Roper 36" gas range questions

[dustin92]

I recently moved and unfortunately the new house has a gas stove- currently a 2000's ish Whirlpool that looks like it's been through a war and 2 burners don't light. I picked up this old Roper for free a couple days ago- the owner said all 4 burners work but she had never tried the oven because the door wouldn't close properly. And it's definitely more my style than the worn out and broken Whirlpool we're using now. I started cleaning it up yesterday, and discovered one of the door springs was broken... How would I go about replacing it? All of the knobs were a bit stuck, is that an issue? Anything I can do about the chipped porcelain? Best way to clean the continuous cleaning oven? I already used a brush with soapy water and it did nothing. It looks like white ash all over the surface. I guess the biggest question is, is this a decent stove? And how old is it? Any input is appreciated!

 

[combo52]

1970s Roper Gas Range

Don't waste your time on this one, the cook-top is all rusted out from the condensation from the pilot lights, the oven has been sprayed with oven cleaner [ there is no way to make it look good again or work as a Continuous Clean surface again ]

The sticking gas valves might be able to be lucubrated if they have not worn too much, but they were cheap aluminum by this time and they are often not saveable.

John L.

 

[dustin92]

The cook top actually isn't bad. There's a little surface rust underneath but nothing too crazy. There is some chipped porcelain on top but not rust. More what I'm asking is would it perform decently, whether looking great or not, and the knobs having been stuck (the burners were slightly stuck but the oven was very tight, ended up using pliers but now turns smoothly) can it be safely connected to gas? It has to either work or go, it's sitting in my dining room and I don't want my roommate to start complaining about it!

 

[combo52]

Hi Dustin, those really aren't cracks in the CT between the F&R burners ?

In any event these ranges cooked pretty well in their day, they made Sears gas ranges in this time period there were once many of these around.

My first partner bought a newly renovated condo in 1980 and it came with a brand new one of these KM ranges [ by Roper ] We both cooked a lot and ditched it in its 2nd month and switched to an electric double oven and a Jenn-Air electric down draft CT.

If you are serious about cooking or good appliances you an do a lot better than this range, the smell of the constant burning pilots alone would disqualify from ever being in our house, I would only consider this range for use on the back porch.

John L.

 

[dustin92]

I'd like to dump the gas stove altogether, I've been here about a month and I haven't found anything I like about it yet. I've singed the hair off my hands, tried to bbq a couple potholders and turned cookies to bricks. I would much rather have an electric stove but the house isn't wired for 240v anywhere and not my house. I don't like the snapping ignitors or open flames, and it stinks. Not to mention taking forever to boil water! I was hoping to find a decent vintage stove to take away some of that hatred toward gas.. Maybe not? If anyone wants it, it's free for the taking.

 

[dustin92]

And the lines on the cooktop look like just chipped porcelain to me, but looks like a seam on the underside.. Definitely doesn't look bad enough to be rusted through.

 

[goatfarmer]

If you want to use it, you can usually change a door spring from underneath. Or sometimes pulling out the lower drawer exposes the spring.

 

[wayupnorth]

It is similar to style to my '95 Whirlpool. It is an ok stove, cooks fine, but nothing to write home about. Those top facing dials are a pain to keep clean and to reach the oven springs in mine, you would have to take everything it seems in the front off to get to them. That one sure looks like a 30" not 36".

 

[dustin92]

Hmm, never thought about going from underneath- opening the broiler (a cool swing open/slide out thing) exposes the lower half of the spring (I was able to remove the broken one) but there's no way to reattach the new one to the door mount. I'll have to look underneath and see if it's possible. If it's not worth having anyway I may just add a magnet or something to the door. It will almost close as is, but won't close well enough to use it. There would be a lot of heat loss. Honestly is it worth putting anything into? With all the issues that Combo52 pointed out, I'm having second thoughts (and it breaks my heart, the owner was a nice older lady that was thrilled to see it being used rather than junked) I wouldn't mind a newer stove but it needs to bake well. Our current Whirlpool does not. I'd also like a self cleaning oven.. But not a make or break. We are on very limited funds.

 

[dustin92]

It's definitely a 36", it has a warming/storage cabinet on the left, I was almost thinking 40", but I haven't measured it.

 

[fan-of-fans]

How about a 90s Caloric? If you can find a Caloric Prestige Series, they seem to be pretty good ranges, and some are Self Cleaning with pilotless ignition. Plus has the ultra-ray broiler. Not sure how common they are though.

That Roper is an interesting looking range. It must have been kind of a premium model in its day since it looks like there's a convenience outlet, plus a cooktop light.

 

[askolover]

I bought my mother a TOL Caloric in 1992, self-cleaning, sealed burners, infra-red broiler, fluorescent light in control panel.  It lasted about 15 years or so and the control board started getting wonky.  Cost almost as much for a new board as a new range so it was replaced with a Frigidaire. 

 

[dustin92]

I'm still having mixed feelings about the stove- it's cool and vintage, but a little rougher than what I was looking for, so I'm not sure what I'm doing yet- I'm putting it back together from cleaning, and might at least see if the thing works. It does have a panel light, which I was told still works, and the convenience outlet, which I also haven't tried. I want to hook it up and see how well it works, but I'm a little apprehensive.

 

[lotsosudz]

Continuous Dirty Ovens

You can clean these ovens with a stiff scrub brush, and white vinegar. just rinse with a rag and a lot of clean water. After that turn the oven to the highest temp, and let stay on for about two hours. after that wipe with a moist cloth. they will 100 percent better. trust me this works. I used this method on a Kenmore oven my folks had. My mother never cleaned ovens, and when I was over and looked in I shuddered. used the above method, and it looked great.
Hugs,
David