My range has broken, and I don't think it is worth fixing.

[Lisa0825]

It's probably between 15 and 20 years old, and from what I have found online, the part that is the likely culprit would cost over $200 (and that is if I can install it without paying a repairman). It's the touchpad/clock module.

I should just buy new one rather than put money into it. But I don't want to do that yet. If I buy a new one now, I'll be buying a cheap model. If I can wait one year, I can buy a medium-priced model (or maybe even slightly upscale), because I have another large expense that I am saving up for right now, and I won't dip into that savings, and I don't want to charge any large expenses.

I live alone and really only cook something complicated maybe once a month, maybe less. Today I bought an electric double burner for $26. I have a microwave, a toaster oven, a crock pot, a rice cooker, and an electric roaster oven. I actually also need a new toaster oven, but this one functions. I was planning to get a new one soon, or maybe a counter top convection oven. I can get a convection oven for under $100.

So for $126 I can pretty much do everything I need to do for the next year, and then when I am ready to shop for the appliance which I will hopefully have for another 15 years, I won't have to skimp on it.

Any input on my dilemma?

[elleng]

1. 'Hang loose,' 'Know when to hold,'

etc.

DON'T by a range now; sounds like you're set, with all the 'small' appliances that appear to satisfy your needs.

[Lisa0825]

4. Thanks! Yeah, there may be some things I can't do well with this set up...

but nothing I can't live without for a while. And maybe I'll just learn to get more creative with my small appliances

[Warpy]

2. No, I can see myself doing the same thing

I already have the hotplate, purchased so that I can do really acrid dyestuffs outdoors. I live out of my toaster oven all summer (with bigger stuff in a solar oven), so it wouldn't be much of a hardship for me.

The other avenue you can explore is the reconditioned used stove. I bought my appliances reconditioned when I moved in here 17 years ago and they've been trouble free.

People rarely use more than 2 hobs at a time, and when I run out of places to put pots, I have been known to stack them on top of each other, boiling pasta on the bottom and heating frozen veg on the top. It looks weird but it works just fine.

[Lisa0825]

5. Yeah, I rarely use more than one burner at a time...

I do plan to look into reconditioned, but if I do that, I'll probably want to still get the most I can get for my money. I think waiting will make me happier in the end. I just wasn't sure if it was kind of crazy. I think if I were cooking for a family, it would be a bigger inconvenience.

I also love using a toaster oven, especially in hot weather! Less heat in the house!

[Warpy]

9. I tend to get cheaper stoves

only because they have fewer "features" to fuck up, wear out early, and generally shorten the life of the stove.

I know my last one in Boston in 1990 dated from the late 1940s.

[kestrel91316]

10. Hear, hear!! Same with refrigerators. Keep it simple.

[Lisa0825]

13. I don't need a complicated model, but I would like a dependable one....

and sometimes that means spending more for quality craftsmanship. I'm not looking for bells and whistles, but I want to be able to buy the most reliable model I can afford.

Yes, same with refrigerators too. I need a refrigerated compartment and a freezer compartment. I even prefer NOT to have an ice maker or water dispenser. Those options just seem to be more trouble than they are worth.

[TheMadMonk]

3. Yeah. Don't buy one where the failure of a single part...

...renders the whole thing unusable.

Also for $100, it might be possible to find a repairman of the old school capable of bypassing whatever "feature" of the timer module, is rendering the rest inopperable. Then you can hold off until an actual core function part gives up the ghost.

[Lisa0825]

6. I spent a lot of time in the last 24 hours reading DIY appliance repair posts online...

Most modern ranges depend on the darn touch pad, which may or may not be in conjunction with the clock. It can cost from $100 up to $400 to repair or replace the part, from what I read. Think about it.... ALL new appliances have digital readouts, buttons, etc. How many still have knobs and no electronic controls?

Professional repair people gave advice at these sites, and I do believe they give good info, based on cross-checking their pricing with the parts retailers. If my oven was $1000 and relatively new, it might be worth $200 to try fixing it, but with the age of mine, it's just not the best way to spend my money.

Still, it was an inexpensive oven 15-20 years ago, so I don't feel like I can really complain much.

http://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/
http://applianceguru.com/forum1/

[catnhatnh]

7. Try Craigslist...

might find something cheap or even free...

[Lisa0825]

8. Thanks, I will check. If I could get it cheaper, I'd try to fix. nt

[TheMadMonk]

11. Hope i didn't come across as critical of you.

Just between you, me and a possible future armagedon. Go gas, and go simple. Absolute minimum, you want it with knobs on.

Our $600 stove bought 5 years ago, plugs in for the light, oven fan and igniters, but has a cheapie clockwork timer and cheerfully cooks dinner in the middle of a blackout.

It's also relatively easy to convert any natural gas burner to syngas in a worst case scenario. Other direction not so simple unless the burners have adjustable air mixers.

[Lisa0825]

12. Oh no, not at all!

I don't do gas. I had a nearly disastrous situation with gas once, and I just don't trust it. In this house, I had both gas and electric, but when I had to replace my water heater and central air/heat system, I decided to go all electric. Some would say it's illogical, but sometimes past events shape our thoughts and actions.

I have not seen any modern electric models with basic controls. If I do find some, I will certainly research them for dependability. I don't need a freaking wifi oven with multi-timer options. I just need it to turn on, stay at temp, and turn off on command. LOL!

Can I ask what brand your stove is? Maybe they make an electric model too?

[TheMadMonk]

16. Botom of the range Westinghouse.

One major problem with electric is to get decent energy efficiency, there is no way to avoid electronics. And once you have electronic controlers on the elements, it's just too easy to go pushbutton, timer integration, and all the other bells and whistles.

[Major Nikon]

14. You might want to try shopping around online for the part

I had the same thing happen to my oven and I was able to find the correct part considerably cheaper by just checking out various appliance parts sites.

[Lisa0825]

15. The people with the same problem as me were sharing the

prices they had found at various sites online. The cheapest seemed to be a guy who said he would refurbish the part if you mailed it to him, and even that was $100 plus shipping. But I will also look on my own as well.

[sinkingfeeling]

17. What about finding a used high-grade model?

[Lisa0825]

18. I started thinking about that last night after posting here....

The place I looked that had a large selection of used models did not do delivery and set up. It was up to you to bring a truck and take it home. I had bought a fridge and an AC unit from them years ago, back when I was married, and my ex had his employees move it and set it up for us. I can't do that now. I'll have to check with some other places and see if they have used models they just don't advertise online, that they will deliver.

[sinkingfeeling]

19. Another idea. We have a 'dent and scratch' store that carries brand new appliances,

is an outlet from a major seller, and does delivery and set up. Does any such place exist near you? Ours is 'Tucker's Appliance Outlet'

[Lisa0825]

20. Not that I am aware of near me. Maybe up in Houston

if they would deliver over 30 miles away.