You don't see many of these. I wonder how popular they were when they were new?
lawrence
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/app/3595873638.html
lawrence
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/app/3595873638.html
GE Range/Microwave Combination
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danemodsandy
Well-known member
Not Very!
They were OMG expensive, to begin with, and the 1960's popularity of "entertainment centers" had taught everyone a lesson: When one part of an all-in-one item breaks down beyond repair, you're stuck with a huge THING that isn't fully operational.
There was no huge rush to buy these, trust me.
They were OMG expensive, to begin with, and the 1960's popularity of "entertainment centers" had taught everyone a lesson: When one part of an all-in-one item breaks down beyond repair, you're stuck with a huge THING that isn't fully operational.
There was no huge rush to buy these, trust me.
magic_clean
Well-known member
Have seen
thousands of this style of combination range of several brands in Florida housing developments. Condo's, townhouses and single family. Quite popular in the 1980's in this primarily electric range state.
thousands of this style of combination range of several brands in Florida housing developments. Condo's, townhouses and single family. Quite popular in the 1980's in this primarily electric range state.
whirlcool
Well-known member
My sister had a Kenmore microwave that was a Microwave, Broiler & Convection oven.
She got it as a Christmas gift from us around 1983 or so. It had a SS interior.
My sister liked it, she would microwave and broil at the same time. She liked that feature but OMG did the interior of that oven get dirty. That's the least favorite thing about it.
She got it as a Christmas gift from us around 1983 or so. It had a SS interior.
My sister liked it, she would microwave and broil at the same time. She liked that feature but OMG did the interior of that oven get dirty. That's the least favorite thing about it.
The model pictured appears to be one of the last of the GE combo hi-lo ranges, perhaps late 80's or early 90's? It took a while for them to go completely out of the GE offering. My aunt bought a Hotpoint version for her new home when they retired and moved off the farm. It was the first experience most of the sisters & women in the family had with a self-cleaning oven and a peach and cherry pie baking party made the oven dirty enough to run the cleaning cycle. They were all impressed with the results. The biggest complaint, especially from the taller cooks, was the lack of access to the back elements on the range top. My sister had one with two ovens, no microwave, and loved that top oven. Eye-level, fast and perfectly sized for most day-to-day baking tasks.
They did have their fans for sure. Other makers like Litton, Tappan - WCI, Amana, Frigidaire, etc. offered them for a long time as well. I remember seeing many, many houses built with them in the 70's and into the 80's until the Spacemaker over-the-range microwave really took off and left these dinosaurs to history.
They did have their fans for sure. Other makers like Litton, Tappan - WCI, Amana, Frigidaire, etc. offered them for a long time as well. I remember seeing many, many houses built with them in the 70's and into the 80's until the Spacemaker over-the-range microwave really took off and left these dinosaurs to history.
I can echo a lot of what Magic-Clean and Gansky said...
In the mid to late 1970s, more than 900 homes were built in the neighborhood I lived in in Denver. The builder predominantly used two kitched arrangements, all GE, one with double in the wall 27-inch ovens, and the other with the two oven HI-LO range.
I think some neighbors who had the hi-lo said the same that access to the rear elements on the range top was a bit annoying, but that the top oven was well sized, and very convenient. Its smaller size made it preheat quickly and it likely used less energy than heating the lower full-size oven. The top oven was not as well insulated however, since it wasn't self cleaning, or so it seemed anyway.
I'd love to have one of these, in fact several years ago I remember a new one being posted on here, never used. I almost went for it.
My aunt and uncle in Florida have one of these. They had a fire in the wiring on theirs a few years ago, which led to a kitchen remodel. Their insurance company had a heck of a time finding another of these for them, but they eventually did. So, they repaired and updated the kitchen, but installed all this around another hi-lo. I don't know if it was NOS or just a clean used one.
G
In the mid to late 1970s, more than 900 homes were built in the neighborhood I lived in in Denver. The builder predominantly used two kitched arrangements, all GE, one with double in the wall 27-inch ovens, and the other with the two oven HI-LO range.
I think some neighbors who had the hi-lo said the same that access to the rear elements on the range top was a bit annoying, but that the top oven was well sized, and very convenient. Its smaller size made it preheat quickly and it likely used less energy than heating the lower full-size oven. The top oven was not as well insulated however, since it wasn't self cleaning, or so it seemed anyway.
I'd love to have one of these, in fact several years ago I remember a new one being posted on here, never used. I almost went for it.
My aunt and uncle in Florida have one of these. They had a fire in the wiring on theirs a few years ago, which led to a kitchen remodel. Their insurance company had a heck of a time finding another of these for them, but they eventually did. So, they repaired and updated the kitchen, but installed all this around another hi-lo. I don't know if it was NOS or just a clean used one.
G
Interesting idea.
I grew up in a subdivision that was full of Whirlpool gas hi-lo ranges (remarkably similar to Caloric designs at the time). You could choose to have a high microwave or a high oven. The microwaves were pretty reliable. It was 1986 and my parents had a Litton microwave (which I still have) so they opted for the upper oven. The smaller upper oven ended up working out very nicely. The over-the-range microwave was a better idea which pretty much killed off these monsters. They could only be fully replaced, in my mind however, with the ceration of a wall-mounted small oven instead of a microwave.
My mother loved hers,
Dave
I grew up in a subdivision that was full of Whirlpool gas hi-lo ranges (remarkably similar to Caloric designs at the time). You could choose to have a high microwave or a high oven. The microwaves were pretty reliable. It was 1986 and my parents had a Litton microwave (which I still have) so they opted for the upper oven. The smaller upper oven ended up working out very nicely. The over-the-range microwave was a better idea which pretty much killed off these monsters. They could only be fully replaced, in my mind however, with the ceration of a wall-mounted small oven instead of a microwave.
My mother loved hers,
Dave
norgeway
Well-known member
TONS!
Of these in my Hometown.
Of these in my Hometown.
Ranges with Microwave Ovens Above
Yes these were expensive but no more than a separate MW and a decent SC range, And they were much easier to install either in new construction or for retrofitting in an existing kitchen. hundreds of thousands of these were installed in this area in the 1980s and many are still in use. And while they had some shortcomings they are far better than the CHEAP over the range microwaves that are used today. I would NEVER recommend anyone buy an OTM if they have ANY other choice of a place to install a MWO and if you are planning a kitchen design from scratch NEVER include one of these cheap OTM in your plans.
Not only are these OTM cheaply built pieces of imported plastic crap, but they cause thousands of kitchen fires every year. All someone has to do if they want to set your home on fire is to turn on a burner or two and walk away, before long the melting plastic will be dripping down on the burner and going up in blazes and your house is history. Also the longevity of OTM is not at all good especially if you actually cook on the range below and it is even worse if they are installed over a gas range or cook-top.
Yes these were expensive but no more than a separate MW and a decent SC range, And they were much easier to install either in new construction or for retrofitting in an existing kitchen. hundreds of thousands of these were installed in this area in the 1980s and many are still in use. And while they had some shortcomings they are far better than the CHEAP over the range microwaves that are used today. I would NEVER recommend anyone buy an OTM if they have ANY other choice of a place to install a MWO and if you are planning a kitchen design from scratch NEVER include one of these cheap OTM in your plans.
Not only are these OTM cheaply built pieces of imported plastic crap, but they cause thousands of kitchen fires every year. All someone has to do if they want to set your home on fire is to turn on a burner or two and walk away, before long the melting plastic will be dripping down on the burner and going up in blazes and your house is history. Also the longevity of OTM is not at all good especially if you actually cook on the range below and it is even worse if they are installed over a gas range or cook-top.
What Is ...
An "OTM" ?
The combination microwaves are very popular here, some stainless steel which can be a bitch to clean, but the vitreous enamel oven interiors are great....
To Convert Any Traditional Recipe To Combo Oven..
Add 10d To The Temperature
Half The Cooking Time
Select Low Power or Defrost Microwave setting
An "OTM" ?
The combination microwaves are very popular here, some stainless steel which can be a bitch to clean, but the vitreous enamel oven interiors are great....
To Convert Any Traditional Recipe To Combo Oven..
Add 10d To The Temperature
Half The Cooking Time
Select Low Power or Defrost Microwave setting
Those all-in-one(range,vent fan, and microwave with all the controls up top) units were popular here in houses back in the mid 80s. As a kid, I remember looking at countless new homes with my parents in the '86-87 timeframe and many of them had that set-up. And they were all GE if I remember correctly. The house my parents finally settled on did not have that arrangement and I don't think I've seen one in a home since then. We bucked the trend and bought a house that had a traditional Kenmore range and DW. It actually had it's own shelf for the microwave built into the cabinets, something you don't see in homes anymore as most do the over the cooktop setup(mine included).
super32
Well-known member
We had an Amana when i was a very small child. I just rememeber my mom saying "dont touch the micro controls" It wasnt til i was old that i got to use it. I moved out before it did and 15+ years after i moved out, i had to go back and move it out! That beast was heavy...lol
There is an article in the latest consumer reports about over-range-microwaves starting on their own (mostly KitchenAid brand) and self-destructing, sometimes resulting in fires. GE ovens were also mentioned in the article, though KA was the main focus as they profiled a community in FL that has experienced numerous failures and fires.
The other topic covered in the article was that the Consumer Products Safety Commission is not a transparent advocate for the consumer, releasing information about product complaints and safety problems sporadically and with seemingly random reasoning. Before releasing information to the public, the agency is bound by law to inform the manufacturer first. Topic for another thread but I have noticed that these built in over-range micros are failing much sooner than they ever have before.
I had a TOL GE bought in 1995 that lasted for nearly twelve years trouble free, ending up in my parent's kitchen. When it did finally give out, they bought a new GE and when I installed it, I was shocked at the decline in quality overall and even more so at how much larger and intrusive it is. It's nearly three inches deeper than the earlier GE, obviously taking up more space above the range top and probably twice as loud while running.
The other topic covered in the article was that the Consumer Products Safety Commission is not a transparent advocate for the consumer, releasing information about product complaints and safety problems sporadically and with seemingly random reasoning. Before releasing information to the public, the agency is bound by law to inform the manufacturer first. Topic for another thread but I have noticed that these built in over-range micros are failing much sooner than they ever have before.
I had a TOL GE bought in 1995 that lasted for nearly twelve years trouble free, ending up in my parent's kitchen. When it did finally give out, they bought a new GE and when I installed it, I was shocked at the decline in quality overall and even more so at how much larger and intrusive it is. It's nearly three inches deeper than the earlier GE, obviously taking up more space above the range top and probably twice as loud while running.
