[peanut]

How would you go about finding a good stove frugally?

I have a stove whose oven is not consistent in it's heating/baking. And the coils aren't working well. And the drawer down below is constantly coming off it's tracks and too difficult for me to pull in and out.

I would like a smooth top that can heat high enough to can food, a convection oven for baking, and a drawer that doesn't land on my foot whenever I pull it out...IF I can pull it out! I will be using it to teach cooking classes.

Doesn't seem like much to ask. So I'm wondering why they are charging $1000-1500 for it brand new? Any ideas on how to replace this waste of money anyone?

 

[nuisance26]

~Are you on Facebook? I belonged to a couple local groups in NJ that "swapped" appliances fairly regularly. Good working items were sold around $50-200 depending on type and features.
How about public auctions? Estate sales? ~

 

[peanut]

Thanks Nuisance. I'll check out the Used.com page for our city, and Kijiji.

 

[savvy_sniper]

peanut, I have read that smooth top stoves/burners are NOT the way to go when canning. You might want to do a little research on that before buying one.

 

[peanut]

thanks Mary. I heard that the old ones weren't, but the new ones with the extra wattage in the front burners were okay. My sister does canning on hers all the time. A phone call to her is in the offing.

 

[miss_cas]

My family purchased my appliances new at Sears when I purchased my house. I chose to use my wedding money for this.

Sears has sales on Memorial Day and Labor Day. Apply for a Sears card now and you can save another 10-20%. Just pay off the bill at the end of the money.

I've had no problems with my Kenmore appliances (fridge, stove, dishwasher, dryer) and they are 11 years old now. These are LOW END items.

You can still pick up a sealed-top electric range for $500 and gas ranges somewhat cheaper (but require a more laboreous cleaning).

I WAS NOT HAPPY with washer. I returned it before a year of age to get a different brand. The delicate wash cycle was so short, stuff was always still dirty. At no charge, Sears took the return without question, picked it up and delivered replacement I picked up in store.

 

[Hamada]

Are there any Habitat for Humanity restores in your area?

ReStore Building Supplies | Habitat for Humanity Canada

 

[Spirit Deer]

I can see where the flat stovetops would be nice for cleaning, but for everything else, IMO gas beats electric every time. I've had both and while I didn't mind my electric stoves, I doubt I'll ever own one again if I can possibly avoid it.

+1 for Sears appliances. We got a killer deal on our new freezer there last winter.

 

[NikoSan999]

I have a glass top stove and if it ever goes I'll never have another one. An electric one that I can take the pan things out and scrub down I'll take anytime. If they get to bad you can replace them cheap enough.

The glass top is a major pain in the butt.

My favorite is gas but this is Florida and propane tanks are almost unheard of here or at least rare. I've only seen one or two in Home Depot or Lowes since we've been here.

Nope, no more glass topped for me.

 

[frugalfranny]

I would like a smooth top that can heat high enough to can food,

Have heard that you aren't supposed to do any canning on a smooth top............just a thought. Violates the warranty if you do......might depend on the brand.

Don't think I would want one...........though never had one.......a couple friends have them and aren't real crazy about them.......certain ways to clean, can't use certain pots, can't can...........hmmmmm. (though I have a cousin that does canning on hers.)

If not the habitat store..........I would check a used appliance store.

We have lots of them here, and they will guarantee them for a short time...........habitat usually doesn't, if they even have them.

 

[Spirit Deer]

Niko, what do you dislike about your stove top?

 

[peanut]

I decided to go for the smooth top anyways. It's virtually a brand new stove for $400. They bought a new house and wanted to upgrade to stainless steel. So the appliances that came with the house have to go.

I will not be unhappy to say goodbye to the cast iron pans anyways, as I cannot lift them easily. We'll see about the canning. One burner is a high wattage burner, which means canning could be done on it.

It also has a convection oven that does a great job according to the wife. Hmm...we'll see... Still it can't be any worse than what I have now. And I like having that much off the price.

I have used a glass top stove before in Edmonton. My only complaint is that when all the burners were on at once, it took a long time for anything to heat up and cook. However, as I understood the owners, it was a bum stove from that company, and not typical of their products, which they'd used before.

My first choice would be gas SD, but I am not in a position to retrofit the kitchen to gas...unfortunately.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

I have a glass top and I'll never go back to scrubbing drip pans on a gas or electric coil stove. No way no how. I think we've had it ten years now and we just wipe it off daily and it is fine. Sometimes it needs the plastic scrubbie. I've canned on it and I use cast iron on it with absolutely no issues.

But to answer the original question, keep an eye out for discontinued models. I got mine roughly half price from Best Buy because it was the display model. Got fridge from Lowes the same way.

 

[peanut]

Hmm...well if we can keep the cast iron DH will be very happy. I just won't use them myself, as I have a tendency to bang around with them. They are heavy and I'm pretty weak in the wrists.

 

[NikoSan999]

Niko, what do you dislike about your stove top?

I despise cleaning the top. I can't keep it clean even with the best supposedly "made for" cleaner and the scrubby. Stuff boils over or drips like stuff does and hits the hot top and bakes/burns right there. Can't do anything until it cools off and by then it's a thick black mess.

And the "made for" scrubby HAS taken the black color off or at least you can see it on the scrubby.

That's pretty much it. Cleaning it, to me, is a superior pain in the a##.
So that's why. But...It does heat quick. It looks nice.

A regular electric stove I can take the pans out and SOS or Brillo them and if they ever get to bad for a few bucks I can replace them with new. Same with the coil things. Take the bad one off, buy a new one and shove it in.

 

[freebs]

What I like about the regular coil style is that the burners can be replaced cheap along with the pans. I had a smooth top and on the forth year of owning it the only large burner went out. To get a new burner was $175. Once that one went out it didnt take long for the rest of them to go. So i went back with the coil style at least for $20 i can replace the coil myself and not have to pay someone to replace the burner on the smooth top.

 

[Mr Fixit]

We have a Samsung electric stove with the solid top and a convection oven, and the girls love it. Before we had that one, we had a GE with the flat top, and it was not nearly as good. I think with the flat tops you either get a high quality one, or stay with the old fashion coil elements.
The low quality tops scratch easily, then they are harder to clean, and the elements burn out quicker.

 

[NikoSan999]

What I like about the regular coil style is that the burners can be replaced cheap along with the pans. I had a smooth top and on the forth year of owning it the only large burner went out. To get a new burner was $175. Once that one went out it didnt take long for the rest of them to go. So i went back with the coil style at least for $20 i can replace the coil myself and not have to pay someone to replace the burner on the smooth top.

Exactly, WAY cheaper...not as pretty maybe but cheaper and easier to keep clean.

 

[NikoSan999]

We have a Samsung electric stove with the solid top and a convection oven, and the girls love it. Before we had that one, we had a GE with the flat top, and it was not nearly as good. I think with the flat tops you either get a high quality one, or stay with the old fashion coil elements.
The low quality tops scratch easily, then they are harder to clean, and the elements burn out quicker.

Have to disagree with that. Ours is an LG top of the line and is a pain in the a$$ to clean. Doesn't scratch easy but the black does show on the scrubby. No problem with the elements. Knock on wood.
It is also convection and all the warming crap, different timers and a button for popcorn, one for chicken nuggets, one for mac & cheese...one for this and one for that. Each food has it's own button to cook it "to perfection".

Need a degree to learn how to use the da*) thing. No, the stove was NOT my idea.

 

[Mr Fixit]

Well Niko, I rarely use our stove, but the girls have never had one complaint about our stove. They have done a lot of cooking, and they let it cool before cleaning. And no black stuff has ever came off of the top other than burned food or whatever. Our top still looks brand new, and the stove is already 2 years old, so it has had some usage.
They dont cook everyday, but at least 5 days a week they make dinner, and breakfast on the weekends, so it is quite possible that you cook a lot more than we do.
We go out for dinner at least 2 nights a week, and we all work, so maybe that is why ours has held up better!