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lisa7242

Advantium speed oven + Bosch Benchmark swing door wall oven?

9 years ago

After 24 years, I am delighted to be renovating my kitchen - new cabinets, tile, and several appliances. For appliances we will be purchasing a wall oven, a speed oven, and an induction cook surface to replace a 16 year old GE Profile convection range with glass cook top, and a similarly aged Whirlpool over the range microwave.

We do not have a large kitchen, and based on the many hands in our kitchen, I do not want an oven under my cook surface. As a result, the wall oven and speed oven will be placed stacked, with the speed oven over the wall oven. We will have a basic countertop microwave (on a microwave shelf), as well as a toaster.

In terms of speed ovens, the reviews I read overwhelmingly point me to the GE Advantium 240. My dilemma is with installing it over our wall oven choice - the Bosch Benchmark right swing door wall oven. Due to a family member's physical disability (use of only one hand) that is the wall oven for us.

Yes, I could put the Advantium over the Bosch with obvious visual disparities. For less of a visual difference, including being able to flush mount the speed oven, I could upgrade the Advantium from the Profile to the Monogram. That said, it is a whole lot of money just to make the two look more similar, but still not hit the mark. Monogram $3200 > GE Profile $2300 > Bosch Benchmark $1800.

For the beauty of it all, and saving money, will I be disappointed in the Bosch Benchmark speed oven? From reviews I have read, those that have the Bosch are overwhelmingly happy with it...is that because they have never used an Advantium and don't know what they are missing? I am in the "never ever speed oven" category, so I expect if I didn't know the Advantium existed I would likely be thrilled with the Bosch...but I do know it exists, hence the dilemma.

Would appreciate insight into what others have recently done in a similar situation.

Comments (12)

  • 9 years ago

    A lot depends on what you want your speed oven to do. Some do better at microwaves, but you have a separate microwave; some do better at convection oven, but you have a separate oven. Is your primary purpose as a secondary oven? Or is it really for the speed? If the last, then the advantage of the Advantium is the third heating mode (halogen). I don't remember if the Bosch has a broiler it uses in a similar way or not. I bet you do and have decided that the Advantium suits your needs.

    While I did pay up on mine for looks, just to not have to have the black touch screen, looks are a very easy place to trim the budget. If your objection to having an oven under the cooktop is for traffic control, rather than height, you can solve some of the looks issues as well as potential interactions, by putting the Bosch just a bit lower, and putting a shallow drawer for the Advantium trays between the two. That drawer right under the Advantium was a tip I picked up here and which I can tell you from years of use has been totally worth it. Some prefer a spacer between the drawer and A. so the drop down door doesn't block the opening, but I don't find it an issue.

    Which leads me to the next question: Is there an A 240V with a side opening door? Wouldn't you need that? And if you have a side opening door, are you sure you want it flush mounted? That limits the door to about 90° opening, rather than swinging out of your way, which is the whole point of a side opening door, other than for your specific family member's needs.

  • 9 years ago

    Um where are you getting a side swing bosch benchmark for $1800? Every place I look they are $2800 and change.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Price comparison was for the speed ovens not the swing door oven - Monogram Advantium 240 vs GE Profile Advantium 240 vs Bosch Benchmark Speed Oven 240. Sorry if that was unclear.

    According to Bosch's website the swing arm door is designed to be installed flush with the cabinetry. As such I expect the door to be fully functional when installed in that manner, but I will put that in the list to verify.
    The family member that would benefit the most from the swing arm door oven will use that one when cooking solo, and would be less likely to use the speed oven. They currently use our regular range, but we are looking to improve functionality going forward.

    Yes, I object to an oven under my cook surface for traffic control. I am often having to move away from the cook surface so someone can get something into/out of the oven.

    I intend to use the speed oven as a second oven, but a speedy one. We have teenagers playing sports, etc and frequently need to get meals done quickly. Speed cooking is primary. Standard microwaving much less important, as we will retain a small basic microwave.
    After posting I continued to research the speed cooking in the Bosch. It seems the Bosch may only speed cook (convection + microwave) the 9 preset items. If I am interpreting this correctly that is quite a difference when compared to the Advantium and may tip the scale. The Bosch does have a broiling element.

    I appreciate the installation tips regarding the storage drawer for the Advantium. I will have a storage cabinet above the ovens for cookie sheets, etc, and was hoping the speed oven items could be stored there.

    i have never had matching appliances; we have always chosen what we felt was the best item for us at the time. That said, I have never had items stacked and that gives me pause. The different colors of display, and inability to flush mount the Profile Advantium, has me analyzing this decision heavily! On the flip side, I am less familiar with the functions of the Bosch.

    When you stand there talking to a salesperson it all seems fairly clear and then you take a step back, and not so much.

  • 9 years ago

    The received advice on the Advantium drawer was to make it as convenient as possible, though it probably is less important with the separate microwave. The glass tray for microwaving should not be stored high, and it does better flat than vertical, but since I'm pretty sure it's only for microwaving, you could put it in a less accessible place. Make sure you measure the trays. I think mine are 16" in diameter. They're definitely wider than my cookie sheets.

    Re flush integration, it's not that it's not functional when done that way. It's that it's really annoying. Because, definitionally, the door is stopped at 90°, or maybe as much as 100° if there's a big enough gap. If you're used to Euro cabinets that have that kind of limitation in the hinge, and are used to it, it might not bother you. I paid up big time to have step hinges so my cabinet doors would open fully. I don't often open my oven door (Gaggenau, side opening) more than about 135°, but when there's a big, heavy roaster or something, where one wants the strength of rigid bent elbows, it's a breeze with the door out of the way.

    Rolling racks were invented to rectify some of the looks issues that come with drop doors that cover the whole oven, or side doors that don't open the whole way, but there's nothing more convenient than just being able to reach into the oven and lift out your pot. Having one oven flush and the other proud, in a stack, will look weird. Different handles, colors of stainless and control panels, especially when there's at least an inch of trim between, looks fine. Different ovens of different sizes and different functions. But one innie and one outie will push it over the top, in my opinion.

    You might want to post another thread for info about the Bosch. Does the broiling element get used during speed cook? It may only have 9 pre-sets, but I can't imagine that it'll only do nine combinations. With the Advantium, if it's at all like mine, there are a handful of presets, but you can customize them, and you can also input your own. There's a steep learning curve, so modifying is worthwhile. Find something that sounds similar to what you want to do and change the time, or the amount of convection heat or whatever, and keep experimenting until you get just what you want.

    lisa7242 thanked plllog
  • 9 years ago

    I am used to 24 year old builder grade cabinets whose sides are not even real wood, whose shelves at times fall off little plastic pegs, whose hinges are exposed, and whose doors do not soft close; my expectations will not be an issue in terms of opening style.

    Good point that the speed oven pans are best laying flat. I will also post a separate thread regarding Bosch speed oven functionality.

    I will check on the door functional differences between installing the Bosch swing arm oven flush vs. surface. I would not install the Bosch flush, and the GE Profile Advantium surface. If I go with the Advantium, I would either do both surface, or upgrade to the Monogram for flush.

    For some reason i assumed the speed oven would go above the Bosch swing arm oven, but I don't suppose there is any reason I cannot install it below the oven, especially if I have the drawer to balance the size? That would actually make the speed oven easier to access for both use and cleaning.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If memory serves me, I believe Jason is right about not being able to put the Advantium low, but I don't remember why. You can probably find out the reasoning.

    If you can, I suggest you find a showroom where the Bosch is flush integrated so you can see how you like it. Coming from the kind of kitchen you have, it's easy to think that anything will be fine. Once you have lovely, however, little things can get annoying. :) Better to check, if you can, whether you'd like getting into the oven with the hot inner door next to you. You'll probably be totally fine with it. If not, better to find out now.

    Re the Advantium trays, it's only the glass one that's an issue. It's big, heavy and slippery. The other trays are thin enamelled metal and could go in your cookie sheets cupboard if its tall enough. If you wouldn't be microwaving often, you could put the glass tray in a drawer under your tea towels or something. The most important thing is to have the ones you'll be using (including the wire rack) convenient to get at, and near the Advantium.

  • 9 years ago

    I posted an additional thread and researched the Bosch speed oven functionality. The Advantium keeps hedging ahead of the Bosch speed oven for how I see us using it - primarily a speedy oven. For us the large library is a huge plus with the kids, especially our son, who would be much less inclined than his sister to learn the work arounds in the Bosch. When we are not home being able to dial to "frozen pizza" or "french fries" is right up his alley.

    In looking at the installation instructions for the Advantium 240, it must be installed 36 3/4" above the floor. Above the Bosch it goes. Hubby is definite on upgrading to the Monogram so both will be able to be flush mounted if we choose, and the look is much more similar (handles, color of display).

    I was actually at Yale Appliance yesterday. Saw, opened, closed, etc. the Bosch swing arm oven, but did not study the installation at the time....I was too busy drooling. I also have a Ferguson near-by and need to go there to see the Monogram again.

    According to the installation instructions for the Bosch Benchmark side swing door oven, you need to leave a 3/4" gap on the hinge side when flush mounting to get the full 135 degrees of door opening. Not sure I love that idea when the Advantium would not have said gap, so perhaps we will surface mount them both. Cabinet guy and hubby can decide on installation mode - I'm running out of decision making power! Either way they choose I will have 135 degrees of door opening so it is all good.

  • 9 years ago

    Yes, 135° is livable, if you're willing to have the gap.

    It sounds like you've mad your decision on the speed oven. Good work.

    lisa7242 thanked plllog
  • 9 years ago

    The advantage (pun intended) to the Advantium is that you can adjust any or all the parameters for broiler, convection, microwave and lower heating element to be anything you want. You cannot do that with the Bosch. You're 'stuck' with what they give you, and they don't tell you what it is. Personally I don't want a computer making the decisions on how I cook something and whether it is done or not.

    But with the price difference, I would probably buy the Bosch and not worry about its AutoChef, just using it as either a microwave or an oven. But that's just me.

  • 9 years ago

    It does depend on how you plan to use it - which I had to work through in this process. It is a speed oven after all, and I realized I plan to use it primarily as a speed oven (microwave+convection). I plan to keep a microwave; if all I wanted was another oven I personally would have gotten double wall ovens (my original plan). With the Bosch, the 9 AutoChef presets are the only way you can combine the microwave+convection. According to Bosch's manual, this cannot be combined manually. If this isn't an issue for someone then the Bosch is visually beautiful with the Bosch wall oven, and much easier on the budget.

  • 7 years ago

    Hi lisa7242. I am contemplating doing a 240V wall Advantium above a Single wall oven and a separate MW. Did you go with that combo and are you happy? Is the 240V Advantium compatible with your big family? Can you make 6 baked potatoes at once? Can you speed cook something like a 9x13 lasagna? Do you ever wish you had double wall ovens instead? Thank you in advance for any feedback.