Anti-Tip Brackets and Range Safety
Every freestanding range ships with an anti-tip bracket. Skipping the install is the most common safety violation in residential kitchens.
Anti-tip brackets are required by US safety standards on every freestanding range. The bracket bolts to the floor or to the back wall of the cabinet behind the range, and one of the rear feet of the range slides under it during installation. The bracket prevents the range from tipping forward if a child climbs on the open oven door or if heavy weight is placed at the front of the cooktop.
Despite shipping in every range's accessory bag, anti-tip brackets are skipped in an estimated 30-50% of residential installs because they require an extra five minutes of work. A range without an anti-tip bracket can tip forward if 25 pounds is applied to the open oven door — not unusual for a child standing on the door — and the resulting injury can be fatal. Install the bracket.
If you are buying a used home or moving into a rental, check whether the range has the bracket. Pull the range slightly forward and look at the rear feet — one should be tucked under a metal bracket bolted to the floor or wall. If there is no bracket, the range can be retrofitted with a generic anti-tip kit ($15-$25 from any appliance parts source); the install takes ten minutes including locating the bracket position.
Slide-in and built-in ranges have different stability designs and may not require an anti-tip bracket if the surrounding cabinetry provides equivalent restraint. Check the range's installation instructions for the specific requirement; never assume a slide-in range is stable without verifying.