I got the appliance gene from my mother.
Nothing makes either one of us happier than a high end stove.
She loves stoves so much it took her a couple of months, 5 different stores, 3 sleepless nights and an astrology appointment to finally pick out a new one.
Me? I've known for years what new stove I'd pick.
A Blue Star.
But a 30" Blue Star range is $4,899.
So I figured I'd get the closest thing to a Blue Star. Maybe an actual used professional range from a restaurant supply store. Or an NXR. Or a bunsen burner.
Then one night, as I lay on the couch in a drunken potato chip stupor I was browsing the Costco website and my whole world changed.
They carried the Blue Star range. For $2,399.
That's $2,500 LESS than buying it from Blue Star.
It was such a great deal it immediately made me suspicious. So I did some digging around the great vast Internet and came up with a couple of reasons why the Costco version of the Blue Star was so much cheaper.
The burners are 15,000 BTUs each, as opposed to the standard version, which has 22,000 BTU burners. BTUs are "British Thermal Units" by the way. A standardized way of measuring heat output. The higher the BTUS the more heat from that burner, the faster you can boil a pot of water. Or scorch a pan.
To me, 22,000 BTUS is best left in a restaurant. I can't imagine any situation where I'd need more than 15,000 BTUs. Nothing legal anyway.
I have no idea what my current 16 year old stove is, but I can guarantee it isn't 15,000 BTUs per burner so I don't care. It'll be better than what I have and more than I probably need.
The other difference in the Costco version is the slide out oven racks. The fancy version's racks are on ball bearings. The Costco version doesn't have that. For a savings of $2,500 I'm pretty sure I can muddle through without the ball bearings.
And finally, the interior of the oven. The fancy version has a double glazed stipple commercial grade enamelled oven interior. Sounds good! Almost makes me want to spend another $2,500 on the oven. Wait. No it doesn't.
So the Costco version wins! By a long shot I might add.
I don't have the stove yet, but these are shots of it from the Costco website.
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I bet you're wondering why I was so hopped up on the Blue Star. It's the burner.
Most gas burners are a single circle that runs around the outside of your pot. The Blue Star burner is in the shape of a star. A blue star as a matter of fact. This ensures the middle of your pot is heated just as much as the outside of your pot. So when you're simmering sauces in a pan the whole pan will simmer ... not just the outside.
I actually spotted this stove over a year ago. WAY before I had any inclination of redoing my kitchen. It's entirely possible the thought of this stove being out in the world, available for purchase ... may have subconsciously prompted me to redo my kitchen.
I wonder if Costco would take issue with me billing them for my kitchen renovation. Since technically they're responsible for it. Luckily for them my to-do list is quite long and by the time I get around to billing them the statute of limitations on that sort of thing may have run out.
So if you're in need of a good highish end stove ... I've done the research, and this Blue Star from Costco is a good buy for a really good range.
In Canada and need a Costco membership? I've struck a deal with Costco and they'll send you $10 back when you join up. Just use the code ILOVECOSTCO1 for a regular membership, or ILOVECOSTCO2 for the executive membership. The Costco button on the righthand side of my sidebar will stay there for the next month or so if you want to partake in the offer. Once the button is gone, so is the offer.
Although I can't imagine there are still people out there who aren't Costco members. You people clearly don't know the joy of knowing you'll never run out of batteries.
I honestly don't buy a ton from Costco, but it's worth it just for the few things I do buy there. Starbucks French Roast coffee, most of my meat, books and cleaning supplies. Those are my staples.
And pillow case sized bags of potato chips.
More kitchen updates soon.
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I love costco. You can return something 59 years later without a receipt and they will honour it. For reals. They really stand behind the products they sell. I just sounded like an info-mercial, didn't I? Gospel truth tho. xx
Your baby is gorgeous!
I have a comment and a question. This blue star is it duel fuel? My hubby had to have a gas range. So we purchased one (not near the cool one you have). The oven is a pain in the butt! Baking with the temp going up and down is tough. If there is a secret here let me know. If yours is wonderful to bake in let us know.
I bake a LOT and I have a gas oven and it's not a problem at all. Because I bake so much I was worried when I moved to this house and had a gas oven for the first time, but I really haven't had any problem with my baking turning out differently--my cookies look golden, my cakes rise, pizza crusts come out crisp, etc. My gas oven isn't anything fancy (it's a Sears Kenmore bought at the Sears outlet store 8 years ago for less than $400 because it was missing some knobs that I had to order separately). If the temperature in your gas oven is fluctuating you may want to have it looked at by a service technician
Costco has STARBUCKS!!! For real???? Gotta go!!
ps- Love the new stove!!
Not only do they have Starbucks you can choose between a bag of Pike Place or French Roast. ~ karen!
Beautiful stove Karen. My electric Kenmore oven just went on the fritz. It's going to cost 1/2 a new stove, to get it fixed. Since the cooktop still works, I'm actually considering just doing without an oven altogether. It might be problematic, cooking a turkey though and baking cookies. Anyone else out there, who gets by without an oven?
I never heard of Blue Star before either Karen..I love those burners..Unfortunately I am stuck with electric..
Also - for those of you with Bluestar envy - the non-costco versions come in a wide variety of colors. I like regular old stainless myself, but if you have, say, AGA envy, the colors might be a nice (cheaper) alternative.
WOW! I spent months looking for that gas powered stove I'd lusted for over the past 20+ years I'd lived in a house w/o a gas line last year as we prepared to move into our new place. I found it a horrible experience. Over the years I dreamt of the day I could once again have those hot blue flames pop up from the glistening white stove top...but knew it wouldn't be as thrilling as in days gone by...since I've stopped smoking I couldn't enjoy that heat sensation on my face as I bent over to light a cigarette living on the wild side ...will I singe my eyebrows this time? But when it came time to go pick one out it was awful... just awful. I was stressed, spent countless hours online researching then made my self physically ill going from store to store w/my notebook. I finally found one (we call it the space shuttle stove..hubby says for what it costs it should be able to fly into outerspace) but... now it won't glisten as brightly I'm afraid when I walk in there to boil an egg next time.. star shaped burners!!!! Where have I been??? That is totally the greatest invention!!! I'm going to see if I can figure out something with some aluminum foil & duct tape... Maybe I can rig up the little one to do something fantastic and not just be a circle of fire..how boring!!! Thanks for inspiring me. Star shaped flame!!!! Wow
Once again you have educated me. I did not know there were burners such as those. My stove is old and electric and I hate it even more now! Thank you for the education, because now I will not settle for less! Luckily we do have gas so we can hook it up. My husband will say that I don't cook enough to warrant it, however, I say I will want to cook more once I have it!
The difference between gas and electric is amazing Sally. NO more waiting for an element to heat up. It's instantly at the temperature you want, instantly adjusts and as soon as you turn it off, it's OFF. ~ karen!
Ooooh - I've had my eye on the 36" BlueStar (through Costco of course!) for our kitchen build. Thanks for the research/info! :)
Nice stove. Nice deal. Nice reference to RoFo:) And that is pretty much why we go to Costco - coffee & meat. Oh, and toilet paper - by the big honking bale. The pillowcase of potato chips are waaaay too good to buy too many times. I know lots of people swear by gas for cooking but lately we are leaning to induction. Similar cooking characteristics but cleaner and safer. Or so we believe:)
Great choice, Karen! Love the star-shaped burners.
After much research and deliberation, we settled on a WOLF stove. I was pretty intimidated by it at first...lots of power in those burners! Instead of the star shaped burners, mine has a series of rings for simmer, boil and 'YIKES!' The only thing I'd change is the oven, which is also gas. We should have gone for gas top/electric oven. Gas is a very moist heat, not great for baking. Although I do have the convection option, which crisps things nicely. Is your oven gas or electric? Do you have a convection option? (Huh, who knew I was so interested in stoves?)
I have burner envy. Sheer burner envy.
I'll tell ya why I'm not a Costco member! There isn't one near me. Boo hoo, I know. Sam's we got, and I'm not a member there, either, but if Costco were to move in, I would jump at it. Sadly, I don't think our market could handle two such stores.
The stove looks lovely. I need to google now, 'cause I'm curious about the restaurant grade interior.
Without sounding too bellicose...nice stove ya whatever...can you PLEASE send us a friggin crumb on the HOLY CRAP the kitchen is taking too freakin LONG to renovate already - just let me see something to keep me going! A picture please.
OXO
Try to insure that the stove is easily moveable because you would be amazed at the collection of foods which accumulate on the sides of the stove. I see in the pic that the stove has those little legs which can tear up your linoleum when attempting to slide it in and out of its position. Not that I am a messy cook but the last time I cleaned the sides of my stove I had to bring out the chisel and hammer. A regular cleaning is a good idea so having the stove easily mobile can be a convenience.
So you're suggesting I should have gone with the bunsen burner? ~ karen
You CANNOT move the Bluestar - it weighs a ton and must be installed by a reputable installer else it invalidates the warranty. You can clean underneath it and the sides with a swiffer with a long handle.
I was waiting for you to post the range of your dreams....after you bought the same fridge we have! Thanks for doing our legwork! lol! You learn something new everyday and I learned about the star burner...makes so much sense. wendy xo
I am hearing about a Blue Star stove for the first time, but - for some reason - I feel I should be hunting around for one.
LOL. I'm pretty excited about it. :) ~ karen
we have a Thermador which also has a star shaped burner. For a serious cook, I think it's a huge improvement over the round burners because you get much more even heat distribution. We found ours as a floor model on sale at Goeman's and like you, huge discount off regular rate which would have been unaffordable. Wishing you many happy hours of cooking pleasure with your new stove.
I feel so out of the loop - never heard of Blue Star - and we don't have Costco near where we live. I am striking out all over today!
I have a Costco near me, but the stove is only available online anyway, so I'll be ordering it off the Internet, LOL! ~ karen