Since 1987, the Viking name has been synonymous with quality kitchen appliances. The company was originally founded to bring commercial-grade cookware into the home kitchen, and by most accounts, its very first flagship product changed the industry for good. Today Viking is a privately held company providing hundreds of products through its tight-knit community of resellers.

What makes a Viking range special? Depending on which kind of power you use, you can usually get dozens of finishes and configurations. The company's gas ranges remain especially popular for their even-heating VSH™ Pro sealed burners and outstanding power output--up to 15,000 BTUs on some top models. Easy cleaning is aided by a sealed surface that keeps crumbs and spills out of the works for good.

The electric ranges pick up right where the gas versions leave off. Professional chefs laud the company's patented Quickcook™ surfaces that hit the temperature you want in a matter of seconds, and cool nearly as fast. A number of convection elements, bridges and other design details provide versatility and easy cleaning, and most of the ranges cap ovens with outstanding capacities.

A number of people cite Viking's quality and durability as primary reasons for purchasing the products. Whether you are looking for induction cooking, convection cooking or anything in between, Viking offers ranges in countless sizes, from a couple feet across all the way up to their several feet-long behemoths. When purchasing one of these massive ranges, the chances are good that you won't run out of valuable cooking space.