Samsung Ranges (2020 Review) - Affordable, Packed with Innovative Features
What makes Samsung ranges great? This article explores the three most important factors to consider when selecting a range, Samsungs most unique features, and our top five picks.
Overview of Samsung Ranges
Samsung separates its range styles by fuel type (gas, electric (includes induction), or dual fuel) and oven design (single or double) You do have the option for either oven design for each fuel type, so there are a lot of different configurations available.
In addition, each range, single or double oven design, can come in a freestanding or slide-in configuration. Models under each configuration are priced based on their step-up feature set. As items get more expensive, you start to get more high-end features incorporated into the range, such as a warming drawer instead of a storage drawer, self-clean modes, and a true dual fan convection setup inside the oven.
Dont worry, we will dive into the fuel and oven types later on in this review.
Samsung stoves have a rich color selection from Stainless Steel, Black Stainless Steel, White, Black, and Tuscan Stainless Steel which is the new addition to the lineup.
Samsung also has a Chef Collection, their professional appliance line that incorporates chef-inspired features. In reality, Samsung has discontinued many of these Chef Collection models and it is likely they will abandon the entire line soon.
3 Important factors to consider when shopping for a new range
1) Fundamentals Size and Fuel Type
Most people wonder what the difference is between a range, stove, and oven. In normal conversation we often use these words interchangeably. In the appliance world, a range is a combination of both an oven and cooktop/stovetop.
Samsung Range Sizes
Samsung ranges come in 30-inch width. Mind you that Chef collection has a token 36-inch stove. Please make sure you measure your kitchen to determine what size range is right for you. Quick reminder, the depth measurement gets tricky on specifications sheet. Make sure to know the depth with the handle as well as the depth to the door so you can visualize properly how your stove will fit in your existing cabinets.
Samsung Oven Configurations
Samsung offers two different oven configurations, a single oven and the innovative double oven marketed as "Flex Duo". These two oven choices are available across all Samsung range types.
The single oven is the traditional style with the cooktop on top and one large oven at the bottom. The Flex Duo oven style features the cooktop on top and a large oven that can be converted into two like in the NE59J7850WS model.
Do you ever get frustrated that you cant cook your main course and desert at the same time since they require different oven temperatures? The Flex Duo solves this issue and lets you cook two dishes at once at two completely different temperatures and time settings just insert the removable insulated divider between the two ovens. You also dont have to use both ovens at the same time. If you have a smaller dish, use just one of the zones and save on your energy bill.
Need the extra oven space? Remove the divider to turn two ovens back into one.
The Flex Duo style also features the Dual Door, which allows you to access just the top oven or the full oven. This way you can open one oven at a time without letting the heat out of the other.
Does Samsung offer both freestanding and slide-in ranges?
Samsung does offer both freestanding and slide-in ranges, and which one you choose is requires decisions about size, extra features, and durability.
Freestanding ranges are characterized by the oven controls being mounted on the bulky backguard at the ranges rear. These ranges are unattached to any of your walls and cabinets, and with finished sides, they can be placed anywhere in your kitchen where there is a gas or electric hookup. The freestanding ranges legacy install base and lower price point makes them a popular choice in most U.S. kitchens.
Slide-in ranges are the clear aesthetic winner with no bulky backguard. Their controls located conveniently upfront. These ranges blend seamlessly into your kitchen with your countertops on either side and the lip of the range overlapping the countertop. The cooktop also sits perfectly flush with your counters that creates a built-in look and allows you to show off that new kitchen backsplash. It is important to remember though, that slide-in ranges do require cabinets on either side because, unlike freestanding ranges, their side panels may not be finished.
What fuel types are available?
Samsung offers three main fuel types: gas, electric (standard smoothtop electric or induction), and dual fuel. Many of our customers ask us what is gas vs dual fuel range. Dual fuel simply means that the cooking surface is gas while the oven is electric.
Most people prefer to cook in electric ovens because they control the heat more precisely than gas powered ovens. Accuracy and consistent temperatures come in handy if you bake often. In a gas oven, the heating element turns on to reach the right temperature but maintains this temperature by turning on and off. These oscillations vary the temperature in your oven cavity, which can lead to uneven cooking.
As far as the cooktop is concerned, Samsung offers gas, electric, and induction surfaces. Most people are familiar with traditional gas cooktops. However, smooth glasstop electric and induction cooktops are getting more and more popular as some localities do not have gas service. Electric cooktops heat electrical elements that then transfer that heat to your cookware. Induction cooktops use alternating electrical current, which creates a magnetic field that produces heat to heat your cookware.
In terms of electric vs induction cooktops, there are some downsides to using an electric cooktop. Electric cooktops can be slow to respond and boil water and the surface stays hot even after you finish cooking increasing the risk of you accidently burning yourself.
There are a lot of advantages to induction cooktops. As an example, gas or electic methods not only heat your cookware, but also the surrounding area (think of the wasted energy). Induction cooktops only transfer heat to your cookware itself. Because induction cooktops only heat your cookware, no energy is lost with induction and you can heat liquid and boil water faster. You might also notice that induction cooktops are not hot to the touch; therefore, you have less risk of melted plasticware that has been left on the cooktop or potential burns.
The Virtual Flame is a neat visual feature on some of Samsungs induction cooking range models. LED surface lights shine onto your pans to give you the visual of gas cooking, with the precision of induction cooking. The flames even grow larger or smaller corresponding to your heat setting.
2) Cooking Options Burners & Griddles
With Samsung, there are plenty of options to customize your desired cook top 38 options in fact!
Burners
Samsung offers ranges with 4 or 5 burner configurations. Many Samsung stovetops boast a 22,000 BTU dual power burner that has the versatility to intensely heat to boil water quickly or simmer to slowly melt cheese. These burners are called dual powered because they feature two burners stacked on top of one another, and they provide you with precise control over your flame.
Some Samsung ranges come with a dedicated simmer burner that can go as low as 700 BTUs so you can simmer sauces or melt chocolate like a pro.
"Warming Center" which is found on higher end ranges is the top center burner that keeps hot cooked food at the perfect serving temperature. No more reheating up food you just made because it got cold!
Griddles
If you enjoy making pancakes or French toast, you will appreciate having the cast iron griddle which is included with your gas or dual fuel range. You can simply place the griddle on top of your burners and remove it when you are done cooking. Another interesting feature of the griddle is that it is reversible. You can cook on the smooth surface or turn it over for a ribbed surface based on your food choice.
The cast iron griddle transfers heat perfectly and it is very versatile. As a rule of thumb, you can cook anything on a griddle that you would normally cook on a skillet.
Samsungs griddles are removable, so when you dont need it, you can utilize the 9,500 BTU oval burner underneath instead.
3) Oven Performance and Smart Features
Samsung uses a few different convection cooking methods in their ranges including standard, dual, and true convection. At the core, any type of convection technology uses a built-in fan to keep hot air constantly circulating throughout the oven cavity while you are cooking. Effective air circulation helps keep the temperature consistent and accelerates cooking times. As an example, you will not need to open the oven door to reposition your dishes.
Samsungs dual convection option feature two internal fans that circulate the heat inside the oven cavity which gets you better results if you are cooking on multiple racks. The true convection combines a heating element with the fan to blow even more hot air around your oven cavity.
Air fry cooking became very popular in the last few years. At this time, Samsung does not offer any ranges that feature air fry option. In liue of air fry, higher-end Samsung ovens incorporate the healthy "steam-cooking" option. Using Samsung technology you can now get a regular convection oven and a steam oven all in one. If you like cooking vegetables and fish you will like the steam option. We covered best steam ovens on the market including Miele and Wolf in our round-up article.
No one enjoys the chore of cleaning their oven. Samsung has made oven cleaning easy with the implementation of self-cleaning and the innovative steam cleaning.
Most Samsung ranges come with the traditional self-cleaning option that is used to deep clean your oven of food scraps and grime.
Need a quick oven clean? Steam cleaning is a more lightweight alternative to the full self-cleaning oven cycle. The steam clean cycle only takes 20 minutes too, so you can have a clean oven in no time.
Need a place to store your cooked food so it wont get cold before you serve dinner? The Warming Drawer allows you to store cooked food at three different temperature settings. When your dinner is ready just take your food out of the Warming Drawer and serve no need to reheat the dish. The Warming Drawer is included on many of Samsungs high-end models, while a storage drawer is included on the low-end models.
Samsung pioneered Wifi enabled appliances. After a hectic day, the last thing you want to do is worry about monitoring your dinner inside the oven. The Smart Control feature on select Samsung ranges allows you to control your range (both the cooktop and oven) through the SmartThings app on your phone.
This app gives you the freedom to control your meal prep times and temperatures without having to stay inside the kitchen. It allows you to complete a variety of tasks such as setting times, adjusting cooking temperatures, and preheating. Want to make sure your oven is at just that right temperature? The SmartThings app can give you real-time alerts on oven temperatures and turn the oven off it they get to an undesirable level.
Similar to the My Creations feature from JennAir ranges, the SmartThings Auto Cook feature allows you to curate an entire recipe from the app. The app includes a variety of preset cook modes for you to choose from. This allows anyone in your household to be able to start dinner without worrying about setting temperatures and cook times.
While designing ranges, Samsung did not forget about the small details such as Sabbath Mode to bypass the ovens automatic shut off during Sabbath or other religious holidays. Also, the Soft Close Door to make sure your oven door never slams shut and instead gently pulls the door closed; both an expression to Samsungs attention to detail and a nice safety feature.
Our Top 5 Samsung Ranges
1) Best Samsung Electric Range, NE58F9710WS
Why we like it:
It features versatile 5 burners that you can bridge to accommodate larger pots and pans. True convection is a desired convenience if you bake or cook on multiple racks. 5.8 cu. ft. FlexDuo interior volume is spacious.
The NE58F9710WS makes our list as Samsungs best electric range, and its sleek slide-in design gives it a stylish look in your kitchen. This model features Flex Duo, which lets you cook two dishes at different temperatures and timer settings and a warming drawer to keep food at the perfect temperature until dinner is ready. The NE58F9710WS also comes with a temperature probe so you can monitor doneness without having to open the oven door and release heat.
2) Best Samsung Induction Range, NE58K9560WS
Why We Like It: Incorporates 4 burners with varying diameters from 6-inches to 11-inches to accommodate pots and pans from all sizes. Each burner element comes with the boost function so you can deploy massive cooking power when you need it. Black stainless steel color is a hit on this stove.
Experience the visual of gas cooking but with the precision of induction cooking. The NE58K9560WS features Virtual Flame technology that projects lifelike looking flames onto your cookware, while you still get all of the advantages of induction cooking. This model is also able to connect to Wifi, so you can remotely monitor your range and have peace of mind when you are not in the kitchen.
Unfortunately, this Samsung induction range does not feature a FlexDuo oven.
3) Best Samsung Dual-Fuel Range, NY58J9850WS
Why We Like It: This Samsung stove features a powerful 22,000 BTU dual ring (i.e. great simmer) power burner. This brass burner is normally found in pro-style luxury ranges and it caters for serious home-chefs. You will have enough room to cook for a large party on the 5 burners of this range. FlexDuo oven with double doors can be used as one or two separate ovens.
Our pick for best dual-fuel range, the NY58J9850WS, is stocked with features. You get the best of both worlds with this model a gas cooktop and an electric oven. This oven features the Flex Duo doors too, so you are able to cook two dishes simultaneously at two different temperatures. This model also boasts the use of true convection, a heated fan system inside the oven that allows you to cook food faster and more evenly.
4) Best Budget Samsung Range, NE59R6631SS
Why We Like It: The NE59R6631SS model makes our list as the best budget buy, and for $699 you can see why. This model is not only smart on your wallet, but it also is does contain a lot of features. This model, like the NY58J9850WS, uses true convection inside the oven for more evenly cooked food in less time. This model also has five distinct burner elements, including a 3300 W rapid boil burner that offers precise control and intense heat so you can quickly go from simmering to a boil.
5) Best Overall, NX58H9500WS
Why We Like It: The NX58H9500WS also made it into our Best Gas Ranges round-up due to its excellent price/performance ratio. It comes with powerful burners with great simmer. The convection oven has the self-clean feature which saves you the chore.
There is a lot to enjoy with this model, especially when it comes to the gas cooktop. The reversible cast iron griddle is included and can cook variety of breakfast foods and sandwiches. The cooktop also comes with a custom wok grate that can accommodate the round bottom of a wok, while applying evenly distributed heat. Need to keep a dish warm while you finish cooking dinner? This model contains a warming drawer so you can keep that dish at the perfect temperature until it is ready to serve!
Conclusion
Samsung holds a large share of the appliance market for a reason, and their ranges definitely deserve a second look. Samsung combines ranges that look impeccable in your kitchen, pack on the features, but also that dont break the bank.
We hope that this article has given you a deeper understanding as to what features and options are available to you when you are choosing a Samsung range. From your second look to your final contender, we are sure that you will enjoy every moment you spend cooking on your Samsung range.