Cooking ranges: Ariston, Elba and La Germania
06/12/2008 by Connie Veneracion · Filed under Dream home
The kitchen of the new house was designed with a cooking range in mind. What we have right now is an Ariston cooking hob glued into the marble countertop and an Ariston built-in (electric) convection oven both of which are too narrow for the 33-1/2 inch space allotted for a cooking range. One option is a customized cabinet to house both the cooking hob and the oven. The problem is that we will probably never be able to get a slab of granite to match the one installed on the counters. Plus, the cost of a customized cabinet will be eye-popping if it has to be designed to match the rest of the kitchen.
Since we intend to have another cooking area in the secondary kitchen (more popularly known as “dirty kitchen”), the more practical solution is to move the cooking hob into the secondary kitchen and get a free standing cooking range for the main kitchen. We can have a cabinet built but without the “matching design” considerations. We can use the less expensive solid surface countertops, including formica and Corian, that come in so many designs. Or we can even use wood. Speedy even came up with a really cool idea. Wheels under the cabinet so that the cooking hob can be moved to the garden for real outdoor cooking when weather permits. Nice, eh?
What about the cooking range for the main kitchen?
There are only three brands of cooking ranges that I am familiar with in terms of quality — La Germania, Elba and Ariston. The thing was to find the cooking range with the right size and the best price. Standard widths for cooking ranges vary. The size we want is something that will fit in the 33-1/2 inch by 21-1/2 deep space. In short, a 80 cm by 50 cm range.
Ariston does not carry models in the size. We checked La Germania and the only one in the size we want, the D85C 61 X model in the Diamante series, costs P51,900.00.
Elba offers better options. There are three models in the size we require.
You can see in the photo of the brochure which one we have chosen. It’s about four thousand pesos cheaper than the La Germania range, has five gas burners and a gas oven with a rotisserie.
By the way, the entire house is being repainted. I’ll have none of those dead white cabinets in my kitchen. 
Ed M. on Thu, 12th Jun 2008 8:37 pm
gaano po kalaki ang lote nyo kung pede po maitanong?
Connie on Thu, 12th Jun 2008 8:49 pm
Maliit lang — 312 square meters.
JMonreal on Thu, 12th Jun 2008 10:26 pm
Wise decision on (re-cycling) moving your exsisting cooking equipment to the secondary kitchen, Connie. And, to Speedy too for adding casters to make it mobile. It’s good to have an engineer for a husband and/or father …Sam and Alex, don’t forget Father’s Day this weekend.
Connie on Thu, 12th Jun 2008 10:58 pm
“It’s good to have an engineer for a husband…”
Oh, true. A lawyer would never have thought of the cook mobile hehehe
JMonreal on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 12:15 am
If you are repainting the whole house, did you think about having a Connie’s theme for the kitchen? Maybe different colors between the walls and the cabinets?
Ed M. on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 3:42 am
malaki po pala ang lote ninyo.puede pa po magtayo ng isa pang bahay pag nagkapamilya na anak nyo.kasama na po ba dun ang garden na hiwalay ninyong binili?
Connie on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 8:40 am
Hi Ed. Yung garden (108 sq.m.) kasama na sa total na 312 sq.m. Hindi ko alam kung gusto ng mga bata na katabing bahay namin pag may pamilya na sila. Baka mas gusto independent effect hehehe
faye on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 11:17 am
hi! ms. connie.. out of topic po pero bkit po yung topic nyo na “buy, dont rent” parang wala yata yun kadugtong.
i really enjoy reading your blog.. very informative! thanks for sharing!
Connie on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 5:32 pm
I fixed the links, Faye. Kasi when I wrote that wala pa talaga karugtong, forgot to put in the link afterwards.
Rudy Portugal on Sat, 14th Jun 2008 1:49 am
Connie,
In your kitchen, invest in the best exhaust fan available. By the way, what is the color motif of your kitchen?
Janet on Sat, 14th Jun 2008 4:51 am
Hi Connie! I am really happy and grateful that you have documented this whole process of buying a house. We are planning on moving back to Pinas & plans to buy/build a house in Bohol and this will be a very good source of info and ideas. Thanks and God bless!
Connie on Sat, 14th Jun 2008 3:28 pm
Yellow, Rudy. Like mango.
Glad you find it informative, Janet.
bon on Thu, 19th Jun 2008 1:45 pm
Hi! Thanks for doing a blog on buying/building a dream home. You have inspired me to seriously plan in detail our dream house. Geneally my hubby and I agreed to a zen/modern design. We are a new couple with a 1 1/2 year old son. We are thinking of buying a lot in Pasig since it’s centrally located (I work in Makati while my hubby works in QC). I’m not sure if you mentioned it before, I’m just wondering if your new house is in Beverly Hills? My in-laws actually have a lot in Beverly Hills which they offered us to buy for a reasonable price but I declined due to the horrendous traffic there. Thanks and keep on blogging.
Connie on Fri, 20th Jun 2008 1:50 pm
Bon, no, we’re not in Beverly Hills. We’re very near Beverly Hills, however. If you haven’t bought a lot yet, you might want to consider the pollution index. Pasig vs. Antipolo, no contest. We get better breathing air and space here.
Re traffic. It depends on the location. If you have to pass through the “bayan” to go down to Metro Manila, there might be problems. Otherwise, the traffic is not in Antipolo, actually. From Antipolo to Quezon City (used to work there), traffic starts as you near Katipunan. Going to Makati (used to have an office at Folk Arts), traffic starts in Pasig.
JMonreal on Fri, 20th Jun 2008 10:50 pm
Re bon. I can take on the traffic any time and day, but not 24 hrs a day of pollution. Think about your family’s health, especially your 1-1/2 year old son. It’s also a better place to raise a family. Money wise, Antipolo is a better investment.
My wife bought a retirement house in Antipolo without me seeing it, then a lot on a hill to build our dream house in the future. I’m glad she did. If money is no object, I will definitely buy more properties in Antipolo.
Connie on Fri, 20th Jun 2008 11:26 pm
JMonreal, re “If money is no object, I will definitely buy more properties in Antipolo.”
Oh, true. TRUE! Even Tanay (higher elevation than Antipolo = cooler air) is a good investment these days.
bon on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 11:08 am
Thanks a lot Ms. Connie and LMonreal!
bon on Mon, 23rd Jun 2008 11:11 am
Ooops Sorry for the typo. Thanks JMonreal.:)