Stoking the Flames

Although buyers seek out the best equipment, Mayer says his clients are generally not spending a lot of time working in the kitchen. "It is purely for aesthetic reasons, and resale," he says. "People buy a new luxury home and pick the appliances with resale in mind. They are thinking, 'what will the next buyer want?'"

Cooking With Gas

The tools for home cooking weren't always this sophisticated.

The origins of the modern stove can be traced to the late 1700s, when food was still prepared over an open fireplace.

Several creative minds aided the range's development, starting with Benjamin Thompson, a British statesman. He is credited with inventing the first practical stove in the 1790s. Thompson's stove, made of brick with holes cut out on the top to hold pots, burned wood or coal, and enclosed and separated a series of fires that could be individually regulated.

In the 1830s, cast iron became widely available, and iron "cookstoves" gained popularity. Philo Stewart, a founding member of the Oberlin colony in Ohio, created the Oberlin stove, a cast-iron wood burner for cooking that was all the rage in frontier homes.

Gas and electric stoves had slow starts, mainly because society needed to catch up with the technology. British inventor James Sharp developed the first gas stove in 1826; during the 1860s, gas ranges gained popularity in cities that had gas piped into homes for gaslights.

A more sophisticated gas stove, the AGA cooker, was invented by Swedish Nobel Prize winner Gustaf Dalen in 1922. Dalen's invention maintained cooking heat for 24 hours a day using only 8 pounds of coal.

An early version of the first electric range was patented by inventor George Simpson of Washington, D.C., in 1859; it was a precursor to a more streamlined electric stove invented by William Hadaway in New York in 1886.

The Heat Is On

In the nearly 85 years since it was invented, the Aga cooker has been a favorite in England, and its popularity has grown worldwide.

"The Aga is the Rolls Royce of cookers," says Sue Beddia, public relations manager for Domain, a retailer of exclusive home furnishings and decor that is owned by Aga. "In a sea of stainless steel, there's no mistaking an Aga. It's a design that's been gracing fine English estates and country homes for over 80 years."

	Turn On An Aga

The distinct Aga stovetop features hinged covers, and inside is a single cast-iron oven or multiple ovens for simultaneous roasting, baking, simmering and warming. The Aga Classic comes in 14 colors, with multiple venting options; overall, the stoves sport a price tag of about $4,000 to $19,000 apiece.

The radiant heat concept discovered by Dalen is a key defining feature of the Aga cooker, and is the reason why this range has no knobs or dials. "It's on 24-7, so it's ready to cook when you are. Each radiant heat oven is set to a specific temperature, and each oven holds a number of dishes without transference of flavors," Beddia explains.

To entice potential buyers, Aga hosts free cooking classes every week. "They are very popular," according to Beddia. "We cook delicious but simple food so you can really taste the Aga difference."

Time for a New Flame

So what should you consider when selecting a new range?

Aside from price, whatever best suits your cooking needs and space requirements. There are dual-fuel ranges powered by gas and electricity, convection ovens that use a stream of hot air to cook food, and range hoods that are decorative while providing proper ventilation.

You can also choose from numerous configurations of burners and ovens, and accessories like a warming shelf, griddle or deep fryer.

Shop around -- most large electronics and home appliance stores carry all of the brands mentioned in this article. Here's some additional professional-quality picks:

• Wolf Gourmet, which has supplied ranges to restaurants for 70 years, has been selling its residential line of stainless steel ranges since 1989.
• Thermador has a line of commercial-quality ranges, including the 48" Pro Grand Duel Fuel range with four burners and electric griddle.
• Sweden-based Electrolux makes professional and designer series for consumers, with options including glass cooktops and wall ovens.
• Whirlpool (WHR Quote) has become a family of recognizable brands -- Whirlpool, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air -- all of which produce ranges. Jenn-Air offers the most sophisticated and highest-priced line of professional-quality ranges.
• GE's (GE Quote) Monogram Collection is a line of stainless-steel, high-performance ranges, cooktops and ovens.

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