Customer reviews from geappliances.com
GE - Caf 5.4 Cu. Ft. Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Convection Range - Stainless steel
Average customer rating
4.5
(802 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 802 reviews
5 Stars
551
4 Stars
162
3 Stars
37
2 Stars
24
1 Star
28
90%of customers recommend this product.
(
697 out of
777)
Customer Reviews for GE - Caf 5.4 Cu. Ft. Self-Cleaning Freestanding Electric Convection Range - Stainless steel
Customer Rating
4
We love our stove!
on February 12, 2013
Posted by: Greta
from Falmouth, MA, USA
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] While we dearly love our new stove, there are a few minor negatives that we wish we had known about before we bought it. (1) The cooling fan (NOT the convection fan) is noisier than we expected. (2) The oven and the warming drawer take a very long time to reach the set temperature. (3) While we appreciate the safety provided by the electronic-only ignition, it would be a great feature to be able to override it and light the burners with a match, especially when a snow storm hits and there is no electricity for a week...
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
4
Quality
5
Features
4
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
5
Very satisfied, design, features and performance
on January 11, 2013
Posted by: Jamjar14
from Chardon, OH 44024, USA
I have owned this range for a year now. There are probably some features that I have not explored fully as I do not cook extensively. I would suggest browsing the owner's manual online to read about all of the features. There are many!
The convection oven works well and the fan is fairly quiet. I like the 3 oven racks for versatile configurations. The electronic controls are sensitive and do tend to get bumped easily. My microwave is above this range so I do tend to hit the oven controls when using my microwave. Just hit cancel when you hear the beep of an oven control being turned on when this happens. You also have to be very light fingered when you do want to use the electronic controls, as holding down the button too forcefully will turn the start button to off. (It is like hitting the on button and off button simultaneously).
Love the smooth cooktop surface, it has always cleaned easily and has not left a spot that I cannot get off with a little scrubbing!
The bottom oven drawer has been used. Though slow to warm up, it does cook things fairly well. I cooked a pan of lasagna and a casserole at the same time in it last week and they cooked perfectly in the allotted time given in the recipes. The metal used on the inside of the oven seems less heavy duty to look at, it is porcelain, but seems rather thin. I have not cleaned the oven yet and am worried if I do it may discolor and turn dull. The racks are a dark color, almost black which is nice for hiding any baked on food. However the manual suggests that you do not self-clean these in your oven as they may dull. The racks do not have the nice glide rollers that you might find in some other ovens. It would be nice if GE could add these as an update in their future models. The oven is huge and you can bake at different levels at the same time.
I do not mind the open oven element, as I believe it helps the oven to heat up faster without an oven shield over the element. It also is easier to change the element if it should ever burn out, being a do-it-yourselfer.
I had not had a convection oven before this one, so I am still learning how to use it. It is nice that it just adjusts the oven temperature in regular recipes for this convection cycle. Baking at a regular bake cycle can also be used for instances like baking pies.
I like the low back profile of the unit. It looks great with my new granite backsplash going above it across the back vent yet leaving the back vent unobstructed. The sides of the range are a black glossy crinkle finish. Because my kitchen counters are 23 inches in depth (shallow), the black shows about 2.5 inches on either side of the range, and the entire range sticks out from the cupboards about 4 inches. It still does not look obtrusive and most counter depths are deeper than this, so it would look even better. It just looks very sleek without the usual back panel control found on most ranges, and the stainless and sleek design and controls makes it look so less cluttered in your kitchen design.
Love the knob controls for the cooktops. Heavy feeling stainless steel and easy to keep clean. The cooktop elements heat up fast and love the versatility of each as they have a small pan setting and a large pan setting depending on which way you turn the knob. I have yet to turn on the incorrect burner as they are laid out intuitively. This was a real problem on my other range which had a back control.
A few other features:
This model has a lock out for these front knobs that control the burners, so small children cannot turn the knobs when you are not around. You can choose to turn on the clock or for a more sleek look, leave the clock totally off so the control panel is dark. The oven beeps when the correct preheating temperature is reached, another great feature. The oven window is black, it may appear clear in some of the GE advertisements.
This model has a lock out for these front knobs that control the burners, so small children cannot turn the knobs when you are not around. You can choose to turn on the clock or for a more sleek look, leave the clock totally off so the control panel is dark. The oven beeps when the correct preheating temperature is reached, another great feature. The oven window is black, it may appear clear in some of the GE advertisements.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
4
Quality
5
Features
5
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
3
Not as useful as the 40-year-old GE range it replaced
on January 10, 2013
Posted by: Mossytop
from Pacific Northwest
Pros:
- Looks good, not Avocado color!
- Knobs on front are easy to use
- Choice of burner sizes is handy
Cons:
- Harder to keep clean than conventional range, need to scrub it off after every use.
- Range sits 3/4" away from wall, needed to fabricate a custom backsplash to fill gap.
- Back lip is short, stuff can fall behind range.
- Broiler has two settings: too hot & not hot enough. Would prefer single setting half-way inbetween.
- Burners cycle on and off like a cheap hotplate. Hard to get even heat. Won't stay hot to boil large pot quickly.
- Baking drawer is slow to heat, uneven. Used it once, A storage drawer would be more useful.
- Burner failed after 6 months. Bad sign.
- Has typical shortcomings of radiant cooktop--slow to cool down, pans dance around if not perfectly flat.
- Looks good, not Avocado color!
- Knobs on front are easy to use
- Choice of burner sizes is handy
Cons:
- Harder to keep clean than conventional range, need to scrub it off after every use.
- Range sits 3/4" away from wall, needed to fabricate a custom backsplash to fill gap.
- Back lip is short, stuff can fall behind range.
- Broiler has two settings: too hot & not hot enough. Would prefer single setting half-way inbetween.
- Burners cycle on and off like a cheap hotplate. Hard to get even heat. Won't stay hot to boil large pot quickly.
- Baking drawer is slow to heat, uneven. Used it once, A storage drawer would be more useful.
- Burner failed after 6 months. Bad sign.
- Has typical shortcomings of radiant cooktop--slow to cool down, pans dance around if not perfectly flat.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Performance
3
Quality
2
Features
3
Value
3
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
2
Beware the noisy fan
on January 10, 2013
Posted by: Paula56
from Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Love the look of this range, and the good solid feel. Having no problems with the cooktop. Totally upset about the oven fan that runs continually while baking (not the convection fan, the vent fan). The decibel level is similar to a vacuum cleaner, and I can hear it in every room of the house. This is a design defect that wasn't disclosed by the dealer and has really ruined my appreciation of this range. I may hook up my old range in the garage just to avoid using the oven in this product. Feeling totally ripped off.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Performance
2
Quality
3
Features
3
Value
1
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
5
Beautiful design; operates like gas
on January 3, 2013
Posted by: DD2013
from Houston TX
I've used electric my whole life and hated the way the element stays hot for so long after turning off. This range mimics gas because it cools so quickly after turning the element off. Love that! It's so pretty I hated to use it at first because I was afraid I'd mess it up but it cleans so easily. Oven is HUGE! I love the griddle and use it often.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
5
Quality
5
Features
5
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
5
Best Range for the dollar
on December 17, 2012
Posted by: PorscheThrills
from Northern NJ
I have just over a year of personal use of this GE Cafe dual-fuel range. But I was well familiar with this range for over a year prior to my purchase.
As a project manager for home renovations, my crews and I had installed many of these, and for good reason.
I spent over a year examining the most available brands and models in the USA and for a mid-level (between basic and professional), this was the best build. The door is smooth and solid and I dare you to find another warming drawer that is even close to being as solid as the Cafe. The others flex and rattle when you use them. After feedback from my clients who bought this Cafe range, I decide that I was going to purchase one and recomended them to my clients.
I spent over a year examining the most available brands and models in the USA and for a mid-level (between basic and professional), this was the best build. The door is smooth and solid and I dare you to find another warming drawer that is even close to being as solid as the Cafe. The others flex and rattle when you use them. After feedback from my clients who bought this Cafe range, I decide that I was going to purchase one and recomended them to my clients.
Excellent burner control and griddle. Simple to use controls and located where they should be, on the front, so one dosn't have to reach over spattering oil to control anything.
The cons are that the cable length is too short on the temp probe and that if you are excessively careless when removing/replacing the cast iron grills, you will very easily scatch the brushed stainless surface. This can be somewhat repaired if you know what you're doing. And, be aware of accindentally bumping into the burner control knobs, the will turn on and release gas, but not a design error or defect, it can happen with all standard gas ranges.
The cons are that the cable length is too short on the temp probe and that if you are excessively careless when removing/replacing the cast iron grills, you will very easily scatch the brushed stainless surface. This can be somewhat repaired if you know what you're doing. And, be aware of accindentally bumping into the burner control knobs, the will turn on and release gas, but not a design error or defect, it can happen with all standard gas ranges.
I'm very happy with this range, and as my clients, you will be happy with your choice.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
5
Quality
5
Features
4
Value
4
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
3
Stainless is not what I thought/poor quality
on December 11, 2012
Posted by: Johnp1954
from Lanoka Harbor
We waited for years to buy this stove. When we finally could afford to update my kitchen, we bought it. Unfortuneatly, We are not completely satisfied. The stainless scratches and dents VERY easily. Every time the grates are removed to clean it, they scratch it a little more. We have only had the stove for approximately 3 months it is all scratched up and has a huge dent in the top.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Performance
2
Quality
2
Features
2
Value
2
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Stove
on December 6, 2012
Posted by: TheWayne
from Dallas
I love this stove. It is easy to clean and has a ton of great features like the probe and removable griddle.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Performance
5
Quality
5
Features
5
Value
5
Written by a customer while visiting geappliances.com