The cooktop that we inherited with this house we purchased in 2023, unbeknownst to us, was installed in 1999. It was working perfectly, until it wasn’t. It died during a routine cleaning. From there, it took half a week to get a proper diagnosis, because in a majority of situations, the problem resolves itself within a few days. Ours did not resolve itself. So we had a technician come out, only to learn that it required replacement parts. Joke was on us, because parts from gas cooktops manufactured in 1999 are no longer in existence – not even on eBay! We were going to have to purchase a new one. At first I panicked, this was going to take so much time and so much energy, I’m stretched thin, and oh, if only you knew how often I use my cooktop!
Luckily, this happened in summer. When grilling naturally happens 2-3x per week, anyway. Also, my oven still worked. And let’s not forget about the ace up all our sleeves: a slow cooker with a sauté function. My cousin kindly drove over her InstaPot to loan us, so we could have rice. We go through a lot of rice. By the end of the first week without a cooktop, I knew we’d be fine. Did I love hauling out a slow-cooker to sauté scrambled eggs in the mornings? No. Did I love using an InstaPot to make rice? Definitely not. But I learned that I was able to do almost everything I wanted and needed, and it didn’t feel like such a handicap to not have a cooktop.
I learned that I much prefer the taste of rice cooked on a stovetop than rice cooked with an InstaPot. I learned that you can actually boil bagels in water that was heated up in a slow-cooker on sauté mode — and they’ll still taste great. I learned that between those two appliances, plus the grill, and the oven, that we were able to keep up with our regular rotation. The only meal I didn’t attempt to try was pasta, and maybe that was for the best, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that. And though we were fine for those twenty-seven days without a cooktop, I was very relieved to finally get the new one installed. The first two things I cooked: chicken noodle soup and pasta bolognese. Not to be eaten together, those are simply my staples, and it just felt right to break in the cooktop with my top two dishes.
Somewhere during those twenty-seven days…
…I realized the broken cooktop wasn’t actually the biggest thing that had happened. The bigger change was how differently I started seeing the kitchen itself. If I was already forced to slow down, think differently about cooking, maybe this was also the perfect opportunity to rethink the room I clock thousands of hours in.
It was actually on our 2026 list to gut the kitchen and dining room. And the broken cooktop was the perfect catalyst to get the ball rolling. Though, the more I sat with the thought of a total gut job, the less inclined I felt to begin the process. Because, I actually like that the kitchen is closed off and at the back of the house. I actually like the white formica counters, and the unique curve to our formica island. I actually like having a built-in breakfast table. We decided instead of gutting and starting from scratch, we’d simply go with the path of least resistance, and give our 1988 kitchen a refresh that it deserved.
In those twenty seven days, I put together a list. Y’all know I love my lists! We picked out new ‘luxury vinyl’ checkerboard flooring, upgraded our 90’s track-lighting to mid-century modern flush lights, added some wooden decorative shelving, new backsplash, created a ‘trash cabinet’ with a attachment, picked out a nicer looking water-cooler, and finally, upgraded my 5+ year old kitchen towels so the whole look felt a bit more cohesive.
Functionality Matters
Meanwhile, I took these twenty-seven days to really, truly, reevaluate my kitchen. Not just cosmetically, but functionally. I decided to declutter every single cabinet and drawer. I also swapped items in cabinets and drawers so they made more sense, for the function of the kitchen. I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner. I moved plates, cups, mugs, bowls, silverware, and serving utensils so they’re all now to the left of the dishwasher. Which means that unloading the dishwasher is a breeze. I made myself a baking station, by moving all baking related supplies either above or below my KitchenAid mixer that has a prominent countertop spot. I bought command hooks to hang measuring cups. I bought a magnetic block for my bench scraper and measuring spoons, everything is now right there. And it finally makes sense for the flow of the kitchen, and it’s beautiful.
I absolutely love cooking in my new kitchen, unloading the dishwasher, putting away drying rack items, and thankful all of this happened exactly when it did. Hashem’s timing is always perfect, isn’t it? Because sometimes, an interruption like a broken appliance, can be an invitation for something more.
Secretly, I was a little impressed that the old cooktop made it twenty-seven years. I can only hope this new one gives us another twenty-seven, though I’m not holding my breath. Things simply aren’t built the way they used to be, but when this new cooktop inevitably fails, I’ll be ready for the next project it’ll incite.