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cmcfish

Need a Quiet Wall Oven

cmcfish
11 years ago

After a great deal of research, I recently (1/2013) purchased a Whirlpool Gold double oven. When I turned it on for the first time, I could not believe how loud the exhaust fans were! It is a convection oven, but this was in bake mode. The vent ran for 45 minutes after I turned the oven off!! I called Whirlpool customer service and they said they had heard their new models were louder than previous models and "they are working on it." Well, I cannot keep these ovens in my kitchen. They are simply TOO loud. So I am now looking for a replacement. I am leaning toward the Bosch 800 series but really want to hear from someone who actually has one to see if they have the same noise issue. Any input and/or suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it!

Comments (83)

  • Steve_889
    9 years ago

    Thanks Voget for some objective info. We too are in the market for ovens and I am glad to be forewarned about the fan noise issue. Helps me narrow our choices to Elux and Bosch.

  • gr8daygw
    9 years ago

    Thank you voget, that's good to know about the Bosch ovens. Sound level is very important to me and this is good info.

  • skit19
    9 years ago

    I also have a Bosch 500 oven and have never been bothered by the fan.

    I'd like to add that it's not a good idea to open the oven door to "speed up" the cooling process. The reason that the fan is running is to keep the control panel cool during oven heating and cool down. When you open the door, you're blasting that control panel with hot air and defeating the purpose of the fan - which can shorten the life of the electronics in that control panel.

  • voget
    9 years ago

    Thanks, skitdel, for the heads up on opening the door. Not sure if it's true, as a couple of appliance people recommended doing so, and it would seem to me that whatever reading is being made for the temperature around the electronics would be near the electronics - but that's certainly not a given. It could just be the main sensor in the oven interior. But the air coming out of the oven is rising pretty rapidly past the front of the controls and since it generally turns off in a couple minutes, I'm not sure how hot things would get.

    However, it's a useful thought, I should check the surface temperature of the front of the control area on different occasions with and without opening the door. The area around the door frame will already be hot and not likely to get any hotter than it is during cooking, so that shouldn't be a factor.

    One scenario that might support your comment would be if the temperature sensor that controls the fan on/off is located at the bottom of the oven. Cooler air entering the lower section while hotter air rushes out the opened door would result in a quicker turn-off while the upper area near the controls remains warmer.

    But the whole oven would cool down more quickly if the door is left ajar for a few more minutes. The smart thing, then, would to leave the door open a bit longer.

    If I learn anything more, I'll report back. In any case, the time the fan runs after the oven has been used and the door remains closed is pretty short anyway, so this is sort of a moot point. It's not anywhere near as long as our friend's new Miele.

  • skit19
    9 years ago

    I was just passing along what a Bosch repair tech had told me, which seemed to make sense since the control panel stays very cool while the fan runs but warms up a bit when the fan shuts down.

    My oven arrived with the control panel DOA and needed service before it was first used. So, maybe his advice was more cautious than necessary. I haven't had any problems in the 3+ years since then.

  • wekick
    9 years ago

    voget,
    Could you post some of the brands you tested and the decibel readings you got? We have almost nothing hooked up here.
    thanks

  • montreal1999
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Have a Bosch 800 double oven and the fan is a loud pain in the you-know what. I'm researching ways to deal with it, but a repair main just told me the noise level was normal. It is NOT acceptable. Oh, and I should mention, the fan runs for FIFTEEN extra minutes, long after everything has cooled off. I doubt there is even a sensor to detect how hot the electronics are. They just said "oh, lets just run it for fifteen more minutes, just in case!"

  • juniemay
    8 years ago

    You've got me worried, Montreal. We are renovating the kitchen in a home just purchased and last week ordered Bosch appliances including the 800 wall oven combo. Given my prior experience with a noisy KA wall oven (see my earlier post), we opted for Bosch. We were all over the noise issue with the sales guy and he assured us that Bosch oven fans are extremely quiet. By the way, after our KA install, we refused to accept the technician's claim that the fan noise was "normal". We insisted on the replacement of all fan components. This was done within a month of installation under warranty and the noise reduction was significant…just not enough to convince me to buy KA this time.

  • kmeyers376
    8 years ago

    There is a lot of discussion about fan noise but how about heat? I think I could live with some fan noise but the idea of hot air heating up the kitchen is very discouraging. Our ancient O'Keefe and Merritt double wall oven does not heat up the kitchen to any noticeable degree. Can anyone comment on the amount of heat emitted by the Bosch 500 series?

  • dadoes
    8 years ago

    All wall ovens (and ranges) eventually disperse the cooking heat into the kitchen, unless the oven cavity is somehow direct-vented outdoors. There was a wall oven brand years ago (Thermador or some such) that was vented outdoors.

  • kmeyers376
    8 years ago

    Good point dadoes. I guess modern ovens just disperse the heat quicker so it is more noticeable.

  • alexand875
    8 years ago

    We recently purchased an Electrolux, thanks to the great information on this discussion thread. We bought a double wall oven (Model EI27EW45PS). It makes a bit of a racket when it is first heating up, but after that, it is SILENT. I am *extremely* sensitive to some noises, and our old oven was driving me insane. To Kmeyers: I am also sensitive to the oven heating up the house, to the point where I won't let family members cook anything on the gas stove if it it hot outside. Our old oven would heat up the entire house really badly. This new oven puts off very little heat.

  • wekick
    8 years ago

    All ovens eventually disperse the heat but ovens generate varying amounts of heat to for example, keep the oven chamber at 350F, depending on how well they are insulated and ventilated so some will dump out more heat than others.

  • hvtech42
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    It's not that modern ovens disperse the heat quicker, it's that they have fans to keep the electronics cool. So, the hot air movement may make you FEEL like it is putting more heat out into your kitchen than your old one, when it really isn't.

    In general, gas ovens will heat up your kitchen more than electric ones because there is more ventilation throughout the oven cavity. This means it loses heat quicker, and the burners have to put out more heat to maintain temperature.

    We recently purchased an Electrolux, thanks to the great information on this discussion thread. We bought a double wall oven (Model EI27EW45PS). It makes a bit of a racket when it is first heating up, but after that, it is SILENT

    Is this in standard bake mode? I would guess that you are hearing the convection fans, which shut off once the oven is preheated. My parents have a Kenmore Elite (made by Electrolux) wall oven that does the same thing. The 2 convection fans on it are significantly louder than the single convection fan in my older Electrolux. The first time I turned it on, I wondered if there was something wrong with it. I was curious to see if something could adjusted or tightened to reduce the vibrations, but I didn't want to go taking apart a brand new, in-warranty appliance, and the noise wasn't bothersome enough for them to want to call a service tech. And once it's heated up, it bakes like a dream so you completely forget about the noise.

  • DesignJunkie
    8 years ago

    Unfortunately I'm seriously late to this comment board, but I'm so relieved to find it at all! Maybe my experience will help someone avoid making the big and costly mistake I just corrected. Most people here are talking about Bosch wall ovens, but in my case, I returned the Bosch 800 Series slide-in electric range less than one week after installation because of all the freaking noise it made -- ridiculously loud oven vent fan (that starts running the moment you hit Bake until 15-20 mins after turning the oven off, no matter how long it's been on), incessant annoying clicking noises of the burners, super long heat-up time, and very small oven cavity. I really did my homework before purchasing the range (plus two other Bosch appliances -- dishwasher, and over-the-range microwave, which I still have and don't love, but I can live with them) and I was terribly disappointed in almost everything about it. When I notified the appliance store about my immediate disappointment, they admitted that customers have complained about the loud vent fan in the past and the store's tech service had some (only SOME) success adjusting that noise level for people. I said, "Why didn't you tell me this before purchase?" They said constantly-running vent fans are in all slide-in ranges (the kind with knobs/controls at the front, with no back panel), and I said I could not live with it. Add the beyond-annoying burner clicking, plastic & steel handles (which should be all steel), long heat-up time, flimsy control knobs, and small oven cavity, I felt wholly ripped off. I don't even want the microwave or dishwasher but there's no way I can return all three appliances. I hate to be one of those people who tells others "avoid _____ brand!" but I really feel strongly about never, under any circumstances, buying another Bosch product of any kind. They all feel like junk, and there is absolutely nothing superior about their functionality compared to other big-name brands.

  • wekick
    8 years ago

    So what did you replace it with?


  • DesignJunkie
    8 years ago

    A KitchenAid, of all things. Found for me by the salesperson from whom I bought the Bosch range. It's not a brand I'd ever considered (not just in this kitchen redo, but in past projects), but since all back-panel-less slide-in ranges have the constantly running fans, I had to go with a stainless traditional design slide-in with the controls on the back panel. Know what? It's totally silent. Ahhhh. No audible fan unless convection is on, and even that fan is impossible to hear unless your ear is pressed against the oven door. Even then you really wouldn't hear it. Heat-up time to 350 is several minutes faster than Bosch, oven size far bigger, drawer beneath oven is bigger, steel knobs on control panel, five burners (one is just for warming), and it self-cleans in one hour. I haven't tried that function yet because I haven't had it very long, but that's one of their claims to fame. That function doesn't matter to me very much, I'm just so relieved to be soooo happily surprised by this range. Oh, and it costs one THOUSAND dollars less than the Bosch. I'm still shocked by that.


    If there's a forum about Bosch microwaves and dishwashers, please let me know! I'd like to rant there a little bit too :-)

  • lindajconrad
    8 years ago

    This thread is very discouraging. We are remodeling our home into one great room, so a quiet oven is very important to us. From this thread, it sounds like there are no quiet ovens. It makes me think we should stay with our old Jennair, which is quiet.

  • lindajconrad
    8 years ago

    DesignJunkie, Which KitchenAid did you get?

  • DesignJunkie
    8 years ago

    Hi lindajconrad!

    I got the KFEG500ESS (http://www.homedepot.com/p/KitchenAid-30-in-6-4-cu-ft-Electric-Range-with-Self-Cleaning-Convection-Oven-in-Stainless-Steel-KFEG500ESS/205971736) to replace the Bosch. What's great, too, is that it doesn't protrude into the room as much as the Bosch, which is bulky. And this KitchenAid is all right angles, which sounds silly, but my small kitchen redo involved my planning everything with straight lines and 90 degree angles, because otherwise it's aesthetically busy. I still can't believe how much better it is than the Bosch -- I'm truly shocked. And for a thousand dollars less?!?!?!

    I can't speak about the noise of wall ovens, but I can tell you this fact categorically because I've learned it directly from appliance people themselves: All slide-in ranges with front controls (rather than back panel controls) have a constantly-running fan that runs as long as the oven is on, and stays on for a while after you turn the oven off. Every. Single. One. Of. Them. Has. That. Feature. It's soooo annoying. After one day, I knew I couldn't live with it.

    However, the slide-in ranges with controls on a back panel are SILENT. Like the KitchenAid I got (and the 15yr old Whirlpool I got rid of). Hope this was helpful to you!

  • lindajconrad
    8 years ago

    Thank you. I've heard the slide in ranges are much quieter. Unfortunately, we don't have that option.

  • aa3km
    8 years ago

    Wow, this is a popular problem with modern ovens. Just installed a Frigidaire Gallery and have been pleasantly surprised that the cooling fans are relatively quiet. Even my wife agrees and she can hear a cat walking on carpet.

  • DesignJunkie
    8 years ago

    Good to know, aa3km. Thank you.

    Hopefully I won't be buying any more appliances for a while :-)

  • montreal21
    8 years ago

    Great discussion. Good to know there are a few other options out there ... AEG, Kitchen Aid (free-standing range), and Frigidaire Gallery.

    DesignJunkie - Thanks very much for sharing the info about the panel location.

    I too purchased a Bosch 800 Series slide-in electric range (Oct 2015), and it's been a nightmare. I agree the oven fan is very noisy (dread turning my oven on) and the stove protrudes into the kitchen more than other models. I've also had several quality control issues with my Bosch stove, and its replacement.

    When Lowe's installed the first stove, the installers said sparks flew out of it. They checked the control panel, and since it was still working, continued with the installation. Long-story short, two elements did not work, and the stove had to be returned for a replacement. Further, my quartz countertop got damaged during the installation. Lowe's installers did not have an airlift machine which made it challenging to slide in the 250 lb stove. But, also, the installers let the weight of the stove rest on the countertop, which they shouldn't have, causing small grooves in the quartz.

    Lowe's delivered the replacement stove a few weeks later. When it arrived, I could see bubbles in the control panel finish, and both the ceramic stove top and trim were warped. It was decided to repair the replacement stove, rather than risking further damage to my countertop by a third installation. It took a while to get the parts. In the meantime, I realized the oven fan was cycling erratically (went to Lowe's and listened to the fan in the floor model for a comparison) and the oven finish also had bubbles in it. Bosch sent a service technician to my house twice who confirmed all of these issues. The technician said the bubbles in the oven finish would split in time. So now, I am scheduled for a third replacement stove.

    In addition to all of the above, I found the oven for both models released a strong chemical smell which eventually dissipated after a few uses. I did not cook food in the oven until the smell was gone.

    As well, the Bosch manual says foam tape [to protect your counter top] should be either included with the stove, or already installed under the lip of the ceramic stove top. For both stoves, no tape was provided, nor installed. I bought and installed it for the second stove installation which seemed to help.

    I posted my story on both Bosch Canada's website and Lowe's, but neither have published them yet. Bosch Executive office did phone me though, so I'll see where it goes from here.

  • gr8daygw
    8 years ago

    Montreal21 I'm so sorry for all the trouble you have had but I'm afraid you have made me at least feel like I'm not the only one who seems to have such luck. I've been on a roll lately and it's very discouraging and sometimes unbelievable the stuff that goes on these days in consumer world. Not to mention house repairs and services. I hope everything will work out for you. Thanks for sharing this helpful information for us.

  • montreal21
    8 years ago

    gr8daygw - I agree, it really does help to know you are not the only one experiencing these problems. Plus, sharing positive and negative (factual) reviews with other consumers is probably the best recourse we have. The bottom line for these companies is their sales. Clearly, the new noisy oven fans is a problem for a lot of people. I would happily give up the electronic control panel (which apparently is very expensive to repair/replace) in exchange for the silence of my old oven.

    I should clarify the damage to my counter top occurred at the front where the Bosch control panel curves in.

  • lindajconrad
    8 years ago

    I purchased an Electrolux and am crossing my fingers. I hope it is quiet. Maybe I'll keep my old and much smaller oven and reinstall it if the Electrolux doesn't work out. I'm so sorry to hear the stories of Montreal21, gr8daygw, and so many others and the problems with their stoves.

  • DesignJunkie
    8 years ago

    When I first posted here on Jan 12, 2016 (about a month ago) I never thought anyone would even read it, much more respond! I'm very glad my original and subsequent comments have been helpful to people dealing with this range-noise problem, and also that I'm not the only person so disappointed in Bosch.


    In recent years I've found that product reviews and comment boards like this are absolutely indispensable for obtaining REAL information, because you can't use a range or other appliance in a store before you buy it. At least with a car you can test-drive it, but ranges, wall ovens, washer/dryers, etc., you can just look at, maybe open a door or turn a knob, and that's it.


    Well, I'm off to keep searching for backsplash tile, and then my long awaited kitchen redo will finally be complete! BTW, if anyone knows where you can get true super-white glass subway tile, please let me know!

  • Robert McBride
    8 years ago

    we just redid our condo kitchen with all bosch 800 applances, the slide in range sounds like a howling Noreaster when its on!!!!

  • User
    7 years ago

    This is a repeat of a post I just made to a different thread but I am adding some more issues. I just had the Bosch 800 double oven installed and the cooling fan is noisy, compared with my 25 year old Kitchenaid that was replaced. I was not aware that there would be a cooling fan, only that convection mode would have a fan. It's annoying but I think I'll get use to it because it cooks very well. Good to know that opening the door will reduce the fan time after turning off the oven. I just used the "proof" mode at 110 degrees to make yogurt overnight and they turned out perfectly but I wondered about the electricity use with the fan blowing continuously for 12 hours. I was debating between using a sous vide stick in a water bath or the oven in proof mode and haven't decided which is more efficient. I also made several batches of cookies to test out the oven but at the time I did that the control panel in the newly installed oven was defective (turning itself on and off spontaneously) so I don't know that it was holding the temperature properly. What I objected to was that an out of the box oven had a defective control panel and getting a service person out from Bosch Customer service was difficult. They did have an appointment within a week of my call (I called the day after installation) but the night before the appointment the service person called me and after hearing my problems, said it was probably the control panel which he would need to order so he probably shouldn't come out the next day but only after the part arrived. I was given different stories about the delivery time (overnight vs a week) and offered another appointment 4 weeks later! I complained to Cherin's Appliance where I bought the oven and they intervened on my behalf and an authorized service person from the SF peninsula came up to SF to fix it the next week. I was very pleased with that service but not so much the official Bosch service repair service which seems understaffed if they only have appointments one month out. I also requested an extension of my warranty from when I received a functioning oven rather than the purchase date which they agreed to (actually gave me 4 more months of warranty as compensation). So far the replacement control panel seems to be working fine but I haven't put it through it's paces yet. At least it's not turning on the display spontaneously any more.


  • dadoes
    7 years ago

    "... but I wondered about the electricity use with the fan blowing continuously for 12 hours."

    Figure the cooling fan pulls as much electricity as a nightlight or old-style electric clock ... negligible in the overall picture.

  • S What!
    7 years ago

    Thank you for all this information! We are highly considering the Bosch 800 wall ovens. Sounds like the fan is loud on the slide-in range more often than it is with the wall units? Hopefully! This wall oven decision is harder than I thought it would be. We had GE Profile 24" (that measurement may be off, but they are SMALL!), in beige color and are remodeling so we are switching to bigger and stainless. The old GE is quiet, even on convection mode. Are all appliances not made "like they used to be?!"

  • Randy Hermann
    7 years ago

    Great info in this thread- thanks everyone fro sharing.


  • lindajconrad
    7 years ago

    Our remodel is finished and we are very happy with the Electrolux we purchased. It was a floor model for 1 1/2 years, so the price was right. It is very quiet, which is a necessity in our new open house plan. Thank you to everyone for all of the advice.

  • janeyo89
    7 years ago

    lindajconrad...which electrolux did you purchase? You are not finding it noisy? Thanks.


  • donnajadams
    7 years ago

    Yes, which Electrolux did you purchase? From these posts it sounds like that or the Bosch 500 wall oven is the way to go. I previously had a GE Profile (with convection) and it was very quiet. I now have a new Whirlpool and don't even use it because of the noise it makes. Not sure what model GE I had or if it is still available. I wish I knew.


  • ilona
    6 years ago

    donnajadams, which Whirlpool did you get? we are looking at the oversize glass door whilpool onnes but there are quite a few complains about the noise so I am a bit worried :S

  • Honu3421
    6 years ago

    I just thought I would chime in to help anyone who is researching this topic. I have a GE Monogram wall oven ZET9050SHSS. I'm very happy with it. The convection feature is terrific and I don't notice any fan noise at all.

  • romai
    6 years ago

    Years later... I'm wondering if the manufacturers have resolved any of the noise problems discussed on this thread. It doesn't look like it. From what I can tell, the quietest options are Electrolux and the Bosch 500 (NOT 800!). If anyone who has these brands/models can confirm that the noise levels are on the low end, I'd appreciate it. Thx!

  • alexand875
    6 years ago

    @Romai: We have had our Electrolux for two years, and we still love it. (You can look at my post from Sept, 2015). The oven makes a racket when it is first heating up, but once it is up to temperature it is SILENT. I am *extremely* sensitive to many noises. Most kitchen appliances (dishwashers, fridges, ovens) have the kind of noise that drives me insane. If I can live with this oven, anybody can :-)

  • romai
    6 years ago

    Thanks! That's good to know.


  • mmny
    5 years ago

    Is there an update on wall oven fan noise? Looking at a Wolf DO30pm/s/ph.

    Does anyone have any experience with this?

  • romai
    5 years ago

    I ended up getting the 27" Bosch 500 oven and am pleased with the sound level. It's around 45 dBA when preheating - almost silent, can't really hear a thing - then around 52 dBA when it's on and/or cooling down after it's turned off. So there's a hum, and that's when the sound meter is held right up to it. I have no point of comparison, but have no problems having a conversation or watching TV when the oven is on in my small open-concept home. At this stage, I don't even notice it and only became aware of it when testing it to respond to this question. After hearing horror stories about loud ovens I was super relieved when I used mine for the first time - no racket, I thought. Also, no difference in the sound level when I use the convection option - the fan at the back of the oven is silent. It's the exhaust fan that makes some sound. That said, everyone has their own sensitivity to sound levels, so it comes down to personal preference or tolerance.

  • John
    3 years ago

    Are there any recent comments on wall oven noise levels? I have a Whirlpool double oven with convection - WOD93EC that is 4 years old. I've had them replace the cooling fans with no significant improvement. I was at a friend's home recently and their Kitchenaid was almost silent. I'd like to order one but I thought Whirlpool and Kitchenaid were essentially the same. I'd hate to drop $3,500 and find out I'm no better off. Any thoughts?

  • dadoes
    3 years ago

    Internal design/structural differences and component differences (different blower) can results in different sound levels from one model to another from a given manufacturer. Also differences in the installation from one home to another.

  • JJ Mekai
    3 years ago

    I too would love to know which current oven models are the quietest.

  • dhochman
    3 years ago

    I would also love to know.! We are doing a total remodel and the only appliance that is new enough to keep is our bosch dishwasher which we like. I am ridiculously sensitive to noise. Our current bosch 500 series wall oven is noisy as #$%@ but it is also 12 years old and we have been in the home 1 1/2 years. Not sure how the noise level was when it was installed. An appliance store rep recently (as in yesterday) told me that wall ovens all make noise because of needing to cool the electronics. He also advised me to minimally, if ever, use the self clean feature because it can ruin the electronics (so why have that feature at all?) So I am stumped on choosing a 30 inch induction that is reliable and not noisy (buzzing/zapping) and double electric wall ovens that have convection in both ovens and don't drive me nuts with the fan noises. HELP!

  • kevinande
    3 years ago

    @dhochman

    While everyone's sensitivity to noise is different if you are extremely sensitive finding an old school oven from the 70's and/or 80's may be worth searching out? Electronics are in and mechanical controls are a long lost memory. As such, finding a "quiet" wall oven is an exercise in futility. They all are noisy to some degree. I had a Whirlpool I though was loud until I replaced it with a Frigidare. In comparison the Whirlpool was quite tame lol. It really does not bother me or my wife, so we just ignore it. I do realize that for some ignoring it is not so easy to do. I was thinking of starting a business refurbishing old appliances and selling them at a premium.


    I wanted to more address the induction. The buzzing/zapping people complain about is the cookware. Not the actual induction unit. There are a few who will swear it is the cooktop/range, however the technology itself is silent, minus the fan needed to keep the boards and heat sinks cool. If you hear wires buzzing, that is the unit pulling too many amps from a wiring that is to low a gauge, that is a potential fire hazard that needs to be corrected. Pans need to be high quality (not necessarily high price) to eliminate unwanted buzzing/zapping. If you like cast iron, thus is an excellent choice in that regard. If it really bothers you that much though, you may just want to go with radiant electric or gas for a cooking surface.

  • dhochman
    3 years ago

    Thanks for your input. I have decent quality calphalon which does hold a magnet. I tried it out at the appliance store and it wasn't too bad. And as far as a business refurbishing older appliances...I think you are onto something. The new appliances break much more often and every appliance dealer has told me to expect ten years at most for longevity. My first washing machine lasted over 20 years.


  • Mark Holden
    8 months ago

    We replaced a very noisy 10 year old KitchenAid combo wall oven and microwave with the most recent model of the same. I was concerned about excessive noise levels from the lower oven but after using it several times I measured 42 db on my Apple watch. It is so quiet that nobody would know it is actually turned on. Model KOCE500ESS which was also the highly recommended combo wall oven in Consumer Reports. I would have replaced the old one 2 years when we bought the house if I knew how quiet the new version is.