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reilly5472

are wolf gas range tops worth the price?

12 years ago
Debating between the Wolf gas range top and the Kitchen-aid Gas range top.

Comments (107)

  • 12 years ago
    Thanks Carosella, yes I do plan on visiting the showroom close to me in Milford, CT I think it is. I had a 48" viking with grill and griddle in my old home, so I know that I want something similar. It had the range underneath it. I haven't had just a range top before.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Go see a professional! On all of the above..... Gas, electric, hood, but, internal, external, inline blowers, blah blah blah.... Again you can read all of our opinions, facts, research, but go see in person, then have the pro come to your home. Most offer a free service to come out and make sure you are getting the proper products. If they don't go to another dealer. I'm talking about the high end stuff, but I know an appliance company that sells everything from GE profile to all the above high end. He comes over to make sure you aren't buying or asking for something that will not work in your home
  • 12 years ago
    Something to consider about induction cooktops. I did the research and loved what I found; however, all of the 4 & 5 burner induction tops demand a high amperage of electricity (40) to run properly, even though they are very energy efficient. If you have an older existing electric range or cooktop, you might have to run a new electrical line to make the induction top work. We had an electrician evaluate our electrical, and even with a new panel, we would have had to tear up the floor of our utility room to get enough amps to the cooktop area in the kitchen. Check before you buy!
  • 12 years ago
    Larissa, I don't think these posting are confusing to the consumer. People ask these questions to learn from end users, tips, problems which they may not be aware of.

    Just yesterday I was told of problems my friend is having in getting her drawer refrigerator and freezer repaired. Call her Jane, Janes kitchen is just over a year old and is having problems with the controls on her refrigerator/freezer. Nothing is displaying and auto ice maker is not working. Jane has spent hours on the phone trying to get it fixed by a certified repairman, with no luck. Every time she calls it is at least a half hour phone call, with nothing resolved. The store Jane bought from are now involved and can not believe the nightmare. My sister has had the same problem with two cooktops she has installed, which I pointed out in previous post and was thank for the infor.

    As far as commercial kitchen using Wolf and Viking stoves, I am a Chef and went to a new campus of a well known Culinary School. The commercial stoves are completely different than any being installed in homes. With commercial stoves you can breakdown all the burners to clean and clear burner holes that get clogged. Commercial kitchen don't care how stoves look, just that they are easy to clean.

    I agree with PirateFoxy, do your research, but also ask question of people who actually cook using these stoves. Salespeople do not always tell you all you need to know. One person I knew did a complete remodel of their kitchen, wine cooler, copper exhaust hood, soft close cabinets and a microwave/conventional oven combined. The salesperson never informed them that this would not work how most people use microwaves. It would not boil water for tea and coffee, they had to buy a countertop microwave oven to do that.

    I wonder if your salespeople tell the consumers what a pain in the a** it is to relight a pilot light in their oven? Or would most have to call for service, providing they could get a service man to come out? Or take a day off from work, wait and pray that the service man makes it, or the repairman decides they are just out of their service area, happened to friend of this pass summer

    I am not being vicious, just doing a reality check!
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    @Elizabeth Reilly
    Here's to wishing you the best on your remodel project!
    Hopefully our discussions helped even though we all went a little over board. Hopefully you'll meet a wonderful expert at your local appliance dealer that will help guide you through this step. The Live centers are a great experience. You'll have a great buying experience.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    PirateFoxy
    Generally you need 1 CFM for every 100 BTU of cooktop output. Once you go over a 400 CFM range hood, you now need make up air. A powerful hood that can suck the bacon off your pan is great, but no so great is it pulls air down from the chimney (and if that gas furnace and water heater are running, co2 with it).
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    @berinlist
    Even though I design and end up "selling" kitchen and bath remodel there are sales people who are honest.
    I ask many questions before suggesting products. In every post here my main suggestion is go use them.
    I have not said that the commercial product is the exact same as the residential, but said they are as robust when you are talking about what it offers you as a homeowner.
    I also pointed out what I have and what I've installed in clients homes.
    The other day I was discussing a potential clients needs for the kitchen remodel and she wanted to discuss the appliances as part of our plan. She wanted SZW but also pricing or info on other products.
    We discussed cook tops, double ovens, mw, hood, and fridge.
    I, as a professional should and will go through a list of questions before offering pricing or selling any of these appliances. Questions like the following:
    On any new appliances do you realize your electric will have to be updated and then tell her what that installs and an estimated cost to do this.
    The hood and cooking choice and what she can install, use, etc for the type of remodel we are looking at.
    The fridge, she wanted a fridge larger than her space allowed. Would I love to "sell" her a 42" fridge? Of course, but will it work in her space? The answer was NO.
    The ovens... My question: why do you want a double oven? Do you always cook and use 2 ovens at the same time or do you only use 1-4 times a year? If the later than why not look into a steam oven. This is what probably happened in the situation your described above where the "salesperson" was not up front about what appliances will do and not do.
    She asked how the steam oven would work or Benefit her. My reply: it works as a 2nd oven, convection oven, steam oven, and can be used as a microwave- but you Can Not heat up a cup of coffee or a bag of popcorn.
    That is honest salesmanship..... I explained what the appliance will do and set her expectations. I did not try and "sell" her something that would ultimately make her regret she bought it and not get the function she wanted.

    So in the end, again most of us keep pointing to see a pro, use the live products, and asking a lot of questions.... Be honest about what you are using the appliance for.
    If you feel that the salesperson, professional, designer, or dealer is not being upfront walk out and find another.

    I didn't mean to sound like these discussions are a waste of time or they only confuse consumers. Im obviously offering advise so that would be me calling the kettle black, correct? They are great.... However I as a consumer as well, i do believe I could possibly read and do TOO much research on my own purchases.

    Speaking of cooking appliances..... It's time for lunch!
  • 12 years ago
    @dclostboy - And just be careful not to get sucked into the marketing. I mean, they are ALL trying to sell us on their particular product, so of course they're going to want to make it sound like they're the only ones who have whatever Must Have Feature it is.

    (And I will totally personally admit to being a little bummed that for safety reasons we're probably going with an induction cooktop as the primary cooking surface, so I can't have one of those very impressive looking range top styles from any brand, because no one makes induction units with that aesthetic that I've discovered. If I didn't have the safety issues I would be seriously tempted to just stick with gas for The Pretty - as far as cooking goes my personal experience is that good gas and good induction are similar enough to not be a major purchasing consideration.) (Non-induction electric, though - no thank you. Yuck.)

    I think the point about finding out what you can actually get properly serviced in your area is a good one, also. Depending on where you live, getting someone out may be a significantly more complicated procedure than elsewhere.
  • 12 years ago
    @PirateFoxy, engineer here who works on facts and data...fact: in my neighborhood no sbz negatively affects resale value. Rarely consider the "opinions" of salespeople.
  • 12 years ago
    @Carosella Design Build, Ltd. - Yup. There's a variety of factors (including possibly also the way the duct work is run? I don't know if there are potential issues with stuff like condensation build up if the duct work isn't run properly, for example) and even with as much research as I've done into various aspects of kitchen design and appliance choices, this is totally an area where I know enough to know that there are important factors to make sure it's working properly for your needs, but also enough to know that I personally have NO IDEA how to make sure all the variables are handled appropriately in any particular installation. So when it comes to that, I will definitely be looking for a pro that I feel comfortable with and would advise others to do likewise.

    Right now I'm just happy that the existing kitchen I'll be dealing with for now actually has a hood that vents to the outside. (It's just one of those little under cabinet things, and a lot of them just recirculate and I have yet to encounter a recirculating hood that actually seems to do much of anything. HATE. I would completely delay getting something like a nice countertop in order to have money in the budget for a better ventilation system install. A cheaper countertop is still going to be functional, just not as attractive. A sub-par ventilation system can really interfere with enjoying and using the space. And possibly the rest of your house, depending on how well smells spread.)
  • 12 years ago
    If you have a open floor plan with family room(TV) and kitchen, a pro stove with correct exhaust hood, be aware the hoods are very noisy. The TV gets louder or you hear, "turn that thing off, I can't hear the game," so the hood is pointless and a waste of money.

    PirateFoxy is right, in commercial kitchens, ovens are turned on when you walk in the door, a busy restaurant or busy night, burners stay on. The grates have to stay hot, that is where a lot of the heat is transferred to the pans. And if you ever bought a true commercial stove, you will need to reinforce your floor joist, those suckers are heavy, usually solid cast iron. Think of your grandmother or great grandmother's coal,or wood burning stove they use.

    Good luck Elizabeth, I am sure we gave you and your husband a lot to think about, pros and cons.

    Going way back, grilling inside is great, but I don't know if you will get that true charcoal taste, not enough build up on the grates or grates do not get hot enough.
  • 12 years ago
    @dclostboy That was a general statement for everyone about marketing, not specifically aimed at you.
  • 12 years ago
    PirateFoxy: Your comment that you're "just happy that the existing kitchen I'll be dealing with for now actually has a hood that vents to the outside" surprises me. So you're saying that not all stoves vent to the outside? I actually thought that was a requirement. I've never had a stove that didn't vent to the outside. ??
  • 12 years ago
    I have a kitchen aid, love it.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    dianahb,
    The exhaust hoods that go over the cooking surface (including OTR microwaves) IMO should vent to the outside to remove excess moisture caused by cooking and combustion. Not all do, many have an option to just recirculate. There is not a code that states it must, at least in my area. I see this this a lot in older construction/installations.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I've had Viking and Wolf. I don't now. I thing their are many other gas and dual fuel stoves that are better than good.
  • 12 years ago
    That's really interesting about the vents. I did just look up the code in our area, and you are correct-- there is no code requirement for stoves to vent outside. I'm really shocked by that, most especially for gas stoves. Not having a gas stove vent to the outside sounds like all kinds of trouble.
  • 12 years ago
    I like my KitchenAid just fine, with its high BTU burner. I think the grate surface is larger, too. I do a lot of stir-fries and sautéed foods. I'd rather use that $1,500 on other things. By the way, friends who have SubZeros aren't necessarily thrilled: They've had breakdowns. I had lusted after a Miele dishwasher until my brother ranted about theirs and how they had to rinse everything first. We love our Bosch.
  • 12 years ago
    @dianahb - Exactly like Carosella Design Build, Ltd. said - some just recirculate and run the air through a filter to supposedly collect some of the grease and odor. I find them pretty much utterly useless. I've mostly seen them in places where properly venting would have been awkward - like apartments - or where the kitchen was done on the cheap, because running duct work obviously adds to the cost of installation. The need for duct work can also limit the placement, so I suppose that might come into it in some installations - with a recirculating option you can just stick the stove (usually electric) more or less anywhere you want.
  • 12 years ago
    Wow, some comments were lost in the blue nowhere, just received 19 notices on Houzz postings.

    Larissa, not everyone has someone like you. Not all designers are like you, I am just sharing the problem others have had and may encounter. I live in a area that is for the most part a summer golf community, in the mountains of North Carolina. The town has two stop lights, five years ago we had one. To go to a major appliance store we have to travel about one to one and half hours. Sure they want to sell us their products, but don't want to install or service them.
    The one home improvement store, 45 minutes away, cannot answer my questions or the men are not use to dealing with women, period, let alone some one who knows their own mind.
    When I bought a mail box to put down on the road for rural delivery, I ask the sales men about direction for installation, he said the person installing it will know. I told no they will not because I was the one installing.
    No you did not say that commercial stoves and the ones installed are the same, but many people think so. I have used the residential "pro" stoves, IMO, they sucked, or maybe the people did not have the right pans. Or maybe it is because they do not use the hood, because it makes too much noise. It is a stainless steel model, every time I have used it, I end up having to clean the whole store top, then you have to polish it to remove streaks and water spots. They rarely use the stove, they use their George Forman grill.
    I worked for a general contractor who had remodeled a kitchen. He stopped by one evening, the wife was using her old electric skillet to make dinner, not her new stove, go figure.
    How many times have you bought something and had problem or did not live up to what was advertised and some one says to you, oh yea I knew that! Well why the heck didn't they say something! I am renovating a very very small bungalow, I ask a million questions, have done my research and have to point out problems to my contract.
    What I am usually doing is thinking out loud, throwing ideas or possible problems out there is all.
    Questions, do you know how to relight a pilot light in these "pro" stoves? Are all your repair men certified for the appliances you sell? Do you know how far they will travel? It is not any fun to have thousands of dollars worth of appliances delivered and then being told they can not do the install and have to pay someone else to do, why didn't the salesman mention it, they had the delivery address?
    The problems I have mention about service have all happen in the past three months. Just trying to save others the aggravation and headaches people I know have had. They have not all happen here, my sister lives outside of Charlotte, NC and she is having problems as well with certified repairmen.
  • 12 years ago
    I just did my bathrooms I am considering kitchen next and have started looking at appliances I am debating wolf or kitchen aid myself. I have the ability to buy kitchen aid 36 inch commercial range with steam assist for 4500 as I have access to special pricing which is making it very difficult to not consider kitchen aid
  • 12 years ago
    I've had wolf for 17--18 years. Control of flame is perfect; water boils quickly. Lovelovelove it, but I don't know kitchen aid. You will not regret wolf, though.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    @berinlist

    It's unfortunate that you ahve had these poor experiences. I wish you all had the types of services that I offer and my company.
    Yes we not only spec, sell, have a showroom, design staff, project managers, and installers that are certified. So clients really feel that when they purchase they are truely getting what they paid for. We make sure they understand their purchase well before they sign a contract to purchase anything.
    I can tell all of you that the brand SZW listens to us when we describe issues and tries to resolve them.
    Like servcing or installers. I did go through 2 for our company before finding a great installation team. We have EXTREMLY high expectations for our installers on all products so it was a challenge to find great people.

    I can tell you that on SZW web site for anyone intereseted in purchasing their products they offer a place to find local showrooms, installers, and service approved by them.
    See Below:
    Please remember that you or your clients can access the FCI installers by jobsite from going on to our website:
    www.subzero-wolf.com
    Then click “FIND A SHOWROOM”
    Click “Factory Certified Installers” and add zip code.
    This is also the same procedure for finding an authorized servicer in your area.

    I understand how far you have to drive up there. I recently stayed in Pigeon Forge up in the top of a mountain and found that even though we were traveling 10 miles it sometimes took 45m to get there.

    I hope you can find better service. With the SZW brand companies from another state are not allowed to sell and ship out of state normally. We can work with clients anywhere in the US, but not sure how far along you are.

    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and find someone who can offer you a better experience no matter what products you end up with.!
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Don't forget about Thermadore. It comes with blue knobs and the cleaning is much easier with the sealed burners. There is something much cleaner about the look and years from now that will be much more noticeable. I agree that real cooks seem to gravitate to Wolfe wether it be that they are not familiar with the competition that has come up thru the years or it's hard to compete with an old star like Wolfe. Those peoples stoves look like dirty restaurant equipment also thou. It's just how a real stove looks with a real cool at its helm. Wolfe is meant to get down and dirty, and making it look new after years of use isn't easy. I have always recommended Thermadore professional stoves with all of my clients because side by side they all end up agreeing they like its benefits better. If you wanted a custom color stove then it would be Viking.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    Cook at the helm. Sorry.
  • 12 years ago
    Larissa, just to let you know, because of your passion for SZW, I am looking at the SZW induction cooktops. Being single, asking others how they cook and a reality check for myself, I am looking at a two burner induction cooktop. I have seen on several sites single induction cooktops for very low prices, I will buy one of those for the few times I may need more than 2 burners. The second reason I want induction cooktop is due to the easy cleanup. Spills and splatters do not get cooked on like they would with electric and gas and it is one smooth surface.
  • PRO
    12 years ago
    I think its a wonderful idea! I love the induction, for a busy single mom like myself that's what I want. Easy clean up! You can lay newspaper across the cooktop, cook on it, and then ball the paper up and throw it away. How's that for no mess?! The paper will not catch on fire. I've seen the demo several times.... really cool stuff. Glad my passion is opening 1 person up to looking at products that really do exceed expectations.
  • 12 years ago
    @berinlist - you can get a portable induction unit for considerably less than a SZW if you want to just try it out - it is a tiny bit different than gas or other electric cooktops, and the portable units can be a good way to see if it'll work for you over a longer period of time than testing at a showroom. Then if you upgrade to a nice kitchen unit, the portable one can either be given away/donated, or my mom actually uses it sometimes for parties and work functions to keep things warm instead of a crock pot. (Portable induction unit stashes in a cabinet in her office much more easily than a crock pot, and bringing something in carried in an induction-friendly pot is way less worrying than carrying in a ceramic crock pot liner because there's less chance of breakage.)

    Tbh the biggest complaint I've observed amongst cooking types about induction, apart from the small differences in cooking style (because you can't hold the pan high above the induction surface and toss constantly like you can with a gas flame,) is the issue of cookware being induction-friendly. If you're happy to replace pots and pans as necessary if your current ones don't work, or if you're sure your current stuff will all work already, then it's definitely worth checking out.

    I will say that I have had stuff get cooked on to the induction surface - it does get hot from heat transferred from the hot pan eventually - but that stuff has never been BAKED on the way you get with gas or other electric. At most it needed a tiny bit more elbow grease than a light wipe with a cloth. Given how much I hate to clean ovens and grates and all the nooks and crannies that get oh-so-gross, this is a HUGE benefit to induction in my mind. :)
  • 12 years ago
    Dilemma solved! I just found out that the wolf range's grill option uses infrared and you wouldn't be cooking over direct flame. My outside barbecue is an infrared type and I hate it! I think with the KitchenAid I would be cooking over a direct flame when using the grill like I did with my old Viking.
  • 12 years ago
    PirateFoxy, I have a couple AllClad pans already, the other pots & pans have started to fall apart. So I need new ones anyway. I toss veggies that are being cooked, I only toss once or twice. My reason for going with induction is it is cheaper than conventional electric cooktops. I will not do propane. That is the only gas I can get. Three house burned down in the area I live in due to pin holes in the gas lines. I am not taking that chance. Plus propane gives me a headache. The propane companies around here take anybody off the street and call them installers. I worked for a propane company for a short while, the manager was always complaining about the sloppy work the guys did. No thanks. I don't think propane will ever go down in price, with electric induction cooktop I will use less electric in the years to come. If solar or windmills ever become more reasonable, I may go that way too.
    I am about having the most energy efficient house I can.
  • 12 years ago
    @berinlist - Sounds like you're a great candidate for induction, then. The units I've played with there's usually a short window before it complains if you remove the pan from the surface - so for example if you do a quick toss and then put the pan down, they're allowing for that kind of thing anyway in the programming of the unit. (I can't remember why it complains at you if the pan isn't making contact after a bit - if it's something to do with the unit, or just so you know the pan isn't being heated... It's late for me and I'm tired. :) )

    With AllClad, just be careful which line you get - I have heard some of them aren't as induction-friendly as others, and some particular pieces might not be as induction-friendly as others even within the same line. (I have mostly the regular stainless steel inside and outside AllClad and so far I've had no problems with any of those on the little counter top unit I've been playing with.)

    The biggest annoyance I think I'll have about going to induction for our main/only cooktop is that I do prefer using a big cheap aluminum stock pot for boiling water for pasta because of the weight difference - all that water is heavy enough without adding extra metal to it also! - but my mother actually gave me a nice All Clad stainless stock pot as a gift, so at least I have the pan for induction. (And with the nice flat surface I won't have to lift the stock pot very high if I want to move it to the back so it can cool before I empty it.)
  • 12 years ago
    Changed my mind about having a grill option. Going with the Wolf 6 burner style.
  • 12 years ago
    Elzabeth Reilly Good choice. Wolf's are great, have one and I cook a lot. Have had others, no comparison. Also prefer wall ovens.
  • 12 years ago
    Elizabeth, how do you like the Wolf? I'm facing the exact same choice. I don't like the perforated "island trim" on the wolf, it looks really annoying to clean. What do you think?
  • 11 years ago
    ok here's a question for all of you out there. Do you know of any 30" gas ranges other than Wolf or Viking that come WITHOUT an electronic panel. Had 2 with them and they are always going bad. Thanks
  • 11 years ago
    This is a very interesting thread! I have been researching ranges for the past few months and decided to purchase a WOLF 30 inch dual fuel range...love the red knobs:-). As a few others have commented above, I don't live in a home where people expect to see high end ranges. This does not concern me as I do not plan on moving. We love our home! I want my kitchen to be functional for me so considering others expectations for resale purposes is not important.

    We decided to purchase a 30 inch Wolf low profile hood with an in-line blower that will be installed in our attic. Based on the research I have done and speaking with professionals, using an in-line blower will reduce the noise drastically.
  • 11 years ago
    @designonmydime

    I thought I wanted the Wolf 30 inch gas range until I visited the Wolf showroom (Buckhead, Atlanta) and saw it. It lacked some of the features that are important to me......integrated meat temperature probe, electronic controls, self-cleaning, and glide out shelves. I did research online but it wasn't until I visited the showroom did I notice a few of these differences. I haven't heard anyone having problems with the wolf electronics.
  • 11 years ago
    Already commented but forgot to say I really dislike the red knobs. They are eye catching and don't want stove knobs to be the eye catching decor in my kitchen. Glad you have a choice now. I put black tape over mine.
  • 11 years ago
    @fos5

    Oh no!!! I am almost died when I read that you put black tape over your red knobs....lol!!!. Why didn't you change the knobs to black ones?
  • 11 years ago
    gharris, Ha Ha, just haven't got around to it.
  • 11 years ago
    Wolf is the way to go!
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    @gharris8
    yes, this thread is a couple months old now:-)
    just curious on when you went to the showroom. You said the Wolf didn't come with certain features.
    it comes with full extension ball bearing rack, internal temp probe, etc... Did the sales person not know what the models come with???
    For everyone else: all models can be ordered with signature red knobs, or black or stainless. They have figured out that not everyone wants red and have options for you:-)

    good luck to all on their quest for the best!
  • 11 years ago
    @Larissa...The 30 inch all gas range does not have the items you listed above...The DF range does. When I saw this at the showroom I changed my mind and decided to go with the DF instead of the all gas.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    My client loves her Wolf and her kitchen remodel I designed for her.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    @gharris... you are correct. I thought you were looking at dual fuel. Just sold a 60" DF to a client.. can't wait to post the pictures of the kitchen once we are done!
  • 11 years ago
    Re: the Wolf knobs. Hubby wanted black; I wanted red. We ordered the range with black knobs (no up charge) and that way it was delivered with the standard red knobs in place and a box of black knobs to replace them. We agreed to a 6 month/6 month split. Six months after living with the red knobs hubby decided he liked them after all. Four years later, the black knobs are still in the box.
  • 11 years ago
    @Larissa...What is the best way to reach you to have a one on one conversation? I am interested in a consultation with a designer. I am not sure how we would work together long distance.
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    Love, love mine
  • PRO
    11 years ago
    @gharris8, you can email me so we can schedule a time to talk over the phone larissa@sandwkitchens.com or give me a call this Wed at my office 813-849-9007 after 1:00pm
    We can talk about your needs to see if it's possible to work together
  • 11 years ago
    Have you considered an induction range? Much more efficient. That's the way to go.
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