Rebates are great if you end up with a good product. While Thermador ovens get good marks, they have had a history of problems with reliability and high repair rates? Have those been addressed or are these the same models that have been around for years?

I was at a showroom Saturday and this is what I was told about the simmer setting on the Thermador ... there are multiple adjustments to the simmer setting. The highest simmer does not tick. As you adjust the simmer down, that's when the ticking comes into play. The setting of the simmer determines how often the burner shuts itself off and then turns itself on again, which causes it to tick, tick, tick as it re-lights. There are a number of seconds between each re-lighting, and depending on which simmer hash-mark you have the burner set to, the time between the tickings will be more or less. The reasoning, according to the rep, is to prevent scorching, even if left unattended for a long time. So, if you don't want it to tick, set the burner to the highest simmer. If you don't care if it ticks, you can adjust it lower and lower yet.

I know the last Thermador rebate ended 12/31/07. Greg

I just got back from dropping off the Thermador rebate form at the post office. I went to a branch of a local appliance chain a couple of months ago (in the DC area) to look around only to find a heavily discounted floor model 30" Freedom refrigerator column. Since we'd been going in circles for what seemed like forever trying to decide what to do about refrigerators for our new kitchen, I figured this unexpected, very attractively priced floor model would force us to make a decision. Now, what to do about a freezer . . . . I've enclosed a link to the rebate form. If the link doesn't work, you can search "Thermador Freedom Collection rebate," and you'll find the form. Just make sure you have the one that expires in November 2007 rather than the one that expired earlier in the year. I also asked the salesman at the appliance store about a price drop on the Thermadors. He said he was not aware of one and that, in fact, the price was going up $100 or so. Go figure. Here is a link that might be useful: Thermador Freedom Collection rebate form