Electric Kitchen Ranges

[ecotourist]

Going through range selection right now.

Interesting isn't it.

My big question is whether induction has been well enough developed for normal people to use. How reliable? What does it cost to repair? Circuit boards? How long will the manufacturer even offer parts?

We used an induction range in Norway that blew the breaker repeatedly. That was not a great experience.

Our local appliance store has a sale that ends today. Not enough time to make a decision. We'll probably buy an induction range but we'll look into it a bit more.

 

[BornSlippy]

Interesting isn't it.

My big question is whether induction has been well enough developed for normal people to use. How reliable? What does it cost to repair? Circuit boards? How long will the manufacturer even offer parts?

We used an induction range in Norway that blew the breaker repeatedly. That was not a great experience.

Our local appliance store has a sale that ends today. Not enough time to make a decision. We'll probably buy an induction range but we'll look into it a bit more.

We bought ours at Costco. They have an extra year warranty included, so two years instead of one. The extended warranty directly from LG is reasonably priced and will be purchasing it before the first year is up.

Complicated contraptions with tons of control boards. Not cheap to fix and questionable reliability.

Now the problem with that is, all brands are like that. There is no stand-out manufacturer that you are guaranteed to get at least 25 years out of it.

The process is more of trying to figure out which appliance sucks the least.

There is fellow by the name of Ben on Youtube that owns an appliance repair shop. He's a real straight shooter and is super helpful in pointing out what to look for and what to avoid in appliance shopping.

 

[ecotourist]

We bought ours at Costco. They have an extra year warranty included, so two years instead of one. The extended warranty directly from LG is reasonably priced and will be purchasing it before the first year is up.

Complicated contraptions with tons of control boards. Not cheap to fix and questionable reliability.

Now the problem with that is, all brands are like that. There is no stand-out manufacturer that you are guaranteed to get at least 25 years out of it.

The process is more of trying to figure out which appliance sucks the least.

There is fellow by the name of Ben on Youtube that owns an appliance repair shop. He's a real straight shooter and is super helpful in pointing out what to look for and what to avoid in appliance shopping.

I found Ben today too. He does sound like a straight shooter. I like the idea of polling lots of service people.

I noticed that ranges sold at Costco have a 2 year warranty. And a 90 day return policy. With some of the horror stories I've read about that might be important.

Thanks for the comments.

One other thing I learned today is that you can put a silicone pad between pots (especially cast iron pots) and the "burner". [My wife says our friends with the Bosch use parchment paper.] Helps prevent scratches.

 

[Pew]

I never knew this was a thing until somebody on this forum mentioned it last year.

 

[Rand]

@OVERKILL has had an induction stove for awhile too.

 

[Donald]

We have an electric cooktop (smooth top) and the only thing really wrong is the printing on the knobs is half worn off. I have looked for new knobs as parts and discontinued.

We will get an induction at some point in next year or two.

 

[BornSlippy]

I found Ben today too. He does sound like a straight shooter. I like the idea of polling lots of service people.

I noticed that ranges sold at Costco have a 2 year warranty. And a 90 day return policy. With some of the horror stories I've read about that might be important.

Thanks for the comments.

One other thing I learned today is that you can put a silicone pad between pots (especially cast iron pots) and the "burner". [My wife says our friends with the Bosch use parchment paper.] Helps prevent scratches.

We bought a silicone baking sheet from Canadian Tire and cut it up to cover the burners.

General PDP Template

www.canadiantire.ca

 

[Astro14]

What’s ironic about this discussion, is that while we have a smooth top glass range, what we really wanted was gas. We have a gas line to the house, and a gas furnace.

When we were replaced the range about 12 years ago, we looked at the cost of getting gas from the meter into the kitchen, and the extra $500 just wasn’t in the budget. We had kids in college at the time, etc…

So, we bought the smooth top electric to replace the old electric.

And when we pulled out the old electric - there was the gas pipe stub, right there at the range! It was already set up for gas!

 

[oil pan 4]

What’s ironic about this discussion, is that while we have a smooth top glass range, what we really wanted was gas. We have a gas line to the house, and a gas furnace.

When we were replaced the range about 12 years ago, we looked at the cost of getting gas from the meter into the kitchen, and the extra $500 just wasn’t in the budget. We had kids in college at the time, etc…

So, we bought the smooth top electric to replace the old electric.

And when we pulled out the old electric - there was the gas pipe stub, right there at the range! It was already set up for gas!

Rule 20.

 

[Kira]

We've gas in the house and will likely go with another gas range.

We got burned by an 'over-electronified' washing machine and will gladly eliminate that from happening in the kitchen.

 

[4WD]

We have everything on gas we want on gas …
but when we remodeled - (yes, blanked off pipe was there) - we wanted a gas cooktop - but dual electric ovens …

 

[D60]

No help but this thread reminds me I still need to try to find a new control board for our ~2005 Admiral only because the buttons have "crushed" in.

Thanks for adding a project back onto my list (sigh).

 

[BornSlippy]

We've owned electric coil top, gas and now induction.

Induction is by far my favourite. Easy to clean smooth top, instant heat control, all the energy is being transferred into the pan, not the surrounding surfaces and air.

The last gas range we bought in 2001 was a GE that my FIL is still using. We moved to a house with no gas line to the kitchen so we sold it to my inlaws. Zero repairs. It has an electronic control for the oven, and it's the original control board. Electronics can be made to last, it seems manufacturers don't want them to last anymore.

 

[ecotourist]

We've gas in the house and will likely go with another gas range.

We got burned by an 'overelectronified' washing machine and will do gladly eliminate that from happening in the kitchen.

Simpler is better. No induction stove will be simple but the simpler the better. For us:

• 4 burners
• knobs
• one oven
• convection (it's a feature but we really like that one)
• no internet or WiFi

And some guys on Bob will hate this but one of the 5 brands Consumer Reports says are the most reliable (top tier - LG, Bosch, Frigidaire) or (2nd tier - Jennair, GE).

 

[OVERKILL]

@OVERKILL has had an induction stove for awhile too.

Yep. We had some early growing pains, covered under warranty (control board replacement and range board replacement on the one side) but it has been fine since, for the last 5 years or more, can't remember the exact date we bought it.

As you note, there are some quirks:
- Some pans heat much quicker and get hotter at the same setting than others
- The heat levels are NOT the same as for non-induction. Low is medium, medium is high and high is the surface of the sun
- Cast iron works really well as long as you don't use high
- Very low/keep warm/melt "pulses" the magnet, which means it's not a constant heat, there's a bit of variation. Not much of an issue with heavy pots/pans that hold a lot of heat (stainless, cast iron) but is noticeable with light stuff (like my "stone" coated ones).

 

[BornSlippy]

Yep. We had some early growing pains, covered under warranty (control board replacement and range board replacement on the one side) but it has been fine since, for the last 5 years or more, can't remember the exact date we bought it.

As you note, there are some quirks:
- Some pans heat much quicker and get hotter at the same setting than others
- The heat levels are NOT the same as for non-induction. Low is medium, medium is high and high is the surface of the sun
- Cast iron works really well as long as you don't use high
- Very low/keep warm/melt "pulses" the magnet, which means it's not a constant heat, there's a bit of variation. Not much of an issue with heavy pots/pans that hold a lot of heat (stainless, cast iron) but is noticeable with light stuff (like my "stone" coated ones).

What brand?

 

[ecotourist]

Yep. We had some early growing pains, covered under warranty (control board replacement and range board replacement on the one side) but it has been fine since, for the last 5 years or more, can't remember the exact date we bought it.

Was it out of service during those growing pains? If yes, for how long?

 

[D60]

And some guys on Bob will hate this but one of the 5 brands Consumer Reports says are the most reliable (top tier - LG, Bosch, Frigidaire) or (2nd tier - Jennair, GE).

But which has cup holders? That should rate the highest!

 

[OVERKILL]

What brand?

KitchenAid

 

[OVERKILL]

Was it out of service during those growing pains? If yes, for how long?

No, it still worked, was just acting up. When the burner board failed, we did lose the ability to use half the cooktop, but the oven and other two burners still worked.