Frigidaire Professional PCFE3078AF Electric Range Review

This range has a stainless steel finish and features a black glass cooktop. The smooth cooktop surface also makes cleaning a breeze. Performance-wise, this range received perfect scores in our oven tests, from roasting pork chops to baking multiple trays of cookies.

However, it took a while to preheat, and bring a pot of water to a boil. Those basics aside, serious bakers will likely find a lot to like with this appliance.

About the Frigidaire PCFE3078AF

• Dimensions: 36.625” x 29.875” x 26.75” (H x W x D)
• Fuel type: Electric
• Finish: Stainless steel. Cooktop is black glass.
• Number of burners: Five, including a Keep Warm burner in the center
• Features: True convection, air fry, built-in probe thermometer, smudge-proof stainless steel, and steam cleaning

With a total of eight knobs, this range may appear confusing to first-time users. But upon closer inspection, we figured out that the knobs for the oven (smaller) and for the cooktop (larger) are distinguishable because of their size differences.

To manage the oven temperature, simply rotate the dial on the knob located near the center of the control panel. There are no markings on the dial—the temperature selection is displayed on the screen next to it.

What we like

Baking performance is consistent

We made a pizza to test how evenly the oven cooks dough. The pizza was evenly cooked on both top and bottom, with no dark spots, a win in our books.

In the standard baking test, cookies were evenly baked but slightly undercooked across the tray. However, the convection-baked cookies were fully baked and had no visual differences across the tray and between racks, a good indication that the oven distributes heat evenly on all rack positions. This is great news for those who love to bake.

Cooktop knobs are smooth to use

Though their configuration may be confusing at first, the knobs are smooth to use and click nicely. The markings on the knobs, which indicate heat level, are conveniently located on the side of each knob, making them easy to see when you look from above.

The built-in temperature probe makes cooking meat effortless

For the home chefs who constantly worry about over- and under-cooking food in the oven, this oven has a built-in temperature probe, an innovative feature not seen in many ranges. This is especially helpful when cooking meat and poultry.

The probe can detect and alert you when desired cooking temperature has been reached. It then automatically shuts off and switches to the Keep Warm setting, a big help if you’re distracted by cooking sides on the cooktop while the turkey is roasting in the oven.

Innovative burner design can transform to suit your needs

By turning on the bridge burner knob, the two burners on the left side can be combined into one large burner, which can then accommodate a large piece of oddly shaped cookware, such as a rectangular griddle or an oblong-shaped pot. It’s known as the SpacePro Bridge Element, and it gives users a similar level of flexibility to that of a gas cooktop—a major plus if you’d love a gas set-up, but only have the option for electric.

What we don’t like

It’s slow to heat up

Compared to other ranges we’ve tested, the PCFE3078AF is among the slowest to preheat; it took more than 14 minutes for standard pre-heat, and 11 minutes for convection. Other ranges we’ve tested have been able to achieve this in 8 and 5 minutes, respectively.

It also didn’t impress us in the burner tests, which evaluated how fast each burner brought a pot of water to a boil. On average, the five burners took more than 10 minutes to boil water, when other similar ranges can do it as quickly as 5 minutes.

Air fry feature could use improvements

We followed user manual instructions to make French fries. After air-frying for 25 minutes at 425°F in Air Fry mode, the fries came out mostly overcooked, with many of them burnt. That being said, if you play around with your own trial and error and keep an eye on them, you should have more success achieving evenly air fried foods.

There aren’t any oven presets

As much as we give this range high marks for it's oven performance, its features left us wanting more. Unlike other high-end ranges we’ve tested, the Frigidaire PCFE3078AF has a slimmed-down oven control panel that devotes no room to presets. You won’t find buttons or knobs for pizza, cookies, or other more specific modes that can be helpful for home cooks busy with other kitchen tasks.

What owners say

Most reviewers on retail sites praise the Frigidaire PCFE3078AF’s high-end appearance and user-friendliness, particularly liking the built-in air fryer. However, some addressed that the ceramic cooktop is difficult to keep clean and may be too delicate for heavy pots and pans that can scratch the surface.

Warranty

The Frigidaire PCFE3078AF electric range has a one-year limited warranty for parts and labor, which is standard for a range.

Should you buy it?

Yes, particularly if you’re a baker.

The Frigidaire PCFE3078AF is mid-range in price, and it performed better than other electric ranges we’ve tested that come in with higher price tags. To be fair, it was also out-scored by some costing less. If you’re looking for an electric range with a powerful oven that can consistently bake evenly browned cookies and pies, then you’ll get the most of this range.

However, if you’re interested in a range that features a top-performing cooktop, the LG LREL6325F is one of the best electric ranges we’ve ever tested. It's considerably less expensive than the Frigidaire and has faster boil times and an Air Fry feature that bakes perfectly crisp French fries.