An Honest Review of the Big Chill Classic Range
Many requested this post, so I’m excited to share more! We have lived with our new Big Chill Classic Gas Stove for almost six months now. Before sharing my honest opinion, I always prefer to live with something for awhile. So- do I think our Big Chill Range is worth the $7k price tag? In short, I do. I absolutely love it, but as always- there are pros and cons. Click through for my thoughts and a detailed honest review.
Ever since sharing an honest review of the GE Cafe Range, kitchen appliances have been a hot topic around here. We had so many issues with our previous range, even immediately after renovating our kitchen and installing it. I really wanted to save up for something that was high quality and aesthetically pleasing… this time around, I did a LOT more research. I mentioned in my previous post about the Cafe Range, I wished we had purchased something else and were planning to do just that. I’m excited to share that five years later (post kitchen renovation), we finally have our dream range. The Big Chill Classic 36″ Stove has exceeded our expectations. I’m even back to baking! Read on for the specifics…
Why Big Chill?
If you’ve read my post reviewing the GE Cafe Range… in the list of professional appliances I wish I had selected, Big Chill was positioned at the top. I polled thousands of people asking for their tried & true recommendations shortly after our GE went out for a third time. Big Chill was consistently showing up, and people were taking the time to message me glowing reviews.
Alongside a few other brands, I began researching. Big Chill quickly became my frontrunner and I was thrilled to learn their appliances are made and shipped here in the US (from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Blandon, Pennsylvania). I’ll also admit, customer service was high on my list, having just experienced quite possibly the worst customer service from GE. Obviously, it’s also a beautiful range… so the interior designer in me was pleased.
Price
We’ve had electric, induction, and gas cooktops in our previous homes, and I’ve had lots of experience specifying high-end ranges for many of my interior design client kitchen renovations. I’m no stranger to the cost of quality appliances. Our previous GE Cafe Range cost $6k and our current Big Chill Range retails for $7k. The price tag and investment was definitely why it took us so long to make the swap, as we wanted to diligently research which range would work best for us (in hopes of avoiding another less than satisfactory situation). I take making home recommendations very seriously because I know how much saving goes into renovating and making updates. Unlike the GE Range, I definitely feel confident recommending the Big Chill Stove… even with the slightly more expensive retail price. In comparison to other luxury brands, it falls in the middle. Not the lowest priced pro range (Hallman, Bertazzoni, Zline, etc) but certainly not the highest (La Cornue, Wolf, Thermador, etc).
Specs, Pros & Cons
I wanted to summarize and put together a quick list of my top pros and cons for this range… you can also see some of the exact specs below:
Specs…
- Professional-level power (up to 18,000 BTUs)
- Large capacity oven fits commercial-sized baking sheet
- Infrared broiler produces heat up to 1850 degrees
- Convection fan for even baking and roasting
- Full-extension oven rack
- Easy-to-clean sealed burner top
- Oven burner rating of 30,000 BTUs
- Available in natural gas or propane (we have natural gas)
- Automatic electronic ignition and re-ignition system
- Heavy-duty, commercial stainless-steel construction
- Textured & sculpted metals and turn-of-century inspired knobs & handles
- One-year parts and labor warranty
Pros…
- Aesthetically pleasing (stunning range- designer approved)
- Comes in multiple finishes and colors (easy to customize to match your kitchen)
- Easy delivery and installation (also a better lead-time than most)
- Excellent craftsmanship (well made)
- Made in the USA (made in Iowa & Pennsylvania; designed in Colorado)
- Really great quality (heavy duty and sturdy)
- Functions as expected & heats evenly (this is huge for us… especially for my baking)
- Fantastic customer service (great experience each time we’ve called)
- Quick to heat & boil (takes no time at all)
- Easy to use (and is easy to clean)
- Looks and feels high-end (has a timeless aesthetic)
- Simple design and construction (less room for complications or going out of style)
- Spacious (plenty of room for oversized pans & baking sheets)
Cons…
- No bells or whistles (no timer, digital temperature, etc… it’s all manual)
- Stainless perimeter around the top of the range gets hot (use caution)
- No warming racks (like our previous range)
- Even the small burners can be quite intense (I wish the setting could go even lower)
Honestly, those are the only cons I could think of (I picked Emmett’s brain, too)… and that’s being nitpicky. We’ve truly been loving it!
Shipping & Installation
Our range was delivered last winter in the middle of a snowstorm. Despite the inclement weather, the delivery crew was wonderful. Emmet was also here to help, both of our Big Chill appliances made it inside safely, and we later hired a professional to finish the range installation- since our gas line had to be moved. Our shipping and installation experience was a breeze and this range gave us zero issues in either of those areas.
GE Cafe Range vs Big Chill Classic Range
I’m assuming you can guess my preference, but these ranges are so different from one another. Obviously, I would purchase the Big Chill Classic Range over the GE Cafe Range time and time again. While I do occasionally miss having digital / modern features (like a timer or digital temperature dial), for the sake of design (and things being less likely to malfunction), I’ll gladly use the manual controls. I think the oven bakes more evenly anyway… despite not being able to dial it by digital degree. Which do you prefer, visually? Again- I’d choose the Big Chill, because I was able to match our kitchen cabinets and the more traditional French hardware aesthetic feels so classic.
FAQ
Almost every day! We typically cook at least five meals per week… and more often if we host friends or family for dinner.
Mine is Granite Grey 7026, and I believe you can get it a couple weeks longer without the additional fee (since it’s apart of the seasonal collection).
It is! It has a sealed burner top, so you just remove the grates, then wipe the smooth surface clean. The oven is equally as easy. The front door and knobs are probably the most difficult thing to clean, because of their intricacy- but still… no complaints. It has been easy to maintain and keep looking nice!
I’ve had the best time rediscovering my love for baking with this oven. I felt so frustrated with the unevenness of our previous Cafe range, and this is a night & day difference. The convection feature is nice, it bakes evenly, and just last week I made a Campari Olive Oil Cake. Bring on summer!
Anytime I commit to a partnership, design collaboration, or sponsored post of any sort, I always test and vet the product or brand beforehand. My design collection with Big Chill did not influence this review and I was not paid for this post. I always strive for my partnerships to feel authentic, highlighting things we actually use and enjoy. For this review, I wanted to share my thoughts after having lived with our current range for some time, in hopes it would be helpful… much like my previous review on the GE Cafe Range. I’m obviously very happy with our new range and was even more excited when Big Chill approached me to curate colors for their seasonal Spring Appliance Collection– that was really the icing on the cake! I felt honored.
I think it’s quiet. It’s not something I’ve noticed or commented on being loud or noisy, so that must mean it’s the opposite. No noise complaints!
Not necessarily a pet peeve, but the stainless perimeter around the top of the range can get quite hot. Now that I know it’s quick to heat, I avoid coming in contact with that area, but if we had kids… I could see that being tough for little helpers in the kitchen.
I hope this post was helpful if you’re considering the Big Chill Classic Range- or any new kitchen appliance. I’d be happy to answer additional questions in the comment section below. Feel free to get specific, and I’ll do my best to answer! I feel like this was the range we should have invested in for our kitchen renovation from the very beginning… it feels like it was meant to live in this space. We’ve truly been enjoying it! Feel free to share any delicious recipes you’ve tried lately. I love trying them! Here’s to a fun weekend ahead. I’ve got outdoor and landscaping tasks on my to-do list. How about you?