Looking for a 48" range for our new house and trying to decide between these 3. I have eliminated Viking, DCS, GE Monogram, 5 Star, & Decor from the competition so no need to add to the list.

Here's how I rate them:

Thermador:
Highs: Best looking by far, flame distribution, steam oven, decent output
Lows: Griddle is titanium coated and could scratch.



Wolf:
Highs: Reputation, best convection oven
Lows: Burner output and flame distribution



Blue Star:
Highs: 22,000 btu open burners, available in colors
Lows: Fit and finish a little more industrial, lesser known of the 3





[This message has been edited by Gruene town FIDO (edited 6/15/2012 12:23a).]

Go for the long term with Blue Star. Industrial is never out of style.

i'd go with the most expensive.

I like the look of the Thermador the best.

Can you get a Thermador without the griddle and just use a cast iron griddle on the burners?

I want a griddle. It's nice not to have to pull out a pan, griddle etc. every time I need to toast a bun, make a kid a grilled cheese, etc.

Hmmm. In that case, I would look at getting something like a flat piece of cast iron or other suitable metal to lay on top of it and just leave it there.

If I was a double amputee, I could still count on my hands the number of times I've needed 8 burners. The griddle is staying

I meant to just put a piece of suitable metal on top of the titanium griddle and leaving it there. The only drawback I can see would be cleanup.

What is the idea behind the steam oven? Is it just that the humid air conducts heat a lot better?

They are good for crust development on bread.

Do they have a way to "dry" the air for browning?

I am guessing it is similar to the way I bake my sourdough. When I make my bread I cook it in a covered dutch oven or soaked clay pot and remove the top for the last 10 minutes or so.

Most of them have some kind of atomizer that injects steam into the oven. You just turn it off to finish the bread.

prices? Similar or very different?

What are the BTU of the others?


Its hard to pass up the steam oven (though Im rather skeptical on a retail oven)


Wolf - the brand has stood up in many of the best kitchens around. Hard to argue with their laurels. I would be leaning to them for the convection alone.

do you have the ventilation system in place to handle the BTUs? Ansul system - do you need/want for the home.....?

Who gives a crap about colors.......stainless all the way!!!




as for teh griddle - I understand the desire - but they are a PAIN to clean.....get you some grill bricks yo!

I have the Wolf 48" with the grill. I cook like a fool and have yet to find something where I wanted more heat. The only thing I would do is get the griddle over the grill, but you're one step ahead of me, there.

Some friends have the Vulcan full industrial with a double oven. Other than the extra room, I haven't noticed much difference in ability versus my Wolf. The drawback is that is runs off of a pilot light, so there's always an open flame going.

For ventilation, I have the Wolf hood with the heat lamps. I use them all the time - from warming plates to keeping random stuff warm, they're really handy.

I sell Wolf/Subzero and it is by far and away the best!

Of course you would say that. Would anyone expect you to say your product sucks?

We ended up going with the Blue Star. It was a toss up with Thermador, but, price eventually was the deciding factor. Wolf makes a fantastic product that would be more than adequate for your average home cook. They simply have been surpassed in burner design and output that a more talented cook finds desirable.