Published: July 19, 2008
Things are red hot in the kitchen with BlueStar, billing itself as "The Only Genuine Restaurant Range for the Home." The 48-inch Residential Nova Burner range (shown here in Ruby Red) sports a burner that hits 22,000 BTUs - not quite the restaurant-range level of 33,000 BTUs, which isn't legal for home use, but a respectably higher heat than the 12,000 to 15,000 of most home ranges, though the GE Monogram model has a 17,000-BTU burner. For keeping things simmering, there's the 130-degree back burner.
Built in Reading, Pa., by the company that once made the Garland commercial range, BlueStar ranges, drop-in cook tops and wall ovens (the latter with French doors in the 30- and 36-inch wide models) are 24 inches deep to fit home cabinet configurations, and most can be had in any of 190 colors. BlueStar prices are comparable to those of similar Viking ranges (the model shown with 12-inch griddle retails for $8,932). Information and dealer list at www.bluestarcooking.com.