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jesshs

Should I pay attention to appliance clock colors?

jesshs
10 years ago

Next design question- do you notice if appliance clocks are different colors? Right now I have range and OTR microwave by same company, so same color lights and no problems. But my first choices for new range and OTR microwave are different brands. Range has a green digital clock and micro has a blue digital clock. I'm trying to decide if this is no big deal or if I need to switch to a micro with a green clock.

Just FYI, here is what I know about brands/clock colors right now:

Frigidaire- green
Whirlpool- blue
Maytag- orange

Please feel free to add on other brands if you know their clock colors.

Comments (35)

  • msbubbaclees
    10 years ago

    My KitchenAid dual-fuel range has blue digital display, my sharp microwave has green. I had to look at them to see, I couldn't have told you from memory that they were different.

    Since my micro is on the counter (horrors! :), I don't tend to look at it in the same "glance" as I look at my range, so it doesn't bother me. I suspect it is one of those things that some people would find really bothersome, and others would never notice. You just have to decide which camp you're in...

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    Beth, my micro is on the counter too, opposite the range. We bought it before our remodel started.

    The clock is SO bright that it is really, really annoying, so I unplugged it and didn't reset the clock. Now all I see (when I'm not actually using the MW) is a bright blue colon, which isn't nearly as intrusive. Oh, it's a Whirlpool.

    The clock on the range is green, and not nearly as bright. It's a Kenmore.

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    You can sometimes turn off the display if it bothers you - If you are OCD it will - otherwise, unless you point it out -most will not notice.
    Have fun.

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    Microwave on the counter people unite!!! Life still has meaning and the neighbors don't shun me.

    My MW and stove lights are both green. Matchy-matchy. :)

  • ineffablespace
    10 years ago

    Another microwave on the counter here. I turned off the display because it didn't match. I would go by features rather than clock color, if I had to make a choice.

  • bpath
    10 years ago

    Among my appliances, there's orange, green, blue, and red; it makes me nuts when it's dark and they're glowing like those Disney cartoon eyes in the forest. But if I'm working in there, there's either sunlight or electric light, so it doesn't bother and I don't notice. In fact, since I'm pretty visual, it helps me: color-coding!

  • jesshs
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Well, those that don't mind seem to be those who do not have OTR micros. My clocks will be right on top of each other. I think I will mind, since it is bothering me just thinking about it! And my kitchen is a narrow galley without a lot of natural light so it will be pretty noticeable.

    Is it easy to turn off the clock without unplugging? I will not be able to get to the plug easily once it is installed (I don't think anyway, I actually don't know where it is plugged in at).

    I'm thinking that with a little more searching I can find a micro that I like to sub for the Whirlpool I had selected. We're talking about a $250 dollar one, not the TOL. We'll see.

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    If you turn off the MW clock, does your timer still display?

    My stove and MW clocks aren't really visible at the same time, but I don't think I would mind if they didn't match. I'm glad they're not red.

  • foodonastump
    10 years ago

    Some MW's will not function if the clock is not set.

    When picking appliances it bothered me terribly that my Samsung fridge and Keurig are blue, Breville TO a different blue, Monogram MW green, Bosch range red. Now that they're all in place and running I haven't given it a second thought.

  • gwlolo
    10 years ago

    try not to.. you will go nuts otherwise :)

  • jesshs
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    jellytoast- you are not alone! We had to return an alarm clock once because the bright blue numbers lit up the whole room and dh and I couldn't go to sleep. Luckily all my lit kitchen appliances so far are green, and not too bright.

  • gpraceman55
    10 years ago

    That was a bit of concern for us with our microwave and oven. As separate units in the same cabinet, we wanted the displays to be the same color. It would have looked odd otherwise. We got the same brand for these two and it worked out. Though, I guess that is not the case with all manufacturers.

    We do have a countertop coffee maker that has a pretty bright blue display. It is on a different wall than the oven and microwave. It doesn't really bother us that it is quite different. It sort of acts like a night light in the kitchen. LOL

  • a2gemini
    10 years ago

    My Speed oven works without a clock.
    My old OTR MW worked without a clock - the silly thing had to be reset after every power blip! They happened a lot - so turned it off.
    The newer appliances are more tolerant to power blips - I just didn't want 4 clocks running in the kitchen.
    I don't think I can turn off wolf's clock.
    If the appliance clock has a hide display- it is easy to do.

  • annkh_nd
    10 years ago

    Jess, our alarm clock has a bright and supposedly-less-bright feature, and even the dimmer of the two is like a big honking blue spotlight in our dark bedroom.

    I draped a washcloth over it. Yes, I have to lift up the corner of the washcloth to see what time it is, but that's the lesser of two evils.

  • Majra
    10 years ago

    I don't think you're crazy, in fact I know it would bug me if my stove and OTR micro displays did not match. It already irks me that the fridge display is a different color (Bosch/red, Samsung/blue).

  • kai615
    10 years ago

    I am about to install my OTR. I hadn't even considered the clock thing, but if they didn't match I would have had a huge DUH moment and smack my head like Homer Simpson. Luckily I did end up buying an LG of both so I will just assume they match.

    My stove has a green clock, so you may have luck looking at a LG OTR.

  • jesshs
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So, here is the updated list for those who like to match:

    Green: Frigidaire, LG, GE
    Blue: Whirlpool, Samsung
    Orange: Maytag
    Red: Bosch

  • gpraceman55
    10 years ago

    Our KitchenAid oven and microwave have white controls. I assume there are other manufacturers that also do white.

  • kai615
    10 years ago

    WOW! I feel the need to update my post on this thread. I finally installed my OTR microwave. I have an LG range AND an LG OTR. The range has a green clock. It has orange lights for other things when it is in operation.

    The OTR has grey lights. I am happy at least that they are fairly dim and not in your face bright light the range clock. I am not going to go ripping it down or anything. But now, while I am not feeling the DUH moment on my side. I am wondering who at LG is not paying attention to their own displays?

  • jesshs
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Wow- can't believe the manufacturer does not have the same color clocks Kali!

    My friend has the same brands (different models though) in her kitchen that I am considering for mine- Frigidaire range and Whirlpool OTR microwave. The colors are indeed different, the range has green and the OTR has blue. But both were pretty muted, not the "in your face" blaring color like in some alarm clocks. As we are best friends and I've spent quite a bit of time in her kitchen and not noticed before I have decided that I will not worry about the color difference and get the appliances that I want for their function, not because the clock colors match.

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    I don't mind the clocks being different colors. Worth noting that some brands offer a choice - GE's Cafe series is blue, Profile and Monogram usually green or turqoise.

    Gaggenau sometimes white now, occasionally red. Electrolux and Thermador like blue.

  • angela12345
    10 years ago

    I have a GE microwave, Kenmore wall oven, and Whirlpool range. The range clock is blue, the other two are green. Yes it bothers me they are different colors. At least the MW and oven which are above each other are the same color ! Although not exactly the same, they are close enough greens. Mostly it's that one is brighter than the other..

  • patmaryny
    8 years ago

    Maytag uses blue as well as orange for ranges...know cause I bought Maytag with orange, and my sister bought Maytage range downgrade from mine with Blue clock light color. I want blue, so looking at sites to see if there is a way to change it.


  • Vertise
    8 years ago

    LOL! I was horrified to see the red. And horrified to be horrified. Why can't they be more discreet? Good luck actually matching the neon signs!

  • Alison Cresto
    6 years ago

    I have a Whirlpool OTR MW with the lights green, Maytag Range and lights were green, replaced Maytag with Whirlpool range and lights are blue -- now I am going nuts with the blue lights on the range and green light on MW... but they are both whirlpools. Keurig is blue lights, I love the blue, now I feel like I need a new MW. The whole reason I came upon this post is that I was googling if I can change the light colors! UGH

  • PRO
    Debbi Washburn
    6 years ago

    I think I need my eyes checked! I have absolutely no clue what color the clocks are in my kitchen! LOL - never paid attention and they don't seem that bright to make a difference.... Good grief - now I will have to check when I go home...

  • wildchild2x2
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Range doesn't have a clock, the micro (Panasonic) is blue and wall oven (Kitchenaid) is blue. If they didn't match it wouldn't bother me. I'm still obsessing over finding the perfect analog wall clock for over the door. THAT matters to me. :-)

  • qsuzieq
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I just bought a GE range and the clock (2018) is white.

    Is there any way to change the clock color so

    I don't have to return it because of the clock color?

    i like the range, but not clock color.

  • zidog
    3 years ago

    I have a range hood with BRIGHT blue and I hate it. If I could figure out how to turn the displays off I would. I honestly didn't think about it when I bought it but it's something that will be important when I buy new appliances going forward. Side note, the range hood lights that illuminate the cooking area are bright bluish LED as well and I loathe them. They actually make food look unappetizing.

  • Anita Myas
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I purchased all Samsung kitchen appliances only to find my over the range microwave wouldn't fit, because it did not have a zero clearance door. I reordered a Frigidaire microwave. The microwave display is very bright white. Not only does the brightness of the display bother me, but the fact that it is a different color than the blue display on the Samsung range below it. So much so, that I'm looking in to the possibility of changing the light bulb or lense cover. I'm not sure if it's possible..

    P.S I don't have the backsplash in yet, so don't judge me for my temporary fix to cover the ugly damaged backsplash.

  • Diane Baker
    2 years ago

    Our new one is bright white also, and we hate it! I am trying to find if we can change it in any way. Can you put colored gel on the door and have it stay? We want ours to be blue. I might try it...who knows!

  • sbmcadams
    2 years ago

    My new whirlpool microwave is orange

  • Jona Denz-Hamilton
    2 years ago

    There are dimming stickers available on Amazon called Light Dims. Green lights appear to be best. We returned a Kenmore OTR MV several years ago due to its annoying bright blue light--even with masking tape over the display. It also had an obnoxious beeper.

  • Kathy Thomas
    last year

    As I get older I am becoming more senseitive to lights. My biggest problem is that I can now barely see the red temperature light on my stove. My eldely aunt had the same probably to the point that she could no longer see the red light (other colored lights were fine) that she gave up cooking altogether. Any suggestion on how to change the red temperature light to another color? The white clock timer light is fine, the blue and green lights on other appliances are fine too, just the red.