What do you mean the Bosch induction is too fragile? I have one and it's a workhorse. I'd never go back to gas.

I do very little oven cooking. Just some baking. I have the Bosch 500 single convection oven and it works great.

As for microwave drawers, ALL are made by Sharp. Save the $200 extra for the Bosch and get the Sharp MW drawer. Plus the Sharp drawer has an angled display which is easier to see.

I have the 36" 800 without the flex zone. Before covid, I'd cook 2-3 nights a week and use the cooktop 2 of 3 nights. Now that I'm cooking nightly, I use it a lot more and it's still as beautiful as new. I did get the one with the metal edge.

I love that it's more precise than gas (although there is a slight learning curve) and that it cleans up with some Windex and a paper towel.

I have 2 cast iron pans. I only use them infrequently, but haven't had problems with them. If you're worried about scratching, put some paper towels, plain newsprint or a silicone mat under the pan while cooking. Yes, you can do that! In fact I do a ton of sautéing and if I'm doing something with lots of splatter, I put paper towels all around and under the pan.

Cp, that's amazing! Putting a paper towel under it doesn't affect the transfer of energy? Does it matter how thick the paper towel is, like if it's Bounty versus Sparkle?

Our appliance salesman at Ferguson steered us to Wolf Induction over Bosch AND Thermador. I liked the placement of the cooking hobs a tad better on the Wolf as well. We haven't installed yet but I'm already looking forward to the easy cleanup!

@cpartist, do you know which brand/thickness silicon mats you use because I need to get some :)

I’m with cpartist. Love my Bosch induction top and Bosch oven. My top is the 500 and oven is the 800. Up top I have the Bosch speed oven which looks sharp and performs decently well.

There is nothing fragile about Bosch cooktops so far as I’ve seen. My last Bosch induction cooktop went with the house we sold and looked brand new the day we walked out. I do cover the cooktop) and occasionally the glass backsplash) with old newspapers if I’m frying a load of bacon on a Sunday.

For my heavy cast-iron, which I use a lot, I put a thin silicone mat under the pot, especially if it is something I will be shaking. They cost about $8 at Amazon and can go in the DW if necessary. Then I spritz the glass with vinegar, give it a swipe, and I’m done. As close to zero cleanup as you can get.

Shead I actually just use paper towels underneath.

Why did the salesman steer you to the Wolf Since it cost a lot more

@cpartist, I was going to get the Bosch Benchmark because of the Flex Induction so the Wolf wasn't a lot more than it. The thing I liked about the Wolf was that large hob was over to the side instead of the middle like the Bosch. That way the handle for a large skillet wouldn't be in the way. IIRC, the price difference was negligible after the builder's discount we could get on the Wolf.

Wolf

We just ordered our Bosch, so I hope its durable as we cook with cast iron a lot. I plan on getting a heat diffuser plate to use with our cast iron pans.

I have the Bosch Benchmark double ovens (left hinge) and am very happy with them. I bake a lot and use both ovens especially during the holidays when family gatherings are at my house. While the numbers in the gatherings fluctuate (especially this year!), I would rather have the extra oven and not need it than not have it and wish I did. But only you can know if it’s right for you.

Another thing to consider is the general standard for your neighborhood and type of home. Is it geared more towards families or retirees? If your area tends to have a lot of larger families, a double oven might be more attractive for resale down the line.

It really comes down to how you cook, though. While you might not know many people in the new area right now, I'm sure you'll make friends!

For me, personally, I'd go with the Bosch Benchmark double oven with side-swing doors and keep the microwave drawer the builder is providing. Big induction fan here too. If you do go with that Thermador gas range top, I'm assuming you've factored in a powerful hood and make up air, right?

Thanks for all the input - I am definitely feeling good about the double oven and microwave but after these comments we're considering the induction again! Bosch is a great brand, and it seems like Wolf might have a good interface on their induction. @Ryan B that's a good point - it did come with a very powerful hood so I am guessing with induction we may not need so much power?

You don't need so much power with induction.

@Lilly B I'm definitely not a ventilation expert, but generally speaking, induction won't require as much venting power as a gas range top because you don't have the gas combustion and heat to vent out. It also depends on how you cook. If you do a lot of high-heat searing, frying, wok cooking, etc. then you'll definitely want the extra power. Given that this is new construction, and assuming your induction would be 36", I'd still go with a powerful vent and MUA to have the best performance.

We got the Thermador Liberty and are really happy with it.. We also did the Thermador Masterpiece downdraft (it's 18" tall fully extended) with the 1000 CFM fan / makeup air. We played around with various models and the Wolf was a contender, but I like the layout of the Thermador better for how I cook. Make sure to play with the controls/live models if possible. I really didn't like the controls of the Freedom model. (I think Liberty is pretty similar to the Bosch Benchmark induction.)

Family of 5 here- Bosch induction in my last home (we installed) and just moved into home with gas. Boy I miss that Bosch induction. The handles of pans don’t get hit with induction - heat is concentrated to the bottom-