Why would a repairman tell me to buy a new stove over a cheap part?

That tech you called is what we in the industry call a 'service fee collector.' These guys aren't looking to actualy fix anything; they just want to knock out 10 or 12 calls a day, collect that $50 trip charge at each stop, and move on to the next one without ever getting thier hands dirty. It is a low-effort volume game where the goal is to get paid for the drive time and nothing else. If he actually performs a repair, he has to warranty it, and if it fails, he has to come back for free. Telling you to buy a new unit means he is off the hook forever.

He likely did a lazy diagnosis and assumed your **infinite switch** was shorted out. That is the internal component the knob attaches to. On alot of modern stoves, getting to those switches involves pulling the whole unit apart. If he is buying OEM parts thru a local distributor, his cost for that switch might be $80 or $90. By the time he adds a markup and his labor rate, the quote hits $250 or more. He figures most people will not pay that for an older stove, so he gives you the 'just go shopping' line to get out the door.

The irony is that the plastic D-shaped insert inside your knob just stripped out. It is one of the most common failures on electric ranges. When it strips, the knob spins freely but the metal post of the switch stays in the 'on' position. It is a ten-second fix, as you found out. But many high-volume techs will not even pull the knob off to check because they are alredy thinking about the next $50 check down the street.

Also, most pros will not touch generic $12 parts from Amazon. If a tech installs a non-certified part and it melts or causes a fire, his insurance is toast. He is forced to quote the $70 factory original part, which makes his total repair bill look insane to the average homeowner. You saved yourself a few hundred bucks by doing the legwork yourself, but that guy definitely went out of his way to avoid doing actual work.

That is wild that he didn't even pull the knob off to check. Is there a specific question I shold ask when I call a repair shop to make sure I’m getting an actual mechanic instead of someone just looking for the trip charge? I’d hate to keep throwing money away just for someone to tell me my stove is junk. Also, if a tech gives me a crazy high quote, is it wierd to ask them to break down the cost for the part versus the labor? I'm definatly going to check the simple stuff myself before calling anyone next time.

Look for "factory authorized" shops for your specific brand. Those outfits have to maintain a solid repair completion rate to keep thier status with the manufacturer, so they can't just hunt for trip charges all day. Also, always ask if the service fee gets credited toward the final repair total. If they say no, just move on. That’s a huge red flag that they’re just there for the quick cash and have zero interest in acutally turning a wrench. A tech who is confident in their diagnosis will usually roll that fee right into the labor cost.