Advice on "destroyed" ceramic cooktop......

[dkryan]

My lovely wife of 26 years decided to steam some vegetables this evening. She left the kitchen to feed the "kids" (cats and dogs) and for some reason, completely forgot about the stove.

The smoke detector refreshed her memory. Cut to the bottom line: the Maytag ceramic cooktop stove seems to have a 3/4-inch melted area on one of the burners. In other words, not only has that area "flaked," but it has about a 3/4-inch small depression in that area.

I'm thinking "hosed stove." An online Googling of that model tells me a replacement part for that stove (cooktop) is about $500, delivered. And that same stove cost us $575 four years ago.

Is there any remote possibility of fixing the stovetop or should I begin perusing the applicance advertisements?

 

[dparm]

Replace it. For the extra $100 or so dollars (plus your time to remove and install the new one), you know it will work flawlessly.

And you can probably get a financing deal like 12 months no interest or whatever from Sears.

 

[StevieC]

Is your insurance deductible low enough you could claim it?

Replace it!

 

[Silber Igel]

Sheeesh!! I think I'd get a new one.

 

[SaturnIonVue]

I think I'd be in the market for a new replacement. There could be hidden damage beyond the surface of the stove top. The heating element itself, or internal wiring, etc., especially since the stove got hot enough to melt the ceramic surface. Hidden damage discovered after you buy the replacement top may make you wish you made a different choice.

Do you have home owners, or renters insurance that might cover some costs after a deductible?

 

[brianl703]

I'd think twice about making a claim on this.

 

[Steve S]

Buy a non fancy basic cook top . When I moved in to this house it had a glass top gas cooktop and one day my wife heard a pop and the top was cracked so I bought a basic replacement and it cooks food just fine.

 

[dparm]

My parents have had theirs for almost 10 years and it has been completely trouble-free. It has the halogen elements beneath it that get hot instantly. [censored].

 

[dkryan]

Originally Posted By: SaturnIonVue
I think I'd be in the market for a new replacement. There could be hidden damage beyond the surface of the stove top. Do you have home owners, or renters insurance that might cover some costs after a deductible?


Yeah, that was my concern also; damage beneath the cooktop that you could not see.

Originally Posted By: brianl703
I'd think twice about making a claim on this.


Yep, I agree. A replacement stove (the Sears appliance ad showed up with the newspaper this a.m. What timing!) will pull $500-$600 out of the bank but it won't hurt us. I'm sure my deductible is higher than five bills.

I want to lay low with any claim for now, having dipped into the claim pool in late 2008 to replace a roof whose original 65-mph shingles could not face down an 80-mph hurricane sourced wind.

Let's face it: I'm not having to file a claim to replace the entire house and contents because it burned to the ground, so I'm content, as it could have been much worse.

Thanks for affirming my "new stove" decision.

 

[dkryan]

I have to admit, though, my wife keeps watching me as though she is waiting for the rant about the soon to be replaced stove.

"So calm and collected about this. No Irish coming through."

Well, she damaged the stove while cooking dinner for me, she didn't burn the house down, and if I had to list my lifetime (thus far) of mistakes and brain-farts, an adminstrator would lock the thread due to the length of the list.

Now, had that damage been done to the finish on one of my cars...........

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: dkryan
Well, she damaged the stove while cooking dinner for me, she didn't burn the house down

Great attitude, sir - my hat is off to you!


Originally Posted By: Steve S
Buy a non fancy basic cook top .

Most 'basic' ranges have bad adjustability for the cooking temperature. The range we bought for the house in Chicago has five burners and you can turn them all the way from blowtorch to the gentlest of simmers. The much more basic stove at our current place in Baltimore basically has two settings, medium & off... doesn't heat things up very fast, won't sustain a simmer without the burner going out. And I personally don't care for electric stoves either, I've found them to be even worse to deal with.