Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Ilve. As always, all words and opinions expressed in this Ilve Nostalgie review are honest and my own.
Since I first shared that I was getting an Ilve Nostalgie 48″ range, I was asked to write a review. I wanted to use the range for a few months before I shared a review so I really had the chance to use the range, get used to it, and put it to the test with cooking and baking. There is no doubt that it is a beautiful range, that is obvious. But, how does it cook, and is it user-friendly?
As I stated in the disclosure, this is a sponsored post, but I was given free rein to write an honest review of the Ilve Nostalgie range. Before I even entered into this dream partnership with Ilve, I knew I wanted an Ilve range. I reached out to a couple of my friends who have owned Ilve ranges for a few years and they both had glowing reviews. To me, personal referrals carry a lot of weight. I knew I loved the look as I’ve seen it in other homes online and hearing that it performed well by friends who owned one was enough for me to move forward. This would be the first time I could design my own kitchen and an Ilve Nostalgie range would be the feature.
I only heard about Ilve ranges in recent years via social media, but they have been making ranges since 1952! They started making ranges for restaurants and then expanded to residential appliances in 1965. The ranges are still handmade near Venice by skilled craftsmen and women and are used in homes all over the world. I have already heard from people who have owned Ilve ranges for decades, which is always good to hear when you get a new-to-you appliance.
When it came to selecting the range, availability did play a role in which one I selected. I was planning on going with the Nostalgie 40″ because I liked the idea of having two ovens but wasn’t sure I really needed a range that was larger than that, The 40″ range in the finish and style I wanted wasn’t in stock, but the 48″ Nostalgie range in stainless steel with brass trim was. I gave it some thought, took some measurements, checked the budget, and decided to go with the larger range and I am so glad I did! The upside is I have more cooking space than I will typically need, but it will come in handy during holiday dinners or if I’m doing some cooking for church events.
The only downside to getting a range that is larger than a standard size is it does make replacing the range down the road a bit more expensive. I’m hoping this range will last us for many years, but it was a factor we considered. I am so happy with the larger size, the extra features, and the finish we selected, though. It is a treat to use.
We didn’t have a natural gas line run to our house, so we needed to have a propane tank installed. I’ll share more about that process, the cost, and how we’ve liked cooking with propane in another post. The oven is electric (as well as the burner lighters) and needed to be hardwired (it doesn’t have a plug.) So, it needed specialty installation by the propane company as well as professional electricians. That’s another factor to consider if you’re looking at this particular Ilve range.
Once it was all hooked up, I’ll admit that all of the knobs were overwhelming at first glance, but I spent a bit of time with the manual and watched a few videos on Ilve’s YouTube channel and read an Ilve Nostalgie range review by other owners. They have excellent resources, tutorials, and information about installing and using their ranges. As I started cooking on it, though, I realized it was pretty straightforward. There are so many knobs because there are so many burners and because there are two knobs for each oven.
The knobs for each burner simply light the burners and adjust the flame. Each of them is labeled, so it’s pretty simple. The only thing I needed to get used to is the burners take a bit longer to light than my previous gas ranges (about 3-5 seconds) and the “ticking” of the lighter is faster if that makes sense.
One knob for each oven controls the oven setting. This is one of the best features of this Ilve range. There are nine oven settings –
- Defrost (I didn’t even know ovens could do that!)
- Intense Cooking for crispy crusts and fast cooking
- Pizza Function, which is ideal for cooking pizza and breads (and it works great)
- Fan Grill Cooking – for very fast, deep cooking which is good for meats and baked potatoes
- Close Door Grill Cooking – Fast, deep cooking for gratins, roasted meats, grilled fish, and vegetables.
- Top Cooking – Particularly suited to browning and giving a touch of color to dishes.
- Bottom Cooking – The best function for finishing off a cooking cycle, especially for pastries, cookies, biscuits, etc.
- Normal Static Cooking – The classic oven function
- Multiple Fan Cooking – Allows you to cook more than one dish at a time, without their aromas contaminating each other
It also has the hardware for a rotisserie, but I haven’t tried that, yet.
I have only tested a few of the oven settings so far, but I already notice a big difference in little things like crisp crusts and even cooking. I’ve done some simple things like baking potatoes, making casseroles, roasting vegetables, and bringing seared chicken patties up to temperature, but I’ve also baked some galettes (rustic pies) and cookies to see how they turn out. Well, they are gone in hours, so I’d say my tests have been pretty successful. It really is the best oven I’ve ever cooked in.
The other oven knob is to set the temperature. I was told by a few friends who own this range that the ovens can run a bit hot, so I put in each one to double-check the temperature. So far, it’s been pretty spot on, running a little hot on certain settings, but I just adjust the knob a bit to get it to the right temperature. Through the years, I’ve almost always used an oven thermometer so I could make adjustments as needed.
So, let me talk about the Ilve Nostalgie range oven size as a part of this review. This oven is about the same width as my previous oven, but it isn’t as tall. There are a few inches between the floor and the bottom of the range and then there is a drawer that I use for storing cookie sheets, drying racks, and muffin tins (it holds quite a lot), but that does cut into the oven space. I haven’t found that to be an issue as of yet and, since I have a small second oven, I am confident I’ll have plenty of oven room for large holiday dinners.
If you cook a lot of large items, then I would suggest checking the interior oven measurements of whichever model and size you’re considering to make sure it’ll work for you.
Working the digital display is pretty simple, too, and I like that there aren’t a lot of digital bells and whistles. You can set a clock, set a timer, and set automatic oven shutoff among other things.
Cleaning the range isn’t much different than cleaning other gas ranges I’ve had over the years. I wipe down spills right after cooking and thoroughly clean the stovetop every couple of weeks.
(I keep THIS cutting board on the griddle when not in use to use as an extra work surface.)
There are more pieces to these burners, though, but I just take them apart and clean them as I did the burner pieces of my previous gas ranges. Out of the seven burners on this range, there are two large burners with a simmer burner in the middle. There is one small burner, three mid-sized burners, and one oval burner that can be used directly with an oblong pan or can be used for the griddle.
To clean the range top, I’ll remove the cast iron grills and the burner pieces and scrub the top with a sponge and dish soap. I’ll wipe it all up with a paper towel…
…and polish any areas with Stainless steel polish and a Norwex Cloth. I’ll use the Norwex cloth on the outside of the oven door, too.
If you can’t tell, I love this range, but there are pros and cons to everything, even great things, so let me give you a simple list from my perspective for this Ilve Nostalgie range review.
Pros –
- It’s gorgeous. And, if you want a range that is more modern or more mid-century, or more whatever, Ilve has a variety of range models, styles, and colors to choose from.
- This range provides a professional cooking experience.
- The burners are hot, fast, and very responsive.
- I feel like I’ve done some of my best cooking in these ovens. Even something as simple as a pizza on a Naan crust is noticeably better!
- Ilve has great resources available for installers and owners.
Cons –
- The oven fan is a little louder than my previous ovens and it can get louder when I have both ovens running at the same time. The oven also vents out the front, so the hot air blows on you if you’re stirring something on the burners while the oven is venting.
- Ilve is a brand that isn’t serviced by all appliance repair companies, so make sure your area has a technician with an Ilve contract if you’re considering an Ilve range.
- The ovens are a different size than conventional US ovens (depending on the model), so check your measurements to make sure it will work for you.
As I do with most things I share here on the blog, I will provide follow-ups to this post through the years to let you know how things are going! Let me know if you have any other questions about my Ilve Nostalgie range…
40 Responses
I’m looking at new ovens/rangetops in 48”. I appreciate your detailed candidness. It’s helpful. I looked back at the pictures of your range trying to figure out where the vents are located. I’m assuming the narrow horizontal slits just below the knobs are the vents? Wonder why they put them there? I know-You don’t know that answer. What a beautiful range & I’m proud for you to have it. Thanks for sharing your pros & cons.
Yes, the vents are in the slits under the knobs. The venting really isn’t bad and I still consistently cook on the stovetop while the oven is venting, but it’s something worth noting.
First of all that stove is a beautiful piece of furniture. You didn’t mention the oven racks. Do they recommend to remove them when you use the clean cycle? Are any of the racks on gliders much like the gliders used in pantries?
This range does not have a self-cleaning cycle, which I don’t mind at all! I used it once in an oven about 20 years ago and they fumes were so bad that I had to leave the house. I use an oven liner and use baking sheets under things that will spill. Before I used the ovens for the first time, I did follow the directions and hand-washed the racks and turned the ovens on to burn off anything lingering from manufacturing. The racks are not on sliders, but they do pull out easily to remove things from the oven.
Our appliance repairman told us not to use the self cleaning feature on our Jenn Air oven with microwave on top as the very high temps of the cleaning feature will burn out the microwave brain. He told us that as he installed our new unit. We had burned out the microwave brain. We were not pleased. I use a good oven liner and cooky sheets, too, to prevent messes. The stove is stunning!
Why in the world do they put in a cleaning feature that would ruin another component of the appliance? Yeah, I would never use a self-cleaning oven feature. I used it one time about 20 years ago and the fumes were just terrible. Since then, I just spot clean as needed and limit messes with an oven liner and using trays under things that have a tendency to bubble over. There really is no need to clean it if I do that. Sometimes, I do heat the oven empty to let something burn off if needed, but that doesn’t the trick.
I have just purchased the Ilve proline oven with the Matt graphite top. So far cooking has been great
Beautiful appliance!
I love my Ilve, I hope it will last my lifetime. It is also the best oven I’ve ever baked in, I bake bread every week.
I hope mine lasts a lifetime, too! I really love it.
The stove is lovely! Have you tried any canning on this stove? I have always had a 4 eye stove and have always wanted more burners. Cooking for church functions and family gatherings would be much easier with more burners! I haven’t cooked on a gas stove in 30 years. I’m probably a little rusty! Happy cooking! I can’t wait for the update!
I am not a canner, but I did watch a video review of the Ilve 30″ range with a center burner that is like my large/simmer burners. She bought simmer plate for it so she could make bone broth and other things that need to cook for a long time on even heat. You can check out that review here…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yWmjaCvGcI
Hi Marian, just as a FYI -propane has more than double the BTU rating (1030 to 2490), so know that any cooking will require a much lower flame. And always use your vent hood and maybe even open a window. Both propane and natural gas release deadly chemicals even when off. It is a beautiful stove and I am glad you are enjoying using it.
The range was converted for propane, so I’m assuming it regulates that. I haven’t noticed having to turn the burners lower than I did on my natural gas range. And yes, I use the range hood when I’m cooking and we have a propane monitor (combined with carbon monoxide.)
I was wondering if you can use a liner to catch drips. I bought a glass top electric stove from a neighbor who had it 5 yrs and it looks new. The bottom says no foil but I’m not sure of something like a silpat liner. Is that what you use? It’s gorgeous and I’m over the moon envious of your new kitchen. I’m so nervous around the glass top I have I may get a big cutting board made to cover it when not in use.
Yes, I use an oven liner to keep things clean and I’ll put cookie sheets under something if it might bubble over.
I had a glass-top oven years ago and didn’t really have issues with scratches. The only marks happened when I put veggies on to steam and there wasn’t enough water in the pan. It damaged the top, sadly!
Hello! I just received my Ilve range and am so excited! Do you mind sharing what specific oven liner you use? I want to try to keep it clean and think liners are the way to go. Thrilled to know about the YouTube channel too. Your kitchen is beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
Woohoo!! This is the over liner I purchased – https://bit.ly/3MUK3J7
You are SO KIND to respond – thank you! :). Happy cooking and baking!
Wondering about broiling? With all those choices with the oven I assume one would work as broil function?
Answered my own question by watching their youtube video’s
Yes, their YouTube videos are very helpful!
I was curious if you considered other high-end ranges such as Viking and Wolf before you chose the llve range and was it something these brands didn’t offer that llve did or was it pure cosmetic appeal?
I wasn’t as interested in Wolf or Viking because they have more of a commercial/modern look and I wanted a European/antique-ish feel. I did look at other European brands and, ultimately, the Ilve ranges were at a better price point and offered the look and features I wanted.
The range is gorgeous, the downside for me is that there isn’t an appliance repairman in my area. Sigh.
Your kitchen looks great and your live looks awesome.I thought I was the only one who puts a cookie sheet in the oven to catch spills or we put the pizza pan under the pizza while cooking to catch spills. Makes life a lot easier.
Sorry I missed spelled the name of the range love 🙂
We just moved into our last build/forever home and I SO wanted a stove like yours but because of budget settled for a Thermador. One thing I was hoping you would touch upon was the griddle on the stove top. My griddle on the Thermador is electric, everything else is gas. I inquired with the dealer as to why it wasn’t gas, they said the gas would be consistent, so I let it go…Now living with my Thermador for a while, I notice it takes FOREVER to warm up and to be honest, it’s NOT consistent heat either, so I sure would have preferred it if it was gas considering it’s not consistent.
Have you any thoughts on your griddle? Is it gas or electric?
I do swoon over your cutting board that covers it and may just treat myself to one!
Thanks for an excellent post…as always…
I actually haven’t used it yet! I was so excited about it, but I’ve just been stuck in my old ways. I finally told Jeff I just need to use it and I know I’ll be hooked! The griddle is gas and it has a large, oval burner under it. It’s very thick and heavy, so it’s meant to absorb the heat and distribute it evenly on the griddle. I will use it and write a separate review.
Do you have a backsplash or just a painted wall behind this? If just a painted wall, has it ever been a problem when you are cooking? I ask because I have no backsplash, nor do I want one.
I do not have a backsplash while I’m deciding what I want to do if anything. I painted the walls in quality performance paint (Emerald by Sherwin Williams), so it would be easy to clean and would handle splatters and water splashes well. It’s worked fine so far!
Does no one comment “$6000+ for a stove’ holy cow?!!”
I shared in other posts about the kitchen how we made trade-offs to be able to fit high-end appliances into our budget. First, I did a lot of comparison shopping and Ilve was less expensive than other European ranges. Second, I selected a quartz counter that was a fraction of the cost of a couple of other brands I was considering but offered the look I wanted. The difference in the counter cost covered 2/3 of the cost of the range! I also made other compromises so we could make it all fit into our budget. We all decide where we want to splurge when we’re doing home renovations and I really wanted to splurge on this range since the entire kitchen was designed around it.
I know I don’t need to justify how we spend the money we save for home renovations, but I wanted to address it.
Marian, just wondering if you happen to know how high your oven temp goes? My husband needs a very hot oven to bake his breads perfectly – a point of contention as he shops around. Could be a US law thing, not sure.
I am looking at an ILVE and I appreciate your review.
It seems that all ovens run hotter or cooler and it drives me crazy!
My GE oven doesn’t hold temperature (and that is reason we are replacing). I use a thermometer inside the oven but it doesn’t help.
Thank you for your post. We renovated our kitchen and I had to make the decision between a larger range and more counter space. I opted for more counter space. I have had and used a Dual Fuel Range for about 15 years. I love them.
I am in the market for the Ilve range (in blue) and I e heard great reviews and not so great reviews. This Ilve will be my “test” range as we have plans to build in about a year. If we are satisfied with this product then we will get a larger one for the new home.
I heard: the knobs run hot and that the oven temperature can be off by sometimes as much as 50 degrees. This is a concern because the reason I’m getting rod of my existing dual fuel is because the oven never reaches the temperature the display shows (and all elements and the motherboard have been replaced).
Would you share if your oven temperature are off and if the knobs are hot to the touch?
Thank you!
I have not experienced the knobs being hot to the touch at all, so that hasn’t been an issue. Even the oven door and where the oven vents isn’t hot, just warm. The oven, so far, has been pretty close to the temp I set although it sometimes runs a little hot on certain settings. The oven can be calibrated, though, so if you need precise cooking, that is an option.
Thank you. This helps me with my decision. You are spot on with checking the size of the oven. Thanks again and enjoy your beautiful kitchen!
Can you fit a 9×13 casserole dish in the smaller oven? Or half cookie sheet?
Your kitchen is gorgeous! Enjoy it each and every day just as much as you did the very first day it was completed:). I have the 36” Nostalgia and just added the griddle for the first time. I noticed that the little legs that screw on the bottom do not touch anything when I set the griddle on top of the stove. It rests on the vent in the rear and the screws in stove surface in the front. Does your griddle rest on the legs?