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Time for a new Microwave

Basil

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Well, it lasted 14 years! Last night I sick a bowl of soup in our Frigidaire over-the-stove microwave and pressed the start button. All of the sudden the kitchen started filling with noxious smoke! At first I thought I might have left something not microwave safe in there, but quickly realized the internals of the machine were just burning up. What a stink it made!

Looks like we'll be shopping for a new Microwave today.
 

Gliderman8

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I just replaced our 29 year old GE Monogram dishwasher. I purchased an LG dishwasher and if it lasts 7-8 years I would be surprised. They are not making appliances like they used to.
 
OP
Basil

Basil

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I just replaced our 29 year old GE Monogram dishwasher. I purchased an LG dishwasher and if it lasts 7-8 years I would be surprised. They are not making appliances like they used to.

We have a 12 year old Sears Kenmore (probably a re-badged Whirlpool or Maytag) front-loading washer and dryer. The washer clunks quite a bit on the spin cycle and I determined that the bearing at the back of the drum has gone bad. Think I could replace just the bearing? Nope. They only sell the entire drum. Cost to repair (with labor): $800+ We've decided to live with the noise until it gets too bad, then replace the whole thing.
 

Gliderman8

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My 4 year old central air (heat pump) went out yesterday.... After troubleshooting, I found that the main blower motor had failed. I called the dealer we bought the system from and told them what I found. All parts are warrantied for 10 years. They told me they would need a technician to verify the problem. The technician came out and. spent 45 mins at my house and said "you need a new motor" and charged me $180 for the diagnosis.... GRRR
OK I said let me know when the new motor arrives and I will pick it up and put it in.... Well that didn't fly either. The dealer has to install it or the warranty is voided.
Cost to install the motor (two plugs and a couple of mounting screws) $168. But the motor is Free! What a RACKET!
 
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We have a 12 year old Sears Kenmore (probably a re-badged Whirlpool or Maytag) front-loading washer and dryer. The washer clunks quite a bit on the spin cycle and I determined that the bearing at the back of the drum has gone bad. Think I could replace just the bearing? Nope. They only sell the entire drum. Cost to repair (with labor): $800+ We've decided to live with the noise until it gets too bad, then replace the whole thing.

Measure the bearing and google it? :smile:
 

PC

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I hate combination vent hood/nukes. I lie awake at nights dreaming of a real vent hood over my stove. But sadly, that's all we have space for in our stupid kitchen. So we're stuck with a combo.

Our house originally came with a Whirlpool microwave/vent. After about ten years or so we changed it out for a combination microwave/convection/vent so we could have two convection ovens. The whirlpool was working fine, we just needed the extra convection capability. And as far as I know, that whirlpool may still be working in one of my brother's rental units.

Then we put in a GE microwave/convection/vent. Loved it, too. Worked great for the next 12 odd years. The only troubles I had with it were a plastic grill that broke off (twice) and a door handle that cracked. Neither issue affected function and both were easy enough to fix. We changed it out when we did a remodel on the kitchen, not because it was done, but because it didn't match the other new stuff. (And I again passed it on to my brother for one of his budget remodeling projects.)

Our new unit is a KitchenAid. Big mistake. What a piece of junk.

I chose the KitchenAid because on paper it had more vent capacity than the GE. And like I said, I really want a real vent. I want as much vent as I can get. I got a bad case vent envy when my friend got a commercial vent in his kitchen with an even further upgraded, more powerful motor option. That sucker flows air like a NASA wind tunnel.

Anyway, the KitchenAid sucks. Not in a good way. It's just really poorly made. And I doubt it flows any better in the real world than the GE. And I can't imagine it's going to last.

When we swapped the Whirlpool for the GE it turned out they used the same mounting hardware. We didn't have to mess with the ducting or anything. When the KA dies, to replace it with a GE we're going to have to re-do the brackets, ducting and backsplash tile. I set aside enough tile for the job. I expect it will be sooner rather than later.
 

DNK

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Just replaced our 10 YO micro.
Still worked but the paint was peeling inside.
The trim kit cost more than the micro
 

DrEntropy

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Hahaa!!! Our Magic Chef Food Irradiation Device went nuclear yesterday eve as well!!! Mitsy was cookin' rice when th' thing literally exploded with a FLASH and loud report! Smoke and stink. I've replaced magnetrons in other units in the past but this one is destined for the rercycle pile. A Toshiba combo zapper/convection is on its way.
 

John Turney

Yoda
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Talking to the appliance repair guy today. He just gave a $258 microwave repair estimate to an owner who's microwave cost $210 new. Needless to say, "time for a new microwave."
 

Rhodyspit75

Jedi Knight
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My over the stove microwave died a few months ago. Okay I was boiling a cup of water with a piece of fuel line hose in it, so it was car related. I looked at one of the big box stores and found their cheapest unit. It came in black or white. No brand name on it anywhere. It cost I believe $129. I had to look through the paperwork to find that for service I had to call Whirlpool. So I guess it’s made by Whirlpool.

The main use of it is to boil water for tea each morning. I hit the 30 second button 4 times. Once in a while I bake a potato in it. Serves my purpose.

Works for me!
 

JPSmit

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Replaced the Microwave here a few months ago - handy cheapo Best Buy - chose it by the space it had to fill and Stainless front - works fine. Interestingly if something happens I have a number to call, hold the phone to the micro and it tells the computer what is wrong.

Last week our dishwasher flooded the floor - twice in about 5 cycles - I figure there is probably $50 worth of parts but, on a Dishwasher that is over 10 years old, has had the button panel replaced once and already doesn't work right again, soooo likely going to replace the whole machine. Am very jaded by Kitchenaid these days which is Whirlpool, MayTag, Kitchenaid, Jenn-Air, Amana, among others.

Oh and did I mention the first flood was while we were away so, now the hardwood is curled in the kitchen but the Insurance company says we likely don't want to claim it. arghh
 
OP
Basil

Basil

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Boss
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Replaced the Microwave here a few months ago - handy cheapo Best Buy - chose it by the space it had to fill and Stainless front - works fine. Interestingly if something happens I have a number to call, hold the phone to the micro and it tells the computer what is wrong.

Last week our dishwasher flooded the floor - twice in about 5 cycles - I figure there is probably $50 worth of parts but, on a Dishwasher that is over 10 years old, has had the button panel replaced once and already doesn't work right again, soooo likely going to replace the whole machine. Am very jaded by Kitchenaid these days which is Whirlpool, MayTag, Kitchenaid, Jenn-Air, Amana, among others.

Oh and did I mention the first flood was while we were away so, now the hardwood is curled in the kitchen but the Insurance company says we likely don't want to claim it. arghh

We just got back from Home Depot. We looked for something that would be the right size for the space, have a reasonable amount of features, and look reasonable nice. We settled on a Samsung that was on special. As it turns out, the lady who helped us was the lady who helped us design our kitchen remodel and she remembered me. Somehow she was able to finagle an additional discount on the already sales price so we're happy.
 

18kperhr

Member
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Hey pc, Try tapping a real sized vent fan into the exhaust pipe in the attic. Mount with chain from the rafters so it doesn't vibrate the whole house. The extra power will open the flapper on the microwave. Good Luck, Joel
 

Alfred E. Neuman

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We had an OLD Amana RadarRange microwave as a built-in in our first house. My parents got it when I was a wee bairn, lasted until they moved and I bought the house, lasted several more years of my wife and I in the house. Thing had to be 25 years old when we sold the house.
We've gone through an average of one every two years since then. And it's not like we're buying cheep junk.
The disposable mindset of modern society is disturbing......
 
OP
Basil

Basil

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We had an OLD Amana RadarRange microwave as a built-in in our first house. My parents got it when I was a wee bairn, lasted until they moved and I bought the house, lasted several more years of my wife and I in the house. Thing had to be 25 years old when we sold the house.
We've gone through an average of one every two years since then. And it's not like we're buying cheep junk.
The disposable mindset of modern society is disturbing......

The Microwave we are replacing lasted 14 years and I had bought it because it was on a clearance table and was sharply discounted because it had a small dent in the door. When we bought the new microwave last night we paid about $50 for an extended warranty (normal warranty is only 1 year, but with extended it's 4 years). I'm hoping this one lasts at least that long.
 

Gliderman8

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My GE Monogram microwave is still running after 29 years!
My wife wants to replace it because a plastic trim piece is broken... I’m not ready to give in yet.
 

DrEntropy

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If this one had just stopped making cold stuff hot, I may have considered another DIY repair. Have resurrected several in the past, R&R'd magnetrons, turntable motors, fuseable links on PC boards. This one literally and dramatically sparked and smoked, made a bright flash with a loud report like a gunshot. I don't think a "cost effective" fix is possible. May disassemble it just to have a look at the internal carnage.
 

Gliderman8

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If this one had just stopped making cold stuff hot, I may have considered another DIY repair. Have resurrected several in the past, R&R'd magnetrons, turntable motors, fuseable links on PC boards. This one literally and dramatically sparked and smoked, made a bright flash with a loud report like a gunshot. I don't think a "cost effective" fix is possible. May disassemble it just to have a look at the internal carnage.
You cooking haggis in that microwave doc? :rolleye:
 

JPSmit

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If this one had just stopped making cold stuff hot, I may have considered another DIY repair. Have resurrected several in the past, R&R'd magnetrons, turntable motors, fuseable links on PC boards. This one literally and dramatically sparked and smoked, made a bright flash with a loud report like a gunshot. I don't think a "cost effective" fix is possible. May disassemble it just to have a look at the internal carnage.

I will say that we had that with a previous microwave - it turned out to be the wave guide cover - inside, covers the magnatron - gave it a good clean and bob's your uncle.
 
OP
Basil

Basil

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Speaking of appliance repaired, I am going through all my digital photos and reorganizing and ran across a couple pics of the Bosch dishwasher that stopped heating and I was able to repair in house.

CStanton-2016_04_29_0643.jpg

CStanton-2016_04_29_0644.jpg
 
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