My DMIL has a Viking electric cooktop that was installed 3 years ago. Like so many other Viking owners, she's had trouble with the lettering disappearing from around the control dials. At this point, no lettering remains at all. While annoying, she was able to cope with the cooktop, simply because she was used to it and knew how it operates.

Unfortunately, she's now undergoing some health problems, so DFIL is trying to help out and do some simple meal preparation.

The cooktop is a model DECU. It has four electric burners with a bridge element between the two burners on the left, and a burner at the right rear that can be powered up as a small burner, or as a large burner. Use of the left rear burner is controlled by turning the control knob in one direction for just the burner, and in the opposite direction for the burner plus the bridge element. The dual size burner works similarly. To make matters worse, turning the dual function knobs in one direction, the heat settings go from low to high. Turning it in the other direction, and the heat settings go from high to low. Not only that, the temperature scales are spaced differently depending on which direction your turn the knob. Of course, you'd only know any of this if you could see the control panel lettering which is missing.

With no lettering around the knobs, DFIL is having a heck of a time trying to figure out what controls what, and what temperature he has the burner turned up to. The owner's manual has no diagrams or photos of the control panel.

I contacted Viking Customer Service by email to see if they could provide a diagram or photo of the controls. I got a very prompt response telling me that we could order and buy a new control panel from our local Viking service representative. I emailed back and said we didn't need a new control panel, just a diagram so that we could see how the knobs functioned. Another response was received saying no diagram or photo was available.

I then sent another email complaining about Viking's rather cavalier attitude. Why should we have to buy and pay several hundred dollars to have a new control panel installed? The one we had works, we just needed to know how it functions. I also told them that I know Viking is very aware that the disappearing lettering syndrome has been a problem with all of thier ranges for years -- why didn't they have a simple diagram available?

At that point, the customer service person called me. She volunteered that Viking would provide the new control panel at thier expense, but that we would have to pay for its installation. When I asked why Viking couldn't simply send a diagram or a photo, the rep told me that it was a "liability issue" -- HUH???!! I told her that it seemed to me to be much more of a liability that Viking cooktops are out there with no indication of what any of the controls do, particularly, when Viking has been aware for years that the lettering on all of their products quickly disappears through ordinary use and cleaning. The rep got snippy at that point and said "I've told you what I can do, that isn't satisfactory, there's nothing further I can offer." Then she hung up.

Anyway, given my experience with Viking Customer Service, I would never recommend one of their products. In fact, I recommend that anyone considering Viking, look at some other brand. I've been dealing with high-end appliance manufacturers for years. I've never had an experience quite like trying to get a simple diagram from Viking. I know from personal experience that Miele Customer Service would have fallen all over themselves to get whatever information I needed to me as quickly as possible.

That being said, my advice would be: AVOID VIKING. That's all.

BTW, I finally got a photo of the control panel I needed by going to a local Viking showroom and photographing the control panel on a display model myself. Thanks for nothing, Viking!