Rear-control induction stoves: And then there were none

[joeekaitis]

 

Yep, Frigidaire discontinued the stove we bought back in October 2021 as seen in my avatar.  Frankly, the entire industry is shooting itself in the foot, completely ignoring the resto-mod (restore and modernize) trend which preserves classic design and colors like black and white while updating the technology.  Now it's all front control (where the kids can reach) in stainless steel.  Samsung makes a white glass induction stove and most companies offer black stainless steel.

 

If you have money to burn, a company called Big Chill will sell you what is a essentially a 3 or 4 thousand dollar stove dolled up to look like Grandma's old stove for 6 grand.  The look is gimmicky and the backsplash does nothing.  The "belly button" badging is a glaring anachronism.  Not even a clock or timer and no mention of either in the owner's manual.

 

 

 

 

[petek]

GE did the same with the one we have. NLA.

 

[mattl]

I've come across a few articles where the author commented they felt it was time to radically rethink ranges.  They were tired of the basic box  styling.  Only problem is what else can you do with a oven and cooktop unit?  Separates are more flexible but many/most kitchens don't have room for them.

 

I actually dislike back controls.  When I do a kitchen design I either  spec separates or a front control slide in, much cleaner look in my book.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I’ve been disappointed looking at the newer ranges.

I remember just maybe a decade ago, you could get more features on ranges than you can on anything on the floor in most stores. The used stuff for sale from just a decade or two ago is more interesting than the new stuff.

Ranges had warming drawers then, not a single model at Lowes or Home Depot, or anywhere else I can see does anymore.
Frigidaire even had a warning drawer that could double as a small 2nd oven, with a window in the drawer and all. No more.

You could get a night light on ranges like Whirlpool Gold series or some KitchenAids.

GE Profile ranges had fluorescent lights into the early 2000s.

Maybe 8-10 years ago Kenmore Elite ranges had accent lights as well.

Why have all of these features disappeared??

Something else that I dislike is the super glossy glass on glass top ranges. My grandmother’s 1996 Whirlpool had a textured patterned glass that never showed scratches even when she got a new one in 2020. And she used it A LOT, cast iron skillets and all.

Whirlpool and Frigidaire glass tops now are so glossy and with zero patterning to where the first use would show scratches let alone 10 years worth. GE at least has a pattern in their range too glass, to possibly hide scratches, as does LG I believe.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I forgot

I miss the 40” ranges. I believe Frigidaire was the last to offer them, and often under the Kenmore Elite brand too. They had a nice 5 burner range with a bridge burner, expandable burner, and two ovens (one of which was self cleaning and convection.) The smaller one would’ve been great for baking small items to save electricity or even as a warmer for cooked food or plates.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Apparently, users of gas stoves cannot cook without the "burner" controls being on the front of the thing so that the user can bend down and look at the size of the flame under the pan while adjusting the setting even if there is no flame.

 

[kb0nes]

Looking at the flame

Tom, indeed it sure would to hard to simply note the position of the control...

I don't mind the loss of the rear controls, having the controls up front makes way more sense to me as then I'm not reaching over boiling pots etc. Somehow rear controls seem like poor design that we are just used to 'cause history. Obviously the safety issue with kids is a concern, although Induction greatly eliminates that issue. Biggest issue I see with backsplash-less ranges is the possible need of modifying the wall behind the range on retrofit.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I thought the only reason gas ranges have front controls is because, it’s a gas valve and burner. It would be pretty complicated to have the piping and all at the rear, so they all have had front or side controls. At least, I’ve never seen one with rear controls. Think I heard Sunray had a gas range at one time with push button controls, somehow!

 

[combo52]

Gas ranges with rear controls

There have been some over the years such as the old Maytag Dutch oven ranges. You also have the modern made cook N clean ranges where the controls were up above the cooktop.

It’s probably a little easier on gas ranges to have the controls at the front but it’s mostly so you can stare at the control while you try to adjust, the gas flame, your bent over anyway, lol

John

 

[joeekaitis]

Spoke too soon.

 

As of this posting, IKEA is still selling one made by Electrolux.  No Air Fry, otherwise identical to its Frigidaire kin.

 

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/tvaersaeker-range-with-induction-cooktop-stainless-steel-40466006/

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Saw an electric long ago with knobs over the oven I would have preferred over ones on the backsplash and must have also only been available in white, as it was relatively basic maybe even lacking self-clean...

Like the knobs there as it's easier to adjust my burners and I do use gas so the knob placement is inheariently necessary there anyway...

A counselor at camp lit a cigarette with a burner in the camp's big black gas stove, so there's the novelty of the knob being best useful there...

-- Dave