Not this again - Look, the CC simmer issue is much ado about nothing. My wife simmers all the time, of course I adjusted the air shutters & propane does burn a little hotter - but the range simmers. As far as BS exploding - it's mechanical & in any mechanical device once enough are produced, any problem that can crop up will. There were a couple reported, but that was a while ago. Buy what you want & don't listen to the haters. Bluestars don't go around exploding & CCs simmer.

Ratflinger,

Not helpful. If I'm going to drop this kind of change on a range I want to confident in my choices as well.

What I'd like you to know is that in September of 2011 my bluestar exploded shooting flames out the oven door. The igniter and safety continued to go every six months. My ten year old kept her head and turned the oven off saving the house from burning down. Bluestar wasn't particularly interested. I'll never have another in my house. EVER.

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The high-BTU burners also "exploded" upon lighting, a very scary and dangerous prospect. (That last problem we eventually paid someone to look at ourselves because we couldn't wait for Bluestar to fix it and didntt want to die. This after one night when the flames went all the way up to the hood when the burner lit with a whoosh.)

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After the service call in May a "new" problem emerged--a strong gas odor is emitted when you turn on the oven or broiler and a mini "explosion" occurs in the oven. The local service company sent out a tech last Thursday and concluded the oven was not safe to use and recommended the unit be replaced. The service company has left several messages with Bluestar and have yet to hear from them.

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Suddenly my wife said: "There are flames down there!" I thought she was being funny. "Yes," I said, "I'm making rice." Suddenly there was a weird smell in the air. "LOOK!" she said. "Below the burner!" I looked and indeed I could see other flames, somewhere below the burner. I quickly turned everything off. The flames were still there. I snatched the pot off the stove, grabbed a fire extinguisher and blasted the top of the stove with it. Finally the flames went out. "I don't believe this!" my wife said.

Next day I called our distributor and told him to come over. He removed a cover plate from a metal box below the right burner in the back and we saw a jumble of burned wires. We also looked at the oven burner. He said the heating element was supposed to heat up first, and only then the gas should start flowing into the burner tube. While looking and poking around the range he found that here was no insulating material between the double walls of the oven compartment.

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Secondly, I forwarded the oven cavity photos (that they had already seen from Trevor and the Appliance Barn had resent) to our chief engineer for review. His determination was that the rear bracket was hit by some force causing it to bend and "spidering" the enamel coating. The unit does not produce enough heat to melt the metal causing it to bend down. (yes it can, and it did; as attested to by the melted, twisted rivets & old oven bottom still in my possession)

---------

My broiler was terrible, I mean literally a ball of fire inside sometimes. I used to turn the gas on, leave the room and creep back in to check whether it was lit or not and of course that meant I never really wanted to use it.

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Like I said before if you just take GW for example it would seem that 70% or more of the people there have a BS stove in their home -- that too me is highly suspicious. I also have seen many times when someone points out a problem they are having they get swamped by numerous individuals trying to discredit their post. To date I have NEVER seen that happening with any other high-end range manufacturer. As a matter of fact most of the troll who post for BS will chime in that the owner of the (non-BS range) should have bought a BS and wouldn't be having this problem. Once again this seems so suspicious and coincidental that it causes the hair on the back of the neck to stand up.

Dang. Marcolo's attempted to agglomerate every complaint about Bluestar ever posted on the internet into one post. Wow.

I've posted a lot here and on Chowhound (and I actually signed up and responded to Susan W in the link at rebron.org above). I don't have an idea about the oven/broiler (or oven door) issues because we've never had similar problems with our range. The oven thermostat died, and I replaced it, and it wasn't a big deal. It was out of warranty at the time.

I'll just comment on the rebron link that quotes Susan W's saying that the Supernova burner explodes on lighting. Can it light in a dramatic fashion? Yes. It puts out a lot of gas on High. If it takes a few igniter clicks to light, there's a lot of gas sitting there to light with a "whoomph." The simple solution is to turn past High to Low when lighting so that it's less exciting.

A lot of the cross-posted sagas involve high drama. I guess the important point is to try to read between the lines to understand what the owner had issues with and whether they interacted with the company in a reasonable way. I wouldn't wish a busted high-dollar range on anyone, but I don't think demanding a free replacment out of warranty (Susan W) is reasonable.

I don't work for BS. I just have a range, am satisfied, and would buy another. Actually, the wife keeps talking about moving lately so that may roll around quicker than I'd like for it to (I dig our house).

red_lover

How is my post not helpful? Yeah I don't have a BS, but I do have a CC & the simmer issue is bs. If you really feel there is an issue with the BS - then simply don't buy it. No ones forcing you.

Because I hear Michelle saying that she is worried that her house might burn down and wanting some questions answered.

It is not the range issue that I was responding to. What was not helpful was how her fears were dismissed.

I couldn't care less which range anyone buys.

I think Marcolo REALLY dislikes Blustars, seems almost obsessively trying to dissuade people from purchasing one. He sure goes thru a lot of trouble to make sure people know exactly how he feels about them. It always seems a bit odd to me when people will spend what I would consider an inordinate amount of time focusing on something negative to disseminate it to the masses. It starts to have almost the opposite affect after a while, posts from that source would be dismissed as 'fanatical' as would the posts on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Let me ask all of you who feel it necessary to have your decisions validated by someone else, "what would you do w/out the internet?". What if you had to go to the appliance store and listen to a salesguy spieling on about this or that? Everyone has the opportunity to research the same stuff now, people just need to learn how to 'read' opinions, just like in real life (amazing huh).
It's like the guy who gets a GPS after looking at maps for 30 years then one day the GPS doesn't work and he's lost. He learned to rely on the tool to the point it took over his own ability to figure things out. Don't be that guy, use you own heads people.
BTW - I just ordered my 36" Moss Green RNB w/griddle, Marcolo deosn't scare me :)

I would agree I think Marcolo is going out of his way to push only the bad info. There are no perfect choices for anything in the world, everything, especially kitchen appliances, will have both good and bad within the same models. And has been said countless times don't believe everything you read, especially on the internet. Marcolo is entitled to his/her opinion but it is just that an opinion, it does not mean BS or any other brand is better or worse based on what they say.

Also, people don't tend to post the good experiences about products on the internet in most cases, yes some do but most people only post when they have issues and that is easier to find.

And from what little I know about CC they have not been around and in use as long as BS yet, so probably not as big of a user base and therefor less reported issues so far. Doesn't mean CC is issue free, we just haven't heard of any yet. Again doesn't mean CC is bad, every brand WILL have issues.

Now, can a company do better to handle issues, sure, but again as we have seen on here there is always more than one side to a story, but we generally only get one side from the person who is upset.

Read up on BS and CC and other brands and make an informed decision, but don't let one person or one review scare you away from things.

I was asked for specific links. I gave specific links. I did not agglomerate anything near "every BS complaint on the Web." I don't have that much time.

Why the need to "police" every post to suppress information about a product? Where did the notion come from that all complaints must be submitted for approval to a self-appointed group of appliance brand evangelists, who must be shown to their personal satisfaction that a complaint is credible and not "suspicious," or the fault of the installer, or homeowner, or anybody other than the manufacturer? To anyone considering a purchase, a product review--good or bad--is a useful data point. Whether the brand evangelists approve of that review is of no value or importance.

Regardless of manufacturer, the notion that "I don't have this issue, therefore it doesn't exist" is simply silly. Plenty of real people have reported real issues, from dangerous fires on the Bluestar to trouble getting their CCs to simmer properly. Whether those complaints are credible, or represent a widespread problem or rare freak accidents, are for prospective purchasers to decide for themselves using their own judgment. No one is asking a committee to make those decisions for them.

I think Marcolo REALLY dislikes Blustars

I tell other people what I like and dislike, not the other way around. Nobody else gets a vote.

I am not stupid and neither are the other posters here. I have seen how every single person who ever posted a complaint about a BS here has had their credibility attacked, and worse. This used to make me suspicious, but I would say I have gone well beyond mere suspicion now. I rely on GW for information about many things but I would never place any credibility whatsoever in its endless glowing praise for BS. There are too many sources of information on the Web and anybody can find them.

Case in point: Insulting terms like "obsessive" get thrown about--in response to a direct request for links, in which I posted only the exact links requested. I didn't even write a single word of my own in my response!

I would possibly buy a BS cooktop, and vastly prefer the design of the burners to anything else I've seen. At this point I wouldn't let one of the ovens into my house, for the same reasons I would not buy a KA dishwasher. It is possible for any appliance to catch fire--even coffee makers. What matters is how widespread the problem is, and how thoroughly the company investigates the problem and fixes it. I have never read one word to suggest to me that BS truly acknowledged the issue, completely diagnosed it and definitively fixed it. The broilers, maybe, but not the other reports of fires and gas leaks. The response always seems to be, "Wow, this never happened before," but we know it has.

There. Now you know what I think about Bluestar, because I told you.

Whatever

Now I appreciate your feedback Marcolo, and not what I have perceived in the past (rightly or wrongly) as you attacking BS. When it comes off as an attack it doesn't seem as credible to me. But your last post before mine here I can respect as it is your opinion and not, at least to me, any bashing of BS. That is what I always look for in posts online, you have to have thick skin and read between the lines if you want to post on forums like this one I know that.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to post, provide links and feedback.

As a homeowner who recently had an appliance fire, I wanted to read the BS fire complaints (I only found one in my research). Our GE fridge icemaker caught on fire - luckily were were home for a few days and able to put it out before any serious damage. Normally we would have been at our Florida home - who knows what would have happened if we had not been here. It scared the he!! out of us and even though GE replaced the icemaker at no charge, you can be damn sure I am never going to use the icemaker again.

Anyway - back to Bluestar...after months of research and cooking on the BS more than once, we decided to order a 60" rangetop with griddle/grill. I decided against the range as we really prefer wall ovens and we want a steam oven. We will be installing two Wolf E's and a Wolf steam oven.

M

Sounds like a really good mix, MichelleDT.

Are you doing a new build? I forget.

Anyway, one thing I've been wondering about is putting certain appliances on a circuit that lets me easily turn their power off when not in use. The regrettable spread of electronic clocks in everything means I'd get a lot of blinking lights demanding I reset the time. But I think the idea is worth thinking about, at least for certain appliances.

Marcolo,

Thanks - I am happy with the choices. I love the look of a big range but like the functionality of wall ovens. We are doing a new build (contemporary) so the rangetop will actually fit in better with the overall design of the kitchen.

I have already asked the builder to give me options to "flip a switch" for appliances when we leave for Florida. We are usually there for the winter months and the GE fire still has me a bit freaked.

I have not heard of fires in SubZ or Liebherr or Miele DWs but I don't want to be the first. FWIW, GE told me they have never had a fire in an icemaker - swore up and down this was the first one they heard about. While waiting for service, I found others online as well as a youtube video of one in a GE Profile. So for us, no GE products in the new house. No Whirlpool family DWs either.

Cheers.

M

That's a great choice Michelle, I too went w/the Wolf walls to compliment my BS however just 1 e-series and the steam oven. Can't wait until the house is done to get cooking!!
Didn't mean to offend Marcolo, I'm far from perfect but am trying to be a responsible poster and will watch my wording accordingly.

I am considering a 36" bluestar range because it has many features I'm looking for plus it is sold by (so I can see them in person) and serviced by a local company. I would suggest checking CPSC.gov and searching for 'gas range'. It seems many brands have their issues (including Wolf, Electolux, Kenmore etc). I didnt see anything for Bluestar but there are a lot of pages to wade through. I doubt any brand is completely infalliable.

Marcolo - I tend to agree with you about those defending sacred BS, but your posts aren't exactly fair and balanced either. You're really going to quote Italian Grits (can't say the real name or, apparently, this thread will get pulled) after his story was called to serious question? And quoting Susan W? I think even the biggest BS haters cheered when she finally got banned. How about responding to the thread about digital thermometers where you blasted a particular brand and insisted their entire line is completely inaccurate - not just the specimen you happen to own - despite high marks from multiple respected sources and even though I posted a picture of a 211.7 deg boil and Mojavean uploaded a video showing similar accuracy.

But yeah, I tend to agree with you. If I never hear another "so simple to fix" or "unfortunate luck" comment it'll be too soon.

All that said, I'd buy either a BS or CC rangetop in a heartbeat, even if one blows up and the other can't simmer. ;-)

You're really going to quote Italian Grits (can't say the real name or, apparently, this thread will get pulled) after his story was called to serious question?

Called into question? Why is it somebody's job to call an appliance review "into question?" It is up to prospective buyers to judge how to weigh a review--not a police force with "suspicions" and "doubts" that reviewers have an obligation to allay before they can be permitted to have their say. And--physically tracking a poster's movements in the real world so their claim can be examined? Really? If it happened to me, I would find that kind of behavior threatening and alarming; you should never take any kind of online encounter into the real world without mutual agreement. And after all that effort, I still didn't see a single reason to doubt that review, or that the buyer was sent a replacement that didn't match the original color (if you actually read his report, he says that the new range was not as rich-colored, and "was described as" a different color). So it actually could've been inconsistency in color rather than sending the wrong skins, which would actually be even worse IMO. But no one asked the OP, because all of this summary judgment conveniently occurred after he announced he was out of the country for two weeks and unable to respond.

But that really doesn't matter. What matters is, nobody was elected to call appliance reviews into question.

And the Thermapen? Another great example of: I don't have a problem, so there is no problem. I pointed people to other sites with lots of negative reviews, and posters mocked the reviews--unread.

Reading back through some of the old posts marcolo included, it reinforces my impression that the 30" ranges seem to have the most issues.

FWIW, my KA dishwasher works fine (as do the two in my office and the one at my parents' house).

So it actually could've been inconsistency in color rather than sending the wrong skins

He's the one who called it Enchanted Sand, multiple times, not me. I never even knew there were "precious metal" options other than copper until I read that thread.

And the Thermapen? Another great example of: I don't have a problem, so there is no problem.

Actually I suggested that you DO have a problem. You insisted that you didn't. "I absolutely do not have a lemon with the Thermapen."

Marcolo stated the following:
"Anyway, one thing I've been wondering about is putting certain appliances on a circuit that lets me easily turn their power off when not in use. The regrettable spread of electronic clocks in everything means I'd get a lot of blinking lights demanding I reset the time. But I think the idea is worth thinking about, at least for certain appliances."

I know as part of our kitchen remodel here near Chicago that our building code and most of the manufacturers require each major kitchen appliance to be on its own circuit. So we have a dedicated circuit breaker for each of the appliances now in our current kitchen and will have that same think in our new remodeled kitchen. While it is not a wall switch it is easy to get too and flip off the circuit breaker if we were going on vacation.

Phil

FWIW I asked the local BS distributor if they had had any problems with the ovens and was told no. I'm not sure how credible they are, they weren't able to answer several of my questions.

I ruled out BS ranges partly based on what was posted on this forum, but also because I wanted an electric convection wall oven. I'm still debating whether to go with the BS cooktop, rangetop or induction.

I actually think most appliances should have the power cut to them when not in use. There have been many reported fires with dishwashers (esp KA), coffee pots, and all sorts of random things, even when they're off. It would be great to be able to turn off the power to all the appliance but the fridge whenever you turn off the lights, but the manufacturers' obsession with clocks and electronics has made that difficult.

1: I thought that was what gas ranges are SUPPOSED to do. My Lynx will certainly do that if the glow plugs don't fire it off. I went to matches.

2. LG fridges had a rep for catching fire as well. Not anymore.

3. I usually turn off pretty much everything when I'm gone for several weeks. Exceptions are some interior lights on timers, exterior security lights, the fridge (I don't empty it), and the satellite DVR. Getting your electrician to wire MW, DW, gas appliances that still need to be plugged in on separate circuits is good (and probably code nowadays). You should get him to show you these on the breaker panel and mark them with a highlighter. Then you can say, "Honey, go turn off all the breakers marked in yellow."

I also turn off my water. A burst hose would ruin my whole day.

Ok so let's break this down. First off most of these posts are quite old. In the newest post, the range was manufactured in 2010 and that was a bogus post that was proven (with photographed proof) to contain a lot of false information. As foodonastump said the italian grits guy said many many times very clearly that the range was enchanted sand. The colour was pretty much identical to the infused copper colour sample. The only paint blemish I could see was one of the knobs appeared to have slightly more metallic content in it than the others. Also the above said post that was kindly referenced was in the "test" area of gardenweb as the original post was deleted off of the appliances forum, and the test post will purge itself soon enough.

Then we have a few posts that reference the very well known "exploding broiler" issue that has long ago been corrected by bs and hardly could qualify for what michelle was asking for.

All in all, I would say there was maybe one post above that would qualify for what michelle was looking for, and that is probably the one she had found on her own.

>But no one asked the OP, because all of this summary judgment conveniently occurred after he announced he was out of the country for two weeks and unable to respond.

Ya I agree. Pretty convenient for him. Oh trust me I would love him to come back and explain.

>I would possibly buy a BS cooktop, and vastly prefer the design of the burners to anything else I've seen.

I would disagree here as well. I think the cc burner is actually a slightly better burner design at high heat. Does that sound like the bs fanboy you accuse me and others on here of being? And I'm not just saying that to fit into my post I have said it on here before. In fact if I was buying a rangetop I would seriously consider a cc. I would probably do a billyg simmer retrofit tho. As for a range, no way, at least not while in their current forms as there are things about the bs I personally like way more.

Anyway, I think this will be my last response to marcolo.

-cheers

There's no need to break this down, and as I said, whether other owners "agree" or "disagree" with a review is not really important. I am the judge of what I find persuasive. No one else.

weedmeister, there are plenty of recommendations for turning off micros and especially coffee pots that you can find on the web, sometimes from consumer groups, sometimes from government agencies or whatever. And I don't mean only when you go off on a trip--a coffee pot can burst into flames while you're at church or out to eat just as easily. I just wish this were planned for, so that with a flick of a lightswitch you could cut the power to most things, except of course the fridge.