Replacing the broken smooth top on a stove

[Rathji]

So my oven died the other day, and the control board to fix it is going to be well north of $200, even if I do the work myself to fix it. It is a pretty cheap stove, about 7 years old, and I can buy a new one that is similar for about $400-$450.

I have an offer from a family member to take their old stove for free, it is a fairly high end smooth top stove, that is about 2 years old, but the glass is cracked over one burner.

I have looked at parts online, without knowing the exact model at this point, and figure I can get the smooth top shipped for about $250-$300, so that is seeming like a much better option at this point. Obviously take quite some time to get it shipped, though.

I am wondering if anyone has ever replaced the top on stove like this and how difficult it would be to do so? Also, in the time it took to order the new part, would there be any issues with using the stove with the cracked top? I assume I would need to avoid using the burner that was cracked.

Also, I just used http://www.repairclinic.com to look up parts, but is there a better, possibly Canadian company to order from online? I would like to avoid crazy fees and delays at the border if possible.

Thanks in advance.

[killer_carlson]

We had two burners in our smooth top go right after the warranty period. They are brutally expensive to repair.

We have made due with the other two burners. If it were up to me I'd have gone back to a coil burner but my wife insists we keep the smooth top

[psyang]

Shop around - I find appliance parts prices can vary wildly.

As an example, here's a glass cooktop from a Canadian parts place listed at $512. Another Canadian store has it for only $400. The same part at a US online store is $315.

Though it's less convenient, it's also worth calling a place like Trail just to compare. Good luck!

[Northendzone]

why not start by getting the exact model and then doing research on it. i'd imagine you can find an appliance repair foroum that will provide you with more detailed insight.

[FlameOn]

Surprisingly Ebay is a good place to find some parts. When one of my smooth top burner elements went and controller board failed I bought both parts at close to half the quoted price that the local guys had them for before shipping. Issue is with that you have to wait a bit longer since the bigger sellers are all in the US.

These repair guys suppliers also have horrible descriptions in their listings and you'll have to find things by part number in ebay search before things will show up. I had to find a complete parts breakdown list and repair manual before I could do anything about it.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We had two burners in our smooth top go right after the warranty period. They are brutally expensive to repair.

We have made due with the other two burners. If it were up to me I'd have gone back to a coil burner but my wife insists we keep the smooth top

I would be fine with a coil burner stove as well, but like you, Mrs Rathji would like to explore this option. I don't mind so much because the initial cost of free is good for me, as long as it is usable until it gets fixed. Not having a oven is far worse than being short a burner on top, assuming there are no major issues using the cracked top.

Originally Posted by psyang

Shop around - I find appliance parts prices can vary wildly.

As an example, here's a glass cooktop from a Canadian parts place listed at $512. Another Canadian store has it for only $400. The same part at a US online store is $315.

Though it's less convenient, it's also worth calling a place like Trail just to compare. Good luck!

I will check those places out. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Northendzone

why not start by getting the exact model and then doing research on it. i'd imagine you can find an appliance repair foroum that will provide you with more detailed insight.

That is my plan, but thought I would see about how hard it would be to do the repair, and if I could use it in the mean time without any problems before I arranged getting from their storage, trucking it to my place, and figuring out some place to store it.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

We had two burners in our smooth top go right after the warranty period. They are brutally expensive to repair.

We have made due with the other two burners. If it were up to me I'd have gone back to a coil burner but my wife insists we keep the smooth top

I don't get how Canadian places can charge these kind of markups they do for these prices. I went to trail appliances and they wanted $90 for the same element on my whirlpool smooth top I got for $40 ordered from the US
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Surface-Burne...1#ht_676wt_906

Still way more expensive than the old coil elements mind you.

[Reaper]

If you get the the smooth top stove be prepared for scratches. When we moved into our house that had a new one I'm pretty sure it scratched from looking at it.

[photon]

I've never had a scratch on any of my smooth stop stoves, either ours (just replaced after 7 years), nor in our rentals that have them, they seem pretty robust to me.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by photon

I've never had a scratch on any of my smooth stop stoves, either ours (just replaced after 7 years), nor in our rentals that have them, they seem pretty robust to me.

Maybe its just GE smoothtops that suck.

[photon]

Or could be different pans as well, those rough iron skillets maybe are more prone to scratching (I try not to slide the pan at all).

[AMG_G]

Here is a local parts store but doesn't look like the cheaper way to go.

http://www.amresupply.com/catalog/Co...tc-637570-AD22

I have a glass cook top as well for the last 10 years with no issues. As long as your pots and pans have the smooth bottoms they will not scratch the glass. When this one goes I will not get a glass top again because of heating issues unless it is an induction range

[Buff]

How does one crack the smooth top on their stove? Just curious how it happened so I can take steps to be careful with mine.

[photon]

When installing my new induction range and it actually says "do not stand on the ceramic-glass top", so that's at least one way lol.

[AMG_G]

Originally Posted by Buff

How does one crack the smooth top on their stove? Just curious how it happened so I can take steps to be careful with mine.

Don't procreate on it if the girl looks the ones in Huntingwhale's avatar.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Buff

How does one crack the smooth top on their stove? Just curious how it happened so I can take steps to be careful with mine.

My research last night said that if your pan isnt level on the bottom, then it all won't be touching the stove, and the part that is touching will get extra hot and cause the glass to crack.

Now, that doesn't seem to make much sense to me, because I cannot figure out why that spot would become hotter than it would under normal conditions, but I am not a stove guy.

Of course dropping or hitting a pan on it probably wouldn't be that good for it.

[Dentoman]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I will check those places out. Thanks.

I have used both partselect and reliableparts without a problem. Reliableparts has 3 depots in Calgary so you may be able to pick it up locally. The price at the depot is the same as online.

[Rerun]

The house I bought 3 years ago has a smooth top stove and I hate it. Burner temperature control sucks and we are forever cleaning it to get rid of boil-overs, , and frankly it takes a lot of elbow grease to get it sparkling clean.

When this one packs it in I'll seriously be looking at going with a gas range if we can get it plumbed in.

[puffnstuff]

I saw a buddy break the top of his one day. He took a dome shaped lid off a boiling pot of water and set it down on the top. Combination of heat and pressure sealed in under the lid caused it to pop. I remember seeing him jump at the very loud sound...it was hilarious.