FAQ

Here at Stoves we are committed to providing a comprehensive after sales service to all our customers.

Cooker Hoods

Do you use the extractor lights for cooking only or do you switch them on for ambient lighting in the kitchen? They are not designed to be used as ambient lighting, this will cause them to burn out more quickly.

For specific instructions on how to fit the filters for your extractor, please refer to your instruction manual.

If ducted to the outside, ask your installer to check the size of the ducting fitted is correct for your extractor. Are there any obstructions to the fan blade? Is the appliance securely fastened to the wall? Check the ducting is securely attached to the cooker hood. Flexible ducting is noisier than using solid ducting.

If the appliance is ducted to the outside, check for blockages in the ducting, has the correct size/length ducting been used, refer to the handbook for guidance on ducting lengths and diameters.

Dishwashers

Please check that the filter area beneath the lower basket is clean and clear.
If accessible, please check that the drain hose is not kinked.
If a new installation, please check that the drainage hose has been correctly positioned to drain into a standpipe or into an under-sink trap area.

If there is still a problem, please request an engineer visit.

Is the rinse aid reservoir full? If no, fill the rinse air reservoir. If yes, increase the rinse aid settings a little.

All our dishwashers should be connected to the cold water supply as this gives the most efficient wash results.

You can make more room for large plates by adjusting the top basket. The top rack is height adjustable and by lifting it into the higher set position, you will create more room in the lower rack, please refer to the instructional manual for a step-by-step guide on how to adjust the baskets..

Check the spray arms are clean and unblocked, we recommend using separate salt and rinse aid in your appliance for best results. The amount of salt/rinse aid used can vary, please refer to the handbook for more information. Heavily soiled dishes may need a more intensive cycle, try adjusting the program used. Only wash dishes/pans that are suitably sized for your dishwasher.

Contact your local water board, the hardness setting of the dishwasher can be amended to suit your needs.

This indicates too much salt is being used, adjust the salt settings on the dishwasher.

Electric Hobs

Ceramic elements regulate their temperature by switching on/off at regular intervals, the higher settings will bring the element on for longer.

The pan size should be appropriate for the size of the ring, the pan should not exceed the size of the zone being used. Aluminium conducts heat well but is not recommended because it tends to mark glass surfaces. Cast iron pans are good but have to be used with care on glass surfaces because they are so heavy. Copper-bottomed pans are good if they are thick-bottomed. Stainless steel is generally very good. Also, ensure the base of the pan is flat and smooth.

Can the heat be regulated up and down? If 'no', please contact Customer Care. If 'yes', please check that an appropriately-sized pan is being used on the ring, and try to boil 2 pints of water. If the water reaches boiling point in around 7 minutes, then the heat output is correct.

If the appliance is newly installed please check with the installer that the appliance is connected to the correct power supply and that the socket is functioning correctly before calling Customer Care, if the appliance has worked previously and the power source has been checked please call Customer Care.

This indicates that the child or safety lock has been activated. This is a feature that prevents adjustment of the controls to prevent accidentally changing your cooking settings like the power level and timer.

Hobs must be regularly cleaned, ideally after every use. Make sure the residual heat indicators are no longer lit up before cleaning. If burned-on food residue has been left on the hob after cooking, scrape this off using a recommended glass hob scraper, rinse and then dry with a clean cloth. Regular use of the scraper will reduce the need to use chemical products when cleaning your hob.

Please check that a temperature has been selected by turning the regulator or switch. If the problem persists, please request an engineer visit.

Electric Ovens

Please ensure that the time of day has been set on any timer and that both a function and a temperature setting have also been selected. Please check which functions are not working before requesting an engineer visit .

The cooling fan will usually come on as soon as the function is selected, but may not come on (or may only come on after a time) when using one of the ovens. Please contact us for further advice or to request an engineer visit.

Has there been a brief power cut? (Do other electrical appliances need re-setting?). Was the oven in use for an excessively long time? The oven may have over-heated and so cut the power off temporarily until the appliance had have been restored. If the problem persists, please request an engineer visit .

Please check that the oven is not over-loaded and there is room for the air to circulate. Is the door closing correctly? Is the door seal tight and in good condition? If the problem persists, then please request an engineer visit .

The tone may have been accidentally changed from one of the louder ones to one of the quieter ones. Most timers have three tones. Press and hold the minus button until a tone sounds - if it is the one you want, you don't need to press any other buttons as it will be saved in the memory.

To activate /deactivate the key lock press and hold the plus button for approx 5 seconds. The keylock will disappear and the clock can be adjusted.

Is this a new installation? If so, please ask the installer to double-check the terminal block connections. Check the cooker switch and the mains supply are switched on. If the problem persists, then please request an engineer visit .

This can be normal on some models. The grill/top oven door is designed to be on a slight angle when opened. This way any splashes of fat during grilling will be directed back into the oven.

Condensation can happen during cooking, when hot moist air (created when cooking) meets a cooler surface, such as an oven door. The formation of condensation is normal especially when cooking high moisture foods at low temperatures.

Control knobs use a 'D' shaped clip to grip the knob onto the metal spindle on the cooker. Please check that the old 'D' clip from the original knob is not still on the spindle. If it is, it will not be possible to push the new control knob fully. Please check that the flat part of the 'D' clip is also facing downwards.

Please ensure the time of day has been set on the timer and the oven is in manual mode. The instructions to do this will be in your product manual.

Gas Hobs

Does the underside of the hob have slots or screw holes? If there are slots then the worktop fixing brackets slide into the slots. If there are screw holes, then the worktop fixing brackets need to be screwed to the hob.

Is the flame low on just one burner? If so, please make sure that the burner cap and skirt are clean, and have been correctly assembled. If all burners are affected check with your installer whether the appliances simmer rates have been adjusted. If the issue persists and the simmer rates are correct please request an engineer visit.

This will be stated in the installation guide and would be 3 amps for built-in gas hobs.

LPG conversion kits are not supplied with gas hobs but are available to order separately through our Spare Parts department. Please contact us for advice and to check whether your model is suitable for conversion to LPG.

Please contact us to request a worktop fixing kit.

New appliances use thermocouples as a safety system to cut off the gas supply in the event of the flame blowing out. With thermocouples you must hold the knob in for 15 seconds after the flame has lit before releasing the knob. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

Please check that the pan supports are being dried thoroughly after cleaning in warm soapy water. Where possible try not to submerge pan supports in water. Harsh wire brushes should also be avoided. Please contact us to order replacement pan supports.

Please check that the diameter of the pan base is suitable for the size of the burner. Smaller pans should not be used on larger burners. Please check that the pans have flat bases otherwise they may wobble.

On newer designs of gas hob, the control knobs have been placed at the front rather than at the right-hand-side of the hob. The idea of this is to improve convenience and safety as the user does not have to reach over hot pans in order to access the control knobs. However, with this new design, it is very important that the correct size of pan is used and that the flame is regulated correctly to prevent excessive heat transfer to the control knobs. Larger pans should be used on the rear burners.

Gas Ovens

If the model has a flame supervisory device the burner will light on low flame and will then increase. If the flame stays low the flame supervisory device may need to be replaced. If the model does not have a flame supervisory device, the thermostat may need to be replaced. Please contact us to arrange an engineer visit.

Is the gas tap/control knob being fully engaged and held in for 15 seconds after the flame has lit? This will give time for the thermocouple to heat up so that it 'knows' that the flame has been established and will continue to let the gas through. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

On some models, this is normal. The oven door is designed to be on a slight angle when opened. This way any splashes of fat during grilling will be directed back into the cavity.

Knobs use a 'D' shaped clip to grip the knob onto the metal spindle on the cooker. Please check that the old 'D' clip from the original knob is not still on the spindle. If it is, it will not be possible to push the new control knob fully home. Please check that the flat part of the 'D' clip is facing downwards. Please ensure that the glass lid is fully up when fitting switchback system knobs.

Is the cooling fan working? Can you hear a fan turning whilst the grill is in use? Are the doors closing well? Are the seals intact and unbroken? Please ensure that the doors are left closed as much as possible. If the model does not have a cooling fan the grill door should be left open whilst in use, please ensure heatshield is fitted where available.

Induction Hobs

Please check that the child lock has not been activated.

This is normal. It is just caused by the distribution of power between induction zones which share power.

These are electronic components and may get warm during use.

This is just the cooling fan. It will continue to run for a while to cool down the electronics. This will help to protect the appliance and prolong its life.

Is it a new appliance? Please ask the installer to check that the connections on the terminal block are tight and all connections have been made. If you are still experiencing issues, please contact Customer Care.

The boost function is an automatic function to bring the pan to the boil quickly, by temporarily 'borrowing' power from another cooking zone for a time. Automatic heat-up is a similar function which, automatically brings the pan to the boil and then reduces the power to a pre-set level for simmering.

Hobs must be regularly cleaned, ideally after every use. Make sure the residual heat indicators are no longer lit up before cleaning. If burned-on food residue has been left on the hob after cooking, scrape this off using the supplied scraper, rinse and then dry with a clean cloth. Regular use of the scraper will reduce the need to use chemical products when cleaning your hob.

Unfortunately, the magnetic field created by induction hobs can cause harmful effects for those using pacemakers or insulin pumps and should be avoided. For more information please consult your doctor who can provide you with further information on pacemakers and insulin pumps.

In order for cookware to perform on an induction hob, it must contain ferromagnetic materials - either iron or a layer of magnetic properties. Cast iron, enamelled cast iron, and many types of stainless-steel cookware are all induction compatible.

Your cookware should also have a flat base to ensure a good magnetic connection is made. Cookware with a curved base (like a traditional wok) or with a perforated/patterned base will not perform well, even if they are made from induction compatible material.

Aluminium, copper, glass, non-magnetic stainless-steel, or hard-anodised cookware will not work on the hob unless they have an induction plate built into the base. Using poor quality cookware can actually reduce the lifespan of the induction hob and cause faults.

You can use a magnet to check if your cookware will work with induction. Place the magnet on the base of the pan, and if it sticks then the pan is suitable to use.

Most manufacturers now also incorporate an "Induction Compatible" symbol on the base of cookware to make it easy to tell.

The base of your pan should be flat to ensure maximum contact with the hob. It is recommended that you use cookware with a base that is close in size to the induction zone you are cooking on.

Microwave Combination Oven

A combination oven is a fan convection oven, grill, and microwave in one. When you use combination programmes (fan oven + microwave, or grill + microwave) you get the speed and convenience of microwave cooking along with the flavoursome results of traditional cooking. Combination cooking is generally twice as fast as conventional cooking.

Heat resistant glass is best because it can withstand microwave, grill and fan oven energy. Metal is fine for oven and grill, but would cause arching in microwave mode. On the other hand, plastics would be fine for microwave only mode, but would melt if used for oven or grill.

During heating, bubbles can form in an uneven way and the liquids can overspill suddenly. To prevent this, please stir the liquid before, during and after heating. Good kitchen shops also have plastic microwave stirring rods which can be left in place during heating to help prevent bubbling over and to aid stirring.

Please check that the roller ring underneath the glass plate is clean and has been positioned correctly and that the glass plate is positioned correctly on the turntable support. If the issue persists, please contact us.

Please try heating a glass of water on full power for 20 seconds. If the water heats up, then the microwave is working. If food was previously not cooking on microwave mode it may have been down to using unsuitable cookware, incorrect power level, incorrect cooking time, not stirring the food, etc. If the water does not heat up, please contact us.

Range & Mini Range Cookers

The gas inlet is situated at the back rear right when viewed from the front. The inlet opening is located 580mm from floor level.

This will be stated in the installation guide and included in the technical specifications. This will vary depending on model but, generally they are 32amp connection.

Depending on the model, there is an overall amount of power available to each pair of rings. When one ring is being used on the booster function (to bring to the boil quickly), then it ''borrows'' extra power from the other ring, so that the other ring will not be able to run on full power output.

Has there been a brief power cut? (Do other electrical appliances need re-setting?). Was the oven in use for an excessively long time? The oven may have over-heated and so cut the power off temporarily until the appliance has cooled. If the problem persists, please request an engineer visit.

Please ensure the time of day has been set on the timer and the oven is in manual mode. The instructions on how to do this will be included in your product manual.

New appliances use thermocouples as a safety system to cut off the gas supply in the event of the flame blowing out. With thermocouples, you must hold the knob in for 15 seconds after the flame has lit before releasing the knob. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

Please check that the diameter of the pan base is suitable for the size of the burner. Smaller pans should not be used on larger burners. Please check that the pans have flat bases or they may wobble.

Please make sure that the pans being used have a magnetic base. It should be possible to stick a magnet to the whole base of the pan. On induction hobs, the pan does not need to be as large as the ring, but the base of the pan should be at least 15cm/6 inches.

You may hear more noise compared to a standard ceramic hob. There will be the sound of the cooling fan which helps to cool the electronics. There is also a vibration sound when the induction unit ''communicates'' with the pan via the magnetic field. If reducing the power level reduces the noise, generally the noise is normal.

There is no pan on the hob or the hob thinks that the pan being used is unsuitable. Check that the correct magnetic pans of an appropriate size are being used.

Please check that the child lock has not been activated.

This is normal. It is just caused by the distribution of power between induction zones which share power.

These are electronic components and may get warm during use.

This is just the cooling fan. It will continue to run for a while to cool down the electronics. This will help to protect the appliance and prolong its life.

Is it a new appliance? Please ask the installer to check that the connections on the terminal block are tight and all connections have been made. Please contact us if the issue still persists.

The boost function is an automatic function to bring the pan to the boil quickly, by temporarily 'borrowing' power from another cooking zone for a time. Automatic heat-up is a similar function which automatically brings the pan to the boil and then reduces the power to a pre-set level for simmering.

Cookers must be regularly cleaned, ideally after every use. Make sure the residual heat indicators are no longer lit up before cleaning. If burned-on food residue has been left on the hob after cooking, scrape this off using a recommended scraper, rinse and then dry with a clean cloth. to clean the oven interior, wipe after use with warm, soapy water (ensure the oven is cool beforehand) Avoid using abrasive cleaners as these can cause cavity enamel to flake and markings to disappear with prolonged use.

Newer models have removable runners which can be repositioned where necessary, older models have guides where the runners is fixed in position (these runners cannot be removed). Your handbook will advise which type of runner you have.

If the appliance has a lid, ensure the lid is fully opened before trying to ignite, the safety device of the lid will activate stopping ignition if the lid is not fully back beyond 90° degrees.

Try removing the control knob, cleaning behind it and refitting the knob, grease build up can cause the ignition microswitch to stick.

Refrigeration

Please check for blockages in the drain hole. You can pour a small amount of hot water down the condensate channel. Please check the fridge door is closing firmly, the thermostat is not set to the maximum setting, and that no food items are touching the back wall of the fridge. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

The compressor on your freezer is designed to keep it at the correct temperature. If you notice your freezer is making a 'whirring' noise for extended periods of time, your compressor is simply working harder to keep it at the right temperature. To reduce the amount of time your compressor is active, ensure the ambient temperature is inside the recommended range for your fridge/freezer. Opening the freezer door very frequently or for extended periods can also cause the compressor to run for long periods of time, so keeping the door closed will allow the temperature to stabilise.

Frost-free freezers feature an evaporator system, circulation fan and defrost heater which are concealed behind the back wall of the freezer compartment. Because of the space taken up by this equipment, the overall usable space (net capacity) of the freezer compartment is reduced. For this reason, it is not practical to have frost-free technology on smaller freezers and ice boxes, although the technology is very useful on larger freezers.

Please check that the drain tube from the drainage hole is directed into the evaporation pan (drip tray) at the back of the machine on top of the motor. If it is draining straight onto the floor, then reposition the tube into the tray. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

Basically the higher the star number, the longer the frozen food can be stored for. Only 4-star compartments are capable of freezing fresh food. The data plate on the appliance will show the maximum kg capacity of fresh food which can be frozen in a 24 hour period.

1 star = stores already frozen food for up to 1 week (at about -6 degrees Celsius)
2 stars = stores already frozen food for up to 1 month (at about -12 degrees Celsius)
3 stars = stores already frozen food for up to 12 months (at about -18 degrees Celsius)
4 stars = stores already frozen food for up to 12 months AND can freeze fresh food (at about -18 degrees Celsius).

They indicate the ambient room temperature which the appliance should be located in, in order for it to operate correctly. If the appliance is located in a room which is too cold, then the motor may not switch on often enough, resulting in the interior of the fridge getting too warm. If the appliance is located in a room which is too warm, then it will struggle to keep cold, and the motor may run continuously, using more energy.

N = 16 to 32 degrees Celsius (normal)
SN = 10 to 32 degrees Celsius (sub-normal)
ST = 16 to 38 degrees Celsius (sub-tropical)
T = 16 to 43 degrees Celsius (tropical)

The seals are designed to have strong suction in order to keep the temperature inside the appliance as constant as possible. If the door has recently been opened, you should allow a few moments for the pressure to equalise before opening the door again.

Timers

Has there been a brief power cut? Do other electrical appliances need re-setting?. Was the oven in use for an excessively long time? The oven may have over-heated and so cut the power off temporarily until the appliance had have been restored. If the problem persists, please request an engineer visit.

Does the main oven work? If so the timer may be in eco mode, press any button on the timer and the display will come back on. If the main oven also does not work please call for an engineer.

Gas ovens do not have a fully automated program this is due to the oven having to be ignited manually, refer to handbooks for fully automated programming for your model where available.

A selection of helpful YouTube videos can be found here:

For 2016 range models onwards:

Modifying the End Cooking Timer: https://youtu.be/a8gE32OYEqo

Activating Key Lock: https://youtu.be/czUSp-AhOMw

Set the end time cooking: https://youtu.be/Cv3stOiKqZo

Setting The Cooking Time: https://youtu.be/HhzUUJP3vrI

Setting the Minute Minder: https://youtu.be/uHEoRT3ofL0

Setting The Time of Day: https://youtu.be/iSwS1QMkA_Q

Setting The Volume Tone: https://youtu.be/NRRHFhiYXSQ

For older and other category models:

Visit our YouTube channel to view more or view your handbook/manual for detailed instructions.

Does your timer have a child lock, ensure the lock is off. Ensure the timer buttons/touch controls are clean as well as ensuring your hands are clean, dirt and grime can affect the response of the touch controls. If the problem persists please contact us.

Washer Dryer

Please check the following:

- The water inlet stopcock tap is open.

- There is sufficient water pressure to the appliance. Turn on the cold tap in the kitchen - is there a good flow of water (e.g. enough to fill a 5-litre bucket in about 15 seconds?)

- There are no kinks or obstructions in the water inlet hose.

- A programme has been selected and the 'start' button has been pressed.

If the issue persists, please contact Customer Care.

Please ensure that the drum has not been over/underloaded. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

Please check the following:

- The rinse hold/without spin has not been selected by mistake (where applicable).

- There are no kinks or obstructions in the water outlet hose.

- There are no blockages in the drain pump filter area (if accessible).

If the problem persists, please contact us.

Does the machine fail to spin on every cycle or is it just an occasional problem? If it's an occasional problem, please check whether the machine has been overloaded or has an imbalanced load. An imbalanced load is when there is too much weight on one side of the drum - the laundry is not distributed evenly during the run-up to spin phase. Bathmats in particular often cause imbalanced loads.

Please try to re-distribute the load by hand and then select a separate spin cycle. Ensure a full load is being washed and there are no items causing uneven load.

Is the machine brand new? If yes, please check that the installers have removed the transit fittings. Please also check that the rinse hold/without spin as not been selected by mistake (where applicable). If the issue persists please contact customer care.

Where is the water leaking from? At what point in the programme does it start leaking?

- If at the start, please check the water inlet hose and its connections.

- If leaking from the door seal, please request an engineer visit.

- If leaking from the detergent drawer, please ensure this is cleaned.

- If leaking at the end of the cycle, please check the drain hose and its connections into the standpipe.

If the problem persists, please contact Customer Care.

If it is a new appliance, please check that the transit bolts have been removed, and the appliance has been levelled and then secured in place. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

To remove the soap detergent drawer, simply pull the drawer open and then press the blue button in the centre of the softener compartment for a quick release.

The duration of the program will alter during the wash/dry cycle, this is normal as the appliance is monitoring the water levels in the machine. Once the machine detects there is no water it will amend the duration of the program to finish sooner, the reverse is also applicable.

Washing Machine

Please check the following:

- The water inlet stopcock tap is open.

- There is sufficient water pressure to the appliance. Turn on the cold tap in the kitchen - is there a good flow of water (e.g. enough to fill a 5-litre bucket in about 15 seconds)?

- There are no kinks or obstructions in the water inlet hose.

- A programme has been selected and the 'start' button has been pressed.

If the issue persists, please contact us.

Please ensure that the drum has not been over-loaded. If the issue persists, please contact us.

Please check the following:

- Rinse hold/without spin has not been selected by mistake (on applicable models)

- There are no kinks or obstructions in the water outlet hose.

- There are no blockages in the drain pump filter area (if accessible on your model).

If the problem persists, please contact us

Please try to re-distribute the load by hand and then select a separate spin cycle. Ensure a full load is being washed and there are no items causing uneven load.

If it is a new appliance, please check that the transit bolts have been removed, and the appliance has been leveled and then secured in place. If the issue persists, please request an engineer visit.

To remove the soap detergent drawer, simply pull the drawer open and then press the blue button in the centre of the softener compartment for a quick release.

Carry out a service wash, see your handbook for details.

Wine Cooler

Unlike in a fridge where you need the internal light to come on each time you open the door in order to see what is lurking at the back, in a wine cooler there is no need for the internal light to come on unless you specifically want it to.

We understand that every kitchen is different and that you need your appliances to work around you. That is why we have designed our wine coolers so that the door can be reversed. Inside each appliance there is a fittings kit which allows you to switch the way the doors open on your appliance. Please refer to your appliance’s user manual for step by step instructions on how to reverse the door.

There are a few things that you can check to eliminate any easily fixable problems before you telephone our customer care team. Firstly, please check the door is closed properly. You can then check that the temperature is set correctly, see the instructions above for information on how to take off the safety lock setting to adjust the temperature in your appliance. You can also make sure that the appliance isn’t overloaded and that it has been installed with the correct ventilation as per the user manual.

For models equipped with a humidity system to maintain the optimal level of water content in the air within the wine cooler. The container is the humidity regulator’s reservoir. Fill the humidity reservoir approximately 3/4 full of water. Place the reservoir on the runners on the top shelf as shown in the instruction manual.