Last updated on April 9th, 2024 at 01:55 am
By now, you have probably heard about the newest player in the kitchen appliance game. The Frigidaire 30 in. 5.6 cu. ft. Range with Air Fry in Smudge-Proof Stainless Steel. I am extremely excited to review the first range with Air Fry for you. You'll love creating fast and delicious meals for your entire family using the air fry feature.
It has been on the market since 2019 and is the first to feature the air fry capability in a full-size oven, and is now widely available at big box home improvement stores. Before we get too far into my personal review of this range I want to discuss the burning question. Isn't an air fryer and a convection oven the same thing?
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50 + Recipes and Free Printable Cooking Time and Temperature Chart.
What's the Difference Between an Air Fryer and a Convection Oven?
Let me explain. A convection oven cooks with a fan that continually circulates hot air around the oven to produce a more even and consistent cooking temperature. A true convection oven will have three heating elements one on top and bottom and a third heating element around the fan. I have personally had an electric convection oven for the past ten years and I enjoyed the convection cooking. Convection cooking results in faster and more evenly cooked food.
What is an Air Fry Range?
Well, essentially it is the same convection and fan technology that has been "souped" up. When air frying in the Frigidaire Gallery range you are cooking with a specialized powerful convection fan designed with superheated air and a higher-speed fan, giving us that crispy and "deep-fried" texture we love and none of the guilt.
Are Ovens With Air Fry Worth The Money?
If you're considering upgrading from a countertop air fry oven to a full-size range you might be asking if it's worth the investment. Technically you don't "need" to upgrade, but if you are in the market for a new range In my opinion you are getting all of the great features with an air fry oven. But here is my Pro/Con list.
Air Fry Range Recipes
Pros:
- You don't have another kitchen appliance to sore or have on the countertop (this was huge for me)
- The oven bakes evenly and 25% faster than a conventional oven with true convection and air fry functions
- 5 Burners, oval burner for griddle/grill (gas version)
- Multi rack baking at the same time, no turning or rotating food
- Smudge-proof stainless steel or black stainless (both are gorgeous)
- Quick preheat (preheats extremely fast)
- Comes in gas, electric, and induction
- Air fry four times as much food in one batch (compared to a countertop air fryer)
- Cast iron griddle/grill is included (gas version)
- Fast steam clean option
- Quick boil element
- Edge-to-ed grates make moving pans easy
- Standard 30" size
- Burners and grates are easily removed for cleaning
- Continuous grates accommodate smaller pots and larger cookware
- Built-in temperature probe (new models)
Cons:
- Investing in a large appliance range from $1,149-$1,899 (not on sale)
- The drawer on the bottom is much smaller than my last oven
- Front controls on the gas version can be reached by small children, other models have knobs on the back of the stove if this is a concern.
- The Ready Cook air fry tray has to be purchased separately for $50-$60
- My only complaint is this range needs to be cleaned more frequently, due to the fan circulating.
As you can see my pro list outweighs my con list and I absolutely love this range, but if you're still on the fence or have a few more questions, keep reading.
Pricing & Model Options
I have the FRIGIDAIRE GALLERY Model from The Homedepot. I purchased mine during the Labor Day sale when most appliances were around 40% off, they also offered free delivery.
A few other models available are:
- Electric Range Frigidaire Gallery
- Gas range with back control panel Frigidaire Gallery Model #GCRG3060AF
- Induction Range cook top- Frigidaire Gallery Model #FGIH3047VF
- The Ready Cook Air Fry Tray- optional readycook tray be used with all slide-in range models.
- Wall Oven - Single and double wall ovens available with the air fryer feature.
What accessories will I need?
- Large sheet pan to use as a drip pan. This is the size I have.
- Frigidaire Ready Cook Tray
- Silicone Potholders that double as trivets are my favorite.
- Parchment Paper- Helps to absorb oil and prevents smoking.
- Aluminum Foil- Heavy-duty and wide foil to cover the drip pan.
- Sheet Pan With Wire Rack Insert- alternative to ReadyCook Tray.
What is an Air Fryer Good for?
It's important to note that not everything is meant to be cooked in an air fryer whether it be a full-sized or countertop version, but if you're looking to cut unhealthy fats and oils and fried food from your diet then air frying food is a great option. Delicious air fry results can be achieved with the full-size range or a countertop appliance.
Frigidaire Air Fry Oven Recipes
The best food to air fry are Frozen food that you want to have crispy. Like frozen French fries onion rings etc.
- "Fried" food from scratch like chicken, egg rolls, wontons, French fries, etc.
- Veggies like broccoli, zucchini fries, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and roasted baby potatoes
- Air Fry Range Bacon
- Breakfast Potatoes
- Coconut Shrimp
- Homemade Pizza Rolls
- Sticky Fingers
- Nashville Hot Chicken
50 + Recipes and Free Printable Cooking Time and Temperature Chart.
True Convection Bake Setting
Convection cooking is faster than conventional and you can use multiple racks in the oven at once without having to rotate the food. This is because the heat isn't coming from the heating elements on the top and bottom but being circulated evenly resulting in faster baking of cakes and cookies on any rack.
Foods that are great for convection bake:
- Poultry and sausage
- Roasted meats
- Pizza
- Bread that needs a bit of a crust like banana bread
Conventional oven baking is the most widely used when recipes are written so remember to reduce the recipe cook time and possibly temperature when using the convection bake setting. It does take some getting used to but so worth it.
Traditional Bake Function
- Delicate foods like soufflé or cheesecake are great candidates for conventional baking
- Batter recipes that don't require a crust like a cake
Frigidaire Air Fry Range Review
In my opinion that was not paid for or sponsored in any way I think this Frigidaire Range with the Air-Fry feature is a great range, and a great value. Especially if you can catch it on sale. I still have not had a chance to use all the features on this range and I have yet to be disappointed. The air fry feature is easy to use and I have had great results with my new stove. This front control range was a dramatic upgrade from my electric coil stove which was about 10 years old. My pots and pans would slide off the uneven burners and canning on it in the fall was a joke. I preferred my camp stove in the backyard over my old stove/range.
Frigidaire Oven Steam Clean vs Self-Clean
When comparing the steam clean and self-clean options available in Frigidaire ovens, it's essential to consider the nature of the cleaning task at hand and personal preferences. Steam cleaning offers a gentler approach, utilizing steam to loosen food residue, which can be easily wiped away with minimal effort. This method is quicker, typically taking around 20-30 minutes, and is more energy-efficient. It's ideal for light to moderate messes and provides a convenient solution for regular maintenance.
On the other hand, self-cleaning cycles utilize extremely high temperatures to incinerate tough stains and baked-on food, offering a thorough deep clean. These cycles can take 2-6l hours to complete and may produce smoke and odors, requiring adequate ventilation. While self-cleaning is more intense and suited for heavy-duty cleaning tasks, steam cleaning provides a quicker and more convenient option for regular upkeep.
Gas Range
If you are looking to upgrade from an electric range to a gas range you will need to have a licensed and bonded plumber come install a gas line. We were fortunate that our furnace and fireplace insert is natural gas and the plumber was able to tap into my existing gas line and run it to the kitchen for about $300. For me, this was a no-brainer because I needed a gas stove for the amount of water bath canning I do.
The gas version of this range can be converted to propane as well. Just make sure you have the conversion kit for that. lastly, in order for your new gas range to work, you will also need an electrician to convert the 220 receptacles to 110 or you can purchase this adaptor for about $30 on Amazon.
Please refer to your owner's manual for full setup directions of your new frigidaire stove. Read through the error codes and troubleshooting section before you use your new range for the first time. Contact Frigidaire customer service during regular business hours for assistance with your range.
FAQ
An Air Fry Oven is a full-sized oven with an air fry feature built-in. The capability to air fry in a full-size 30 in. 5.6 cu. ft. Range means no need to have another appliance on the countertop and the ability to cook larger batches of food all at once.
This Frigidaire Gallery 30 in. 6 cu. ft. 5 Burner Slide-In Gas Range has a maximum temperature of 550°F (288°C)
The grates of the gas range are made of cast iron and are dishwasher safe.
Yes. you can use the stovetop during a power outage. In the event of an electrical power outage, the surface burners may be lit manually. To light a surface burner, hold a lit match to the burner head, then slowly turn the surface control knob to lite. Once the burner ignites, push in and turn the knob to lite then to the desired flame setting.
For this particular model, the bottom drawer is for storage use only.
Lynette says
If you have a gas range, do you use the griddle? I can see it handy to fry up a couple of eggs or make a small batch of pancakes? I would love to know what you think.
Amber says
Hi Lynette, I have used the griddle in the past. I always cook with cast iron so I tend to just use my 17" skillet that sits on the stovetop because it's what I have out and handy. However if I didn't use that 99% of the time I would leave the griddle on and use it more it just doesn't fit with my everyday pan. Hope that helps.
Staci says
We just purchased this range at Lowes in the Gas version. They had it in the clearance aisle right before Memorial Day. It was marked down to $700 and my husband who is a huge bargain hunter was able to get it down to $300 from the manager. Huge score. Loving it so far!
Amber says
That is such a great deal! I'm so glad you like it so far.
John Mullins says
Great article. This article is full of information & knowledge. Many thanks to the author for sharing this informative and helpful article with us.
Patty Rogers says
I purchased one of these ranges in 2019 and loved it. It worked as advertised until April.of 2021. Then it started randomly beeping, the timer would come on by itself, the timer would randomly come on by itself and the door would lock by itself. The control panel has been replaced twice and the third one is being ordered by the 4th repairman. He replaced the control board in December 2021 and it lasted until Presidents Day weekend. Then the beeping started again. If you buy this do yourself a favor and get the extended warranty. If it's not fixed this time I'm going to have to eat the $1200.00 dollars and get a new stove.
amberhollis918@gmail.com says
Sorry to hear about your troubles with your range Patty. That sounds very frustrating. I was not compensated for my review of this oven by Frigidaire and it is solely my own opinion and experiences with my range. I strive to provide information and recipes for this new Air Fry Range for all of the new users because there is little to no information available at this time. I hope your range works for you this time and/or Frigidaire stands behind their product as they should.
Kierra says
Everyone I know has an air fryer and loves it. I keep saying I need to get one. This post is my final push to a yes. Thank you.
Tasha says
I have recently discovered that an air fryer is a must for my kitchen. Thanks for the info!
Caleb Harris says
I've been using an air fryer as of late and I really enjoy it. It was definitely a great investment to say the least.
Debbie Roland says
I am not selecting to use the convection feature at all. Why is on all the time??? How do I get it to turn off? It's ruining some of my food. Please help.
Thank you.