SKS is an interesting new range. What’s interesting is they have added the best features of existing ranges and added a few of their own.
In this article you’ll learn the best features and a few problems with this range, along with comparison to other pro professional ranges.
You may have a harder time finding a pro range as many brands have a 6 to 15 month wait time.
Compare SKS to other brands as well, so you can decide whether this range is right for you or maybe better to wait.
Table of Contents
Who is Signature Kitchen Suite?
First you should know who SKS is.
SKS is the premium division of LG, a Korean-based conglomerate with significant manufacturing in the United States.
LG has been one of the best shipping companies as well as the most reliable appliance brand throughout the pandemic based on 40 000 real service calls logged by a service department just last year.
Integrating manufacturing is the reason for reliability. LG will manufacture more of an appliance than any other company except Miele.
Key components are all produced in their factory with less reliance on an unreliable supply chain. This has made LG the fastest growing appliance company since 2020.
Now let’s look at the range.
Burners
You can buy the SKS in a six burner or a four burner with a griddle. Both ranges have a high output with a 23 000 BTU max output. 23 is the highest output for a seal burner. Only BlueStar’s open burner with 25 000 BTU is higher on their 36 inch ranges.
Simmer is such a tough measure to find. Thermador’s extra low is considered the best at 100 BTU with an on/off simmer to keep foods warm or melt chocolate.
SKS ultra low is the identical 100 BTU. However SKS maintains that temperature, it’s not intermittent.
Gridle
Back when I was a kid, there used to be a luncheonette across the street. I watched the chef cook everything on that griddle, from omelets, eggs, bacon, hamburgers, hot dogs, peppers, onions and even bread.
SKA may have the best griddle on the market. It’s infused with chromium so the food doesn’t stick on the surface and slide off.
JennAir and Viking also employ chromium griddles.
Oven
At 6.3 cubic foot, SKS is the largest in the market. BlueStar is five cubic, JennAir, Thermador and and Viking are 5.1 cubic and Miele is 5.76 cubic feet.
SKS and BlueStar are the only ones that have convection blown in from the rear for more even cooking. Most other brands are regular convection, fan blows the heat from the baking element below.
Infrared is the best broiler with its intense directed heat versus a regular gas boiler diffusing the heat like a gas burner.
Most competitor brands except JennAir offer infrared with 18 000 being the average.
Controls
SKS has the most sophisticated controls for an all gas range with 12 cookie modes. You can even put bread in the oven or convert your recipes to convection with the touch of a button.
Many all gas ranges don’t even have clocks or timers, so SKS is the most sophisticated.
It’s also self-cleaning and has the speed self-cleaning option, using water as well.
Smart Functionality
Smart functionality has been basic until recently. You can turn the oven on or off from your phone and see cycle time.
However the SKS platform is one of the best. You can now download recipes from their partners right into the range with step-by-step instructions.
SKS along with LG will be testing service. The appliances will diagnose themselves and send the correct parts before problems occur.
Availability
Many popular brands have a six to 15 months wait time, so SKS may be your best option if you cannot wait. Warranty is also excellent at three years. They also promise service within five days, which would be miraculous.
Some Problems
SKS is priced on the higher side at $7499 about the same as a Miele.
Some of the better known manufacturers like JennAir and Thermador are less expensive, plus offer free dishwasher.
Should You Buy The SKS?
You should consider SKS and not just because you can’t buy other more recognized names for almost a year.
The range does lack a grill, so if you’re looking for a grill you have to buy another brand with that feature.
They could have placed steam and they could have placed a steam oven in the range, but then again only the dual field Miele has that option at a much higher price.
However the burners are excellent with good output and perhaps the best simmer
You have the largest oven capacity, even larger than the extra deep Thermador pro grand.
The controls and the smart functionality are more of what you would expect on a high-end stove.