Fix it or Ditch It? Kitchen Aid Oven/Stove

10 years ago

Our recently purchased home came with a Kitchen Aid Superba oven and stove. The former owners renovated the kitchen 4 years ago and I assume that is the age of this appliance. The control panels are all touch sensor under a piece of glass. The "off" button is not working, nor is the number "5". I am happy to cook at 440 instead of 450, but not being able to turn the oven off is a big pain, not to mention dangerous. Sometimes it takes me 10 minutes of trying until I can turn it off.

I looked up the problem and it is about a $400 fix. Is it worth it to fix this problem, when there is nothing preventing it from happening again. Or should we purchase a new oven/stove?

A new purchase would not strain our budget. Thankfully we have the money right now. It just seems like a waste to get rid of a 4 year old appliance. Then again it seems like a waste to spend $400 on a fix, that could break again.

We are first time homeowners and have never purchased a stove/oven before. I don't know how much it would cost to get a good one that has all dials on it and no computer panel. We don't need something over the top but will pay to get a reliable appliance that works well.

Thanks.

Featured Answer

spsp4k

6 years ago

I purchased Kitchen Aid gas range in 2005. I had to replace the control panel in 2008 for oven unable to turn off, 2012 and 2014 and July 1 2017 oven unable to start. Each event costing $350. All because of the touch pad of the controller. I wonder if other brands have similar problem. For now I am shopping for range with mechanical dials.

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Comments (12)

deeageaux
10 years ago
What size is it, the width?

How many burners does it have?

Do you have a model # ?

I assume this is not a wall oven but a stove/range. Burners/hobs on top with an oven below.

KA makes 30" ranges/stoves for as little as $900 and 48" ranges for as much as $9,000.

If the cost to replace with an almost identical range is closer to $900 ditch it. IF it is closer to $9k fix it.
a2gemini
10 years ago
Have you tried cleaning the rich screen with a vinegar solution. The appliance doctor always recommended trying vinegar. I don't remember the concentration but we could search for it
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springroz
10 years ago
It will go out one by one until you have NO numbers left......Ask me how I know. Buy a new one, and try to get knobs(even though my appliance dealer says they are electronic too!!)

I had 2 ranges and an oven ALL do this.....one of the ranges had an extended warranty, so it was covered. I moved before I could have the others fixed.

Nancy
angela12345
10 years ago
Brandy, you could try Craigslist in your area.
lazy_gardens
10 years ago
It's worth unplugging the appliance, taking the control panel apart, carefully cleaning the connections, cleaning both sides of the glass, making sure everything is plugged in securely and putting it back together.

Also check the ground connection between the control panel and the oven chassis, and make sure the outlet for the range is grounded. (bad grounds make electronics go haywire)

If it's the control panel or touch pad it's not hard to replace, but you have to balance the cost of the part with the expected life of the appliance after the repair.
Brandywine72
Original Author
10 years ago
Lazygardens, I like the idea of doing what you suggested but would not have a clue as to how to go about doing that. My DH and I are complete idiots when it comes to repairs.

I have cleaned this with vinegar and it still does not work. It seems that this is a common problem with this particular range. Damn technology. I liked life better with dials. I don't think it is going to make sense to repair it because the more I look into this the more I find that people have to repair the same thing over and over. It is a $400 repair. I am assuming this oven was $1200-1800.

I am looking into getting a Capital range. It seems they start around $3000, which seems like a ridiculous amount to me to spend on a range. But I do love that it has a non-electric control panel.
Brandywine72
Original Author
10 years ago
Lazygardens, I like the idea of doing what you suggested but would not have a clue as to how to go about doing that. My DH and I are complete idiots when it comes to repairs.

I have cleaned this with vinegar and it still does not work. It seems that this is a common problem with this particular range. Damn technology. I liked life better with dials. I don't think it is going to make sense to repair it because the more I look into this the more I find that people have to repair the same thing over and over. It is a $400 repair. I am assuming this oven was $1200-1800.

I am looking into getting a Capital range. It seems they start around $3000, which seems like a ridiculous amount to me to spend on a range. But I do love that it has a non-electric control panel.
gpraceman55
10 years ago
Is the $400 parts plus labor? If so, you may very well be able to replace the part yourself. You might even be able to find instructions or even a YouTube video on the web to do so. Sometimes even just looking at the parts diagram for the appliance you can figure out how to get to a part. I've done that with our washing machine and dryer. Found the parts drawings on searspartsdirect.com. Also, once you have the part number for what you need, you can shop around to find the best deal on the part.
spsp4k
6 years ago
To continue of Kitchen Aid touch pad (they call it switch membrane), I cannot but thinking if unreliable part is part of the Company's after sales business model of extracting "rent" from customers. If Kitchen Aid has a social conscience, I would think it will invest in improving the reliability of the part to stop this blood sucking practice.
Desert Gardener
6 years ago
FWIW...some years ago I bought a new KA dishwasher. Lasted until the warranty expired and then problem after problem, with just enough time in between each issue that we thought "Well, let's fix it". My husband's pretty good at repairs and by the time we sold that house he had rebuilt everything underneath - motor, sprays, etc. Not long after buying the dishwasher we also bought a KA fridge. He's replaced the circuit board for the icemaker 3 times. Not buying any more KA.
HU-821694151
2 years ago
Dont buy kitchen Aid, spent $900. for 5 repairs in six years. the knobs get hot, and the plastic under the knob melts. Again, two of the knobs are stuck and wont turn

Emma S