge for a dual-element griddle. But it comes in just two finishes.

Buying Options

$999 from Lowe's

$898 from The Home Depot

$900 from Best Buy

If you love to bake, roast, or braise, we recommend the good-looking Frigidaire Gallery GCRE3060, a recently upgraded version of a Frigidaire range we’ve recommended since 2016.

It has a true-convection oven with a host of extra features. True convection means this oven has an additional heating element by its fan, which allows for faster, more-even baking and roasting than the basic convection mode found on our top pick. You’ll also get better results when you use more than one rack.

Like our top pick, this range has quick-preheat and air-fry modes. Unlike our top pick, it has a temperature probe that you can use to monitor the internal temperature of the foods you cook (it even has a setting that will turn off the oven automatically when you reach the target). Additionally, this range has steam-bake (designed for baking bread) and steam-roast modes, which work when you fill a cavity at the bottom of the oven with water before heating the oven.

The lowest temperature on the Gallery GCRE3060’s oven is 100 degrees Fahrenheit, lower than most ranges at this price (our top pick bottoms out at 170 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s still a bit too high for proofing dough. But you can use that functionality for more-precise slow-cooking or another mode called “air sous vide,” which involves vacuum-sealing food in plastic pouches, just like you would with sous vide countertop appliances, and using your oven to slow-cook it between 100 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its five-element cooktop is powerful and versatile. The largest, most powerful element on this cooktop is not as wide as our top pick’s—9 inches as opposed to 12 inches—but that’s still fine for all but extra-large pots and pans (like those with a diameter of 14 inches or wider). Additionally, the element has slightly more power than our top pick’s, which can help heat large pots more quickly.

The Gallery GCRE3060 has two medium-size elements on the left side of the cooktop, which can be synced to use with a larger pan or a dual-element griddle. There’s a smaller burner in the right rear designed for simmering and a low-power warming element in the center.

The cooktop knobs are in the front. Front control knobs are easier for most people to reach, and they’re also out of the way of simmering pots. It also looks slightly more upscale.

It has two self-cleaning options. The Gallery GCRE3060 comes with high-heat and steam-clean settings.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s available in just two finishes. The range is only available in stainless steel and black stainless steel.

The Frigidaire FCRE3083A is a slightly less expensive version of our pick for baking, with basic convection rather than true convection and no steam or low-temperature cooking modes. But unlike our pick, it is Energy Star–certified, so you can purchase it using appliance rebates or some tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.

Best for...

IKEA Tvärsäker

Best for induction

If you want a freestanding stove with an induction cooktop, this model is the only widely available option and a great value. It has a true convection oven, but lacks cooktop settings and comes in only one finish.

Buying Options

$1,399 from IKEA

The vast majority of induction ranges are slide-in models with front controls and no backsplash. But for those who want a traditional freestanding stove with an induction cooktop, we recommend the IKEA Tvärsäker, currently the only widely available option.

It has an induction cooktop. The Tvärsäker’s cooktop has four induction elements in a variety of sizes, including a powerful larger element and smaller elements for simmering. All four have a power-boost setting, which is great. At 8.3 inches in diameter, the largest element is on the smaller side, though investing in better induction cookware can usually mitigate uneven heating at the outer edge of larger pots and pans.

Our research shows that an induction cooktop is by far the most pleasant heat source to cook on—faster, cooler, and easier to control at lower temperatures than radiant ranges and all but the most expensive gas stoves. They are also easier to clean, because the surface does not heat up except directly under the pot or pan.

Its 5.4-cubic-foot oven has a true-convection mode. A true convection oven has an extra heating element by its fan, which translates to quicker, more-even baking and roasting and more-successful multi-rack cooking than that of the basic convection oven found on our top pick. (You don’t have to use the convection mode if you don’t want to.)

The Tvärsäker also has a quick-preheat setting, as well as high-heat and steam self-clean functions.

It has a great warranty and return policy, but service might take longer. IKEA backs appliances with a five-year warranty and a great return policy, both of which are rare in this category. But other manufacturers make appliances for the brand, which means service is outsourced to another company.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The induction cooktop elements aren’t as adjustable as we’d like. The cooktop only has eight settings for adjusting the temperature of each element, which is low and could be slightly frustrating; our induction cooktop picks have at least 10, and we prefer 15.

Stock may be limited nationwide. This is an older model, and it may not be readily available everywhere.

Best for...

Hotpoint RBS160DM

Best buy-it-for-life range

This basic electric range has no frills or features, and its old-fashioned coil cooktop is less powerful than those of our other picks. But it’s extra sturdy and easily repairable.

Buying Options

$568 from The Home Depot

$569 from Lowe's

The affordable, well-made Hotpoint RBS160DM is the most basic style of range you can buy; it doesn’t have many frills or features. But that makes it ideal if you want to buy a stove that will last for as long as possible—perhaps even a lifetime—and you don’t mind going without extras.

The RBS160DM is all manual and all mechanical. This model doesn’t have digital components that can’t be repaired or replaced. In fact many of the stove’s components—heating coils, plastic knobs, insulation, oven temperature gauges—can be replaced easily without a repair tech.

It has a basic but adequate cooktop and oven. The four-element cooktop has coil elements instead of a smooth, ceramic-glass top. It has one larger 8-inch element with 2,400 watts of power. It doesn’t bring water to a boil as fast as the large elements on our other picks, which are around 3,000 watts or more, but it still heats fairly quickly. You can also lift up the cooktop to easily clean up crumbs or spills that fall below the coils.

The 5-cubic-foot oven is large and has a broiler setting and a sturdy storage drawer. It does not have a convection mode.

It has fewer points of failure than most modern ranges. This model doesn’t have computerized components, such as a push-button number pad, and it isn’t smart. This means that there’s little to break down, which is great if you’re looking for a range that’ll work for years, if not decades. The RBS160DM doesn’t even have an interior oven light or an oven window. (It does have two small button lights that let you know when the cooktop or the oven is on.)

It is extra sturdy. Other stripped-down ranges may cost less, but the RBS160DM has a metal body and porcelain cooktop that were designed and tested to stand up to heavy-duty, long-term use, such as in rental apartments.

It is Energy Star–certified. The RBS160DM is eligible to be purchased using appliance rebates or some tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. (If you are switching from a gas range, this is especially useful, as it covers some costs of installation.)

It’s made by a company with a strong customer-service track record. Hotpoint is manufactured and supported by GE Appliances, which ranked high for customer service in our reader surveys and has its own service and repair fleet that reaches most of the United States.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It’s bare-bones. This range doesn’t have any features or functionality beyond basic cooking and baking—but that’s precisely what makes it an ideal pick if your priority is to buy something that will last as long as possible.

Best for...

GE Profile PB965

Best for a double oven

This double-oven range has one of the largest lower ovens we’ve seen in this category and an extra-powerful, flexible cooktop. But it doesn’t have a storage drawer, and you have to stoop to access the lower oven.

Buying Options

$1,600 from Best Buy

The GE Profile PB965 is an exceptionally nice radiant-electric double oven and the best choice for people who want two ovens but have room for only a 30-inch stove.

The PB965 has an outstanding cooktop. It has five elements, the strongest power burner (3,600 watts) of any freestanding radiant-electric range we’ve seen, and a setup for a griddle.

Its bottom oven has convection and is one of the largest in this category. The 4.4-cubic-foot lower oven has a true convection oven, with a fan that blows in two directions. With 17.5 inches of clearance, it’s at least an inch taller than most competitors. This means it can fit two baking trays, a tall Dutch oven, or a large roasting pan. (GE Appliances told us it should be able to handle a 23-pound turkey.)

Its 2.2-cubic-foot top oven is ideal for smaller cooking projects. The top oven isn’t convection, but it has bake, broil, and keep-warm functions, plus settings for two racks. It’s great for when you’re using one sheet pan or skillet or when you want to keep a peach pie away from a roasting fish.

It has advanced smart features. The PB965 has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can use an app on a smartphone or other smart device to track the status of your oven temperature and timer or to control oven settings (remotely or with voice commands). Connectivity also lets you upgrade to new oven features. Unlike any of our other picks, the PB965 can connect with a GE Appliances range hood via Wi-Fi connectivity so that it can turn on and off automatically as you’re using the appliance.

It comes in two finishes. The PB965 is available in fingerprint-resistant stainless steel and black stainless steel.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

It has some disadvantages baked in. All double-oven ranges have the same drawbacks: no storage drawer. Bending down to the lower oven can be a pain, and it probably won’t fit the largest birds or roasts. There may also be some heat transfer between the two ovens (which would likely only be an issue if you were using one oven at a very low temperature and the other at a much higher one).

There are many other perfectly fine freestanding ranges that we don’t recommend in this guide but match the price, features, and functionality of our picks. From our reader surveys, we know many owners are very satisfied with these stoves.

But our reporting, research, and reader surveys also consistently revealed that the ranges from brands other than those we recommend can fall short when it is time for repairs, support, or service. That said, here are a few models that stood out in our research and may be worth a look depending on your preferences:

The Samsung NE63A6511SS is a radiant-electric range with a 6.3-cubic-foot true-convection oven. It is smart and integrated with the recipe hub in Samsung’s SmartThings app, which is more robust than many appliance apps, as it already works with countless other Samsung products and applications. (Samsung in particular tends to design appliances that are loaded with features that rely on technology.) This model comes in two finishes.

The LG LREL6325F is a smart, radiant-electric range with a 6.3-cubic-foot true-convection oven. Like Samsung, LG appliances are known for incorporating lots of high-tech features; two knocks on the oven door of this model turns on the oven light. The LREL6325F comes in two finishes.

The Hisense HBE3501CPS is a radiant-electric range with a distinctively spare design and a 5.8-cubic-foot oven with true convection. This model comes in one finish and has a rare two-year warranty (most freestanding electric ranges are covered for one year).

The Amana ACR4203MNW is similar to our buy-it-for-life pick, but it has a glass oven door instead of a fully metal body, which is unlikely to last as long or be as easy to replace or repair as metal. (Amana is manufactured by Whirlpool Corporation.)

The Frigidaire FCRE3062AS is the most affordable version of our pick for baking. It does not have convection, but it does have a steam self-clean mode.

The Frigidaire Gallery GCRE3060A is the discontinued version of our pick for baking and is still available in retail stores. It has a slightly larger oven than the new model, but fewer modes.

The GE 500 Series is usually slightly less expensive than the GE GRF600AV. While it also has a five-element cooktop and smart capabilities, it doesn’t have a convection mode, a number pad, or a removable bottom tray for cleaning. (And its lower baking element is exposed and harder to clean.) It does have some useful oven modes like fast-preheat and “crisp,” and unlike the GRF600AV, it has both high-heat and steam self-cleaning settings.

In comparison with our top pick, the more affordable GE 400 Series has only four elements on its cooktop and looks a little less upscale (the stainless steel model, for example, has black knobs instead of metallic ones). It comes in only three finishes.

The GE JB735 was our top pick until it was discontinued in 2024, but it is still often available in retail stores. It had similar functionality to our current top pick, but it wasn’t smart, and you couldn’t remove the bottom of the oven for cleaning.

The GE JB645 was our budget pick until it was discontinued in 2024, but you can still find it in stores. It has a cooktop surface with a rounded frame, rather than the completely smooth surface found on more-recent models.

The Maytag MET8800FZ and the KitchenAid KFED500ESS—both double-oven ranges manufactured by Whirlpool Corporation—are nice, but they aren’t as impressive as our double-oven pick.

The vast majority of picks in this guide have radiant-electric cooktops, which heat via a hot coil that is often hidden under a smooth ceramic-glass surface. But induction is also an option; induction elements work via electromagnetic induction, which produces heat in the pan itself instead of on the cooktop.

Our research shows that induction is better than radiant-electric and gas cooktops in lots of ways, but for now, freestanding induction ranges are rare in the United States—most induction models are more-expensive slide-in models without a backsplash.

Our induction pick, the IKEA Tvärsäker, is one of the only freestanding induction ranges available, but we hope to see more. In the meantime, we recommend several induction ranges in our guide to slide-in electric ranges, and we also have a guide to standalone induction cooktops and electric wall ovens.

If your kitchen already has a gas connection, you may consider getting an affordable gas stove. But this could be a good time to consider switching to electric: Gas stoves may be potentially risky for your health, even with ventilation, in part because they emit chemicals like benzene, methane, and nitrogen dioxide, the latter of which has been linked to childhood asthma.

There’s an environmental angle to gas stoves (beyond their nonrenewable fuel source), since they have recently been shown to contribute to outdoor air pollution and greenhouse gases. They’re also generally less efficient—they lose more heat to the air as you cook—than their electric counterparts, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This also tends to heat up your kitchen.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is now studying safety standards on new gas stoves as concerns grow surrounding their health risks. The US Department of Energy had also proposed stronger efficiency regulations for new gas stoves that would in effect also reduce their emissions. But neither of these potential regulatory changes would make it to the marketplace for several years.

The Inflation Reduction Act also established a program for federal rebates and tax credits for buying and installing an electric stove—including all of the required electrical work.

The Energy Star–certified Whirlpool WFES3030 (our budget pick) and Hotpoint RBS160DM (our buy-it-for-life pick) are eligible to be purchased using these appliance rebates, as are several other models mentioned in this guide. We expect many more Energy Star–certified ranges to be available in 2025, and we will update this guide as we evaluate them. All certified models are added to the Energy Star product finder as soon as they are approved.

That said, we’ll continue to keep our guides to freestanding and slide-in gas ranges updated with the best recommendations and buying advice. We’ll also continue to update our advice on what you can do—including using a range hood every time you cook—to mitigate health risks associated with using a gas stove.

To learn more about how to clean your electric range, read our articles on how to clean an oven and how to clean a glass cooktop. You should also follow the guidelines in your range manual for protecting the ceramic glass surface. In our experience, there are four major offenders that ruin cooktops: Letting pots boil over or boil dry (especially aluminum, which leaves metal stains), dragging full pots and pans across the surface (this can leave scratches), storing heavy objects above the cooktop (they can drop and break it), and not wiping up spills quickly (they’re easier to clean while still warm, and they tend to get really baked on if you continue to cook over them).

This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Courtney Schley.