Will a new range with self clean oven last? Or just get a cheapy?

[neptunebob]

My sister has a Caloric range from 1990 and asked me about a new range. The self clean mode has been gone for awhile, but the oven still heats up, although inaccurately, it burns cookies and no matter which temperature it's set to, it is about 500 degrees. She asked me if she should have the thermostat replaced, but the range is ugly, hard to clean with many seams and sharp edges, and her repairman may not be able to get parts.

I have been looking for a bisque range for her (very few) and I also hear about how the self clean feature now causes an entire oven to crap out, so that you cannot even cook at all anymore. She is willing to clean an oven with Easy Off but while that is no fun, is this something people are just going to have put up with in the 21st century? I also wonder if the chemicals we use are really much more unsafe than the SC ovens, as I have burned myself on a SC wall oven (the outside door).

The only problem with a non-self-clean range is that while they are cheaper, they look rather cheap. But I have read of people who buy a self clean oven and use Easy off because they are afraid of frying the electronic controls that make self cleaning happen.

Below is a video about a GE engineer who invented the self clean oven and he said that "they could not use a hydraulic thermostat, they had to invent an electric thermostat". Could this electric thermostat failing be what happened to the Caloric, and would a hydraulic thermostat (non-self-clean) be more accurate? He made it out that a "self cleaning oven was equal to the moon landing" and that GE went to great lengths to keep "Project 7" a secret, even though there were over 100 patents to make this possible (so why couldn't they come up with one to prevent the heat from frying the electronic package?).

Unfortunately, to get nice things like a timer and a door window one often has to get the self clean oven and pay for a feature you may never use.

I have noticed often ranges that get set on the curb have filthy ovens, even if they did self clean so there must be a lot of those failures out there and maybe the owners let it get dirty until they could stand it no more and then bought new ovens.

What ovens do you all have (I know most vintage ovens) and do you find cleaning ovens a pain? or can you put up with Easy off, which I think will still be on the market 50 years from now.

http://https//www.youtube.com/embed/woYTDPlAm2U?rel=0

 

[DADoES]

 
I've run self-clean several times (maybe average every 1.5 years) on my 2003 GE range with no adverse effects.  Last couple times I set a small fan blowing toward the control panel (backsplash).

 

[norgeway]

I think

A self cleaning oven and a Frost Free refrigerator are two of the most trouble prone things ever invented, I don't want either one.The MOST trouble prone thing ever made is a thermostatic surface unit, you will find one out of a thousand that will still work.

 

[ea56]

Bob

I have personal experience with an oven no longer working due to use of the self clean feature. It was a Maytag smooth top that we got in 2000, a slide in model with the controls on the front, over the oven. Anyway, after about 20 mo.s of use I tried to turn to oven on, but just got error codes. It was going to cost $300 to 400 to repair. So I got another range, sans self clean, oven. I didn’t like the fumes from the self cleaning process anyway, and if you clean up spills right way and keep the oven floor covered with foil you don’t have to do a major cleaning very often. The racks are the worst part of the process, and I confess I’m not real anal about keeping the racks pristine, but I do clean them.

Our current range is a BOL GE in white, old fashioned dial control for the oven, no clock or timer. I love it! The burners are fast and also cool down fairly quick too. I just got a digital timer with big numbers and a magnet and stick it to the control panel when I’m timing. And best of all, I can broil with the oven door closed, hence no smoke in the house when broiling!! A real plus! It would be nice to have a delay start and stop oven, but I manage fine without it.

See the link below they do sell it in Bisque.

HTH,
Eddie[this post was last edited: 5/18/2018-20:36]

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[americana4]

My current GE americana range is about 30 years old, I've had it for nearly 20.
I've used the self clean feature- including panels from the upper oven and drip pans- once or twice per year with no trouble ever. Deja vu all over again- GE once got it right. Wish it was still true.

 

[cuffs054]

This is the first time in decades I have a non self clean oven and I hate it. The stove is good at what it does, the oven bakes great but it is filthy and I have zero desire to clean it. I will keep using it until something breaks or the oven smells so bad it has to go. In all the years I had self clean I never had an issue with the ranges.

 

[fan-of-fans]

Ours is a 1985 Hotpoint electric self clean, and never had any issues with it, but it has nothing electronic.

Have you thought about getting something used? Easier to find bisque and might be built better than new ranges. However, anything made later than a few years after 1990 would probably be electronic controlled just like new ones. I will say it's quite possible that Caloric she has may be built better than anything new out there. However, as far as I know Caloric did make the Prestige line of ranges themselves but the Heritage line was made by Sunray. If it's a self cleaner I imagine it wasn't made by Sunray as I never heard of a self clean Sunray range.

I do know the Caloric ranges were made as late as 1996-97 and by then they looked quite modern, they still had self clean with the infra red broiler, and may have been made by Amana by then as I know they had bought Caloric. But it's the same issue, any higher end Caloric from after the mid 90s is completely electronically controlled. If the parts go out, parts would be probably unobtanium by now and the board would need to be rebuilt at the component level.

As far as new ranges, I do know GE makes an electric self clean range that is very basic. It doesn't have any touchpad or digital display. You just turn the oven dial to clean, slide the lock lever over and when the light goes off it's done. I don't know if this is done by electronic modules or not. And I don't know if they make a gas version. But I did see this range at an appliance store or two but never at the big boxes. I will also say, for what it's worth, after feeling the weight of the ranges and the oven doors, the GE self cleaning electric range, to me felt the heaviest built between it and a similar Frigidaire and Whirlpool. I also remember though that someone on here said back in the 90s they compared a Caloric self cleaning gas range weight and door to other brands and it felt heavier than the rest.

Another good thing about self cleaning ranges is they tend to be better insulated than non-self cleaning ones. It's possible they also use heavier quality metals, but it's possible they don't.

 

[passatdoc]

2002 Frigidaire Gallery self-cleaning convection gas range

self-clean used once or twice a year. No issues whatsoever, had to calibrate oven temp once in 16 years.

 

[helicaldrive]

I have never used self clean

I find it is very easy to simply clean the oven every time I use it. It wipes out clean very quickly when still warm. Use Bon Ami and a Mr. Clean magic eraser pad.

A little ammonia added to the dish water helps a lot.

Then you never need those nasty oven cleaners.

 

[joeekaitis]

No woes with our Hotpoint gas self-cleaner

Can’t buy a new one. Haier trimmed the Hotpoint lineup and discontinued gas self-cleaning ovens. Electric is still available.

Bigger advantage than self-cleaning: beefier insulation = lower energy usage and better temperature stability.

 

[awooff]

Mid 90s dual fuel jennair slide in

I have tortured this stove over the years. Convected many turkeys and chickens which blows grease all over the oven cavity. Have never used Easy-Off as I'm afraid it will damage the heating element or take off the self-cleaning coating. I remove my racks for the self cleaning feature which the manual stated. Some damage to the electronic control may exist. Reason I say this is once a year or so the oven will beep incessantly and I'll have throw the breaker. Other than this the oven is perfect in every way. Also I see similar ovens on Craigslist to mine for around a hundred fifty bucks regularly

 

[vacerator]

Caloric has not been

a top quality range since the 70's, and neither have Magic Chef or Maytag since the 80's until Whirlpool designs.
You clean the oven on average twice yearly unless you're baking to sell, or catering.
Many models today have steam clean assist also. You pour a little water and or cleaner onto the oven bottom and push the quick or steam clean button.
Saves energy too.
My mom had a continuous cleaning non stick Kenmore range and liked it.

 

[firedome]

Vintage P-7 GEs

are pretty common, a good way to go. They function well and we've never had a problem with one. 1960s to about early '80s models GE parts are available, and rarely seem to fail. 60s, '70s FDs are good too, build quality a smidgen better even, Electri-Clean came later than P-7, but FD parts don't seem to be as available, so we bought a complete parts range for our current '76 FD 30" Electri-clean, which works great. Build quality in almost all of the new and affordable ranges seems abysmal, they feel really cheap and flimsy, while up to early '80s GE's quality was still very good. Agree with Tom, they had it right then.

 

[henene4]

A self clean feature does cause stress on electronics. Electronics hate heat, thus, an oven is a horrible place for them in general.

A self clean cycle will thus stress electronics a little further. How long they last thus really depends on cooling and quality.

Personally, given that manual cleaning an oven is a horrible task for me and will never give me the same all-corner results, I'd trade a few years of life for a true self clean.

True high temp self clean, not that steam soak crap...

 

[henene4]

Actually...

GE has a few models in the color she wanted for just 500$ MSRP with self clean option with coil surface units.

WP offers some smooth-top models with simmilar spec, color and self clean for 650$ MSRP.

Accounting for rebates, both seem pretty acceptable prices for ranges if they last 10 or so years...

 

[fan-of-fans]

Aha

Apparently GE does make a self clean gas range like the electric one I was talking about. No touchpad, no display, just turn the dial to clean and lock the door. Does anyone know if this has electronics or how the timing works?

Only thing is it only comes in white.

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[48bencix]

My current GE

My GE double oven has self cleaning for both. The unit has a fan that comes on soon after the unit is started and pulls air in near the controls and blows out below the bottom oven. This keeps the electronics cool. This is a 2016 unit.

Wonder what happened to continuous clean? I had a 1980 gas stove with this feature and it seemed to stay clean.

 

[neptunebob]

Thanks for all the answers...

Fan of fans: Actually, and I will get a picture, this Caloric is in sad shape. It has a lot of seams and sharp edges that collect crud and has the open burners that get crud under them too. For example, the GE Artistry range has at its top one stamped piece of metal that is porcelain coated that cover the entire top of the unit and curves up the back and the grates and burners on top. With the caloric, there is the top which is placed in the "box" with chrome trim around it and the back is a separate piece, and opening around the burners. The knobs are horizontal almost flush with the cooktop and has lots of crumbs, the writing is worn off, and the door is black glass with more crud collecting trim, it's stained in between, and it seems like they used excess parts to make the appliance.

There are too knobs that make the oven bake broil and self clean, one temperature and the other the mode. It has only one time, 3 hours. It is a digital clock but don't know if it is all electronic.

It will still bake (badly) even though the SC doesn't work but on some ranges, when SC fails, the oven does not heat up at all.

Were GE P-7 ovens more reliable about not cooking their electronics? How was all this handled back then? See this video about the engineer and how they had to keep Project-7 a secret (don't let the kids know!).

She is going to look into getting the bisque GE range, the non-SC one.

http://https//www.youtube.com/embed/B465fhlj0ac?rel=0

 

[thomasortega]

A couple of weeks ago I got a Kenmore Elite self cleanign oven at Sears Outlet.

New in Box, I don't know why they were selling it at Sears Outlet, full of bells and whistles, like a TOL model. The only thing it doesn't have is the stainless steel top, like most TOL ovens.

All gas, one oven, one triple burner, broiler, electronic control panel, griddle burner, cast iron grates (I loved the design) all glass control panel, meat probe, true convection.

Right on the first day I used the self clean to get rid of the "new oven" smell.

According to the manual, the racks were designed to resist the self cleaning temperatures. I loved that because then I'll never (or almost never) have to clean the racks manually)

No problems at all, except learning all the 20 zillion features the control panel has. i'm still learning, and the user manual is almost like a phone book and I still struggle a little bit (not something horrible as I learn more every time i use it and basic operation and features are very obvious and intuitive)

I can say I am more than happy with that stove. I originally wanted a Samsung and on the very last minute, almost closing the deal on a MOL Samsung model, we decided to leave Sears and go to Sears Outlet "just in case". It was a great surprise to see that model with many features more, a very affordable price and attractive financing options.

My husband was reluctant first, because he insisted I should get the stove I loved and he is more than aware I like the Samsung brand a lot because of the bells and whistles, specially the Wi-Fi.

I just love, love, love my stove. I haven't used it enough to need to self clean it to remove dirt, the first operation was just to remove smell, I selected 4 hours and used only 2 hours.

Anyway, self cleaning cycle is not something we use all the time. I've been using self cleaning for decades and never had an issue with it.

And those steam cleaning cycles come on, that is RIDICULOUS! Use it once and you'll regret so much that you'll never use it again. It makes a mess in the oven and you should be aware that the moment you start the cycle, you must start getting ready to use lots of elbow grease. because when the cycle is done you will have a hot oven with a real mess to clean manually. 

About Easy-Off... NEVER, EVER USE IT IN AN OVEN!

I love it (the aerosol version) to clean baking pans and trays, sometimes even pans. Spray, let soak for 5 minutes, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse and just in case rinse again. But never to clean something I can't rinse with lots of water. In the oven, NEVER and nobody will convince me to try.