Great question. Considering Bosch and Electrolux double wall ovens myself.

I am very interested in what everyone's opinions are as well.

I bought the 500 series oven precisely because I wanted knobs, not touch controls. You should be aware that you still need to use touch control to 'confirm' the setting, but it's simple - in 4 years I've only 'missed' once (the timer never got set and my bread burned).

I really, really, dislike touch controls. My DIL has a Bosch range, and try as I might, I cannot get the touch right and end up having to ask someone else to set the oven.

In case you haven't looked, Consumer Reports rated the KA wall oven higher than Bosch 500 and Electrolux.

http://m.consumerreports.org/product/view/id/99047206/?KSID=77fdffeb6a83c2eeea5fd0a45e2c77af

Bosch DW was marginally higher than the KA

http://m.consumerreports.org/product/view/id/D60026/?KSID=77fdffeb6a83c2eeea5fd0a45e2c77af

None did well in bottom freezer French door refridges

http://m.consumerreports.org/category/list/id/34402/p_id/28719/?KSID=77fdffeb6a83c2eeea5fd0a45e2c77af

We are going with Bosch UC 5040 wall oven, cooktop and DW to get the 20% discount. For what its worth i think the Bosch and KA wall ovens are pretty comparable as are the DWs. Would vote none of the above on the refridgerators and sorry can't comment on the microwave other than check out the drawers if you don't already have a two ovens figured out via a range. After cooking all this holiday week we can't wait to get two 30" wall ovens installed! Good luck!

Funny. I use convection in the microwave probably half the time I use it at all.

I own a Bosch 500 series 27" wall oven. My oven is installed under the counter, and I too preferred knobs for ease of setting. Mine bakes fine, preheats quickly, has a quiet fan, and has been reliable for the first year. I do find it irritating, though, that the oven light turns off after checking an item in the oven so that it must be punched back on EACH time the door is closed. The energy saving moron that thought that one up never baked on a regular basis. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase so far.

Thanks for the insights.
I am most likely going to go 500 series for the oven, microwave and fridge (counter depth side by side) and the SHX68R55UC dishwasher which has integrated controls but has a display window for cycle information.
I've looked at Thermador and Gaggenau for the ovens but can't stomach the price and am suspicious of touch controls. I love the rotisserie though and wish there were something like it for the Bosch. I'll add the rolling shelf to the Bosch.

Like you, I had planned to add the rolling shelf to my Bosch oven. However, the racks glide so easily that I haven't felt the need to make the purchase. You may want to use the oven before ordering the gliding rack.

I have the Bosch 800 doulble ovens and love them. The touch controls do not require force at all-just gently lay your finger on the spot. i don't know what you're saying about a required delay or a sound with each keypress. If there is a sound, I don't notice it. Delay, what delay?

I don't like the broiilers but that's likely user error altho I still don't like closed door broiling. Fine baking, steady temps, fast preheat.

When initially shopping for a new oven, I wanted knobs only, just like our 26 y/o GE oven. Through the process, I switched gears and ended up with a 'touch' type oven instead (Elux wave-touch). I really like it so far, but the one thing I keep tripping up on is having to touch "START" to make the silly thing actually cook. ;o) I keep forgetting it is a computer that cooks food!

No one has mentioned the self-clean/push-button failures so commonly reported for wall ovens. Are those problems fixed for Bosch ovens? I like to use self-clean but half the time our GE Profile buttons don't work until I press several and wake up the control board somehow. One day it will fail altogether and I am trying to figure out a replacement.

@westsider40 - one of the reviews I read (possibly on AJ Madison, possibly elsewhere - read so many now!) complained that the touch buttons on the 800 required a hard deliberate press, beeped loudly after every press and required a 0.5 second delay between each press. Perhaps this has changed since that review was written. Unfortunately, I've not been able to find anywhere that has the 800 series oven actually connected.
How long have you had yours? Any reliability issues?

@GromitInWA... Oh, I don't know...There are newbies to all these appys There is a learning curve. It's frustrating to the learning person. We novices wanted to hit the ground running but then we get scared by non scary things. And generally were way braver.

It took me a while to gently, correctly, tap the button. Easy when you know how to do it. Nobody out there let yourself feel silly or inferior. Youre not. You have had years of success. Just keep working hard and have an open mind and sense of humor. Oh, it's late and I am punchy. Happy New Year to one and all,

We considered all 3 of the ovens you mention and finally chose the Bosch 500 series wall oven. It has only been in use for a few months, but we've been pleased so far. Very even temps. I think the preheat time is slow, and I do sometimes dislike turning the knobs endlessly to set the timer, but its performance has been stellar. I do a lot of gluten and allergen free baking, and have seen a marked improvement in the baked goods. Hth.

I have the bosch 800 30" single oven for over a year now. I love it but i agree that the controls are harder to use than a dial. You have to hold your finger there until it catches basically. More patience is required. However cleaning it is a breeze so that's better than dials.

I bought the 800 oven over the 500 because i bought a package of 3 800 series appliances and got 15% rebate (I was going to get the 800 DW and refrigerator anyway so needed the 800 oven to get the higher overall rebate). Otherwise i would have gotten the 500 oven.

I am happy with the few extras you get with the 800. The gliding shelf is nice but the regular ones works fine too.
The panel is nice to clean and looks better as i have it installed under counter. The lighting is better in the 800.

THe oven itself is very large, nice big window - cooks everything very well and I think i've tried every thing. The probe works really well - just tried that for Christmas dinner.

Sorry for my earlier goofy response-and I wasn't even drinking.

Re the beeps, I just asked DH because I didn't remember loud beeps. Neither of us noticed the sound. So I just tapped a few pads and it does make a sound but neither dh nor I thought it was annoying. The sound is loud enough so that you know it beeped but we didn't find it intrusive.

I also did not notice a delay between button pushing. Perhaps I need that amount of time to figure out my next move! Could be that I am slow. Again, not an issue for me. (and my dh needs to do everything speedy pronto) No, tested again-there is no discernible delay but that is subjective. Nope, no delay. Could that reviewer be comparing it to typing 100 words per min?

It does need a deliberate but light touch. I just tested the required touch pressure and I would call it kind of light. On a scale of 1-10, I'd say it was a 2 -4. It has to be deliberate enough to adequately direct the machine to work, but my little fingertips did not protest, at all!

I don't want to possible steer you wrong, but I've never heard those complaints before. It would be great if you could find a plugged in model to test for yourself.

I do admit to needing to read the manual again. Occasionally I am unable to 'complete a maneuver' but that is most likely due to user error rather than a failure of the machine.

My appliances will be 2 yrs. old in late spring and I will be 73 at my next birthday. So I am young thinking enough to buy the new-fangled induction and re-learn a little bit about cooking -and to buy an oven with electronic controls and no dials. But I forgive myself if I flub once in a while. It's all ok.

Based on the feedback I'd say the 800 is still in the running! I like the flat surface from a look and cleaning perspective (I know the knobs on the 500 push in, but the completely flat surface is nice). I do wonder about how the touch panel will hold up with the heat from the oven. On the other hand, the 500 has some touch controls too.
I played with a 500 at Lowe's today (but of course it was not plugged in) and wondered if rotating them would get tiresome as rovo indicated above.
@westsider40 - you made me laugh with your age comment. My mother who is 82 has been not technically minded all her life yet now she happily texts, emails and Facebooks from her smartphone. She's even been known to swap SIM cards when travelling, which blows my mind.

Does anyone have a photo of their 800 oven installed? The reviews on it are great, but I'm having trouble picturing it in my kitchen, and no one near me has any models to see in person!

Thanks!

Oh my lordie we have started our cottage renovations and it is an enormous undertaking and taking it right back down to the joists. My biggest challenge is respecting that this is a cottage budget and I cannot replicate our home kitchen out at our cottage but that one day this will become our retirement home. My obsessive web crawling and consumer review mparisons only adds another layer of complexity in decision process

Here is where we have ended up thus far

Already Purchased
Fridge Samsung RF4287HARS for 1899.00
DW Bosch SHV68R53UC for $ 1079.99
Range Hood Sirius 36" SU5 90SS 600 FM (owned one for 11 years and absolutely love it) for # 754.94

Where I have ended up thus far appliance wise is as follows and seeking your thoughts based on your personal experiences specific to 30" Wall Oven and matching 30" Warming Drawer and LP Cooktop that will be 36"

For purchasing I am leaning towards the below and truly appreciate your thoughts. The only matching I need to watch for is between Single Oven and Warming Drawer as distance between will not create issues between SS look

36" Cooktop Capital Maestro for $ 1393.00 - have no experience with this brand as presently using DCS and love it. We use high burner all of the time and I like what I am reading thus far but do not know if anyone has had any type of issues with Capital
30" Single Wall Oven - KA Architect II KEBS109B for $ 2114.10 have never owned KA and presently own Dacor and no affinity to stay with the brand
30" Matching Warming Drawer / possible will use panel here instead of SS - KA Architect II KEWS105B for $ 1079.00. I am bothered that everywhere I have checked there are no timers to auto shut off and last thing I need to do is leave the cottage and drive back to different state with out someone turning it off

Also I need to find an "affordable/dependable" undercounter wine fridge that the price is reasonable that will be in our island. I want drain as the power can cut off in winter there for over a week and need it to be able to drain and not all over our hardwood floors

I lived and died by this site when we built our house 11 years ago and truly look forward to your thoughts everyone

Having had to turn much smaller and less convenient knobs on previous appliances, to set the timer, I can't say I find the 500 knobs a bother at all!
While I know there's a learning curve for touch pads etc, you might want to consider whether anyone else is likely to use your oven: I'm not the only cook in the house, and I don't want an appliance that my MIL, for example, can't work out how to use when she visits. I wanted something that was intuitive - which the 500 is, for us.

Vermont59, where did you find your fridge for such a great price? I am also considering the KA oven. FYI, have you checked your cooktop for minimum size exhaust? Some of the higher burner cooktops I am seeing are requiring a 42" for a 36" cooktop. Appreciate the detail in your post. Best wishes.

I have a Bosch single wall oven, model HBN3450UC, installed in May of 2012. In short order, grease began to build up between the two glasses. One Bosch representative responded with "not under warranty because the problem is cosmetic, not functional." I asked to have a superviser contact me but even after two follow up contacts with this person, no supervisor has responded. I mailed a letter to the address on the Bosch website given as the contact address; however, the letter has been returned to sender. I called my appliance dealer and was told that it will cost $300.00 to clean between the glasses. He mentioned that this problem occurs randomly. The oven is not a year old, there is no warranty on the problem, and Bosch appears to be unconcerned that I will have to spend a good amount of money to clean up their mistakes. i will not recommend that anyone install any Bosch product because this company does not seem to care about the quality of their products and particularly does not express concern over their customers' satisfaction. I have been trying to resolve this since late December, 2012. So far, this company stands firm on its claim that the problem is cosmetic and it is caused by "condensation and grease build up during cooking." AVOID BOSCH.

sum5463 deepest apologies for no response as challenges with my computer. I got the Samsung Fridge and Bosch dishwasher at Best Buy of all places. Thanksgiving time is when all of the large kitchen appliances price start to plummet. Comparison shopped with big box and online retailers and they were the best pricing, plus they held back delivery until end of March for our construction to finish

Vermont59, no problem!!! Thanks for the reply. I am happy you found the appliances you wanted at great prices. We have purchased from Best Buy in the past and had good experiences. Also, their same-as-cash promotions are nice. We just purchased/ordered appliances for our nearing reno. Went with Appliances Connection online and got amazing prices on KA dishwasher, fridge and Elux wall oven. Ordered GE Monogram Advantium and Blue Star cooktop from a small local appliance shop and also was able to get good deals. Anticipating delivery in late April for all. Can't wait! Hope your project finishes up well! Thanks again.

If you don't mind having an oven that appears filthy and unkempt after only a few months of light use, then a Bosch might be right up your alley. Additionally, if you enjoy a company that stands behind that kind of poor quality, then Bosch is the company for you.

I have a Bosch single wall oven, model HBN3450UC, installed in May of 2012. In short order, grease began to build up between the two glasses. One Bosch representative responded with "not under warranty because the problem is cosmetic, not functional." I asked to have a superviser contact me but even after two follow up contacts with this person, no supervisor has responded. I mailed a letter to the address on the Bosch website given as the contact address; however, the letter has been returned to sender. I called my appliance dealer and was told that it will cost $300.00 to clean between the glasses. He mentioned that this problem occurs randomly. The oven is not a year old, there is no warranty on the problem, and Bosch appears to be unconcerned that I will have to spend a good amount of money to clean up their mistakes. i will not recommend that anyone install any Bosch product because this company does not seem to care about the quality of their products and particularly does not express concern over their customers' satisfaction. I have been trying to resolve this since late December, 2012. So far, this company stands firm on its claim that the problem is cosmetic and it is caused by "condensation and grease build up during cooking." AVOID BOSCH.
As of this post, I have had no follow-up from the company.

Vermont59, go to capital-cooking.com, About Capital, and read through Heritage. Surjit Kalsi made the first residential range for U.S. Appliance (Viking), left and founded DCS, and is president & CEO of Capital. I'm down to choosing a cooktop and ovens for our new construction and leaning towards Capital. Viking and Blue Star were my other top choices.

Here is a link that might be useful: Capital Heritage

We bought the 800 series combined oven and microwave when we renovated our kitchen. I was willing to pay more for a good brand because the project was a big investment and I wanted to do it right - that was four years ago and as I write this I am waiting for the repair man to come out for the FIFTH time since purchase because the microwave is constantly breaking for no apparent reason. We use it as anyone would and all of a sudden it will just turn off. The call out and repair fees would be up to about $1,000 by this time, not to mention the inconvenience of having a crucial appliance unavailable. I recommend you steer clear.