Product review (2 stars): cooking when the lights go out
I can't seem to get a simple answer to a simple question about this Bosch 4-burner 30" gas cooktop, model NGM5055UC. The question is: Can this cooktop be used during a power outage, by lighting the burners with a match? I am thinking of switching from an electric cooktop to gas, and the only reason for doing this is if the cooktop can be used when the power goes out (which it does pretty often around here, sometimes for days). The problem is that I've gotten lots of answers, and they're all over the map. The owner's manual that goes with Bosch cooktops (8 different models) says: "During a power failure, only the cooktop burners can be lit manually." That "only" puzzled me, since this manual applies specifically to
cooktops, not to stoves with ovens (ovens definitely cannot be used during a power outage). So I asked my question on Amazon. The first reply was "This unit has an electronic ignition, so in order to use the unit during a power failure you would need to manually light the burner." "Manually" presumably means using a match, rather than one's hands (by rubbing real hard on the burner?), but it didn't sound like the party who replied had ever actually tried it, so I asked again on Amazon. The second time I was told "unfortunately there is a safety feature built into this cooktop that is an automatic shut off and a match will not work to light the unit when power is out." What's weird about these contradictory replies is that both were signed "Goedekers" (evidently a dealer).  So I continued my research by asking my question in a chat on the Lowe's website. The reply was "Yes, it can be used during a power failure. No problem." I even phoned the manufacturer -- you would think they would know, wouldn't you?  The first time I phoned, I spoke to someone who didn't know the answer. She said "Just a minute, I'll have to ask," and then I was disconnected. The second time I spoke to Chuck, who told me no, it wouldn't work during a power outage, but it turned out he was basing his reply on a single phone call he had from a dissatisfied customer. I asked if I could speak to someone who knew more about the way this particular cooktop was constructed, and he took my number and said someone would get back to me, but they never did. So I am baffled. I was planning to buy this cooktop, but I don't want it if it won't work during a power outage. Isn't there someone out there who actually owns this 4-burner 30" Bosch gas cooktop, model NGM5055UC, and who has actually used it, or tried unsuccessfully to use it, during a power outage?