Range upgrade

[sudsmaster]

This home I acquired some 24 years ago has a regular kitchen, and another kitchen inside an attached enclosed patio.

The patio kitchen came with a nearly pristine Frigidaire Compact 30 slide in range. It works fine, although I'm not sure of the little clock/timer. I have never used the oven part, just occasionally the burners, and not for quite a few years.

I confess I do not like electric burners. Electric ovens are OK, but sort of a PITA with current electricity restrictions in our state. (I signed up for lower rates by reducing electricity consumption between the hours of 5-8 pm M-F).

Over the years I have acquired three candidates to replace the Compact 30. As I recall, I even had a plumber install a gas line extension to the area under the house closest to the patio kitchen range location. But I'll have to crawl under the house to refresh my memory on that ;-).

Anyway, the candidates to replace the Compact 30 are:

1) Gas GE Profile 30 inch slide-in, with ceramic type top and gas burners. White.

2) Gas Kitchenaid Superba, with convection, 30 inch slide-in. Gas burners. White.

3) Modern Maid 30 inch slide in gas range, with "Electro Pilot" feature (which I assume means it has spark type igniters). Sort of a brown.

I haven't tested any of these ranges, yet.

Offhand, I am wondering if anyone has any opinions about these ranges. The Modern Maid is probably the oldest. The Kitchenaid Superba is probably the most functional, since it came out of a home next door as they remodeled, and I'm told it worked fine. Don't know about the KA Superba or the Modern Maid functionality.

One reason why I want to replace the Compact 30 is because currently the main house kitchen, which was probably built with a gas range in mind in 1941, was remodeled in the 60's, and converted to an electric GE P*7 wall oven and a Corning electric cooktop on a nearby counter. I replaced the Corning cooktop with a Frigidaire Gallery "Gas on Glass" cooktop about 20 years ago. It works well enough, and saves on electricity as well.

So, anybody have a favorite among the three gas range choices listed above? GE, KA Superba, or Modern Maid?

And no, I don't want to get rid of the Compact 30. It might find its way into the workshop (where I also have a Tappan electric range I have used for baking powder coating onto car parts).

 

[rp2813]

Rich, I no longer trust anything made by GE.  My guess is that even though it's a Profile series, build quality could be inferior to the KA or MM.

 

It's a toss-up between 2 and 3.  Convection has its advantages, and I would imagine the KA has spark ignition burners even if they don't hype it.  If the MM doesn't have convection and depending on the current theme on your patio, it could have an advantage if the brown would look better than white.

 

[sudsmaster]

Thanks, Ralph.

There isn't any overwhelming decor in the patio: it has a red brick floor, jade green cabinetry and walls, yellow Formica countertops, dark red window trim... The fridge is a stainless KA top freezer but far enough away from the range area that it won't clash.

So I'm guessing the lean is toward the KA Superba. Before I go to the trouble of installing it, I might check with the neighbors to confirm that it worked for them before they removed it and gave it to me.

The KA does have what looks like chipped porcelain at the very rear where it meets the counter in back of it, but this won't be a BFD for me.

I suppose I should test drive the selected range before going through with the full install.

 

[appnut]

Rich, how old is the GE Profile?

 

[sudsmaster]

Bob,

I don't know the age of the GE Profile range. I couldn't see any info inside the oven. It's possible there is some info under the burners, but when I looked I didn't want to clear the top of stuff being stored there at the time.

Is there a certain range of dates when the GE Profile gas ranges are better?

 

[sudsmaster]

Bob,

Went out and got the info.

According to GE's website, the month and year of mfg is contained in the first two letters of the serial number.

Which is GH2012690.

This means it was made in April of 2005, or 1993, or 1981. I suspect it was made in '93. What do you think?

The model number is JGSP321GER2UG. I was able to download the owner's manual for that, and here's a link:

https://www.geappliances.com/content/older-pdfs/49-8410.PDF

 

[appnut]

Rich, I'm of the opinion, this would still be an excellent gas range.

 

[combo52]

Best Of 3 Available Used Gas Ranges

Its a toss-up between the GE and the KA, the MM is a distant last place, but actual condition may be the most important factor here.

 

The GE is a 1993, it was a Roper design and the same as many Kenmore's as well, GE had improved the Roper design somewhat but finally scraped the entire design a few years later.

 

If one was buying a NEW range now GE is the clear leader by a country mile in either gas or electric.

 

John L.

 

[sudsmaster]

OK, looks like I'll probably go with the KA, after I:

1) Confirm we actually did install a gas line to that part of the crawl space.

2) I figure out the best way to extend the gas line to the range nook (perhaps into an adjacent cabinet?)

3) Confirm that the range selected actually works OK before installation.

 

[sudsmaster]

Here's a look at the information panel on the 1993 GE Profile gas slide in range:

 

[agiflow]

China pride under an American nameplate....what a shame.

 

[ea56]

China Pride Under American nameplate?

The sticker on the side of the oven door clearly states “MFG in the U.S.A.

My BOL 2018 GE Electric Range was made in Mexico, but the company is still located in Louisville, Kentucky. And by the way it is an excellent electric stove, maybe the best I’ve ever used, save the 1939 Westinghouse Champion Electric range that I had in a rented duplex in 1983.

I’d go with the GE if it was my decision to make.

Eddie

 

[sudsmaster]

Yeah, I don't know where he's getting the "Made in China" bit.

Of the three options, the Modern Maid is probably the oldest vintage.

And of the three, the KA with its convection baking option may be the most versatile.

I'll have to take a look at the back of the KA to make sure there's no Chinese script, LOL.

 

[sudsmaster]

OK, after some searching and groveling, I found the model and serial numbers for the KA Superba range. With that I was able to find a manual online for it, and that document is dated 2004. So that *might* be the age of this appliance.

The serial number, I *think* works out to 2000.

Oh, and the label on the back of the range is in English and French. No Chinese.

 

[combo52]

KA Range Model #

Hi rich, What is the model # & serial # of the KA, KA has had several completely different Gas Convection Ranges in the last 20 years.

 

John 

 

[DADoES]

 
The "China pride" comment traces to GE appliance division now owned by Haier (which it wasn't in 1993).

 

[agiflow]

Yes my comment was ranges built after the Haier buyout. Hoping Speed Queen and Whirlpool will not follow suit.

 

[sudsmaster]

John,

 

KA Superba slide in gas range:

 

Model Number KGST307HWH3

Serial Number MK 0510151

 

[DADoES]

 
1999 model-year.  5th week of 2000 manufacture.