BUYER BEWARE -- BlueStar (Blue Star)

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

I know there are other threads on this issue, but I want to start a new one so that as many people as possible are aware of BlueStar's defective products and appalling lack of customer service.

This issue goes back many years, and you can find many threads about it, not only here, but on other sites as well. My story is the same as many others. I was using my oven and, suddenly, the door would not open. Apparently, after reading many, many posts about this, the door hinges are defective.

In the past, BlueStar would either ship a customer a new door with different hinges (sometimes sending multiple replacements!!), or would offer a new door at a significant discount. Now, though, they will not do that, saying there wasn't a recall (there should have been). I would have to purchase a new door for approximately $800. That's $800 IF I fix the door myself, not including any service fees.

My range cost me at least $8000 with the custom color and matching hood. In addition to the door issue, I've had issues with the spark ignitors, and the top of the stove is NOT entirely cast iron, but has a cheap black porcelain paint in places, resulting in a lot of rust and burnt brown stains that cannot be removed. Given that it's not all truly cast iron, the stove cannot be completely seasoned. The hood lights stopped working after very little use, and I've yet to have time to deal with that issue.

Perhaps the company has changed ownership, which would explain the discontinued assistance with the defective doors. Buyer beware.

EDIT: I'm including links to some other sites/threads that also detail BlueStar's issues and lack of ethics.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2307987/bluestar-door-issue

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2283150/bluestar-door-trouble-again

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2278775/help-bluestar-oven-door-stuck

https://medium.com/@marinagorodischeva/buying-a-bluestar-range-pros-and-cons-f11b52c96af7

http://www.beyondsalmon.com/2010/09/cure-for-sticking-door.html

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2341151/how-do-you-keep-the-cast-iron-on-blue-star-range-clean

UPDATE 1: See comment below.

UPDATE 2: I emailed BlueStar, as they suggested below, and when they called me, I got the same exact rigamarole as the first time I called their CS people:

"there wasn't a recall" -- as if that negates the fact that BlueStar openly admitted in the past (see above linked threads) that the door hinges were a defect. Recalls are voluntary.

Same offer to sell to me for $800.

"I can check with my manager to see if I can give you a discount." Right; while I sit on hold for nothing. This time, I told them to call me back if there was and, SHHHHocking, no one called me again.

She admitted that the door/hinges design was changed.

So this was their idea of "helping" me. Nice.

Maybe you have hundreds of dollars to spend correcting defects on such an expensive appliance. I do not. And, honestly, the wealthy people I know wouldn't be willing to burn money due to a company's lack of integrity either.

And thank you to Houzz for allowing us to post reviews and, hopefully, save someone else the aggravation and expense.

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2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

I bought my range and hood in 2010 when I bought my current home. At the time, I could afford it, wasn't very handy, and was working a lot, so I wanted performance and reliability (and a specific color 🙄). After the research I did, I decided to go high end. I forgot to mention that I've already fixed another issue on the oven myself -- replacing the ignitor. Wasn't hard, but time consuming and had to figure out how to do it, order part ... TG for YT videos. If I'd had a service take care of it, I'm sure it would have cost hundreds. Yes, it seems there are problems/mistakes with everything these days, HOWEVER, given the amount of money paid for BlueStar products, if they do have a defect, the company should stand behind their expensive product and support the consumer. This was not a wear and tear issue, as you can see if you read the stories in the above links. Also, why did BlueStar acknowledge and correct THEIR problem for a while and then stop, even as recently as within the last month? Indicates an unethical company and makes me wonder how else they've decided to be unethical now. vinmarks, it seems, again, from reading the above threads, that they did correct the hinge/door issue on newer models. I also want to add that I did not use the oven a lot.

The other thing to take into consideration with buying high end is how difficult it might be to get a serviceperson to your home for that particular brand.

Comments (11)

lucky998877
2 years ago
Thank you for bringing this up. If you only listen to some pros on this site, you would think that BS is the only range worth buying (yes, I almost got one too based on the info here)....nice to hear a real life experience regarding the negatives (which of course happen with every brand).
User thanked lucky998877
stars26
2 years ago
How old is your unit? Thanks for the feedback
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I think you are jumping to conclusions. Alisha does not state one way or another what she signed up front. Nor did she give any indication that this was sprung on her after the fact. Nor does she give any indication that she's upset or feeling wronged. As for legalities, I don't know if it matters or not, but it might be worth noting that the number provided is Canadian.
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Good to hear. I know some folks don't like to do their own repairs, but I'd rather if it's something I am capable of. So of course I prefer something that's moderately self-servicable, and a company that doesn't threaten you if you take things apart yourself. :)
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@wekick - thanks for the info. Commercial ranges - no thanks! They require a large gas line and more venting than I can have in my place, plus the always-on pilot. To say nothing of probably illegal. I like the way that unsealed burners work - I've been known to take the caps off of "regular" stoves in order to use my 33-year-old wok - and decided that since the pro-styles are available and hopefully refined by now, that's it time to spring for what I truly want. The first reviews I read about BlueStar were dated (I think) 2010 or so. Lots of complaints about the hot exteriors, uneven baking, etc. The most recent I've been able to find (2014-very early 2016) seem to show that improvements have been made and it's finally ready for prime time. I don't recall any complaints about the burners, though, except for an occasional rant about the igniters' fragility. The Culinarian reviews have been largely positive, and for some reason, I can't find much of anything about the Performer. As for my cookware, I have some tri-ply and have begun to pick up a piece of copper here and there. Because those are very dearly priced, I will be sticking mostly with the plied stuff. I have a few pieces of All-Clad that I've had for well over a decade and am very happy with. And thanks for the info about the star burner. This may sound a little odd, but the BS burner looks more "complete" than the CC. I must admit that while I'm leaning towards the BlueStar, my budget is much less enthusiastic about the idea. And that's why the Performer and Culinarian are on the list. And thanks for the info about the star burner. This may sound a little odd, but the BS burner looks more "complete" than the CC. I must admit that while I'm leaning towards the BlueStar, my budget is much less enthusiastic about the idea, which is why the Performer and Culinarian are on the list.
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The glowbar igniters are a really old and proven technology. You'll find it in lots of gas appliances (e.g. water heater, furnace, ovens, ...) as they are so safe. Whenever the thermostat calls for heat, it turns on the igniter. As a first approximation, a glowbar igniter is the same thing as an incandescent light bulb without the protective glass shell. It draws a couple of hundred watts and uses that to produce heat. Right next to the glowbar is a temperature activated gas valve. As long as no heat it produced (i.e. glowbar doesn't call for heat or glowbar is defective), no gas flows. This is very safe. But if the valve detects sufficient amounts of heat, it opens and gas flows over the glowbar and ignites. This is damn simple and there is very little that can fail catastrophically. So, it is inherently a safer design than using click igniters. Those are good for the stove top where a person can supervise the burners. But the oven has to work even when it cycles on/off without human intervention. The downside, of course, is that this glowbar behaves just like an incandescent bulb. Some bulbs live for decades, most live for a couple of years, and a small number dies within months. Same is true for glowbars. Nothing much you can do about it. Fortunately, they are cheap and standardized components. Every appliance manufacturer buys from the same factory. And yes, gas ovens always cycle on/off completely. There generally isn't a great way to modulate heat output. This is a noteworthy difference when compared to electric ovens, which frequently can keep constant temperatures much more easily. For many dishes, that doesn't actually matter. But there are some that do in fact cook much better in an electric oven. And I guess the reverse is true too.
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jaja06
2 years ago
Thanks for sharing. We’re considering purchasing a rangetop from them this week. Every single brand I looked into seemed to have reliability issues. It’s so frustrating how difficult it is to find a quality product!
vinmarks
2 years ago
How old is your range? I have a Bluestar range that is almost 4 years old. The top is entirely cast iron. I don’t know if the hinges are the same as what is on your range. Did they ever change the hinges on newer models? I do not have a Bluestar hood.
PRO
BlueStar
2 years ago
@User We are sorry that you’re experiencing issues. Our senior cus serv mgr Jon Stivers would like assist you in getting this corrected and he can be contacted at jstivers@bluestarcooking.com
Michael Rutman
2 years ago
Looks like they haven't gotten any better.

I've had the 48 model for 7 years now and the oven has stopped working. BlueStar official servicers in my area are either out of business or do not know how to work on them (their words). Contacting BlueStar they responded, and I quote, "Unfortunately your unit is not under warranty, and we are unable to troubleshoot or diagnose over phone or email"

Their level is support is literally, "Our recommendations are too (sic) google local servicers near me".

So, if you get one, pray it never has a problem or you are on your own.
HU-727078151
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Diagnosing a simple gas range like that doesn’t require that a service person be ”familiar” with anything but basic gas combustion. Igniters have a finite lifespan, and are easy to install. I can see that as the likely very easy fix from here.

I’m assuming that you also bash Toyota after the tires wear out at 80,000 miles? After the warranty is over? Over a consumable and 5 minute replaceable part?

https://youtu.be/_xmRNVEKODM
Michael Rutman
2 years ago
The servicer has now spent just over a year not fixing it telling me each trip that he's called BlueStar and they haven't responded to him either. The glow stick lights, it ignites, gets to temperature, then turns off and does not come back on. The oven cools off without ever trying to relight. If I turn the knob off then back on it will relight, come back to temperature, then repeat. If you slowly turn the knob it the flame will turn on and off as expected, the only thing not working is when it is supposed to come back on on its own.

That doesn't sound like the thermopile, nor the thermostat, nor the igniter. If you know the "simple" fix for that please share it.
HU-727078151
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Sounds like a wiring issue to the thermopile, or a thermocouple issue. All of the parts are incredibly cheap and easy to replace. If you’ve replaced the physical parts, check the wiring. Diagnosis is narrowing down the possibilities. If it’s not a specific physical part, that a transplant doesnt cure, then it’s a likely connective nerve and power issue that you check next. https://youtu.be/ciyWwcKmPC4
Sandra Godinich
last year
last modified: last year
We were excited about our 48” range and beautiful bakers wall oven for our new beach house built in 2021. These appliances have been nothing but trouble. The wall oven has gone out twice. We don’t live in the house, so the appliances are rarely used. It’s sad that they don’t work when we do plan events. The 48” large range oven going out on Thanksgiving day is the last straw. $16,000 range and we can’t bake a turkey. I’m disgusted with Blue Star! Products in this price range should not be this unreliable. We are having a baby shower in the home this weekend and the caterers will be forced to use the small side oven and wall oven because the largest oven is out of order! Yes, buyers beware!!!

BUYER BEWARE -- BlueStar (Blue Star)

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BUYER BEWARE -- BlueStar (Blue Star)

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