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My gas range died so I checked in Consumer Reports to find a range that would last me a lot of years. I ended up buying a Frigidaire gas range model FGF368GSC. It wasn't at the top of the Consumer Reports list, but was near the top. I got the white porcelain range and liked the way the gray grates on the top looked with the white. Little did I know the grates had a manufacturing defect built right in that Frigidaire knew about and that they chose to ignore. Within two weeks of picking up the range I discovered that the grates were leaving rust marks on my white cooktop. I had already discovered that the white cooktop was unusually difficult to clean. Whenever something would drip near the burner, the heat would bake it onto the cooktop. I had to buy some of that cleaner for those smooth electric cooktops to get it up. Frigidaire's manual actually said to use soap-filled scrubbing pads to clean the top. Would that mean to use SOS pads?? I would never use those because they would scratch the surface! I contacted the service department of Sears, the store where I bought the range. They were surprised to hear that a brand new stove has a rust problem. They said they would send me four new grates. They only sent one and the range took four. I took that grate out of the box and did an experiment on it. I ran water over it and set it on a paper towel. After it had dried there was rust on the paper towel! 5. My range has cast iron burner grates; I have noticed rust is starting to form on the bottom. * The bottom surfaces on cast iron grates are often unfinished to allow the gases that are present in iron to escape during the manufacturing process. To minimize rusting, do not allow grates to stand in water for long periods of time. After washing, dry them thoroughly to prevent rust oxidation from forming. You may also coat the bottom surfaces with a vegetable oil, or a non-stick cooking spray, but remember to wipe off excessive oil before placing on range. There may be a slight amount of smoke from any extra vegetable oil residue left on the grate when the burner is first used again.
I proved that statement to be wrong. I went back to Sears and looked at other brands of ranges and found others had grates that were completely coated and smooth on the top and bottoms. I also contacted more than one company that actually coated cast iron and they told me the grates could be completely coated. I called the service department of Frigidaire and asked for a solution from them. The woman I spoke with researched it and gave me their only solution: "coat the grates in cooking oil and bake them at 450° for 30 minutes EVERY time you wash them". She sent me four more of the defective grates which did me no good. I, again, went back to Sears and spoke with a salesman. I ended up getting all their salesmen gathered around as they were flabbergasted to hear of a product with a built-in rusting problem. One of them tried her best to help me. I found another range that had completely-coated grates that were the same size as my rusting ones. She called their service department to see if they could send me four of those instead of four Frigidaire ones. We got to the top person in the service department and they explained that they would end up paying the cost because they wouldn't be able to get Frigidaire to pay them back. You'll love this.... the price of replacement grates (four to a stove) is $59.00 EACH! To replace them myself I would pay close to half of what the actual range cost me in the first place!
I went home and sent an email to the main Frigidaire office in Georgia and asked for the name of the head of the company so I could go right to the top for a resolution. I also sent an email to Electrolux, the parent company (I believe they are based in Sweden) asking for the name of the head person there. I never received a response from Frigidaire in spite of multiple requests. I received a few responses from Electrolux. One told me to call a certified repair place. I wrote back and said I already had and all I wanted was a name. The last email I got from them said, "We are unable to provide that information." Yep, UNABLE to provide me with the name of the head person.
I would like to take a moment to explain about Electrolux. The Electrolux I was dealing with isn't the manufacturer of the reputable Electrolux vacuums that have been around since 1924. According to a repair specialist that I took my vacuum to, a number of years ago there was a family split and the reputable Electrolux is now going under the name of Aerus Electrolux. The Electrolux I was dealing with regarding my range makes an Electrolux vacuum that you can buy in the stores that are actually Eureka's. Aerus doesn't sell in regular stores. So, if you want to buy an Electrolux vacuum that is the brand that your grandmother had, get one from Aerus. Don't buy the red ones that you see in stores.
The Frigidaire manual that came with the rusting range
had two very odd things in
it: The salesmen at Sears are going to be telling people interested in the Frigidaire model all about the rust and lack of customer service at the corporate level of Frigidaire. I notified the corporate headquarters of Sears and suggested they not sell a product that would make them look bad. Sears ended up taking back the Frigidaire range within my 90 day return time and waived the restocking fee. I bought a Kenmore range Model 790.71362 instead and, as I am writing this less than a month later, I am perfectly happy with that one. Oh, I did get the five year extended warranty. If they grates cost so much, what do the other parts cost? |
