Slide-In vs. Freestanding Ranges: My Take as a Former Appliance Specialist Turned Designer

I recently shared a video on TikTok talking about one of my favorite kitchen design upgrades: the slide-in range. If you haven’t seen it yet, I break down why I recommend this style over a traditional freestanding range—especially if you’re already shopping mid to high-end. The main reason? It gives your kitchen a more built-in, custom look by eliminating that bulky back panel and letting your backsplash shine uninterrupted. And the kicker? There’s no real price difference between the two at that level, so it’s truly a design-forward upgrade without extra cost.

But I wanted to go a little deeper here on the blog—because this topic is close to home for me. Before I was designing kitchens, I was the go-to appliance specialist at a big box store back in the Pacific Northwest. I started at 19, and I’ll be honest, the only thing I really knew how to operate back then was a microwave. But I was determined to learn, and over time, I became the person people came to when they needed real answers about what would work for their home and their lifestyle.

Back then, induction cooktops were considered super high-end—definitely not something most people were familiar with. Fast forward to today, and they’re becoming more accessible, which I love to see.

When my husband and I remodeled our own kitchen, we didn’t prioritize appliances right away. Ours still worked, and with a tight budget, that mattered. The only appliance we replaced immediately was the dishwasher (it gave up on life right as we started the project—classic). We kept our glass top range… until it finally quit, conveniently around the November sales.

That’s when we made the leap to induction. And let me tell you, I love it. As a parent, I really appreciate the safety features—the burners don’t activate unless the right kind of pan is in place, so there’s no risk of an accidental “butt bump” turning it on while you’re wiping the counters or wrangling a kid. And because we purchased during a holiday sale, we even scored a free pan upgrade as part of the promotion.

If you’re considering induction, here’s a tip from my appliance days: Use a magnet to check your current pans. If the magnet sticks to the bottom, they’ll work with induction. If not, it might be time to donate those and upgrade. That small switch made a huge difference in how we cook—and clean (hello, fast boil!).

Lastly, I want to remind everyone that it’s totally okay to upgrade slowly. If your appliances still work and meet your family’s needs, don’t rush to replace them just because you’re renovating. I still need to upgrade my fridge, but right now? It does what we need—and I’d rather put that money toward other projects that’ll make a bigger impact.

So whether you’re team freestanding or ready to slide into a more custom look, just know: there’s no one right way to do a kitchen refresh. Do what works for your space, your family, and your wallet.

If you are wanting to chat more about this, schedule a consultation!