Kitchen Range

I cook and bake a LOT, so this is a subject that really matters to me. My theory is that companies who manufacture kitchen ranges know that the majority of American consumers don't cook and bake much, so they can get away with inferior products.

When we bought our house in 1986, it came with a wonderful old Norge gas range. It was terrific (and looked really cool, too). 8 or 9 years ago, it died -- to the point where even Tom couldn't fix it. So we went shopping for a new range. Off to Best Buy.

We're not, by any measure, rich, but quality matters to us. We found what we thought was a pretty good Amana range for about $500. It was delivered and installed. The first thing we noticed was how much we hated the black oven door (even though the rest of the range was white). The way it sits in our kitchen is such that the range is almost the first thing you see when you walk in the front door. It just looked like a giant black hole. The next thing we noticed the first time we tried to cook on it was that the burner plates weren't level (cast iron grates - gas stove). Every pot we set on it wobbled. It was awful, and we knew we couldn't put up with that. So back to Best Buy, where there is a decent return policy (although this happened within 24 hours, so we were pretty sure it wouldn't be a problem).

Armed with an average size pot, we tried every range they had. It was amazing how many of them had the same wobbly burner problem. We finally found a Maytag that had level burner grates, and oddly enough, a beautiful white oven door. It cost about $750, but we figured it was worth it. Sold.

On the whole, this has been a very agreeable range. BUT, there are things about it that just irritate the hell out of me. First and foremost is the fact that our cats have tried to kill us with it on several occasions. The control knobs for the burners turn too easily. The thing is, with an electronic ignition, you have to turn the knobs to a certain point, and it click click clicks, and the burners ignite, then you adjust the flame. If you turn it past that point before they ignite, the gas just comes out without any fire. Several times, our cats jumped up there trying to get to the window, and (accidentally, we hope) turned the knobs. We walked in and smelled gas. Very scary. So now, we have to pull the knobs off whenever we're not using them.

I like a really clean range. This one is very difficult to clean. Within a month, something got between the layers of glass in the oven door and made an ugly drippy thing. The wells where the burners are located are impossible to clean. They're white enamel, and get stained the first time something boils over. Tom's suggestion for the ideal range is that those wells should be black cast iron. It would look cool, be super easy to clean, and durable as all get out.

The only other things I find really annoying is that all the plastic bits (and there are quite a few) really yellow with use (contrasting in an unattractive way with the bright white of the rest of the range), and that the first time I tried to wash the control knobs, the painted markings started to flake off. Oh, and we had to replace the oven igniter about 2 years ago, and now it's making the same noise that means we'll have to replace it again soon.

Like I said, I cook and bake a LOT, and this has been, for the most part an agreeable appliance. It's just that for $750, I would expect a lot more. I certainly don't believe the bit about Maytag repairmen not having anything to do.