Best electric range for around $500 (floor, home improvement, vs, appliances)

[loves2read]

My son and his wife bought house that had been a HUD foreclosure and was bought/remodeled before they did...It has lot of nice features and the remodeling did some things pretty well but the electric range is the pits...I don't know how it cleared the inspection...
We are buying them a new free-standing range for early Christmas present...but because they want to change to gas cooktop some time in future they say don't spend lot of money on this electric one...
Any recommendations for a decent quality electric range--preferably with glass/smooth cooktop vs coil burners...
I have looked on different sites and GE, Fridgedair, and Amana have had some good reviews but most reviews happen soon after the item is bought/installed and doesn't give any idea of how well it is working several months down the road...

So if anyone has experience with a fairly inexpensive electric range would appreciate some feedback...

[Dollydo]

I have an LG, it is about 2 years old, I really like it. No problems.

Around here we have alot of scratch & dent places, the appliances are new, just dinged, you can save alot of $. The warrenty still applies.

I only mention this as they are planning to replace it in the near future anyway.

[loves2read]

The only scratch/dent place I know of is the Sears Outlets--one at Grapevine Mills Mall, one in Arlington--
and when I check online--their prices are not that much less for a new, scratch/dent than for a new at a Sears store...when you compare like to like models...
@@@@OK--I looked again at the Sears website--and there might be some possible choices there to be fair--
but I think it means actually going to look at any one they might want just to make sure the degree of "refurbishing" that model went through...some say they are floor models/never installed @@@

how much did you pay for your LG--or if it came with house, can you give model # so I can check price
we can't go over 500

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by loves2read

...but because they want to change to gas cooktop some time in future they say don't spend lot of money on this electric one...

Same here.
Almost two years ago I bought a perfectly adequate USED stove for $200.
If/when I get the remodeling done I'll give it to Habitat.

[JanND]

I have a Crosley brand in my rental house. It is the old O'Keefe & Merit brand....It was only a few hundred and has been very reliable. I purchased 5 new appliances at once it was among them at the local Ace Hardware. Check these type places, or Does your Costco, or Sam's club carry appliances?? You should not have a problem finding a good one.

[chet everett]

The Costco store near me had a nice looking smoothtop Amana electric range for like $580. Honestly I would not recommend spending less unless you shop used...

[golfgal]

Why not just do the gas now?

[CheyDee]

The Habitat Restore sometimes gets donations from stores closing out their inventories, excess manufacturer's /builder's inventories, etc. Much of it is brand new, never used and their prices are amazing. It may be worth a call. The "big one" out there is in Garland, right off I-10, (since you mentioned Grapevine Mills...) 972-303-0203. There are other stores, i.e. one in Dallas, but the Garland one is where the "good" home improvement items seem to go.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by loves2read

The only scratch/dent place I know of is the Sears Outlets--one at Grapevine Mills Mall, one in Arlington--
and when I check online--their prices are not that much less for a new, scratch/dent than for a new at a Sears store...when you compare like to like models...
@@@@OK--I looked again at the Sears website--and there might be some possible choices there to be fair--
but I think it means actually going to look at any one they might want just to make sure the degree of "refurbishing" that model went through...some say they are floor models/never installed @@@

how much did you pay for your LG--or if it came with house, can you give model # so I can check price
we can't go over 500

there used to be one in Carrollton I believe. It too was a Sears store..

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Why not just do the gas now?

Perhaps the OP's son and wife don't presently have a gas line installed to the kitchen.

As for which model/brand, the GE JBS55DMWW (white) or JBS55DMWW (black) seem like good options for you if you don't need self cleaning. I consider GE to be higher quality than Frigidaire or Amana (Whirlpool's low cost brand). I found them for under $500 online (with FREE shipping):

GE JBS55DMWW:
JBS55DMWW - GE 30" JBS55DMWW White Free-Standing Electric Range at Abt

GE JBS55DMBB:
JBS55BKBB - GE 30" JBS55BKBB Free-Standing Black Electric Range at Abt

FYI, Avoid Tappan or Hotpoint, as those are apartment grade ranges. Even though GE makes Hotpoint ranges, they tend to cut corners with these units to reduce their cost.