So, let me get this out of the way, this is a request for information, under the guise of a design question.
Our range/oven (gas) in our home is getting ready to die. I’ve spent a few hundred on it already, to fix a door motor. Seriously, the motor that makes the door locked shut for the self-cleaning cycle was faulty, it kept making a clicking noise all the time, and the oven wouldn’t heat up. Now that dumb thing is fixed, but the oven won’t go over 100 degrees, which means its an igniter, or the board. I don’t have the $ or patience to deal with either because its guaranteed to be a losing proposition.
Which means I have to find a new unit.
The KitchenAid is currently the front-runner. The Fridgidaire is second, because the nicely surfaced bezel surrounding the knobs and controls is PLASTIC. The GE Cafe looks like a Dacor which costs thousands more, but the features are somewhat lacking which makes me think its purely a styling exercise, trying to look more upscale. Well it does have an oval shaped burner in the middle, but the knobs are plastic, or perhaps metallized plastic.
Our house is 1962, vaguely modern lines, but more like a log cabin than a mid-century look. There are other stainless appliances in the kitchen. No predominant styling motifs throughout the house other than ‘suburban Seattle’.
And no - Wolf, Viking, Gaggenau etc are not under consideration. We have Montessori school to pay for.
Any insights from GE/Whirlpool/appliance designers on the pros and cons of these ranges, from a design, materials, or engineering POV? Who is the OEM of these units? Are some of the features liable to fail? Any other good ones in the sub $2K price point that look decent and perform well? And, what happened with the Whirlpool “White is the new Stainless” color?
Thank you.