You don't have to go into menus on the Miele just to heat up a cuppa.

You put your cup in the machine and hit the "minute+" button. It starts after one push.

Have you seen the Monogram version of the Advantium? I popped for the Monogram Pro because of the looks (didn't like the black, plus with the angled handle it's fine next to the fridge). I'm very happy with the way it functions too.

Monogram:
{{gwi:1402543}}

Monogram Pro:

On the Advantium, too, there are menus, which are helpful for the combination modes because it's hard to know how much MW, how much halogen, how much convection, how much time. It's easier to find something on the menu that's kind of similar and guess the time up or down (there's also the book...). For microwaving, you can use the menu, which is especially great for the sensor feature (I've only used it on popcorn and frozen vegetables but the sensor makes those come out perfectly). For just microwaving, there's an "express" button which starts microwaving immediately for 30 seconds. Once you've pushed it you can turn the wheel to alter the time up and down by the second, or give it a wheel of fortune spin to change by minutes, or you can press Express more times to get additional 30 second increments. It's a little wierd. Not as good as a tenkey pad. But it's really easy to use.

The Miele speed oven comes in two versions -- the Master Chef and the Chef. The Master Chef has stored programs and the Novotronic display. The Chef is considerably less expensive than the Master Chef and has dials and a much simpler interface. Seems like Miele brought it out to have a better head-to-head competitor with the Advantium. We got the Chef.

Sayde, that sounds good! Sometimes fancier isn't better. ;)

Here's the Miele Chef--it doesn't seem like a much different overall look to the MasterChef:

{{gwi:1402545}}

BTW, the Advantium (whether GE or Monogram) has a great reputation. It's the regular ovens that aren't so good.

I believe the 240v Advantium has a great reputation; not so sure that is true of 120v Advantium versions. The 240v Advantium is 30", which sadly was too big for my little island; I really wanted to get it (ended up with the Miele).

Mojavean- you might only have to press minute, but you don't know that until you've read the manual! I just don't find it very 'intuitive' to use. And while the chef isn't quite as intimidating as the master chef, it still has a lot of choices. This is a second home that will be used by my daughter and her friends and my sisters, so don't want to have to hold a training course for everyone who may use the oven.
I was leaning toward the Miele until I visited the appliance showroom again, and went back to the Wolf that was my first choice until I started looking at all of the other brand and got confused.

The advantium sounds like a great oven, but I have to place the ovens one above the other, so they really need to match.

No opinion on the Jenn Air?

Merryecho,

I'm assuming that your daughter and her friends are fairly young (well under 30) and not too handy in the kitchen. I'm also assuming there there will be older folks using the house as well.

I totally get not wanting to have training for all of your visitors, and want family to be able to help themselves. It would simplify things if you'd just make a few signs that you can place around that give basic directions. They can be printed and framed, calligraphy, decoupaged, laminated, printed on magnet cloth, or even engraved and painted on stainless steel or copper (for the last, you'll probably want to hire a pro).

Kitchen:

1. To use microwave, press "Minue+" as many times as you need.
2. Recycling is in the bin behind the garbage in the pullout by the sink.
3. Throw away your coffee grounds and make sure the pot is turned off.

Put one in the kitchen, and one anywhere else that isn't obvious, like how to turn on the spa, and maybe one mounted over an emergency light (goes on when the power cuts out) that says where supplies are.

A little effort and things will be easier for your family and friends. If you make them pretty and homey, or matching the finishes, instead of just typed and put in a cheap document frame, it'll look like you entertain a lot and want folks to be comfortable, not like an understaffed hotel.

And if you do that, you can get whatever speed oven looks best.

I assumed Gary would've been in here by now to post, but Electrolux also makes a speed oven which, from what I've seen, looks pretty solid and straight-forward. Can't speak to any of them myself as I'm still in research mode, but at present I think I'm leaning towards the Advantium. From what I gather, I think it's about the only thing GE makes quite well, being one of the few microwave OEMs themselves (does anyone watch 30Rock?).

Hi Merry, not pushing Miele or anything. In fact, I would be happier if Miele were under indictment for their price fixing, anti-competitive behavior.

All I wanted to do was make clear that the Miele will microwave something without having to go into any menu whatsoever, because it will. I also think that for basic operation, specifically microwaving, baking, or broiling, the Miele is as easy as any other multi-purpose oven. It is in the combination modes where multiple heating methods operate in concert that things get sketchy and you need a playbook.

I was waiting to see see what got posted before I spoke (er typed), I mean. Also waiting to see if Op needed to
broil in the speed oven, The Elux does not broil but does everything else well and is simple to operate.

To use as an MW , type in the time and press start--which light up in green. As far as using it as a microwave it operates just like any other, You also have a defrost button and a popcorn button.

You can choose Grill, Bake , roast, to use it as an oven or choose convection to use it as a convection oven.

For use as a speed oven you have 2 choices, Recipe, where it has 134 built in recipes or you can chose basic.
Then you just choose what ya want to speed cook, Chicken, pork, casseroles, Potatoes etc etc.

When you chose potatoes, it ask how many, you answer, it sets the preheat time, baking time and temp, it preheats like a normal oven and beep when preheat is done, The display tells you to put the food in the oven.
The display always tells you what to do, push up arrow or push start or put the food in etc etc, so I don't need the manual for it.

As I'm not familiar with the wolf, I cant say how well it would look next to one, It has been trouble free since 2006 except one of the screws that mount the door handle starting coming loose. It is our most used appliance.

I does have a turntable, but still accomodates pretty large things---so if you don't like turn tables, or you need to broil, skip this one.

You can see the Elux and Miele in action as well as see &
enjoy Mojavean's "Dynamic Personality" if you do a search for "The Great Potato Race".

Good luck with your decision!!!

Gary

I'll vouch for the Advantium 240 which is the only one I've used (other than older Amana and Kitchenaid speed ovens that have since been discontinued). As others have noted, there are several style options for this one - Profile, Monogram, Monogram commercial-style for in-wall/in-cabinet installations, plus an over-the-cooktop model. Some of these are available in 2 or 3 colors as well.

I liked the size of the GE.We have the 30 inch 240. Some of the others that we looked at were too small in the interior.

Oh, DUH!!! Just had a good night's sleep.

This fix is going to cost you a hundred dollars but fix everything.

Buy the speed oven you like, but don't let the little darlings anywhere near it. Go to Costco, or a similar store, and buy a small, countertop microwave with easy to understand controls. You can stash it away in a closet when you don't want to look at it (though I've seen some decent looking $100 models). Leave it out when you have guests whom you don't want messing with your speed oven. Make sure your daughter and sisters know where you stash the MW when they're not there. Problem solved. :)

Oh, and if you all get together at the vacation home for Thanksgiving, you might be grateful to have both the speed oven for ovening and the cheap microwave for microwaving, both at the same time.

OK- Now I am leaning back toward double Miele's and a cheap microwave. Does Miele use the same halogen technology that GE uses?
The advantium sounds like a great oven, but I don't think it would look good with another brand under it, and no one likes the GE regular oven.
Electolux seems to have the same good speed oven, but problem with the regular ovens.

Went back for another look at the showroom and was distracted by the Turbochef. I was tempted until I talked to the company rep, who happened to be in the store. His first comment was, 'it's a great oven when it works, but it is high tech, so it does tend to have more problems that other brands". Gosh, talk about a red flag!

Thanks for all of your thoughtful responses, it helps, and I have to make a final decision by Tuesday.

Now that's funny!

No halogen other than the light bulb, perhaps. Miele uses resistance elements for convection and broil heat. There is a resistor heater in the convection fan assy in the rear cavity and a broiler element up top (and beneath the floor of the 4082.)

Actually, we've had good reports about the Electrolux regular ovens, but not so much the newer Miele ones.

We are considering the Miele speed oven as well. I've combed over the manuals and tried out the functions at the appliance store.

The Chef version doesn't have the handy 'minute+' button and that's a hard requirement for us -- we love MW ovens with that button and use it about 80% of the time when we MW.

The Chef also lacks the temperature probe to have the oven turn off when your roast/meat reaches the right temps.

For these two reasons, we'd only get the MasterChef version. I doubt we'd use any of the 'recipe' programs.

The speed oven controls are complex, but that's because it will also do all the functions of the regular Miele oven (bake, convection bake, broil, roast, defrost, proof, etc) with the exception that the top temperature is 475, not 550 like on the non-speed ovens. The broil element is just not as beefy. Once you include all those cooking options and then add in all the combinations which add microwaving to those function, plus the stand-alone microwave option, it's just bound to be complex.

But, I imagine that for non-pure microwaving, you'll figure which of the other cook settings you like and learn to use those few. Combine that will the handy 'minute +' for instant microwaving and you should be set.

We've had our Miele MasterChef for 6 months now and already use it more than any other cooking appliance. I can't discuss its advantages over other speed ovens because we haven't had any of its competitors.

We were initially concerned about its complicated menus but it turns out that those fears were groundless - even our kitchen-averse teenagers operate it easily and properly.

GE finally has over-the-cooktop versions of their Monogram Advantium ovens:

in 240V/30A and 120v/15A version. More conventional in appearance than the Profile 240V Advantium which was previously all they offered in this configuration. Looks rather like their Cafe series over-the-cooktop Advantium, but it's only available in a 120V version.

Model # for 240V OTC speed oven is ZSA2201RSS .

We got the Miele Master Chef. I would have been happy with the Chef, but DH liked the additional features. The menu is pretty intuitive and I have to say that any kitchen adverse teens, or anyone under 30 can probably figure it out quickly and would sneer at you if you offered them the manual.

I am leaning towards Advantium on top of a wall oven. Since we use microwave a lot to heat left over/soup/tea and need landing space pre-post microwaving, I am wondering if its recommended to use Advantium door as the landing space? The ovens are going to be placed between the frig and an exterior door, so there is no counter space below or next to the Advantium oven.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1402542}}

We have the Miele Master Chef Speed Oven for about a year now. We have been very happy with it. We don't find the menu difficult to use. Our one frustration is we do find it difficult to clean. The "pebbly" surface traps splatters, even though we wipe it out every use. (We would love to hear how others are coping with the cleaning issue.)

I am building a house, so need all new appliances. I am leaning towards 30" Elux oven with the Elux speed oven on top, but I want it to look like double oven. Is this possible? I emailed customer service and their response was that they have a mw/oven combo but not a speed oven/mw combo?? (of course I had to explain what I meant by speed oven, so maybe miscommunication?) Thanks!

mojavean are you there? you mentioned a "playbook" for using the combined mw and thermal features of the Miele Chef. Is there such a thing? How does one learn how to use these together, other than just experimenting? Is there some instruction set somewhere?

Hi Sayde. I used the term "playbook" as metaphor for "things get more complicated when you start using the combination cooking modes and you might need a playbook."

What I was trying to explain was that getting to the simple things like the solo modes was easy, but selecting from the list of combi modes (for instance: "micro broil" and "combination broil" -- what's the difference?) The answer, in this case, is the manual, which explains what each of the mode names actually means in terms of what heating devices are used. So, for *those* types of questions, I suppose the playbook is the manual.

As far as what to select for a given dish, with the masterchef modes you can just select what you are going to cook and the oven will figure it out for you and prompt you what to do. But you do not have to use that feature, and cannot if you have the "Chef" model. For those folks I think the best idea is to go to the Miele site and look at their speed oven recipes. They have 33 of them. That ought to get you started in the right direction for which modes to select for what. Click here to go to the recipe page. Use the filter menus to select recipes for speed ovens only. Select something close to what you are looking for and give it a stab. Please note that I haven't personally tried any of these recipes. I am sort of a punch the buttons and see what happens kind of guy, myself.

HTH.

Both my Elux Icon Oven as well as my Elux Icon Speed Oven are 30 inches. The handles match. I could have easily placed one above the other, but the Handiman as well as the cabinet maker recommended I put the Speed Oven at exactly the height I wanted and over on the wall next to the fridge.

This has worked out well, as there is no interference if wife is using oven and I the Speed oven, and also leaves the induction cooktop with more room for 2 people.The Speed oven is our most used appliance--so it is nice to have it easily accessible and at the optimum height for us.

Gary

You will need to run a 220-240 volt line for each oven (each with its own circuit breaker).

Dodge --
Where did you put your other oven? Under counter?

Yep, I put it under counter. It's not really a problem because of the glide out racks,and also the fact that the oven is about 6inches above the floor, but to be honest, I tend to use the upper shelves in the oven more than the bottom one.

I have "mixed Feelings" about having it higher, Lifting out a heavy turkey or ham could be a pita, if it were higher, but we only do that a few times a year, The other thing is with the BIG Window the Icon has, I would probably wanna keep it "Spotless" if it was closer to eye level.

There are actually few things that don't fit in the speed oven, and since (on average) it's about 4 times faster than the regular oven (Speed Cooking), I use it a lot more than the regular oven.

Sooooo, were I to do it again, I think I would still locate them as they are now!

Gary

I have a Miele Speed Oven, Chef Series. I like everything on it except the broil function. I think broil is quite wimpy and when in combi mode, browning is not as intense as I would like. This maybe because I am used to my gas oven with intense infrared broiler.

I love the speed oven as a regular second oven and as a MW. I bake in the Speed oven almost always if the items will fit in it. I only use my gas oven when i want really intense type of heat to the food that requires good browning.

It is my guess that the Advantium does combo functions better using halogen, MW, and heat at the same time where the browning is more intense. It is also nice to have the wide world of Advantium recipes available on the internet. If I had to do it again, I would have looked at Advantium more seriously.

Disclaimer: I do not cook meat in the combi mode. i can't bear to ruin the texture of the meat with MW mode.
I also don't cook casseroles hardly ever. My kids are not keen on baked potatoes or any potatoes. So there isn't that much I could cook with the combi mode.
I am a bit nervous baking cookies in the combi mode, again cutting 8 minutes to 4 minutes of baking seems not that useful....
My chicken goes on the rotisserie on the infrared gas BBQ. I would not to the chicken in the Speed oven, for example. Too much cleaning afterwards!
To bake fish in regular bake mode takes 10 to 15 minutes. It takes at least 5 to 7 minutes to warm up the oven. If I start the fish in the combi function in a cold oven, then the fish gets cooked with MW first as the oven warms up, which ruins the texture of the food! It really is not that much of trouble to just bake the fish in the regular mode if preheat already takes 5 yo 7 min....

plllog:
I know that you are a fabulous cook. How do you use your combi mode on your advantium? I would like to be able to push myself a bit more with my Speed oven... So far, I am using my Speed oven as a second oven and MW mostly....

kaismom, thanks for posting that! Really an eye-opener about the MW being on alone in combi mode for the first few minutes. Now I'm wondering what, if anything, combi mode is advantaged for, if it is not so good for meat or fish. Vegetables, potatoes, stews, casseroles?

I would like to hear more about this . . .

Thanks for the kind words, Kaismom. I think of myself more as just a cook. Sometimes fabulous happens, but not always. :)

By "combi mode" do you mean speed cook? I'm in a situation not too different from yours, having enough choices of ways to make things that I'm not forced to use it to its full potential. I've been running around a lot less post-remodel, so don't have a lot of MUST COOK NOW situations when experimenting with the speed cook is called for. When I was planning my kitchen, it sounded like a lifesaver. Since I've been in the new kitchen, I've had plenty of time to start something that takes a couple of hours. My big time hog is veg prep. If I don't feel like spending time on a chicken, I'll wash it, season it inside and out, stick a few sprigs of herb in, and put it on a stand in a pan with some wine in the bottom. Takes about 5 minutes, plus an hour and a half at 350.

I would never cook in a microwave, other than steaming. I use it all the time for heating, but not cooking.

So far, my speed cook experiments with the Advantium haven't been stellar. I'd call them "fine". Much more ovenish than microwaved. Adequate. But not nearly as good as slow cooked. When fast has been an issue, it has worked fine. I really do need to try some recipes just to see how they turn out. Meantime, the things I've used it for most have been frozen things that aren't really suitable for the microwave, like reheating chicken without defrosting first. Quicker, more evenly heated, and better result than oven alone or microwave alone (inc. microwave defrost before microwave heat). Haven't figured out how to do that one in the combi-steam better. Reheating from the fridge, the combi-steam is the best, but I think the steam plus oven temp and hard frozen leads to some kind of shock.

The convection oven setting works very well on the Advantium. It's the best microwave I've ever used, including the sensor for things like frozen veg. Speed cook, so far, has been the best for going frozen to hot. There's no broiler.

There are quite a few people on the Kitchens Forum who say they use their speed ovens several times per week minimum. Maybe ask some of them for more info.

plllog
thanks alot for your reply. I think I am too picky in the way my food cooks. My kids eat "home made" food near exclusively. My cooking is homey and uncomplicated but home-made never the less and my family likes it that way.

I would say that I am in complete agreement with you regarding how I feel about the way the food has turned out in the speed cooking modes: fine but not stellar! Having said that, I love having a smaller second oven that is quick to heat up and easy to use! I much prefer it than a large second oven. I suppose I could have bought a cheap second oven AND a MW. Then I would have been 24 inches less in storage. There are always trade offs.

Sayde, all in all, the temperature in the Miele Speed Oven is extremely accurate and the baking is very even, making it a very excellent second oven. I really find that it is really the best baking oven I have ever used! I thought that I would use the combi mode more often but I don't. Because it is such an excellent oven, I am really happy.

If you cook lots of frozen foods; ie lasagna, casseroles, the Speed oven would be great. I don't. Other useful things: baked potatoes, roasted beets etc, which we don't eat much either.

I have roasted vegies in the combi mode. I prefer them done in the Viking gas oven with convection. There is more browning and carmelization. Overall, I love the way the gas oven carmelizes and browns much better than the electric ovens, IMHO. I really love having both a good gas oven with infrared broiler and a good electric oven with accuracy and evenness. I have had mediocre ovens in both categories. I think I have the best of both worlds.

If I baked chicken breasts more, i may use the combi mode more often. However, one of our favorite ways to cook chicken breasts is Thai style satay with peanut sauce or greek style kabob on the BBQ. They can't seem to get enough satays! My family loves it.

We use the gas BBQ alot. I have a natural plumbed gas BBQ just outside of my kitchen and I use it year around in Seattle WA. If it is howling outside I don't, otherwise, our weather is pretty mild without snow.

I LOVE my kitchen with all its wonderful appliances. I am glad that I added the Miele Speed oven to my cooking acoutrement. I am thinking of putting my beloved cobalt blue Viking to a rental house eventually and getting a Bluestar range. I may swap it out for a different color. When the time comes near to swapping out my range, I will ask for your opinion regarding Blustar.

This is not a pro-Viking forum but I have loved my Viking range for 10 years and I have had no complaints.

yes, the time hog is the peeling and chopping the vegies.

kaismom, thanks again for the additional information. Thought the kitchen is still not done, I tried out the Miele Chef for the first time yesterday --roasted some fingerling potatoes using combi bake.I confess I have been "scared" to try it! I can't wait to try more things and also compare between the Miele and using the gas oven in the Blue Star -- have not used that at all yet. I was especially interested to read that you bake in the Miele even though it was smaller. Very interesting. We make biscotti which have to be cut and spread out in one layer and baked at low temperature. I had thought the wide Blue Star oven would be great for doing that, but the whole point is to have the biscotti release moisture and get crisp so perhaps they will be better done in the Miele. This has been very helpfu! Thank you!

sayde, I baked two batched of chocolate chip cookied last night. (my DS's 9th birthday today and he wanted to take cookies to school.) I used the Miele only. I have 4 trays. there is only 1 rack in the Miele.
I have 2 trays that fit on the groves of the oven without needing the oven rack. (jelly rolls with lips) Then I put in 1 tray that does not fit on the grooves (since only 1 rack). I suppose I could go buy an extra rack. Oh well.

So I cooked, 2, 1, 2 and 1 trays of cookies. I did not turn the trays once! The cookies were completely even. If I did that in the Viking, I would have had to swap them once during the baking. I have never tried to bake 3 trays of cookies in the Viking ever...

I lower the temp slightly since it is convection AND start looking a bit less time than asked for.

kaismom, thanks! I will have to find some trays that fit on the grooves. Are they some special brand or type of tray?

I can't wait to be able to really start using the Miele.