I have the Kitchenaid induction cooktop. I've attached the thread where I wrote about it after the first time I used it. I have since gotten used to the noise, but I wouldn't buy another one of these in the future.

You might want to google something like "kitchenaid induction noise." There's even a video on Youtube that someone posted here on GW a couple of months ago.

Also, KA wall ovens have a reputation for blowing the electronics when they are self-cleaned. To the best of my knowedge, the company has never admitted this to be a problem and fixed it, as Elux did a few years ago. I would be wary of a KA oven.

If you can't find reviews of your specific model, you might want to look for reviews of the cooktops and other oven models.

Here is a link that might be useful: My new KA induction is really noisy

"Also, KA wall ovens have a reputation for blowing the electronics when they are self-cleaned. To the best of my knowedge, the company has never admitted this to be a problem and fixed it, as Elux did a few years ago. I would be wary of a KA oven."

I never had oven problems but I can't say that I appreciated the way KA treated old KA oven owners. But to be fair, they did in fact eventually agree to replace the cooling fans of a subset of their ovens that may have had self clean cooling issues. And now they have increased the cooling which has annoyed some users with the additional noise.

Thanks for the info, chas045, I didn't know that. The last I'd heard, there was a class action suit in Canada about the KA ovens. I'm glad to learn they did try to address the issue.

All that being true, that particular oven burn-out problem is not going to affect the KA induction range that Lisa asked about. It does not have a pyrolytic self-cleaning function. Instead, it has a sort of steam-assisted cleaning that WP calls "Aqua-Lift." This avoids the possibility of the self-clean burn-outs but seems to be sufficiently ineffectual to have generated its own set of irate postings.

In addition to Ginny's thread on the the noisiness of KA induction, check out the thread below which links to a video demonstration.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miz Lizzie's thread on noisy KA induction

This post was edited by JWVideo on Wed, May 15, 13 at 12:20

So that's a cooktop. Does the range have the same issue? I definitely couldn't handle that noise. The Whirlpool and Maytag ones have been out longer and I haven't seen any negative reviews pertaining to noise. Just the self-cleaning (which I can live with) and the burner layout (which I'm not crazy about.)

I saw that the Frigidaire FPIF3093LF has pretty decent reviews, but the oven is deeper so it will likely block my drawer. I'm also not sure how well the stainless will match my KitchenAid refrigerator.

I also know there are some Samsung options, but I don't know much about them. Is there anything I should consider there?

Thanks for the help.

To be fair, that poor guy's cooktop seems much louder than mine. Maybe it's his pots. I have 7 different types of pots, and they all buzz, but some a little more than others. The buzzing isn't what I find so annoying - it's the clicking, especially when I have more than one hob going. Unless they used a different method of modulating the heat than in my cooktop, the range would also click.

You can get used to the noise, and you can drown it out with hood or radio or even the sound of cooking. If there are other compelling reasons to get this model, then this may be a reasonable compromise. I will say that my husband loves the functioning of our KA induction cooktop and doesn't care about the noise. I just think people should be forewarned so they aren't blindsided like I was.

Have you thought about LG? Do they make a range?

We're lucky to have people like JWVideo, dodge59, and kaseki on this forum. They really know about appliances. I'm just a dilettante. Maybe they can come up with another suggestion for you.

Also, here's the post from Suzy who is dissatisfied with Aqua-Lift in her Maytag, just FYI.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aqua-lift not self cleaning

Like I'm not a dilletante, too? But, thanks for the compliment.

Anyway, Lisa asked about Samsung induction stoves. Last fall, I looked pretty hard at the Samsung NE697NOPBSR and it was one of my finalists. If I lived in a warmer climate, I probably would have purchased it. I liked the GE induction ranges a bit better, but GE bumped its prices and they went well above my $2k budget limit.

The Frigidaire freestanding induction range also looks worthwhile and looks a lot like the KA, as a matter of fact. It does have a "real" self-cleaning oven, though, and seems to be slightly revised (bigger oven) version what the company used to sell as the Electrolux free-standing induction range and which is still sold as a Kenmore. A fair number of folks here have written favorably about the predecessors but I haven't noticed any reviews of the Frigidaire. Not to be confused, by the way, with Frigidaire "hybrid" slide-in (radiant on one side of the cooktop, induction on the other.)

I liked the burner and control layout on the NE597NOPBSR best of the sub-$2k induction ranges. On the right side, there is an 11" diameter burner (7.5" minimum pan size) and 6" burner behind it (5" minimum pan size). On the left are two 8" burners beneath a rectangular 9" x 18" painted grid. You can link the burners to a single control for large pans (say a rectangular pancake griddle or (maybe) a 14" diameter canning kettle if you do that kind of thing.) You also can run them as two separate burners 8" burners (minimum induction pan size = 6 inches).

BTW, the GE induction ranges also have twin 8" burners on the left and GE says you can bridge them with a griddle although you have to control each burner separately.

I had a personal preference for the GE and Samsung burner arrangements because I could put two large frying pans up front or rung 3 largish pans at once. (For instance, I could run two 12" fry pans in front or have a 12" skillet on the right with an 11" Lecruset dutch oven on the front right and a stockpot with an 8" induction base (9" diameter overall) on the back left burner. I like this because I do a fair amount of entertaining and large dinners. If you don't often run multiple large pots together, and don't care about large pancake griddles, the other stoves burner arrangements will probably be fine.

The GE and Samsung both adjust in half step increments from very low to as hot as (almost) anybody would need. (There are the gonzo searers who feel a steak is not properly cooked until the pan greatly exceeds the melting point of lead; for them, no stove is ever powerful enoungh.)

The lowest Samsung burner setting is barely hot enough to melt chocolate in a saucepan (called "simmer," it is apparently a .5 setting, probably around 130 or 140F) but not low enough to use for yogurt (which, ideally, would be held at 110F for four or five hours). It goes in half steps to "9" and then has a full step to "H" and then, of course, to boost. By comparison, the GEs don't go quite as low -- though "1" on the GE is still barely hot enough to melt chocolate --- and adds an additional half-step on the high end between 9 and H. So, plenty of control with 20 stepped heat settings.

None of the induction stoves have timer controlled burners or the like; you only get that with some higher end separate cooktops.

The NE597NOPBSR claims to be able to maintain a steady 150F oven temp for things like dehydrating. (The GE stoves only claim 170F as the lowest setting.) There is also a 100F setting (apparently using the convection fan and the third-element (aka "true convection). Haven't seen any reports on how well that function works but seems like it might be useful for rising bread doughs and maybe for making yogurt or cheese. Maybe for very slow dehydration and some sous vide, too. Maybe not.

The Samsung induction stoves offer both full-on high-heat oven cleaning and the option to do the steam cleaning when you want. CR's tests gave very high marks on self-cleaning functions in the Samsung stoves' ovens.

The NE597 oven has three convection fans, but I have no idea whether that's just hyped-up engineering or if it makes any difference to baking. Consumer Reports has not tested the NE597 but it has tested the FTQ307 and NE595 versions and rated their functions on par with the GEs for excellence in CR's performance testing.

The other Samsung induction model, the NE595NOPBSR, comes with a more standard burner arrangement (four different sized burners), somewhat less-feature rich oven set up, and slightly less shiny metal fascia. It runs about $1500. As noted, It does very well in Consumer Reports testing, scoring only a point behind the GE freestanding induction range (which is CR's highest rated range, ever.)

In Canada, Samsung sells the NE599NOPBSR which is similar to the NE597 but with a larger oven that can be divided in half and run as two separate ovens. This model is not sold on this side of the border, AFAIK.

I've seen some complaints about the NE599, and they are mostly about the the framing and mounting of the control panel on the backsplash. Have not seen similar complaints about the NE597 or NE595, yet.

Samsung has a good reputation for reliability in appliances but, if things do go wrong (as they inevitably will on some units), then it has had a bad reputation for poor service and support.

Most of the reviews and discussion of the Samsung range here have been about the prior Samsung induction model, the FTQ307. If you could work with the burner arrangement (rather like a surface controlled 30" drop in cooktop), pretty much everybody was very pleased with the stove's functioning. And, as mentioned, CR rates the performance highly.

No reliability data yet, though, as Samsung is still too new enough to the North American stove market. CR is not yet getting enough responses form the membership survey to report on the stoves' long term durability.

If you are interested, download the manuals and read through them for a better handle on the stoves. AJ Madison and Best Buy has had links.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Wed, May 15, 13 at 17:09

Check the dimensions for the GE Profile slide-in induction range.

The Samsungs are supposedly 26" deep. Don't know if that includes the door handle or not. The GE slide-in lists 28 7/8" as the depth. The WP/Maytag/KA models all say 27.75" deep.

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. Especially JWVideo - you sound VERY knowledgeable! I stopped in a showroom today and they didn't have the Samsung options, but in the pictures the handles look more round than the KitchenAid. I'm also nervous because they don't have a proven track record. It does sound like it's got some nice features though.

I've seen the GE before and I don't like the way it looks so I've ruled that out for now.

I must say I really liked the Frigidaire FPIF3093LF. It's got a nice burner layout and I like the way it looks. It also seems to have good reviews. I saw it right next to the KitchenAid stove today and the stainless steels don't exactly match, but I do have 3 feet of cabinet between the range and the refrigerator so I might be able to get away with it. Even though the specs say it's deeper, the KitchenAid looked deeper on the showroom floor. Either way, I'd rather have a quality over than a drawer that opens all of the way.

I'm also curious about the Frigidaire FPCS3085LF. I currently have an old electric slide-in Amana. It goes to the wall so I was planning to replace with a freestanding so I wouldn't have to purchase a trim kit. The slide-ins do look so much more finished though. The GE price tag had scared me off, but this Frigidaire hybrid is closer to where I want to be. Although the reviews do seem more mixed than for the freestanding version.

I'm going on 3 weeks without a working oven so I would really like to make a decision before the weekend. Again, thanks so much for your help. It doesn't seem like you can get quality help in a store these days.

I've been reading reviews all morning and I might need to reconsider the GE PHS925STSS. I'm not crazy about the way it looks, but it seems like it has the best proven track record for an induction range. I'm not crazy about the price tag, but I do like the slide-in look.

I'm still seriously considering the Frigidaire FPIF3093LF although I'm concerned about the lack of reviews and the possibility that it won't match the KA refrigerator.

I heard there may be a GE Cafe version of the slide-in induction out later this year. It could look like the other Cafe slide-in ranges is you don't like the look of the Profile series.

That would be awesome fauguy as I do like the look of those better, but I can't wait. My oven hasn't worked in over 3 weeks and I need to replace it. I've repaired it a few times and it just doesn't make sense to do it again.

I think I've narrowed it down to the Electrolux freestanding or the GE slide-in. I'm definitely out of my desired price range, but I have concerns about all of the ones under $2k.

I've never seen the Electrolux freestanding, so I'm going to see if I can track down a showroom that has one today.

Any opinions performance-wise between the two are appreciated. I definitely like the overall look of the Electrolux better (from pictures), but I'm a bit torn about giving up the slide-in look as that's what I currently have. I think either would match okay with my KA refrigerator.

Thank you!

Performance-wise, tthere shouldn't be much difference. There are just differences in burner size and arrangment. It's a "six of one and half dozen of the other" kind of thing. I suggest you download the owner's manuals and check out functions and controls to see if the differences matter to you. The differences may matter to some people but you aren't buying a stove for other people.

If you have access to Consumer Reports, compare the test results for the GE freestanding induction to the the Kenmore freestanding induction (which is made by Elux and is virtually the same stove as the freestanding unit you are looking at.) There was a one-point difference in the total scores.

Seems to me that there are some other considerations might be more important for you.
Most important for your kitchen may be that specs for the Elux free-standing specs show it being about 2.5" shallower than the GE slide-in. The spec for the Elux is 26.25" depth (from oven handle to rear projection) while the GE is 28 7/8."

Also, does your current stove sit flush against the back wall or is there a piece of countertop behind it. On some stoves , such as the Elux, there is a slight projection at the back of the oven, and it slips under that countertop piece. In other words, the backsplash/riser won't sit flush with the back wall. The GE is designed to sit flush with the back wall. If you have a piece of countertop back there, the GE slide-in will stick out even more because it has a flat back panel. (There is some discussion and some pictures of this in the long thread that fauguy started on the GE slide-in).

Also, you should download the installation instructions for both stoves and find out if either will require you to relocate the 240v outlet.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Fri, May 17, 13 at 13:37

I would take the time to google "Electrolux Induction Range Reviews"

I did, and I don't like what I see, (and I am an Electrolux fan)!

Some could not be fixed and even those that were took a long time and usually broke again.

The price of some of their parts are "Horriffic", like a touch pad for over $900, (that's a $90 part at best).

To be fair, I have not goggled GE Induction Range Reviews, yet, so I can not say if it is any better.

Myself I would get a separate induction cook top and oven, that way if something goes wrong with either one, You still have the other, which is "Usually" not the case when the Electrolux induction range fails, (see the post by the user that using a kerosene stove due to the breakdown of her Elux Induction Range).

If you must have the Elux, there are a number of them on ebay as well as Craig's List, and pretty cheap too!

Good luck with your upcoming decisions!!

Gary

Good tips JWVideo! I will double check that right now, but I think either of them work. My outlet is in the bottom right looking at the wall and it does stick out a bit. My current slide-in goes all the way to the wall so no countertop to cut.

I went and looked at both (and all of the under $2k ones) this morning. My salesman is still pushing me to buy the KitchenAid, but even though it will match (my refrigerator and possibly the dishwasher if I go with KA when I replace that), it just seems so cheap to me compared to the GE and Electrolux.

I had very high hopes for the freestanding Electrolux based on the measurements I had seen online (26.25" including handle and rear protrusion), but when I measured in the store, it was more than that. The salesman found the measurements in a book and it's actually 29.25" to the front of the handle. Eek! I was really impressed with it overall so that was painful.

My current range is 28.75" to the front of the handle and the drawer hits it so it only opens half way. The only ones that will work perfectly are the under $2k freestanding ... most of them are under 28" (KitchenAid is 27.75"). The GE slide-in is 28.875" and the handle curves more than the Electrolux so it's going to fit better, but still not perfect.

I'm so disappointed the Electrolux measurement didn't include the handle. I think I would have been really happy with that one. I guess I'm back to either:

GE slide in - Good reviews, good customer service, seems like nice quality, but I don't love the look of it and it's a tight fit.

or

KitchenAid - not quite sure what I'm getting in terms of quality, but it fits and it matches. Although I wouldn't get the slide-in look with the counter overlap.

I am likely doing a kitchen remodel in the Oct/Nov timeframe so I can fix the fit issues, but I only have 3 feet of cabinet before the refrigerator which will be a half moon pull out with drawer above and a narrow drawer bank. The half moon pull out can't change in size, so if I move it over to accommodate a deeper range, then my drawer bank gets narrower and I think it's already at 14" so not sure I really want to give up space there.

Very frustrating.

Thanks all for your help. I decided to go with the GE slide-in. I hope I like it!

Lisa,

Do you like it? Any regrets? Happy? I'm thinking of getting the GE slide-in.

Joan

Hi Joan,

I do like it. I was replacing an Amana from the 90s so the oven is definitely a nice step up. I wasn't even thinking about that part. Everything I've baked has come out great. There's a bit of a learning curve with induction ... it heats up so fast! I've forgotten a few times and walked away. My old range top took forever to heat up.

I love how the temperature adjusts immediately on the burners. It's really nice. I've never had gas, so I can't compare to that, but it's way better than any electric I've ever used. The controls are a little finicky at first - I think I was almost pressing too hard, but I've gotten used to them.

Overall, I think it's awesome. I'm very happy I took the chance on induction and I like the way the slide-in looks. I was replacing a slide-in that went all of the way to the wall, so this was a great choice. It sticks out just slightly farther than my old one, so I have a drawer that doesn't open all of the way.

I will say that it does make more noise than I was expecting. It's not the range, but my pans that make the noise. I notice it mostly when I first turn a burner on. Once they warm up, they seem to buzz less or not at all. I don't have expensive cookware (I bought a stainless Cuisinart set from Costco) so maybe better stuff would make less noise. It doesn't bother me and it's a nice reminder to turn the hood on, since I often forget to do that.

If you have any specific questions, please ask. I hope this helps.

Thanks Lisa71! I've decided to do a cooktop and a separate oven, since I'm starting off with a clean slate. Not sure yet which brand... Glad you are happy! That's what matters:-) I hope I can say the same in a few months!

I bought this KitchenAid in March of last year. 2 weeks after it was delivered it shut down. Meaning there were no light on the display & it would not come on. We called customer service & they said turning the breaker off & on again would reset the range. We flipped the breaker to reset it & it worked again. Over the next several months, we had to continue to do this as it would just go off. It finally got to where this didn't reset the range & we called to get it repaired. When the repairman arrived & we turned the breaker back on & it worked! (They wanted to charge me the $135.00 service call fee as there wasn't anything wrong with my range) A week later my husband went to use the range & there was a letter "K" showing but the range wouldn't work even after flipping the breaker. The letter "K" did go away though. We again called & a repairman came out. Told us there was no letter "K" code, we must have been mistaken but the oven would not work so he ordered a relay switch saying that was what was wrong. A week later the part came in & they put it on. Oven worked. About 3 weeks later (3 days before Thanksgiving) the whole range would not work so another repairman was sent, parts ordered but we had to cancel Thanksgiving dinner at my house as the range would not be working in time. They did get the parts on & the range worked once again. Then 4 days before Christmas the electronic reading on the range said "Function not supported" when we went to use the oven. They said they couldn't get a repairman out before January 7th. When I told them that was unacceptable, they called a different repairman & again ordered parts but they wouldn't be available before Christmas. I finally found a corporate person & explained everything to him. After he investigated, he said they would replace my range January 2nd. A week later, someone called me saying they were shipping my replacement range & it would arrive end of January. We were now using a Toaster oven to bake. Last week we still hadn't heard when it would arrive so we called & were told it would ship on Wednesday. Yesterday it still didn't come so I called corporate again & was told the ship date was moved out to April..... They did finally offer me a different range but it would be several weeks before arrival. I told them that I am just going to go & buy another range as I need to cook for my family. They finally agreed to refund my money for the defective one after I send them the original receipt but it would take about 4-6 weeks for them to come & get the range & give me my money back. I know this is very long but I thought it might help you with your decision. I would strongly recommend you not purchase this KitchenAid range. It has taken me months of frustration & no way to cook properly to finally get where I am with the company & I am still out $1800.00 for another month or so. I even researched induction ranges before I bought the KitchenAid. Obviously not well enough! By the way, I do love the induction type range. It cooks amazingly well & even. Good luck!

Interesting this came up. I found display models Samsung Induction range NE597N0PBSR and KitchenAID KIRS608BSS Induction range for a great discount, and can't decide between the two. The KitchenAid will cost a few hundred more, but not sure if its worth the extra cost. I would state prices, but not sure if that is allowed. The appliances in my kitchen are a GE Profile OTR microwave, Bosch 800 DW, and Samsung french door fridge. Different brands, but somehow they all work together. The new range will replace my GE profile range. So my dilemma is do I get the Samsung or pay about $500 - $600 more for the KA? Is the KA that much better than the Samsung? Both will include a 5 year warranty. Reviews on both are hit and miss. Thanks for any feedback.

After listening to me rave about induction, my friend bought a Samsung induction range. She loves it. She also loves the convection feature of the oven. She has had it since last fall, and I don't think she's had any problems. I can't say whether the KA would be any better than the Samsung, but my KA cooktop clicks (you may have seen my previous posts on this topic). I don't know if the Samsung clicks, but I think not. For the money, I guess I'd take the Samsung. Which has the better hob configuration for your purposes?

I wonder if Vickey ever got her money back from KA.

Thanks for the response. I do like the hob setup on the Samsung better, and it does offer a bridge on the left side with the two hobs. I suppose it offers more flexibility. The KA hobs look more standard to me. I will admit that I like the exterior styling of the KA better, it looks more classy to me. The bottom line is I want it to be reliable. The Samsung is 789, they are holding it for me. The KA is 1221. BBuy told me if I don't like it, I can return it within 45 days. So I think I will get the Samsung, and just keep my current range in the garage for now. I did like the GE Profile one, but that was a lot more expensive. I guess I am nervous because this is new tech for me.

This post was edited by Ron_Ecars on Fri, May 30, 14 at 22:03