Customer Reviews

Electrolux : EW36GC55GS 36 Gas Cooktop with 5 Sealed Burners - Stainless Steel

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1 star:		(4)

 

 

The elecric igniter for the high BTU central burner doesn't light it for dozens of 'clicks'--never did. The other burners lit slowly too. Entire piezoelectric lighter system went POP and died a month after the warrantee ended. Unsafe, kitchen fills with gas.

We bought the Electrolux EG36GC55GS1 36" gas range top, along with the Electrolux EW30EW65GS3 30" electric double convection oven. Both were installed in our new construction home. Both were purchased based upon the Electrolux / Husqvarna reputation, and the very positive past experiences we had with Husqvarna guns, motorcycles, sewing machines and a few Electrolux items too. Unfortunately, we found the positive Electrolux Frigidaire past reputation did not carry forth to this new generation of Electrolux Frigidaire appliances.

Our first hint of shoddy goods came when the ball bearing slides on the oven grilles fell apart. This occurred within 15 minutes upon installing the $3000 double oven unit. Electrolux customer service was great, and they promptly sent a new oven grille set. Second heads up occurred two months later when the LED readout on the oven failed. The unit had NEVER even been used yet...again customer service was great and a new circuit board was installed on the oven.

Now to the point... the Electrolux EG36GC55GS1 36" gas range top never was up to par. The flame air mixture cannot be manually adjusted, and a very poor yellow tipped flame occurred on three out of the five burners. Ignition was poor, especially on the center burner. Knobs can be turned "too far" thus rendering incorrect position relative to gas flame intensity. This unit was not abused...its just the two of us...semi retired professionals in a seven figure new home...and we've cooked with gas for over 40 years. I called Electrolux to complain about the poor flame characteristics, and was told of dirt in gas line, salt in air (we live in the Midwest), incorrect gas pressure and sundry other excuses. The gas line was virtually new, no salt here, pressure checked with manometer by me and our local gas company...all was in line. We decided to live with the $1200 gas top's limitation.

Six months later, while cooking on the two left burners of the Electrolux EG36GC55GS1 range, my wife turned on the center burner. I was standing about 3 feet from her. Hot oil was on one of the already lit burners. About 5 seconds after turning on the center burner, a violent explosion occurred. The explosion blew up the center burner, blew all three cast iron grates off the unit, blew the left front burner off of the unit, and blew the entire stainless steel range nacelle off of the granite counter top. All five control knobs blew off and across the kitchen. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but our confidence in Electrolux reached a new low.

I called Electrolux customer service, who suggested a designated Electrolux repair technician "fix the unit". He showed up, and after thoroughly looking things over, called another Electrolux service technician who strongly advised to "do nothing" and to "replace the unit". The Electrolux home office technician issued a Replacement Claim number, and then transferred our on-site technician over to a Electrolux customer service representative. The Electrolux rep stated she could not replace the unit...and to make a long story short, caved in upon me getting on the phone and wishing to speak to a manager to discuss potential liability issues and other potential legal avenues.

We now have a new Electrolux EG36GC55GS1 range. It took almost SEVEN WEEKS and TEN PHONE CALLS to Electrolux to get results. Every Electrolux service rep was genuine and courteous - but no unit was ever shipped. Finally, the dealer from whom we bought the unit gave us a new unit, despite him not receiving the replacement unit promised by several Electrolux customer service representatives.

The new unit is just as shoddy as the blown up unit. It is actually been made more cheaply with smaller burner covers, no burner nacelles, and certainly no way to adjust the gas air mixture to result in good blue flames. The central burner still does not light correctly either - the piezo-electric lighter clicks anywhere from ten to fifty times before that central burner will light. Very scary...we will always use that central burner with EXTREME caution.

I'm presently looking for a new drop in gas range top to fit the custom cut-out in our new granite counter top. As for Frigidaire / Electrolux / Husqvarna - that's it for us...never again...and we're telling anyone who will listen.

Update 11/2011. I never could find a drop in replacement for our shoddy Electrolux EG36GC55GS1 36" gas range top. We have virtually given up using the piezo electric igniter on the center burner, for fear of another explosion. We have had two independent service technicians visit to witness the phenomenon of no center burner ignition...in both cases the fellows stated the design of the unit is poor, and that no remedy is available. Heck, one of the service technicians stated he would not even further attempt at using the piezo igniter on the center burner, and further stated he would never have a unit such as this in his personal home. Physically, the "stainless steel" top has many scratches on it, despite us NEVER using anything other than a damp cotton wash cloth, or stainless steel cleaner/polish with cotton rag. Every time we use this range top, we both get a little bit more burned up thinking we paid $1200 for junk.

I have had this cook top for about 8 months now and really love it! The five burners are so convenient; this holiday season was a breeze. I like to use cast iron cookward and it is nice to be able to slide pots from one burner to another instead of picking them up. I find the unit easy to clean, I am very picky about the appearance but the stainless cleans up for the most part. The only problem area is right around the burners I use the most, they have speckled mini cook particles on them which I am not too crazy about but it is a kitchen I cook in, and I have to get over it. I have a couple of scratches, nothing to fret over though, that is life. I clean with a damp cloth and finish up with glass cleaner.

I have not had any problems or needed service. I was looking forward to using the power burner in the middle to get my water boiling quicker, not really an improvement from my old Kitchenaide.(That one a bad design, will never buy their products again) Looking back at the other review I just now got up and turned on middle burner, lit after about 4 clicks. I did get the griddle, I still have not gotten used to it, my pancakes always start out too dark. Not used to having so much BTU, last griddle was electric in the middle of my cooktop.

Also have the double Electrolux oven, I had a smile on my face the entire holiday cooking season. Entire batches of cookies baked perfectly in one oven. What an improvement from my old single Maytag.

So look over before you make this purchase, it was quite a bit of $$$ for us to spend but have not regretted it. As you walk down the appliance aisle decide which one looks like it is built better, suprise, they are almost the same in each price category. So good luck, so far I have not been dissapointed.

It's even difficult to describe my disappointment. I researched this cooktop online and found only one negative review on amazon, all the other reviews were super positive and I decided to buy it. First problem I encountered that right and left side grates are wobbling/rocking on the base, they cannot be settled in place. The grates surface is not horizontal, the pots lean to the right and left on the side grates and to the front on the middle grate. Also, pots wobble on the grates themselves. Knobs are difficult to turn, because they are round and slippery, especially if your hands are a little wet or not super dry, which is normal when you're cooking. You have to clean your hands to turn the knob. There is no igniting safety feature. If the flame goes out like after spilling water or from the blow, the igniter won't start clicking, because this cooktop has a different design. So, be prepared for explosions. The steel is soft and easily scratched especially by the wobbling grates. I bought it from AJMadison, so I emailed them, they told me they don't accept returns and didn't offer any other help. I called Electrolux, they offered to send new grates. But I know it won't solve the problem, because the problem is in the whole cooktop design. Off to continue fighting...

This company does not have this cooktop in stock. I ordered it and it took them four days to tell before Amazon simply canceled the order. Do not trust them on their claims. They communicated poorly and mislead me throughout the entire process.