I’m building a new house but in the meantime I’m living in a 40 year old cabin built by my predecessor. There was an old oven here (called a Waste King) when I moved in and although it’s a million years old it has operated well. It had a few quirks but I got used to them. The temp dial wiggled anywhere between 25 degrees one way or the other of the chosen temp, it smelled funny sometimes and the timer had a sense of humor. But given the age of the unit I wasn’t going to be critical.
But all things die and Mr. Waste King is no exception. Actually, had the unit not been so old the fix would have been simple as it was only an element that failed. But back in Waste King’s heyday elements were hard wired into the oven, and replacing this one was no easy chore. I tried to fix him but the bolts holding the element in were rusted and decayed to such a degree that it wasn’t possible.
The search for a new oven wasn’t as easy as one would think as the replacement had to fit in a 25”X28” space. We found one but the price was outrageous. You see, when a manufacture learns there are limited options, the price is increased in direct proportion to the limitations you face. In this case, the unit was just south of $800.00! And for what? This unit has a total of 2 knobs, a light switch and a cheap digital clock. A total of about $6.00 worth of parts. WTF?
The lack of quality is underscored with sharp edges everywhere. I was contemplating holding off on the install until tomorrow as the roads are closed and a fellow could bleed out in the time it took to get to the hospital. But I had promised to watch the miracle of Kirk’s magical coconut pie crust so I forged forward and completed the install.
So here it is folks, a cheap Chinese box that I’m sure has the MayTag man turning in his grave.
But all things die and Mr. Waste King is no exception. Actually, had the unit not been so old the fix would have been simple as it was only an element that failed. But back in Waste King’s heyday elements were hard wired into the oven, and replacing this one was no easy chore. I tried to fix him but the bolts holding the element in were rusted and decayed to such a degree that it wasn’t possible.
The search for a new oven wasn’t as easy as one would think as the replacement had to fit in a 25”X28” space. We found one but the price was outrageous. You see, when a manufacture learns there are limited options, the price is increased in direct proportion to the limitations you face. In this case, the unit was just south of $800.00! And for what? This unit has a total of 2 knobs, a light switch and a cheap digital clock. A total of about $6.00 worth of parts. WTF?
The lack of quality is underscored with sharp edges everywhere. I was contemplating holding off on the install until tomorrow as the roads are closed and a fellow could bleed out in the time it took to get to the hospital. But I had promised to watch the miracle of Kirk’s magical coconut pie crust so I forged forward and completed the install.
So here it is folks, a cheap Chinese box that I’m sure has the MayTag man turning in his grave.