Wallycat: I was in your spot this spring/summer and ended up with the 800 instead of the 500. It was a decision based on reading comments on GW from folks who said they liked having the controls on the stainless strip instead of on the glass surface. I've come to understand why. If you have one of those smart phones with a touch screen, you'll understand. If your fingers are wet - or, it seems to me, too dry (if that makes sense) -- there isn't enough spark to communicate with the touch pad on the ceramic surface. Finger condition, though, makes no difference to selections made on the stainless strip. (With the 800, you still use the touch screen to select the burners you'll use.) Maybe I'm just rationalizing my decision, but I think that for something I use every day, it was worth the extra price for the selections on the strip. As to the boost issue, I just tried this experiment, I have a 36", so the two 7" burners on the left share power. I put one of the 7" burners on boost and then turned on the other 7" one. Turning on the second burner resulted in the cooktop automatically moving the first burner's cook level from boost to "9." I was able to put both burners on "9." In day-to-day cooking, though, I've not found the boost situation to be a problem. Probably because I haven't needed to use boost on two "shared" burners at the same time. Usually if I need boost on two, it's the large center burner + one of the side burners. So there's not been a sharing issue. Oh, yes, keep your eyes out for Bosch promos. The company seems to cycle at $300 off promo on cooktops with regularity.

Free standing 36" Gas (not dual fuel) 4 burner plus griddle convection oven/range. Monster. There were thermadors I had experience with that were 15 years old and never a problem. So, during a remodel of my current home, I bought another one. Loved it, bought it, regret it now. Of course, I didn't do my research before jumping and buying another Thermador. That was my big mistake, and boy am I wearing it. Boyyyyyyyy am I wearing it. . . . . . Come to find out I'm not the only one now with a very, very expensive "heap." (grin) Guess I'm now one of thousands and thousands of people who made this mistake. Don't get me wrong - monster wonderful range. Awesome centerpiece. . .when it works! Does everything with amazing speed, and wonderful lines, beautiful style, a dream to cook on! But gawd forbid if you need service. You are in for a terrible, terrible experience. And of course, when you need service is when you are under pressure. Like ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, thanksgiving? (grin) That was just the latest adventure. Delivery damaged it. They "crushed" it like a tin box with the straps (unboxed it to get it through the only functioning door.) Getting replacement panels was a horrendous problem. Months and months. That was my first indication that there were going to be issues. Then one board went, then another circuit board went, and now another board seems to have gone out. (I suspect the same circuit board, again.) No "certified" technicians in the area, either. Search on their site, and there aren't any qualified service people within 120 miles. Search for dealers, and there are 12 within 25 miles. Have a sub zero fridge (known cooler issue), and a bosch dishwasher (known motor problem, fixed immediately). When both needed service, I had not a single problem. Quick, knowledgable, efficient. The complete opposite of my Thermador experience. Had I known, I would have gone with a Wolf or a Viking. All options being about equal in that price range, I liked the lines and style of the Thermador better and went on prior experience. Just understand, if you choose Thermador, you are rolling the dice. Want to know what is really angering? As I was sarcastically laughing last time about the $700.00 circuit board, saying that I should have gone with a Wolf or a Viking, the repair person told me that Viking and Wolf parts are readily available here, at a fraction of the cost. He even told me Viking parts are available from Sears. Pouring salt into an already open wound. Ohhhhhhhhhhhwuh! Thanks a lot! (grin)

I have the 800 series which I picked up at outlet, new in box unopened, for a bit less than the 500 series. The 800 has the power levels along the stainless strip - no fingerprints. It also has Autochef and comes with a thing you mail in for a free pan that works with it. Autochef is for more than just oil. It also works with the pan for cooking meat, eggs, fish, whatever. It preheats the pan for whatever you are cooking than lets you know the pan temp is at the proper temp - no guessing. Did I need it? Probably not, but it was cool to play with to cook eggs. Haven't used it much. We got the pan last weekend and have been without power until this eveing so only used it for frying eggs. I do like the power settings on the strip though. Am not a fan of fingerprints.

@aspen75, I have that same griddle that I use on mine. I understand and experience what you are saying and it is a bit of a disappointment. However, it has never hindered my cooking abilities on it. I mainly use my griddle for fish, shrimp, or pancakes (DH sometimes uses it for squash and zucchini) and because the heat ends up dispersing throughout the griddle, I never have issues with the food I cook. Sometimes I might have to move my fish or shrimp around as it cooks, but it still cooks. I'm still very pleased with my Wolf and so glad I went with it over gas, which we had before and which definitely had far worse hotspots. I have not tried a cast iron griddle on mine because I like the ease of cleaning the one I do have. Plus, I have a Blackstone on my patio just off my kitchen and I use it a ton in the spring, summer, and fall when I truly need a griddle ;)