I cover large kitchen appliances for Wirecutter and have nearly 20 years of experience writing about food and cooking. I’ve written guides to induction cooktops, electric ranges, and French-door refrigerators, and I also offer advice on how to make the most of large kitchen appliances (including how to clean an oven).

We’ve been evaluating gas ranges since 2018. For this guide, we did the following:

• We interviewed a variety of experts, including repair technicians, appliance-store owners and staff, chefs, home cooks, designers, product engineers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and multiple representatives from the brands we covered.
• To get a feel for the quality of our picks, we visited appliance trade shows and dozens of big-box stores and appliance showrooms.
• We evaluated hundreds of owner reviews and reader comments to identify reliability problems or real-world quirks.

This guide covers 30-inch gas ranges with back-guard controls and a freestanding design, which are generally the least expensive type of range. They have finished sides, so they can be installed anywhere in the kitchen: between two kitchen cabinets, at the end of a counter, or entirely on their own.

All of the ranges in this guide have both a gas cooktop and a gas oven.

We also have a guide to slide-in (or front-control) gas ranges. These ranges are slightly more expensive, and they have front-mounted controls that look sleeker (and may be easier for some people to use). They are designed to sit flush with your countertop, creating a built-in look. They also tend to come with better hardware and features. (Traditionally, slide-ins were meant to be installed between two cabinets, but many are now available with finished sides.)

Some higher-end gas ranges offer dual-fuel models with electric ovens, which are widely believed to heat faster and more consistently. Their convection elements are often more powerful, as well.

We also have a guide to electric freestanding ranges, which cost roughly the same as the models in this guide but have a superior oven.

After years of research (and cooking), we think these features are important in a freestanding gas range:

Cooktop

• Burners with a range of power: That means a large burner with at least 12,000 to 15,000 Btu is a plus. (Additional power means less time spent waiting for pasta water to boil or for a skillet to get hot enough to sear.) A second large burner with 9,000 to 10,000 Btu is also helpful. A lower-power simmer burner (usually about 5,000 Btu) is even more important; this is handy for melting butter or holding a pot at a medium or low temperature without scorching its contents. A better-quality freestanding gas range will also have a fifth burner, typically a central oval burner meant for a double-burner griddle or oblong pots.
• Continuous (but easy-to-remove) cast-iron grates: Some less-expensive gas ranges come with individual grates, and the least expensive models often have grates made of steel, instead of heavier cast iron, which typically retains heat better. (All of our picks have cast-iron grates.) Continuous grates give you more workable space on a cooktop, make it easier to slide pots into place, and simply look better. Ideally, grates shouldn’t be too heavy or unwieldy to remove for cleaning. Overly hefty or large grates can also soak up a lot of heat before it reaches your pots and pans, wasting energy (and heating up your kitchen) as you cook.
• Sealed burners: Common on most gas ranges (with the exception of budget models and some higher-end stoves), sealed burners have a sealed gas port and a cap that covers much of the open flame. Sealed burners protect the ports from spills and splashes, and they are safer and look nicer. Many users say they help keep their cooktops cleaner because the caps can simply be wiped off. (However, if they are tilted at an angle that doesn’t hit your pots and pans directly or evenly, sealed burners may use more gas to heat.)
• Knobs made of sturdy plastic: Freestanding gas ranges typically have knobs made from plastic, rather than ceramic or metal knobs, which are more durable and high-end. Still, we looked for models with plastic knobs that felt solid and secure and turned easily.

Oven

• At least 5 cubic feet of oven capacity: This applies to nearly any 30-inch range with a single oven, and it will accommodate a 26-pound Thanksgiving turkey and standard-size baking sheets. For double-oven ranges, we looked for a lower oven as close to 5 cubic feet as possible.
• Convection cooking modes: Ovens with basic convection mode have a fan at the back of the oven to spread heat evenly. Cookies bake more evenly, crusts come out flakier, and anything roasted will be crispier on the outside and juicier on the inside. You also generally get better results when you’re using more than one rack at a time. In some cases, you may be able to cook at lower temperatures, or for less time. True (or European) convection ovens (which are usually more expensive) add an extra heating element near the fan; this helps the oven do a better job of all of the above. Today, nearly any oven with convection also comes with an air-fry setting.

• A built-in broiler: If a broiler is located in the main oven, rather than in a drawer below the oven, you won’t have to stoop down to see the items you’re broiling. (Plus, you’ll gain a storage drawer.)
• A self-cleaning option: There are two types of self-cleaning modes—high heat (very high temperatures burn off crusted-on food) and a lower-temperature steam clean (for more-frequent, less-intense cleanings). Having one is great; having both is better.
• A solid build: Doors should open smoothly, and racks should slide out easily.
• At least six rack settings: This allows you to adjust the racks to sit exactly where you need them. (Two racks are standard on most ranges.)
• Clear, convenient controls and timers: A number pad (for inputting oven temperatures and cook times) is a little faster to use and easier to see than the +/- buttons typically found on budget-priced models. You should also be able to see and hear the timer clearly.
• Extra features: A delayed-start mode, a third oven rack, a temperature probe, food-specific presets, Sabbath modes, or scan-to-cook modes are great additions, but only when combined with good basic functionality and a fair price.

Wi-Fi connectivity

• Remote monitoring, operation, and updates: Until recently, most freestanding ranges weren’t equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, but that’s changing—mainly at the higher end (see our upgrade pick). These ranges work with an app on a smartphone or other smart device to track the status of your oven temperature and timer or to control oven settings, remotely or with voice commands. Connectivity can also allow for upgrades to new oven features or possibly even remote diagnostics. These capabilities can make cooking easier for anyone, but they are especially beneficial for those who are blind or have low vision or for those with hearing loss.

Reliability and customer service

• Generally positive customer reviews: We looked for owner reviews that didn’t reveal a consistent pattern of defects, design problems, or egregiously awful product support.
• Widespread availability: This is important because repair technicians are more likely to be familiar with the models if issues surface.

Top pick

GE JGB735

The best gas range

This convection range has an excellent cooktop (with a built-in griddle) for the price, and it comes in five finishes.

Buying Options

$1,193 from Lowe's

$1,299 from GE Appliances

Note: The GE 600 Series is our new top pick. It replaces the GE JGB735, which has been discontinued. (The JGB735 is still available in many stores, if you can’t find it online.) We will update this guide fully soon.

The GE JGB735 is a convection range with the highest-performing cooktop and oven for the price. It’s been our top pick since 2018, and below we explain why.

The cooktop has five burners in a range of power levels. A large, 18,000-Btu power burner in the front can quickly bring a large pot of water to a boil, and it can heat a pan fast, so that it’s hot enough to sear. The front also has a medium-size, 9,500-Btu burner. In the back, you’ll find another large burner (12,000 Btu) and a smaller burner (5,000 Btu) designed primarily for sustaining a simmer.

The center of the cooktop is a double-element, cast-iron griddle over a large, 10,000-Btu oval burner—ideal for searing, charring, or cooking breakfast for a crowd. (If you don’t need the griddle, you can buy a grate instead.)

The cooktop has continuous cast-iron grates that are easy to clean. Sturdy cast-iron grates cover the cooktop from edge to edge. They look great, and you can easily perch a pan anywhere on the cooktop or slide a heavy stock pot from one burner to another. The grates break apart into three sections, so they’re easier to lift. And they can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher (but they can rust, so be sure to dry them thoroughly). They can also be cleaned in the oven on its high-heat self-cleaning setting (not all ranges accommodate this).

The oven has basic convection and other useful features. The JGB735 comes with a fan to distribute heat, so you’ll get more evenly baked cookies, flakier pie crusts, and juicier roasted foods in less time. Along with roast and bake settings, it has an air-fry mode and a delayed-start function.

The broiler, which has two settings, is located in the oven rather than in a drawer below it, so you won’t have to crouch down to use it. (Plus, you gain a storage drawer.)

And although the 5-cubic-foot oven doesn’t have the largest capacity of our picks, it fits standard baking sheets or a 26-pound turkey. You can also adjust its two oven racks to five levels.

The oven has two self-cleaning options. Choose between high heat (which uses high temperatures to burn off crusted-on food) and a lower-temperature steam clean (for more-frequent, less-intense cleanings).

The JGB735’s control panel is intuitive. The control panel is clearly marked, with decent plastic knobs. A number pad for the oven makes it easier to input times and temperatures.

It’s well built and looks good. This is a sturdy, handsome stove with above-average features and design for the price.

It comes in five finishes. Available in fingerprint-resistant slate, stainless steel, black, fingerprint-resistant black slate, and white, the JGB735 should fit the aesthetic of any kitchen. (Not all finishes are available at every retailer, and some finishes cost a bit more.)

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The back guard feels a little wobbly, but that’s to be expected with freestanding ranges.
• The oven doesn’t come with a third rack, but you can always buy another one.
• The JGB735 doesn’t have true convection (with an extra heating element near the fan, for even faster, more-consistent baking) or many extra oven modes, but few ranges do at this price.
• It does not have Wi-Fi connectivity, which is likely the future for most kitchen appliances. If you want a smart range, consider our upgrade pick.

Best for

Frigidaire Gallery GCRG3060BF

Best for baking

A great choice for avid bakers, this range has a true convection oven and a powerful cooktop with an integrated griddle. But it comes in just two finishes.

Buying Options

$1,098 from Home Depot

$1,100 from Best Buy

If you bake or roast a lot and want an oven with advanced convection and cooking modes, we recommend the Frigidaire Gallery GCRG3060BF. (This model replaced our former also-great pick, the Frigidaire Gallery GCRG3060A, which is still available in stores.)

The oven has true convection and advanced pre-set cooking modes. The 5.1-cubic-foot oven has an additional heating element and a fan for faster, more-even, and more-efficient heating. This model comes with a temperature probe and a variety of pre-set cooking modes including air-fry, no-preheat, delayed bake, slow-cook and sous vide (which claim to provide consistent heat at temperatures as low as 100 °F), and steam bake or steam roast (which are more common in Europe and Asia and use a combination of humidity and heat to achieve different results for baked goods or meats).

The oven has two self-cleaning options. Choose between high-heat and steam-clean settings.

The cooktop has five flexible burners, including a strong power burner. The GCRG3060BF has a large, 18,000-Btu power burner in the front and a smaller, 5,000-Btu burner in the back for simmering.

Like most ranges at this price, this model has continuous, edge-to-edge, cast-iron grates. Its large, central, oval burner also comes with an integrated griddle. (If you rarely use a griddle, you can buy a grate to go over that burner instead.)

The cooktop control knobs are made of metal. This is rare on a freestanding range. (The slash of red on each dial is also a nice touch.) But a few reviewers have complained that when the oven is set at higher temperatures, the knobs (which are made of a zinc alloy, according to Frigidaire) can be hot to the touch. (You can always buy plastic replacements.)

The company is reliable. Our surveys and reporting show that Frigidaire has a good track record for range reliability, service, and repairs, as well as strong owner satisfaction. (But GE Appliances ranks higher.)

It comes in only two finishes. The range is available in stainless steel and black stainless steel (which costs a bit more).

Budget pick

Whirlpool WFG320M0M

Less expensive, but with solid features

For the price, this range has especially good functionality and quality. But its cooktop is less powerful, and it doesn’t have convection.

Buying Options

$599 from Lowe's

$598 from Home Depot

$600 from Best Buy

The Whirlpool WFG320M0M, which was recently updated with edge-to-edge grates, is a terrific value.

It has a great cooktop for the price. The WFG320M0M’s cooktop has four burners (our other picks have five). But its two large, 15,000-Btu burners are powerful. (This Btu level is lower than what you’ll find on our other picks’ large burners, but it’s more than what most ranges at this price offer.) The WFG320M0M also has a medium-size burner and a small burner for simmering.

The cooktop has continuous, edge-to-edge, cast-iron grates. This is unusual for something at this price (most comparable models have independent steel grates, which aren’t as attractive or as easy to maneuver pots across). The grates are dishwasher-safe, but they separate into just two pieces, so they’re heavier to lift and move for cleaning. (Our other picks come apart in threes.) They’re also interlocking, which can make disassembling them even trickier.

The oven is basic but big. The WFG320M0M’s oven doesn’t have convection, but it is large (5.1 cubic feet, which should easily fit the largest Thanksgiving turkey). It also doesn’t have self-cleaning modes or a number pad for inputting oven temperatures or times, but that’s typical for a budget-priced stove. It comes with two oven racks, which can be adjusted to five levels.

The broiler is located in the bottom drawer beneath the oven, which may be difficult for some people to reach (and you lose a storage drawer). But that’s also standard for gas stoves at this price.

It comes in three finishes. This model is available in black, white, and stainless steel.

Upgrade pick

GE Profile PGB935

A powerful, feature-rich smart range

This model has one of the strongest power burners we’ve seen on a gas range (plus a built-in reversible griddle). And it has Wi-Fi connectivity for remote monitoring and feature updates.

Buying Options

$1,348 from Home Depot

$1,499 from Lowe's

$56 from Best Buy

The GE Profile PGB935 is a significant step up, and it usually costs just a few hundred dollars more than our top pick.

It has a best-in-class cooktop. The PGB935’s cooktop has five elements and a super-strong, 20,000-Btu front power burner that you can adjust to three diameters (in addition to heat levels), so it’s great for cooking at lower temperatures or simmering. Its second large front burner (18,000 Btu) is also powerful; in the back, you’ll find a medium-size burner (9,500 Btu) and a small burner (5,000 Btu) designed primarily for sustaining a simmer.

Its large, 10,000-Btu central oval burner has a cast-iron griddle that can be reversed to a grill pan. (If you rarely use a griddle, you can buy a grate to go over that burner instead.)

The PGB935 has continuous, edge-to-edge cast-iron grates.

It has a fast, large, and precise oven. This range has true convection (an extra element by its fan helps spread heat). Roasting and baking should both be a bit faster and better in the PGB935. It has an air-fry mode, and it has the largest single-oven capacity (5.6 cubic feet) of our picks.

And it comes with a third rack. Our top pick comes with only two.

It has Wi-Fi connectivity. Connectivity isn’t yet mainstream on ranges, but that’s changing. The PGB935’s connectivity lets you use an app on a smartphone or device to track the status of and get alerts for your oven temperature and timer. It also allows you to control some oven settings remotely or with voice commands. These capabilities can make cooking easier for those who are blind or have low vision, or for those with hearing loss. Wi-Fi connectivity also allows for software feature upgrades (like downloading a new mode for air-fry as soon as it’s developed), and it could one day include remote diagnostics.

But we wish it could automatically sync with a range hood or over-the-range microwave vent. Some other GE Profile Wi-Fi–connected cooktops—including the double-oven version of our upgrade pick for electric ranges—are able to do so.

It has a sleek design. The metal and glass are more seamlessly integrated, and the oven is a glossy black enamel. The PGB935 has a big oven window and higher-end knobs and handles than our other picks.

But it comes in only one finish. The PGB935 is available in fingerprint-proof stainless steel.

Best for

GE Profile PGB965

Best for those who want a double oven

Buying Options

$2,070 from Home Depot

$2,299 from Lowe's

$1,700 from Best Buy

The GE Profile PGB965, the double-oven version of our upgrade pick, is the best gas double oven available. If you want two ovens but have room for only a 30-inch stove, this is a great option.

The PGB965 has the same great cooktop as our upgrade pick. It has five burners, including an ultra-strong, 20,000-Btu front power burner that you can adjust to one of three diameters, so you can more easily use it for smaller pots or simmering. Sitting on the PGB965’s large central oval burner, there’s a cast-iron griddle that can reverse to a grill pan. This range has continuous edge-to-edge cast-iron grates.

Its 2.5-cubic-foot top oven is ideal for smaller cooking projects. The top oven has bake, broil, and keep-warm functions, plus settings for two racks. It’s handy for when you’re using one sheet pan or skillet, or when you want to keep a peach pie away from a roasting fish.

Its bottom oven is the largest in this category. The 4.3-cubic-foot lower oven has the same true convection oven as our upgrade pick, with a fan that blows in two directions. With 15 inches of clearance, the oven is the tallest you’ll find in this category. That means it can fit two baking trays, a tall Dutch oven, or a large roasting pan. (It also has an air-fry mode.)

It has Wi-Fi connectivity. Like our upgrade pick, the PGB965 has Wi-Fi connectivity. This lets you use an app on a smartphone or other smart device to track the status of your oven temperature and timer, or to control oven settings (remotely or with voice commands). Connectivity also lets you upgrade to new oven features.

And as with any double-oven ranges, this one has some downsides. Bending down to the lower oven can be a pain, and it probably won’t fit the largest birds or roasts. Also, there might be some heat transfer between the two ovens. And you give up a storage drawer.

It comes in two finishes. The PGB965 is available in fingerprint-proof stainless steel and black stainless steel.

The Frigidaire Gallery GCRG3060A was our also-great pick before the Frigidaire Gallery GCRG3060BF  replaced it in late 2023. The GCRG3060A doesn’t have an integrated griddle or grates that are truly edge-to-edge, and its storage drawer has a handle. But this model is still a great option, and though it remains available in many stores, it’s become tougher to find online.

Priced lower than many GE models, the JGBS60 has more finish options but a slightly weaker cooktop, and it has independent grates rather than continuous ones.

The affordable GE JGBS30 is fully analog. That may or may not result in a longer lifespan (it depends on whom you ask). But you’ll have to get used to dial controls, including for the oven.

There is increasing evidence that using a gas stove may be potentially risky for your health, even with ventilation, in part because gas stoves emit chemicals like benzene, methane, and nitrogen dioxide, the latter of which has been linked to childhood asthma. This is an especially important issue if you have a small home or a kitchen without either a ducted range hood or an exhaust vent that ducts to the outdoors.

If you own a gas stove and want to mitigate the risks, read our thorough advice on how to use any gas stove more safely—including how to adequately ventilate your kitchen, when to supplement the use of your stove with countertop appliances, and how to monitor your kitchen’s air quality.

If it’s possible for your household, consider switching to an electric range (or even an induction cooktop). If you can wait (and are eligible), you may also be able to take advantage of hefty federal rebates for buying electric appliances; these rebates are slated to arrive in late 2024 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, as concerns grow, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is studying safety standards on new gas stoves. And the Department of Energy is considering stronger efficiency regulations that would effectively reduce their emissions. Neither of these potential regulatory changes will make it to the marketplace for several years, but some of the research shows that specific features and layouts of gas stoves may be more efficient.

The most important thing you can do to care for your stove is to clean the cooktop and oven after every use—ideally when they’re both still slightly warm. A quick wipedown with a damp rag is often all you need to prevent fat and other food substances from baking onto either surface the next time you cook.

You should also read your stove’s manual before you use any cleaning products on its cooktop surface, grates, or oven interior. Many common cleansers and sponges can scratch or mar metal surfaces, damage grates or gas ports, or react dangerously when exposed to an open flame.

To learn more about how to clean your range’s oven, read our piece on how to clean an oven.

Tyler Wells Lynch wrote a previous version of this article.

This article was edited by Ingrid Skjong and Courtney Schley.