I do have a kitchen and a stove (-: even though I'm known for being an outdoor grilling/smoking kind of girl. It's nice to put some barbecue side dishes or bread on the stove burners or in the oven, and . . . heck . . . I do make a lot of Southern dishes traditionally in the kitchen . . . or I did before I bought the kitchen stove from hell made by Frigidaire owned by Electrolux.
My old stove was 38 years old so when it bit the dust, I went to Lowe's and went back and back and back. I went three months sans a stove and just cooking outdoors while I looked over the stoves on the market and tried to make a good selection.
Finally I made up my mind and bought the Frigidaire glass top stove you see above. It does look nice, and it does have nice features or so it seemed at the time.
The fun NOT began from day one with my brand new Frigidaire stove. I would put someting in a pot on the burner on simmer, and it would be boiling like beat the band. Good grief. I'd go to high, and it might be high, or I might have bathtub barely warm heat. It was always a roll of the dice, so I had to stand and babysit anything I put on the burners on this horrible stove.
Let's add some insult to the injury with the Frigidarie oven. The heat was so uneven that I had to put canned biscuit on the rack placed to the top notch, and then I'd still have to turn on broil to get the tops browned to go with the burned as heck bottoms of most foods. Argh.
My brother told me that maybe I needed to use the fan which meant that I had to go with the "fast bake" button. I thought maybe that was my problem. But . . . no . . . the baking was still awful, and I could not post up photos for my cooking blogs due to the lack of browning and other problems related to the oven not doing what it should have done.
Before six months rolled around, one of the metal rods on the fancy rack pulled loose. I'd only used this crappy stove 15 or 20 times total, since it was so lame.
I went to Lowe's. That where I bought this dreadful Frigidaire range. They gave me the rack out of the display model, since my rack was clearly messed up with the rod sticking up and making pans sit all crooked. When I mentioned the heating being off on the burners and oven, I was told that I'd have to hire a repair person to test the stove (at my own expense) and then if . . . and only if . . . I had proof that the heat was off, then I might get some help.
Seriously now, I am a food and cooking writer. I can carry in some biscuits burned on the bottom and anemic on top baked in this oven. Or, I can make photos or take video. But, I don't see throwing good money after bad which seemed rather likely given the poor quality of the Frigidaire stove. Some "broke" really can't be fixed, and this struck me as that variety.
I trudged along and pretty much lost my inside cooking mojo with this awful stove that cost close to $800 (but a litle less with a 10% discount) and didn't even work as well as the $10 toaster oven I had back in college. Bascially, I just avoided any kitchen cooking if at all possible. But, I sure gritted my teeth every time I walked in to see that shiny new piece of junk stove taking up space in my kitchen.
I should also mention that this glass top stove won't work with just any old pans. They must be totally flat on the bottom. And, they don't recommend cast iron on them due to scratching. Break out the wallet to buy new pans to go with the new stove.
And, you need ceramic or glass stove top cleaner as well. You can shine this sucker stove up but spill a few grains of salt on the stove top, and it looks like a hot mess and dirty. Glass topped stoves are billed as easier to clean, but I can attest that as being a dirty marketing trick too. Unless you just have a stove for decoration, then plan to stand around with a cleaning rag all the time, and the stove will usually look dirty anyway.
Yes. I copped an attitude on the Frigidaire stove. It was THAT bad. But, it got worse.
On Friday, I decided to make some Chex Party Mix. That's hard to mess up, and even my awful stove could bake at low for a while and crisp up Party Mix. That was my thinking anyway.
When the Party Mix was done, I shut off the Frigidaire. I left the Party Mix in the oven to just rest as the oven cooled.
But . . . the oven was not cool an hour later. Ouch. I touched that but let go fast.
STRANGE!
I took the Party Mix out with a kitchen glove, and I kept checking the Frigidaire for two hours. Hot. Hot. Hot. The oven was turned off, but it was not off.
Thankfully, I had left the Party Mix in the oven to cool off, so I noticed this problem. I looked online, and others were not so lucky. Just Google Frigidaire and fire hazard. You will not only see stove problems but problems with almost everything they manufacture. Some of the stoves are even recalled due to fire hazards. I'll bet my year model 2010 will be. Perhaps Frigidaire is waiting for someone's house to burn down or for someone to die.
I could raise cain and as a cooking/food writer, then I'd likely get some action under the table on this. But, guess what? I think it's much more important to warn others than to get personal help. I write, because I do think I help others. I would not be able to sleep at night knowing what I know now about Frigidaire and thinking about other unsuspecting people buying Frigidaire products which are bad in general and dangerous on top of that.
I'm just getting by like most of my readers. I can't go buy a new stove every year. I checked on Craig's List and found a 1994 GE stove for $150, and I'm not pawning off my Frigidaire stove which looks fabulous on anyone else. That would not be right. I guess I rented that Frigidaire stove for one year and 16 days to the tune around $800. It was a gosh awful stove from the start and ruined the few meals I tried to cook on the stove. I guess I'll just be thankful that the stove did not burn down my house or kill my family. But, I have an awful taste in my mouth when it comes to Frigidaire. That company should be ashamed . . . very ashamed.
I'm very happy with my second hand GE stove. It may not look as flashy as that Frigidaire stove, but it cooks and bakes good, and I don't have to worry about a fire when the thing is shut off but isn't or with burners coming on at random times with no circuit shut off (another problem noted online with Frigidaire).
If you are looking to buy a Frigidaire, please do Google. You will find a shocking number of problems like mine. Frigidaire deletes Facebook posts about these problems, and Lowe's won't post reviews that mention the Frigidaire fire hazard issues. But, you can still find other places where you can read about these safety problems and direct CPSC Frigidaire consumers problem reports, and you can feel free to add comments to my post.
Frigidaire Stove - $799 plus taxes
Being Alive to Post About Frigidaire - Priceless
If you are having safety issues with your Frigidaire range stove or other products, you can call the Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC at (800) 638-2772. You will need to provide your contact information including a phone number as well as the model and serial number and place of purchase with a purchase date.
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23 comments:
Hi Cyndi....I concur....I don't have the bad element problems but I do have the glass cook top. It is a pain to keep clean. As soon as is economically reasonable I will buy a new gas range and set this one on the street. Surely will not be a Frigidaire. Also I know what you mean about Lowes deleting bad reviews on products. I bought a retractable screen that was $250 junk and they removed my post also.
Thanks for the post.
Gwen
Thanks for responding Gwendalee. Glass top stoves may look cool, but this one really soured me on them.
Sears does post the negative reviews. I must give them that.
I no longer trust Lowe's on reviews, since I know they delete the negative reviews. I have been a big Lowe's fan and have family and friends who work there. That is a real shame that they stack the reviews so that customers don't know what is worth buying and what is not and what is just flat dangerous like this Frigidaire stove.
Thank goodness for the internet these days and that the information can get out there.
Ouch - glad you discovered this problem before it damaged more than the food. Lowe's really should have been more helpful on that as well. If someone purchases a product that doesn't work or is a hazard, I would think that the store would want to know about it sooner rather than later.
I also have a glass top model PLEF398ccc. Last nite my wife was cooking dinner on the burners, when all of a sudden smoke and fire came out of the back of the unit. just behind the control panel. I called frigidaire and they said because there was a fire they wanted to know what the cause was. They said to have it checked at my expense, and let them know. Not going to happen!!!! I have 4 frigidaire appliances in my kitchen, But NOT FOR LONG!!! AS far as I'm concerned their customer service stinks.
Thank you so much. You saved me from buying the Frigidaire gas range that SEEMED like the best for me to buy. Thinking NOT now. Thanks again for taking the time to write this. The other one I am thinking of buying is a Maytag gas range.
Not sure how old the post is, but I have the same range. I cook a LOT, I love to cook and this was the first range that had the convection and self cleaner. Ok, I am cheap and I thought I had done my homework. Like you I did without a oven until I thought was the oven for me. I was using a little counter top convection oven and my stove top worked fine so really no hardship to do without a proper oven. Anyway, I ended up buying it and for the first three years, loved it. My husband wanted the convection and frankly he bakes more than I do, so we upsided if you will. The day after the extended warranty runs out so does my oven. Started getting an error code, checked out my handy booklet, and the temp control sensor wasn't sensing the correct temp and would just keep going, so the whole stove would glow if I didn't watch it. So, thinking no big deal it's the sensor in the oven. Replaced it, no big deal, didn't work, tried a few other things to trace the problem. I was an electrician a long time ago, so I do know a thing or two, didn't just start tearing it apart. Anyway, traced it to the electronic panel that adjust temp and replaced that about $150. That was last year and so far haven't had anymore problems. I also think it was poor design because steam comes out and under the electronic panel and figured that was what caused the problem. I just know in the future I will more than likely save a bit more money and go with a pro line. Just wished I had natural gas where I lived or I would have went with Viking or Jenn-Aire. I worked Industrial, but started out residential so I really did know better, just harder to find electric ranges.
'Twas the night after Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...zzzzzz....zzzzzz...BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!!!! Jumping out of my bed to the sound of an alarm. Is that smoke I smell? Yes, Yes it is! The stove downstairs is on fire! But wait, how could this be? No one used it for at least 9 months. Oh YES! It is the same Frigidaire stove you were talking about above. I feel lucky that I got out alive. We had just recently upgraded or smoke detectors to be interconnected. My advice if you own a Frigidaire is to use it as a boat anchor, that is if you value your life....
Frigidaire
MODEL: GLEFM397DB
I have the same GE stove, love it. But when the oven is on the rear right burner gets really hot, almost like its on low..? And do you know what model the GE is? I need to replace the temp dial. Shovelhead40@gmail.com
Thank you for your write-up. I thought I would add to the Frigidaire horror story. We own a Frigidaire Professional electric glass top stove. It came with our home which we have been in for a little under a year. Earlier this evening though, 11/22/2013, my wife and I came home from work and noticed a "burned plastic" smell. We noticed it seemed to be coming from the general area of the stove. Then when we turned on a burner to heat some water, the top started sparking electricity and then briefly burst into flame. My wife was horrified, but we were both grateful our home didn't catch fire and that we were all safe. Never again. Bye bye forever Frigidaire!!!
I also have a Frigidaire stove. And I hate it!!! The oven doesnt get to the temperature that its supposed to. I have to put in on a lower setting, so my food doesnt burn!! I just put an iron skillet on the top burner, to dry, and IT CAUGHT ON FIRE, the burner got so hot!!! On LOW!!! Thank God I was in the room when it happened!! Now my whole house is full of black soot and I have no idea how to clean it. My brand new lamp shades are ruined. I am lucky the house didnt burn down!!! Now, I just need to find the paper work to it, so I can contact them ( Thank you for the phone number) and raise ten kinds of hell!!!
I too have the 1994 GE Stove Circa. I bought some replacement knobs but cannot see the lettering on the old ones. Can you send me a pic of the old knobs so I know how to arrange the new ones. (the new ones come with 2 different placements stickers, right to left or left to right)I really only need close ups on the bake and the temp knobs, So I can see witch way to position the new ones. Thanks so much Kandi kandids1227@yahoo.com
I also have the Frigidaire stove. I purchased it in 2007 and about a year after, I received a recall notice. At that time they sent out a repair technician and I thought all was good. I will say I never cared for the stove from day 1 execpt for the warming drawer. The burners ALWAYS cooked much hotter than they should. When I set something on low, it was like a medium/high simmer. I had to cook on the lowest setting for everything to keep it from burning. But sometimes it would take forever to for the burner to heat up just to boil water. Anyway, last Monday I had cooked a pizza and had just taken it out of the oven. I turned the oven off and about a minute later....I heard crackling and beeping noises coming from the stove. I couldn't figure out what was going on and all of a sudden, sparks, flames and smoke started coming from the display. Luckily, it tripped the breaker before anything else caught fire. So, I called and was informed that there was a recall. They sent me the parts and gave me a number to call for repair. When the technician got to the house, he informed me right away that they didn't send all the necessary parts. This was Saturday. I called first thing this morning and now I'm getting the runaround. According to them....those parts aren't part of the recall. Now...I'm on a mission to try and get something done. For me as well as everyone else out there that is having the same problem. Geez....is it going to have to end in someone's death before Electrolux does something???
We also purchased a Frigidaire Model #CGEF3042KFF , had the fire in the control panel, contacted the customer service with the end result as this....Rowes Appliances came out to inspect the burnt panel, one of the Rowes confirmed the fire, brought the part to Rowes Appliances and ordered the new panel. After the owner, Rob Rowe installed the new panel, Electrolux contacted Rowes, agreed they may pay for the part and labour only to have both Rowes and Electrolux come to an agreement that the damage was purely electrical and therefore not eligible for a refund. Poor service from both parties. We hope that we can help stop even one person from purchasing a Frigidaire and staying away from Rowes Appliances. Save your money and risk of fire, shop elsewhere.
Hi everyone,
I do not even like the way these 'stoves' look. Twice, now, I have had to rent in places with the 'glass tops.' As an avid cast-iron cook, I was dubious the instant that I saw a glass-top, and my instinct was righ.
I abhor being a 'cleaning slave' to the current glass top where I am. Put simply, even if they were 'perfectly safe,' I'd throw them out.
These stoves (thus, whoever 'designed' them) should be banned.
BigIron
I'm so glad I found this post. We purchased the exact same model range you show in the picture also from Lowe's. The circuit panel exploded in the back causing flames, smoke and sparks. If I hadn't been in the kitchen the moment it exploded our house would have caught fire. After that incident we started getting f10 errors. Basically the enter control panel freezed, temperature in the over rise above cleaning temps and the only way to stop it is to cut the power from the breaker. This would be the second time this piece of junk nearly caught my house on fire. I filled a complaint with the consumer product safety commission. My only goal at this point is to get this product out of the stores before someone is killed in a house fire!! Frigidaire is TERRIBLE!!!!
I've been doing some research today as I found out this morning that my brother has become a victim of their awful product. His stove, which was off and hadn't been used, caught fire last night. Luckily he was able to put it out with a fire extinguisher but not after causing some damage. I'll be sure his replacement stove isn't a Frigidaire!
OMG. We came home today to discover that our Frigidaire stove was on fire. If we had been gone any longer, our house and pets would be history. This stove was also not used for months. My husband uses toaster oven. I eat every raw at home and quit using stove. It looks like fire originated from control panel. Model FEF365CGSC serial # VF93030983. This is scary. I had no idea it was possible. We have had this stove for years with no previous issues. It was a great stove until it spontaneously combusted.
OMG. We came home today to discover that our Frigidaire stove was on fire. If we had been gone any longer, our house and pets would be history. This stove was also not used for months. My husband uses toaster oven. I eat every raw at home and quit using stove. It looks like fire originated from control panel. Model FEF365CGSC serial # VF93030983. This is scary. I had no idea it was possible. We have had this stove for years with no previous issues. It was a great stove until it spontaneously combusted.
Mine just all together quit working. I get nothing. No oven and no stove top.
I read u stories about Frigidaire that's scary today I had same problem baking in oven then when it was finish I shut off oven by touching control panel,then their it was sparks crackling then fire coming out of control panel in the back of the stove. I manage to put the fire out by pulling range out from wall,and unplugging the stove that's scary .I was in shock couldn't believe my eyes, my stove about 3 yrs old.Called sears Canada they told me they can't do anything for me,because warranties ran out.I said I know it ran out but how about it I was sleeping or not home my house probly would have burned down. they told me to get a service guy out at my own expense to see what happened and for me to let them know what was the cause.Thats crazy ill never buy another Frigidaire stove again junk,people please be carefull this is dangerous. 07/01/2016. model number CFEF3019MSD. SERIAL NUMBER.VF24041505
We have had a new Frigidair oven for a few months, the first time I used the oven broiler blue/white smoke started pouring out the oven vent and continued for 5 minutes after shutting it off. Having worked as an electrician for years I knew immediately it was wire insulation burning and informed the repairman of that when he came, but he also didn't leave it on very long and claimed the the smell is some chemical burning off the elements. It was and still is very obviously wire insulation burning and several months later is still giving me headaches and making me feel constantly ill as I have no choice but to use it every day and even with fans on and the doors open during -6 weather I feel horrible. I'm just about to take it apart myself since I can stand it no longer and Frigidair service is useless. It likely is going to result in a lawsuit, DO NOT BUY FRIGIDAIR IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!
I am reading everyones experience with their Frigidaire Electric Stove. I have had the exact same experience. My control panel sparked, then a flame shot out from behind the stove. I was very lucky I was home. When I called Frigidare they did not care. I told them that the consumer should be warned. They told me that the owners manuel does say it could catch fire. I never found this warning. Hopefully they take this faulty product off the market before someone gets hurt bad.
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