ITA with Zalco. Love my Bosch induction cooktop. My neighbor across the street has the first generation Bosch induction range and she just loves it. Very dependable products.

someone mentioned that the fans in Bosch range are loud. is that an issue for any of you Bosch owners?

I liked my Electrolux better than my GE Profile. I think I would like the GE Cafe a lot better, as 10 settings for heating on the cooktop aren't enough for me. There are several threads that review the induction ranges that are currently available. Make sure you know what you are getting, and that you are ok with that.

I have the Kenmore freestanding range (Electrolux-made, I think?). I'm happy with it but may have low expectations. This is my first range aside from the 30 year old one I inherited in the house and previous rental kitchens.

I had a Samsung range which I gave to my Dad when I put in a cooktop when I remodeled...fairly quiet fan, six years old with no problems so far.

My Bosch ovens are quiet-ish. They have a fan, but it’s not particularly loud.

We have the Bosch Benchmark Induction slide in range. i like that it has more heat settings for the cooktop than many do, you have half settings as well as full, so you get 20 temps instead of 10. It is very responsive to temperature changes. I also like that it has a flex zone burner that can be used as one long burner for a griddle or bigger pan or as separate burners for smaller pans. My only complaint is that you have to move the pans around in the burner area to get even heat sometimes. For some reason sometimes parts of it seem to heat more than others. I need to get the dealer out to look at it but honestly it isn’t a big enough deal to be a priority.

I have the Samsung Chef Collection duo flex slide in induction. I have been so far very satisfied.

you have half settings as well as full, so you get 20 temps instead of 10

You would think that, wouldn't you? But really you only get 17 power settings. Lower-end models have power settings from zero through nine. With half-steps, you add another eight settings. That's how you end up with a total of 17 instead of 20.

I agree that fine-grained power control is important. I am just surprised why this is still so much of a deal these days. It's entirely a user-interface problem. The power-electronics can control pulse-width-modulation (PWM) very precisely. They could easily give you hundreds of distinct levels. It's the limited user interface (i.e. discrete buttons) that restrict you.

Why can't manufacturers stay with something tried-and-true such as analog knobs?! They have worked for decades for both gas and electric. Can't we keep doing that? It's intuitive, can be used with wet hands and without having to look. And it gives infinite control.

Good point M.

I have the bosch induction cooktop. Love it. I also have the Bosch 500 convection oven. It's quiet.

Wow, that $798 Frigidaire on sale is a fantastic deal, self-clean oven and small investment to get induction benefits, looks good. unless you MUST have a much fancier stove this is a great bargain and has fine gradations of heat levels.

The Frigidaire does not have fine gradations of heat levels. It has 10 levels only.

suseyb, I stand corrected, 10 levels plus Power Boost, unfortunate Frigidaire has decontented this model, I see the slide-in version still has fine gradations, about 19 levels counting PB, but at a substantially higher price point as all makers seem to do.

I have a freestanding Electrolux induction range. I've had it almost two years and really like it so far. It has very granular settings on the cooktop and I liked the hob arrangement better than Bosch. I was leaning toward Bosch slide-in but decided since I liked this one better and it was less expensive. I didn't care for the appearance of the E'lux slide-in with the protruding front.

If I had a range with a touch pad to control the burners like the Frigidaire FFIF3054TS, I wouldn't want more than 10 levels as I'd have to press buttons too many times to make temperature changes. If the controls were knobs, the number of levels could be greater, even infinite (i.e., continuous adjustment).

“If I had a range with a touch pad to control the burners like the Frigidaire FFIF3054TS, I wouldn't want more than 10 levels as I'd have to press buttons too many times to make temperature changes. “

Our Bosch has the mid level temperatures (giving the total of 17 temps, or 18 with the power boost) and I don’t find that there is any more button pressing than there would be if there were only 10. You don’t have to press “down” over and over to go from 8 to 4, you just press the 4. Or the dot between 4 and 5 if you want 4 1/2. If you then find the 4 is too low and you want to increase it you just press 5, or 6, or whatever number you want. You pretty quickly learn which levela work for you and can toggle back and forth easily.

kazmom, had you used induction before you got yours? That's the model we'll have and I'm wondering how much of a learning curve I'll have, never having used induction... particularly with that one? I'm hoping the flex zone will work as you say, for longer griddles, and Bosch sells a Teppan Yaki griddle I think I'd use endlessly.

"Our Bosch has the mid level temperatures (giving the total of 17 temps, or 18 with the power boost) and I don’t find that there is any more button pressing than there would be if there were only 10."

The cheapest Bosch is $3060 whereas the Frigidaire is $800. For $2260 I could live with pressing Up or Down to switch among 10 levels.

2ManyDivisions - this was our first induction. The main learning curve for me wasn’t how to work it, it was to manage how quickly it heats up. I have to have all my prep done ahead of time, because it heats up so fast that there isn’t really time to do it once you turn the burner on. Also, I found I can’t use the speed boost to boil eggs because it heats up so fast the eggs don’t cook. Not huge issues, just takes a little getting used to.

My main complaint is I don’t think it heats evenly on all burners. I simetimes to move a larger skillet around to get the whole thing going, even though it is all on the outlined area. Not necessarily on the flex burner, just in general. I don’t know if this is typical or not but it can be annoying, especially for what they cost. I need to call out the repair person to take a look and see if it can be fixed.

Thank you kazmom. That's pretty much what I'd read and thought, though I had not heard of the hard-boiled eggs, so a big thank you for that heads up! I am used to prepping while cooking. I'd not heard anyone mention burners not heating evenly on the bosch, but I've read it of portable burners. Some think it's the burners, others the pans. Hope you find a solution.

2ManyDiversions - I will say that how flat the pan is makes a big difference. We had a cast iron griddle that didn’t heat evenly and then I realized it had a little rim. Once I replaced it with a totally flat one it worked much better.

You learn to adjust your cooking habits. If you are used to using electric resistance or gas, most people turn the burner to maximum to allow time for water oil or whatever to heat up. As many have no doubt discovered, boosting everything on an induction hob is not necessary. Eggs for example, I set mine for about 3/4 of the power available and boiled eggs cook just fine, I have been using induction for about 10 years so myself and my family are quite used to it. My son has burnt his fair share of food because he decided to go with the maximum setting in the beginning.

If the noise bothers you, get better cookware. The stove makes zero noise with the exception of the cooling fan. All noise and heat are generated in the cooking vessel. So if you have cheaply constructed cookware, you will have all kinds of interesting and possibly annoying noises. You don't need to buy a $500 skillet, but I would probably steer clear of the IKEA specials.

I have the sister GE Cafe Induction 30" slide in to Kim K; hers has a double oven, ours has one oven and a warming drawer. I considered the Bosch 800 and Benchmark and posted a comparison I did for myself in Nov 2018: GE or Bosch slide-in induction range? . I was never able to see either a GE or Bosch on display. We had a GE coil stove that I assume was put in when the house was built, over 40 years ago (we came about 7 years later).

I too am fearful of this fairly expensive appliance not lasting even 10 years given today's planned obsolescence. We have a 5 year warranty (four after you take off GE's first year) and a 4 year warranty (years 6-10) on "major components" which only includes the burning and baking elements, no electronics at all; that is all that they would offer for anything older than 5 years, and the cost was low (under $50) for those 4 years, so we took it. Our appliance salesman assures me that it includes labor for those 4 years, although I am skeptical, the bill does state such.

I had old Farberware (aluminum clad) pots and pans, so except for a wok, I had to replace my cookware. I chose Demeyere Industry 5 (wanted the Atlantis 7-ply but it was too heavy) and got four basics from Zwilling and Sur-La-Table: 9 1/2" fry pan, 2 quart sauce pan, 4 quart deep saute pan (I can boil 3 quarts of water for pasta in it) and the teppanyaki plancha griddle. I hope to be able to visit an outlet at a sale time or headquarters when they have a sale at the end of the year. In the meantime, this is enough.

We open the oven door after using it to let it cool down until the fan stops. I was confused whether the knobs click into discrete or give continuous settings for the cooktop. There are numbers on the knobs, but you can turn and leave them at any position, so they really are continuous. I was surprised, and somewhat disappointed, but the knobs do not come off for cleaning. I was also disappointed in the oven timer. If you set the temperature for a certain number of minutes, the oven turns off after that time. If you are cooking where you need to give it an interval (19-22 minutes, for instance), you'd have to set it for 22 minutes and set your own timer to begin checking at 19 minutes. If you set it for 19 minutes, you have to begin again (select the mode and then enter the oven temperature and then enter the cooking time). Similarly, if you let it go for 22 minutes, but want to give it one minute more, then you have to begin again.

I am pleased that the cooktop cleans so well. Also, spills in the oven and racks, if you get to them right away, even if it is just after they cool down. If the oven is still too hot to touch, then I will squeeze water from a sponge onto the area so it doesn't continue to dry or burn while waiting for the oven to cool. I am happy that the oven heats pretty quickly; I thought it was going to be a 15 -20 minute wait to come to temperature. I do wish the unit would display the temperature after you put in the time. It would be nice to know how much heat was lost when you open the door or as it is cooking.

I was concerned whether you really would be able to see the control panel. It is angled nicely, and easy to view. Other posts have commented how easily it is to press the oven controls just by letting your clothes lean on the panel. This is true. There is a lock, but I haven't used it yet. They are correct that the controls are very sensitive, but the oven does not turn on unless you press Start. So, if the control panel shows you've pressed it (and it was inadvertent) , you can just leave it alone and it will cancel by itself. One day I will think about trying the control lock, but I believe you do have to unlock it each time. The only other thing I've noticed is that the stainless area of the glass cooktop has gotten scratches or scuff marks. Our coil range was enamel, so I have no experience with this. We don't drag the pots across the stainless front, so we are just trying to be more careful. They aren't gouges, and I guess you could just become happy that it looks like an appliance that is being used. I do try to throw down a towel on the top if I am pouring water into a coffee cup or have a prep plate waiting to put the contents into a pot.

We mostly use the 2500 watt burners, especially when boiling a mug of water at a time. I use the 3600 watt one for boiling pasta water and the wok as the pots are large enough for that hob.

I was very pleased at the French Toast I made on the teppanyaki. I read through the posts and did preheat it on #6 for 10 minutes (the griddle did make a rattling or bouncing noise during all of that time) and then turned it lower (#4) when I put the bread on (the noise stopped). The middle was hot, even though it was synchronized between two hobs and not actually on one. I learned that it was better to add butter each time you put bread on it, or it would not brown as well. I was thrilled that it washed very well. The thread is [Please Suggest a Good Griddle for Induction Cook Top - see comment by Alex using Bosch Cook Top on 12/14/16[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/please-suggest-a-good-griddle-for-induction-cook-top-dsvw-vd~3349847). There is another useful thread about it: Teach me how to use this pan, please! I realize your original question was not about a griddle, however, I thought it might be useful to have those links in one place.

"I too am fearful of this fairly expensive appliance not lasting even 10 years given today's planned obsolescence."

Definition of "planned obsolesence": a method of stimulating consumer demand by designing products that wear out or become outmoded after limited use.

• You have no evidence that modern ranges are designed to wear out or become outmoded.
• If you really believe ranges are designed to wear out, don't buy a $3000 one. Buy an $800 one.

Thanks everyone for all the info. We’ve decided on the Bosch. Seems like a good entry to induction cooking.

I'm following this thread as well. We have a deposit down on the Jenn-Air induction range (selected primarily because it has a baking drawer rather than a warming drawer, and more oven capacity), but of course I am constantly second guessing my decision to go with that over the Bosch.

emho23, I looked at the Jenn-Air as well, and I think that baking drawer is pretty neat and a wonderful feature. According to the Manual, it's not just for bread proofing and warming (the Bosch we ordered with the warming drawer can keep foods/plates warm and proof bread, but can't be used for baking). I wouldn't second guess your choice : ) I only wanted the Bosch because I will use a toaster oven for any additional baking rather than bending down further (we wanted a kitchen to 'grow old' into). Initially I'll use the warming drawer for plate warming and keeping food warm only. That's an attractive range too.

Shannon, Congratulations! Did you choose the 800 series or Benchmark? I am sure you will be very happy with it. Please come back and share a review in a new thread; those of us who have induction want to hear, and those who are looking (especially for the first time) REALLY want to hear.

Emho23, it sounds like you have studied the features available on the various offerings and given weight to the ones more valuable to you. As long as it is a 'real' baking drawer (that is, NOT a pseudonym for a 'warming' drawer') including the temperatures you desire, and you are going in with your eyes open to potential overall detractions, then go for it. I guess time will tell whether you and I (and the others who've thought about it) should have opted for the Bosch. Please let us know how you are enjoying the baking drawer, larger oven and other Jenn-Air features.

Kim, My daughter put the remote on her phone. I am not talking about preheating but about actual cooking. Maybe I am not doing it correctly. If you make a frozen pizza or brownies, there is a span of cooking time in the directions, depending on how you like it in the end and since ovens have differences. If I preheat the oven, then add the item to be baked, set the lower amount of time (so it can be checked for done-ness), the time counts down and shuts the oven when the timer finishes. Of course the oven is still hot if you don't open the door, and cooking continues, but you would have to time it on your watch, phone or other timer to give it another minute or two or five. If you set the oven timer for the maximum time, then you have to have a reminder to check earlier. I don't see the ability to set the timer for another x-minutes without selecting baking (or whatever mode), temperature, then entering the time. I note you are able to set the time even if it is preheating, but basically you are beginning all over again. Maybe I would just like a second timer that is not connected to the temperature. For instance, if you have only one oven, you put in a meat loaf and in another tray put in potatoes (cooking at same temperature). The meat loaf may be done, able to be taken out, but if you want to continue to cook the potatoes, you have to reset everything.

Haven't had a chance to use the Sous vide precision feature. What did you use it for? Glad to hear it is useful and great!

wannaknow2 - Are you turning the timer off by clicking on the timer button or the OFF button? The OFF button will turn off the oven. If you click on the timer button, it will turn off the timer, but not the oven.

One other thing: I've found the oven handle won't hold a towel well, they usually fall off. I'm not sure if it is too round or shiny or what. Maybe they will consider putting some sort of ridges on the next iteration?

Suseyb, I have been using cook timer (Options 2) instead of Timer On/Off. And you are correct; after the timer finished I would click Cancel/Off and begin again just to add time.

Now I am confused: when or why do you use one or the other? I just read through the manual again and don't understand a difference.

Thanks for your patience!

The timer button turns the timer on and off and the cancel/off button turns the oven off. So if you want to change the time just press the timer button again and it won't effect the oven heating.

I haven't used Cook Timer, so I don't know when it would be a better option. We always use the Timer section. We have also not used the Delay Timer button. My girls figured out the ON/OFF button and the Timer button on and off functions before I did. I was always turning the oven off when I turned what I thought was the timer off. Glad I finally figured it out, but it sure was frustrating!

Wanna know, we are going with the Benchmark which i believe has the flex cooktop. I will be sure to come back after we use it for a bit. Have to get the kitchen remodeled first though :)

Shannon, yes the Bosch Benchmark is the one with flex induction on one side, which I very much wanted. We're in the process of our remodel, so it'll take a few more months before we have ours to report anything.

RE: Griddle - the Bosch's Teppanyaki is fairly pricey - the cheapest I can find now is $329. There are others but I'm not sure about the fit/size to the Bosch flex, as well as the quality. I won't order anything yet... need to wait for the range : )

Suseyb and Kim: Sorry for waiting. I tried the Timer a few times, as you said, and it works great! No more having to shut the oven off! It is just what I wanted! Thanks so much!

Shannon and 2ManyQuestions: The GE cafe also has "synched burners" on one side. I took a chance on the Demeyere Teppanyaki before the range even came in because I found it on sale. I chose the one that is 15.4 x 10.6" based on a guess since I didn't know how far apart the hobs were, all I knew was the circumference of each hob was 8 inches. I figured that the 15.9" length should cover most of the two synched hobs without leaving so much that the induction wouldn't turn on; I figured I had to cover 16" plus whatever was between the two hobs. . I was wary about the one that seemed more square (13.9" x 12.7") as I wasn't sure it would leave too much not covered (maybe another 4-5" divided between the outside of the hobs and what was being synched in the center). I like the one I bought, it fits two slices of bread side by side. It is the 5 ply one, the other is the 7 ply. You're right, once you have the range, you can always cut up the size and see how it will fit. Maybe Bosch has a Christmas sale at a store or outlet when the prices are better.

I am going to try to grill two servings of salmon on the Teppanyaki and see how that is different than pan-frying or baking.

Kim K. "I have a non stick set that i bought thinking I’d have trouble adjusting to cooking eggs etc on stainless and they’re the worst about being uneven. I’ve also found certain pans tend to make the cook top buzz a lot. It’s trial and error but overall i love induction!"

I'm getting the same range tomorrow! Can you tell me which pans worked the best without buzzing. I've gotten one of about three kinds trying to figure out which one would work best.

Hi Donna, I have the same range as Kim, but she has two ovens, I have one and a warming drawer. I would suggest that if you can, handle some pots at a store. You will feel their heaviness, but more importantly, you will see how they feel in your hands, whether they are comfortable for you. If you can return them, you can buy one and boil some water to see if it buzzes. I chose the Demeyere, but went with the Industry or Silver 5 after feeling the weight of the Atlantis line at Sur La Table. The lids rattle when the water continues to boil. I think it is a function of the steam power being strong enough to push the lid up, and the lid 'falls' and gets pushed up again. That's how I know something has already come to a full boil.

You're going to enjoy your range! Let us know what you think of the range and what cookware you've decided on. (Maybe a new thread?)

Right after the range was delivered, I tried a few pots I carefully took out of the boxes so I could return if necessary. I didn't purchase a set because at this stage of my life I know exactly what I want and need. I purchased All-Clad B1 non-stick, Caphalon tri-ply, Oneida stainless for induction and I threw in a Sur La Table brand 5 quart stainless dutch oven. I did the boil water test. The range hums a bit but other than that, all of them worked fine. I wanted a stainless 6 quart in All Clad but I settled for the B1 All-Clad which was $150 as opposed to $450. Haven't tried to oven yet (I want to admire it clean a little bit more LOL) but I'm sure it's great. So far, I'm in love.