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AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

tellerreport.com

121–130 of 233 posts

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#121
post #91

Why is there no user-facing firmware update/recovery feature, so that at least tech-savvy users can resolve the issue themselves? Or a reset feature that reverts to the factory firmware located on a separate, read-only chip? Ah yes, it's to prevent people downgrading or running "unauthorized" firmware when they inevitably start adding user-hostile "features".

A better question is, why do microwave ovens now need internet connections and software updates?

A model number search reveals that it can be controlled by Google voice commands and there is an app which presumably does something.

It is a high end (costs 12x what I paid for my last microwave) with browning elements. If that is the device you cook with you are probably wanting more out a microwave than a single big red button that says “+30 seconds” on the front. Programming your defrost, cook, and browning cycle is probably nicer on an app.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#122
post #87
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm starting a kitchen upgrade, and the number of "connected" kitchen appliances is astonishing. I don't need my faucet to have Alexa, I don't want to read news on my refrigerator, and I don't want an app for my oven. I'm not aware of any companies keeping servers running for a product that matches the life expectancy of a kitchen appliance, nor do I want an AWS outage to keep me from making nachos.

At first I thought you were exaggerating with the faucet with Alexa: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Smart-Home-Smart-Kitchen-Smart-F...

That's incredibly stupid. The onion article writes itself.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#123

Why is there no user-facing firmware update/recovery feature, so that at least tech-savvy users can resolve the issue themselves? Or a reset feature that reverts to the factory firmware located on a separate, read-only chip? Ah yes, it's to prevent people downgrading or running "unauthorized" firmware when they inevitably start adding user-hostile "features".

They honestly probably didn't think of it, or it was the lowest priority in Jira.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#124
post #91

Why is there no user-facing firmware update/recovery feature, so that at least tech-savvy users can resolve the issue themselves? Or a reset feature that reverts to the factory firmware located on a separate, read-only chip? Ah yes, it's to prevent people downgrading or running "unauthorized" firmware when they inevitably start adding user-hostile "features".

A better question is, why do microwave ovens now need internet connections and software updates?

I mean I can think of a few options:

- Pre heat oven remotely

- Check on the food remotely

- Have (and update) settings for specific food?

I mean it's not the worst thing to connect online.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#126
post #76
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm starting a kitchen upgrade, and the number of "connected" kitchen appliances is astonishing. I don't need my faucet to have Alexa, I don't want to read news on my refrigerator, and I don't want an app for my oven. I'm not aware of any companies keeping servers running for a product that matches the life expectancy of a kitchen appliance, nor do I want an AWS outage to keep me from making nachos.

Buy professional appliances, for restaurants. For some reason, they are often better along many axes: cheaper, easier to clean, more customizable, more powerful, more flexible, etc. I really like the professional induction stoves, with actual physical dials, no touch crap. And the best part, there is a huge used market for professional appliances in really good shape, for even lower price.

I think they're designed to be more durable too. A consumer microwave / food processor isn't intended to run 8 hours a day.

Any particular brands on the induction stoves? I may want to move on from gas someday.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#127
post #97

Why is there no user-facing firmware update/recovery feature, so that at least tech-savvy users can resolve the issue themselves? Or a reset feature that reverts to the factory firmware located on a separate, read-only chip? Ah yes, it's to prevent people downgrading or running "unauthorized" firmware when they inevitably start adding user-hostile "features".

Or more likely because that costs money to implement "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

>Or more likely because that costs money to implement

Kinda like how paying devs to push firmware updates to a damn microwave costs a lot more money than making a microwave that just works and doesn't need OTA updates?

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#128

Electrolux are a horrible company. They seem to have borged a whole load of other brands, which all have now descended to Electrolux's abysmal standards. - They don't support their own products; the warranty is served by a third-party - Their products are built to a price-point, and fail just after the warranty is up - Spare parts are expensive - They apparently have neither an email address or phone number The water…

Nothing sucks like Electrolux - this used to be their motto. For real.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yZrQqnRhmZ0

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#129
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At first I thought you were exaggerating with the faucet with Alexa: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Smart-Home-Smart-Kitchen-Smart-F...

I wouldn't buy one. Especially at that price point. But I admit that a faucet which could reliably do things like "dispense 6 ounces of water" is kind of a neat idea. But I wouldn't want it tied to Amazon or anything like that. It'd need to be self-contained, with it's own computer, speaker, mic, voice analysis, no internet connection required, and a reliable failure mode that never interferes with the handle working…

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Re: AEG combi microwave unusable after update: device thinks it is a steam oven

#130
post #76
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm starting a kitchen upgrade, and the number of "connected" kitchen appliances is astonishing. I don't need my faucet to have Alexa, I don't want to read news on my refrigerator, and I don't want an app for my oven. I'm not aware of any companies keeping servers running for a product that matches the life expectancy of a kitchen appliance, nor do I want an AWS outage to keep me from making nachos.

Buy professional appliances, for restaurants. For some reason, they are often better along many axes: cheaper, easier to clean, more customizable, more powerful, more flexible, etc. I really like the professional induction stoves, with actual physical dials, no touch crap. And the best part, there is a huge used market for professional appliances in really good shape, for even lower price.

Commercial induction is pretty solid in a home. Microwaves too if you have a spare 220v hanging around in your kitchen. Mostly just because of the better controls as you mentioned though. A non-commercial appliance with a free spinning knob would be about as good.

Other than that though, and I have a lot of professional cooking experience, I wouldn't. They're generally uninsulated, made of just sheets of stainless steel. Touching them can burn you, they can have sharp edges and corners that can badly cut.

Their safety assumes frequent and thorough cleaning regimes. Where a residential system will have safer failure modes if not maintained correctly, a commercial one may just become a grease fire instead.

Also the dimensions and their dynamics just are often not good for the kinds of cooking you do at home. It takes an hour to heat a full-size uninsulated commercial stove's oven to baking temp. Commercial gear is generally built around that assumption: that you will turn it on once, every single day, and run it for 12-18 hours straight. That completely changes the design, efficiency, and maintenance constraints in ways that may not work at home.

I used to want a big two-basic stainless commercial sink with sprayer. I stayed in an airbnb with that once, and it turns out it takes several gallons of water to fill that even a few inches, a minimal amount to wash dishes. A restaurant's water line can do that in seconds, it can take minutes on a home one, depending.

There are definitely specific, individual pieces where the commercial versions are easily adapted to home use and superior. There are many more cases where they aren't. A blanket "buy commercial" is not good advice imo.

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