An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comI’ve been meaning to write this post for awhile now, in hopes to save others money, time, and the trouble of installing a GE Cafe range in their own kitchen. I’ve mentioned it before on Instagram and still receive multiple messages asking for my honest opinion and if this particular range is worth the money (~$6k). In short, I’d say no- but I wanted to give this topic a permanent place to live, so I figured a blog post was in order! Sadly, we’ve experienced multiple issues with our range and I obviously can’t recommend it based on our personal experience. Click through to read my honest review, the issues we’ve had thus far (and how we’ve fixed those issues), as well as some alternative ranges I wish we would have purchased instead. 

First I’ll begin by saying, I’m a generally optimistic and positive person, therefore I try to keep an upbeat tone and attitude- especially here on the blog. However, when it comes to renovating, I take making recommendations very seriously and try to steer others in the best direction for their home and renovation. Hopefully this post is helpful if you were considering this particular range for your kitchen. Honesty has always been my policy! This review is for the Professional 36″ Gas GE Cafe Range.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comWe’ve had electric, induction, and gas cooktops in our previous homes, and my personal favorite of the three is gas. We opted to buy a professional gas range for our kitchen remodel and I was very excited to have a high-end gas cooktop and oven for our space… especially given how often we cook, plus I enjoy spending time in the kitchen baking. When we moved in, the existing range was electric and I was eager to upgrade to something more functional for our family, as well as visually pleasing. Here’s a quick before…

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comWhile beautiful and in some areas functional, I cannot recommend our existing GE Cafe gas range. The issue we’ve had multiple (five, to be exact) times is this… upon turning on the oven, it refuses to heat up. It stays completely cool to the touch. You can hear it trying to heat, but the gas never ignites. Basically, the igniter goes bad quite often and when it decides never to work again, that means we have to replace the part altogether if we want to use the oven. The top burners and warmers work wonderfully, but the oven igniter has proven to be a major issue time and time again.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comFirst of all, if you have the same range and are curious how to fix this problem… this is the part you’ll need to order and replace: oven range igniter. While the part is relatively inexpensive (under $30), if Emmett weren’t proficient in replacing this piece, we also would’ve incurred the cost of hiring a technician. You may need to factor in labor if you’re not comfortable swapping parts.

The first time this issue occurred, I immediately called customer service to see what could be done. After too many hours on hold and on the phone with customer service, it was determined we would have to pay for a technician visit and nothing would be covered, in terms of cost (despite it being under warranty). Luckily, Emmett & I problem solved, did some research, and were able to figure out what was going on and resolve the issue on our own. The second time it happened, we were annoyed, but knew exactly how to proceed… perhaps we just got a lemon or were having bad luck. The third time it happened, we had lost all patience and I decided to email, as well as message GE on Instagram. Nothing was resolved, no one tried to help or even get in touch with me, and at that point- after so many messages from others echoing the same issue, I realized this was going to be an ongoing issue.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comWe’re a household that cooks and uses the oven quite often- at least 4 times a week for dinner, and more often when we host. Unfortunately the igniter issue has caused us to waste hundreds of dollars worth of food since  installing the range. It really goes out at inopportune times… twice while we were hosting friends & family- once during Memorial Day weekend and most recently over New Year’s Eve. It’s just a very inconvenient situation that has turned out to be costly and annoying, especially given the cost of this appliance.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comWhen you spent $6k on a major kitchen appliance, you hope it will function as expected, and at the very least- have an adequate warranty to cover issues or decent customer service to troubleshoot. We bought our range new and it’s now two and half years old. In two and half years, we’ve had to replace the igniter five times.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comThe first time I shared this issue on Instagram, I received hundreds of messages from people who had the exact same problem. It was really disheartening to hear SO many of you have experienced the same issue and frustration. That’s really what pushed me to write a blog post and give this topic a permanent place to live. I hope that when people are on the hunt for a range and are googling reviews for this particular model, they stumble across this blog post.

As beautiful as this range is, and as much as I love the burners, warmers, and the overall aesthetic, the oven is a deal breaker.

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comAfter wasting time, plenty of food, and going through the hassle of pulling the very heavy range out of its position five times (and scratching our hardwoods along the way), I truly wish we would have spent our money on a different option. The streamlined aesthetic is not worth the issues we’ve had. We’ve been without an oven for over a week now and are patiently waiting for the replacement part to arrive next week. Emmett actually ordered double replacement parts anticipating to swap the igniter again this summer (which is typically how often it goes out- every six months or so).

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comSadly, it’s not in the budget for us to replace our range, as we’re saving for other projects right now, but if I could replace it, this range would be my top pick (or this one… but it’s a bit more expensive). It fits the aesthetic, has great reviews, and I have trusted sources who currently have and love this one. If you’re in need of more options, I polled my trusted audience and these were the highest recommended professional range brands, with similar styles and price points (all are 36″):

An Honest Review of the GE Cafe Range - roomfortuesday.comDo any of you have this particular GE Cafe range? If so, have you been happy with it? Have you had the same issue? Feel free to leave any questions for me in the comment section below. I’d also love to hear if you have a range you really like- please share your glowing recommendations with all of us! Not every home appliance, renovation product, fixture, or material proves to be a win… especially after having lived with it for some time. Please know, I’ll always report back and share our experience- especially if it’s negative and something consumers need to be aware of. I hope this is helpful information for anyone who is in the market for a range and was considering this model. I promise to have a more exciting and positive post for you on Friday, but in the meantime… since I haven’t been able to use our oven- I’d love any of your favorite stovetop or no-bake dinner recipe recommendations. Thanks, friends!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

165 Comments

  1. Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for sharing! We are in the midst of our kitchen renovation and while we do not have a gas line/ability to install this exact range, it is MORE than helpful to hear how a specific company reacts to issues with their products. Knowing the company was not responsive nor went out of their way to help rectify the problem is definitely a red flag for other appliances we might have been considering by them, and worth weighing into the purchasing factor! So thank you for taking the time to share this!

    1. I was really disheartened with the GE customer service team. It took me forever to get in touch with someone and my issue was obviously never resolved. I tried to call, email, reach out on social media, etc. I understand an occasional fluke, but I hated receiving so many messages from others with the exact same issue. I hope this post helps others make informed purchases- especially since it’s an expensive range.

      1. Anne DeSalvo says:

        Our 3 year old townhome came with all “ high end” GE cafe monogram appliances. Our double oven has been serviced at least 4 times. The front oven door glass cracked during self cleaning! GE customer service doesn’t exist. Many calls and no resolve. The gas oven had to have the internal temperature adjusted several times as it wasn’t heating to set temperature. Dishwasher leaked from day one and we ended waiting several months for a replacement GE agreed to. When the replacement was installed ( we had to pay for disconnect and install) the new one leaked and made sug loud noises. We threw in the towel and got rid of that one and bought an Asko dishwasher. I am sure eventually we will be replacing each and every other appliance .

        1. Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Anne. I had the same experience with customer service, unfortunately. Thanks for sharing!

      2. Nicole Wilson says:

        Is it possible for you to tell me how the cooking fan sounds? We purchased a similar item and haven’t received it for our kitchen and I see these issues but I’ve also now read that the cooling fan on these stoves are very loud and I’m very concerned now….I’m stuck on what to get!

        1. Hi Nicole! I haven’t really noticed the fan noise being too loud. My biggest issue is the igniter is constantly having to be replaced. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this particular model (based on that alone). I hope that’s helpful!

        2. If Nicole happens to see this…..we had the same problem with a very loud cooling fan. From what I read it’s a thing in slide in stoves, not freestanding. I’ve lived in many houses and used many gas stoves. The only stove that ever made a loud fan noise was the slide in stove in our last home. Sadly it was the most expensive stove I ever had too. The fan would run from the time you started the oven until the oven was completely cooled down. I’d never get a slide in again.
          Sarah thank you for such an extensive review of your Cafe stove. I read the same complaints from others. I loved the stove but I’ll pass. Unreliable plus bad customer service is a big fat no for me.

          1. Thanks for taking the time to share, Lisa!

      3. Did you self clean? I heard that is a problem with all brands due to the prolonged heat

        1. I have never self cleaned the oven… that can definitely be an issue for some though!

    2. Read current reviews on all of them from review sites that are not trying to sell anything. Then call an appliance repair shop near you that works on the brand you are interested in. It saved me a ton of money! My cousin has a Thermador in her home and honestly, it was one of the best gas stoves I shave ever cooked on. I went and talked to people a sales place and saw what they offered. I had decided to go with their line in my kitchen and gave the architect the specs. Thankfully, I just happened to be surfing for kitchen ideas and started coming across recent reviews. People were talking about all the problems with Thermador products and how they weren’t the quality they used to be. I was so upset and didn’t know what to do, because all of the sites from companies selling the were giving them high marks. Luckily, I got the idea to look up local appliances repair shops that service Thermador appliances. They confirmed that they were getting a lot of service calls for them and said to stay away from them and LG appliances. I had not asked about LG, they just offered the information. Another appliance repair place also said stay away from LG appliances

      1. Great tip, Donna! Thank you for taking the time to share. That’s helpful insight!

    3. Laura Fisher says:

      We have a 36” Gas Stainless Steel Cafe oven, it was 3 years old in May. We have replaced the igniter 3 times. The last time in September, and it has already gone out again! When we can afford to replace it, I plan to buy something different😞

      1. Sarah Gibson says:

        We just replaced ours AGAIN. We keep at least two backups in our kitchen now because it tends to go out at the most inopportune time.

  2. Melanie T says:

    What a nightmare! We bought a new induction range with convection oven that has performed very poorly with sensing pan size. We have had the appliance store’s repair team out to look at it but he manufacturer says it’s supposed to work that way! Then they wanted us to pay for the repair trip despite purchasing their 5 year “iron clad” repair warrantee. When I searched the web for problems with this brand of appliance everyone seems to love it! I think we got a lemon, but in your case all of those people you heard from indicates a real issue. You need to start a class action lawsuit. Paying that much money on an appliance that has repeated issues that so many others have also experienced can only be resolved this way. Contact your state’s Attorney General for legal advice on how to begin this process. I don’t have any experience with this, but you just need to find legal representation to fight your battle for you and when you find the right attorney, I’m sure you can win your case. I would love to hear an update on this. I wish manufacturers of appliances would not cheapen the inner workings of appliance parts. They are designed to conk out at 5 to 7 years, or even just beyond the warranty and it creates huge piles of obsolete junk.

    1. I hate hearing about your induction / convection situation, Melanie. I’m sorry you’ve also been having issues. So much for that “iron clad” warranty. I wish I had the time (or money? it sounds like it could be expensive to take legal action) to take things further, but I feel like the least I could do was write a public post for people who are searching for reviews to reassure their expensive purchase. I feel like we’re stuck with our oven at this point (unfortunately). I’ve tried multiple times to talk with customer service, reach out on social media, etc. I wish things were built to last longer- it’s very sad that so many appliances end up in landfills. Obsolete junk is a great term for that. Oof. Despite the negative oven talk, I hope your year is off to a great start!

      1. Barbara Ramirez says:

        I had an older GE cafe range with multiple problems. GE replaced it. The second one had the same igniter problem you describe (at least twice). It was replaced under the extended warranty coverage I purchased. I now have a KitchenAid. It has multiple issues. Again, the extended warranty has paid off, however, they only pay the purchase price, NOT including sales tax, delivery, installation, conversion to propane, replacement of gas line with new, etc. So, whenever I decide to buy ANOTHER new range, I will make out-of-pocket expenses of at least $1,000. My experience speaks well for the extra expense of extended warranty cost, and speaks poorly for the brands I bought. :(

        1. That is so good to know, Barbara! Thank you for taking the time to share with all of us. I had no idea about the warranties. I had a warranty with mine, but for some reason- it was not honored.

  3. Good morning! FIVE times?! How utterly frustrating and disappointing! As usual, your sunny disposition and positive nature far outstrip my own. Curse words would definitely be flying at my house if a beautiful, expensive new range quit working! Worst of all, to my mind, is the abysmal customer service. I can forgive a lot if a company stands behind their product and works to satisfactorily address an issue, but you got the equivalent of a disinterested teenager’s shrug. Grrr. You’re fortunate that Emmett is ultra-handy; imagine the hassle and expense of scheduling a technician every time! Seriously, I’m angry on your behalf. Ha. I especially appreciate the recommendations for other ranges. If I were going to invest in a dream appliance, I would need that extra confidence. I know you strive to keep topics upbeat around here, so thanks for providing this helpful and detailed, if unflattering, review. As for stovetop recipes, at least it’s soup/stew/chili season! Soooo many delicious options! (I have an entire Pinterest board just for soup!) Here’s to a lovely (though currently rainy) Wednesday!💜

    1. Melanie Carter says:

      Ooh Peggi I would love to peruse your Pinterest soup board! Soup speaks to me. :)

      1. Not going to lie- I definitely just spend way too long browsing her board. Ha! I see lots of soup in our future thanks to Peggi :)

    2. Yessss… five times too many. Curse words definitely fly around our kitchen every time this happens (just ask our recent holiday house guests, lol). I’m also willing to forgive and forget if a company has excellent customer service, but I was sad with how things were handled. I hate that we’re stocking igniters and extra parts, knowing that this happens frequently. I’m so thankful we don’t have to call a technician every time. It’s an expensive appliance and I thought I had done adequate research, read plenty of reviews, and was willing to splurge for something we use basically everyday. It has been a big regret in our kitchen and renovation, so hopefully others can proceed with caution if they were considering this model. Onto happier things- Emmett did request a chili, so I think we’re going to make that on Thursday… yum! It has been a rainy day here, too. I can’t complain- other than the muddy paw prints. Lol! Hope you’re having a good night! xo

  4. Thank you for this! I love the look of the Cafe appliances, but they’re so expensive I just couldn’t justify the cost when I was renovating my kitchen. For the last couple of years I’ve seen them EVERYWHERE online, but at the time that I was looking I couldn’t find a single person that WASN’T a blogger who got them through some sort of sponsorship. Sponsored content is necessary and helpful, and I guess seeing all of that WAS helpful, in the sense that it made me wary when I couldn’t find any “normal” people with them. It’s really disheartening to hear how many people are having the same issues you are, though, and its absurd that you’re at the point of stocking up on replacement parts just to keep from having to be without an oven again.

    All of this is to say, I really appreciate blog posts like this, and it’s a huge reason that I come here and trust the recommendations that you do make – because I know you’ll be honest about your experiences, whether positive or negative. Hopefully there are a lot more positives coming your way this year!

    1. They really are everywhere now! We paid for ours in full and it wasn’t sponsored or anything (I consider myself a “normal person”, haha), but it seems like their popularity has really increased. I was astonished how many messages I received from others experiencing the same issue. It’s too bad, and I feel for those who also spent their hard earned money on something that continues to fail. Honesty has always been my policy, so thank you for trusting me and showing up to read. I love helping others when it comes to home things! I know there are lots of positives to come our way this year :) I’m feeling hopeful. Have a good night, Stacy!

  5. I am sorry for the issues that you are having but really appreciate you taking the time to post this honest feedback. I was thinking of purchasing this range but will not be considering it now. Thank you for sharing your experience and helping many of us to find a better product.

    1. Of course, I’m happy to share. I definitely think you’ll be happier choosing an alternative option. I wish we would have :)

  6. Oh Sarah what a maddening and outrageous situation 😡 it’s just not right and legal action certainly sounds fitting. We had a gas range at our last house I never got used to cooking with so we went back to electric smooth top range when we moved here but I do make many stovetop dishes. Butter chicken, skillet chicken with mushroom wine sauce is yummy( Pinterest) pastas, stews and soups, stir fry etc. Your honest review will help so many others so I’m proud of you for this post today 👍 sending all positive vibes and hugs your way today!

    1. Like everything else, we also have the same taste in regards to food, Colleen! Ha! All of those dishes sound divine to me. Thank you for sharing some dinner ideas! I hope you’re having a wonderful week. It has been rainy here, but I’ve been having fun sorting vintage rugs at the shop. Thanks for the positive vibes and virtual hug, friend. xo

  7. That is seriously one of the most insane appliance horror stories I’ve ever heard! It’s clearly a lemon, but the fact that GE won’t step up is so disappointing. We are in the middle of a new build and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate an honest review – I have poured days of my life into researching every last decision, so reviews like these are invaluable.

    Unfortunately I’m not much of a stovetop cooker – I need a double oven!! – but this is one of the fastest, easiest and most delicious pasta recipes out there: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/linguine-with-shrimp-scampi-recipe3-1916619.

    With respect to ovens, I will say I had a friend who bought a house with a beautiful Bertazzoni and they hated it so much they took it out. She said it was super loud, took forever to heat up, and didn’t hold it’s temp. We ended up going with the Wolf for our new build, and our local tiny appliance shop was able to get us a much better than list price, FWIW. And in our house now, we have this guy and it is a WORKHORSE. Does absolutely everything we need perfectly and I love the double oven configuration. It’s not quite as aesthetic, but it’s a solid little performer if you are looking to do a temporary replacement while you save to fund a fancy guy! https://www.homedepot.com/p/KitchenAid-6-7-cu-ft-Double-Oven-Dual-Fuel-Gas-Range-with-Self-Cleaning-Convection-Oven-in-Stainless-Steel-KFDD500ESS/206007525?g_store=2583&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&pla&mtc=Shopping-VF-F_DYNM-G-D29A-029_015_COOKING-WHIRLPOOL-NA-NA-PLA_LIA-NA-NA-MK467173329_9016240033_FY21_3108&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_DYNM-G-D29A-029_015_COOKING-WHIRLPOOL-NA-NA-PLA_LIA-NA-NA-MK467173329_9016240033_FY21_3108-71700000086181928-58700007333462067-92700065731182556&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlsHikeqa9QIVBIjICh3Y9g78EAQYASABEgIAFfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

    1. I’m definitely disappointed in the way GE handled things. You’re right- so much goes into planning, designing, building or remodeling, and once the project is finished, the goal is for everything to be functional and beautiful. While beautiful, our oven has been such a letdown. Thank you so much for taking time to share a recipe! Emmett will love that one :) Ok- this is one of the only negative reviews on Bertazzoni I’ve heard- so thank you for sharing. I got a LOT of messages from people who recommended Bertazzoni. I hope you love your Wolf- that sounds like a wonderful choice based on my recent research and audience polls!

  8. Five times??!! Hell no. Your and Emmett’s patience far withstands my own. I’d have hand delivered it to the store I purchased from and demanded a refund. On a positive note, at least Emmett is able to swap the part when necessary, or the cost you’d be out would be astronomical!
    My personal experience with GE has been the opposite. We replaced a Kitchenaid range that went out at its expected life-limit, with the GE slide-in freestanding gas range. We had issues in the first month; none that were the fault of GE, or the oven itself. (Workers who loaded it into our truck dropped it; damage was done to the side that wasn’t visible until installation-it got delivered to Home Depot by me and a replacement was demanded. I had to get stern with them, but it got replaced. The second was due to Jeff trusting the existing gas line from the wall to the range was in good shape-it in fact was not, but GE was responsive to our concerns, sent a tech out at no cost to us, and replaced the line that Jeff ignored. They even called us to follow up and make sure the issue was satisfactorily fixed). I’m in love with this range. The only thing I would change is the cubic feet. We were in a pinch at the time of purchase and settled for a smaller size because it was three days before Thanksgiving and we were hosting. The larger model would have taken two weeks to arrive. If I could go back, I’d have insisted on the larger size and sent the turkey to Jeff’s moms for cooking. Despite that, I’ve found that my countertop oven, instant pot, and crock pot, perform well for making holiday cooking more convenient with the smaller size oven, so it’s not a complete deal breaker. I plan on replacing it for the larger size (same model) at some point-and the only other brand I’d go with if this one wasn’t an option is Kitchenaid (but I’m nowhere near utilizing a professional range). I loved my Kitchenaid!
    It’s terrible to hear that their customer service leaves much to be desired for their professional quality products-you’d think it’d be the opposite. I appreciate your honesty and frankness in this review. Too many times home decor influencers reviews’ have not seemed genuine; I know when I come here I’m getting honesty, integrity, and professionalism, no matter the topic. I’m sorry you have to deal with such a lemon! If you have an instant pot, now is the time to deep dive-if you don’t, it may be time to get one. I use mine constantly because it is the champion of one pot cooking-and no oven or stove top needed. I have the 6 quart model and it serves our family of five perfectly. (Although I don’t recommend the air fry lid as an investment. It’s a great concept but leaves much to be desired). Here’s to all the one pot meals, Dutch oven cooking, and crock pot cooking for the winter ahead. I hope you have better luck with it this year!

    1. Haha! I wish I had your hell no attitude for this situation. If it weren’t so heavy, maybe I would’ve loaded it up and tried to return it. Lol! I’m glad you’ve had a better experience with GE. I’m thinking it may just be this particular gas model? After tons of research, it sounds like a design issue that causes the igniter to melt or go out frequently. We’ve tried the GE replacement part, off brand parts, and they always go out in the same way, around the same time. It sounds like you had an amazing experience with their customer service, so that’s wonderful! We loved out Kitchen Aid double oven at our last home. They are another brand I need to include in this post. We had no issues there. I’m going to go pull out our instant pot right now! It’s amazing how I always forget about that thing. I need to be doing more of that type of cooking this winter anyway- give me all the soups and easy crock pot meals. I hope you’re having a good week! xox

  9. Geez, Sarah! What a maddening situation! When we remodeled our kitchen, we chose the GE Profile series for all our appliances. We have had several issues WITH ALL FOUR APPLIANCES requiring SO MANY service calls that has lead to needing to replace the dishwasher and microwave within 5 years of purchase and installation. However, the Amana fridge we’ve had for 17 years is still working perfectly in our garage with not one issue ever. So, completely frustrating!!!

    1. Maddening, indeed. I hate hearing that you’ve also experienced issues with your GE appliances… and all four?! I’m so sorry. They don’t make them like they used to, do they?! Ugh.

  10. Utterly unacceptable in the truest sense of the word! I would categorically be taking this further, utilising social media (Twitter is great for this kind of thing – no company wants to be trending negatively on there – and seems to be more effective than Instagram for this) and pursuing it via a small claims action if necessary. Whilst it’s been a blessing for you that E is super-handy, this is nuts – the item has NOT been fit for purpose, and at this price point too!! 🤬. You need to assemble all the information you have about this and get it going right now! I think you need to get angry and engage a ‘take no prisoners’ mindset when these things happen!

    1. Maybe I’ll give Twitter a try, though I’m not very good at it. Ha! I feel like we’re kind of stuck at this point… we’ve had it for 2.5 years and apparently the warranty is up or doesn’t cover this particular issue. I’m terrible at confrontation when it comes to this sort of thing. I wish I had the “take no prisoners” mentality, but I’ve spent so much time trying to figure this out, I feel exhausted. Oof.

      1. Write a letter stating all of this to your states Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division. When I was a college student many years ago I worked in my states office. I do believe it would be helpful. Do it!

  11. Thank you for sharing! I had no idea about this issues and had my eye on the cafe because of the look and because of it being advertised so well. I’m so sorry this has happened to you. How frustrating especially on holidays and when entertaining.

    1. It really is advertised well and I’ve seen it in so many designer and blogger homes- it’s too bad it doesn’t function as expected. I thought it was just us or that we had an exception, but after receiving so many messages from others experiencing the same issue, I realized it was a common problem. Frustrating, but I’m happy that you’ll look into alternatives for your project! Hopefully I can save you some money and the trouble :)

  12. So frustrating and beyond Sarah! You are a trooper for lasting this long with that oven. I have to agree with several…you should take to twitter or better business bureau or ? I know this will endure hours of time and I feel for you both.
    Thank you for being honest when there’s not a lot of bloggers out there informing readers of the problems or negative experiences with products. They go quiet on the subject; give half truth; or only positive facts.
    We had a Whirlpool gas cook top for 20 years and I loved it. We currently have a brand new Whirlpool electric range and I cannot stand it. The top burners are hard to control, it either cooks too slow or too fast. The oven sounds like there are mice running a squeaky wheel! Ha! We will have gas but after reading this no GE Cafe Appliances.
    If you have a crock pot, they are awesome with starting it in the morning and returning home to a cooked meal. We grill a lot but due to the severe cold you have in Utah, that is not an option for you. I wasn’t sure if you are beef eaters but will share this Black Bean Chicken Chili with you that can be cooked stovetop or crock pot:
    3 Chicken Breasts
    1 red pepper, diced
    3/4 onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 1/2 T olive oil
    1/8 C chili powder
    1 t cumin
    1/2 t coriander
    15 oz can black beans
    14 oz can Mexican stewed tomatoes (I’ve used just stewed tomatoes)
    1/2 C beer
    5 oz sharp cheddar cheese
    Stovetop
    Saute’ chicken & veggies in oil. Add spices & cook 3 min. Add beans, canned tomatoes & beer. Simmer 15 min uncovered, stirring often. Add cheese & cook until melted (I usually add cheese when putting in bowls).
    Crock pot
    First, brown chicken and veggies in skillet before adding to crock pot. Cook on low setting for 4-6 hours.
    *Can double recipe (which I do quite often)

    1. I think we’re pretty much stuck with it at this point (unfortunately). I’ve received zero response from their customer service, social media channels, etc. I wanted to love it because it’s beautiful and the top burners work wonderfully, but we use the oven far too often for it to go out so frequently. I feel like many appliance brands have comprised their quality these past few years. Parts are often on backorder and they really don’t make them like they used to. It’s too bad! We had a whirlpool in our first home and had zero issues with it. I had to laugh at your squeaky oven comment, ha! I pulled out our crock pot this morning, so I’m definitely going to make your recipe (probably tomorrow), so thank you for taking the time to share! I appreciate it and can’t wait to try :) Emmett did get the grill out over NYE (that was covered under 3 feet of snow, lol) so we didn’t waste steaks and chicken he had bought for the holiday. Thank you again! I hope you’re having an awesome week. xo

  13. Thank you so much for writing this. I definitely won’t purchase this after reading your review especially with their lack of customer service!

    1. Happy to share, Kerri! I was definitely disappointed with their customer service. It’s too bad! Running a small shop myself, I understand things happen and every once in awhile you get a lemon, but the key is finding a solution.

  14. I so appreciate honest reviews (unfortunately for you!) like this. Rarely seen on social media. I hope you don’t have to use legal action to get this issue resolved but resolved it must be! Good luck, you have been far too patient.

    1. I’m happy to share the good and the bad when it comes to our home! Hopefully this post can provide helpful insight if anyone else was considering this specific model. I’m not sure if taking legal action would be worth our time (that sounds expensive), but the very least I can do is spread the word and share our experience. I’m sure we’ll end up having to replace it eventually. I hope your new year is off to a good start, Teri :)

  15. Thank you for taking time to post such an honest review. I think so often we focus on the aesthetic of our life and not the practicality. I appreciate you sharing and I do hope the company takes responsibility and addresses the issues fairly and quickly.

  16. I appreciate this review. We are ten years in to a GE Monogram set of double ovens (top is dual microwave/convection) and they are starting to need repairs in turn. I’d say over the last two years. Which… fine, we had eight years of solid use. But as we look at replacing them its good to know what’s working that is newer (or in your case, not working). Although we don’t have the range I’m tucking this information away.

    As an aside, the new aesthetic of the currently for sale GE Monogram ovens didn’t wow me, so maybe this is another reason to look into a different brand. Especially given your customer service woes.

  17. Ugh, I’m so happy to read this. They were on my list for my new build next year. Anyone have reviews on BlueStar Appliances? Made in the USA and quite professional looking – I just hope performing too! Would love to hear!

    1. I’d definitely choose something else! I did have a handful of message from people recommending BlueStar. I’ll see if I can gather more info and put together some polls.

    2. I recently completed my kitchen remodel and went with BlueStar and am happy so far. I had a Viking in my previous home and loved it, but didn’t want to spend that here given I may sell sooner than later. A few items to consider with BlueStar, I have a 36” and it does take 15 minutes to preheat and I think the control face can get a little hot. I’m extremely happy with the performance. They also provide great service, the convection fan had a vibration and they said that they had a run with that issue and promptly replaced it. I’d suggest going to your local dealer and trying it out. Good luck with your build!

    3. I recently completed my kitchen remodel and went with BlueStar and I’m happy so far. I had a Viking in my previous home and loved it, but didn’t want to spend that here given I may sell sooner than later. A few items to consider with BlueStar, I have a 36” and it does take 15 minutes to preheat and I think the control face can get a little hot. I’m extremely happy with the performance. They also provide great service, the convection fan had a vibration and they said that they had a run with that issue and promptly replaced it. I’d suggest going to your local dealer and trying it out. Good luck with your build!

      1. I had SO many positive recs come in for BlueStar. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback, Rhonda.

  18. Thank you for your honest review. I am so sorry you’ve had such a maddening and frustrating experience! I’ve been on a rant about appliances and appliance companies for some time now. I was told recently that refrigerators basically have a planned obsolescence of 7 years. It makes me really angry from an environmental and a $$$, consumer standpoint. Think of all the appliances ending up in the landfill! Remember when your old washer and dryer used to last 35 years?! Longevity and repairability are really areas that I think manufacturers need to focus on. I bought a 48″ wolf range (all gas), and I’d say my happiness with it is so so… It’s 7 years old, and we need to have a repairman come replace and repair most of the burners. They don’t hold at the level set to, and most of our simmer burners don’t work anymore. Also, the ovens don’t heat all that accurately or evenly. I didn’t splurge (even more) for the dual fuel with electric ovens, as I hoped I could get excellent ovens for almost $10K. I am typically really frugal, and this was an enormous purchase, made in part because we needed to replace with an existing size, and all of the 48 inch ranges are expensive! Oy, lots of feelings about appliances ; )

    1. Most definitely, Jamie! It’s frustrating. I wish things were built to last longer than a handful of years. I also hate it from an environmental standpoint. It feels so wasteful having to toss parts twice a year. I think it’s true they don’t build them like they used to (unfortunately). We had an oven in our last house from the 50’s that still worked! Yours might be the first negative (or so so) review on the Wolf range I’ve heard. That is really good to know! It’s so tricky to keep up with appliance brands, their manufacturing, and warranties. I wish we could have a do-over choice with our range.

  19. We had a gas range for about 13yrs and had to have igniter replaced 3 times which he said was about average. You would think they could design something more robust!
    Given its age we just replaced it with a Falcon – gas cooktop and electric oven this time. Have to say the electric oven is outstanding and if a recipe says 30mins at x degrees that is exactly how long it takes. Pizzas take no time. Veeerrry well insulated, and heavy. Wish we hadn’t waited so long but were trying not to be wasteful.
    Only slight issue is that while same size, I took a tape measure to show room, it has 4 screw heads on the door that aren’t flush, I assume for aesthetics, but mean it won’t quite slide all the way in. Not ideal but we can live with it.

    1. 3 times in 13 years sounds like a dream in comparison to our every 6 months. Haha! I really wish appliances were designed with longevity in mind. It sounds like your Falcon is nice and consistent- thank you for taking the time to share, Melissa! I wonder if you could add a filler piece to the back to make it seem flush? I feel your frustration- those little details bother me, too. I hope you had a great day!

  20. Sorry to hear about your troubles with your range! I have the La Cornue Albertine 36″ ( in black and brass as you have it pictured) and I love it!!!! I’ve had it for about 7 months. No issues so far. The only thing I could think to complain about is that the broiler is electric rather than gas where I was used to having a gas broil option previously. I do miss having a gas broil option as I used it to sear meats instead of doing in on the stovetop where is can be messier. So I sear on the stovetop now. I use the convection oven all of the time and it’s very consistent.

    1. I love hearing that, Jen! I had lots of people message saying they love their La Cornue. I wish we would have opted for that instead. We use our oven a lot and having it go out so frequently has been such a pain. Thanks for sharing that the La Cornue has a reliable convection oven- I hope it’s helpful for others!

  21. I have this same range. Ours is 2 years old and the oven igniter has gone out once, about 7 months ago. Oddly, our service call and replacement was covered by the warranty. I’m hopeful it doesn’t become an ongoing issue. Otherwise, I am very happy with it, especially the cooktop.

    1. I’m so happy you had a better customer service experience, Charell! I hope it doesn’t become an issue for you. Fingers crossed! Thanks for sharing. I do love the cooktop and burners.

  22. Marc Dionne says:

    Hi Sarah I purchased a GE dual fuel dual oven stove and my wife burned herself on it. There is no visual indicator light when the gas knob is turned on and when you have the burner on low flame with an led hood light on you cannot tell that you have a burning flame. By looking at your front knobs which is all stsinless steel it is very misleading to identify your middle knob which is not quite shut off. So what happened a handle was left over time on that burner and it was time to do the dishes and got burneed badly. Talked to Gr and CSA and all I got was a sorry and you should not leave and burner unattended. I asked GE to retrofit my stove as it the same as the electric it looks like the led or light emiting diode is built in the knob but it does it does not turn on. Their answer was no it passed the ssfety standards.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that, Marc! We’ve actually had that happen, too. Or I’ve brushed up against the knob and accidentally turned it out. They move so easily and don’t lock into place with each turn. I could definitely see how that happened. I’m sorry you also had a bad experience with customer service. I hope your wife is ok!

  23. I am very lucky to have seen this post! Thank you so much! This was a serious contender in my list for a dream range! I am currently in the midst of endlessly researching for a range. The biggest take away from my research is nothing is perfect (maybe a wolf) the way a company responds to issues and the ability to get parts and service is a big deal breaker. You have experienced way too many breakdowns, one is unfortunate five is a quality /recall issue.
    Thank you again for sharing this you just saved me thousands of dollars , time and frustration.
    I am also considering an Ilve but I think they only come with dual fuel and I wish for all gas.
    Bertazzoni , Wolf, Blue star, Viking, Fulgor Milano, Thermador are what I am currently trying to research now that the Cafe is definitely off the list.
    I am so sorry for your issues with this range.

    1. No problem, Laura! I wish we would have spent our money elsewhere. I know your top contenders are much better than the GE Cafe!

  24. Hi Sarah, I have to ask…did you use the self clean on your oven? One influencer said that if you use the self clean it will often damage your oven. I know, makes no sense and now I’m afraid to press the self clean button on my Thermador and have been just wiping it down regularly.
    Great post…thank you for sharing!

    1. Hi Joan! This very definitely could be the issue. Most self clean ovens operate under extremely high heat in the “convect” setting-which can be damaging to internal components. Usually it is far more damaging to the main computer that controls the oven, or the components operating the display (more prominent with digital screens), but you may be on to something! I personally have chosen to opt out of the self clean convect ovens and instead have a steam clean oven-and I have to say, it’s amazing! Easiest oven cleaning I’ve ever done, and it’s complete in 30 minutes. Happy Friday!

    2. Hi Joan! I’ve never used the self clean feature on our oven because I’ve also heard that it will damage it (why it’s even an option, makes no sense to me), but I was erring on the side of caution. Like you, I just clean and wipe it regularly. I think that’s the safe bet!

  25. Thank you for your honest opinion. We currently have the GE profile appliances that was made before the cafe series with the rolling oven rack and probe. (Even though the rolling rack can’t hold the weight of a turkey without falling down). We are planning to build and hoping some of the construction cost comes down soon. I put a 36″ range in the plans but really want another oven. We budget 10,000 for appliances and wish I could spend a little more but we can’t get on city sewer so a arobic system is costing us more. I know alot of people are going with Hallman or Zline but I’ve seen alot of issues with them too. Neither one is self cleaning and have burner issues.

    1. Absolutely, Amy! I definitely had some recs come in for Zline and Hallman. Out of those two- it seems Zline had more or better recs than Hallman. I hope that helps! According to my messages, anyway. Thanks for weighing in!

  26. Liz McInnis says:

    We had a La Cornue at our old house (it came with the home so I think it was about 6yrs old). We had the larger version, 43” and honestly, I wasn’t impressed. I didn’t have to pay for it so that was a bonus but the burners all needed to have a lighter to help start them. The size of the oven was awkward cause even though it was 2 separate compartments (which is awesome for cooking meals that need diff temps), they were SO small. We had to purchase so many odd sized sheets/pans that would fit in them. And the oven was LOUD.
    Cleaning it was an actual nightmare. I had to use toothpicks and qtips to get into all of the little corners of the front of the oven and into the little crevices.
    Moving it wasn’t horrible though, although does require a drill and a special sized bit. But once lifted you could just roll it which was nice cause there was no moving that thing if it the wheels weren’t down!

    1. Thanks for the insight, Liz! I really love the way the La Cornue ranges look (absolutely stunning), but wasn’t sure about their performance… this is helpful.

  27. Jason Rhinehart says:

    We bought GE Cafe appliances for our entire kitchen. Dual fuel range, dishwasher, over range microwave, and side by side refrigerator/freezer.

    The stove makes a TERRIBLE high pitched squealing sound and needs a new fan. The normal vent fan that cools the oven is quite loud. This is a well known issue. A $4000 stove that drowns out the TV quite well.

    The microwave is on it’s own schedule. We have a backup microwave for the months when it doesn’t work. The touchscreen doesn’t work for months at a time and will suddenly work perfectly for somewhere between 5 minutes and 6 months. Parts are not available and it’s a built in style that would be very difficult to replace.

    The freezer fan hits the plastic around it and makes an annoying high speed tick-tick-tick sound unless I keep a special paperclip and rubber band solution I fabbed up in just the right position.

    The dishwasher solenoid is the exact same one as they install in $200 dishwashers. I know this because after it failed and flooded our kitchen I had to buy a new one. Same $20 part in the top of line model as the lowest priced dishwashers on the market.

    Friends don’t let friends buy the GE Cafe series.

    1. Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that Jason. I hate that you’ve also had major issues with your GE appliances. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience- I hope we can help others avoid similar situations!

    2. Totally agree. We purchased GE Café Keurig French Door 36″ fridge, 30″ Advantium Oven, 30″ Convection oven, and 24″ under cabinet Beverage Center.

      Originally we ordered a 33″ fridge, but when it came we noticed the interior lighting and the drawer bearings were cheap for the cost of the unit. We traded and bought the Keurig. That has been nothing but trouble and to repair it, well it could cost upwards of $1200. We have $300 in and they have “no idea” how to fix it.

      The Beverage Center drawers do not align, but they had already replaced 2x. So we kept it, but I regret that decision. Those are very expensive for what they are, would I buy again, no.

      The Advantium is great, but the hierarchy of the control is stupid. It is much faster to hit the 30 second button 6x to get 3 minutes versus going thru the menu to get 3 minutes. Often it freezes up going thru a menu on any of the speed cook, oven, or other functions.

      The traditional convection oven is fine. It heats reasonably well but one of these days I have to calibrate it as I think the temperature runs low.

      Of course the service options in our area stink for the Café line. I wish I would have went with Kitchenaid. Easier to find maintenance people. Or Whirlpool. I know they aren’t what people consider “high end” but at this point ease of fixing something is more important considering how long you wait for service and for parts post-pandemic. Our usual tech can’t work on GE products, but his advice to me was to keep the appliance “stupid” and I’d have less trouble with it. Technology breeds problems.

      I’m not looking to replace a Jenn-air induction and want to go back to gas. The appliance store keeps pushing the café range tops because it would match our suite, but I am resisting. Wolf is doing a makeover of their appliances, so those look dated to me now. The company was founded in our state but I’m not sure I want to own one. I guess everything comes with pitfalls. I wish Weber grills made a cooktop and range. I think they would make a quality product.

  28. Ugh, I feel your pain! We bought several Bosch 800 series appliances about a year ago and while we LOVE our dishwasher and refrigerator, we’ve been having similar problems with our gas range – the cooktop works fine but the oven is very temperamental and seems to choose the worst possible times to stop working. Ours seems to be an electrical issue and not the igniter though. Thankfully Bosch has been much better to deal with than GE has been for you and everything should be covered under warranty. We’re currently waiting for a replacement electrical panel to come in and hopefully that will fix the issue. Hopefully this post will bring some unwelcome attention to GE and you can get a replacement or refund!

    1. I’m so sorry you’ve also had issues with your appliances, Emily! I hope Bosch is able to find a solution for you soon. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback- super helpful!

  29. Thank you so much, Sarah, for this post! I have been considering the GE Cafe dual fuel and will definitely stay away. It is so frustrating to pay so much for an appliance to continually have issues. And the poor customer service! No thanks. I am currently looking to replace my LG gas range which I hate. Oven does not hold an accurate temperature and the front panel gets exceedingly hot if you are using a front burner and the oven – like it isn’t insulated correctly. My sister had the same model and it was the same. I can’t let my daughter near me when I cook. Maybe GE will get wind of your experience and change their tune? I appreciate hearing from the commenters as well.

    1. No problem, Rebecca! I wish we would’ve spent our money elsewhere, so I’m happy to hopefully save others the trouble. It has definitely been a frustrating situation. I’m sorry you’ve also experienced issues. I hope you had a lovely weekend!

  30. We have the GE Cafe Dual Fuel 36” Cafe Range. One of the reasons I purchased it was because I follow your blog! We’ve had the range since May (there was a huge debacle getting it delivered from Lowe’s but that’s another story entirely). I love it. I bake a lot and knew that the gas oven often doesn’t keep the heat the way an electric oven will so opted to not have the gas oven. I also chose the GE Cafe because I live in Louisville, KY, where GE is located, so I hoped, if we had issues that there would be plenty of local repairman who knew how to fix it. I’m sorry yours has been such a pain. I truly love mine! I hope I didn’t just jinx myself!

    1. I’m so glad you haven’t had any issues, Heather! I do love the top burners and the aesthetic is beautiful. Our oven has just given us a major struggle. I’m happy you’ve had better luck! I know exactly where the GE building is (I’m from the Louisville area). I bet you’d definitely have an easier time fixing any issues based on your location. Thanks for the feedback!

  31. Wow, what a hot topic! Literally. Thanks for sharing and so sorry about your experience. I don’t buy expensive appliances and I hate being on hold with customer service. I did have a good (even though lengthy) experience with a Whirlpool dishwasher purchased through Costco. Costco has an extra two year warranty, and I’m not sure if they push the process along better than the average consumer, but after waiting months for dryer parts, Whirlpool called and we are getting a new dishwasher installed next month.

    1. Most definitely, Julie. I’m happy to hear you had a positive experience. Thank you for taking the time to share :)

  32. Sharen Sherman says:

    I purchased a GE cafe Dual Fuel stove last year. The oven is electric and no major problems…however I have a terrible time with the gas stove top part. First of all, I am unable to get any of the 6 burners to heat low enough so as to simmer without a boil. I tried everything and ultimately went to Amazon and bought a Simmergreat which sits on the burner and raises the pot further up from the heat source. I also had some issues with the igniters but they finally seem to be lighting consistently. Another suggestion for anyone buying this stove to be very careful in moving around the heavy grates..they scratch the stove surface very easily and I also find keeping this stainless stove top clean very difficult..it was much easier just wiping across a smooth surface. I called GE and my dealer and the gas company and no one could help me with the simmer issue so I have learned to juggle the temp by using the above mentioned Simmer great. I welcome any suggestions. I would never buy this stove again.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear you’ve also had major problems, Sharen! I echo your statement about moving the burner grates. We’ve definitely scratched things up with those. We certainly won’t be purchasing anymore GE appliances.

  33. We are in the midst of a new home build. I have owned a 48″ Viking when they first came out for residential use. I really loved the stove top as every burner could be set to low and simmer properly and the big burners were very fast. The oven was not good. Hot in the back and cold in the front. This was before convection in Viking line. Anyway, now I go by ratings and overall performance and our choice is going to be the GE profile BECAUSE it is reliable. The ego has to go by the wayside if you really want to just cook and not have issues. I don’t care about RED knob status symbols. It’s very sad, indeed, that customer service has gone by the wayside and you can’t blame it on COVID forever.
    Also know that if you buy a combination wall oven and microwave that if one goes out they both are unusable! That knowledge from my contractor girlfriend!

    1. Congrats on your new build, Cindy! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback on the Viking and GE profile. Very helpful! It’s frustrating when appliances don’t work as expected or customer service isn’t helpful. Hope you’re having a great week :)

    2. Cindy I’m wondering how your GE Profile appliances are working for you? I’m going bonkers trying to figure out what to buy. I’m getting all regular electric. I only have room for 33” fridge, French door. I was considering Cafe but now I’m reconsidering. I’m also in the Louisville area.

  34. Wow! This was eye-opening for sure! I really thought we were going to go with the GE Cafe 36″ Range…until now. We are building our house now and were looking for reliable appliances which look good and WORK. The reason I chose Cafe was it wouldn’t break the bank (since it’s a new build..). Have you seen or thought of any similar 36″ ranges that won’t break the bank?! I am thinking around the same price or cheaper (ideally we were going to do an appliance suite too… ) Thank you for your honesty!!! Its refreshing.

    1. I’m happy to save you a headache, Adam! Sorry, I wish I had a more positive review because it really is a good looking range, but the issues aren’t worth it. I linked some alternative options in this blog post! I hope those are helpful.

      1. You are seriously a life saver!!!
        What did you decide to go with!? My partner is a big cook. We decided we need to splurge. Going either with the Wolf you linked or the Thermador!

        1. We still currently have our existing GE Range (unfortunately), and we have to replace parts every six months- like clockwork. If it weren’t for saving for other home renovation projects, we definitely would’ve purchased a replacement by now… it’s just not in our budget right now. It sounds like you can’t go wrong with Wolf! I saved some IG stories here, if you’d like to see some opinions I collected from others.

      2. So we ended up getting the 36” THERMADOR!!! Thank you for all your help!!

        1. I’m so glad to hear that! I think you’ll be really happy with that one. I’ve heard nothing but great things :)

  35. Melody Slemming says:

    Aw I’m sorry to hear you’ve had issues with yours! What a disappointment. I’ve considered selling ours second hand because I realized I should gone for my original lacanche dream. We bought the electric double oven GE range and refrigerator. Before the one year Mark of owning it our ovens died and I fought for 6 months being passed from GE manager to manager to get my oven repair cost covered. It was a nightmare dealing with them. They eventually did cover the cost, but I’m still having new issues. When I bake it says 350 temp but if I switch to convection it says it way below that heat temp and needs to preheat more.. my recipes have been taking a lot longer to bake than they should. My fridge looks nice but feels cheap.. the drawers are cheap plastic and feel like they are going to break. We are pretty dissatisfied by the quality when we paid $6k to have these. We haven’t done our kitchen Reno yet- just got the appliances, so it isn’t too late to switch.. I can upgrade to a bigger range with gas cooktop. It’s going to be a financial loss though- we won’t get what we paid for the appliances. My heart is sad for you and for others who invested in GE. Thanks for writing this eye opening post. I’ve contacted others I see on Instagram who have the GE range and ask if they have trouble but I haven’t had any replies. Blessings to you!

    1. Thanks, Melody! I’m also sorry to hear you had issues as well. We’re thinking we’ll just have to eat the cost and buy something better in a year or two (given it holds up that long with the replacement parts being swapped a time or two each year). I’m also sad that so many people have had the same experience with GE. It’s an expensive appliance and it’s too bad they aren’t standing behind their warranties or focusing more on quality. I hope your week is off to a wonderful start :)

  36. Karen Sarnowski says:

    I, like so many others, thank you for your public service announcement; I have been without a cooktop and oven since Thanksgiving and Christmas respectively. I have been waffling for months on a unit to replace the cooktop with a slide-in / freestanding full range…it is hard to find any appliance without issues. Today I read some positive reviews on the Cafe and got a bit excited but did see three reports of your issue, the igniter and like you all three were replacing it at least annually. That spurred me to search on this and voila, the appliance angel appeared! You closed this deal for me and I am again back to the drawing board and continuing to cook in my ninjas and stove top oven for a while longer. I wish for you all great future appliance experiences, you are well deserving!! Thank you with great appreciation! Karen

    1. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been without a cooktop for so long, Karen. They really don’t make them like they used to. I’m glad to have been able to share our experience and insight, to hopefully help others avoid a similar (costly) situation. Whatever you land on, I hope it works well and looks beautiful!

  37. Tom beene says:

    We have a GE Cafe double oven range. We have had trouble with it since within the first six months. A week ago the control panel went literally up in smoke while the lower oven was in use. Yesterday 4 23 2022, my wife said the upper oven was locked like the oven was in the cleaning mode. She said there was a ticking noise like the igniter was trying to light the burner. She lightly jiggled the door and got the noise to stop. She shut the oven door again and it locked again. She managed to get it open and now she has a sign on it to not close the oven door. Seems as if GE can make so many machines that is used in the medical field they could make a range that works

    1. I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been having issues with your GE Cafe oven, Tom. I know it’s so frustrating. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with all of us.

  38. I have had same ignitor issue in oven. After fixing it twice, I just use the big oven for storage (the pizza oven works fine) and cook primarily with a toaster oven (including Thanksgiving). It has been a challenge and frustrating and I cannot WAIT to replace this horrible GE purchase. Good to know I was not a one-off bad luck case!

    1. I’m so sorry you’re having the same issue, Joy! We just had to replace ours again last week :( You’re definitely not alone.

  39. Denise Carr says:

    Thank you so much! I was just getting ready to purchase the entire GE Cafe line for our new build and will no longer be doing so. I appreciate your honest review and for saving me from purchasing an unreliable product with even worse customer service. I guess these companies just truly don’t care about losing business – maybe they have enough that is just doesn’t matter to them.

    1. I’m so happy to save you some time, money, and energy. We’ve truly had the worst experience with GE.

  40. Kristy Benson says:

    Thank you for posting this!! We have had nothing but problems with our GE Cafe range as well. But our problem is that the convection fan clicks and grinds agsinst something causing smoke. It’s been 2x to call someone out for this problem and it’s just not worth a pretty range when it doesn’t actually cook anything 😭

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that, Kristy! I’ve heard others complain of that same issues, too. I agree with you- it’s just not worth it.

  41. Hi Sarah,
    Thank you for posting. We have the Cafe gas double oven and I’m in the midst of igniter change #2 in 3 yrs, and your story tells me I have several more coming. It is super problematic to be without the bottom Oven, just ask my wife! Have you or anyone else found a fix to the issue? Also we use the top oven as frequently as the bottom, yet it is still going strong, as well as the broil igniter. This seems to say it is a design issue with that igniter only.

    1. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with the same issue! I would definitely order more igniters so you have them on hand as they burn up. It’s definitely a design flaw. The top cooking portion has been great- no issues with the burners. Unfortunately there is no fix (to my knowledge) other than continually replacing it. It also seems to get worse and go out more frequently with time. We’re replacing it once every 3 months now.

  42. Amy Graham says:

    Mine had the exact SAME issue and NOW it’s the ignitor on the front left burner…GE advantium microwave in range combo quit working …GE appliances are all lemons!

    1. Ugh, I’m so sorry Amy! I hate hearing that you’re having the same issues.

  43. Hi Sarah,

    I am currently planning a kitchen model and have gone down rabbit holes on range reviews. We have a 1928 Tappan that is slowly dying. We have had zero luck finding a repair person that can actually fix the problem, is not one foot in the grave and one foot on a banana peel, charges a high service charge but can’t fix the problem ( I live in the SF Bay Area). Old stove repair is a dying breed and why I ruled out a 1940’s/50’s vintage stove. After all my research, I landed on the Cafe 36″ dual fuel, curious if any of your followers have had issues with the dual fuel model? Side question, how is your Rohl faucet holding up? Just discovered your site, really helpful! Bookmarked.

  44. I have the GE Cafe Dual Fuel and I hate the oven (I am also a positive, upbeat person usually but this oven has broken my baking spirit). It bakes TERRIBLY. And I am an avid baker. The temperatures must not be consistent because everything take way longer to bake than in any other oven I have owned. It also doesn’t roast vegetables or cook other items well at all. It’s like things on the surface (the outer part of the veggie or the one crust) get cooked way to hot, too fast, but the inside of the item barely cooks at all. It happens regardless of whether I use regular bake or convection. I have had the technician come out and he tested it with a temperature gauge and it was supposedly spot on with the internal oven temp being what it was set to. Regardless, it still cooks things terribly. I am so sick of it, but we too can’t afford to replace it when it is barely a year old. Ours was new construction and we only had so much we could spend, so this was our best option we thought. If I could go back I would never buy a GE Cafe oven.

  45. Hi Sarah,

    Thank you for creating this blog! My wife and I purchased the Cafe 36″ range for our vacation home in October 2020. The range worked beautifully until this past summer. My wife went to turn on the stove top burner and a large spark surprised her! After this occurred the stove top burner igniter system stopped working. I contacted GE to get a repairman out to repair the range. Unbeknown to us there was only one company that would even come out to the house. That company was A & E appliance repair. The technician came out originally to look at the stove, he was there for about 15 minutes and ordered parts. He gave be a drop dead date when he would be back. On that day I made a special trip to our vacation home only to call three times about when the tech would show up and on the third call the automated system told ma that I needed to reschedule!!!
    In the meantime I contacted a local repairman to come out to look at the range. After taking the range apart we found that the wires going to the control panel had been pinched and bare copper wire was exposed. We believe this was the cause of the spark. Had gas been flowing prior to the spark it could have created an explosion or fire! We believe this was beyond a warranty issue as a major safety issue… this range should have never left the manufacturer in this condition!
    I believe the service team at GE that I spoke with understood the seriousness of this issue but were unable or unwilling to step up to the plate and stand behind their product. At this point we are not comfortable using this range and are hoping, (but not holding our breath) for a full refund. We will not purchase another GE appliance if we can avoid it!!!

    1. Hi Dan. I’m so sorry to hear about your own struggles with the Cafe range- that’s terrible. Sadly, I’ve heard many similar stories since sharing this post. It seems like this is another common issue. We’re definitely saving up for a new range and won’t be buying GE appliances again. Sorry your experience has been the same. Very frustrating! Thanks for taking the time to share.

  46. Mandy Garig Davis says:

    Reading through this article reminds me of the ridiculous waste of money and time I spent with Schmidt Bros. last year. I ordered the Goop recommended BBQ set from them for Father’s Day. It arrived over 3 months after ordering it with the wooden storage box in a million pieces. The packaging had no cushioning – just the set inside a cardboard box. I took photos and immediately communicated with their customer service and they appoligized and stated they would send a new one right away. Long story short… after numerous emails over a year’s time I finally gave up. Of course their website has no product review feedback available. I will NEVER do business with them again, and even though the actual tools were undamaged, every time I use them I’m reminded of my terrible experience with this company.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that, Mandy! It’s definitely frustrating (to say the least) when these things happen. Such a waste of time and money. Thanks for sharing, so others won’t make the same mistake.

  47. We have had the same issue with ours too. I’ve gotten quite good at replacing the igniter. We have spares handy too. I think we are going on 5 or 6 changes. We are now having the problem of the door blowing open. Do you have that problem too?

    1. Ugh, really? I’m so sorry to hear that, Libby. I am glad to hear you’ve gotten good at replacing the igniter, but what a pain. We keep spares handy and I think we’re on 7 or 8 now. Ha! We’re saving up to replace it eventually. We have not had the door blowing problem (thankfully), but now I’ll know if it begins happening. Thanks for taking the time to share!

  48. Sarah, Thank you so much for writing this blog. You nailed it!! We’ve had our GE Cafe gas range for 2 years, New Year’s weekend, our oven would not come on. We live in a rural area and I was dreading trying to find someone who could service us. I saw your blog and you described our problem to a T. The link to the part we needed was a huge help also. The owner’s manual sure didn’t. Got part ordered from Amazon, came in yesterday, and my husband installed it. My husband wanted to purchase the Wolf range, I liked the look of the Cafe and it was a couple thousand less. Oh well!!!

    1. Hi Marlene, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had the same issues- especially during a holiday weekend. I know from experience how frustrating that is. I’m glad your husband was able to replace the part and get it going!

  49. Dan Dzurec says:

    I am writing again to ask a question from fellow readers. I wrote back in October about our issues with our Cafe range. I have delayed worrying about what to do with it until the first of the year.
    Anyway, does anyone know if the range has a motherboard that would control the stove top igniter? I have replaced the electronic ignitor but this has not corrected the problem. I am considering that when the bare wires made contact it “fried” a connection on the mother board (if it has one). Information on this would be most helpful.
    Thank you!

  50. Sarah, I’m reaching out to you to tell you my story. I bought the 30 inch gas slide in GE cafe range last year. It was repaired 3 times and still had issues with overheating. Also igniter issues. This is what I do as a consumer I find whoever is at the top chain. I found the President, the VP and reacted them by email. Within 24 hours I was assigned an Executive member. They attempted a last repair. With the promise to replace per my request if it continued. Well it did. They wanted to come again for service I told them No. I’m giving you one last chance to make this right. I want a replacement. The next morning I woke up to a response they will replace it. And they did. I know yours is 2 1/2 years old. Did you buy an extended warranty? If so I would reach corporate. Here’s the email to the president:
    kevin.nolan@geappliances.com
    VP:
    wendy.treinen@geappliances.com
    I would most definitely write to them and request a replacement.

    Good luck!
    Jordana

    1. Thanks so much for sharing, Jordana! I’m so sorry you’ve also had issues with your range. I’m glad to hear you were able to get a replacement. Appreciate you sharing the contact info!

  51. Dan Dzurec says:

    Thank you for this information! I just sent an email to the two executives at GE. I’ll update on this blog if and when I have more information or hopefully, a positive outcome!

  52. Dan Dzurec says:

    Hi Sarah,
    Well after a couple of months of “running around” it appears that I will be getting a full refund for the GE Cafe range. I’ll believe the full refund part when I receive the check.
    The emails for the GE executives was most helpful. “Missy” the GE account executive that I worked with was very professional and helpful. After two failed attempts waiting for the repair techs and then finally two times that they actually arrived , they determined the range to be unrepairable.
    My next question is if any of your readers have suggestions for a reliable 36″ propane range. As this is going in our vacation home and getting someone there for service is agonizing.
    Thank you and your readers for all of your help! It is greatly appreciated.
    Dan Dzurec

    1. Hi Dan! I’m so thrilled to hear you’re getting a full refund- that’s amazing!

  53. Marie Ciano says:

    Yes, I too purchased a GE Café gas range. The igniter (glow bar) has failed 4 times. The first time it was under warranty so GE covered the repair. The second time I paid for the part and labor. The third time GE covered the part but I paid for the labor because the company told me they warranty the parts for 5 years. The forth time, I lost it. My patience is shot. After having me jump through hoops the range is no longer under warranty. They told me that now it’s my problem. If the same part fails multiple times there is a flaw in the product and GE needs to acknowledge responsibility. Obviously this is not an isolated problem with a lemon.

    1. I’m so sorry to hear that, Marie! I hate that so many of us have experienced this ongoing issue. It’s most certainly not an isolated incident.

  54. Marie Ciano says:

    To all of you who have not been suffering so silently, I have gotten a new response from GE customer support. Their engineering department has been working with the manufacturer of the part to correct the problem. A new and improved part is now available, number WB13X25264. It was installed in my range this morning. I will do a ‘self-clean test” on the range and update you on the results. Everyone, cross your fingers.

    1. Thanks so much for the update, Marie! Please do let us know how it works and thanks for the helpful info and part #.

  55. Marie Ciano says:

    After months of persistence GE has finally prorated and replaced the range. It took over 30 contacts, felt like a full time job.

    1. I’m SO glad to hear that, Marie! I can’t believe you were able to make it happen… sounds like a full time job, indeed. I wish I had the time. Thanks for sharing!

  56. We live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
    We downsized and built our new infill which was completed at the front end of COVID- Spring of 2020. Our Kitchen was custom designed with a 42 inch Built in panel ready Kitchen Aid and full Bertazzoni Suite (dishwasher, 36″ range, speed oven and convection oven) along with our other appliances which included washer, dryer (Samsung), bar fridge (can’t remember brand).
    In three years, we have replaced our washer and dryer twice (now have LG-knock on wood no issues), our bar fridge once (no issues since being replaced). Our kitchen fridge replaced twice-finally had to buy a Sub Zero.

    Our speed oven has been replaced twice and has since developed another issue which needs repair. Our convection oven was replaced once, and now we are on our 4th range-which the new replacement just arrived and failed within 24hrs. We are exhausted and so stressed from fighting. We just found out Bertazzoni is giving us a credit for the range-but as these are all built-in’s, we are limited by our cabinets and appliance specs that can replace these useless Bertazzoni products.
    We will be out tens of thousands of dollars now to try and replace and are beyond gutted. I feel everyone’s pain and can only say stay the course and do not give in to these useless smarmy companies. They know their products have issues, yet want to charge a premium, and provide substandard service. Wish we could do a class action in Canada-but apparently my wife and I are the exception-which clearly from these comments is not true.

  57. Geralyn quigley says:

    I had some difficulties with my GE café double oven café after year or not even more than likely six months the upper right and left burner started acting up. We finally got a repair guy out instead of fixing the problem he replaced the electronic panel which wasn’t the problem a year later I am still having the same problem and G has not done anything about it. My other major complaint after spending thousands and thousands of dollars on this beautiful café I picked it for the appearance for the quality for the double oven the top heating area has changed color. It scratches easy. I am very disappointed. In the quality and very disappointed in GE.

  58. No shade, but WHY would you affiliate link a stove that you do not recommend? It just seems a bit disingenuous to make revenue off of an item that you would not buy again.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      Hi Susanne! I keep all of my links organized in folders, so I can quickly grab them and auto link in blog posts… it’s just more accurate and easier for me. Since this blog is also free to read, it’s powered by affiliate links and ads. I’m not expecting someone to purchase a GE range after reading my honest review, but if they grab an alternate option from the same site, I make a small commission. Hope that helps to explain my process, and I hope this post was helpful for you.

  59. Have you actually had GE come out and look at the issue rather just constantly replacing the part ? I had an issue with a range hood from GE and they were wonderfully responsive, fixed the issue and after failing in the first year it has been running flawlessly for 2 years now. I have a Cafe range (mine is dual fuel because I find gas ovens to be just about worthless (indoor air pollutants , hard to maintain an even temperature, too much moisture from the gas flame for proper browning and lack luster broiling ) . It is a wonderful appliance and I much prefer it over a using my buddys Wolf. Mine is the 30 inch and quite a bargain compared to the “pro” versions. It has been perfect in every sense.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      Hi Jim! I’m glad you haven’t had issues. I’ll certainly never purchase a GE appliance again. They’ve been zero help, nor have they offered to send a technician. Perhaps your range hood is different than the range itself, and it seems the dual fuel option has not had as many issues? Having cooked on both my GE and a Wolf range in the past, I definitely prefer the Wolf.

  60. Denny Ryder says:

    I am researching a new 36″ gas range for our home. Less than 1 year ago, we purchased a new Verona (purchase price was $4,600.00) as per the recommendation of the sales person we dealt with in the past. After 5 service calls to try to get the oven to work, they basically scrapped the whole deal. They are telling that they will no longer send the service techs out to our home. They refunded us the complete purchase price that we paid and told us to keep the stove. Lot of good that does us since the oven and broiler do not work. The 6 burners work fine but no oven. Wondered if anyone else has had any experiences with Verona. Thanks for the recommendations. I’m still up in the air as which way to go.

  61. Curious if you have heard of similar experiences for their 30″ model with single or double oven.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      With the gas, yes. It seems the duel fuel isn’t having as many issues, based on the comment section here. Hope that helps, Mike!

  62. Andy Stefanik says:

    Yes I have the same problem only in bake mode. Do you have instructions how to replace the igniter

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      I’ll work on a blog post for how to replace the igniter the next time we do it! We just did it a few weeks ago, so it will probably be a couple of months!

  63. Brenda coulombe says:

    I have the same range for three year I have argued with the regular Warintee and now the extended they claim there was nothing wrong with the range being the guy tested it mine turns on and then shuts of last week they offered me 3,100 dollars when I paid 4,700 dollars I’m yet to see the cheque .I would never recommend thus product to anyone .Thank you for sharing.

  64. Carol Enix says:

    We have had your exact same problems with our Blue Star Platinum 36inch gas range #750355. Consumer reports gives it 5 stars for reliability, but we have had to replace the ignitor 4 times in less than 3 years, and like you, it always goes out right before we have a weekend full of house guests to feed. It never seems to heat to temperature or to maintain the temperature. Our Blue Star Wall oven has never had knobs that worked. They replace them over 6 times for us. So I’d recommend steering clear of Blue Star as well.

    I don’t know why it is so difficult to find reliable products or reliable reviews.

    Thanks for your review of Cafe.

  65. Maxine pintchuck says:

    My he cafe gas range takes about 45 to an hour to reachpreheated to 425 not righ it s a year and a half

  66. Hi. I read with interest to your review of the GE café range. I also just finally got back to gas cooking and bought a Fisher & Paykel dual fuel gas range. So far everything seems fine, except, and this is a big except, the cooling fan is intensely loud. I’m talking about the electronic cooling fan, not the convection fan. The cooling fan comes on as soon as you set the oven to do anything, it remains on for the entire time and then stays on until the temperature goes down. It is very loud and includes a high-pitched whine. We have been told that this is normal not only on this range but on all new ranges that have circuitboard based electronics. Have you or anyone else on this post experienced this with ranges bought within the last year or so? I would really be interested to hear other peoples experiences. Thanks so much for posting this great review.

  67. I was deciding between cafe and Bluestar…so your post has helped me decide against the age Cafe! Thanks!
    Also, what color/brand/style are your cabinets? I love them!

  68. Jesse Hendrickson says:

    We’ve owned our GE less than 3 months, it worked for 1 month and less than 2 weeks, we’ve had a very similar experience in terms of not getting help etc. from GE, even as far as not getting a return call when the line was disconnected after the GE team placed my wife on hold when she was trying to get an update on the repair status. One of the main blower fans was defective on delivery (I noticed a weird sound but thought it was normal) on our Electric Cafe we just didn’t know that till the main board over heated due to this, it rendered the whole stove and oven unusable. We lost a lot of money in terms of spoiled food due to unable to cook it and going out to eat for 3 weeks. With a family of five, two teenagers a preteen, and my wife and I eating out has been incredibly costly. We will be seeking an RA and returning the product because it is very clear we have a lemon. This will be the very last GE product we purchase, it is very clear that they have lost the ability of quality manufacturing, quality support, and the new company that owns GE has likely cut costs in all the wrong places. Purchased this Aug 11 2023, delivered near the end of the month in Aug 2023. No useable over still and it is Nov 12 2023. They messed up our Thanksgiving and if they do not provide an RA after we contact them tomorrow we will be seeking legal assistance.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      So sorry to hear that, Jesse! Hope you have luck with the return. Thanks for sharing!

  69. I’ve had Thermador, Viking, and Cafe. I’ve had problems with all three. As far as I can tell none of the high end lines are reliable. Certainly not for what you pay for them.

  70. Mary Jane Keating says:

    I got married & wanted to replace stove. I luv to cook! I have the electric double oven —- my dream or so I thought. I can turn burner on low & it burns everything. I hate that the element is in the top of both ovens. I have been really sick about this. It over browns food since element is on top. For the money I spent purchasing this I would have expected a much, much better product. I now understand why I see these stove quite frequently on the Facebook marketplace for anywhere from $50 — $250. I would definitely not recommend this product to anyone.

  71. Trek Yellow says:

    Do you think the Cafe 30″ model C2S900P2MS1 will have the same igniter issue or is it more reliable?

  72. Diane Wehmiller says:

    This makes me super sad. We’ve have a GE profile gas range for two years and its been amazing.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      I’m so glad yours has been dependable, Diane. Definitely not the case with ours… our igniter just went out over the weekend (again).

  73. Came here looking at bathroom tile but when I saw the post about GE I can’t resist piling on!

    I bought a set of Cafe appliances -fridge, microwave, dual-fuel stove – a regular 36″ about 10 years ago. Fast forward – the fridge has had multiple repairs, although once I put it onto a surge protector they’ve slowed down. It sits tight spot so I need counter depth with french doors, which limits my replacement choices so I’ve been repairing it instead of doing what I’d really like to do which is replace it.

    I had GE service out last Summer to fix the fridge, the compressor gave up the ghost. The fellow does the repair and gives me the bill. I write him a check and he uses the GE device he arrived with to deposit it electronically. A month later I get a letter from a collection agency! My appliance repair has been sent to collections. I went and looked at my bank and they never submitted the transaction. I have a receipt from them documenting that I gave them the check! I was so ticked.

    After a number of calls I got through to the collection agency and the Rep says, “oh yeah, their deposit software wasn’t working they sent us a lot of these transactions.” At that moment I thought I’m not a valued customer, I’m a transaction that they sent off to collections without even looking at their situation.
    That’s the last repair I’m making on that fridge and I won’t be getting another GE. If my dual-fuel Cafe oven, which has been the best thing about my appliance purchases from GE goes out, I won’t be calling them for a repair.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      Thanks for sharing, Rose! I’m so sorry you’ve also had a plethora of issues regarding your GE appliances.

  74. Yikes! I have. GE Café gas stove and our oven went out today, 1/2/24. I’m calling tomorrow to see if we can get someone to come in. We paid a lot of money for ours too though not this particular model. When we remodeled our kitchen we had to get a smaller stove. I love the look, burners are great, oven was fine but it wouldn’t turn on today. Will see what happens tomorrow. Thanks for the input, I’ll be sure to mention this to the tech.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      Good luck, Yolanda! I hope it goes well for you.

  75. I have the white cafe double gas range (and the suite of appliances including dishwasher & fridge). I have replaced the igniter once so far in 2 years and have never self cleaned the oven. It cooks unevenly and the control panel has never worked correctly. The dishwasher is also absolutely awful and seems to go out at the worst times. I would definitely not buy these again.

  76. kristen Oneel says:

    Same range and same problem. Expensive to replace and outside the extended warranty. The technician has been here 4th time in 5 years since 10 am and its now 2:26 pm. He has been on the phone with GE numerous time and the entire range is dismantled in the kitchen. I would say stay away from GE. We purchased as we were told built in the US (parts) and that is simply untrue. My daughter and husband purchased the same appliances recently and had I known specific brand I would have said keep your money and research another brand. Is really a shame. One of my burners got so hot it melted the actual melted part of the metal and scorched the stainless top. This was replaced under the original warranty.

    1. Sarah Gibson says:

      So sorry to hear that, Kristen! Thanks for taking the time to share with everyone.

  77. Jimmy Scott says:

    Does anybody actually prefer a gas oven? We’ve had multiple ovens with bad ignitors eventually (Bosch, Kitchenaid). Our local repairman told us they are built for obsolescense in most models where the ignitors stay on even after the oven is actually lit. His recommendation was Dual Fuel all the way. Not only for that issue, but for the improved consistency in baking temperatures. Anybody have any issues / concerns with the Cafe 36″ Dual Fuel version?