One of the most popular articles here at the site in 2020 was about how I chose my new dream stove. I spent a lot of energy researching options before I settled on a 30-inch Cafe slide-in stove with dual fuel (the cooktop is gas and the oven is electric). The stove shopping tips revealed my many considerations and maybe obsessive compulsive nature. I'd never spent more than $1300 on a stove and the idea of spending more than twice that was well, like going from a from a Honda Civic to a Mercedez!
I have cooked everyday on the stove since early September and have no major complaint about my purchase. Several people emailed, commented or wrote on social media asking me to follow-up with a review of the stove.
After four months of road testing, I'm able to fairly assess the Cafe 30" smart range, single oven with dual fuel. (Cafe is the boutique line of appliances made by GE.) I purchased mine from Costco, but the range is sold at many retailers.
Cafe Quirks, Mechanical or Use Issues
It was Ray, who commented on the stove shopping tips post, who prompted me to write this review update. Among the questions asked: Have you found any quirks with the stove at this point? Any mechanical or use issues?
The digital panel is very sensitive. I hang dishtowels on the oven handle and when I go to dry my hands and the oven or timer is on, I sometimes inadvertently touch/swipe the panel and the oven (or timer) goes off. No bueno. So I had to train myself to not touch, or to not worry about it. "Just let go," I told myself.
The stainless steel scratches as predicted. The heavy grates scratch the surface. It's sad -- like a new car getting scratched! You see the little dings because of the stainless steel but it's not a deal-breaker. On a weekly basis, I just do a little polishing with a cleaner. I use Method's stainless steel cleaner.
For little stains under the gas cap, I use Bar Keeper's Friend along with the stainless steel cleaner/polisher and let it sit for a few minutes, then I go at it to buff out the stains. After a couple of months, I learned to live with them as a sign that I use the stove!
Minding the gaps around the stove is a concern with any slide-in stove. I had written about covering up the side gaps between the stove and counter in an article on kitchen cleaning. For the gap between the back of the stove and the backsplash, I didn't know what to do. A rubber seal gasket heated up and started sliding down the back.
Around November, I went to Home Depot and looked around the tile area to find a PVC version of Schulter that sold for less than $8. (Matte white metal Shluter was going to cost about $45 after shipping because it was a special order.) Then I took a hacksaw to the tile edge trim and cut it to the width of the stove. There hasn't been a problem since. The plastic did not melt when I heated the oven up to 550F for pizza! And it comes out easily to wipe and clean.
Oven and Warming Drawer
Ray also asked about the warming drawer: I also wondered if you used the Warming Drawer? If so how or for what?
The warming drawer is not something I use. It's very roomy so I stash my over flow baking sheet and stovetop grill down there. I also put my heavy bread stones there.
The proof function for dough is somewhat on the cool side. I don't think you can tweak that. A coolish proof yields better tasting bread right? Not a deal breaker me either.
Among the things I adore is how fast the stove heats up. Electric is indeed efficient! The convection roasting is terrific for circulating heat to brown meats and vegetables. I love using the convection roasting function for blasting heat on pizza. The convection baking is good for sweets. That said, when I test recipes, I do it on the regular bake function.
Additionally, the electric broiler is mighty. My old LG had a weak broiler that took forever to heat up. This Cafe range's broiler heats up hot and fast. I got a lovely crust on this bean and mushroom gratin.
I moved one of the oven racks to the lowest rungs because it seems like I use 2 more than 3. The lowest rung rack is great for a steam tray.
The steam clean function is okay for wiping up messy project, though I don't do super messy roasting.
Wokking on the Cafe
Ray and Andrea asked about the wok-ability of the Cafe range. Andrea wrote: Still happy with the Cafe gas stove you recommended on your blog? About to buy it if you are! I wish it had ever more BTUs, but I guess what you got is enough for proper wok hei?
For wokking, the Cafe range's big 21K BTU burner functions for wok hei on my carbon steel and cast iron woks. There's good constant searing sounds and I sometimes have to turn the heat down on the burner when I'm wokking.
Here's the carbon steel flat-bottom wok on the big burner. It really helps that the cast iron grates on this stove heat up the bottom of pans evenly and hot. There's enough heat to wok well.
Ray asked if I had to use the terracotta feet with the stove. That was a hack I developed for my old stove. I was ready to implement it but found that they didn't fit well on the stovetop. I was bummed until I just set the cast iron wok ring on top of the grates and damn, the cast iron and carbon steel wok got beautifully hot for sizzling good sounds.
It's hard to see how the flames are impacting the wok but it totally works. You need a heavy wok ring like this one. And, if you want more heat, try flipping the ring over so the round bottom wok sits even closer to the flames. I've bought thin wok rings and they didn't work well for me as they heated up too much.
Cafe Chirps
On Instagram, someone asked if the sounds the stove makes bug me. The tone is nice for a stove and as a plus: you can program the sound to be louder or softer. The default is the softer volume so Cafe knows people are concerned about this issue.
It's not like I remember what the sound is. It's not something that stays with me. I have the same experience with my LG and Samsung appliances that chirp happy sounds when a task is accomplished.
Smart Range
I've not used the wireless functions of the range. (Ditto for my dishwasher.) I don't need to talk to it. I cook at home and am okay with running over to program the stove. The Cafe Range has plenty of functionality and most importantly for me, excellent performance.
Overall, I'm very happy with the Cafe range. I hope this review helps you make up your mind. Again, check out the stove shopping tips article to consider all your needs.
Phil Ordway says
Thanks for this review. We are exploring Cafe cook tops. It's hard for both my wife and me to bend down to use the oven.
James says
I would not recommend purchasing anything in the GE Cafe appliance line.
I am very disappointed in my experience with GE and the GE Cafe appliance line. In August 2020, I ordered a GE Cafe refrigerator and a GE Cafe induction stove. The stove was delivered a couple of months later. When we plugged it in, the stovetop did not work. The display panel flashed and blinked. One of the knobs was broken.
GE refuses to allow a return, and instead has referred us to a repair company that does not return our calls. It’s now late January 2021, and the oven is still not fixed. It has never worked. Last week, GE sent us a notice that our warranty will expire one year from the date of delivery of the malfunctioning, inoperative stove. Wow.
One last thing. Five months after we paid GE for the refrigerator, it still has not arrived. GE will not tell us when to expect it.
Stay away from this company. They don’t seem to care.
Andrea Nguyen says
James -- what an awful experience. I'm so sorry.
I bought my appliances through Costo and Home Depot and did not have any supply or delivery problems. It's terrible to know that your dealings with the company itself was so disappointing.
I've not had any defective issues with the range or the stove. Your experience is definitely one that merits a return and refund!
Richard says
Ordered range in nov 2020. Still waiting
Andrea Nguyen says
I hope it will arrive soon, Richard. Or, maybe there another vendor who will ship it to you faster? That's wayyyy too long to wait.
Gibson Murray says
How did you turn on the electric broiler on the upper gas oven?
Joanne Gillespie says
I agree - I bought all Cafe appliances in 2017 and am very unhappy with ALL of them. I love to cook and the gas oven has been a HUGE disappointment' The controls are not backlit - you cannot see anything unless you shine a light in it. The oven is a disaster and does not bake at a consistent temperature. When I try to "up" the temp it just flat out stops heating. I am considering giving it away and going back to electric.
Andrea Nguyen says
Joanne, that's terrible! Which model did you get on the stove? It sounds like it was no longer under warranty when things malfunctioned. My goodness.
I've fortunately not had that problem with this range. The under-counter fridge is doing its job too. When I made the purchases, I got extended warranties on all the major appliances. These are investments for all of us. We spend a lot of time figuring out what to buy so having them fail is such a letdown.
I'm sorry to hear of your negative experience. I'd totally complain to Cafe/GE about it. You spent a bundle.
Sally says
Can you use Bar Keeper's friend (the powder)on the stainless steel gas cooktop?
Thanks for the review too. Mine is to arrive next week.
Andrea Nguyen says
I do, in combination with a spray of Simple Green. Then I let it sit for a minute or two before polishing. I finish with stainless steel cleaner. It's a lot of work, like taking care of a car you love. Hope that helps! Here's a post I wrote about ways I'm keeping my kitchen clean:
https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2020/09/ways-to-keep-a-kitchen-clean.html
Ross A says
We have the drop in Cafe Gas 5 burner cooktop, and to clean it have had great results just using a damp paper towel. Start off with it very wet, and as the grime starts coming off, graduate to new towel, less water, all the time turning frequently. Ours takes about 3 courses of that. If something is really cooked on, you might need to soak a bit, but we haven’t had that much.
Unrelated, I hate the design. The grates scratch the top super easily.
Andrea Nguyen says
The scratches on the stainless are a disappointment! Oh well, I figure that they're battle scars in the kitchen. Thanks for your cleaning tips!
Bonnie says
Thanks for the review. Love your new kitchen reports. I've been getting used to using electric for a year in new apt. There's convection but haven't used it yet. Any tips or resources, or should I just learn through trial and error?
Andrea Nguyen says
I just use the convection like an oven and the modern ones will make the temperature adjustment for you. If a roast chicken recipe is for 425F, the convection on the Cafe and my old LG automatically went to about 400F. Some people say convection for baking isn't great. However, if there's a convection bake mode, try it. Both my old LG and the new Cafe have convection roast and convection bake. The baking one hasn't done anything weird to my baked goods. Again, when I test recipes, I do it on regular baking mode. It's fun!
Heidi says
Thanks for the thorough review! I hope to replace a old electric range with a new gas one soon!
Andrea Nguyen says
Hooray for the new range coming into your life. I hope you enjoy it lots!
Barbara Lavery says
Thank you for following up with this! Appreciate the insight and now my son will believe me that it will be hot enough for the wok 😎
Andrea Nguyen says
You're so welcome, Barbara! Yes, wok on!
Sasha Kaplan says
When we remodeled our kitchen last year, we bought the GE Cafe propane(our small city does not offer natural gas), with the double oven. The smaller one is used most of the time, while the larger lower oven has convection capabilities, and both ovens have electric broilers. I appreciate the two heat levels for the broiler. My biggest complaint is exactly what Andrea spoke of- the sensitivity of the knobs is truly ridiculous!I cannot tell you how many times I barely tapped the control panels, and suddenly the control panel was locked, or the clean cycle was ready to start. Royal pain. I also haven't used the hi-tech features, but at this point, they don't seem needed. But sure wish the control panel wasn't so touchy.
The oven heats quickly, and the burners on top are powerful. And it is so nice to have six burners on a 30" wide range.
Andrea Nguyen says
Sasha -- those knobs -- that panel. I'm so happy you share the same frustration. It's darn touchy!
On the other hand, that oven heats up amazingly fast. Hope you're enjoying the stove!
Michael says
Hi everyone and thanks for the review and replies. My wife and i are also in the market to replacing my 15 year old Maytag fridge and stove, which btw work flawlessly...but over the years white is no longer the colour of choice so stainless here we come. We are tossed between the Ge cafe and Frigidaire professional line, and as i look at the features between the 2, I see a few differences but nothing that sways me one way or the other. Right now the GE cafe line has a buy more save more promotion so it actually will cost me the same as the frigidaire line, and is swaying me towards the GE Cafe. My only undecided factor is going dual fuel or not. We are coming from a full gas range that is NOT convection, but my wife does love to bake as much as cook so would the dual fuel be a better option? Or will the gas range being a convection be just as good for us?
Andrea Nguyen says
Michael, I really like the dual fuel more than I thought I would. That said, you have to put in 220 for it. If that's not an issue, you may consider it. One of my friends is cookbook author Molly Stevens, who wrote books on roasting and braising so she knows ovens. She suggested electric for the stove for its precision and consistency.
Baking expert Stella Parks says that convection baking may not be the best for home cooks. Here's more about it: https://skillet.lifehacker.com/your-convection-setting-may-not-be-the-best-choice-for-1826800725
Hope this hope you a little!
Hank saunders says
Good Day All;..work & retired from pcrichard & son. After 37 Years in The Appliances industry, Absolutely perfection is unattainable. But All Things Consider G,E Cafe Appliances & Prices With The $1.500.00 Redate Paid For The Kitchen Tiles🤗. There are three categories in life 1-good 2-better 3-best I've sold all three based on the Customers application, Frigidaire professional are good, GE Cafe are better, mele is the best. Frigidaire are great for landlords and gifts to others, GE Cafe is great for working class and upper middle class, mele is triple the price of Frigidaire, double the price of GE Cafe , And is worth The 20 years long term investment. Always remember it is not the product it's the application. Which is the most logical and best Vehicle for driving in the snow a Corvette or Subaru, I had 5 Subaru, Whirlpool KitchenAid appliances LG appliances & Samsung appliances over my 68 years just purchase GE Cafe range top🤗 French wall oven🤗 Cafe with the hot water dispenser refrigerator🤗 bottle cleaner dishwasher🤗range hood glass side🤗with remote. Before I retired in 12-31-20, I sold several GE Cafe kitchen appliances my customers always call back to say they were satisfied. No manufacturer will build a million dollar factory and hirer hundreds of people to make a bad product. Good/Better/Best. Happy Wife Happy Life. She Love The French door wall oven and range top yes there are lemons anything that's made by man will have some and yes there are bad distributors sorry for those who had bad experiences.
Andrea Nguyen says
Hank! What terrific information you've offered. Thank you for continuing to advise people in post-retirement (Congratulations!).
You're the kind of appliance salesperson that I wish I had encountered. Bless you!
Barbara smith says
Do not buy the cafe double oven range. It’s awful and dangerous. We are 80 years old. Trying to get down to the lower oven and trying to take something out is terrible. We don’t have the strength or mobility to get down. The oven cooks unevenly - burns on the back before it’s done. The burners are so hot that you can’t stand there and stir or cook something without your hands getting burned. I waited 15years for a new stove and I got this piece of shit!!!(. I tried to return it the day after we got it and the answer I got is there are no returns on appliances. They didn’t even care that I was going to buy another stove. It was a lot of money - $3,000 for it. I’m so disappointed and angry that I could not even talk to anyone about the dangers of using the stove. DO Not BUY THIS STOVE!!!
Andrea Nguyen says
Barbara -- What an awful experience. I'm sorry to hear this. I have not had issues with the oven performing poorly. However, I have the single oven model.
The double oven is a great idea in concept. Perhaps Cafe will come service the oven so it will work better?
Tarsha Godfrey says
Does your stove require 220 wiring or 110 for the electrical outlet?
Andrea Nguyen says
The dual fuel needs 220 for the electric oven. I have both kinds actually since you never know, I may go back to all gas someday!
Rob says
Yes the electrical upgrade requirement 20 amp to 40 or 50 amp line is a big consideration.
I’m looking more at the double ovens because the gas ovens do not offer a warming drawer at the bottom, which I plan to use again if we entertain post Covid quarantine. I am concerned about the lower oven height though. Any first-hand experiences with the lower double oven would be appreciated.
Andrea Nguyen says
I'd go to the store and check out the lower height for yourself. Then consider what you'd me making that may be problematic. People who've gotten the double oven range told me it was hit and miss for them.
Rob says
Thanks Andrea for the insights. Just got the GE Cafe gas range CGS750P2MS1 and enjoying all the bells and whistles. This new range has better metal vs plastic knobs, and the same electrical requirement as the old CGS980SEM1SS (2008); 15A - 20A.
GE Cafe Cust Svc. gave me a great deal, for upgrading from my even though it was out of warranty. Kudos for keeping customers.
The stove burners certainly seem to heat up faster. In hindsight, I'd recommend the single oven (CGS700P2MS1 with only a storage, not warming drawer) unless you like don't mind cooking on your hands and knees, which is less than ideal if you're entertaining. All the functional features of the CGS750P2MS1 are in the lower oven; broil, convection, & temperature probe, so you can always cook meat to perfection. The upper oven is electric; up to 550F with warming and proofing features that are low on my list. The set up would be much better reversed for me.
Two burner center vs. oval doesn't seem to impact the griddle heating horribly, but I'm still trying to figure out how to use the griddle without making a horrible mess.
Barbara smith says
You can’t see them because they don’t have any for you to look at
Andrea Nguyen says
Ah. I understand. Our local HD had one on the floor for people to handle. I'm so sorry for your bad experience!
Chelsea says
Hi Andrea! Are the electric coils exposed in both the top and the bottom of your range? Just curious how that affects things or not, Ive never had an electric oven and am weighing the pros and cons. Thanks!
Andrea Nguyen says
Only at the top for broiling. The bottom is sealed from the heat source -- which is why you can do the 30-minute steam clean process. Hope that helps.
Gloria Corcoran says
I find your review of the GE Cafe to be overly generous. Like you and your readers, I shopped carefully and reviewed specs. I ended up buying the Cafe because it had all the features I was looking for and, equally importantly, a high-end good looking style. Otherwise I would have bought the GE Profile or Samsung or LG - both with excellent ratings.
I received it on January 8, 2021. It got hairline scratches almost from the first day. It’s scratched all along the back area where the grill meets the stove top, and lifting the grate is the only way to clean it. The top front panel, which gives the range a very sleek appearance, has the same scratch marks, as does the steel surface under the grates. I am meticulous about cleaning and caring for things and this brand new range has more scratch marks than the 20 year old stainless I replaced. My 10 year old refrigerator is in nearly mint condition. What is the problem with the steel surface that was used???
The super sensitive control panel lights up with the slightly touch from a kitchen towel. That has resulted in having the oven light on for hours before I notice it. Also makes a quick swipe to clean the glass problematic.
The cooking, the convection oven, the storage drawer are generally excellent.
However instead of having a rolled steel edge, the front lip of the storage draw has a sharp raw steel edge - an accident waiting to happen. I’ve put tape on it as a precaution for reaching in and removing something. The BTUs on the range top are quite hot and after initial warm up I have to turn the burners down to 1-4 level. Not sure why that would be. Opposite from my last range which only had one really hot burner. However it does hold a good simmer.
Andrea Nguyen says
Gloria, thanks for sharing your experience. As mentioned in the above post, there are scratches and the control panel is very sensitive. No stove is perfect and I remain happy with the Cafe.
Wokking says
I bought my cafe double oven dual fuel range 2 years ago and been pretty happy about, the high burner is great for wok cooking, do note that intensive cooking will require a more powerful range hood ( something around a 600 dollar range will barely cover it) also get a deeper range hood since using the outside burner will cause the wok to sit also on the edge, most range hood is under 22inch so it will not have full coverage when you stir fry. I also use the griddle over the two middle burner to avoid less clean up from oil spalter. Also the double oven is good when you need to cook thing at different temperatures at the same time or use one as a warning will baking with the other.
Andrea Nguyen says
Terrific information, Wokking! Yes, I got a 36 inch hood for the range. It's a 600 CFM and is loud but it does the job of exhausting! More on the hood in this post:
https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2020/09/ways-to-keep-a-kitchen-clean.html
Marion says
I also own the GE cafe electric range. Same issue with the touchy control panel. Another big problem that I have, is that on top of the cooktop were the ceran top meets the stainless (front) there is a 2-3 mm gap over the width of the cooktop with the rubber seal visible. Because of this, over the years debris and foot particles have collected and it is looking very unsightly. It has been like this from the beginning, and I was told that this is „normal“. The transition is not flush transition. Thanks for any input. Marion
Andrea Nguyen says
Marion, on this earlier post about keeping my kitchen clean, if you head to the end of the post, there's a tip on how I'm dealing with the gap between the stove and the counter. I don't know if that will help you but I've not had problems with it.
https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2020/09/ways-to-keep-a-kitchen-clean.html
Emmanuel LeHuy says
Hi,
how is the ignition system? And the re-ignition, if you blow up (for testing) or if some water spills (real life situation)?
My old GE range is lacking that feature and it's bugging me 🙂
Thanks.
E
Andrea Nguyen says
I've had the stove for 1 year and have not had an ignition problem. I totally understand your frustration when a stove has issues with ignition. Lots of click, click, clicking!
Terri says
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for the review! I am a recent owner of a Cafe gas range and have a few questions. First, what are the different burners' purposes? It sounds like the one you use for your wok is purely for higher heat? I use that a lot for the lowest setting because I feel like my burners all run hot even on the low settings. What is (on my range) the far right front doughnut burner which only produces heat from the inside rung used for?
Also, how do you clean the burner covers themselves? I've tried steel wool pads, which don't hurt the covers but don't get all of the stain off.
thanks, Terri
Andrea Nguyen says
Hi Terri,
My sense is the burners run hot because of the grate design on the stove. Just slightly lower the heat when you're cooking. Every stove is a different and there's always a learning curve. I mostly use the big tri-ring 21,000 burner for wokking or a big/wide pan that needs a lot of heat. If only the little one is going, it's likely great for ultra low heat simmering, for melting butter in a small pot. Its heat output would be less than the 5,000 burner in the back of the big one.
Cleaning the burner covers -- I use Method's product. Here's a post about how it plus a hack I came up with to fill that gap between the stove and the counter:
https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2020/09/ways-to-keep-a-kitchen-clean.html
Hope this helps, Terri!
Barbara smith says
I hate this stove. I bought it in 2020 at Home Depot in Tallahassee, fl. I was looking forward to a new stove. There wasn’t one to look at before I bought it. When it got here I realized that it would be impossible to use it. We’re both 80 years old and getting down to put food in lower oven and get it out would be very dangerous for us. I called the next day trying to return it with the intension of buying a different one . The reply I got was there are no returns on a appliances!!! So, here I am at 80 years old trying to use this stove. The oven doesn’t work well. It burns food in back. The burners are so hot that you can’t stand and stir things on the burners without burning your hands. DON’’T BUY THIS STOVE. It’s a piece of crap!!! Do we have any recourse??? Of course not.
Andrea Nguyen says
Again, so sorry for the lousy experience with the Cafe double oven stove! If you haven't offer your feedback on the Cafe and Home Depot sites. It's a major appliance and a major investment for homeowners. And, it's not something you purchase or change frequently like say, a cell phone even!
I am sure you are not alone with the double oven disappointment.
Rhonda says
We ordered our Cafe induction cooktop and double oven in February and it was delivered in May this year.
It is better than I expected. We are an all electric home and we wanted an induction range for energy savings and less heat in our kitchen. The induction is incredible with the precision control of temps, unlike a regular electric ranges. Water boils within four minutes, I still am amazed by that even now,
We received a free induction set of cookware as a promotional giveaway. It came with a Hestan Cue pan that communicates with the range. I haven’t used that smart feature yet. I have used the remote control feature with the app on my phone to start the oven when away from home or to even check if it is off. We have the Cafe microwave above the range, The two communicate through blue tooth and when I turn any burner on the range, the microwave vent fan and light turn on and off automatically. I’ve downloaded a free smart fry feature for the oven and a whole turkey one will be available this week. I did not buy this unit for the smart features, but I use them.
The small upper oven is used the most for making our meals for two or cookies, cakes and muffins. The larger lower oven is a true convection oven and the extendable rack is used for my bread baking. I put two 4 quart cast iron Dutch ovens side by side on the rack for my sourdough baked at 500 degrees. The extendable rack makes it so much easier when taking the lids off for the last part of baking.
This range has tuned out so much better than I expected. The ovens bakes evenly, the induction burners are a dream and everything works well. I have the white finish and there have been no problems. The touch screen is touchy. I have yet to turn off the oven inadvertently, but I have turned the timer off accidentally too many times. I now use the timer on the microwave or note the time when using the range timer.
After five months, I’m very satisfied with this purchase.
Andrea Nguyen says
That is fantastic to know, Rhonda. And, you've set up all the communications between the appliances too. Wowza.
I'm delighted to know about your satisfaction with the range. I agree that it is better than expected!
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Jim says
Personally I absolutely love this my 30 inch dual fuel range. The oven heats evenly and my bread loaves are so much more evenly baked. I am 65 , keep my self fit but understand that being older the lower oven might me an issue. For me, its more squats, more work outs. I am not giving up this perfect appliance. The Cafe cooktop has made me a better cook. I like being able to move pots and pans to appropriate burner. No, I did not buy mine from the big boxes. I got mine 400 bucks cheaper from a local dealer and guess what, if you have an issue they will actually work with and the manufacturer to resolve the issue.
Andrea Nguyen says
That's motivation, Jim! Love that you shopped locally, saved money and have a relationship with a small business.
I'm all for squats and working out to cook and eat more (and better!). Cheers!