[Big Mac]

The oven at my mother's home is from the 1970s, and since last year the top oven went out and only the bottom one works. It's actually one of these models. The bottom oven works okay, and my mother doesn't want to change it right now, but I'd like it changed.

I'd like to buy a new oven for her next year. I know I have to get her help in the process or else she'll not approve of whatever I come up with, but I'm wondering how one goes about buying such a thing. I've obviously never redone a kitchen. I'd like to at least present my mom with a list of models and tell her I'll buy the one she likes. Any tips? What's installation like?

[reader50]

I think you're referring to a double wall oven. Beware that wall ovens cost quite a bit more than a standard stove, even for just a single oven. For a double, expect prices to start at $1000. Also, check the cutout hole size carefully. There is a good chance the existing cutout from decades ago does not match installation sizes today.

When shopping online, the hole size is usually listed. If not, download the manual. You'll need two people to handle a wall oven during the job. They're not impossibly heavy, but they're big enough one person can't do it alone.

[Big Mac]

Exactly right, reader50, it's a double wall oven. (Thank you for the reply.) I was assuming well over $1000, and I was concerned about the cutout hole size. What if the size doesn't fit modern installation types?

[Athens]

Ever consider just having it fixed/refurbished. Removed and sent to a shop to fix. I don't know if it would be cheaper, I suspect it would be. If she likes what she has and is comfortable with it, change might not the best for her. I mean put yourself in her shoes, new features different operation, change.

[Big Mac]

That's a good suggestion, Athens. You may be right. But it's very dated and my mom has mentioned she wants a new one, but she's putting it off at least until we have a settlement with my uncle.

[Athens]

Ah ok, if she wants a new one that's different. It sounded like you wanted the new one for your mom. Would explore the refurbish option anyways to compare to the cost of a new one. If you decide its not worth it, old one might be of value to some one as well which could help in the cost of a new unit.

If the new unit is larger then the old one that is easier to work with. Its easier to make a hole larger then smaller as long as no support beams are in the way. If the new one is smaller then the current one you will have some cosmetic issues. The most important measurement is depth, new unit has to be the same depth as the old one or shorter. You can make anything fit, but it just adds more to cost. Either way you will want to also double check the power connection when you have it out. Depending on how old the house is a new unit could use more power. Even if it does not its good practice to check it with it out of the way for any repair work on that.

[iMOTOR]

Here you go:

30 inch Professional Electric Wall Oven - Viking Range Corporation

[The Emperor of Ice Cream]

The important thing to remember when buying a built-in kitchen oven is that....


sorry, just lost the will to live.

[reader50]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

What if the size doesn't fit modern installation types?

When I changed one, the new oven was taller than the old hole, and narrower. So it was off both over and under.

Going larger isn't bad unless you run into another cabinet space. Or the structural beams right before that, like Athens said. If you run into something like that, ask for help. From us at the very least, with pics of what you've run into. Or ask someone with carpentry experience. There's no single easy answer, the answer would have to be tailored to your situation.

Going under means you have to add wood (or other material, if you have an unusual kitchen). You may be able to get away with adding a little - the oven side flanges will cover a half inch or more of the surrounding wall. Maybe enough to cover the joint where you started adding wood (edge of the old hole). If you had to add more, consider adding a thin trim collar to conceal the break.

If there's a significant drop in size, post some pics and ask for help again, or ask the carpenter friend.

Come to think of it, post some pics anyway. This sounds like a great project, so long as someone else pays for it.

[mattyb]

Originally Posted by The Emperor of Ice Cream 

The important thing to remember when buying a built-in kitchen oven is that....

sorry, just lost the will to live.

Too much ice cream.

[Athens]

Arr wrong thread

[Waragainstsleep]

Ice cream and ovens: Never a good mix.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by iMOTOR 

Here you go:

30 inch Professional Electric Wall Oven - Viking Range Corporation

I have a Viking gas range. I am unimpressed. I generally think the range is OK, and it looks cool, but I'm not convinced the build quality is any better than a higher end line of a more common brand (like GE or whatever). I've already had the oven shut down on me requiring a service call, and I'm unimpressed by some of the design choices. If I were to do it over again, I'd spend half as much money and get a different brand.

The knobs get hot, and they don't have a proper simmer burner, because marketing has trumpeted practicality. On this range, all four burners are 15000 BTUs. They are strong, but not quite as strong for boiling water or whatever as an 18000-22000 BTU burner. They also market that all four of their 15000 burners can simmer. Well, not really. The smart designs just simply include a 5000 BTU burner, which obviously can go much lower in BTUs than a 15000 BTU burner. Yeah, the design on the Viking means that it can probably simmer better than some other 15000 burners, but my much, much cheaper old school range could simmer much better because it simply had a 5000 BTU simmer burner.

Dunno about their electric wall ovens, but given my experience with their ranges, I wouldn't be so optimistic. I wouldn't be surprised if it's an OK product, but given the price premium Viking charges, I would expect them to be totally damn awesome, which they aren't.

BTW, FWIW, I've had an install guy and a service guy (the latter being a mechanical engineer) say they see higher rates of issues with these Vikings than most so-called lower end (but not low, low end) products.

[iMOTOR]

Originally Posted by Eug 

I have a Viking gas range. I am unimpressed.

Hmm. Good to know. I’ve thinking about getting a Viking natural gas range, it was a $5000 model last time I checked. Have you heard anything about Electrolux? This was the other model I was looking at:

Electrolux - ICON ®