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wolf vs dacor cooktop

15 years ago

I know there have been tons of threads on cooktops, and I've read them all - I love this site! My question is sort of specific:

deciding between wolf 36" and dacor 36" cooktop. I love how the wolf looks, and I love the rubber feet on the grates. But the dacor seems to have the bead-blasted surface under the grates that is apparently easier to clean (vs the Wolf's SS surface being scratchable). I don't think the dacor's more powerful 18k burner vs wolf's 15k one will make much difference to us.

Also, our KD suggested we get a 42"(?) hood, which I really like. But Wolf doesn't make one, so matching might be an issue?

does anyone have major trouble cleaning the wolf? is the SS underneath the grates all scratched up? does that even matter??

On your 36" wolf, what size hood do you have? If it's 42", what make is it?

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Comments (8)

capecodcook
15 years ago
FWIW, Wolf makes several 42" wide models. However, given the small visual footprint of a cooktop, I'm not sure matching is much of an issue. With a cooktop, most of what you see is grates.
3katz4me
15 years ago
I have a 36" Wolf cooktop and I really like it. Stainless gets scratches but in my opinion that comes with the territory if you have a stainless cooktop and actually use it. You get the first scratch and you freak out like the first ding in a new car. Then you get over it. Stainless does get more smeary than anything I've had before. I clean it with 409 and a miracle cloth and that works well. I'm over having it perfectly clean and smearless all the time - and I'm pretty anal about that kind of thing. I think you have to keep in mind it's an appliance meant to be used - not a pristine showpiece to have on display.

I have a 36" VAH inside cabinetry so matching is a non-factor.
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I have the Wolf CT30G/S (30" natural gas cooktop vs the 36" you're considering). I think it's simmer is fantastic - it is the same simmer as on the CT36G. Truly. I love the stacked burner concept as it lets you effect a low-energy flame over the same distribution as the main flame (loosely) without reducing the size of the flame too. I use this all the time and much to my surprise I find I use it a lot. I thought I'd only really need this to "melt chocolate on a paper plate" and as I never cook on paper plates and have never yet expanded my culinary expertise to requiring me to melt chocolate, I didn't think I'd need it. But I find I use it even to make rice when I'm making a 1-2 person amount. & its been very nice to have when making custard/ whitesauce sort of stuff as I have literally just left them be on the simmer without paying any further attention to it - never have been able to do that before without burning 'em. Why would you think it would be tough to clean around the controls? The control panel beneath the knob is a plane of glass - very easy to wipe. If anything is tough to clean, I would say it would be the knob itself because the top of the cylinder of the knob to which the lever is attached is concave and therefore you need to dig a little to wipe. However, that is reaching deep to find a cleaning difficulty. Probably the greater effort is in lifting the heavy grates :-) I wouldn't use scotchbrite pads on the Wolf either or any stainless surface for that matter as it will scratch the stainless. I use a damp sponge or a miracle cloth. I was planning on the Miele and would have gone for that one (it was a LOT cheaper than the wolf since there was some local promo/deal thing a few months ago) but it wouldn't fit in the counter cutout of the cooktop I was replacing. One of the nicest things about the Miele is that it is a very thin profile stove. Whereas the Wolf and a good many others are ~4" deep under the countertop rim, the Miele is just 2" or 2.5" or thereabouts. Nice if want to put a drawer under it. The only thing to check re: the Miele would be its' simmer output. I'm really enamored of the simmer on the Wolf - didn't realize I'd find quite this much use for it.
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auzzy
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I have the 5-burner Wolf cooktop. The stainless steel does scratch. It's not so noticeable under the grates, but the scratches along the edge do bother me. After using it for a year, the stainless steel under the grates and the burner caps have gotten a bit discolored as well. Don't know if this is normal or not. I use a SS Vent-a-Hood. Haven't seen the new Dacors, so can't comment on them.
kitchkat
15 years ago
Will the 5 burner wolf cooktop fit in a 36" cabinet
The appliance guy says no, but I think it will
has anyone done this
I really want the Wolf.
The inside measurement of my cabinet is 34 1/2 "
ericwarren
15 years ago
the answer is yes.
we had he same exact situation.
the actual "metal box" that goes into the cabinet is less than 34.5" wide
the only issue is you'll need your granite to be cut at 34.75 because the cooktop does have a slight angle in the box for about the first 1"
enjoy!
kitchkat
15 years ago
Thanks for the response ericwarren.
I'm assuming yours is a gas cooktop
Didn't you do a 35" cutout in your granite as specificed on
the wolf website.
Where did you get the 34.75 information from
Nobody can seem to help us on the installation guide including Wolf themselves.
We might go to DCS because of this. Very frustrating
ericwarren
15 years ago
indeed, the ct36g

trust me on the 34.75...you may wany to go 34 7/8, but don't need to go wider.
also, remember that the 34.75 is only the 1st 1inch (or roughly the thickness of the granite) the unit tapers down to less than 34.25" after that.

i've been thrilled with this unit as well as the customer service from wolf.

let me know if you have any other q's
lascatx
15 years ago
RE the hood, we have a 42" Best by Broan. Couldn't get the features we wanted with Wolf, Independent (maker of Wolf -- at least at the time) had a long lead time and we didn't care about matching. I just preferred something that didn't have a conspicuous name badge, expecially if it was different. This one has a tag, but it is just embossed on stainless and is subdued.

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