When it comes to kitchen appliances, Thor and Kitchenaid are two of the most popular brands on the market.
Both companies have a long history in the industry, and both offer a wide range of products that cater to different needs.
So, which one of the two is right for you?
In this blog post, we take a deep dive into the ranges that the two brands provide, and discuss the pros and cons of each brand with the hope of helping you make a better-informed purchase decision.
Thor Company Profile
Thor kitchen is a California-based company that specializes in creating, designing, and manufacturing pro-style kitchen appliances.
Under the leadership of Kyle You, the management of Thor is committed to providing its customers with high-quality appliances that are both handsomely crafted and professional.
The company manufactures a range of products that include; stoves, ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, refrigerators, and Ice makers.
Thor Range Selection:
THOR kitchen ranges are divided into four series:
The HRG series features ranges available in either natural gas or liquid propane.
The LRG series features only natural gas ranges while the HRD series comes with dual fuel ranges.
The HRE series features only electric ranges.
Here’s how they’re configured:
Thor LRG Series (Natural Gas or Liquid Propane)
Ranging from 30 to 48 inches, the LRG Series ranges can be had with either natural gas or liquid propane.
These come in the following configurations:
A 48-inch with 6 burners; three (3) 18000 BTU single burners and three (3) 15000BTU dual burners.
A 36-inch range with six burners: two (2) 15000 BTU dual burners, one (1) 18000 BTU burner, and three (3) 12000 BTU single burners.
A 30-inch range with four burners: One (1) 18000 BTU single burner, One (1) 15000BTU dual burner, and two (2) 12000BTU single burners.
Thor HRD Series (Dual Fuel Ranges)
Thor offers their dual fuel ranges in three sizes; 30, 36, and 48 inches. These come with gas burners and an electric convection oven.
The three ranges come in the following configurations:
The 30-inch dual fuel range comes with four (4) burners: One (1) 18000 BTU single burner, One (1) 15000BTU dual burner, and two (2) 12000BTU single burners.
The 36-inch dual fuel range comes with six (6) burners: three (3) 18000 BTU single burners, two (2) 15000 BTU dual burners, and one (1) 12000 BTU single burner.
The 48-inch dual fuel range comes with six (6) burners; two (2) 18000 BTU single burners, two (2) 15000 BTU dual burners, and two (2) 12000 BTU single burners.
Thor LRG series (Natural gas only)
Thor’s Natural gas-only ranges also come in four sizes: 24, 30, 36, and 48 inches.
These come in a similar configuration to the HRG series above except for the 30-inch that has 5 burners in this case and the newer 24-inch which doesn’t exist in the HRG series.
It’s important to note, though, that the LRG ranges miss out on a few top-of-the-line features as they are not “professional” ranges as the rest of the other series.
Thor HRE Series ( Electric Ranges)
Thor offers electric ranges in: 24, 30, and 36 inches. These come configured as follows:
24-inch electric range: four (4) heating zones, one (1) 1200W single burner, and one (1) 2200W dual-heating element.
30-inch electric range: five (5) heating zones, one (1) 100W warming zone, and one (1) 3000W broil element.
36-inch electric range: five (5) heating zones, one (1) 100W warming zone, and one (1) 3000W broil element.
Thor Range Features
High BTU Burners: Thor’s ranges come with high BTU burners of up to 18,000 BTUs. The burners heat up quickly and will cook your food in minutes.
Continuous Cast-iron Grates: these are capable of holding heavy cookware and make it easy to move pots and pans around the cooktop.
Blue porcelain oven interior: The ovens have a blue enamel finish that is easy to clean and adds a premium look to any kitchen.
Convection fan: Thor ranges come with a convection fan that circulates heat evenly throughout the oven cavity for consistent cooking results.
Infrared Broilers: Thor’s ranges come with high-quality broilers that use infrared technology to “seal in the juices and sear your food”
Thor Ranges Pros:
- Good Affordable prices
- Feature-rich ranges
- Two-year warranty
Thors Cons
- There have been reports of the knobs getting super hot when using the oven.
- No self-cleaning feature.
- Burners are not as powerful as KitchenAid’s
KitchenAid Profile
Owned by the Whirlpool Cooperation, KitchenAid is easily one of the most recognizable names in the Kitchen appliance industry.
Based in California, the company manufactures a slew of residential and commercial appliances ranging from smaller appliances like mixers and blenders to much larger ones like fridges and stoves.
KitchenAid products are loved far and wide for their impeccable quality and durability.
KitchenAid Range Selection
KitchenAid offers a diverse range of models to choose from. These are majorly divided into four categories;
- Freestanding Ranges
- Double oven ranges
- Slide-in ranges
- Commercial Ranges
These come in gas, electric, dual fuel, and induction configurations.
KitchenAid Gas Ranges
Kitchenaid’s gas ranges are available in freestanding, slide-in, and double oven versions in a variety of capacities ranging from 30 to 48 inches.
These generally come in the following configurations:
- A 30-inch with 5 burners,
- A 36-inch in a commercial-style design with 6 sealed burners.
- A 48-inch in a commercial-style make with 6 burners plus a griddle.
KitchenAid Dual fuel ranges
KitchenAid’s dual fuel ranges, come in sizes 30, 36, and 48 inches and include a gas cooktop paired with an electric oven.
They are configured as follows:
- The 30-inch features 4 burners.
- The 36-inch comes in a smart commercial-style design with 6 burners.
- The 48-inch comes in a commercial-style design with 6 burners and a griddle
KitchenAid Electric ranges
Kitchenaid’s electric ranges come in two sizes only: 30 and 36 inches.
The 30” KitchenAid electric range has 5 elements while the 36” comes with 5 triple-ring elements and control knobs.
Kitchen Aid Induction Ranges
KitchenAid’s 30-inch induction range comes with 4 elements while the 36-inch comes with 5 elements.
The ranges can be either freestanding, slide-in, or double oven.
KitchenAid Range Features.
Powerful Burners: With up to 20,000 BTUs, KitchenAid’s burners are some of the most powerful on the market and will have your food ready in minutes.
Even-Heat Technology: KitchenAid’s ovens come with a convection fan that circulates heat evenly throughout the oven cavity, resulting in consistent cooking results.
Easy to Clean: KitchenAids’ ranges come with a self-cleaning feature that makes it easy to clean the ovens.
Smart Appliance controls: A feature that lets you control your stove via Alexa and Google Assistant
KitchenAid Ranges Pros:
- High BTU Burners
- Feature-rich ranges
- Wide variety of ranges
- Cheaper than many high end brands
KitchenAid Cons
- 1-year warranty is shorter than Thor’s
- KitchenAid does not offer ranges in sizes 24 and 60 inches
- There have been reports about KitchenAid appliances requiring lots of repairs.
Thor vs KitchenAid Pricing
Kitchen-Aid Range Prices.
- Kitchenaid induction ranges start at $3,599
- Kitchenaid electric ranges start at $2,599
- Kitchenaid dual fuel ranges start at $3,399
- Kitchenaid gas ranges start at $2,699
Thor Ranges Prices
- Thor gas ranges start at $1,699
- Thor electric ranges start at $1,999
- Thor dual fuel ranges start at $ 2,399
CONCLUSION
It’s never easy selecting a range to buy. There are hundreds if not thousands of options out there.
Choosing between a Thor vs a KitchenAid range is no different. Both companies offer a wide range of stoves with top-of-the-line features.
The decision, in this case, could easily be influenced by the prices or feature list. Thor’s ranges are certainly cheaper but come with a shorter list of features than KitchenAid’s.
To help, choose what range you feel will match both your budget and cooking needs and if you still want to look at a few other brands, we’ve profiled these too in the following articles:
Kucht vs Thor
Wolf vs Bertazzoni
Gaggenau vs Miele
Zline vs Wolf