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Love Calm Quiet · Apr 30, 2007, 02:50 PM

So I've got butter fingers. And dropped the soapy glass turntable in kenmore microwave in sink.

But, oh well, on a $180 microwave what can a new turntable cost.

The sears answer: $59 (+$13 s/h).

WTF?¿?

I want to be PO'd at sears, but even at such as www.easyapplianceparts.com ... it's $47 + $7 s/h. Sheesh!

There goes new eyeglasses for this month... or else I spend time at yard sales.

Questions:
1) This seem an outrage to anybody else?
2) Got google keyword suggestions to find a place that has actual USED parts for such?

Dakarʒ · Apr 30, 2007, 02:51 PM

Chances are I'd go without the turntable until its time for a new microwave.

Love Calm Quiet · Apr 30, 2007, 02:57 PM

Yeah. I would, too. ...if I were batchin'...

But I'm already in doghouse with wifey for being careless. Thar's the real pain.

Railroader · Apr 30, 2007, 03:03 PM

Originally Posted by Love Calm Quiet

1) This seem an outrage to anybody else?

Yes, extremely so.

Like you said, I'd try garage sales for a while. Around here it is garage sale season. We are having one the week of May 19th. And we are actually selling a very nice microwave.

macroy · Apr 30, 2007, 03:14 PM

Yea.... seems like appliance parts are pretty bad. After moving in to our new house, I wanted to replace the burner grates..... $75 each. Now, with 4 burners, that would be $300.... and the entire stove is probably what... $500?

Then there's the automatic ICE maker for the fridge.... I was cleaning it out... and found that there was some rust on that coil part that sort of moves the ice into the dispenser funnel.... well, you have to buy a whole mechanism.... `$200..... isn't that like 1/5 (if not way more) of the entire cost of the fridge??

design219 · Apr 30, 2007, 03:24 PM

I would look for an alternative, like a glass serving platter at Walmart or some discount department store. You should be able to find something microwave safe at about the same diameter. Maybe. Worth a shot.

peeb · Apr 30, 2007, 03:25 PM

Ever heard of planned obsolescence? Sucks.

Dakarʒ · Apr 30, 2007, 03:29 PM

Make a mold of the part the plate rides on, attach it to a cheap-ass plate. Voila.

design219 · Apr 30, 2007, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by peeb

Ever heard of planned obsolescence? Sucks.

Yeah, and the other thing is that platter is probably the only replacement part available for a microwave.

mac128k-1984 · Apr 30, 2007, 03:35 PM

I think the issue is less planned obsolescence but more supply and demand.
microwaves are for the most part disposable now a days so it doesn't make it cost justifiable to make a lot of spare parts even thoughs they may easily break. A lot of people would rather just go and buy a cheap microwave then go through the hassle of ordering a part and so you're feeling the effects of that.

design219 · Apr 30, 2007, 03:45 PM

Sad, but true. Noticed how cheap DVD players are now? Why fix one?

RAILhead · Apr 30, 2007, 04:33 PM

Wal-Mart has a micro for $46.42, and it has a turntable. GE 0.7 cu. ft. Capacity Countertop Microwave Oven, JES738WJ - Wal-Mart

So, I'd look around for a cheap micro, or buy a new cheap one, steal its turntable, and keep the unit for when the current one dies. Seems like you'll still pay a lot, but it will be less than getting just the turntable.

villalobos · Apr 30, 2007, 09:26 PM

By the way, that turntable is absolutely useless. Just a marketing ploy from the manufacturers back in the days to sell more expensive microwave ovens. Save money and don't replace it, your microwave will heat the same way.

Railroader · Apr 30, 2007, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by villalobos

By the way, that turntable is absolutely useless. Just a marketing ploy from the manufacturers back in the days to sell more expensive microwave ovens. Save money and don't replace it, your microwave will heat the same way.

I disagree. MWs have "hot spots" and moving the food through and around those hot spots makes for more even heating.

And if his MW is like mine then he needs the platter. Without the platter you don't have a level surface inside and the wheels get in the way.

mac128k-1984 · Apr 30, 2007, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by villalobos

By the way, that turntable is absolutely useless. Just a marketing ploy from the manufacturers back in the days to sell more expensive microwave ovens. Save money and don't replace it, your microwave will heat the same way.

Actually as the RR mentioned the nature how microwave ovens cook you either need to manually turn your food or use a turn table. Just look at the directions of most nuke-able food, they tell you to turn the food after x minutes of cooking - why because there are hot and cold spots in the food. In order to better equalize the cooking you need to turn it which makes the turn table a necessity and not a luxury

Eug · Apr 30, 2007, 10:29 PM

Sounds like getting replacement parts for Apple laptops.

Railroader · Apr 30, 2007, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Sounds like getting replacement parts for Apple laptops.

Can anyone say "replacement LCD screens"? UGH!

davidflas · Apr 30, 2007, 10:59 PM

Want to be shocked by the cost of replacement parts? Go to the place where you bought your tv, receiver, etc... and ask them how much an oem remote control would cost. .....

centerchannel68 · May 1, 2007, 01:22 AM

Hit up craigslist, or goodwill. Any glass dish that's about the same size will work fine. Even ones from other microwaves will generally work fine.

Kevin · May 1, 2007, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by Love Calm Quiet

Yeah. I would, too. ...if I were batchin'...

But I'm already in doghouse with wifey for being careless. Thar's the real pain.

Careless? It was a mistake. I'd tell her to get ova it.

villalobos · May 1, 2007, 07:28 AM

Originally Posted by mac128k-1984

Actually as the RR mentioned the nature how microwave ovens cook you either need to manually turn your food or use a turn table. Just look at the directions of most nuke-able food, they tell you to turn the food after x minutes of cooking - why because there are hot and cold spots in the food. In order to better equalize the cooking you need to turn it which makes the turn table a necessity and not a luxury

Actually it's more due to the fact the food is arranged within the container than anything else. Moving the container around the oven has a minimal (if any) effect. I remember seeing an IR heat map of a microwave. The hot spots and cold spots were rotating with the food and the turntable.

- - e r i k - - · May 1, 2007, 08:49 PM

This isn't too hard to work around: Just turn your food half way through. Or four ways at quarter through. Same effect.

Railroader · May 1, 2007, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

This isn't too hard to work around: Just turn your food half way through. Or four ways at quarter through. Same effect.

Not if his MW is the same as mine. The surface is meant to hold the rotating platter and is not level. You'd need a platter to use the MW I have.

Railroader · May 1, 2007, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by villalobos

Actually it's more due to the fact the food is arranged within the container than anything else. Moving the container around the oven has a minimal (if any) effect. I remember seeing an IR heat map of a microwave. The hot spots and cold spots were rotating with the food and the turntable.

Actually, it's more due to the fact that the microwaves emitters are not placed perfectly and don't emit microwave evenly.

When the food rotates inside the oven, microwaves are emitted more evenly throughout the food.