P. Thompson in Toronto

We had a leaky kitchen tap - the pullout kind. The leak was from the hose. It took a long time for the part to come in, but once it did Calvin replaced it efficiently. We also consulted him on whether it was a good idea to move the main shut-off valve to a lower, more accessible level, and about his experience and knowledge of problems with Kaitek plumbing. He was very knowledgeable, and gave us good advice.

An earlier expensive service call to another KitchenAid authorized company had failed to solve the problem of the oven door of my KitchenAid range failing to unlock at the end of the clean cycle. ASP came within 24 hours, immediately established that the earlier repair had not diagnosed the problem correctly, told me I would have to send the board out for repair ($400) since the part is no longer available, and that I would be without the use of the stove for 2 weeks; in the meantime the technician disconnected the leads that were causing the problem. The oven is now usable, but cannot be self-cleaned. The technician was knowledgeable, smart, efficient and courteous.

When the door of my 10 year-old KitchenAid gas range failed to unlock at the end of the cleaning cycle late last October, I contacted the KitchenAid Consumer Assistance Centre, who sent Prompt Home Service (PHS) to my house. PHS diagnosed a faulty solenoid. A few days later PHS came with a new one, replaced the original, charged an exorbitant $350.00 and left without testing the part or providing a warranty. In late January 2012 I again cleaned the oven, and again the door failed to unlock. PHS was unreachable. When the Consumer Assistance Centre finally discovered that PHS was due back on the job two weeks later (Feb. 9), they made an appointment for PHS to contact me. PHS never called, nor have they to this day, in spite of repeated attempts on my part to contact them. I eventually called another company, who discovered that the problem was not a faulty solenoid at all but a fault in the range's board. In all I was without the oven for 3 weeks. It is now functional, but the self-clean feature is disabled. To repair it would involve sending the board out for repair to Waterloo. I would be without the use of the stove for a further 2 weeks, and the cost would be about a further $400. All in all, an entirely unsatisfactory and costly service for a KitchenAid range a mere 10 years, (no response to 2 letters to the KitchenAid Consumer Relations Department) and completely incompetent and unethical behaviour from Prompt Home Service.