Well, friends… we have another oven update, and unfortunately, it’s not the one we were hoping for.
If you’ve been following along, you know that our oven decided to quit on us at possibly the worst time—right as we were getting ready to get back into full farmstand baking mode.
Initially, there was some good news. The oven could be repaired! We were told we needed a replacement circuit board, and while waiting 7–10 business days wasn’t ideal, we could work around it.
So, we waited.
And today, we got the bad news.
The Oven Repair Is Going to Take Much Longer Than Expected
Because our KitchenAid oven is older, getting a replacement circuit board isn’t as simple as ordering a new part and installing it.
The circuit board is going to have to be rebuilt.
And that means a significantly longer wait.
For a kitchen that gets occasional use, maybe waiting would make sense.
But around here, our oven isn’t just an appliance.
It’s part of the homestead. And it’s part of the farmstand.
Cookies, breads, muffins, cinnamon rolls and all of the other baked goods we love making depend on having a reliable oven. When the oven isn’t working, an entire part of what we can offer at the farmstand comes to a screeching halt.
Unfortunately, we just don’t have time to wait indefinitely for a circuit board to be rebuilt.
So…
We’re Officially Shopping for a New Oven!
I guess I know what I’m doing this weekend!
Research. Research. And probably a little more research.
Then comes measuring cabinets, comparing specifications, reading reviews, checking dimensions, looking at features, comparing prices and trying to figure out which oven makes the most sense for our kitchen and the way we actually use it.
Because if we’re going to replace the oven, I want to do it right.
Our old KitchenAid Superba has been around for more than 25 years, so I’d say it has certainly put in its time. But replacing an older built-in appliance isn’t quite as easy as walking into a store and saying, “I’ll take that one!”
The new oven has to fit the existing space, and since ours is a combination wall oven and microwave, that narrows the options even further.
Then there are the features.
And you know I’m going to research every single one of them.
What We’re Looking for in Our New Oven
Our homestead kitchen works hard, especially when we’re preparing food for the farmstand, so this isn’t an appliance purchase we’re taking lightly.
A few things are already high on my wish list:
- A combination wall oven and microwave
- Convection capability in the microwave
- Excellent convection baking in the main oven
- Even-heat baking for cookies, breads and other farmstand favorites
- Enough oven capacity for larger baking days
- Reliable temperature control
- An easy-to-clean interior
- A model that actually fits our existing cabinet opening without requiring a complete kitchen renovation
- And, perhaps most importantly, reliability
If I’m going to spend an entire day baking batch after batch of cookies, I need to be able to trust that the oven is going to keep up.
Sometimes You Have to Know When to Stop Repairing
There’s something a little bittersweet about replacing an appliance that has been in the house for decades.
I’m usually a big believer in fixing things whenever possible. That’s especially true on a homestead, where learning to repair, reuse and make things last is practically part of the lifestyle.
But there’s also a point when you have to look at the bigger picture.
Our oven was manufactured in November 2000.
That’s a pretty incredible run for an appliance!
But when replacement parts are no longer readily available and circuit boards have to be individually rebuilt, you have to start asking whether continuing to put money into an aging appliance makes sense.
For us, the answer has become pretty clear.
It’s time for a new oven.
Farmstand Baking Isn’t Gone—It’s Just Taking a Little Break
The most frustrating part of this whole adventure has been the timing.
We’ve been excited about getting back into baking for the farmstand, and I’ve had so many ideas for cookies, breads and other goodies I want to make.
For now, we’re continuing to get creative with what we can offer without an oven.
That’s one thing homesteading teaches you pretty quickly: plans change.
Weather changes.
Animals change your plans.
The garden changes your plans.
Equipment breaks.
And apparently, sometimes your 25-year-old oven decides that it would like to change your plans too.
You can either spend all your energy being frustrated about it—or start figuring out Plan B.
And sometimes Plan B involves spending your weekend shopping for ovens!
The Great Oven Search Begins
So that’s where we are.
What started as an oven repair has officially turned into the great J & J Homestead oven search of 2026.
This weekend will involve plenty of measurements, specification sheets, reviews, price comparisons and probably standing in front of more ovens than I ever thought I would willingly look at in one weekend.
But I’m also trying to look at the positive side.
Our old oven gave us more than two decades of service. If we’re thoughtful about this purchase, hopefully the next one will be part of our kitchen—and our farmstand story—for many years to come.
And when that new oven finally gets installed?
You can bet the first thing I’m doing is baking cookies.
Stay tuned. Something tells me there will be another oven update very soon!
Leave a Reply