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Thread: Cooking stoves being unreliable

  1. #1
    Senior Member HappyHiker's Avatar
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    Cooking stoves being unreliable

    Is anyone else disappointed with their glass-top range? Ours is less than 5 year old and already two of the elements are getting burned out and slow to heat/cook with. This is our second smooth-top range with short longevity. Different brands...

    Seems to me that older stoves, with the coil elements, lasted forever. Thinking of replacing our smooth-top range with one of those. But hey are not as "pretty" as the glass-top stove.

    Would love to have a gas stove again, but we don't have natural gas here, only propane, which is expensive to use. And we don't have a hook-up so that would entail a cost to install...

    I'm playing with the thought of buying a two-element electric cook-top and using that rather than paying $600 or up for a short-lived crummy stove.The oven on the current stove seems to be working fine.

    Your thoughts/recommendations for a frugal, dependable solution?
    peaceful, easy feeling

  2. #2
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I think the two-element cooktop would be an excellent solution--portable, easily stored, convenient for when you need extra burners...Cheap, too.

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    Senior Member SteveinMN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JaneV2.0 View Post
    I think the two-element cooktop would be an excellent solution--portable, easily stored, convenient for when you need extra burners...Cheap, too.
    And better than smooth-top burners which don't work but nowhere near as good as burners that do work. Electric stoves pull 240V; portable cooktops do not. This will make a substantial difference in performance, like heating water.

    I wonder if HH is not getting caught up in the continuing cheapening of major appliances. Used to be you could count on them to operate for decades, but now "wet" appliances particularly (refrigerators, dishwashers) frequently go no more than 8-10 years before they're done. There are still exposed-coil electric ranges out there, but they tend to be lower-featured units at the bottom of the manufacturer's line, so it's hard to say that a new one would offer much more longevity.

    They do sell those burner covers that may look better than just exposed coils. Those might be worth checking out if they improve things for you esthetically.

    Personally, I'd consider buying a reconditioned exposed-coil range from a dealer that sells them. These units typically date back to when appliances were built to last much longer. It's even possible nothing on the range needed to be fixed before sale (the previous owner may have just "upgraded" to a smooth-coil range). Typically these appliances come with some sort of warranty, measured in months, but that should be good enough. The dealer's service department can advise you about parts availability. The look may be a bit dated but it'll be a solid appliance at a good price.
    Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. - Booker T. Washington

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    I can agree with everything you said, HH. Even down to wanting gas but sadly it's not available.

    One element in my stovetop takes so long, I literally go blow dry my hair if I'm cooking on it in the morning. And even then, my stuff might not be cooked through.

  5. #5
    Senior Member razz's Avatar
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    A friends is still using her coil top stove that she bought in the 70's and it is working just fine. Today's appliances are made to throw away. Sad.
    As Cicero said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

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    Senior Member HappyHiker's Avatar
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    Thanks Steve, Jane and Imerullo. Found out I can have the two ill-functioning elements replaced but I suspect the repair will cost more than getting a "new" used electric range as Steve suggested. Thinking about it...those elements are much much easier to replace if they go out than with the glass or ceramic tops...

    Built-in obsolescence...! Hah!! We're all going to hell in a hand-basket...lol

    Longing for my old gas Wedgewood that I had in San Francisco--all gleaming white and lots of shiny chrome..it was the best stove to cook on...an old workhorse and so stylish...

    These new stoves are a piece of...dreck!!
    peaceful, easy feeling

  7. #7
    Senior Member JaneV2.0's Avatar
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    I love the idea of a reconditioned range--especially from the seventies or earlier. Same with washers and dryers.

    Appliance manufacturers used to do just fine constructing products that lasted. It would be interesting to see what changed; I'm thinking shareholders are involved.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    My mom’s appliances lasted 35 years

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    We were really impressed with the single induction cooker that our local baker used. Really heated up the water super fast and was safe to use since you could not burn yourself on it. Hubby was so impressed he wanted to get a new range which I nixed.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    My dishwasher is leaking badly after just 6 years

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