If you’ve ever thought of a gas and electric system that worked seamlessly together to make your life easier, you probably thought of a hybrid car (perhaps a Prius or a Volt). However, if you want to remodel your kitchen, you’d be better off thinking of a different hybrid: a dual-fuel range. Dual-fuel ranges are, theoretically, the best of both worlds: they pair the precision of an electric oven with the power and control of a gas or propane-powered range in one appliance.

For most of their existence, you needed to spend tens of thousands of dollars to own one. However, with globalization, they’ve become increasingly cheaper over the years. Now more than ever, home chefs interested in the temperature control of an electric oven and the precise power control you only get when cooking with  gas can finally afford them–even if you still need to set aside a few thousand dollars (or a large credit limit)–to do so. Today we’ll look at the pros and cons of dual-fuel ranges and whether they’re worth it in your kitchen.

What are the advantages of dual-fuel ranges for bakers and cooks?

There’s nothing wrong with being a casual baker; most of us are, and for most of us, a gas oven will do just fine. Similarly, if you’re a casual cook, you might not notice any difference at all between an electric range top and a gas one; both will eventually cook whatever you place on top of them. However, if you’re a serious baker, you’re going to want an electric oven, because a good one will hold their temperatures to within 10 degrees of wherever they’re set, which means whatever you bake will be baked evenly and thoroughly. A good electric oven will also dramatically reduce the odds of your food burning or drying out since it’ll stay where you set it.

Similarly, serious cooks won’t want to spend a minute on an electric range top, since they can never offer the infinitely adjustable levels of power (nor the instantaneous responsiveness) of a gas range. Where things get tricky is that while some of us are serious bakers but casual cooks, or serious cooks but casual bakers, there are a lot of us who are avid fans of both endeavors. At this point, you can either accept the limitations of your existing range and oven, buy a separate gas range top and electric oven, or get both in the same appliance via  a dual-fuel range.

Is it worth investing in a dual-fuel range?

The answer to whether dual-fuel ranges are or aren’t worth it depends entirely on how much you’re willing to spend. If you have $9,000 in cash or credit right now, you can buy the Viking VDSC5488BSS 48″ dual-fuel range (which we’ve reviewed here) and call it a day. It will cook with the precision of a gas range and bake with the accuracy only an electric oven can provide.

However, it’s important to note that your expenses won’t end with the range itself; you’re also going to need to need to power it. If you already have gas plumbing and 220 volt electrical outlets in your kitchen, you’ll be absolutely fine. But if you have a typical kitchen plumbed for a gas stove, you probably won’t have the voltage necessary to power your electric oven unless you call an electrician (or have specialized knowledge to do it yourself). And if you have an electric kitchen, you’re going to need to call an HVAC to install a gas line. While the exact costs will vary, it’s not out of the question to need to spend up to a thousand dollars getting the missing fuel source wired or plumbed into your kitchen, which means you’ll need to budget that into the costs of your new dual-fuel range.

What are cheaper alternatives to dual-fuel ranges for serious cooks and bakers?

No matter how seriously you take cooking and baking, if you can’t afford a dual-fuel range, it’s not worth losing your home (or your hair) trying to get one. Instead, you’ll want to make the most of your gas range by following some time-tested tips here. Beyond that, investing in a high-end gas range (such as the Thor Kitchen HRG4808U, which we review here) is about as good of a compromise as you can make today. High-end gas ranges, particularly 48″ and 60″ double oven ranges, typically have much more precise burners and temperature regulators in their ovens, allowing them to approach, if not quite match, the precision of high-end electric ovens while giving you the power and versatility of gas range tops.

You can buy the Viking VDSC5488BSS 48″ range if you want a dual fuel setup or save money by buying theThor Kitchen HRG4808U 6-burner gas range with a double oven or the Thor Kitchen HRG4804U 6-burner range and double oven here.

Canadians, unfortunately, the Viking dual fuel range is unavailable available. However, you can buy the Thor Kitchen HRG4808U 6-burner gas range and double oven here or buy the Thor Kitchen HRG4804U 6-burner range with double oven, here.

If you find our research on PMC helpful, you can follow our efforts to keep maniacally reviewing home appliances by shopping through our links above. We promise to keep fighting the good fight against every horror children, animals, and grown, yet messy humans can inflict upon a clean home.