Gas range recommendations that are not General Electric. The knobs melted!

[blackhound]

The backstory: I recently purchased a 30" GE Profile gas range. It had significant problems with the burner control knobs heating up with basic oven use to the point that you can't handle them without a potholder. If you use broil, self-clean, or just run the oven at high temps the plastic knobs begin to melt. So the stove is being returned to the dealer. It never occurred to me that I should Goggle "melting knobs" before I purchased it, but apparently I'm not the only one with this issue.

I've cooked with gas most of my life and never had overheated knobs with my old range, but now I'm curious. Is this a common problem with other brands of gas ranges? I'd like to think that the problem I had with GE and melting/overheated knobs is particular to that company.

So now I'm on the hunt for a new range. I understand Electrolux is good and that Kenmore Elite is an Electrolux. Any thoughts are most welcome as clearly my gas range shopping foo hasn't turned out so well to date.

[dmd_kc]

I purchased an Electrolux dual-fuel a few months ago and couldn't possibly be happier with it. I used to love a GE Profile I had in an old house, except its light-gray grates were impossible to keep clean. They don't make that model any longer.

Check with GE. I'm sure you can get replacement knobs with a new design. I had excellent customer service from them.

[skcreedon]

Hi,
I am scrambling for information as we are getting a replacement for our Electrolux Induction Range. I will not bore you with the details. We are going back to gas - and already have an Electrolux French Door Fridge but can someone tell me -- what am I doing wrong. The venting on the top edge of the range door consistently lets moisture and anything else run down the inside of the triple paned door window. I love the stye of this range but the gas model has vents in the same place and I'm afraid the same thing will happen. What I don't understand is NO ONE writing an Electrolux review is mentioning this issue. And, all I see if rave reviews -- I'm starting to feel like its me !!! Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
PS The cooktop on this induction range is a nightmare to keep clean too - we look at it and it gets dirty.

[Samurai]

I am currently using a Viking gas stove that seems to work fine. I wanted to have both a gas range and gas ovens, so Viking was one that didn't trade out the oven for electric. My sister has the same set up in a stove top. Before I use a Dacor gas range top that worked well too.

[ferret]

I have a self-cleaning GE Profile, maybe 2-3 years old and have never experienced any excessive heating, let alone melting knobs. You may not want to paint with such a broad brush.

[blackhound]

If you Google GE melting knobs you'll find I'm not the only one with this problem. In fact, the service tech acknowledged to me that it is a consistent problem with the gas range and they get a lot of calls for just that problem.

[flourgirl]

I have a GE Cafe Range - and I have the same problem. Well, almost the same. The knobs on my range didn't melt - they're metal. But the collars around the knobs are some kind of metallic looking plastic tape that sort of melted, or shriveled, on the bottom of some of the knobs. My dealer got me a couple of new sets. You can only see the damage from the bottom and it doesn't affect the performance so I'll just hold onto the parts for now.

Yes, at high oven temps, those knobs can get pretty darn hot. I've only really noticed one time that they got so hot it was kind of an issue to touch them with bare hands but it's certainly something I'm always conscious of now . And yes, it's a pretty big design flaw in my book.

Other than that though, I've been really happy with the range and never considered returning it. There was just nothing else out there at the time that I bought this range that met all my needs in terms of form , function and price.

[CharlieTheCook]

Dacor.

[coney with everything]

Wow, I have an el cheapo GE gas range and never had the problem, and I use the self-cleaning function fairly frequently.

The knobs on mine are on the front of the stove, are yours on the back? I notice with my stove that if the oven is hot I can feel a LOT of heat at the back of the cooktop, so much that I have to be careful about not leaving anything there that could burn.

[blackhound]

The knobs are on the front. Heat just pours out from the oven door. The GE Profile is very popular and tons of people just love their range, but you can also find consistent complaints about the overheated and melting knobs. Makes me wonder if the problem is related to whatever factory the stove might have come from. Whatever the issue, I'm moving on to a different brand. Just not sure what!

[goodhealthgourmet]

if it's within your budget, i'd encourage you again to look into a KitchenAid. the one i had was a joy to use, and i loved the frameless cook top design - the grates covered the entire surface area so the whole thing was flat & even - definitely handy for griddles or roasting pans, and the cast iron grates were super-sturdy, easy to clean, and cooled off pretty quickly.

[blackhound]

I didn't look at Kitchen Aid the first time around, but this time it is definitely on my list.

[goodhealthgourmet]

if you use the oven a lot you'll appreciate it even more - the temperature is pretty true and even, and the convection option and digital settings are definitely bonuses.

[Dave5440]

Funny I see this thread now 2 knobs on my GE profile range crumbled in my hands this week , it's 2 years old but I have never noticed the knobs being hot , but then again I have almost no feeling in my fingers

[truman]

We just redid our kitchen in December and picked out this Frigidaire Gallery gas range:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_29714-2251-LGGF3043KF_4294858007+4294850701_4294937087?productId=3055861&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_Freestanding%2BGas%2BRanges_4294858007 4294850701_4294937087_
(Note that this model seems to be exclusive to Lowes; the next model down [http://www.lowes.com/pd_33919-2251-LG... 4294850701_4294937087_] was available at Sears as well.

)

We're very happy with it - the burners and oven work consistently. It takes less than 10 min to preheat the oven to 350, and there are plenty of different rack positions to accomodate whatever you need. There are two "high power" burners and two "low power" burners so you can control temperature on your pot really well. We haven't used the middle burner much, except for an unfortunate attempt at pancakes (note to self: cast iron needs to be seasoned before use!). The only complaint I have is that the black surface under the burners shows dust really well... but it doesn't affect cooking at all.

[goodhealthgourmet]

"The only complaint I have is that the black surface under the burners shows dust really well... but it doesn't affect cooking at all."
~~~~~
i have a black enamel-coated Frigidaire right now, and i swear the thing ATTRACTS any speck of dust within a 5-mile radius of the house. i wipe it down at least once every day and it's still never enough!

[blackhound]

I almost picked a Frigidaire slide in instead of the GE. Probably should have. So the control knobs on your range stay relatively cool to the touch?

[Beckyleach]

I've never noticed the slightest problem with the knobs. They're all on the upper door panel, instead of the back panel (which certainly helps; the heating vent is in the lower upper panel, so my teakettle has to be moved from it's spot on the stovetop when I'm really cooking something hot....the oven controls are push bottom (on the back panel) and the burner knobs are on the front upper door panel.

[truman]

Ditto what Beckyleach said - the knobs stay cool. If you look at the pictures in the links I posted above, you can see where the knobs are (in the front, out of the way of the gas burners).

[momof2boldies]

My mother just got the Frigidaire Gallery range from Lowes (the one in your link), and it had to go back to the store because the knobs and faceplate behind the knobs got too hot to touch when the oven was on. The store said they are not supposed to do that. The replacement came today, so hopefully it will have better results or it will be going back again. If it gets hot enough that you have to use a pot holder to touch them at 400 degrees, what would it be like at self-cleaning temperatures?

[Beckyleach]

I'm VERY happy with my Frigidaire Galaxy range, too. I'm not sure of the model number, but mine has continuous cast iron grates, five burners, and a True European convection oven, as well. It cost about $800 last summer.

[Mousemom3]

Truman,

I would love to hear more about this range, as it is the one I am thinking of buying NOW...and I have never had gas before...I so need information on how it does with baking as I love to bake cakes, ets.

Does it brown well and is it even baking? Does it bake as well as electric? I am a little shy of it. I think I would like the stove top but not sure about the oven. :?

[goodhealthgourmet]

the condo i was renting last year had this KitchenAid, and i LOVED it...

http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/...

the cast iron grates were terrific, the burners were relatively sensitive, easy to control and pretty powerful, the oven heated *evenly* and quickly, the broiler was great...i long for it every time i use the crappy little Frigidaire in my current house!

[Chemicalkinetics]

Fancy condo.

[goodhealthgourmet]

it was. i miss that kitchen! i complained about certain things at the time, but it was WORLDS better than my current one.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Hopefully, you are paying less now at the current one, so at least you are saving money.