The 5 Safest Stoves for the Elderly Reviewed

Having to deal with electricity and fire in the kitchen on a regular basis demands a great deal of attentiveness from the able-bodied individual. But as the years go by, this level of attentiveness becomes hard to maintain, which may increase the possibility of certain risks taking place.

To name a few, an elderly person can forget to shut off an electrical or gas appliance, which can result in a dreadful fire. There are also medical conditions that can result in hazardous affairs in the kitchen.

Stoves are a staple of any kitchen, and there’s no way around having one in yours. However, it’s possible to reduce the risk of using stoves by looking for stoves with a certain array of features. In this article, we’ll reveal our top picks for the best safe stoves for the elderly, so you may want to stick around.

1. Samsung NE59M6850SS

The Samsung NE59M6850SS is considered by many to be the best electric stove today. This is a freestanding electric range that offers remarkable performance and great aesthetics. This unit features five burners for convenience, two of which are high-power burners at 3,000W. You can use these high-power burners to boil water quickly in some of the largest pans that you have.

How is this stove safe for the elderly? Well, it features Wi-Fi connectivity which allows you to set timers and adjust temperatures to your liking. Download the Samsung SmartThings app on your smartphone and enjoy monitoring this range without breaking a sweat. Please note that the app isn’t going to help you start the oven for safety purposes. You’ll have to do that manually.

Speaking of the oven, which happens to be the center of interest of this range, you can use it as a single huge unit or two smaller ovens. The Samsung NE59M6850SS comes with a divider that allows you to do so. If you’re looking to cook a large meal like a turkey, all you have to do is take the divider out so that you can get the entire 5.9 cubic feet worth of space that it has to offer.

However, if you’re cooking two different types of food at the same time, just put the divider in so that it becomes two separate ovens. The great thing about this entire oven separation feature is that both portions of the oven can run at their own individual temperature, which means you can roast in one portion of the oven at a specific temperature while making cookies in the other portion with a different temperature.

Moreover, the Samsung NE59M6850SS features a dual-door design, which helps make it safer and a lot easier for you to open one portion of the stove without the other. You can open the top door without opening the door at the bottom, and vice versa. You should also know that both of these ovens are convection ovens, allowing for even heat distribution for consistent cooking.

This electric range offers a wide range of convenient cleaning features as well. The Self Clean feature is perfect for getting a deeper clean without breaking a sweat. In addition, it features the Steam Clean function, which is ideal for chemical-free cleaning. In terms of storage, this range comes with a storage drawer that allows you to keep all of your cookware safe and secure.

Another feature we’re quite fond of is the Warming Center. As the name suggests, this feature allows you to keep your food warm until you’re done with the rest of the food or until everyone is ready to eat. Does the Samsung NE59M6850SS suffer from any negatives? Well, the only gripe is that the glass panel isn’t the most durable. Apart from that, a remarkable unit overall.

Positives:

• The stove on this unit can be split into two portions with two different temperatures
• The splittable oven and dual-door design allow for cooking multiple dishes at once
• It boasts a warming center that keeps the food warm until everyone is ready to eat
• You can monitor and set temperatures and timers with the aid of a smartphone app
• One of the easier units to clean as it’s equipped with convenient cleaning features
• The split ovens run on convection for even heat distribution and consistent cooking

Negatives:

• We’re not quite fond of the glass panel at the front as it can be scratched with ease
• The design of the storage drawer is subpar and could use some bearings on rails

2. Whirlpool WEGA25H0HN

The Whirlpool WEGA25H0HN is designed for tech-savvy cooks that would like some assistance from Alexa or Google Assistant. This unit is the closest thing to a robot cook. The Scan-to-Cook feature allows you to scan the barcode of the food you’re about to cook so that the stove adjusts itself to the appropriate cooking temperature of that food automatically. How cool is that?

This unit is compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and also Siri, meaning that your voice is the only thing you need to control the unit. You can simply order Alexa to start the oven for you while you’re busy doing something else. This especially helpful for seniors who just don’t want to be bothered with all the technical aspects and just want the stove to cook for them.

That’s not all that this unit has to offer in terms of smart features. If you’re a lazy cook, you’ll like the fact that this stove is compatible with Yummly, a famous recipe app. Basically, Yummly uses image recognition in order to scan your fridge for ingredients. After doing so, you can just click a recipe and the app will automatically adjust the Whirlpool WEGA25H0HN accordingly.

Enough with the smart side of things and let’s get into the more basic features. The WEGA25H0HN features five powerful cooktop burners that’ll help you cook multiple dishes at the same time. It’s also equipped with a porcelain-enamel cooktop surface which displays great durability. We’re also in love with the sunset bronze color that this stove displays as it gives it a premium look.

Moreover, the oven runs on convection technology, allowing for even heat distribution across its surface and faster cooking. Further, Whirlpool has gone the extra mile in order to provide you an oven self-cleaning function. We all know how tedious and strenuous it is to scrub away at ovens until they’re clean. Well, no more! The self-cleaning function does all the hard work for you.

Apart from all the smart features that make this stove ideal for the elderly, it comes with a couple of safety functions that are highly convenient: lock control and automatic shut-off. This is vital for seniors who tend to forget things regularly. If you happen to forget the stove on for a while, it will automatically shut itself off. The latter function can help you lock out the oven controls if needed.

The stove features an oval center burner that can accommodate a wide range of cookware. And the oven is large enough for you to cook for a large group of people in a short period of time. It’s also equipped with a storage drawer that you can use to store your cookware. Lastly, this unit is equipped with a removable griddle that allows you to cook eggs, pancakes, and such.

Positives:

• This stove is compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa voice control services
• It’s also compatible with Yummly which allows you to scan and recognize food
• It features a pretty commodious stove that runs on convection for fast cooking
• The stove is equipped with lock control and automatic shut-off for convenience
• It’s equipped with a removable griddle that you can use for grilled sandwiches
• The oval burner at the center can be used to heat up a wide range of cookware

Negatives:

• There are user reports that indicate that the control panel freezes from time to time
• The touch-screen is highly sensitive, so you need to be careful without lock control

3. Samsung NX58H5600SS

Okay, maybe you’re not so fond of electric stoves and you prefer gas-powered models instead. Well, the Samsung NX58H5600SS gas range is going to rock your cooking world. The majority of gas-powered stoves tend to have simplistic designs that allow for ease of use, and this stove is no different. It’s simple, well-thought-out, and offers remarkable performance.

Unlike the Samsung NE59M6850SS, however, this unit houses a single oven. So you won’t be able to cook two different dishes at different temperatures at the same time. However, the oven is quite commodious at 5.8 cubic feet, which is large enough to cook the largest turkey in town. Does it feature over-the-top smart features? Not really. Not everyone likes to just sit and watch.

The unit is equipped with five extremely powerful gas burners. The front right burner is capable of producing 17,000 BTU worth of heating power, which is powerful enough to boil water within a matter of minutes. The unit also includes an oval burner which you can use for other cooking applications such as frying bacon and griddling pancakes, among a bunch of other uses.

How is this stove ideal for the elderly? Well, we’ve already stated that it doesn’t feature any of the over-the-top features that we’ve seen in the above-mentioned Whirlpool unit. However, it’s not always about having an array of features. The thing that makes this stove great for seniors is that the design is simplistic and easy to figure out from the very get-go.

We’ve also analyzed a bunch of user reviews and have seen how the large majority keeps on praising this range’s design, especially when it comes to how easy it is to use the control panel and the dials on the front. To make it even more convenient, Samsung has included indicator marks for the grates so that you can place pans and pots in the right spot.

Just like most high-quality models on the market today, the oven on the NX58H5600SS runs on convection technology. Basically, there’s a fan system mounted inside the oven which helps with distributing the heat all across the oven. This helps make the cooking process a lot faster and it also helps distribute the heat evenly so that the entire meal is cooked with better results.

It wouldn’t make sense for a stove that has a center burner for griddling to not include a griddle. The Samsung NX58H5600SS features a removable cast iron griddle that’s very sturdy and can be easily cleaned. No product is perfect, however. We’ve noticed that a lot of user reports claim that the control knobs are of poor quality and that replacing them can be quite costly.

Positives:

• The stove features five powerful burners, one of which is able to produce 17,000 BTU
• Features a heavy-duty construction and a simplistic design that’s easy to get used to
• It features grate indicator marks that show exactly where you should place your pans
• The oven runs on convection technology for even heat distribution and faster cooking
• The stove comes with a removable cast iron griddle that’s durable and easy to clean
• It features an oval burner in the center that you can use for griddling and other uses

Negatives:

• We would’ve loved to see a double oven so that users can prepare two dishes at once
• A lot of user reports indicate that the knobs are poorly-made and can break very easily

4. GE PGS960SELSS

A list of the best stoves on the market isn’t a complete list without mentioning GE. This is one of the most versatile ranges today, as it can handle cooking multiple dishes at once. The first thing you notice about this unit when you look at it is that it features a large edge-to-edge cooktop. No space is wasted at all, giving you more space to use for pans and pots of different sizes.

Moving cookware from one burner to another can be tasking for seniors with limited motion, but the edge-to-edge cooktop design allows you to move pots and pans with ease. This range offers five burners with two separate flame rings, which means that you can choose whether you want to fire one ring to get a low simmer or both rings to get the range’s full heat potential.

Moreover, there’s a 21,000 BTU burner that features not two, but three flame rings. This burner is perfect for tasks that demand a great deal of heat like frying, searing, or sauteing. In addition, it’ll help you boil water in a large pan in a relatively short amount of time. Keep in mind that this range is a 30-inch slide-in model, so make sure your measurements are correct for an exact fit.

The highlight of the GE PGS960SELSS is its two-compartment oven. Having two different oven compartments allows users to cook multiple dishes at the same time. There’s also a delay bake function that allows users to turn the oven on at a preset time. Combining the large cooktop and the dual-compartment oven, you get a range that’s perfect for larger families.

It’s also important to point out that while there’s a wide range of stove models on the market that feature double ovens, there’s not a lot of them that can match the capacity of this unit as it offers 6.7 cubic feet of oven capacity. The upper oven can be used for everyday cooking while the one underneath it can be used to cook larger meals for dinner parties and family reunions.

That’s not it, though. This range comes with an integrated, extra-large, reversible cast iron grill, allowing you to grill your favorite breakfast with ease. There’s also a dual-purpose burner in the center of the cooktop which allows you for easy steaming and griddling. There’s literally nothing that this range can’t do when it comes to cooking.

So why is this stove perfect for seniors? Because it features Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to control all of the oven functions with the aid of your smartphone. The range also has an internal temperature probe which allows you to monitor the temperature of your food without having to open the oven door. All in all, the GE PGS960SELSS is definitely one of the best gas ranges on the market.

Positives:

• It features a two-compartment oven that offers an incredibly commodious cooking space
• The range comes with an extra-large cast iron griddle for ease of all grilling applications
• It features Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to control the oven with your smartphone
• The edge-to-edge cooktop design makes use of every inch for a better cooking experience
• It boasts dual-purpose center burner that you can use for a wide range of applications
• The stove is equipped with an internal probe that makes monitoring your food very easy

Negatives:

• The smaller compartment of the oven at the top doesn’t cook food in an even manner
• The small groove present along the front portion of the stove is extremely hard to clean

5. GE JBS60DKWW

The JBS60DKWW from GE is one of the best budget electric ranges on the market today. This range features all the basic functions that a cook needs, including four burners with a 9-inch and 6-inch power boil element that allows for fast and powerful heating. One of the burners reaches 3100W worth of power, which is enough to boil large pots of water within a matter of minutes.

However, this stove doesn’t offer the oval burner in the center of most higher-end models, which means that griddling on this stove won’t be very easy. Another thing that this unit doesn’t offer is double ovens. But then again, you can’t expect to get everything from such an affordable model. The oven, however, is large enough to accommodate a large turkey and other large dishes.

The stove looks aesthetically pleasing with its sleek design and smooth ceramic glass cooktop, which happens to be very easy to clean. The stove features a large storage drawer that you can use to store a lot of your cookware and kitchen utensils. It also offers a digital temperature display and an electronic touchpad that allows you to control the oven functions with ease.

The GE JBS60DKWW boasts a wide range of oven controls that are convenient for seniors. The stove features an auto oven shut-off function with override, which is perfect for seniors who tend to forget things. It also features a control lock capability so that no one can tamper with the oven as it’s cooking. Moreover, it’s equipped with an electronic clock and timer for convenience.

Another convenient feature that this range offers is Sabbath Mode. When this function is turned on, the auto shut-off function for the oven will be deactivated and there won’t be any display on the control panel neither will the temperature be shown until the user deactivates Sabbath Mode manually. Other integrated features include audible preheat signal, delay bake, and hi/low broil.

So far so good. There is, however, one gripe that a lot of users seem to complain from, which is the fact that this range lacks a dial for oven temperature. In order to set the temperature of the oven, you’ll have to use the buttons on the control panel. Aside from that, the GE JBS60DKWW is a great budget-friendly stove that provides everything a senior cook would want.

Positives:

• This electric range is highly affordable without compromising on much-needed features
• The construction of this stove is sleek, durable, and a lot easier to clean than other units
• It features an auto oven shut-off function which is ideal for seniors who often forget a lot
• It also features control lock capability which locks the oven door and controls if needed
• While it doesn’t feature double ovens, the oven is large enough to cook a massive turkey

Negatives:

• The range lacks a temperature control dial for the oven, which is inconvenient for some
• It doesn’t feature a center oval burner, which limits your griddling activities significantly

Selecting the Right Stove for the Elderly

Stoves aren’t cheap, and the last thing you want happening is to shell out some pretty penny on a stove then realize later that it’s not convenient for you. To best bang for your buck, look for the following features:

Double Ovens

A stove that features double ovens allows you to cook two different foods at the same time with different temperatures and without any exchange of aromas. Alternately, you can use one oven for your everyday cooking but use both ovens whenever you’re hosting a large gathering at the house. With double ovens, you can roast a large turkey and make dessert at the same time.

Convection

Ranges that run on convection technology are typically the most efficient. Convection allows for the even distribution of heat with the air of air-circulating fans. This allows for greater results and faster cooking time. In addition, stoves that run on convection technology tend to perform better when it comes to crisping and browning.

Warming Unit

We don’t always get it right when it comes to timing. Maybe the meal takes a little longer than it should or maybe not everyone is ready to eat yet. Having a warming center or drawer in the unit will allow you to have the main meal and the side dishes ready at the same time when everyone is ready to say grace before eating.

Powerful Burners

We’re all familiar with the feeling of being impatient while waiting for a large pot of water to boil. Having a stove that features high-power burners will allow you to boil water in a very short time. Generally, not all burners featured in one stove are high-power. However, your stove must have at least one powerful burner.

Safety Features

The above-mentioned features are the main components of what makes a reliable stove, but it’s also important to look at the features that make for a safe stove, especially for seniors. The very first thing you need to look for if you’re a senior is automatic stove turn off with an adjustable timer. It’s likely that you forget to turn the stove off one day, which is why this feature is vital to have.

Another feature you want to look for is stove locks, which helps lock the oven door and the oven controls so that it’s not tampered with. Additionally, there are units that offer an optional feature that allows you to lock the range top. It’s also beneficial to have stove alarm for the elderly.

Final Words

Hopefully, our in-depth reviews of the above-mentioned products have given you enough insight to help make your decision easier. Please let us know which one of these products do you think is the best for the elderly.