Slide-In ranges have fancier features than the standard free-standing ranges, but also have an annoying hidden problem the industry doesn't want you to know about.
Their most obvious feature, compared to regular ranges, is a more custom and modern appearance. Rather than having their clock and electronics in a tall control panel that rises six or more inches above the rear of the range, their electronics are built into the front of the cook-top surface, and they have only a low heat-vent ridge at the rear of the stove. These differences are all about cosmetics, and have no direct impact of the cooking features of the stove
So these ranges are prettier. But their improved cosmetics causes very real problems. Being built-into the face of the oven, the electronic components can get so hot when the oven is used they can burn-out. To work-around this the manufacturers have had to add special cooling systems to this type of range, systems that aren't needed at all on conventional ranges. These use large "squirrel cage" fans and vent the air through sheet-metal ducts. They start operating automatically when the ovens get to 350 degrees or so, and run long after the oven has been turned-off; not shutting down until the oven is completely cool.
THESE COOLING SYSTEMS CAN BE VERY NOISY. Some people aren't bothered by this, but many find the loud noise very annoying.
These consumers feel blind-sided by this "feature" of their expensive new range. Slide-ins cost two or more times more than conventional ranges, and people replacing older regular ranges have no reason to expect this whole new problem is built into to their costly new purchase. Appliance sellers, looking to lock-in big ticket sales, don't warn buyers about this problem. Appliance stoves don't hook-up the ranges on their display floors, so shoppers have absolutely no way to discover this issue and compare different ranges to each other when shopping. The stove manufacturers don't list anything about these cooling systems in their spec sheets, and they certainly don't list the decibel level of the cooling system noise anywhere; which is the one thing that consumers could use to meaningfully compare different brands and models.
When new purchasers complain about this unexpected hidden noise, they are often out of luck. The appliance stores don't want to accept returns - because these units would have to be sold as used, and potential purchasers at that point might be wary and ask questions the sellers don't want to answer. Moreover, all slide-ins with electronics have this problem, so even if the appliance store is willing to work-out an equivalent swap, the consumer has no way to know if a different model or brand will be any quieter. This is a real mess.
SO WHY THIS BLOG? I want to:
- Give people advance notice that this is an issue to consider when shopping for a new range.
- Encourage people who have had this problem to tell their stories. I'll publish these, grouping comments by brand and model.
- Encourage manufacturers to adopt a standard noise measurement specification for these cooling systems, and for convection oven noise as well. My proposed standard is a decibel reading taken one foot from the system's vent, just outside the direct air-flow. If consumers with these ranges can get access to decibel readers and can take these measurements, I will gladly publish this information along with their comments.
So, please feel free to submit your comments. The more we can tell people about our experiences, the better.
