Have a recently installed Thermador steam range, the steam oven part of it is great and I really love having it. Makes the range much more useful than a standard 48" range with two normal ovens. Compared to a dedicated Miele wall CSO, there are some cons, it is smaller capacity (listed as 1.4 vs 1.7 ft3 for Miele XL version, still a decent size for family cooking), its unplumbed, doesn't have as many oven modes (like an "intensive" mode for example) and the water tank requires both oven doors be open to filled. The tank issue sounds worse than it is, the oven will run a good long time and only uses small amounts of water so its very unlikely you would need to open the door mid cooking to refill. I wouldn't qualify it as "bad with many problems." Minor issues really and there is nothing else that fits this functionality into a range sized package.

We have a Wolf Combi-steam oven (and a Wolf convection/bake oven). The combi-steam oven has quickly become our go-to oven. I'd estimate that we use it 95% of the time over the other oven. We love its smaller size cavity, as most things fit, and it's quick to come to temperature. In fact, if we are using the steam setting, then no preheating is necessary.

We've recently started "parboiling" brats and Italian sausages, and hard-cooking eggs using the steam setting. It's excellent for reheating foods; leftover French fries are perfect. We use it for most everything you would use an oven for.

I don't recall any install issues. The Wolf reservoir tank is not plumbed and surprisingly does not need refilling all that often. When it does, the door for the reservoir pops open and the oven beeps to get your attention.

My partner was hesitant to invest in this oven, because of the price tag, but he's the first to admit what a good decision it was to get it.

My apology, it was the Viking that had bad reviews.

I've had the Wolf CSO for 4 years now and echo CH's experience. I've got a 30" Wolf convection and a 36" BS gas range. Those ovens are only used when needed, the CSO is used all the time, for everything. We use it for rice, softening buns, custards, eggs, steaming veggies, you name it. I love how it makes cookies in steam convection mode, I bake 2 sourdough loaves a week in steam convection and the crust is great. The sides of an oven pancake (German, Dutch, whatever) almost hit the top of the oven. If it fits we roast meat in it, again w/steam. I almost always use some steam setting and have found very few things that don't take to it. I even use steam when doing brown sugar bacon.

I did have the boiler go out after warranty was up, we are out of the service area so I had to take it in myself. It's small and light enough it wasn't a problem. Cost under $200 to repair, that was about a year ago. It does have a dedicated 240 breaker. We have it mounted above the Wolf oven, puts it right at chest level. The island sink is right in front of the oven stack so filling the reservoir is easy and as mentioned surprisingly doesn't need filled all that often. You need to descale them periodically, the oven will prompt you when it's needed. Probably twice a year at most, it's an automated process but you need to purchase the solution and follow along w/the beeps.

If I knew it would have been so versatile when we built the house I'd only have 2 ovens. I think in 4 years we've used all 3 at once maybe 3 times. I'd ditch the 30", can't fit the big pizza pans in it and it doesn't get hot as hot as the BS oven. Speaking of heat, the CSO only goes to 445 deg.

My one gripe would be since it's small and the convection fan is always on when roasting meat it spatters all over interior of the oven and needs wiped down or it will drip w/the steam onto the next item cooked. Wiping it down is easy since it's a stainless interior but you need to pull the racks so it does make it kind of a chore.

My CSO is also my go-to oven. It heats up quickly and doesn't heat the kitchen. The steam function really does help me produce awesome!

I have the Gaggenau. I bought it because it was the only plumbed CSO available at the time I was shopping. The interior is stainless and the broiler is not exposed (it's behind glass), so it is really easy to keep clean. The other major difference between it and some of the other CSO's is that it doesn't have a lot of presets, so there's probably more of a learning curve. Time, temperature and steam % is all set separately.

I have a couple friends that own the Cuisinart counter top CSO's. They both rave about their ovens as well, and based on what they've told me, I'd suggest that it's a good alternative to a built in.