The home into which we moved had the Whirlpool 30” Free-Standing Electric Self-Cleaning Range With Coil Cooktops. If I did my kitchen over, I would not buy this one.

Features:

This range, is on the lower end of the price range spectrum at about $399 and, in my opinion, it shows!

It is a simple, basic range with the following features:

1. 4 Control knobs – left front, left rear, right front and right rear. The knobs have to be pushed in to turn which is a good safety feature. The settings are Hi; Med-Hi; Med; Med-Lo, Lo, On and Off.

2. 2 surface unit signal lights which light up if the left units are turned on and on the right side it shows up when the right units are turned on. Problem I thought it was just me, but my husband has done it more than once also and that is turned on the rear unit when he wanted to turn on the front one. I know this sounds like an error we shouldn’t be making but when you are in a hurry and you have one light that lights up for both front and back, there is no way to know that you have made a mistake and it is too late. You have the wrong burner on; your pot isn’t boiling and if you have element covers like I do, it gets burnt.

3. I have a standard clock that also acts as a minute timer. You have to be careful. If you don’t push in the knob to set the timer, let’s say for the over to go off in 30 minutes, you will change the time of the clock. If you go to buy a range that has this type of clock don’t. The newer model in this same price range has what is called EZ-Touch™ 151 Electronic Oven, Timer, & Clock Controls, which is much easier to use. The clock is digital and you just have to push buttons rather than turn knobs on the timer.

On my range it is called the Automatic Mealtimer Clock. In either range this feature will turn the oven on and off at times you set. This supposedly is good if you are not around but I would never have the oven on if I weren’t around so I don’t use it!

4. It has an oven vent, which allows hot air and moisture to escape when the oven is on through the right rear surface unit. You can cook on the unit or keep food warm while the oven is on. I hate this feature, if you can call it a feature. I have to remember to take my element cover off. I also find that it makes the surface dirty. Unless your oven is sparkling clean, not only is hot air and moisture surfacing but so is some grease. I end up cleaning the top of the oven every time I bake.

6. It has 5 rack guides that are fairly standard and 2 racks. I have no problems with the location of the guides. It also comes with a broiler pan. (don't they all?)

7. The 4 heating elements are 2, 6-inch ones and 2, 8-inch ones.

8. There is a storage drawer that can come all the way out for cleaning. It is a good size but just the other day I got some baking pans stuck in there and needed some help (from hubby) to pull them out.

9. My range is white with a black glass door. The black glass door cannot be removed if you need a new one but if it is one with a regular oven window which isn't black,that one can be removed. I don’t like the black glass door. The part through which I can see into the oven is very small. The oven light goes on when you open the door but otherwise it is pretty dark in there. You can manually turn the light on to see inside but it is only just adequate.

Cleaning the oven:

1. I have had both gas and electric ovens. Which you choose is a personal choice but the top of my gas oven was much easier to clean and stayed cleaner than this Whirlpool.

This oven was in perfect condition when we moved in. The owners were only here part time and I don’t think they used it much. It is not in great condition anymore. I don’t use it all that oven either, but I have a hard time keeping up with cleaning even the surface. Dirt and grease accumulate around the rings of the element and picking up the element isn’t easy to do. The only way to really get into the groove of the element is to lift it up.

2. A nice feature which most likely all ovens have, at least my last two did, is called a Lift-Up Cooktop. The whole top lifts up and there is a rod (like checking the oil in your car) to hold it up. That makes cleaning the underneath of the elements very easy.

3. The chrome trim rings seem to burn really easily and I am constantly scrubbing them.

4. There are porcelain enamel reflector bowls that you can get to when you lift up the top. You are not supposed to use aluminum over them but I buy the aluminum pans and put them on top of the enamel bowls to help keep the mess at a minimum.

5. You can clean the outside with soap and water or a spray cleaner, but my oven never looks clean.

9. One feature I can’t imagine not having is the self-cleaning feature. However, I have to clean the inside first to get out loose soil and grease. This cuts down on the smoke that will appear during the cleaning cycle. You can put the reflector bowls in the oven when it is self-cleaning and I have done that. I just find opening the element and pulling out the bowls to be tricky. Cleaning it is just a matter of turning the control setting to 2 or 3 hours depending on the level of dirt. I then leave the house. I never stay in the house while the oven is cleaning. I think it smells toxic.

Customer service:

In 2 ½ years I have never needed it, which is really nice! There is a toll free service assistance line as well as technicians that will come out (for a fee!) and fix your oven if it needs to be fixed. Parts can also be replaced by calling the toll free number, which Whirlpool calls their COOL-Line, service assistance telephone number.

Other information and warranty:

~The oven capacity if 4.65 cubic feet.

~There is a one-year warranty from date of purchase to replace parts and repair labor to fix defect in materials or workpersonship.

~This comes in white, biscuit and black. It can be purchased at Sears for a $40 installation charge and for $10.00 they will take away your old range.

~The range comes with a 25-page cooking guide.

My final thoughts:

This is a good range for a second house. It was bought for the previous owners’ second house. They only lived here during the summer. Certainly if $400 is your budget then you buy what you have to buy. This oven has been reliable and I have never needed service in 2 ½ years; however I would love to replace it. I would get an electric range with radiant elements which is so much easier to keep clean and so much prettier. My oven is really not very attractive. (My mom has a radiant top oven and it is really nice.)

I will rate this average but I can’t recommend it because I don’t like it and wouldn’t buy it again.


Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 399