[PrairieRose]

There is a reason I ask this question. About 10 yrs. ago we replaced our 35 yr. old Tappan gas oven with the new on the market model Whirlpool with an electric igniter instead of a pilot light. I really loved not having a pilot light for all the obvious reasons. Weeeeuuuulllll, every year after about the 2nd year we had the dang thang, the stupid igniter would go out. With labor and parts it would cost over $100 to fix it. Turns out it was the only part not covered by the warranty, naturally. We bought this oven locally and have been so mad at the owners of the store over this thing I can't tell you. Anyway, 2 years ago, I said "that's it, I'm not having it fixed again!". Gripey said well what are you gonna do? I said, I'm not gonna have an oven until I can afford a new one. Ssoooo, this year we're seriously considering a new oven before the holidays. I've been using Nesco cookers, crockpots, slow cookers, griddles, everything you can imagine in lieu of an oven. It's worked ok, but I have to admit I'm just about down to my last nerve for not having an oven. There are so many times lately that I'd want to cook something (that I naturally hadn't planned ahead enough to cook in the crock pot or slow cooker, etc.) and couldn't b/c of not having an oven. Gripey and I have been talking about this these past couple of days. But here's our dilemna. I'd buy an oven in the city tomorrow, after doing some research on the best price, etc... . But we live in the boonies. If we don't buy locally, we can't get things serviced or repaired if need be. I feel so trapped by this I can't tell you. I reckon we're gonna break down and buy a derned oven, from the local guy but you better believe I'm gonna camp out in front of his store with a sign about having bought a lemon from ****'s if the thing gives me the kinds of fits that this one has. I mean it, I'm gonna raise cane. :bang:

 

[Kimberlina]

Gees, that stinks (about the igniter.) Have you written directly to the manufacturer about having to repeatedly replace the thing? I would STILL give it a try, even today. A well-written letter can sometimes work wonders.

Anyway, I could probably live a long time without an oven. (Funny thing to hear from a former pastry chef, huh?) Anyway, I don't HAVE to use mine. I just wouldn't eat things I had to bake. And if I were allowed to use my toaster oven, I could do this indefinitely- it is pretty large and I could bake cookies, bread, even small pizzas in it. Baring that, though, I have a bread maker I could use to bake bread, a range, a microwave, and a crockpot I could use for many things I might make in the oven.

 

[Kimberlina]

Here is a sample letter, more info (youre not the only one with Whirlpool complaints!) and more:

http://www.consumeraction.gov/caw_problems_sample_complaint.shtml

As the link on the near the bottom left on the above page says, don't give up!

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/website/links2.shtml#consumer

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/whirlpool_ranges.html

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/consumer.shtml#ifyou

 

[Lori Biever-Launder]

We didn't have a regular oven for YEARS when I was a kid. We DID have a coleman camp oven. It worked very well. It sits in top of your regular stove's burners. I think they are about $50.00 new (US), but I could be wrong. Check eBay--there might be one there!

These aren't large enough to cook a turkey in, but we used it for chickens, pies, biscuits, corn bread, etc.

 

[staceyy]

I couldn't live a day without my oven as I too am a trained pastry chef. But it would certainly do me good to be without one as I recently landed in the hospital and found out I am diabetic. The darndest thing happened though. When I came home after two weeks in the hospital, my oven didn't work and it took me months to be able to get it fixed because of scheduling problems. Do you think someone was trying to tell me something?

 

[pkellyc]

I went a couple of years without one. I did have a small convection oven that I never really learned how to use correctly. I might think about another brand though, if I were you. I had the same problem with a Maytag washer. I bought it thinking it was the best and would not have to replace it for years. After a several letters and much complaining they did repair it twice. When the transmission went this last time I gave up, the warranty was now up. The washer was only 5 years old. I had spent an additonal $400 in labor by then. (the warranty only covered parts at the end) I will now never buy another Maytag and I will never buy another appliance from Sears as long as I live! There was also a group lawsuit going against Maytag at the time but not for my exact year and model. Figures just my luck! I now have a $300 GE (after rebates) and if it goes in a couple of years what the heck at least its better than a $900 lemon.

Good luck with your new stove and enjoy it. As you can see I am still so frustrated with my last experience. I do like my new one, but I am still angry over the last one. Deep breaths, deep breaths. lol Still working on letting it go.

P.S. Just for the record my clothes are comming out of the washer just as clean as they did in the Maytag. And I have not needed to call a repairperson yet.

 

[Sara Noel]

We went without an oven for over a year a few yrs ago. We currently have a double oven and one oven is broken and the remaining oven isn't true to temperature, but is still operating.

I wouldn't want to live without one again, but worked around it for a year in the past.

That is pretty rotten that you have to buy from the same guy again. I'm not sure I could do it, but understand why you need to.

 

[Jerseygirl]

We went without gas of any kind, so no cooktop stove or oven once for about 3 months after a move and dh and I for about 8 weeks after a move. It wasn't terrible, I microwaved and toaster ovened, and occasionally used the electric wok. I just couldn't do any big pieces of meat, but that is rare anyway.

 

[pita1213]

our first apartment didn't have an oven. it was a one room apartment over a garage and coudln't have an oven because of city zoining laws. since it wasn't connected to the main house ( detatched garage) putting in an oven would have made the apartment concidered a second house on the same lot. we were managed for 1.5 years with just a toaster oven. the apartment had a range, but no oven. it was big enough to bake a 9 inch cake, so it was plenty big for our needs back then.

 

[dolphin]

We went about 6 months without an oven last year. My heating element went out and I couldn't find and couldn't afford a new one. Finally found a guy locally who only charged $34.00 for the part and dh hooked it up for us so that was the whole cost. Luckily we got it 2 days before Thanksgiving! We have a gas grill so I cooked most meats out there and also veggies in aluminum foil. We cooked pizza's in the toaster over as well as garlic bread. I used my microwave alot and also my iron skillets and stew pots. I made do but sure didn't like it.

 

[MOMMYDEAREST]

WELL I JUST SURVIVED 3 WEEKS WITHOUT MINE.....AND I WAS GOING BONKERS. IT COSTS US $195.00 TO FIX IT. GLAD TO HAVE IT BACK IN BUSINESS!!!!