I am also considering buying Gaggenau combi-steam and have a couple of questions. I've posted them already on the forum but somehow have not gotten any answers. I apologize for my repetitions, but I feel that real experts are on this thread and thus you may know. 1. Gaggenau combi-steam oven manual says that the oven cooks with normal pressure of the steam. I've contacted Gaggenau and received that as a reply: "Thank you for your email and interest in Gaggenau Appliances. I can confirm that our Combination Steam ovens are non pressure. Pressure steam ovens work by building the steam in a pressured and sealed cavity, although cooking in a pressured environment can cut down on cooking time it doesn't allow you to cook different food types to the desired and required time and also to maintain taste and nutrients. As different types of food require different lengths of cooking time the Gaggenau non pressure system will allow you to access the oven adding and taking foods out at different times to ensure the varying types are food are cooked to perfection whilst having them cooked and ready at the same time." Miele combi-oven does not say anything about steam, only mentions that if the door is opened, the operation stops, and pressure needs to be equalized. Do you cook with Miele in stages, meaning do you add things in the process? Can you please comment on it? Is there real difference btw Miele and Gaggenau ovens or not? And does it matter? 2. I also hoped that Gaggenau oven would have pull-out racks but it does not. Miele does. Gaggenau however has a side door. Will I miss the pull-out racks if I go with Gaggenau, or direct access to the oven ensures that I really do not need the racks? Thanks a lot! MTC

Okay, I've uploaded a picture of the open cabinet. The drain and water line come through right under the next shelf up, as you can sort of see. That's about the level of the bottom of the big oven. There is a vent. It is required. The trench picture doesn't show any of the actual plumbing bits for the oven in it. It was a work in progress picture. I linked it because it shows how the fall of the drain line goes and ties in to the rest. I'm sorry I can't give you better details. I understand the principles of plumbing, but I don't tend to make long term memories of things that are recorded elsewhere. I agree with the lady about the plumber (see above). :) I do know enough to know that the big issue I used as a test for screening contractors was the fall for both the steam oven and the island. I hired the guy who was equally concerned. He brought in the master plumber and the camera to crawl the line, before we had a contract, so that he could assess the scope of the job, and even if it would be possible. We lucked out that the kitchen drained toward where I wanted the island, rather than toward the powder room, in a perpendicular direction. The line required something like 1/8" per foot, so they were just really careful to make sure the angle was true. Attofarad, I remembered that I'd answer that before, in Kitchens. Please forgive the copy and paste: The face of the spice rack is 7", and the trays about about 4.25" interior measure. It's one sided with a thick wall and some air space on the back so that the spices will be okay even during self clean. The back of the wood gets a little warmer than room temperature, but the side that the spices are on stays cool.

Someone else was talking about this not so long ago. You might try doing a search of the forum (search box on bottom--never top, or Google). The trick to doing this gracefully is to have at least an inch of cabinetry showing between the two ovens. I have that between my two Gaggs, as well. What it does is give you a visual separation between the two appliances. This is especially important when they don't match. The glass door and distinctive control panel of the Gaggenau area especially distinctive. Best to embrace the difference and just go with it. Do make sure that you have adequate space for the plumbing. It can go in a different cupboard for the most part--it doesn't have to go behind the larger oven.

@JJ Mekai . Hi. For what it's worth, I decided on the Gaggenau CSO instead of the Miele. Three reasons. I preferred the two-knob controls -- which at first can be intimidating, but once you learn what's what, very easy to use. I knew I was not going to use the Miele pre-programmed recipes. The second reason was Gaggeenau having the broiler "under glass." As NYGuy says above, cleaning the broiler unit on the Miele would be a real pain. I took one of the Miele CSO classes; the instructor was touting her "invention" of wrapping a damp paper towel around a fork and sticking it every which way along the broiler element to clean it. I have read, though, that the new models have a detachable boiler unit for easier cleaning. Finally, I got a very good deal on a scratch-and-dent model that came with the complete warranty. That still made the Gaggenau more expensive than the Miele, but I got the side opening door and self-cleaning feature as well. Have been very happy with the choice, especially for baking bread and cooking veggies using steeam. Pizza also cooks well. When we've had lots of people over to make pizza, I put a pizza stone (not Gaggenau's version) on the bottom rack, heat the oven for an hour and then also use the broiler. Works as well as the regular oven, even without having bottom heating. Like anything new, there is a learning curve -- and I am still learning. My only regret is not getting the Gaggenau wall oven. There I went with the Miele purely because of price. It's been fine, but I miss the knob controls and the side opening door. As in so much of life, compromise rules the day!