I agree - they're a totally different company. I would also assume that they've fixed the problem and while it was occurring they were incredibly accessible even if they didn't know what to do. In the end, after an enormous amount of my time wasted while they "tinkered" in my kitchen, they did exactly what a customer would want when they realized that they couldn't actually solve the problem. In the same vein as Bluestar, it's frustrating that companies put out products with massive pricetags that have significant short-comings on the most basic of functions. After that, I guess the companies begin to separate based on what they do abou it.

Either one is going to be good. Some folks here will have a preference for Wolf over anything Thermador and some will have a preference for having a grill and griddle. Are you located where having an indoor grill will be an advantage? Would you use it or grill outdoors? Are the things you would use a second oven for also things that will do well in a convection micro (smaller size as well as the type of cooking)? The convection micro may not be any larger than the second oven on a 48" range. When I was looking at appliances and planning, a lot of folks were talking about 48" ranges and how much they used the smaller oven and preferred using it so they didn't have to heat the larger one. Seems most of the most often used things could go in the smaller oven. They had me convinced, and I would have liked the look of a range, so I would have done a 48" if a range didn't place the ovens too low for me to work comfortably. In the end, I think you will need to consider your own cooking needs and see which one works best for you. Take a few pans to the store and see for yourself what fits in that smaller oven.

First, a warning -- I have never lived in a house that needed make-up air. Not even close. Double-pane glass makes little sense for us since all the heat goes around the sashes in our Victorian. My experience with MUA is related to commercial systems. What follows is an opinion about the kinds of things that would make me consider MUA. Unless you have a Code requirement for make-up air, you have a fireplace you use when cooking (I seem to remember that you are South Bay?), have a "naturally" vented gas appliance in "connected space" (no always-closed doors between the hood and the appliance), or have a "tight" house (recent, energy-efficient construction, most likely), I would skip MUA. Even if you do need MUA, the difference in the maximum hood flow probably wouldn't significantly influence the the cost of the MUA system, which I would think was primarily labor driven. If not significantly more expensive, and you can run at least an 8" duct (preferably a 10"), I'd go with 900 CFM for two reasons: * You have it when you need it -- guests over, and the kitchen fills with smoke... * A 900 CFM blower at 600 CFM may be noticeably quieter than a 600 CFM blower at 600 CFM The 24" will serve you well. Enjoy your new range!

We have the 4 burner/griddle and find we use the griddle more often than we thought. You'll love the Wolf griddle...it's got a thicker plate and more even heat than many other brands. Makes the best pancakes. I recommend you go to a restaurants supply store and get the 3M professional griddle cleaner system. It's pretty inexpensive. Use the scrub pad...don't use the mesh, unless you want to strip it back down to bare stainless. You want to keep it seasoned and allow a nonstick patina to develop. Nothing has really ever stuck anyways. I find the easiest way to clean it is let it cool down to about 140-160 degrees, pour a little bit of water on it, then use paper towels to wipe the grease and food particles off. The hot water will dissolve most everything and the heat will leave it dry. If it's really dirty, you can use the 3M pad. After that step, use clean vegetable oil on a paper towel to do a final wipe of the surface. We have the stainless cover, and it allows you to use the griddle area for storage, holding cooking utensils, etc. We also use it to put the deep fat fryer when we use it so the fumes are taken up the hood.