I'm not familiar with LaFont, but can relate to dismay at burning your "good" pots making hummingbird syrup! I don't know if it would work with your Le Creuset pot, but a heavy dose of baking soda with water, repeated twice, worked for my stainless steel pot. The second time I just left it for "ages" though, as I thought it wasn't working.... and when I came back to it, the water had evaporated and the black burned syrup mostly peeled off. Then a little more scrubbing at the pot was good to go. After that I started making my hummer syrup by boiling the water separately, then adding to the sugar to dissolve.... much simpler! I often make it right in empty Mason jars so don't need to use another container to measure. Just thought you might like to consider that method, if you're nearly as forgetful as me.

Kayl- Plywood alone WILL NOT PREVENT cracks in the tops!!! Your fabricator (IMHO) needs to re-think their logic in what they are doing in relationship to using 2CM thick stone and people sitting on the countertops.... OF COURSE THE STONE IS GOING TO FRACTURE IF A TEENAGER SITS ON IT!!! Here's the saying I have for this scenario: "Countertops are made for Plates & Glasses NOT for FEET and DIRTY ARSES!!!" People hve to realize that a countertop is NOT a seating surface! I will venture a guess that the top that cracked was an overhang like a breakfast bar - or an area where chairs were under it for a dining application, and the kid sat on the unsupported top and the stone cracked where the cabinet line was - I see this all the time on jobsite inspections that I get called on to do - and have to write an "industry expert opinion" on WHY the countertop fractured - kind of like CSI for countertops..... HA! This can be prevented by the proper use of corbels and support of the assembly with either corbles or counterbalance plates spaced out no more than 16 inches on center. Whenever a consumer is going to use 2CM thick stone - IT MUST HAVE A SUBTOP - and the subtop should be 5/8 inches thick - PLYWOOD - ACX grade... This has worked for me flawlessly for over 25 years - no failures!!! Plywood should be used as the subtop in lieu of OXB, Particle Board, Masonite, etc. It should be screwed down to the cabinets- sanded side down where there is an overhang - sanded side up on conventional cabinet applications where the countertop is the depth of the cabinets (plus an overhang of 1 1/2" from the FACE of the Cabinet frame) hth kevin

That is so sad. My first machine was a Kenmore, 1974, still have it! Dad worked at Sears, so got it on sale and employee discount - my birthday and confirmation gift that year. Dad brought me to his store and the woman in the sewing dept showed me all the neat things I could do with my machine. I loved using it, a real workhorse, all metal. Still use it along with my Bernina 830E. Sears used to sell fabric too.

Wow, you've had almost exactly the experience we did with Samsung and we also switched to the same Electrolux. We had three replacement Samsungs (same model as yours) as various problems could not be either properly diagnosed or fixed over a three year period (all under warranty). The last one had the top explode and at that point we took Samsung to court. They paid and we bought the Electrolux which has been great. Only relatively minor complaints about the Electrolux which by the way has been totally reliable. I'd prefer to be able to directly choose a heat setting rather than turning on to medium and then going up or down. I love the large burner at right front but the right rear is too small to use on anything but a six inch pan when a 12" pan is on the front. Overall we are very happy with the Electrolux. We're going to replace it but only because during a kitchen remodel we opted for a 36" range and nobody makes a 36" so will move to gas. Overall though I'd give 5 stars to our Electrolux experience and about 2 stars to Samsung.