I'd cancel the order, get my deposit back and order a Bluestar which will be less expensive and in the opinion of myself and many others here the better of the two stoves. If you are expressing doubt at this stage and felt rushed to purchase because of a 10% increase then I would definitely reevaluate your decision before it is too late, assuming it isn't already.

It's not that Wolf is bad, it's just that there are so many compelling reasons to go with the Bluestar, not to mention that Wolf is owned by the large and corporate SubZero and Prizer is a small outfit. Who would you rather deal with and give your business to? Just some food for thought...
Sleepyhollow

A bit of buyer's jitters? Pretty normal. Wolf is a well thought of product on these forums. The positive reviews here for Wolf performance, customer service/the way they back up their products were among the reasons I have a Wolf rangetop in my kitchen just waiting for the rest of the cabinets to be installed so it can be up and running. After looking, I decided that a BlueStar wasn't for me, nor were sealed burners, so I went with the happy medium ('semi'open burner Wolf). A BlueStar is a completely different 'animal' than a DF Wolf, being all gas and with open burners, so if it is DF and sealed burners that you wanted, there's a great chance you'll be happy...and saving the money will be a nice bonus.

We highly considered Wolf for our purchase. Liked them very much, but we were looking for an AG unit. We ended up not buying the Wolf mainly because of all the problems posted about on this board with the AG model and the burners lighting with the oven on. I've not seen any problems that I can remember with a DF as now the gas supply is only for the range top and the oven runs off electric.
I might be wrong, but I seem to remember all the DF Wolf we saw are sealed burner type instead of the open burner as we would have had on the AG model. This does open your range of choices up a bit with quite a few DF sealed burner types out there brand wise.

I think you will be happy with it as long as you actually LIKE the model and were not pressured into making a quick decision based on a sales persons hype of "You better buy it today as the price is going up next week" type thing.

Other than the problems with the AG unit everyone I talked to was very happy with their Wolf.
Yes, pro type ranges are a lot of money. We went through that same, "oh my gosh just look at what we've spent" type thing when redoing our kitchen, but once whatever you have purchased is in and you are using it then it is all worth it. At least it was to us.

If you are unsure I'd go back and just visit the Wolf model you purchased again (and maybe look at some other brands at other stores just to compare) if you are seriously having doubts. Take some of your pans in (yes you can buy pans to work/fit the range) that you frequently use for certain things and see how they work for you. Get a feel for how the range operates. If it is hooked up then work the unit and get a comfort level or discomfort level for the unit. If you do decide it is not for you or is actually out of your budget then I would nto see why you could not get your money back as you've not taken delivery of the range. This should have been covered (no refunds, restock fee, etc.) when you put the money down.

Also, how comfortable are you with the retailer? Will they take care of you, do they have a bunch of hidden charges? Who is the service for the unit? All things we considered when purchasing.

As I said, we would have bought a Wolf if it was not for the AG oven/burner issues. We also liked the Electrolux AG model. Actually ordered one and then found Electrolux was having problems with them in production as they had moved their manufacturing of them. Electrolux pulled production and now does not even offer an AG on their website brochure. We ended up going with a DCS AG unit and love it.

All comes down to what fits your budget, what fits your needs, what you like the operation and look of and how comforatable you feel that you will get taken care of it there is a service issue.

Best of luck.
Cheers

Sleepyhollow,

Notice she put her deposit on a dual fuel. Bluestar doesn't offer a dual fuel.

Kent, I've been thrilled with my Wolf AG. It is very well made and cooks beautifully. There have been a few people who have had issue with the all gas recently, but not the dual fuel. But, I have to say that I've been very impressed that Wolf bought back all the ranges in question. And quickly, as these things go (not quickly enough for some that were suffering, but as corporate things go I was impressed). I have 2 friends with DCS ranges that have had nothing but problems and they've been told they have to live with them. A friend had a Viking fridge that froze her vegetables, no matter what she did, and Viking wouldn't buy it back.

So, given all that, I still would purchase a Wolf.

I am Wolf AG user for the last couple of years. Not a single moment regretted about my decision. I am moving to another house soon and once again I order for AG although I am hearing lot of issues around AG burner issues. Lets see how its going to be.

Friend of mine bought AG in 2007 in mid June and never had any issues. I am not saying the problem is not there. But the problem could be there in any brand and in any models. We can't make the judgment call based on the numbers failed over all. If we have to, then we have to reject every single brand names out there.

I am hearing/reading lots of bluestar burner little/minor issues. However it is so easy to rectify; thereby the issue never really discussed very seriously. On the other hand Wolf problem's become very difficult since the construction of the machine is so difficult for normal user to deal with.

Overall I am happy with the Wolf. I do like the Bluestar. But I simply don't like the built of it. It brings too much restaurant look in to the homd, which I don't like IMO.

just received delivery of my Wolf 30" DF range. extremely pleased with the craftsmanship and finish. the pride and satisfaction of ownership for this beauty is pretty high for me.

before you decide on the deposit, i suggest taking a look at the CornuFe (from La Cornue) which should be in your price range and is another work of art.

i am sure at your budget you will get an awesome range.

good luck and happy new year!

I love my ag 6 burner wolf range.I have never had a problem with the burners.There are problems with any range. A company can't be perfect. Will they backup their product? That is what is important to me. My range cooks great. I must of gained 10 pounds cooking with it. The stainless steel is beautiful. It looks great. I feel it is the cadillac of pro ranges in looks, (and works). It is the main feature of my kitchen. I love the semi sealed burners. It is the best of both worlds. I had sealed burners and you can't clean the rangetop. You have to try to scrub it on the range top. Not the semi sealed. IF need be every piece comes apart and I can take it to my sink. It only has about 1/8 of an inch opening. There is a slide out you can remove if something drips. I guess you can tell I love my range.

sharon s -- can you tell me more about your friends with the problem DCS ranges? What kind of problems? On GW forum everyone seems pleased with their range. I am one that has given up on a Wolf due to problems mentioned here and have just about decided to go with the DCS AG 30 inch. I believe a lot has to do with the distributor on what kind of service you will get. Can you say what area of the US these friends are in? Thanks

Thank you for all the input! I asked my DH about the bluestar but he said that we really would have difficulty getting it serviced. We did not see any vendors of it in my area (southern California). I noticed that many of you have the AG...is there a benefit to AG than the DF? Our vendor was great and did not pressure us at all. Fortunately our deposit is refundable but I need to make a decide as the cabinet maker is waiting on us. I also considered the Wolf DF cooktop.

2.5 years ago I installed a 30-inch Wolf DF range. I LOVE it!!! Absolutely love it!! I love the way the gas burners cook -- they deliver all the power I need for the way I cook (sauteeing, and very little wok cooking), and I LOVE the low simmer capability on the "small" burner that allows me to cook the most delicate sauces without hovering over them while they cook. And then there's the electric convection oven which is fabulous for roasting meats, baking cakes, cookies, pies. I'm absolutely delighted. Another plus is the easy clean up. I find the stove top very easy to keep clean.

I've not for 1 minute regretted the Wolf purchase, consider it the essential block of my kitchen and delight in using it every day.

And, I've not had one problem, ever, with its functioning. It's reliable, consistent, and free of problems.

One thing I would caution about is making the selection on all gas v DF. I doubt there is anyone on this board who has actually cooked and lived with a Wolf DF AND a Wolf all gas range. If there is someone out there who has done that, then I would certainly listen to their thoughts. The rest of us like the style of cooking we chose (DF or all gas), and have "opinions", which are not facts. To decide if you want DF or all gas, I recommend you have a serious discussion with the Wolf distributor who knows their products, about the pros and cons of all gas or DF.

Congratulations on your decision, and I wish you many happy hours of cooking on your new Wolf.

Just a brief 2 cents. I have been cooking on a Wolf 36 AG for the last 5 years and loved it. We just moved into our new home and we went with Blue Star this time. The reasons for going BS this time are posted in various posts here but it is not b/c I am unhappy with Wolf. The main pluses for BS for me are, I could get the range top custom configured to my liking (biggest reason), burner power (22K burners) and the star burner design. FWIW, I did want an electric oven for all the reasons people like electric and put in a Wolf wall oven for that choice (and glad I did).

If dual fuel is your game, then Wolf is the best choice IMO and there is merit to having electric ovens albeit with the sacrifice of open burners which I prefer. The Wolf problems recently posted here seem to be isolated to the AG units and I am sure Wolf will get that rectified. So...don't worry, be happy! You won't be disappointed; Wolf is a superb unit and the fit and finish of the unit is stunning.

My only question would be, why two griddles? Unless you have a really large family do you really need two griddles instead of getting 6 burners and one griddle?

I don't think you can go wrong with the Wolf DF. The electric convection ovens are great. It's a beautiful range. You'll hear allot from owners of other brands that will try to steer you away, but none of those other brands have the quality of construction the Wolf has. Some of them look like they were made in some guy's garage. The Wolf has a 5 year warranty. What do the others offer?

Wolf is an extremely easy company to deal with. I've written them emails several times with technical questions pertaining to installation of my Wolf Pro Island hood and our SubZero frig and they always respond in a professional manner within one day.

If you do any wok cooking see if you can get them to throw in the wok grate. It's only $48 but we got ours for free... after all, prices are essentially non-negotiable and set by the distributor, so it was one small thing they could do for us.

Another option to consider would be double wall ovens and a rangetop if you can configure the kitchen that way. I think this may be less expensive and you get two large ovens instead of one large and one small. That's what we did. We have the Wolf double ovens and the sealed 6 burner rangetop.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Tom

We really struggled with going with two griddles. We thought about doing one griddle and one grill and four burners but after reading some of the comments and watching the video on wolf's website, the grill looked like a lot of trouble. We are in So. California so plenty of sunshine to grill outdoors. I really didn't think I would use six burners...does anyone that that has the six burners and one griddle wish they had a larger griddle and less burners?

Concerning the DCS. a few months back a few people returned their DCS. Same as people are now. I am going to search and see if I can find their post.
Lynn

lgiorgi, I have tried to find any posts with complaints about DCS and so far have not been able to. Are you one that did have problems and return?

eandhl, re: the DCS, their complaints were mostly burner issues. But I have another friend who swears by DCS. Soooo, there are no guarantees with anything, I guess. Just have to hope the company will stand behind you if you get a dud.

Kent, I have the double griddle (it's one 22 inch griddle surface instead of one 11 inch griddle, but two separate controls). But I have the 60", so I have 6 burners also. I get a lot of use out of the large griddle surface.

When is the price increase expected? THanks!

I don't think the Wolf is a mistake -- I have the rangetop and double ovens. However, I would be hesitant about the 2 griddles. I went 6 burners and don't think it's too much. It's not only the number of burners but spacing and options for multiple work places. If I had 48", I might have gone with one griddle. Being in Texas, we would have a hard time feeling the need for the indoor griddle. You can get a spearate griddle or grill pan though. You can't get 2 extra burners when you need them.

Hi, Sorry your posted question got a bit off topic. Only mentioned we went with a DCS as it fit our needs and that we did not go with the current AG Wolf because of being scared off I guess you could say by this board.

Main focus of my post was not to promote another brand and shy you away from the Wolf, but was rather to say that if you were having doubts and not just the "oh my gosh look at the amount of money we spent" type ones about the range then go back and look at it again. You can also take the chance to look at other ranges out there to make sure that you are getting the one you want that best fits your needs. If in the end you feel comfortable with your choice then no problem. Look at the range, how it will work for you, your dealer, service etc. and make the best choice you can.
Nothing wrong with Wolf at all. Just in our instance, the posts about pretty extreme burner issues on the current all gas models put us off. Just as the fan noise posts put us off the Thermador we were looking at.
Yes, Wolf is a stand up company and after the purchasers went through numerous service calls to repair the issue they, last I read on this board, were buying back the ranges. That just was not worth the gamble to us on the ALL GAS as we did not want to take the chance on getting one of these models and having to potentially go through a buy back situation. As I said, with the DF not heard of an issue on this board. The burners are different between the two anyway. If we had not read about those people having issues with the current AG models then we would have an AG Wolf in our kitchen now.

The one thing we found in researching brands and models while we were looking is that you find people who own or know people who love and have never had a problem with whatever brand and then you find those that own or know people who have had nothing but problems and would never have another of that brand. Then you find boards (no knock in any way on this board or its posters as I don't get that feel here) that are consumers mixed with a number of dealers posting with their own agenda. Even more off topic, but we found this even worse when looking into a spa purchase. You have to filter through all this and make your own mind up. Worked out for us at least that the more you research and try to make a good decision the more confused you get on what is going to be good. Came down to look, look and relook until with that information and what we could research and find the least complaints on, we made our decision. In OUR case the DCS worked for what we wanted, we are pleased with it and as the man who is falling out of a 20 story building was heard to say as he was going down, so far so good ;)

AG to DF is just a preference. In our case it was the ease of install using existing hook ups and the fact that we were already planning on having an AG range and mounting an electric wall oven under counter so we had the best of both worlds as it were. Cooked with both and each have their pluses and minuses.

I did wonder about the griddle issue, but again it is your preference and what works for you. We looked at 48's, but in the end decided on a 36" range and a 30 wall oven. Again, just our preference. On the 36" range we got 6 burners. For us, the burners were a better choice as we then have the real estate to move pots around, the burners are not crowded together, we can cook and simmer multiple items and if we want to griddle some pancakes etc. we just pop the griddle plate on the burners and away we go. Just a preference on what is useful to you. Of the six burners we've probably only used 5 at one time max so far.

Anyway, best of luck to you on your choice. Myself, don't think you have gone wrong with the Wolf as long as that is the one that suits your needs and you like it.

Happy New Year to all.
Cheers

Hi there,

I was one of the those unfortunate people with the Wolf AG....

So my experience is not directly comparable but here it goes....

The burner top was outstanding. I enjoyed cooking with it everytime I used it in isolation. And I have a Wolf wall oven which is also outstanding. I bake a lot and one of the first things that I made with the wall oven was chocolate chip cookies (the AG wasn't installed yet) - the convection in the electric oven is amazing - for the first time ever I can say that I had 3 racks of cookies on the go and no burnt cookies - very disappointing for my DH as he liked the cookies with the well done bottoms from my previous Maytag AG range...

The other thing that I will say is that the Wolf distribution system/Wolf do stand behind their products. While my situation was very frustrating right before Christmas, they were very prompt in coming out to see if they could fix the problem and did offer me a DF range after 2 service visits at no cost. Unfortunately for them, I didn't want the DF for a variety of reasons.....so they did buy back the range (it's sitting in my living room waiting for pick-up later this week.).

I don't think you can go wrong with the DF range - if you are comfortable with the set up and the retailer/service network then go for it. It is a beautiful machine - I wish I could have made ours work.

Now having said that....I am really happy with the BS that replaced my AG Wolf. It is very interesting that others think it looks too industrial.....to my eye, if I covered the logo and put red knobs on it, I might think that I have a Wolf in my kitchen......my perception......I think that the AG ranges all seem to have the same kind of look to them....

Good luck - you have made a good choice - I think post deposit pre installation jitters is one of those things that goes with a kitchen reno....I know that I had them to but now that the kitchen is done, I can tell you that I am very happy with all that we chose.

Marion K.

My Wolf 36"DF is 6 weeks old and I love, love, love it.
I was so torn between the Wolf DF and AG. I have a very inexpensive AG range at our cabin and it is OK for my seasonal cooking. But, in our homes we have always had electric ranges. In the end I chose the DF and glad I did.
Now, my only problem seems to be the range top. I find that things simmer mostly on the outer edges. Unless I stir often the inside doesn't simmer. I have cooked baked beans twice and they came out mushy. (just the canned stuff) Maybe it is because of the closed burners? Not really sure, but I am still in the learning process. I almost think the open burners(such as in the AG range) but with the DF oven would be the perfect combo.

I have my Wolf AG 48" range for almost 4 years now. I love it! I had a small problem with the burners and Wolf came out right away to correct it, and now it's great. Good customer service is so important.

I was also questioning why you chose 2 griddles. I love having 6 burners for holidays and parties. I guess it depends on how you cook. I have one griddle on mine- and I've never used it!

I had my new bigger gas pipe, and new regulator installed over a month ago, and my AG Wolf is still working perfectly. My only regret is I feel guilty for Wolf sending someone to my house, at their cost, to tell me that my pipes were too small, and I needed the gas company to fix my pressure.

The last time I chimed in on the Wolf problems, someone emailed me. I got the feeling that they thought, that I didn't believe their gas pipes, and pressure were correct. I just want to say I don't doubt you, but that doesn't change the fact that my stove now works, and I should be able to post the facts.

Hi Bob411-

Can you tell me exactly what your gas company replaced? My Wolf technician said my gas pressure was insufficient and that the entire line to the propane tank needs to be replaced with a bigger pipe (line is buried, the tank is 100 yards away and there is a foot of snow on the ground). Wolf guy also said that the gas company would say that they just need to replace the gas line from the regulator to the house (a few inches) and that wouldn't work. Talked to the gas company and they said exactly what the Wolf guy said they would...

Sorry to hijack the post, let me know if I should start another thread.

Thanks!!

My gas company Nicor replaced my regulator. A plumber replaced the pipes from my meter to my stove with 1 1/4" I.D. I am on natural gas, the pipe that goes from the street to my house is 5/8" O.D., but that is high pressure, before the regulator. I'm not a plumber, it seems to me that LP would be the same, but maybe not. You need to add up all the BTUs of all of your gas appliances, there is a metal plate on all of them, on the Wolf you take off the drip pan of the left burners, and it's on the left side, and ask someone on the plumbing forum if the pipe is big enough or not.

Here is a link that might be useful: plumbing forum

We have a 48" Wolf DF in our new house and have been very happy with it for the most part. The only negative has been the rear riser. We started with one of the tall ones with a shelf, but unfortunately the attachment method for the 48" model doesn't really work properly - we had it reinstalled twice following special directions sent by Wolf customer service, and it was always wobbly.

Because we were finishing up the house and didn't have the patience to wait for customer service or a warranty visit, we just bought a lower riser and got rid of the tall one. No more wobble, but this one is bent - it curves in slightly in the middle toward the stove. It's also very close to the back burners, and has warped slightly were a hot pan sat up against it. This is a working stove, so it's not the end of the world, but given how much we paid for it I am probably going to call for them to look at it before the warranty runs out.

Cooking, however, is excellent. The ovens are great, love all the convection options, and the burners have all the power we need. We have a griddle and have actually used it on numerous occasions - for whatever reason, we never seemed to use the griddle on the Viking we had several years ago, so this is an unexpected pleasure. Other than the back riser, the build quality is very high.

We have a 36" duel fuel with convection wolf range for a little over a year now and I have to honestly say we never had one problem with it and I am really happy with it. I cook and bake a lot, so its always in use. The company is a pleasure to deal with if you have any questions or concerns. They also offer a free cooking class to help you learn how to use your stove and all its features (and you get to sample the food they cooked.. :) From my own experience with Wolf, I would definitely recommend it! Ree

If you consider DCS they have a 48" with 5 burners and a 17 inch griddle. It gives you a nice size griddle. You probably can't use all 5 burners at once but the ~30" of burner space allows you to use 4 large pans at once. The Wolfe also allows room for 4 large pans as the burners are on the ends. I can't imagine most people using more than 4 burners at once.

It has been three weeks and we have gone back to the store several times to look at the wolf. We tried to talk ourselves out it...but we keep coming back to the Wolf. We have decided to go with the six burners and one griddle. Thanks to all of your for your comments.

PS prices went up on Jan 2nd. We bought on Dec 31 so we lucked out)