Sears Canada is selling Viking ranges under the name Brigade now - not sure what difference it makes, but it's been hard to find Vikings around unless you travel south of the 49th.

Cue's question started me musing about Viking under its new ownership.

First, it ocurs to me that a bright spot for Viking's reputation in recent years -- including before the Middleby acquisition -- has been their induction range which is about the only one you can get in North America with a colored finish (i.e., a finish other than industrial-chic stainless steel cladding.) So far, the reports indicate that VIking has done a very good job with product support and quality control.

However, this is a very expensive product which comprises a very small portion of VIking's business. Looking at how much Middleby paid for VIking (roughly double VIking's annual earnings) one wonders if Middelby is seeing the induction ranges as a profitable niche product or, instead, as niche too small to be sufficiently profitable for them to continue it.

Another observation is that the operations in Viking's Greenwood AL factories seem to be much reduced. The Appliance Advisor site reported that Viking employment in Greenwood has dropped from around 1200 to around 500 now. That seems to portend some big changes in what will get sold as VIking now and how well supported the older product lines will continue to be.

On the other hand, at the 2014 KBIS, MIddleby was showing new Viking products which seemed to be rebranded Middleby's from other divisions and subsidiaries. Middleby's Turbo-Chef oven division will be making double ovens to be sold under the Viking brand. There was a new "Professional 7" series of ranges with 23k btu burners. There is a $10k range from one of Middleby's Italian subidiaries that will be sold hereunder the Viking brand, too.

Another point,: we no longer seem to have much hard data. In the past --- before 2008 --- Viking's not-so-great reputation correlated with the reliability data gathered in Consumer Reports' annual membership surveys. The 2007 survey results showed CR members who owned Viking ranges were reporting a 31% defect rate in the first five years of their ownership of Viking gas ranges and (IIRC) a slightly higher rate for the dual fuel ranges. (DF ranges had higher rates because there were, apparently, some issues with the firms supplying VIking with the electric ovens' control modules.) Now those numbers meant that 2/3 of VIking range customers's stoves were fine but it also meant you had a 1 in 3 chance of winding up with a lemon if you bought a Viking. Those were bad odds. Viking had similar problems after it it bought an Amana refrigerator factory in Alabama and started selling cosmetically redesigned fridges under its own name. (Can't totally blame VIking for that because the prior owner,Maytag ,had put its quality control in the toilet and that was why Whilrpool was able to snatch up most of the Maytag assets and brands in 2006.)

However, when the the bottom fell out of the economy in 2008, the number of CR members who bought VIking products dropped off to the point that CR has not been getting enough survey responses for CR to report defect numbers on VIking brands. Maybe the products got better, but maybe not. We just don't have any hard data to on how good or bad they have been since then.

VIking also seems to have handled a lot of warranty service through its distributors who had varying abilities to cope with the problems that turned up. Postings here indicate that Viking charged very high prices for replacement parts and sometimes stopped supporting older products. When you have a premium priced product, you tend to look for authorized parts and branded repair services rather than hacking fixes with your diy maintainence (as you might do with a much less expensive prodcut like, say, an NXR). It turns out that some VIking appliance components could be replaced with generic components or even OEM components (supplied by the firms who made them for Viking.) If you know where to look, those parts can be much less expensive when purchased from third parties, and may be readily available even when Viking labeled items are not available. A couple of examples were oven-burner glow-bar ignitors and the Tytronics-supplied module for running the stove-top ignitors for the gas stoves.

Another source of negative comment seems to have come with Viking's "Designer" series of products, which were an attempt to expand its customer base below the ultra-premium niche that the company more or less created a couple of decades ago. While some folks here have been happy with, say, their D3 Viking ranges, others think that you get products as good or better for a whole lot less money from, say, GE's Cafe and Profile lines.

One final thought: Vikings are now being sold with three year product warranties in contrast to the industry standard one-year. But, paying the premium price for the VIking products includes paying for extra warranty. When you look at the cost of buying a higher-priced major brand range (say GE Cafe and Electrolux Icon or even a range by Dacor), the premium price for the D3 line may not seem like such a good deal.

Also, VIking ranges' sealed burners have come in for some incidental derision here from those who prefer the much more powerful (and maybe more flexible) commercial-style open burners from the likes of Capital, Blue Star, and American Range. As Tyguy's comment above indicates, some folks view Blue Star, Capital or American Ranges as much more capable ranges for the same (or less) money than VIking charges.

Seems like a lot of uncertainty about VIking these days.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Sat, Feb 15, 14 at 10:22

>Sears Canada is selling Viking ranges under the name Brigade now - not sure what difference it makes, but it's been hard to find Vikings around unless you travel south of the 49th.

Sears owns the Viking name in Canada. Sears bought a now defunct department store (eatons) in Canada several years back and Viking was their house brand (like kenmore to sears). Viking range corp used to go by "ultraline" in canada back when eatons was around and selling viking appliances. Once eatons disappeared, and sears took over they no longer sold viking branded appliances but sears still owned the name. Viking range then leased the name from sears and apparently is expired now and sears wants to hose viking to buy or lease the name for probably an unreasonable amount.

I think viking range corp is smart to not give into the game tho because it wont be long until sears is in the same place eatons is now amd they can have the name for free.

I bought a 30" Viking induction range and over-the-stove microwave in November. I went out of town almost immediately afterward and so they have not gotten the trial I would have liked. The induction top is fabulous, although the repair man will be checking the front right burner because it runs so hot that everything boils even at the lowest simmer setting. He already adjusted the oven temp as it was off about 50 degrees. He will be back soon as after only using the oven a couple of times the porcelain liner has cracked, shattered actually, over the burners. He needs to come out to take pictures to send Viking before they send the part. I understand that, but it took several weeks for Viking to even O.K. that.

I got a free dishwasher with the range and the control panel buttons stick. The repair man came out Dec 26 and ordered a replacement panel that day. It is now Feb. 16th and it has not arrived. Like I said, Viking took weeks to get back to him about the liner (he tried to order the part and they just got back to him, several weeks later, asking for pictures). I have written to them several times about these and other issues and get very generic, poor answers about a week later (mainly I ask if something is normal and I get "call a repairman or your dealer".

In contrast, I have written to Wolf several times (they were my first choice but do not have an induction range) and have gotten very prompt, complete and accurate replies. Needless to say the rest of my appliance replacements (fridge, wall oven or steam oven, drawer microwave and warming drawer) will all be Wolf.

I love the look of my Viking range and the induction top, but my 3 year warranty isn't very useful when they don't send the repair parts.

Thank you for all the responses. As Barryv has already stated, great post JWVideo.

I know this is late to the party, but want to add some input as I have now spent weeks researching appliances for my new home. I really like the Viking range. If I had an option I would probably go with Blue Star or Capital, but my builder will only install appliances from two local distributors and they carry Wolf, Thermador, Meile and Viking brands in residential commercial appliances. I found out the company who does their repairs and contacted the owner of A1 Appliance (highly rated on Angie's List) and following are his comments:

"We do repairs on all of the brands that you have listed and I would say that none truly have more problems than the others across the board. Over the years all the manufactures have had issues with certain products with recalls and such.

Viking has not done the best job over the years with product training and parts support which has in the past made some repairs challenging from time to time. That has changed drastically in the last year as Viking has been bought out by a large commercial equipment manufacturer. They have made some great advancements in both areas that needed help and truly seem to be going in the right direction. They really believe in the new product line and with the six year warranty they are willing to stand behind it. We now have multiple ways to get parts in a timely fashion and the factory support is easy to access if necessary.

Thermador has always been a good product line in my opinion and they stand behind the products well. They have multiple avenues for us to acquire parts and the factory support is also easy to access.

Wolf has a good product but there is no factory support to us. They have made acquiring parts very expensive as well as providing no warranty on the replacement parts to us. They also have cancelled the multiple parts distributors that we used to be able to purchase parts from leaving us one option."

Viking is now offering 6 years full labor and parts. I have received multiple quotes on matching and unmatching products...Wolf, Thermador, Bosch, Jenn-air, GE, Meile, and Viking. When I compare prices the Viking kitchen is coming in around the same price as others...certainly less than Wolf-SubZero. If I purchased warranties on the six appliances I'm buying for 4-5 additional years the price would certainly add a lot more to the overall cost.

Check with your local repair company and get their take on repairs. Also, I like the reviews on Yale Appliance's Blog and with Jonathan at Curtos.com.

I like that Viking is made in the U.S. And I think I'm willing to take a chance.

Nice summary katepak, curious what they said about Miele

I did the same analysis 10 years ago and have regretted it. The cooktop, vent hood and refrigerator were repaired or replaced more than once. I had them buy back the wall oven which worked on temperature average and didn't self-clean as well as my DD's Kenmore (and didn't work after the self-clean ran).

However, that was the old Viking, which was a mess.

They recently did a fridge repair for me with mixed results in terms of service. Of course, this varies regionally.

The replacements I've made have been Miele. The oven has been impeccable and the 10 y.o. dishwasher has 0 issues.

Everyone has different experiences and, as we know here, there are complaints/issue with every brand. Undoubtedly true. But the answer to your question, in terms of the brand, is in my experience, yes. And the "new" Viking hasn't been in place long enough for folks to report on whether they are reliable or not.

So if you decide to go with them, hope you'll report back and give us an assesssment. It's always good to have an update.

As a follow up to my post, I was at my dealer's ordering some additional appliances (Wolf combi steam oven and micro drawer; SubZero Pro 48 glass-doored fridge). The owner asked how I liked my Viking and I told him the issues I had. He sad that Viking had a 90 day no-quibble replacement guarantee. It was a little past the 90 days, but he recommended I do that rather than screw around with the liner replacement and burner repair. He also called Viking and they said it would be another month for the dishwasher repair part that was ordered in December. He managed to get that changed to a week.

The new range has no problems. I have barely used the oven, but it seems to heat correctly. The burners all work perfectly. I can actually simmer on simmer.

Would I do it again? I don't know. I would probably wait for a while and hope Wolf came out with a 30" induction range, which is not on their plans right now. I continued to be frustrated with Viking's service while Wolf/SubZero's reps treated me like I was the only customer they had. One of their designers even convinced me that I did not need the warming drawer that I had planned on ordering. I do love the look of my Viking range and the induction burners, but am really worried about Viking's support.

The posts have been a great help given I am a now in the "must decide" stage of my kitchen remodel. I have a question, I was told that the new french door wall oven had a three year parts and labor. What product has the 6 year parts and labor as mentioned above?
Anyone out there have any experience with the french door double wall oven?

Not that it matters, but Viking is made in Greenwood, Mississippi, not Alabama.

They may have gotten some refrigerators from a plant in Alabama but the rest is all from Miss.

I'm reposting as I went ahead and pulled the trigger on Viking appliances. They are less than 90 days old, so this may not be a fair evaluation. I purchased the 30" dual fuel range, a free-standing frig, a hood, a beverage fridge, a drawer microwave and received the dishwasher for free. I felt that I got a fair estimate since they are offering some good deals at this time. When I compared the 6 year warranty with purchasing similar brands (Wolf, Thermador, etc) I felt the Viking was the best value. Very happy with all of the appliances. The range came with a couple of small dents, but the service people were here with the replacement part within two weeks. I'm a former chef and I enjoy cooking on this range. The microwave can serve as a warming drawer. If I had one complaint, it would be that my dishwasher does not hold as much as our former LG, but it is a solid piece of equipment. As I mentioned in my prior post, my first choice was a Blue Star range, but I was limited to the distributor's lines. I'm not unhappy with my Viking. As with everything, it takes a little while to get used to them. Will report back in a few months, but right now I'm very happy with my decision.

I have had my Viking 30" induction range and (free) dishwasher for almost a year now. I still LOVE the rangetop. The oven also cooks evenly and accurately. I did my big (Jewish) holiday baking last week and had it pretty much filled on all three racks for two days straight. The only complaint I have now is that the knobs are wobbly and feel like they could be easily knocked off. Actually, I moved the range this summer when I replaced my floor and one knob spindle broke. My dealer had my original range in their warehouse still (cracked liner and other issues) so they replaced it for me.

I don't like the dishwasher. Even with a replacement control panel the delay start sometimes doesn't work. The racks are not configured in a way that I can easily fit my dishes in it. For example, you can't put a baking sheet straight across the bottom because the pins are not lined up. It holds less and is way louder than my old Bosch. I will probably replace it in a couple of years - after I finish reeling from the cost of my other appliances.

The Viking microwave looks great, but the buttons are really hard to see.

I absolutely love my Wolf combi-steam oven. I haven't used my Viking all that often because the Wolf is so great. However, the Wolf doesn't hold half-sheet pans.

I am not sure if I would spring for the micro drawer again. I like the idea, but I seem to always be squatting down trying to see the buttons. It does have lots of auto features that I like, but no turntable.

My Sub-Zero Pro 48 glass door fridge is fabulous and I am very glad I sprung for it. By far it is my favorite purchase - probably my favorite purchase for many years. No, I don't keep it showroom perfect and that is just fine with me.

I have had the Viking cook top for about 5 years. It works pretty well. I don't cook, nor does my husband, so it is mostly my children who use it.

Had one repair. It resulted from one of my children's mishandling of the cook top, and they fixed it.

I got the white Viking cook top, as my counters are white corian. They look great together, but under the grates, the white enamel has come off. You cannot see the problem when you look at the cook top, but only when you lift the grates to clean it.

This cook top is very easy to clean. I would say it is easier to clean than any other stove or cook top I ever had.

I am about to buy the Viking wall oven and steam convection microwave, to replace my old oven and microwave. I was longing for white, but after the problem with the white cook top, I am convincing myself that white is a bad idea. All it takes is for someone to slam the oven door or microwave door, and the enamel may come off.

Anyway, it is much more expensive for white and is an eight week special order. The new steam convection oven, which is $1,000 more than a normal microwave does not come in white, so the color decision is made for me. I would have to order the microwave convection with no steam to get white.

The Wolf appliances were much more.

We incidentally have two Miele dishwashers, which have never had a problem, and have had two of the more expensive GE built in fridgies, which have custom panels. The first fridge lasted 18 years. Our cabinets are Woodmode from 1995. They are toast on oak and look brand new. They matched new fridge panels and dishwasher panels after 17 and 18 years, and everything looks new and matched. I highly recommend Woodmode oak in the wood colors. Not sure you would have such good luck with white.

Anyone care to share any up-dates on their Viking appliances? I'm looking at their French Door Oven and Induction Pro Cooktop but not much reviews out there on their newer products.

I have had nothing but problems with my 30" range. Cook top is great. The oven, not so much. I have had several repairs in warranty and am now past the 3 year warranty and have had the tech out several times in the past couple months. As of today, my oven still does not work and has not worked since September. Try getting through the holidays without an oven.

They have replaced many parts, just yesterday they replaced everything other than the motherboard. Tested fine. Go to use it a couple hours later for dinner, it doesn't turn on. This has been the MO. Works for a day or even a couple months, then stops.

Now I am back to asking for Viking to repair on their dime again. I have spend a few hundred of my own money on repairs and won't spend any more.

In 2016 we purchased a Viking professional 60" dual fuel range and hood (in graphite grey). We got a sweet deal on a floor model the appliance store wanted to get rid of because they were no longer going to carry Viking. (We weren't terribly concerned about getting warranty work done through that appliance store... hubby is a rocket scientist, and fixing ranges isn't rocket science, LOL! So we went for that floor model) I've been heavily using it for about 14 months now, I say heavily because we have a large family. Overall I've been very pleased with it! The day it was installed we noticed a minor cosmetic issue with the trim on the front of one of the oven doors, it didn't affect performance at all. Viking did send a repair man out at no charge and he fiddled with it for awhile, decided he wasn't able to fix it, then realized that Viking recommended the whole oven door needed replacing to remedy the issue. Ok. He put the oven door back on and told me I'd hear from him within a week. Well, life happened and I kind of forgot about it for quite some time. It was several months later when I got a call that my new oven door was in and he could come back out to install it. They did it all at zero cost to me so I was pleased... but a bit nervous about how long it took to get the part... but I didn't stress about it because everything was still working fine in the meantime. Just kind of filed it away in my brain for later...
I love that there's very little stainless steel to try to keep looking nice. I like that the cast iron grates aren't full length like a kitchen aid cooktop I'd had before, individual grates are easier to move for cleaning. The burners don't go quite as low as I'd hoped, but they're not horrible. The infrared broilers in the ovens are fantastic, best broilers I've ever used, nice and even. My ovens cook a bit high and fast from what I've had before, I tend to drop the heat about 25 degrees to compensate. I mostly use the bake and broil functions, haven't used the convection features much. I took one oven rack out of each oven... I just didn't need 3 racks in each oven and the ovens preheat faster without the third rack. Every rack slides beautifully and they're easy to reposition to another level. I adore my griddle! I use it all the time and I find it easy to clean when I'm done (I usually just pour some water on it while it's still hot and use a thick rag to wipe it off.) I've only used my indoor grill a few times. I didn't feel like it got hot enough for searing beef really well, but it's perfect for grilling veggies. (Much prefer my Weber outdoors though, so I only use the indoor grill when I'm desperate when it's bad winter weather) I feel like the grill is a massive hassle to clean, so I don't like using it. I really like the hood, but we didn't install the warming lights (because we didn't install a warming shelf) the led lights are nice and bright. Our blower (bought separately) is VERY powerful. Love that because we do a lot of high heat Asian cooking. The baffles are easy enough to get out... I can only fit two at a time in my dishwasher, but they come out so clean that way. I still have trouble getting them back in, it's a tight fit and I'm not tall enough to get a good angle, so I make my hubby do that part for me. On really cold and windy days you can feel a pretty good draft coming through that 10" tube, but our vent is also on the north side of our roof. Yes there's a butterfly hinge thingy that stops the drafts most of the time, but if it's extra cold AND windy you can feel that draft so that's a bummer. Oh well, still worth it to me to have a powerful blower.
I have noticed lately that one of my oven doors doesn't want to close tightly all of the time, because the light will stay on unless I give a little extra nudge to the door. Need to have hubby check the hinges.
The black enamel on the stovetop isn't easy to get looking sparkling clean, haven't figured out how to get it that way yet at all since the first time I cooked on it... but because it's black I don't let it bother me too much. If it was white and not wiping up well I'd be upset, but the black looks clean enough at a glance.
I call my range my "command central" and I really like cooking on it a lot. I've torn it apart several times already to clean under everything. I've never used the self cleaning feature for the ovens... I won't risk it because I've had too many oven doors explode that way, so I just won't even use it now. I just wipe the inside out as needed when the oven is still warm and I call it good enough. It's black enamel inside so it hides a multitude of sins. LOL! My range is definitely a work horse, it looks pretty nice and awesome, but it's not a show piece and I don't treat it as such, it gets USED. After a year I'm still thrilled with it.

jnegley- what yr is your 30" range?

2013. It is now 4 years old. Never has worked 100% right.

jnegley- Unfortunately your range was purchases in the era that Viking was having a lot of problems with all their appliances. In 1913 Middleby purchased them and since then has overhauled the entire line. But because of the bad reputation of their appliances, dealers and consumers have shyed away from them and reviews are few on the new ones.

Sorry that you aren't getting prompt attention to resolve your oven issues,

If Middleby wants the dealers and consumers to embrace their brand again, they need to embrace the problem appliances that they inherited and take care of the consumer promptly!

I have a Viking Cooktop, Double Oven and Microwave. No problems with any of them, they are 3 years old.

Thanks tedbixby. To give an update, Viking just called and they will replacing the whole unit with a new one.

They are making right, it’s taken a while, but they are doing it.

That's great news :) Keep us posted as to how you like the new one.

So they are not "replacing" per se, but rather giving me store credit for my purchase amount where I bought it. Now I have a larger decision to make... do I stay with Viking or go with Thermador, JenAir, DCS, Electrolux, or another brand they carry (Kitchen Aid, GE, etc). They do not carry Blue Star, Wolf, or Thor.
I have spent about two hours reading reviews from professionals on 2017/18 models (not consumers as much) and Viking either is not on their list at all or does not make their top ten.
Not sure what I will do at this point.

Last yr I talked to 2 local appliance stores that both had previously carried Viking and had dropped them due to all the repair issues. They both told me that they both would be happy to order Viking for me but that they did not feel that Viking had redeemed themselves as far as the repair issues. One of the dealers said he had ordered a full kitchen of Viking for a customer and had installed it a month earlier and was having already to make repair calls on various appliances. I haven't been looking at ranges but for a double oven I keep circling back to the GE Monogram Ovens after all my research. I currently have a 17yr old GE Profile double oven and GE Monogram side by side fridge and neither have ever had a repair- for what it is worth. Though I think appliances made in the last 10 yrs aren't made as well and with all the bells & whistles on them, they are prone to have more repairs.

Good luck with your search.

In a battle right now Viking doesn't want to fix there product or replace. They just want to buy people out. We don't want a buy out. We want Viking to honor there warranty.

Brian- what Viking appliance and age are you battling about?

After doing all the research I went with Thermador as a replacement. Thermador and Wolf get the best reviews for professional ranges. Paid for consumer reports, which was odd because they dock brands for things like not having an electric display or not having a self cleaning oven. They also gave Kitchen Aid the best marks, though in another article said Kitchen Aid had the worst reliability of all ranges.
In any case, the valuable take away was that both the Viking units they tested stopped working. The first one they tested the self cleaning function first and melted wires.

Viking has a porcelain enamel problem in there ranges. The enamel keeps on lifting off of the oven floor. This will be the 5th range this has happen to. We are not using any chemicals, placing foil on the bottom of the range, or shocking the oven with cold water when it is hot. The authorized servicer has documented all of the service calls. Viking is not authorizing a replacement they want to pay us out. The pay out would be less than a new range. Viking is refusing to replace. We do not want a pay out we want a replacement. The performance is excellent on the range. We cannot go to a different manufacturer because we would have to change the hood as well as another range with similar features would be to deep for our kitchen. We just Viking to uphold there warranty.

What yr is your range? Wolf and Kitchen Aid have had an on-going flaking issue with the blue interiors for numerous yrs that they are not acknowledging as a problem. Though users are stating otherwise. Is your range interior blue by any chance? When you say the enamel is lifting off do you mean flaking off or is it chunks?

Interested in purchasing steam oven by Viking. I understand they are now discontinued. Not sure what your take is on this. Thanks in advance

I feel that everyone has different experiences with Viking. Some people really love it, some not so much (atleast from what Ive read online). But, in terms of sales, I have found that Thermador is a great option at this price point. I have sold a handful of Viking/Thermador ranges with no complaints thus far. I actually have a 60 inch Thermador range if anyone is interested

My Viking Range came with open holes around the burners. Their online store photos didn’t show it and I was clueless about the open style. Viking won’t hrlp me replace it. I paid $4000 for four holes of kitchen mess. I hate the range and all Viking appliances we bought. I find them to be overpriced for what it is. Old LG was far better, I miss my old LG appliances. They worked so much better then this crap.

Monika, sorry that you aren't happy with your Viking but out of curiosity I am wondering how much research did you do other than looking at on-line photos since you say you were clueless about the open style. Did you actually go and touch the appliances and see how they worked and talked to salespeople. Or is this something you just ordered on-line?

Could you clarify what the 4 hole kitchen mess is so that all of us have a better understanding of your problem so when someone is shopping they can take your issue into consideration also and perhaps learn from your experience of what you should or could have done differently before purchasing.

Ted I did not do any research. I am not sure what kind of research could I have done!!

It said gas stove and only frontal photo was provided. It looked nice from the front and knowing it is Viking I thought it would be something of great style and quality. WRONG!! I have never seen an open stove like that, and my friends coworkers have never seen anything like that either. I think manufacturer and retailer omitted the photo of the stove top on purpose. It’s so bad nobody in their right mind would buy it. I was not careful to “research” and I trusted this would be an American brand. Now I am stuck with a product I hate. in fact all Viking appliances we received are below expectations and they came from Turkey and Mexico. Not made in USA like I thought. I also didn’t check BBB and should have done that before buying anything.

What is four holes of kitchen mess? Basically there is a hole around each burner. Should something boil over it goes around 10 inches deep into the stove over all kinds of wires for igniters. I honestly can’t look at the horrible Viking thing. I wish we bought GE. Much better brand and their fridge can make coffee and dispense water. Whatever you buy don’t buy Viking.

Monika I appreciate your honesty as (unfortunately) you are an example of what happens if you do not do any research. Between Houzz and other sites, there is quite a lot of information out there on the poor quality that Viking had and continues to have even though they were purchased by a commercial appliance manufacturer but for some reason their success on the commercial end has not carried over to the residential end. Without knowing the exact model you purchased I can't say much on what the manufacturer and retailer omitted in the photo but I did look up a few of the gas ranges on Viking site and they did specify when they had opened burners in the product description. Perhaps you got so excited by the beauty of the range that you forgot to read the spec's and product descriptions?

Open burners (the holes you mention) are usually preferred by commercial chefs or those that want a better control over their cooking, such as a lower simmer. Usually the open burners have a drip pan under the burner for easier cleaning. If you actually had gone into a store and talked to a salesperson they would have pointed that out to you. If you did go to the store, not on-line, to purchase then you might have some recourse with the store but Viking, no.

I'm not defending Viking because from my own research off and on the last 5 plus yrs, I think the product is a bunch of crap and they can't seem to get their act together. But what appear has happened in your instance is that you over bought for your need because you didn't do your research other than looking at a photo and that is why you prefer a GE or your old LG. If you hate it so much, you might be able to unload it on Craigslist. Of course, you won't get what you paid for them but at least you'll get something for them and then can purchase something that fits your needs more and you'll be happier.

I am looking for people who ordered from Appliances Connection company and received damaged products. Please contact me with your story.

Monika, it sounds like you purchased an open burner stove vs a sealed burner stove. Personally, I do not know why someone would want an open burner stove, but some people do, you are obviously not one of them. This is where some research would have aided you in your purchase and what model was right for you. When I purchased a Viking I was sure to get the sealed burners.

At this point, I would recommend that you call Viking and politely ask if there is anything that can be done to convert your open burner stove into a sealed burner model. That you purchased the open burner without knowing there was a difference. Or maybe there are trays that can be installed. It will surely cost you to convert it, if possible, but it will make it usable for you. Viking customer service is very, very good, if you are friendly and polite. If you are at all rude, you will get nothing. This has been told to me several times by repair techs. Kill them with kindness.

I don't know if an open burner range can be easily converted to sealed burners.

If not, the choices are to live with it or to sell the range and buy a different one. Assuming the appliance dealer is not willing to replace/exchange, and sounds like they are not.

I have open burners. You can clean out boil-over spills, with a little bit of work, but for sure it increases the motivation to not boil over pots.

If it is a very new Viking, it should still have some reasonable value? Viking ranges are quite expensive, should be able to sell and get into a new GE range for no added money.

Jnegley Viking customer service is not good. I talked so much with their customer service representative Charlott. She said it was my responsibility to find the stove in the store, see it there before I place an online order. She also refused any possibility of replacing those burners because they were made for 40 years. Not only it is unethical to go see at the store and buy online but she lacked any compassion or common sense.

John Liu make an offer on the stove. I paid $3999. You can actually buy professional appliances for less then what I paid for the Viking. Someone was just in my house and could not believe how cheap the Viking stove looks. They are looking to build so won’t be buying Viking for sure. I took care of that. And told him (a successful business owner) to avoid Viking. He was nodding his head in disbelief what happened to us with dented appliances and this stove. I showed him our fridge, stove, dishwasher. He just said it all looks do cheap and his wife would flip if she got that in her house.

I purchased my Viking stove in 2003. I recently just called for my first service call. Expensive to change the two igniters but my next purchase would be a wolf appliance. I understand the company has been purchased. Love high end appliances.

My Biking appliances, wall oven, microwave/convection oven / refrigerator, were all bought in my kitchen remodel in 2011. Starting two years ago, each appliance has had two repAirs, with the microwave having 4. All repairs needed parts. The last two were $800+ because Biking Parts are expensive. Never again will I buy Viking.

I have a Series 5 Hood with a broken fan switch. The parts are $360 and the labor $460. The design is so bad that hours of labor are required TO FIX A FAN SWITCH. I am seven weeks out of warranty. So in less than 26 months, I have an over $820 repair bill. Never again will I buy Viking. Stay away!

Viking appliances are the absolute worst I have ever owned. We moved into a new home with a new Viking appliances in April of 2020 and we have had 4 service calls on the range and 3 on the fridge. It is unreal. We are about to rip them all out and install something different. Quite a waste of money. Seriously I will never recommend the product. In fact I will strongly advise against any Viking appliance.

Wow Viking is the worst. I bought all of my Viking appliances right before Covid hit and had to keep them in storage for about a year. Since install my oven doesn’t work and I had to replace all of my gas burners because my daughter had tomato soup boil over. All 4 burners were toast because one boil over!! That was over a thousand dollars in repair. But wait it gets better now my dishwasher won’t work. One day while unloading it I tipped over a bowl with water in it and the lights in the dishwasher automatically went off and I haven’t been able to use it since. I tried to switch the breaker off to make sure it wasn’t a reset issue. These appliances were the worst decision in my life and have caused me nothing but agony since.

I have a 30 in Viking range, approx 2010. Many problems with the igniter in oven. Finally had to replace the motherboard. By the time I was finished with all of the service calls and ordering parts it was well over 1000.00. Also, had to put 1/2 down on the motherboard before they would order it.

I can't stand my Viking oven..very hard to clean and the oven burns the top of everything I am trying to cook especially baking..I even set it at 200,,still burns the top of everything! I can't wait to go back to a simple electric oven!

I had Viking all gas 30” in my old house. Went with all Wolf appliances this time. Love Love them but you pay for them. Never going back to Viking