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A Stove Decision

First, please don’t think I’m being a manipulative wife. No doubt, some will think I am but I don’t feel like I am so . . I can live with all this with no guilt.

My Justification:

Most of you will agree that I cook a lot. I’d rather eat at home any day than go out. I think I spend more time in the kitchen than the average wife. It’s by choice – not something that is expected of me. Vince would be just as happy with a sandwich most any day, though he does appreciate the effort I put into our meals and I think he understands that cooking is as much of a hobby for me as is knitting.

When you figure that at most restaurants these days, not even taking into account the COVID risks of being out and around people, you’re going to pay at least $25 for any halfway decent lunch for two and upwards of $60 for an average or even low cost dinner in many places. I don’t think we’ve eaten dinner out anywhere in a very long time because neither of us drive after dark.

I’m not even going to discuss my dislike for the glass top stove because you all know how I feel about that. When we moved to MO the first time, in 2007, and I was stuck with that glass top stove, and I kept trying to figure out a way to get gas there, Vince promised me if I would just accept that one while we were there, I’d never have to have another one. When we found this house, that was my first question and since there’s already propane here, we will get a gas stove but the line has to be run through the sewing room ceiling (basement dropped ceiling thank goodness) so I have to at least get paths through there before the line can be added. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had done that before moving everything in there, but we didn’t.

My Stove Choice:

There was a particular brand that I’ve had my heart set on for years. It’s about three times the cost of the average stove but I felt like it was worth it. Vince and I have talked about through the years but he’s always said it was too expensive. I can get it in white with a lot of stainless so you would think it was white and will match the appliances in the kitchen, or you could think it was stainless so that when we start replacing appliances as they wear out, stainless will match. I told Vince . . if I get this one, even though it’s more expensive, we can keep the fridge, we can keep the fridge, wall oven, microwave, dishwasher, vent hood and sink and change those white appliances out as they break or need replacing. Vince liked that idea and agreed to go with that stove because it save money, at least in the short term.

I was so happy . . really, so very happy . . till I started reading reviews. Now, I feel like I should just go buy the average or low end of average stove, keep it for as long as it lasts and get rid of it – don’t expect anything special; don’t expect anything to last. We live in a throw away society and hoping for good quality and something that will last forever . . forget it. I wish Toyota made stoves! 🙂

At this point, I’m so disappointed, I’m thinking I’ll just keep that glass top.

The stove that I have in Texas, we’ve had for maybe 8 years. We’ve had to replace the knobs twice because some component of them is plastic and it breaks, Vince has had to replace two different parts in the oven and the repair people were out two different times to work on other things with the oven. I just don’t think that’s acceptable in an 8 year old stove, though most of the repairs happened within the first three years. That particular model, and it’s newer replacement models are consistently in the top rated gas stoves and I wouldn’t buy another one like it for anything. I’ve loved the stovetop but do not love the knobs and almost every stove we’ve looked at has that same plastic piece in the plastic knobs. Why??

I’ve talked to maybe five different appliance stores; told them I want a basic gas stove, with a gas oven, with convection and I want it to be rated near the top and be reliable and every single one of those places has recommended a different stove. It can’t be this hard . . can it? I guess the answer is “Yes, it can but it shouldn’t be!”

I give up! I’m not even thinking about a stove til after the first of the year. It will probably be at least that long before I have the sewing room ready for the plumber to come install the gas line.

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Comments

  1. Sadly, there seems to be no quality control any more. Just ask Dan how many times I say that!! When we were first married and Dan was in grad school, we lived in a tiny 8 x 35′ trailer with a gas stove and oven. Hands down, the best oven I’ve ever had although it was small. And I loved the cooktop for instant temp changes. For years I’ve dreamed of having a gas stove in our different houses. Until now. I think I’ve become too old to adjust to a flame! I can just see myself setting fire to my clothes. The stove I have, which I still think of as new, is twenty-one years old, bought when we moved into this house. It’s never needed one thing done to it and I’m sure it will last until they roll me down to the old folks home. And our dishwasher? It may be the original in this forty-two year old house. I’ve named her Brunhilde and she works like a champ, clean dishes in 45 minutes!! I compliment her often and dread the day we are forced to replace her because I hear nothing good about the new ones.

    • What you’re saying is exactly why I’m hesitant to get rid of the appliances in this house that were installed 17 years ago. Every one of them works much better than the 7 – 8 year old appliances in our house in Texas.

  2. Please don’t give up. I’m sorry it’s been a hard choice, but at the end you’ll be glad. I studied til I was blind, and was lost as a northbound goose headed south. Then we were passing Metro and I said can’t we just stop and look. Well the clouds parted and rays of sunshine pointed to the exact gas stove with everything I wanted. The only one they had was that floor model and so I got it at a reduced .price because floor model. Not a scratch or dent anywhere but honestly I’d have taken it anyway. It’s a GE Cafe model , 5 yrs old, convection oven etc. I’ll probably jinx it, but I’ve not had one single issue and I’d fight anyone who wanted to take it away. You’ll find “the one” when you least expect it.

    • Last night I kinda thought I’d like the Cafe models but GE is about the only brand Vince will NOT consider so . . the one I originally wanted, now I don’t want and I won’t even mention GE to Vince. We’ll probably end up with Samsung but I don’t know that Metro carries any Samsungs except the very top of the line and after the reviews on the other stove I wanted, I’m just going to stick with middle of the road. Maybe if Vince sees one of the Cafe stoves, he’d agree to it. For now . . I’m probably stuck with what I have.

      • That’s funny because when we moved in our last house the first thing we did was replace the gas stove with a GE gas stove. We had it close to 20 years with no problems other than the light needing replacing before there was an issue that would be more expensive than replacing the stove would be, so we got a new GE. We’ve had GE appliances in all our homes until now with no issues. We did have to buy a floor model Amana refrigerator when the one that came with the old house died and couldn’t be revived and that was a piece of garbage…never again! In this house we replaced the stove and fridge with GE but needed a low profile microwave so got a whirlpool…it was the only one that fit. So why doesn’t Vince like GE? They’re the only ones that have lasted for us!

  3. Stick to what you WANT for a stove. You’re the one cooking on it, and hopefully that will be for many years to come. I wanted a double oven when we replaced our kitchen appliances a couple of years ago. It was more expensive and had to be special ordered. But I liked the double oven I had, and wanted that same convenience.
    I make use of that double oven a lot, so it’s been worth the extra money as far as I’m concerned. So I say – get the one you know you want.

    • That’s the problem – now I don’t know what I want since what I wanted, and Vince agreed to get has terrible ratings. Now I don’t want that. It’s so hard to get anything now, you just about have to get what’s in stock or wait forever but I don’t have a clue what I want and am not yet willing to go into the stores and look at all of them. I thought I knew, now I don’t so I think I’ll just wait til I feel safer going into the appliance stores.

  4. Judy, I am also a lifelong gas stove fan. I have had an electric stove and a glass cooktop and they both drove me nuts. I have had older low end gas stoves that worked fine, and have been using a GE Monogram series gas cooktop and separate GE Professional double ovens with convection for 14 years.They were spendy,but we got kind of a break because we were building a house and ordered all the appliances at once. Now they’re old, but I have never had a problem. I love the cooktop, big powerful burners, heavy duty grates that support big pots and my pressure canner. Front and back burners are the same size so I can use a long griddle and have even heat.
    However, I did discover, months after the purchase, that the ovens are actually electric, not gas. I was disappointed, because I wanted to be able to cook even if there was no power. I can use the burners, but not the stove. It’s frustrating.
    An old house of ours had an ancient gas stove down in the basement that I used for holiday cooking and it worked great, power or not. I kind of think that might have been the best arrangement.
    Hopeful that you will find a solution that makes you happy.

    • I think with stoves made after about the mid 80’s, there are few, if any, ovens that will work without power because the thermostats are all electric. Like you, I want to be sure the stove top and the oven is gas.

      GE is the one brand Vince absolutely will not buy.

  5. If you have a Costco card, check the stoves at Costco. Or even Sam’s club, the last appliances I had to purchase have all been online.

    • No Costco stores around here. We aren’t able to get them home and get them installed so we’ll buy from the appliance store and have them install them.

        • Sam’s (here anyway) hires third parties to deliver and install and we have not had good luck with that. For us, it’s just easier to deal with a reputable appliance company. We’ll pay a little more but we’ll hopefully get better service.

  6. My GE top of the line stove and TofLine fridge were nothing but junk. Problem after problem We finally bought a mayytag and loved it, dishwasher too. 14 years. Dishwasher still ran, but oven died. I finally have an all black, non fingerprint kitchen. Samsung Stove and micro and LG fridge and dishwasher. Finally have a kitchen that matches since my Coppertone kitchen when we bought the house 55 years ago. Hubby finally told me to go ahead and order a dishwasher.

    Have you looked at a commercial stove? I bet you would love one of those. I would order something soon as it will take awhile to probably get what you want.

    • It was a commercial stove I had decided to get before reading the reviews.

    • I live in Europe, all my appliances are Bosch, I wouldn’t have anything else.

      • I’ve never been, and probably never will be a one brand shopper. I go by (in this order) features I want, reviews and price. I had a Bosch dishwasher once and it wasn’t bad but it definitely didn’t move that brand to the top of my “must have” list.

        It is nice to have a brand you love and that makes shopping much easier.

  9. I have a 20 year old Jenn-air with convection- propane. Love it. Had to replace one top burner about 5 years ago. It’s my go-to burner and gets used 90% of the time.

  10. I’m with you Judy. I had electric and then a glass top when #1 died, for over 30 years. I could simmer NOTHING. Every thing boiled which sucks when you want to simmer for 4-8 hours.

    I laid out $2k for a gas line and then paid for a KitchenAid gas range with double oven (oven is electric). I have not regretted the expense for 2 seconds. It will never pay for itself and I could care less! I love love love it. It has no plastic and I’ve had it less than 10 years.

    I cook a lot but You cook a ton! Have you considered a Wolf? I’m a few years younger than you and I wouldn’t blink at spending that if the mid range are poor quality these days.

    I don’t envy you this decision. I hope my Kitchen Aid lasts another 20 years.

    • It wasn’t a Wolf but was one of the really expensive ones that had terrible reviews. That’s what’s kinda thrown me off with all this.

  11. We’ve had a Wolf for nearly 8 years….no issues whatsoever. We love it. My husband just had to have the double griddle because he was going to be cooking “all the time!” Well, that didn’t happen, but we’re still very happy with it.

    • After the reviews I saw on the other stove I was looking at, I’m not willing, at least at the moment, to spend that much. I manage to get decent meals cooked, bread made, cookies and pies baked, using an electric oven with the glass top so even with an average priced gas stove, I’ll be fine.

  12. We are redoing the kitchen right now in our home we brought two years ago. I am replacing the glass top stove with a gas one. But it is duel fuel with electric in the oven. It is getting delivered on Monday. I am so nervous because this stove cost as much as a car and if it doesn’t last I will be devastated. We try to buy quality so that things will last and not need to be replaced, but in this day and age there is no guarantee things will which is such a shame. All we can do is buy the extended warranty and cross our fingers.
    Kind regards
    Kellie

    • Exactly! That’s why I was s disappointed in what I read about the stoves I had wanted. If I paid that much for a stove and had constant problems with it, I’d be way more unhappy than if I had bought a regular stove and had problems with it. Worse, it was something I talked Vince into buying and that would have been a constant problem if it was a bad stove. Knowing how appliances last these days, I’ve moved on from the commercial stove and will just deal with whatever I have to buy to get one that’s more reasonably priced.

  13. A appliance repair man told me manufacturers design appliances to last for decades in Europe but only 5 years in USA. No wonder ours are junk.. Have you considered a used commercial stove? With all the resturants that have gone out of business in CA there is going to be a giant inventory to choose from.

    • No, don’t want a used stove. I believe it about the 5 year life of appliances. We were in MO before for 4 years and replaced a dishwasher twice. I’m not sure I want a commercial stove. The one I had my heart set on was commercial and after reading all the reviews and the issues with getting repairs and parts for commercial stoves, I think I’m going to pass and get a regular household stove.

  14. We were chatting with a friend who is a home builder here in NC, and he said, not only is lumber way more expensive than before Covid, but they have to wait a really long time for windows AND there are very few appliances available. He said this is one if the biggest drawbacks for people building a home now. Very limited selection and long wait times. Good luck with your search.

    • So true. Vince said the quality of lumber is just awful too. We ordered recliners the first week in August and were told to expect them “maybe” in October but the guy said “You’ll be lucky to have them by Christmas. We don’t have them.

      A neighbor ordered a dishwasher probably 8 months ago and still doesn’t have it.

  15. This has nothing to do with stoves but it reminds me of a refrigerator Mom had – it was a Philco with a tiny little freezer compartment. When she replaced it I took it and put it in the garage as an extra. Years later we replaced our refrigerator in the kitchen and I put the the one we were replacing in the garage and gave the old Philco to a neighbor. She’s still using it and it has to be 60+ years old. I think the only thing we ever replaced was the gasket around the door.

    • Don’t you wish they still built things that way! Of course, the economy (of some country) would fail if we all kept appliances 50+ years. Thanks for sharing that. Vince will get a kick out of it.

  16. I was so happy last spring (when we bought this house), that it has a gas stove! It wasn’t a dealbreaker for me, but it was a great bonus. There’s a reason they say, “Now you’re cooking with gas.”

    The refrigerator, on the other hand, is not so good. John keeps thinking about replacing it, but I remind him of the wait these days!

    • Most places do have some of everything in stock but if you have your heart set on one, it probably ain’t happening right away.

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