Two well-known appliance brands available to consumers today are Whirlpool and Frigidaire - but which one is best for you? If you’re shopping for a new freestanding smoothtop electric range, you may want to know more about your options from each of these brands. Whirlpool now owns several other brands, including KitchenAid, Maytag, and Amana. Frigidaire is owned by Electrolux.
So what you can you expect from these two brands? In our Whirlpool vs Frigidaire review, we compare two standard 30" freestanding electric ranges from the Whirlpool and Frigidaire Gallery lines in the $800-$900 price range to help you choose the best electric range for your kitchen. During sale periods these models are closer to $600.
The Whirlpool WFE525S0JZ - $849
First up in our Frigidaire vs Whirlpool electric range review is the Whirlpool WFE525S0JZ, priced at $849 in fingerprint resistant stainless steel. It's also available in black stainless steel, white, black, non-smudgeproof stainless steel, and even bisque (usually by special order). This freestanding electric range features an easy-to-clean ceramic glass cooktop with five elements, including a dual 6"/9" element with up to 3,000W of cooking power.
Behind the large oven window is an exposed bake element with 2,400W of power and a 3,400W broiler element located at the top. Frozen Bake technology lets you skip preheating for items like frozen pizza. Under 5.3 cubic foot self cleaning oven is a storage drawer. This stainless steel range offers a good number of basic features and a sleek design with all controls located on the backguard.
Overall, this range has basic features and nice styling for the price. Keep an eye out for it during sale periods and you could save $200 or more off the retail price! If you want your new stove to look nice but aren't interested in feature upgrades, this stove is a great option.
The Frigidaire Gallery GCRE3038AF - $949
The Frigidaire GCRE3038AF is priced in smudge-proof stainless steel at $949 and is also available in black stainless steel for $1,049. Like the Whirlpool option, it features a ceramic glass cooktop with backguard controls. The cooktop features five burners, including an expandable SpaceWise element that lets you go from 6" to 12" for added cooking flexibility, a 3,200W Quick Boil element, and a warming zone burner located at the rear center of the cooktop.
Inside of the oven, you have a 5.4 cubic foot oven capacity with a 3,500W hidden bake element and 3,900W broil element. Quick Bake fan convection is a great option for people who want to improve their baking results. When it comes to cleaning, you can choose a steam clean option or a traditional high heat self clean. Steam cleaning takes just 30 minutes at a lower temperature than self cleaning cycles, but you need to do it more often to keep your oven interior pristine.
Pictured below are Frigidaire's three convection systems. As you can see, Quick Bake convection is a form of fan convection, which improves heat circulation for more even multi-rack baking results and browned roasts (read more about convection here).
Although both models offer sleek styling, Frigidaire offers more features in the oven and more powerful 3,200W element that can expand to up to 12" for large pots and pans. This model is a better choice for people who use the stovetop and oven often, and can be available at a similar sale price as well during promotional periods.
Features Comparison
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Stovetop Features: Frigidaire wins this round with a larger, more powerful dual element that goes from 6" to 12" and has 3,200W of power. Whirlpool's is a 6"/9" option that has up to 3,000W of power.
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Oven Features: Fan convection (found on the Frigidaire model) is a great choice for speeding up the cooking process and getting better baking and browning results. It has a hidden bake element, which makes cleaning up messes easier. Self cleaning features are also important to consider - is traditional self cleaning enough or would you like the convenience of steam cleaning as well?
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Look & Feel: Both offer nice styling, although Frigidaire may have a slight edge. The Frigidaire model is slightly deeper including the handle at 28.4" compared to the Whirlpool model's 27.75", so it will stick out a little more from the counter. When it comes to the depth from the back of the range to the front of the cooktop, however, they are almost identical.
So, how do you choose between these Frigidaire and Whirlpool electric ranges? They’re both great products with solid features, but have a few differences. The Frigidaire option may appeal to people who cook more often and use large cookware on occasion. The convection baking option is a must-have if you like to bake or roast and want better results.
The Whirlpool electric range offers all of the basic features you need. Although it lacks convection baking, it still bakes evenly, so you won’t have trouble with hot spots. It has less powerful bake and broiler elements compared to the Frigidaire, but similar cooktop power.
Overall, in the Whirlpool vs Frigidaire debate, these electric ranges are solid, high-quality freestanding ranges with a lot to offer. Go for the Whirlpool range if you want a lower price and don’t mind more basic features, or choose Frigidaire if you can’t live without convection!
We hope you found our freestanding electric range reviews comparing Whirlpool vs Frigidaire helpful. Check out our reviews of the best electric ranges of the year for more options! Leave us a comment below - We’d love to hear from you!
Editor's Note: This blog was originally written in September of 2017 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy as of the publication date noted above.
