I bought this cooker about 8 years ago. Within about a month of using, the knobs started to melt. I was sent two packetsful of new knobs. Then I was contacted about fitting a new fan. A chap came and fitted what I thought was a new fan - he said the company is associated with Belling Cookers. Since then I have been able to replace, on a fairly regular occasion - say about every two years - new knobs from the original spares I was given. Just last year (2010) I telephoned Stoves and said there was a problem with the knobs. I was sent another set FREE the chap said they were sent in "good faith" - don't quite know what that means? But obviously he didn't want to "commit himself" to anything.
I believe, as the previous comment, that there is a REALLY bad design fault with this cooker. I know someone mentioned the inefficiency of the fan, but I believe where the doors to the double ovens close - there is still quite a gap and I suspect the heat from the ovens - as well as the inefficient fan - heats the plastic chrome coating of the knobs. Therefore this fault will NEVER be corrected throughout the whole life of this oven - resulting in the knobs needing replacement throughout it's life. The other important issue is that if these knobs are NOT replaced with new ones it IS possible to cut yourself on the peeling metal chrome coming off - I cut my finger with it - so it is a Health and Safety issue too.
Jill Macdonald
February 2011
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