Oven/range recommendations, please!

Parent Cafe
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<p>I turned on my oven tonight to preheat. A minute later I heard an ungodly noise coming from the kitchen. I ran in there to see what it was and the oven was arcing and sparking and flames were coming out of the heating element! I turned it off and turned off the breaker and managed to air out the smoke, but it scared the heck out of me. It’s possible that the element can be replaced and I plan to have the repairman come take a look at it tomorrow. If I have to get a new stove, though, I’d like to know which brands you all have been happy with.</p>

<p>This particular oven is a Tappan double range, which is a one-piece unit with a smaller oven on top and a full size oven on the bottom. It’s not the kind I would have chosen myself, but the kitchen was remodeled (by the previous owners) specifically to fit this type of range. The wall behind it is unfinished – the tile backsplash doesn’t extend behind the range and neither does the wallpaper. If we don’t replace it with a similar style, we’ll have to do something to the wall behind it. The tile can’t be matched anymore and neither can the wallpaper, so whatever we put there is going to look out of place. Unfortunately, I’ve scoured the internet and it doesn’t appear that those over/under ranges are even made anymore. Even one with a microwave oven on top instead of a conventional one would do, but I’m having trouble finding those, too.</p>

<p>So it looks like we’re going to have to get a regular freestanding range, like it or not. I’m seeing some good deals on Maytag, Amana, Whirlpool, GE and Kenmore. Has anyone had any particularly bad (or good) experiences with any of these brands?</p>

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<p>We have a Whirlpool that has a stove on top and an oven on bottom. It’s pretty nice, but a little tip: Get one that has actual buttons. Ours is almost a touchscreen, and it freaks out whenever we clean it. We’ve had to replace the front paneling twice now, and we’re thinking about just getting a new oven because it’s so troublesome.</p>

<p><a href=“Latest Trends in Home Appliances: Image”>Latest Trends in Home Appliances: Image;

<p>It’s pretty much that one in white.</p>

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<p>Have no idea if your hubby is at all handy, but an element change out is a 10 minute job. Usually not a biggie. If he has any mechanical skill at all, it’s a no brainer.</p>

<p>If the rest of the oven/range is in good shape, give it a shot. Save yourself a few bucks. Replacement elements can be found locally, but often cheaper and quicker through any number of online sources. Repair calls are ridiculously expensive.</p>

<p>We have a built in stainless steel RCA/Whirlpool, that exceeds the combined ages of my childern, and they’re both in their twenties. Replacement is not an option… it’s built into a brickwall bumpout in the kitchen. Finding a replacement that will fit the rough opening has been impossible, and I was not going to redo the brick.</p>

<p>I’ve replaced the element upper once, maybe twice, the lower three or four times. I’ve also rewired the entire oven, but I would not recommend it unless your hubby has had previous electrical experience, as it involves high temperature wire and connectors. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

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<p>I would heartily recommend you get a flat top cook top. It is unbeleivably easier to keep clean. I love it.</p>

<p>As for brand, I just know that I would never get a Maytag again. </p>

<p>Maybe go to consumer reports and see what they recommend.</p>

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<p>Patsmom,
Is this the kind of oven that you are talking about?: [PB975SMSS</a> - GE Profile? 30" Free-Standing Double Oven Range - Features And Photos](<a href=“http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SPECPAGE&SKU=PB975SMSS&SITEID=GEA]PB975SMSS”>GE Appliances: Shop for Home, Kitchen, & Laundry Appliances)</p>

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<p>^^ No, that’s not it (I really like that one, though!). Ours has a second oven up at about eye level. The height of the entire unit from bottom to top is 71" but they just don’t make them any longer.</p>

<p>violadad, I’d rather pay the repairman because I’m not sure that the element was the only thing that was damaged. Besides, my husband isn’t all that handy. :(</p>

<p>Are the flat cooktops that much better? I have read that they’re much slower to heat up than coils. Of course, nothing could be worse than the Tappan that I have…</p>

7

<p>I hate electric stoves, but like the glass top ones better than most. They look nice and are easy to clean. I’ve only used them when I’ve been on ski trips, but my impression is that they heated up pretty quickly. (Don’t tend to be doing terribly elaborate cooking though when I’m on vacation!)</p>

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<p>I don’t think they are any slower. You do need to either already own good pans or buy some though. They have to be pretty flat to work well. I know I’d never go back to the other kind now that I’ve been spoiled by how easy to clean these are. And with kids and husbands who spill a lot, this is wonderful.</p>

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<p>For the cooktop, there is something relatively new called ‘induction’ (at least it is new to acceptance in the US), you do need cookware with a flat, magnetic bottom (cast iron works, le creuset, certain types of all-clad and other stainless brands, but there is also inexpensive cookware that works - I just carry a magnet with me and test as I shop). I can’t say enough about it. It is glass top, but nothing will ever burn to it because of the way it heats. You can even put a piece of parchment paper under anything pan you are using and it won’t burn. It works by conducting electricity through an electro magnet and heats the cooking vessel. This results in even, instant heat. Instant up, instant down -very fine temp control - not slow at all, boils water at warp speed. All the benefits of cooking with a flame, but no gas. Efficient with electricity also. </p>

<p>I have not seen one in range-top model, but it may exist now. My neighbor got a Kenmore (cooktop only), I have a Thermador (cooktop only). We are both extremely happy.</p>

<p>And I highly recommend going for the element fix in your oven…same thing happened to us 6 months before kitchen replacement. Quick, painless, and inexpensive! Hopefully, you won’t need to replace your range at all.</p>

<p>In my last house, we had a regular range and cooktop, with a GE Advantium above it. The Advantium was pretty great - we did not have room for a microwave, so it doubles as microwave and speed cooking oven.</p>

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<p>I have a flat top stove and I love it. It heats up faster than any electric stove I’ve ever had, plus the heating mechanism is variable (not number 1, 2, 3…but just low to high and you can actually adjust it sort of like a gas stove). The key is you must have FLAT bottom pots and pans (old Farberware, for example, is somewhat bowed on the bottom…doesn’t really work well on a flat top stove).</p>

<p>I know the kind of stove the OP means…a one piece unit with a regular oven on the bottom and a smaller one on the top. They don’t make those anymore.</p>

<p>My SIL had the same problem but it really wasn’t a problem at all. She got a regular nice gas stove with an electric oven (that’s what she wanted) and put a cabinet over the stove (matched the kitchen ones) with a microwave/stove vent. On the wall in between, she just painted the wall a semigloss that complimented the colors in her kitchen and then hung some decorative tiles on the wall. It looks terrific.</p>

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<p>I highly recommend the Americana! </p>

<p>"So our gas stove (do so love those fossil fuels!) gave out on Monday. I think it was probably five years and three days since we purchased it (since the guarantee was for five years.) The last Sears-Kenmore had done the same thing.</p>

<p>“Yup,” said Greasy Joe the repairman from GasWorks, which is not a comment on his digestive system, “It’s the thermostat. 300 bucks. Don’t do it.” We had to pay him something anyway for the diagnosis, and he managed to get off without any responsibility for the treatment. </p>

<p>The stove had spent its final week in wondrous bliss, turning itself on and off at random throughout the day. I think it left the dogs very confused.</p>

<p>Sigh. Time to get a new one. We are looking for an inexpensive (as in “cheap”) gas range, four burners, oven, broiler. Don’t need a clock, a timer, self-cleaning, Bauhaus design, big numerals, burn control, built-in fire alarm, ability to download pornographic videos, or capacity for the roasting chicken to do instant messaging. We want reliability/durability, period. We’ve seen enough of Joe. Oh, and they have to deliver. </p>

<p>We just visited Home Depot and Lowes. Home Depot has an “Americana”, which, I presume, is a town in northern China where General Electric makes appliances with contracted slave labor. Yay! No electronic ignition! We have blackouts regularly around here (not of the alcoholic variety) and it is nice to be able to cook even when we are freezing to death (because the gas heater has an electronic thermostat.) The Americana didn’t even have a clock (“Why don’t you want a clock,” asks the bemused saleswoman. “Because I already have one,” I reply, showing her my scratched 12-year-old Timex.) It doesn’t have any of those self-cleaning ladies that come in the night when you aren’t looking. The saleswoman, now into the spirit of the thing, says she has a refrigerator in stock with a TV unit in it (I think it can also play DVDs), but our roasting chickens will just have to entertain themselves while they are getting ready for the big dance.</p>

<p>Home Depot will deliver ours for free and haul away our old one for a penny; they also have a “gas range install” for a penny but charge us $19.95 for a “gas range kit” (it’s probably the power cord - see below.)</p>

<p>The guy at Lowes thought we were nuts when we told him what we desired (he was much less fun) - they have some of the type we want on-line, but not in the store. “They all have electronic ignition,” he states, not realizing that Lowes sells no fewer than three models without it. “Why don’t you want the clock?” I keep my wrist covered up. On-line, one of the models says “power cord extra”. We both thought that was “interesting” – does it work if you don’t plug it in? I know, it’s a wireless model! They will charge us to deliver. </p>

<p>So I think we’ll probably go with the Americana unless there is something in tomorrow’s inserts in the paper. We went out and had Thai food.</p>

<p>(P.S. The Americana was delivered. And no, there was no power cord, and doesn’t need to be plugged in.)"</p>

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<p>I just ordered a Diva. It works by magnetic induction. Many restaurants are replacing their gas stove with Diva. Check it out as an alternative. Diva just came out with a stand alone range Diva 365.</p>

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<p>I used to have the exact same Tappan double range, lol. I have the same problem with the ceramic tiles too. I eventually bought a microwave and a range to fill up the gap as much as possible. I also tried as much as possible find matching tiles for the gap. </p>

<p>I don’t remember what I bought, I rented out that house now.</p>

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<p>Have you tried those $20 butane portable stoves? More heat or larger pan takes 2 or three together. Fuel cost is determined by commercial purchases of canisters (case of 24) . </p>

<p>No clock. No piping, No alarms. No timers except when the can runs empty. Electronic Ignition.</p>

<p>BTW . The exhaust fan is more important than either the type/brand of range and the cook. For most people I would recommend cooking outside and if there is a reason to cook inside, I would recommend this:[Pacair</a> range hoods, cooking fans: contemporary and European kitchen appliances](<a href=“http://www.pacairusa.com/models.htm]Pacair”>http://www.pacairusa.com/models.htm)</p>

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<p>This weekend I began looking at cooktops. I wanted know how real people liked induction cooking. Where else would I turn for information but the Parent Cafe. The salesman knew very little about actual cooking. As always thanks for sharing your experiences.</p>

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<p>

Here’s a link to a range almost identical to the one I have:
[Kenmore</a> Elite 30" Smoothtop Slide-In Range <br>223 644 098 : Sears Canada](<a href=“http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000JL50WI/sr=1-1/qid=1215002883/ref=sr_1_1/002-9767550-7767230?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core&mqnodeid=398479011]Kenmore”>http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000JL50WI/sr=1-1/qid=1215002883/ref=sr_1_1/002-9767550-7767230?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core&mqnodeid=398479011)</p>

<p>If you click on the “see larger image” you can get a good view of the cooktop. The burner on the left is what Kenmore calls a “bridge burner.” This is the single reason I love this cooktop. I bought a cast iron griddle that fits across the top front to back, and the entire thing heats up. It’s great. I use it for things like grilled filleted fish. The burner in the middle back is a warmer. The burner on the front right adjusts to the size of the pan (according to the rings). The cooktop is simple to clean, just wipes up; but I use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for stubborn spills, and they come right off.</p>

<p>The oven on this is self-cleaning and conventional/convection. I have no idea what “convection” means as I rarely use the oven, so I can’t say if I recommend that feature or not. (Guess I should read the manual.)</p>

<p>My last house had a gas range/cooktop. Hated it. The house before that had a smooth cooktop. Loved it. Glad to be back to a smooth cooktop now and will never go back to gas. But I’m a lousy cook. A good cook might prefer the versatility of gas. My gas one took longer to heat the pans, and I had a harder time controlling the flame/heating time than with the electric.</p>

<p>If you do replace your current unit, can you use something like this on the wall space?
[30-Inch</a> White/Almond Backsplash](<a href=“http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=172206-14-SP300108&lpage=none]30-Inch”>http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=172206-14-SP300108&lpage=none)</p>

<p>They come in different colors to match appliances. I had one of these on the wall over my range in a former house. It covered the wall area from the stove up to the separate built-in microwave/exhaust fan. Very easy to clean and looked nice.</p>

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<p>Oh, mini, that made me laugh so hard! We are dinosaurs, I guess, whose heads are not turned by all the latest whistles and bells. Thankfully, we have a Sears repairman as a neighboor who moonlights and has done several jobs for us to keep our appliances up and running.</p>

<p>My gas stove is sooo old. The orginal one from when the house was built. We’ve – well, Don the neighbor – has replaced some element in the oven, and I’ve had to buy a new knob for it because you couldn’t read the temperatures anymore. My dh’s poor 93yo aunt was lost cooking on the thing. But I refuse to give it up. My mother-in-law even gave us $500 to replace it, but I just put that in the bank. Why get rid of something that’s perfectly serviceable?</p>

<p>We have had to disconnect the clock because a few months ago it started buzzing one night at 1 a.m for no good reason and we couldn’t figure out how to make it stop short of pulling off the back and ripping the cords out.</p>

<p>I love my decades-old Caloric!</p>

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<p>We have a JennAir glass cooktop and a separate GE built in electric oven. The cooktop replaced the original to the house electric with wire burners. Personally I don’t think it is easy to clean cause you have to use either a special formula cleaner and cloth or Windex and a paper towel (what I use) and you have to be careful what you put on it to avoid metal marks on the glass (ours is black). If you clean it with anything other than the special cleaner or windex it gets streaks and a foggy look. But it does cook great and, yes, you do need new pots and pans that are completely FLAT. We got a nice set at Sams Club for $100.</p>

<p>On the oven it is 22 years old and we had to change out the element once. Of course it went out on us 2 days before Thanksgiving when everyone was coming to our house. Discovered it refused to heat while making pies. After the initial panic, the local repair guy came the next day. It’s a quick, cheap fix and off you go. If I was going to replace it, tho, I might go with a JennAir or a Bosch. We got a Bosch dishwasher a year ago and it is practically silent. I love it.</p>

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<p>Mini, exact same experience the computer (the stove has a computer? :eek: ) broke within a week of the warranty expiring. I did get it fixed, but if I ever get a new stove, I want one that does nothing but cook food.</p>

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<p>Mudder’s Mudder, thanks for that link to the backsplash. I didn’t know those existed! That might actually be a solution if we end up having to replace the stove. I called the repairman this morning and he practically guaranteed me that all that’s needed is a new element, so I’m optimistic that I’ll get out of this with nothing more than a $100 repair bill.</p>

<p>And I love that “bridge burner” idea. My husband cooks paella now and then, and his paella pan is large enough to cover 2 burners but only the outside part of the pan really sits over the heat. I have a huge Guardian Service pan that’s probably about 11" x 18" that I use to make chili or Brunswick stew. That type of burner would be perfect and would allow everything to cook evenly.</p>