Applianceguys, I've read so many reviews from various sites that I am now totally confused and fearful that I made a terrible decision. Today I bit the bullet and replaced a 15 year old GE Profile built-in oven due to the costs of repairs. I purchased a Thermador single wall oven professional series POD301J. It won't be delivered for a week, so I think I can cancel the purchase based on your recommendation. Since this was an expensive purchase, as well as unexpected, should I look at a different brand???

I have a 4 burner, free standing Thermador. I'm not really sorry I bought it, because I probably couldn't afford anything much more expensive & I don't know that spending more would take care of the problem. My only complaint is that the oven has a cooling fan which is very loud. My husband & I are very sensitive to noise & had no idea what we were getting into. I've read that all powerful ovens have these fans now. Personally, I would run out & listen to every oven fan I could, to determine the difference. Otherwise, I love the looks & am learning to work with the much more powerful burners & the oven works fine. I don't usually use the convection for no particular reason. Good luck gardnerjill!

Jill I would ask you a few questions before I answer yours. Question one did you purchase your oven from a dealer that does repairs? If they do that's great, if they don't then I might consider making a purchase from some one who services it. Also if they do there own service I would buy the service plan as long as its not outrageous say under $400.00 for 5 years. I would not be super quick to cancel the order but I also understand that you are concerned. Did the dealer offer installation? Its very very rare that one oven just fits with no modification to cabinets or electrical. Do they guarantee that the Oven will fit? Do you have it in writing? There is no such thing as plug and play wall meaning it will just fit in and your wiring is correct, let me rephrase that if it does plug and play go buy a lottery ticket. I find it entertaining that Thermador lists the wattage of there broil element but none of the other elements. Do most people need a rotisserie in there oven?

I hope this helps.

We are doing a complete kitchen reno and I am having a very difficult time between the Wolf 36" and the Thermador. Any thoughts between the PRD364GDHC-dual fuel with electric griddle versus the Wolf DF364G-dual fuel with electric griddle? I have read various complaints regarding both. I am just wondering if I go all gas and just buy a separate griddle and put it on for the 4 times a year I might use it.....? Cleaning is important to me as I'm a total virgo and will obsess if the unit looks dirty.

THanks!

Susan Griddle's can be awesome but I think you should get six burners and Find a nice All Clad griddle for the 4 times a year you use it. As to which range well that's a matter of few categories.

1 Burner performance how high and how low do the burners go ? keep in mind 20k btu's is the highest and anything below 600 btu's is just fluff.

2. Changeability Burners will be the main thing you want to look at here.

3. Style this is what strikes your fancy any cool gadgets fall into this field as well.

4. Don't buy a Wolf or Thermador Hood Look at Vent-A-Hood. Unless you can here the W or T hoods first.

Its tough I like the looks of the Thermador but I don't like the Wolf 20K burner

Look at the other appliances they might help you decide this do you like the W or T Refrigerator

I hope this helps!

I have a Viking range hood & love it. I know someone who got a Wolf range a few years ago & absolutely hated it. When we had our Thermador installed, it fit perfect with zero adjustments to anything.

Thanks so much theapplianceguys! We are going with the red knobs...I just have to have them....just like my shoes...I can't help it. We will check out the Vent a hood as an option. We may ugrade to the 48" wolf now of all things....so venting will be important! Thanks!

Honestly, appliances are going to make me lose my mind. I hear bad things about almost every brand. We have 8 year old Kenmore Elite appliances and they've been good-great and not a single service call. Now that we are remodeling we were going to "upgrade" to a gas stove top or range top, hood insert, double ovens with a microwave above, dishwasher and a built in fridge. Appliance Guys, we need a summary. I'm not sure I can have the best appliance from every line. I want them to match. It seems like everyone is spending a lot of money to choose the lesser of evils. It feels backwards to be looking for the best warranty and extended coverage because we are bound to have problems. Anyone-- Which company or specific items are definite NOs? What line consistently has the best products? Which choices are worth not matching? Design some great packages for us all please.

Samsung is made in Korea, I'm presently boycotting anything & everything from South Korea. Their track record on animal abuse is abysmal. (Extreme understatement) After reading about & watching video of their dog & cat for meat practices, Which make cruel factory farms & slaughterhouses look like petting zoos, I urge consumers to do a little research before purchasing.

Thank you hmacgarden. I really appreciate your help. I have looked on consumer reports but find their reviews a bit misleading. Appliances that are top choices often have lower reliability reviews. Samsung gets incredible reviews and they look great but supposedly they are very hard to get serviced and the company is not customer friendly. Hmmmm . . . what to do?

I decide to purchase 48 inch WOLF's Range/Cook Top -Miele Double Oven and steamer oven. YALE is the store carries all this brands, I love the SAMSUNG CHeF 4 doors Fridge ( dnt like counter top) w/ extended warranty from YALE- and they will do the service. Trying not to change my mind again. BUt I wont never purchase Samsung Range- go with KA or Jenn Air

What did you decided? I am in between Thermador and kitchen aid for all our appliances!!! Please give me your feedback, thanks

My Thermador 48" range has given me a multitude of problems even after they changed out the unit for me. The column freezer has a faulty ice maker which doesn't stop so it overflows the ice drawer into the drawer below. Although the products look beautiful and the customer service has tried to be helpful I have two extremely expensive products that do not work as they should. My Thermador dishwasher, fridge, and steam oven work fine. Unfortunately you can find comments like this on every brand. Next time I will not buy Thermador but that doesn't mean I'd be any happier with something else. Pick best pricing and look to decide.

Hello I heard you were a chef and just change for all Thermador in your new kitchen, how has it worked?

Sylvia did the kitchen aid worked out?

Georgie Walker rwucky1 33carol gabethan ehb1701 nmfb duval77 sylviasroses quienerez scooper25 amykhart bunkyborr 14169rango woofwoof hkwan msyjupiter 1fitnessnurse tcufrog Mary McDermott Geordon Francisco Garcia jeffhapp scgeyer wgb123 gardnerjill Susan O Suzanne Sheldon mmdareo hmacgarden norma castelo tutl To all of you who were or are remodeling/building...what did you decide and how would you rate the items purchased? To those who commented on appliances you have and use, do you still feel the same after several months/years since you first commented? Your feedback is appreciated! We are deciding this week on our wall oven/micro combo (no idea yet on brand!), range top (likely Wolf), downdraft (Wolf again), fridge columns (Thermador with panels), dishwasher (Miele with panels ---thank you to all who commented raving about your Meile DW!), Steam Oven (Miele because they are the only company who offers hard plumbing), ice maker (no idea brand yet). I'm also not sure if I'd rather go with a Double Oven and find another place for the microwave. Thank you for feedback!!! Its appreciated!

I decide to purchase the Range top Wolf- HOOD from BROAN( dont buy from WOLF for the hood), Miele for Double oven and the steamer oven ( I dnt want to hard plumbing since you need to clean those all the time). Miele has the best steamer oven. Anyone knows how hard to clean those burners on WOLF vs BS (Blue Star)? I just read another thread saying they really LOVE BS- I might need to check it out:

http://www.chowhound.com/post/rangetop-decision-wolf-blue-star-1010383

alexrander Apr 11, 2015 11:59 PM

I recommend the Bluestar. For one, the flame pattern is much better, and that means a more even cooking surface. You can raise the grates to smooth out the flame pattern even more. There is just no comparison to anything else.

Also more heat is available if you need it. And food doesn't stick or burn on the thick cast iron bowls underneath the burner. This is a fairly common complaint about Wolf, that the spill overs burn on to the thin enameled surface and then gets scratched while trying to get it off.

The Bluestar grates and bowls ARE heavy, but they come off each burner separately and there is nothing else to deal with. That is, each burner has it's own grate and it's own drip bowl that is also cast iron.

Wolf has a grates that go over 2 burners so it's twice as heavy. And underneath the grate is not a removable bowl, but a thin sheet metal surface that doesn't remove easily. You clean it there, on the stove.

You can clean the Bluestar on the stove as well, but you have the option to easily remove the individual drip bowl. And food will not fuse to it like the Wolf. Bluestar also has a second drip tray that's stainless steel and slides out from the front. That's because the top drip bowl has gaps so that spills don't sit on top, or in the case of the Wolf, flood the burner.

Finally, besides the flame pattern of a star instead of a circle, the Blue star flames are 'open', that is, not covered with a circular cap.

That means that the flames go straight up and not out sideways. And you don't have a dead spot in the middle. Also the higher you turn the Wolf 's gas up the more the flames shoot to the edge of the pan- causing poor heating to the pan bottom and more likely causing a burnt ring of food on your edge of the pan. So you're heating the sides of the pan or the room. Yes, you can turn it down, but that's not the point if you want high heat or even if you have a smaller pan.

Both brands have a small circle burner for small pots. But a small pot heats more evenly on any of the Blustar burners- and you can raise the grate as well. And even on Bluestar's small burner, the flames go 'up' not 'sideways' as you turn the flames up. Looks are personal...

hkwan Thank you so much! The Bluestar sounds awesome! My husband would like a $1500 GE Cooktop and I'm trying to get a $3800 Wolf Rangetop. I know he would not pay the $4300 Bluestar price tag, although it sounds like the best one! I'm getting my Thermador 30" fridge and 30" freezer. :) How do you like your Miele double ovens?

I have not bought but did a lot of research for the Miele double oven- full of gadget- if you dont need them- feel KA double oven would still make me happy. I stay with WOLF since each burner have their own flicker but Miele shares it so in the long run, it will be a run off-but Miele has very good reputation-I was advised to purchase this items at the store that has excellent and offer service.

Amy did you finally upgrade to a 48" Thermador range top? How does it work? Is it a good option, because I realized the double ovens are a headache

Hersband1

How do the Thermadors been working so far?

theapplianceguys "Burner performance how high and how low do the burners go ? keep in mind 20k btu's is the highest and anything below 600 btu's is just fluff."

The appliance salesman was saying that 500 BTUs would be used for "warming." Do you think the lower BTUs are not useful, or rather that the 600 vs. 500 won't make a difference when you're cooking?

"Its tough I like the looks of the Thermador but I don't like the Wolf 20K burner"

How come you don't like the Wolf 20K BTU burner?

Im trying to decide on our range top. The salesman also says that the Thermador "clicks" when its turning off and on in the "simmer" mode? Is this something that people complain about?

Also, I will have to get a downdraft with the cooktop in the island. There seems to be a spacing issue with the Thermador cook tops where the downdraft cannot be directly next to the cook top because of the venting underneath. Do you know anything about other downdraft brands?

Thank you!

Downdraft do not work with high BTU gas appliances. They barely work with old coil top electric burners. You need an overhead vent. Or to move the cooktop to a better position.

I have a Jenn Air Dual Fuel range and side by side refrigerator, both running fine for 20 years now. At that time I put in a GE dishwasher to match the wall oven and microwave. The wall oven is fine and the microwave oven quit just a couple years ago. The GE dishwasher died at 5 years and was replaced with a Whirlpool that did not last 3years. As a builder we started to put GE and GE Monogram appliances in our custom and spec homes, having everything match, except for the dishwashers. We went with Bosch and have not turned back. Everyone loves them and they are the quietest for the money. We also started using Vent-A-Hoods over all our ranges and cook tops. They are awesome for under cabinet vents and they are very reasonable in priced. ($700) Their "fancy" hood covers are better priced than the upper end brands. Our high end homeowners of course go to the brands everyone mentions above. (Thermador, Wolf, and with Viking... getting the lowest score).

Hi everyone! I've been enjoying reading all of your posts. We are doing a complete kitchen remodel Our kitchen is currently down to the studs. My husband and I have differing opinions regarding our cooktop or range which will be placed in our 10' island. We have been looking at the 36" bluster range, 36" thermador cooktop and also the Bosch cooktop and wall oven. Any advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thx

8-10 years is average for any appliance. Expense doesn't come into it. You're paying for features and the name, not longevity.

No cooking zones on an island, especially 36" in an 10' island. The island is too small for two safe zones for prep and cooking. It would be overly crowded. Then there is the issue of the 10K ventilation choice that a high BTU island cooking station will need. Real life ain't the cooking channel.

Personally, I would rather have a 10' island free of a cooktop, a sink would be a better choice. When you're cooking, you're focused on cooking. Washing dishes allows you to visit, watch tv or just look around & daydream. I have a 7 1/2' window (horizontal) over my sink with a view of the backyard, woods & mountains beyond. My stove is against the wall with easy outdoor ventilation. I have a Thermador 36" range, we like it except for the blasting oven fan. We hate that! Our friends have a Meile everything & I think they're pretty happy with them.

When we purchased out Thermador range, we also went for the discounted dishwasher which I think is actually made by Bosch. Unfortunately it sits in its box in our basement. The racks won't hold our plates & many other dishes. The appliance owner/manager treated me like I was an idiot until I brought in a collection of various dishes & then he had to agree that the designer must have never loaded a dishwasher. Luckily, our Kenmore Elite model is still in great shape & looks as good as the Thermador range & Fisher&Pakel built in fridge. Advice-take your dishes into dealer to see how they fit before purchasing.

We've only had it since December and so far we like it just fine. We wanted something that would last and was quiet. Doing research, it seems to have good reviews and does last. We purchased the one with French doors above and freezer below and the built-in model. It seemed the best built of all of the F/P models we saw (3). The only review complaint my husband found was that the ice maker had issues that were a real problem for some. We don't use much ice so we chose not to hook the fridge up to a water line. The doors aren't perfect, I have to kind of shove them shut rather than a gentle push towards closed. Still, we aren't sorry we bought this one. The built in model did end up being about $4,000 plus we had a builder fashion a cabinet around it. However, unlike the dealer & literature told us, it did not need to be bolted to the side walls. I love the lighting and shelves, but there isn't a ton of space like many American refrigerators. That's not a problem and our kids are grown. It's also very quiet which is VERY important. Our friends have had theirs for ten years and are also very happy with it. They have the single door above & possibly a freezer door below. There aren't a lot of bells and whistles so not as much to go wrong, we're hoping. Another thing, after having it awhile, I think that a very large person might feel the opening wasn't adequate. The right side can't quite open the full range, but then I checked out a couple of other models the last time I was at Home Depot and they seemed about the same. One last thing, the installers did a lousey job. They had to come back. This time my husband stayed home and helped, making sure they did it properly. I don't think it had anything to do with the brand, but they left parts in the truck, etc. It doesn't pay to just trust the job will be done right. Good luck!

I stumbled across this thread researching appliances. In my current home I have a 48" Thermador rangetop with six burners and a grill, 30" Thermador double ovens (with convection/convection roast), 48" Thermador pro hood, Thermador dishwasher (Bosch knock off) and a 42" side-by-side Sub-Zero. I had these all installed in 1999 and I am still using them. I have replaced two control boards in the ovens and recently repaired the dishwasher. It needed a plastic part for the control panel that had a tang break off. It was a $35 dollar fix and I did it myself. I did have the SubZero fixed a few years ago right after the warranty expired with a known problem with the evaporator. In general, I have had no other issues with theses appliances. I would not get the grill on the rangetop again. It is a complete mess to clean up. I use my outdoor grill instead. I should add that I cook on a daily basis. I am in the process of building a townhome and down sizing (kids grown, on my own). I can get whatever appliances I so choose as long as it fits a 30" space for the range. I cannot go with wall ovens as there is no room. I can get a hood as I have an end unit. My builder is big on Kitchen Aid. I am tempted to go with Thermador given my past experience. I would likely get a dual fuel range. Given the current packages from Thermador (free hood and dishwasher with a range a refrigerator) it seems to be a good deal. Any opinions on this will be greatly appreciated.

I have noted things above, but my Thermador products purchased in 2013 do not work in the manner I would expect for such pricey items. The range has a constant problem whereby I have to go to my fuse box, shut off the fuse, then turn it back on to to clear the system. It's very inconvenient, but since I've changed the range out once already, and the problem persists, I live with it. I think the computer component is faulty in all of them. The freezer has no way to stop the ice maker and I have constant overflow. The Thermador repair man has tried to fix all of this but without successful results. Would any other brand be better, I have no idea.

db531, as I mentioned above, if you're considering a Thermador (Bosch) dishwasher, check the racks thoroughly. It won't even hold my dishes. I'm waiting for them to redesign the racks & hopefully, I can exchange them, even if I have to pay.

I was doing appliance research as well and stumbled on this. Our kitchen (and almost the whole house) is down to the studs and I need to place my appliance order. I've priced out W/SZ and Therm. You just can't beat the deal of the Thermador. Though, I'm getting increasingly nervous after the reviews on this site! We do cook often and love the look of these appliances. I'm also not seeing glowing reviews about their service when things go wrong. Ugh...

It does seem that if you get Thermador appliances without problems, all is well. On the other hand, if you have issues, well, good luck. My own ethic has always been value for money and I always appreciate good quality. The Thermador vs Wolf-SubZero question is a conundrum. I just want to cook and not have things fall apart.

Our friends has Wolf and were very unhappy, issues and service was poor. They built a new house and purchased all Meile appliances and seem to be quite happy with them. The only Meile appliance I have is my vacuum cleaner and I do love it.

Anyone have either a Thermador T36BB810SS or Kitchenaid KBBR206ESS refrigerator? I am considering both but they are so expensive that I want to make sure they are good and will last trouble free. Thank you.

I understand this is old post, however just now planning a major kitchen remodel wonder if anyone has any update/input on Bosch Dishwasher Model SHPM98W75N-800 Series, Also which is recommended for long term reliability slide in duel fuel range between Kitchenaid Model #KDRS467VSS or Jenn-Air Model #JDRP436WP? Microwave recommendations? Reading all or most microwaves manufactured through Sharp, looking for built in cabinet, trim kit if needed, just a basic 10 function. No refrigerator needed yet however would want to match some or all other appliances in near future.

I have the Bosch Dishwasher you are looking at, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the silverware drawer. The only drawback is the dishwasher somehow gets little tiny food items like lemon seeds stuck in the sprayer that sprays the second drawer and that of course keeps things from getting clean, and it struggles with dishwasher pods, never fully getting the soap off so a second rinse cycle is needed. However, the later problem may be electrical, I think the dishwasher got hit in a big electrical storm because it acts funny now, like it's hard drive is failing. Back to the lemon seeds which is a problem even without the dishwasher getting hit with electricity, no idea how they get in there. That should not happen, but it does so just watch for it. The silverware drawer is worth it.

I don't have the ranges, I have the Thermador 36" cooktop with the simmer burners which I LOVE. I had the Thermador cooktop in my last house and loved it so much I went to buy the professional version but was disappointed to discover it only had huge burners, and I use lots of little pans, so I stayed with the cooktop which is half the price and far more flexible. The simmer burners are FABULOUS. As far as I know, Thermador is the only one with that feature, but that may have changed. The star shaped burners are spectacular as well. We have a SubZero fridge, counter depth, double size fridge, but normal size freezer (maybe 40" wide?), which we love as well. Bought it used for $1,200 (it was 15 years old) and it still runs like a champ, those older Subzeros are built to last forever. We have a Thermador warming drawer which is great as well, although be careful with the tracks the drawer runs on, if they are forced/manhandled, they are plastic (!) and break easily and are a pain in rear to fix. And a Miele steam oven which I LOVE as well. My appliances do not match, and it's not a big deal, no one appliance maker can excel at every appliance, so I would recommend getting the ones you love. Match the exterior color and style as much as possible, don't worry as much about the brand.

@Sheralyn Miller, how has your Thermador wall oven and microwave performed? Are you still happy with them?

i cannot get a replacement of a 30 double oven thermador professional and was told the exact that would fit in my dimensions is kitchen aid.....does anyone love kitchenaid

I had a kitchen aid superba in my old house from a remodel in 1993 to the day we moved in 2020. The ovens were always spot on in holding the temp. The only thing that would not work after many years was the electronic control for self cleaning because they all die regardless of oven. The heat generated fries the circuit controlling cleaning cycle. Tech said never to use it in new ovens and just clean manually. I bake a lot and used the ovens constantly.

I am in the process of replacing my Bosch DW with a Kitchenaid. Not installed but I'm hopeful it will do a great job. Also, we've had Bosch double ovens (one convection one conventional). They're just OK. Temperature seems to vary a bit. Biggest complaint is that the oven door for the conventional does not shut properly (small gap). I called Bosch service to see if there is a way to adjust the door....there is not. This seems pretty basic. So now I have double ovens where one is fairly useless and no solution besides "buy a new oven". Never again with Bosch.