The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Oven/range woes

cfraenkel's picture
cfraenkel

Oven/range woes

Hi Friends,

I am appealing to you for oven/range purchasing assistance.  (seriously)  I came home from my 3rd last day of work to find that my range (Bertazzoni - gas) is completely dead.  This is the second time it has died in 3 months...the last problem (termocouple) was fixed by my very tenacious DH after 3 wrong parts were supplied.  Now there is absolutely no gas even flowing to the unit.  I hate the oven anyway - I can only use one rack as *everything* burns unless i put a pan covered with foil on the bottom rack and some kind of diffuser on top of it (baking stone etc) I'd love an oven that could actually regulate temperature...Here are my issues:

1. The DH (based on BAD experiences and being an engineer) refuses to have any range that relies on electronics to function. Which is why we bought Bertazzoni - which lasted 13 years - longer than any other range we have had. (sad right?)

2.  I want a self cleaning oven which is in direct conflict with number 1.  (maybe the DH is the self clean?)

3. I would think that dual fuel would solve the oven temperature regulation issue, and the self clean issue but there are so many choices, and the reviews on some are horrible.

Anyone have any comments? suggestions?  The internet is sending me to look at Blomberg and Bosch.  Yes No maybe so?

Thanks in advance.

idaveindy's picture
idaveindy

One for you -- one for him.  You get whatever you want.  He gets whatever he wants.

His can go in the garage or basement.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

some kind of "safety" mechanism has been tripped that no gas is coming into the unit.  If you haven't already, Call the gas company to see if any work has been done on the line and if bills have all been paid into your account, also their recommendations on servicing gas ranges.  There may be a free check on such occasions.  Any leak in the hose can cause a shut down in the connection to the unit.  Check oven burner openings, they can clog with time/use and heat oven unevenly.  That everything in the oven burns too easily make me wonder about the flame adjustments on the unit.   Anyway, that's all I can think of right now.  

If switching to electric, make sure you have the appropriate power supply.  

cfraenkel's picture
cfraenkel

You have answers for me. Thanks Mini, and all the other gas appliances are working, so it's not the bill! Service has been called, I'm just frustrated that it's a week before they can get out to look at it. Not that a new unit would be any faster...

barryvabeach's picture
barryvabeach

The general, though not universal, thought is that dual fuel ranges are overpriced for what you get  ( and I certainly thought that about the one I bought ).  Do you have the space to have a built in oven as well as a separate cooktop? If so, you can get a gas cooktop, and a separate electric oven, and it may turn out to be less money than a dual fuel range.  If you want a range with very little electronics, you will likely have to go high end - the main stream ranges generally use an electronic control interface for the oven.  My current range is a BlueStar, and Capital is another maker - though I don't see them discussed as much any more https://capital-cooking.com/range/    If the price of the Bluestart does not blow you away  ( I bought my RNB 30  scratch and dent ) your husband may love it - you turn a knob to set the temp on the oven, and then turn it back to off when you are done.  If you want convection, you flip a switch and the fan comes on,  all very basic controls.   The range top has electronics, though they are for self igniting the burners when you turn them on, which is a nice safety feature, IMO.

If you can get your husband to change his mind on electronics, you might want to look into an induction range.  I have not used one, but that will get you the electric oven, which all other things being equal will be better sealed, and thus better for bread, and I have read that induction cooking is even faster in response time than gas ,  though you don't have the visual feedback you get with a gas range of seeing the flame go up and down as you adjust it.  

 

PS,  I am not a big fan of Self cleaning - it is nice to have it designed into the oven, since it usually means better seals and insulation, which means the outside will be cooler at normal baking temps,  but I have read too many stories of the electronic controls dying after a self clean cycle.  To work correctly, self clean heats up the oven very hot, and as your husband knows, heat shortens the life of most electronic components, so even if it does not kill the oven the first or 10th time you use the self clean, it will likely shorten its life.  I get one of those aluminum sheet trays and put it on the bottom slide out shelf ( not on the bottom of the oven itself , which can be bad) , and that catches most of the debris -