Gas range buying guide: 2025

What to look for when buying a gas range

If you’re shopping for a new gas range, it’s important to consider a few key factors before making your purchase. You’ll need to know the dimensions of the space you have available for the range and also how much capacity you need. Having this information ahead of time can help narrow down your search. 

It’s also important to consider the features you’re looking for, such as burner power, cooking settings and modes, and cleaning functions. For instance, a gas stove with additional cooking features can help free up counterspace by eliminating the need for specialty countertop appliances.

Explore the different features and elements of gas ranges to help understand the various models available before choosing the best gas range for you.

1. Size of a gas range

While gas range models come in various sizes and widths, the most “standard” size is about 30 inches wide, 27-29 inches deep and 36 inches tall. This is the most common cutout size available for a gas range in most homes, so you may notice the range itself is a bit shorter than 30 inches.  

As the width of the range increases, the features often expand, too. Wider ranges, like 36-inch ranges, can include a large capacity oven, additional burners or other attractive perks.

2. Oven capacity

A larger oven capacity in your new range can be beneficial, especially if you want to cook multiple dishes concurrently for a large family or company. The internal cubic feet of your oven will help determine how much you can fit inside at once. Larger capacity gas ranges, like this 5.8 cu. ft. Smart Slide-in Gas Range from Whirlpool brand, offer additional baking space.

A double oven gas range is another option for increasing your overall oven capacity compared with single oven range models. Double oven gas ranges can provide you with two separate ovens for cooking various dishes at once, which can be helpful when prepping dinner or getting ready to host a large gathering.

3. Style and type

It’s important to choose the best location for your appliance in order to narrow down the search for the right type of gas range for your kitchen. Explore the differences between a freestanding and a slide-in range to help figure out which style you want your new range to be.

Freestanding vs. slide-in gas range

Freestanding and slide-in ranges differ mainly in how their sides are finished and where they can be installed in your kitchen. The style of range can also determine the location of the controls.

• Freestanding gas ranges: Freestanding ranges have finished sides and do not need to be installed along cabinetry, offering more flexibility on where you install them. Freestanding ranges, like this model from Whirlpool brand, usually include a backguard, where the oven controls are often located for easy access
• Slide-in gas range: A slide-in gas range does not have finished sides and instead, installs—or slides in—between appliances and cabinets, offering a built-in, integrated look. The controls for the oven will typically be found on the front of the range, just like this Whirlpool Smart Slide-in Gas Range with Air Fry.

4. Cooktop features

A gas range provides multiple burners powered by an open flame to help you cook dishes for your family. The power, size and amount of burners can vary, depending on which model you choose. Consider these cooktop features when buying a gas range:

• Number of burners: Most ranges typically come with four burners. However, some models may have additional burners, such as a larger center fifth burner for specialty cookware like grill pans or griddles. For example, this Whirlpool^® Gas Range features a Center Oval Burner that can easily fit large griddles and other longer cookware.
• Burner configuration: If your range has four burners, they are usually set in a square on the cooktop. For gas ranges with more than four burners on the cooktop, the additional burner may be in the center.
• Types of burners: Using the right size burner is important for achieving optimal cooking results. Larger burners can produce more heat, which is needed for high-heat cooking techniques like sautéing or simmering, while smaller burners are great for precise, low-flame cooking. For days where time is of the essence, select Whirlpool^® Ranges feature two SpeedHeat^™ Burners that generate the high heat needed to sear and boil quickly.
• Specialty burners: Some cooktops on gas ranges come with specialty burners that offer specific outputs like extra-high heating capability, rapid heating functionality or lower heating options. For example, select Whirlpool^® Ranges feature two SpeedHeat^™ Burners, which heat up to 15,000 BTUs for searing and boiling, allowing you to get dinner to the table fast.

• Cooktop grates: Cooktop grates can be made of a few materials, such as cast iron or other heat-safe materials. Select grates, like the EZ-2-Lift^™ Hinged Cast-Iron Grates by Whirlpool brand, give you quick access to spills on the countertop. The hinged design lets you wipe up underneath without removing the grates. For a more thorough clean, the grates are also dishwasher safe, so you can spend less time cleaning after dinner and more time with your family.

5. Cooking features and settings

When you pair optimized cooktop features with the right oven features and functions, you can simplify cooking dinner for everyone in your family. Learn more about what oven features are available, and consider which ones may be right for you before buying a new range.

Many ranges offer convenient features and enhanced oven settings that can enhance your cooking experience, to help meals turn out just how you expect. Some examples include:

• Preheat: This setting heats the oven to a set temperature and lets you know when it’s ready to use. If you’re looking to save time with a fast preheating mode, select Whirlpool^® Gas Ranges come with Rapid Preheat, featuring a rear fan combined with the use of all of the elements to help heat the oven quickly.

• Conventional Bake: One of the most common settings when cooking in the oven, this setting uses top and bottom heating elements to cook your dishes.
• Convection: Convection settings use a fan to circulate hot air throughout the range, which can be helpful for cooking dense dishes like lasagna or different recipes on multiple racks. For example, Fan Convection Cooking, available on select ranges by Whirlpool brand, cooks meals consistently with a fan in the back of the oven that distributes hot air more efficiently. This helps eliminate cold spots so you can bake on any rack.

• Broil: This setting utilizes intense heat directly from the top element to brown, crisp or caramelize food. It is most often used to melt cheese or crisp vegetables.

• Keep Warm: Have other prep to finish for your meal? This setting allows some heat to remain in your appliance and maintains the temperature without overcooking your food.
• Air Fry Mode: Air fryers have become increasingly popular, but some ovens allow you to air fry directly within the appliance. On select Whirlpool^® Gas Ranges, Air Fry Mode circulates hot air around the air fry basket to cook fried food in a healthy way, with less oil than traditional frying. Air fry chicken nuggets, wings, fries and more of your favorite foods to get crispy results right in your oven.
• Roast: This setting uses higher heat to cook large, dense dishes like meats and poultry, helping create a crispy outside. This setting uses surrounding heat from both the top and bottom elements to help achieve a crispy browned exterior for food like roast chicken.
• Frozen Bake^™ Technology: This Whirlpool brand-specific setting is featured on select Whirlpool^® Gas Range models and allows you to skip preheating and cook frozen favorites like pizza in fewer steps with preprogrammed settings.

Cleaning settings

Some gas ranges have integrated cleaning cycles that can help reduce smoke and odors from leftover food residue. These settings can help lessen the time you spend wiping the oven’s interior and cleaning up after yourself.

Settings that self clean an oven’s interior can be found on many ranges and can help you clean your oven of stuck-on residues by using heat. Some appliances even come with Steam Clean settings, combining water and heat to loosen food particles and residue so you can easily clean the interior by wiping it clean. This gas range from Whirlpool brand features AquaLift^® Self-Cleaning Technology, which cleans your oven without harsh chemicals in only 40 minutes. Add water, run the cycle and then wipe away any remaining soils once the cycle is done.

6. Color and finish

Whether you want your new gas range to match the rest of the appliances in your kitchen or you’re looking to switch them all out in favor of a different color or finish, it's important to know what you are looking for. A gas range with a smudge- and fingerprint-resistant finish, like this Whirlpool^® Gas Range, may be the best option for you if you have children or just want to help keep your appliance looking extra nice.

Additional gas range features

Another feature to have in mind when selecting the right gas range for your family is smart functionality. Select Whirlpool^® Smart Gas Ranges let you control your appliance right from your smartphone or check on timer settings hands-free using smart devices in your home. Some Whirlpool^® Smart Appliances also come with Automatic Feature Updates, which get smarter over time with new cycles like Air Fry Mode and automatic updates to enhance performance. Once your appliance is connected, it downloads updates and adds new cycles as they’re released.

You may also want to consider ventilation options to pair with your new gas range. Range hoods, for example, can help keep the air clear of smoke, odors and steam while you’re preparing food for your family.

Shop Whirlpool^® Gas Ranges with Air Fry

Air fry favorites like chicken nuggets, fries or vegetables with Whirlpool^® Ranges with Air Fry Mode, which gives you crispy results right in your oven. Select gas ranges with Air Fry Mode circulate hot air around the air fry basket to cook fried food in a healthy way, with less oil than traditional frying.

What are the pros and cons of a gas range?

Gas ranges offer a variety of methods for cooking your food. Some settings like Air Fry Mode can even help you to use your oven instead of additional countertop appliances. However, you will want to make sure you have the proper installation hookup before moving forward with a gas range.

Continue reading to explore the pros and cons of gas ranges, and how their features may fit into your lifestyle:

Pros

• Gas ranges heat quickly and offer optimal control over the temperature on the cooktop.

• They offer the ability to cook over an open flame on the cooktop.

• Natural gas can sometimes be less expensive than electricity, helping to bring down the operational costs of gas ranges in some areas.

Cons

• You need a gas or propane line for installation.

• Gas stoves tend to have a slightly higher entry price point than electric ranges.

• You will likely need a professional to install this appliance, if you don’t already have a gas hookup at home.

• A gas range—with its cast iron grates—may be more challenging to clean than an electric range with a glass cooktop surface.

Tips for choosing the best gas range for you

Your appliances should suit your lifestyle but also function as the main appliance you can depend on when you prep meals for your family. Explore this list of other tips to keep in mind when you begin your shopping journey.

• Measure your kitchen and the designated space you have for an oven to help determine what size gas range to consider. 

• Consider installation timelines and alternatives for cooking meals for your family. 

• Consider your cooking style and what types of features can help enhance how you meal prep. 

• Consider the time of year and whether gas range discounts are available, like during the holidays or when new products are released. Certain retailers or brands also offer professional discounts for those who work in specific service industries, or appliance packages that bundle together more than one appliance.

Explore Whirlpool^® Gas Ranges

Whirlpool^® Gas Ranges offer features and functionality that help make prepping dinner for your family a breeze. There are various models available to fit your needs, like Whirlpool^® Standard Gas Ranges, Whirlpool^® Starter Gas Ranges and Whirlpool^® Premium Gas Ranges. Whether you’re replacing an appliance or remodeling your entire kitchen around a new range, Whirlpool brand has a gas range to fit your needs.