An appliance is worth what it's worth to you. At the very high end, the differences are marginal. If they're important to you, and you have the money to spend, they're worth the money. The doors are the least of it. It's temperature control, accuracy and consistency. Many mid-level ovens have a 25 degree spread. I haven't seen specs for the current Gaggenaus, but past models have a 4-10 degree spread (that's how far above or below the set temperature they get). Miele has always been close. I don't know specs about Wolf, but other than the enamel problems people have been extremely happy with the performance of Wolf.

That doesn't mean that Bosch and other mid-range ovens are no good--they're probably quite good --but they're not likely to be the very bestest.

Why would you put an over the range speed/mw in an high end kitchen which is obviously not tiny? Use some of your savings on better ovens for a proper hood!

I haven't used my rotisserie much (Gaggenau). I can get just as even a cook with convection and much less bother and mess. The point of a rotisserie is that all sides get to face the heat and the fat drips down. With a stand rack and convection, it's close enough with a chicken, and though I haven't done enough red meat roasts to be sure, I think a V rack and convection would do the same, or you could turn it once.

I can't imagine not having the combi-steam in the kitchen. It is something that doesn't need a lot of tending--the more you can leave it alone the better it works, but I do an awful lot of things in it that take six minutes, or ten. I'm sure it's the same with the new Miele as it is with the Gaggenau. I understand having the secondary kitchen, but not limiting the function of the main kitchen.

BTW, with a great oven and a known recipe, you shouldn't have to check cookies. Just put them in and take them out.

Pllog -- thanks for your input. You make excellent points about ovens. Where do you find the temperature spread specs? I don't think I have come across those.

The over the cooktop advantium is in the secondary kitchen over a 24" induction cooktop, not in the main kitchen where I will have a "real" hood. I will have a larger cooktop/modules in the main kitchen. Do you still think this is a mistake? It will be vented to the outside. The cooktop will be mainly used as overflow and for catering, probably not very often (or when our son feels like making a grilled cheese sandwich as a snack and we are entertaining in the main kitchen). Also, we do business or charity events in our home and use catering services.

The secondary kitchen is a large pantry finished like a kitchen, right behind the main kitchen and easy to access. I have Miele double ovens in our current secondary kitchen and find I actually use these more than the ovens in the main kitchen, but this is due to the fact that my husband thinks the ovens in the main kitchen really add heat to the kitchen.

And, we are constantly trying new recipes so that is why I check the oven often. I tend not to trust recipes with regard to timing, as I think much is oven dependent.

Ah! Sorry about that. I kept scrolling back to your questions and options and misread about the Advantium. I still think a real hood with a real vent would be better in the secondary kitchen, but that might be cramped enough to warrant the pretend vent. I'm being a bit harsh here, I know, but you're not in a beggars can't be choosers situation. You don't need something fancy for the catering kitchen, just something with a good fan and light. I'd say a minimum of 600 cfm with easily removed and dishwasher cleanable filters. The Advantium is 300 cfm.

The rule is a more powerful hood will pull better on a lower setting than a less powerful hood on a higher setting. If it were just the occasional grilled cheese, so it smells a little, but when you're doing that kind of formal entertaining, that's when you least want the process of the cooking to interfere with your party. The caterers at my party in December only used the 24" induction and had the 1200 cfm hood on. Good thing since they were frying latkes! Imagine if it were fish! You're the one with the experience, however. If it's not going to be an issue, go for the OTR. My comment in the previous post was entirely due to my error reading your plan.

Yes, timing is oven dependent, and there's nothing to do with new recipes other than check. One of the reasons I insisted on Gaggenau ovens as the first and foremost item in my kitchen is that, in my mother's Gaggenau, every tray of borekes (filo pastries) from first to last, year after year, takes 11 minutes. In mine it also takes 11 minutes, even though I don't think the temperature range is quite as small. That kind of precision might not be top on your list, however--we all have different priorities, and the Bosch might be fine for you.

There was a list of temperature spreads on the net back when I was looking. We also had a member (engineer type) who did more precise testing of Miele, Gaggenau and some others. The actual temperature range doesn't matter as much as the consistency of the cooking, however. It's just a clue as to what's going on inside. The main reason I brought it up is that my gut reaction was that you could possibly be disappointed after using the older Mieles, which had such a great reputation (as I said, I don't remember about the older Wolfs). OTOH, the Bosch might be just as precise, or good enough that you wouldn't know the difference. I don't have any good info on that other than its placement in the BSH hierarchy.