GE JS645SLSS Electric Range Review

Review body

The GE JS645SLSS Slide-In Electric Range really is nice to look at thanks to its stainless steel fixtures (color-matched to each finish), ceramic glass cooktop surface, and big view oven window. The cooktop has four burners, two of which are dual-zone burners.

You won’t find a bridge burner or any other specialty burners on the cooktop. The dials are marked "Low," "High," or "Melt" for the single zone burners as well as each zone of the dual-zone burners.

The oven is equipped with a standard pyrolytic cleaning function, plus 4-pass baking and broil elements. The number of passes refers to the shape of the heating element, which in this case is shaped like an elongated “W.” The more passes an oven has, the more evenly it will bake and broil.

About the GE JS645SLSS Slide-In Electric Range

• Dimensions: 37.25” x 29.88” x 24.25” (H x W x D)
• Capacity: 5.3 cu. ft.
• Finishes: Stainless Steel, Slate, Black Slate, White
• Number of burners: 4
• Number of oven racks: 2
• Number of oven rack positions: 6
• Oven features: Self-Clean, 4-Pass Bake Element, 4-Pass Broil Element
• User manual: GE JS645SLSS Slide-In Electric Range manual

What we like

It’s easy on the eyes

This range is gorgeous, period. We tested the stainless steel version and loved its sleek, modern appearance. It’s also available in slate and black slate, which look equally polished, and the slightly less polished but still well-designed white version.

Its stainless steel knobs (color matching also available) tie the whole look together, making this range a focal point for any kitchen. No, it’s not a fancy $3,500 to $20,000 pro-style range, but it’s pretty good-looking for an almost $1,500 appliance.

Baking is even and consistent

This GE range passed our cookie baking, pork roasting, and pizza cooking tests with flying colors. Cookies were baked evenly on tops and bottoms, while the pork and pizza crust were both cooked all the way through.

What we don’t like

It’s missing convection

We were disappointed to find this oven lacked convection, as it’s the function responsible for achieving air fryer-like crispiness. (In fact, an air fryer is basically a mini convection oven!) Convection will almost always produce more evenly cooked food thanks to a fan plus top and bottom heating elements, as opposed to the standard single heating element like the one found in this range, that help distribute heat and eliminate cold spots.

That said, not all convection-equipped ovens are created equally—there’s a big difference between standard convection and true convection. But since this oven has neither, we’ll save that discussion for another article.

It’s relatively slow to boil

While some online reviewers actually noted quick boil times, our testing produces slow boil times across four of the six burner options (because two of the burners are dual zone). Based on our boil tests, we found that it would take more than 15 minutes for four of the six burners to bring 6 cups of water to a boil. This is slow compared to the boil times of the best electric ranges we’ve tested, which can clock in at 4 minutes. The fastest boil times overall occur on the outer rings of the dual ring burners.

The oven timer beep is super quiet

This could potentially be a non-issue if you’ve got great hearing and you happen to be in your kitchen when the timer beeps, but otherwise it could be a recipe for burnt food… or worse! The preheat noise is a similarly gentle tone.

Warranty

The GE JS645SLSS has a one-year limited warranty for parts and labor. This is standard for a range.

What owners are saying

Out of the almost 5,000 combined reviews across retailer sites, this electric range has an average 4.5-star rating. Owners say it has some “quirks,” including an oven that runs cool, a cooktop that runs hot, and the need to reset the clock after every cleaning. Many reviews echo our testing experience with comments on the even baking, aesthetically pleasing design, and overall satisfactory performance.

However, one negative review notes a worrisome incident involving the stove’s glass front breaking, which the owner claims was expensive to repair. Other negative comments include a low beep volume, making it difficult to hear the oven when you’re not in your kitchen, and more than one reviewer commented on the lack of lips to fit over the countertop and prevent spillage.

Should you buy it?

No, because an oven this expensive should have convection

We consider convection to be a basic and important range feature, especially when you’re paying almost $1,500 for it. The other bells and whistles on this model, like the sleek exterior and even baking, don’t really justify the price.

Still wondering why we care so much about convection? According to Chef Bruce Mattel, associate dean of food production at The Culinary Institute of America, “Using convection results in roasts that sear better, pastries that are lighter and flakier, and foods that caramelize to a more ideal golden brown.” If this sounds good to you’re willing to spend a bit more for a high-quality range with convection, we recommend the best electric range we’ve tested, the Electrolux EI30EF45QS.

If you couldn’t care less looks and are in the market for an affordable electric range under $1,000, check out the GE JB655SKSS. During testing we found that this model does an excellent job broiling and roasting, plus it has convection! However, it might not be the best for serious bakers.

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, product reviews, and more. Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.