Noisy Bosch Range! Normal? Replace with Kenmore or what?

16 years ago

We ordered a Bosch DF slide-in from the Great Indoors. Last week they mistakenly delivered delivered an electric and told us to use it until they got another DF in stock (three weeks). So the range I am using isn't my permanent one, but I'm very worried that mine will be just as annoying. Because this sucker is LOUD.

The fan rattles and makes scraping noises for a few seconds starting up and slowing down. And then the fan is loudloudloud. (I don't now if it's the cooling fan or the convection fan.) Once I turn the oven off, the cooling fan then still runs for an hour and twenty minutes!! Loud enough that I need to turn up the TV in the next room.

I stopped at the Thermador/Bosch showroom and they told me that yes, it is possible for the fan to need to run that long. After baking something at 350 for 30 minutes? I find it ironic that a company that touts how quiet their dishwashers are makes a noisy stove!!

Should I expect my replacement range to be as noisy and run so long, or do the rattling fans indicate there are other problems?

I am torn about what to do because this is such a pretty range. I got the Titanium color and I love how it looks in my very white kitchen. Plus it has a nice big oven and powerful burners. I just don't know if I can listen to this thing for the next ten years.

If I decide to cancel the other one what do I replace it with?

* Jenn-Air is beautiful in the white floating glass but the quality is whack.

* Kitchen Aid is ugly. To me.

* GE Profile has curved handles which are all wrong.

* GE Cafe looks good and sounds good, but who wants to be a guinea pig?

Which all leads me to a Kenmore Elite. I have found one poster saying her/his Kenmore Elite is very quiet. I would love more feedback!

Anyone out there love their Kenmore DF? Anyone have a Kenmore PRO? Who can reassure me the new Bosch should be better?

Nicole

Here is a link that might be useful: Such a pretty Bosch range...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

bretonb
16 years ago
It seems after reading many posts on this forum, most slide-ins have a noisy cooling fan. A free standing range will not have a cooling fan to listen to. I have decided ( after 3 problem new ranges) to go with a free standing. I know they do not look as nice as slide-ins. A slide-in will always have a much smaller oven and I have not found one that has a warming drawer. Yesterday while looking at slide- ins, my husband pointed out that the reach from front of the stove to back burners is much greater on a slide-in than a freestanding range. When you are a pip squeek with back problems , like me , it is something to think about. My 2nd last range from Sears was an all white Kenmore Elite. It is a nice looking range, however the reason I sent it back was because of the white smooth top. Even if I did not have any spillovers there were always hard to remove marks on the white top. The cream cleaner would not touch these marks. So if I were to get another Kenmore Elite I would definetely get a black top.
traceys
16 years ago
Hi Nicole, I had a Bosch slide in all electric and did find it to be quite noisy. I can't speak for the dual fuel but I would imagine it would be the same. I did get rid of it finally because of a defective cooling fan(it would only run about 10 min and then turn off). It is supposed to run for an extended period of time. I don't know how long that's supposed to mean. Also the cooling fan runs from the time you turn it on until it is cooled to 170 degrees. That's what Bosch told me.

I now have the Kenmore Elite, again all electric and the cooling fan is almost silent. It may not be the look everyone wants but it works for me. The cooktop is powerful(more than the Bosch) and the oven cooks/bakes well. I have black and don't have cleaning issues.

There are some here who don't mind the fan. I could have lived with it if everything was working properly.

Hope that helps.

Tracey
Related Discussions
Kenmore Elite Top load damage/replacement
Q
Comments (84)
I have a Kenmore Elite, top-Loading Automatic Washer; purchased on 12/3/10. tonight I was watching TV with my son and we heard a noise so loud we just ran out of the room. We had no idea what it was. Well...I walk into my laundry room and the ENTIRE TOP OF THE WASHER literally blew off. The drum is on the floor inside the housing; housing is all dented, the plastic brackets or whatever you call them are all broken. The force was so strong, it pushed into my dryer and dented the drum. So I have my little master protection plan and call SEars. They tell me the FIRST available for anyone to come look at it is January 5th...... I have been waiting for a call back from a supervisor for an hour already and will call again. The water is leaking everywhere and I don't even want to go look at my basement ceiling. I am still shaking from the entire episode because it was so loud. This isn't rocket science either . . . it would take about 5 seconds for someone to walk in my laundry room, say - oh yeah - that's broken - and haul it out of here. What has happened to Sears!!!! I have never had this kind of a problem with ANY appliance I have had from them. I wish i could figure out how to add a picture so you could all see this. . . .
...See More
Opinions needed about Bosch electric range
Q
Comments (10)
mpagmom- Good points brought up here..I feel the same way you do--my head says to choose induction for safety and function, too. It really makes sense and I would kick myself in 5 years when everybody will be getting one and I went with the old school electric knowing I could have had state of the art. I really am not a 'keep up with the Joneses' type, that is not what I mean, but I truly believe it is the way of the future (like cell phones, microwaves, TVs and indoor plumbing!) unless someone down the road finds some terrible hidden flaw in the design (like it causes cancer or something awful like that). And I don't think I would let a few negative reviews about broken panel fixes sway me too much cause there are so many more positives out there. But on the other hand, that Bosch is really so darn cute and especially seems so well made and thought out. It really has everything I like, I would be happy with it, because it is no comparison to what I have now. I am agonizing so much because think that this will prbly be the last stove I ever own--my present 'Hardwick Classic 100' is 27 years old and still going strong, not broken but basic and just looks bad! I so wish Bosch made a slide in induction. I'm sure they are working on it, probably one with knobs, too! Well, at least they do have a freestanding electric WITH controls on the front (knobs even), if I need to resort to that in the end. I really need to have that feature (reaching issues because I am very short and a little more endowed up front, if u kno what I mean) and always prefered knobby look to touch screen anyway. But I am willing to go with the touch screen for progress's sake, with what's out there presently in induction. I am kind of strapped for time as I need to pick out something in the next couple of weeks. We are getting our countertops replaced and I want to have the stove picked out so they can view the installation instructions when making the template. I am so trying to avoid any problems. I didn't know about the drawer issue, but I do not have full overlay drawers, so hopefully that will not be an issue. I will have to look into it though, so thanx for the heads-up. We are having our cabinets refaced and a new one built to add on as a penninsula, so the cabinet guy might be able to help. And speaking of form, I hear ya about the Profile eyeball/football window--I really dislike that also!! But GE does have a good track record with ranges, and it is on sale at sears for 450 less than the Kenmore slide in so I am telling myself to live with it, if that is how I end up going. (I do like the look of the Kenmore better, though--maybe Friends and Family sale in a couple of weeks will bring it down more) I already went over budget picking out a fridge (Kenmore also) and that really needs to stay b/c of size constrictions there. I'm just really nervous now about the installation process so really need to talk to someone in the store about my concerns. This remodel has been in the works for literally years, and I just want to make all the right decisions. But there always will be something to wish for that doesn't exist yet, no matter what the timing is. Heck, I never dreamed I would be considering an induction range in the plan, but at least can still make that choice at this point. If you have time on your side, maybe you should wait a few more months and see what evolves. The Bosch Pro electric just came out, so it will still be around. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and listening to mine!
...See More
Induction range recommendation: Bosch, Electrolux.... Miele?
Q
Comments (21)
We bought the Electrolux induction range about 4 1/2 years ago and loved it ....until it died on us around Christmas time. Just after using the burners (but everything had been turned off) we heard a loud pop, then a big BANG. Afterwards, no burners worked and an error message displayed. After some investigation, we found it would cost about $800 CAD just for the part, and our 3 year extended warranty had run out the year before. We replaced it with a kenmore induction slide in range and bought the biggest extended warranty we could. Hope Sears stays in business:) I love induction, but this stove is definitely not as nice as my Electrolux...the fans are VERY loud, the air blown comes out the front right at waist level and is irritatingly cold, (even the oven fans are loud) and to turn on a burner you either have to choose Low and click up, or choose Power Boost (high) and click down. But after having spent $3000 CAD on the Electrolux, we just couldn't shell out another $3000 plus. I still wanted induction, but we went with a budget model to get it. Whichever stove you get, my advice is to make sure you get as big a warranty as you can. And make sure the company has a good reputation for honouring it. One appliance salesman told me that the life expectancy of today's appliances is 7 - 12 years.
...See More
Replace Low decibel Bosch dishwasher with Bosch or Miele?
Q
Comments (11)
Like Heather, I, too, was surprised to find smaller price differentials between the two brands. I happened to be shopping for a replacement DW a couple of months ago. This was just as Bosch and Miele were releasing their updated model lines. I mention this because (at least, in my area), there have been deals offered on warehouse stock and floor models which may be worth considering, particularly if you are interested in a Miele. For your question about potential differences in the quality of the interiors of the two brands' models, I would say that Bosch models I saw all had nylon racks and parts much as the Miele models did. Miele's racks are designed to provide loading flexibility with few movable tines, etc. The new Bosch models' racks seemed to be a bit lighter in construction and seemed to have even more moving parts than they used to have. Because of that, I second homepro's recommendation to take some of your dishes and etc. down to a showroom (or showrooms). See how your things fit and whether you like or dislike the loading patterns for the models you are considering. Like 3katz4m3, I found I slightly preferred the Bosch models' layout. But that is very much personal preference so YMMV. You mentioned that your 8 y.o Bosch had developed leaks and asked if the latest Bosch models are more durable than your old one. That seems hard to judge. My original bottom-of-the-line Bosch DW lasted from the 1990s to 2011 with the only work being replacement of a worn latching release spring for the detergent dispenser. I bought a new DW when the control panel burned out and replacements were no longer available. The new DW was a Bosch 500 series model. It developed cracks in the plastic pump and sump housings this March just after the five year warranty ran out. The parts assemblies seemed very expensive and the replacement process seemed (to me) onerous enough to make me look at a new DW. I can say that, to my eye when shopping back in March, the new Bosch models did look better to work on than the ones from five to eight years ago. Whether that makes them more durable is hard to say. Miele DWs have a longstanding reputation for being built like tanks and there is the company's vaunted mantra of "designed for a 20 year useful life" or "7500 cycles." That is an admirable yet aspirational expectation; Miele's extended warranty is only five years. (Canadians can sometimes get 10 year extended warranties from Miele.) Some posters here have had Miele dishwashers last for a long time, but some have not. An additional consideration from previous threads on Miele DWs is that you probably will not need service, but if you do need service, you want to be sure that Miele factory service is readily available where you live as opposed to dealer coverage which may not be as good. One small thing of possible note: if you want a smudge resistant stainless steel finish on the exterior, Miele DWs had it and the Bosch ones did not, at least when I was shopping in March. On cleaning performance, I cannot speak directly to the abilities of the current Benchmark and 800 series because I bought one of the new 300 series models. What I can say is that the new 3-rack 300 series model takes about 15% longer to run a full cycle than its 500-series predecessor did, but does an excellent job. One difference between the machines is what Bosch calls a "Clean 30" cycle. So far, for me, the new DW's "Clean 30" cycle (which I now use frequently) has worked as well as the standard long cycles on its predecessor. ETA: Although the cycle is called "Clean 30," the timer display always shows it taking 38 to 40 minutes on my unit. I suspect you would see the same with the new Benchmark and 800 series models. As best I could tell when shopping, the higher level Bosch models offered those and additional cycle choices, additional rack flexibility, and, as Heather noted, there were a couple of the more expensive models that also offer built-in water softeners. Before starting out on my shopping trip, I had read some older posts here saying that Miele offered an automatic water softening system. Don't know if they still do that but the Miele model I saw when shopping (a "Crystal") required testing water hardness and programming the water softener much as the Bosch ones do. If memory serves, the price of that Miele was less than the Bosch Benchmark with the water softener (at least on that day). It also offered the end-of-cycle auto-door-opening feature which enhances final drying. I passed on it mainly because the cost was over my planned budget and our town's water is not all that hard. And a final FWIW : even the new Bosch 300 series models are rated at 44 dBA for quietness. Some of the Benchmark models are even less. The low-to mid range Miele models that I looked at were rated at 46 dBA as was my previous Bosch 500 model. The 2 dBA difference seems negligible to me.
...See More
patches123
16 years ago
I have the Bosch Integra slide in, electric, and yes the fan is loud when you use the oven and it runs for awhile after turning the oven off. For the first week I was really annoyed and thought about returning it to get the KA slide in instead. However, now I am used to it and don't even notice it.
svcmgr
16 years ago
nigel-bigel:

The noisy cooling fans have been a source of complaint for some time now on both Bosch and Thermador ovens. During oven operation you will normally hear the noise caused by the cooling fan's air flow.

The reason the fans are very noisy is because they only operate at high speed. The noise could be reduced if the cooling fan speed was based on the oven heating mode. For example, on high temperature, self-clean the cooling fans would operate at high speed, while at normal baking/roasting temperatures the cooling fan could operate at a moderate speed and still maintain a safe oven, outer cabinet temperature. The Gaggenau brand of oven uses this technology, but it is more costly and Bosch/Thermador have chosen not to use it.

However, you are fortunate if the factory operated Bosch/Thermador showroom is still open for business in your area. Apparently, due to cost cutting measures, Bosch/Thermador (B/S/H/ Home Appliances Corp.) has started to close down their Regional Sales Showrooms, with the Boston/New England showroom and sales office being the first to close on September 1, 2007, according to ApplianceAdvisor.com... Who knows what the future holds for this German based appliance giant? See the attached link, August 2007.

Here is a link that might be useful: Factory Owned Bosch/Thermador Showroom To Close, September 1, 2007
mindstorm
16 years ago
Hmm, Isn't the deal that BSH showroom/sales office is moving out of Boston to open up in Texas somewhere? They've got a few on the East coast if I recall right, and i understood that they wanted a central footprint as well.
jakvis
16 years ago
mindstorm - I heard the same thing. That they were closing a couple of their showrooms to concentrate their efforts in creating a showroom /training facility in the Houston area. I have read that Texas is giving big incentives to various companies to build there. It's my understanding that the tax laws are very advantagous to businesses who locate there.

But leave it up to svcmgr to report with glee a 2 month old story. The funny thing about it is the same source he is quoating with gloom and doom has also recently promoted BSH to it's Big 5 in the US.
This doesn't sound like BSH appliance company is on it's death bed. But I guess this is giving scvmgr nightmares.
jakkom
16 years ago
BSH Corp. is of course not on its deathbed. They are also notable for their attitude of indifferent customer service on all their brands.
eal51
16 years ago
We have had a Bosch slide in all electric range for almost three years now. Yes, you can hear the fan when using the convection oven but I would not call it noisy. And the fan does not run for 30 minutes after the oven is turned off.

We have no complaints about our Bosch appliances - range, dishwasher, microwave. They are all quality built and we expect at least 15 years of quality service out of them.

Enjoy the journey.

eal51 in western CT
nicoletouk
Original Author
16 years ago
The showroom here in the Detroit area isn't owned directly by BSH, but rather by a distributor named Radio Distributing. There are no sales conducted at the showroom, only demos. IIRC, they also had Gaggenau products on display.

Between my schedule and my saleswoman's vacation I haven't discussed this with her yet but hope to have the chance today. Based on eal51's experience, I think there is something wrong with my unit.

Thank you for all of your feedback!

Nicole

Noisy Bosch Range! Normal? Replace with Kenmore or what?

Comments (9)

bretonb

traceys

Related Discussions

patches123

svcmgr

mindstorm

jakvis

jakkom

eal51

nicoletouk
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Noisy Bosch Range! Normal? Replace with Kenmore or what?

Comments (9)

Related Discussions

nicoletoukOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

nicoletouk
Original Author