Rhome,

What did you decide to do? I'm so glad you started this thread--at least I think I will be! I had just placed my appliance order, and had included a Dacor Millenium Classic oven. I wasn't in love with it, but, for a number of reasons, it seemed the best alternative for us. Our appliance store, which is great and carries just about everything, must've been slacking off because they didn't have the new Monogram oven on display. They had showed me the old one, but I didn't like the fan sticking out, and there wasn't really anything about it that excited me. I'm not sure our saleswoman was really even aware of the differences in the new Monogram because she really liked the old one, but never mentioned the new.

So, when you started this thread, I started reading up on the new Monogram, and it seems to have everything I want. (Well, I could easily talk myself into a Miele or Gagg, but had already decided that the oven was one place I could actually keep costs down a bit, given my relatively simple cooking style!) Anyhow, we had already planned on the Monogram Advantium over the oven, so the new Monogram oven makes great sense for us!

I stewed over this over the 4th, and then our saleswoman was off yesterday. I called her today and, hurray! It isn't too late to change our order. So, I ordered the new Monogram without having seen it in person. I hope I made the right decision, but I think I did! I love the look of it, and it seems to have some nice features. And, the handles will coordinate well with those on the SZ fridge I ordered--and, I changed my KitchenAid compactor to the new Monogram, so those handles match, too! Wow! A perfectly coordinated kitchen, thanks to you! I just wish you'd posted before the price increase that Beaverlake mentioned--whenever that was! LOL!

So, thank you!

Well, Jomarn, thanks for asking, but I'm almost too embarrassed to answer. Lots of confusion mixed with even more time to wait.

You see, we are going to be building a house, and it is much farther behind schedule than I'd hoped. I get all caught up in making decisions, because, one, the bank wants ridiculously minute details listed for our pre-building appraisal, and two, it's the only thing I can DO that feels like I'm working toward getting the house done!--Feels like an accomplishment when nothing else is happening and I feel kind of helpless. All of that means we're a long way from actual appliance purchasing.

I did go look at the Monograms yesterday, though. There certainly isn't the 'top hat' thing in the back. I'm not sure I was as impressed with the racks as those in Dacor or Electrolux, in terms of how heavy and smooth they feel, but didn't test them, side by side, so I can't say that for sure. The full extension is certainly nice, and their porcelain enamel finish seems wonderful. I wonder why others don't do that so that they can be cleaned with the oven. Will they chip, I wonder? I'm guessing it's less likely with the way these slide, since the mechanism is what moves the rack...the rack doesn't slide along something else. (Does that make sense?)

They did go a little chintzy in one area...The temp only changes in 25 degree increments, rather than 5, like most nice ovens. Probably not a big deal, but occasionally I like to use 335 if using glass pans for baked goods.

After a little looking at both the Monogram and the F&P I wanted to compare it to, the salesman steered me toward the new Miele. I hated the styling of the old Mieles, and the price they had for their nicer models. They now all have the MasterChef feature and the rotisserie feature-- I'm pretty sure I saw my husband's eyes light up at that one. The 'PerfectClean' model, with more cooking modes than the other ovens, and those other upscale features, and reportedly better service availability and quality control than the others, was 'only' $500 more than the F&P I'd been planning to get...So that didn't seem too bad for the advantages.

Then, though, I came home and consulted the trusty Appliance Forum, and found that people weren't all that thrilled with 'PerfectClean' and recommended spending the additional $500 for their 'ThermoClean' self-clean. So now we're talking about $1000 more than the F&P. Yikes!

My head was spinning so much that I forgot to measure any of them....and I thought afterward, that if I was looking at more expensive ovens again, I should have asked also about the Dacor Millennia Classic, since it seems so highly thought of on the forum.

My other option, since we seem to be over-budget before we've started, is to give up all of these grand ideas and look at something like Kitchen Aid. I'm not sure I'd be that much ahead, pricewise, of the Monogram, though, so if I decide price is the determining factor, we'll probably go with the Monogram. But if things keep moving the way they are, I may be asking the forum to compare NEXT year's new ovens by the time I can actually order!

Enjoy your new oven!

Oh, Rhome, you picked the right person to admit your embarrassment to! My God, I've been obsessing about appliances for years--for the same reason--it made me feel as though I was accomplishing something when nothing else was happening. We went through over a year of trying to get permits to build a house that never happened. During that whole time, I was picking things out (mentally), choosing stuff for the house, etc. It all fell apart.

Then, we found this great location with a decrepit (sp?) old house on it and had to go to the city boards for many more months obtaining permission to tear the house down, build a new one, etc. Again, I lived on these forums and picked out a whole new set of appliances. (After all, new model years were out!)

Now, I am finally really picking things out. And, of course, what do I do? After all of this time I've had, I end up ordering and then changing two items a week later--sight unseen, no less, after I've spent the better part of the past several years in appliance stores. (Well, there have been a few months in bath stores, tile stores, etc., as well.)

You know what's funny about the Miele Master Chef? I found most of my other appliance decisions to be relatively easy, if drawn-out, in that I didn't have too much trouble zeroing in on what I wanted. However, I found the oven thing overwhelming. Our saleslady just loved the Master Chef, so I finally decided I'd just get that--I figured everyone on GW loves it, she loves it, it's pretty, dh likes the way it's built--I'll just spend the extra $ and make the decision easy. I initially was going to go with Perfect Clean, too, until I read the responses here that steered me toward the true self-cleaning.

So, one day (of many) that I was in the showroom, my saleslady was busy, so I opened the Wolf. Hmmmmm. . . quite nice, I thought--love that blue, love the look, hmmm. . . But, then I decided I needn't spend yet another $500! I'd loved the F&P all along (love those blue interiors), but I have to stack it with an Advantium or a microwave, and couldn't find one I liked with it. So, I still wanted the Miele. Now, mind you, all along, I knew deep in my heart that I probably would never use the Master Chef feature--old dog, new tricks problem.

I came home, and a Dacor thread caught my eye. After more reading, I decided the Dacor Classic was the one for me--not as fancy as the Miele, but had everything I really needed, and the price was right! So, I zipped right up to the appliance store, checked out the classic--not fancy--but, hey, it'll do--and ordered all the appliances so that I couldn't change my mind again.

While I was waiting for my saleslady, I was looking at the Master Chef (I swear, it was right near the Dacor in the showroom, LOL!), and the Miele rep happened to be in the store. He asked if he could help me. I said, "Sure. Give me your spiel on the Master Chef and tell me why I should buy this over the other ovens." Well, he gave me his sales pitch--much of what he told me, I already knew. But, the funny thing was that he unintentionally talked me out of it! He was showing me how to use the Master Chef feature. We pretended to cook a roast beef. He asked me questions and punched in each answer, and the oven was all set to cook my roast beef. I asked him why it hadn't asked me about the weight of the roast. He said it didn't need to know because it had the temperature probe. I said I understood that, but how was the oven showing a time countdown if it didn't know how much the roast weighed? He said not to worry, the countdown timing would adjust itself as the roast cooked and the probe figured out the timing. Jeez, I'm really going on here, aren't I? Well, the point is that I realized that if one relied entirely on the Master Chef feature, one would have no idea when dinner was really going to be ready, when to start the potatoes, etc. What it came down to is you'd still have to consult a cookbook to guess about how long it would take the darned roast to cook! So, that sort of took the "magic" out of Magic Chef for me. Don't get me wrong--it's still one helluva wonderful oven--I just couldn't justify the extra money since I wasn't all that thrilled with the MC feature.

So, I ordered the Dacor--and then I read your thread! Now that I have your full report, I hope I did the right thing! I'm so used to having an oven that went up in 25-degree increments, that probably won't bother me. When I looked at the old Monogram after looking at all the European brands, it seemed pretty plain to me--inside and out--and I discounted it. So, who knows, I may feel the same way about the new version once I get it, but it has to be better than my crappy old uneven-cooking Jennair range--and, I won't be looking at it next to its European cousins, so maybe I won't notice. I do think it looks quite cute in the photos, though, so I hope I'll like it.

Good luck with your oven quest--and your building! Have you looked at the Wolf? It has a rotisserie, it has the pretty blue interior like the F&P. . . (LOL! Am I cruel, or what?)

Very funny! --Though the blue doesn't tempt me, because I could never really figure out the draw. Maybe because I'm not a 'blue person.' It wasn't something I considered a plus on the F&P.

I've been tempted down the line by reports on the Thermador and the Gaggenau, which I finally shook off, and now this! Of course now you're 'dissing' the MasterChef! ;-) As a matter of fact, when I was describing it to my daughters I was slightly perplexed by the fact that I couldn't remember it ask for a weight on the roast... Very good point. Maybe I'll have to start a thread for the MasterChef people and ask how they deal with that! I do consider the MC kind of a toy, though. Might be a convenience, but I don't think it's a reason to buy or not buy the oven.

I think you will be happy with the Monogram. I think it is the comparison that drives us crazy, and, like you say, when it's installed and beautiful in our kitchen, our choices won't be compared to anything other than what we've had before...and it sounds like we'll be making the same kind of upgrade...Mediocre or worse range to beautiful looking and performing ovens. I think in the choices we're discussing, you can't really go wrong... and you saved money!

And, the wonderful thing about saving money is that I get to spend it somewhere else!

I went to a differnt appliance dealer today to try to see the new Monogram ovens. The Dealer(appliance distributors unlimited) told me that the new monograms weren't out yet. I couldn't believe it. He called GE sales and was told that the production starts on them July 27th or some such date. He was told that they would not be available to the public until late August at least! HuH? The first Store I went to told me that the ovens they had were the new Monograms. Now I know they weren't. I now have a GE Monogram book with the new Specs. I am going to comb through it. Thanks for setting me straight and briong these ovens back to the forefront.

Wow! So what have people been seeing if that's the case? I hope the real thing is as cute as the pictures!

Wow, Footballmom, what rotten luck with dealers! The store I went to had both styles of the new ovens!

I was thinking about jomarn's concern about the Miele MasterChef feature and began to wonder if it wouldn't be the same when using any probe feature. If the probe is determining when your roast (or whatever) will be done, is the cookbooks estimate by weight the only guess you have about when it might be done? Of course, I can't say it's much better using a thermometer. I've often planned dinner for a certain time (by using cookbook weight charts), but a roast has gotten done way earlier or a turkey way later.... Maybe it would just be necessary to do some 'trial runs' and get used to how things work before planning a meal where finishing time was really important. All that means is I'll have a reason for more playing with the new appliance! WhenEVER I get to that point...

(Talking to a likely bank this morning...So we may be pouring our foundation soon...Yay!)

Does anyone have the new monogram ovens installed and in use? My husband finally agreed to upgrade me from a JA to the new monogram (european handle) double oven! Yay!!

I was nervous about the JA and after seeing the new monograms, I am so glad I am getting one. Just need confirmation on its performance for the new ones.

Do NOT, I repeat, Do not buy a Monogram oven. The 30" double oven we purchased (ZET958) is NOISY. That is, the fan is noisy, regardless of whether you're running "bake" or "convection bake" mode. To make matters worse even after you turn the oven off, the fan stays ON for another TWO HOURS, even if you've only used it for 15 minutes!! You are trying to relax and enjoy your meal, but you have to contend with the &%$@!!* fan noise. It's irresponsible that GE doesn't post a warning notice about the fan noise. We would not have bought it if we had been forewarned. Why the fan continues after the oven is shut off makes no sense, since it continues to stay on for two hours no matter how long the oven has been on for 10 minutes or 10 hours!

Thanks for your feedback, mykonos, but the ZET958 is an older model, made by a different manufacturer than the 2006 Monograms (ZET1 or ZET2). The new ones, according to recent purchasers, are VERY quiet, as well as having more room, concealed lower element, and other advantages over the previous models. Sorry you have one you aren't happy with. I always hate to hear of someone spending so much to have a great appliance, then it not happening. There are people on the forum still considering this model, so, hopefully, they'll note your problem and consider carefully.

Anymore updates on the new Monogram ovens (ZET1 or ZET2)?
I've gone to two appliance stores in my area that carry this brand and neither one has the new model on display. The one store acted like they didn't know what new model I was talking about!

Are you happy with this oven?
Thanks.

I've been to 7 appliance stores in SF Bay Area; none had the new models on display....... anyone seen the real thing in this area? Good as it sounds, hate to spec this into my remodel, sight unseen.

I found this site Thursday and read many blogs re convection ovens. My kitchen is being remodeled and I'm buying built-ins, and thought how hard can it be, that cook top, this oven, that microwave, I'm out of here. No such luck. That's how I came to read about convection ovens vs conventional.

Saturday I ventured out again and by chance saw the new ZET1 GE Monogram at the Expo, which is the high end store of Home Depot (So. CA). That's where the salesman pointed out the sliding racks, and I began to understand what you all were talking about re the third element, true convection, the fan, and everything I had read on Thursday. So here I am back (took forever to re-find the website). I'm convinced now that the ZET1 is for me.

My cook top has been narrowed to 2 and the microwave shouldn't be that difficult now that it won't be a convection/micro. I must get the specs to the cabinetmaker in order for them to start the job.

I am still trying to decide between the new Monogram ZET1 pro oven and the F&P Aerotech. I did see the new Monogram model in a show home in the local Parade of Homes this weekend. It truly is an improved oven. The convection fan in the back is almost flush (maybe sticks out 1/2 " at most) and the ball-bearing racks glide very smoothly. The coating on the racks is similar to the glossy porcelain interior of the oven itself. The door feels very solid, probably more so than the Fisher & Paykel's. My husband liked the Monogram better; it does seem to have a larger cavity and the dials seem more substantial. I'm still undecided between the two, mainly because I'm still drawn to the pretty blue enamel interior on the F&P.

Tried both Bay Area Expo's today & neither have the new monograms on the floor. Is anyone out there actually cooking with them yet?

My DW and I looked at the new ZET2 30" double oven at Expo last night. We saw both the professional and standard versions. Thankfully, they were both powered up so that we could play with the controls. DW did not like the timer function of the GE. First, there's no way to easily cancel the timer (we checked the manual to confirm). Second, she found the manner in which the timer's transition from minutes to hours without an explicit indication (e.g. with an "h" indicator on the Dacors) was very confusing. DW also felt that the timer knob itself did not feel very durable. (We also looked at a FP and it's timer knob was horribly cheap feeling! However, the FP timer knob has an intuitive "push to cancel" feature.)

DW also concerned that the black text around the dials could wear off over years of cleaning and use. (I also noticed scratches around the dials of the standard model, but it's not clear to me that this is an indication of durability or someone really messed around with it).

Compared to other double ovens in this price range, I was put off by the clunkiness of the design of both the pro and standard models. The standard model looks more streamlined, but the round knobs are almost too small from an aesthetic standpoint. The pro model has chiseled doors, large Dacro-like handles and more substantial knobs. But to my eye, the chiseled door edges are overdone. I'd prefer to have the streamlined look of the standard model with the knobs of the pro model.

Unlike similar double ovens, both the pro and std models have a large trim piece and double gaps between the oven doors. Visually, it's not as streamlined as other double ovens in this class. Additionally, the control panel to top door gap is rather large. Within this gap there are silver screw heads that are pretty noticeable. Interestingly, the older GE model was also on display. That one has flat black painted screw heads - which made a huge difference.

A strange aspect of the ZET2 design: The pro model has a digital temperature display between the cook type and temperature setting dials whereas the standard model does not. The standard model uses the digital display within the center display panel. What's funny with the pro model is that it uses the exact same center panel as the standard model. What this means is that those temp displays in the center panel that are active on the std model go unused on the pro model (in deference to the digital displays between the dials). Being an engineer (could you tell?), I was not impressed by this approach of retaining unused temp displays in the pro model.

OK, so all of these gripes don't have anything to do with cooking performance, but for this kind of money I'd expect better design. We were all ready to go with the new GE, but these issues added up to a "No" for the GE. We're now considering a Miele. We had the Dacor Epicure Classic in our former home, but we bought it 7+ years ago. I'm not inclined to buy a 7+ year old design. However, I must admit that we were pretty happy with the classic...

I too am looking at the new Monogram ovens. The thing that concerns me most at this point is performance. Has anyone installed and used the new ZET1 or 2 yet? Is it noisy? Does it perform well?? Is it really the case there's no way to easily cancel the timer (as mica pointed out?)
thanks

I am also interested in these. I've been round and round on ovens but the new Monogram will fit my oven cabinets with virtually no alteration. I'm not thrilled at the prospect of trying to make a single oven cabinet 1" deeper and have the oven firmly installed.

Anyone who's actually using one of the ZETs have any comments?

We have had the standard model for about 3 weeks and just love it. Thanksgiving was our first big meal and the turkey turned out perfect. The skin was brown and crispy and the meat was nice and juicy. The fan nose is very low and does not seem to run that long (we did not time it, but it was not noticeable either).

We like the looks of the ovens and it seems to be well made. The design seems in proportion to us and we like it better than the Fisher/Packyl. It seems more sustantial to us than the other ovens we looked at. The racks are wonderful, gliding in and out very smoothly and they can be left in during the cleaning cycle.

The timer can be turned off easily. You press the timer button, then turn it back to zero using the timer knob. While this is not as easy as hitting a off button, it is no big deal to us. The time is set by turning the timer knob till the desired time is displayed. Minutes appear first then it changes to hours, so on and so on.

We did not like the looks of the PRO version, so we did not compare the differences in how they work. The knobs seem well made in both and either should last a long time.

Hope this helps

James

jrhodus -- may I ask if there's a clock to set in your oven as well, or just the timer? Also, did you notice if the top panel of the oven got hot after the turkey was in there for a time?

Like the OP, I have been deciding between the new monograms, and the FP double ovens. After months of waiting, I finally got to see the new monograms in person! The sliding racks really are nice, and the capacity is the same as the FP. The temperature increments on the monogram are not as small as on the FP. The oven salesman said (so of course we take it with a grain of salt) that the monogram has a wider temperature fluctuation that the FP, Miele, and new Dacors. Who knows if that's true though.

Also, I found that I didn't care for the way the control pannel looked. The temperature and mode lables are printed on the panel rather than on the knob. This gives it a really cluttered appearance.

So we've decided to stick with our original choice, the FP. If only FP would put in sliding racks, it would be PERFECT. Of course they'll probably do that, oh a month or so after I get ours with my luck...

rococogurl

Yes there is a clock in the display. The info for the upper oven displays to the left of the clock, while the lower oven displays to the right. The timer for each oven displays on the appropriate side for that oven, so the clock is always displayed.

I did not really pay attention if the top panel got hot or not. There is a fan that outputs below the top panel on the left side (I guess this helps keep the panel cool), so it is warm on that that side just above it, but not hot.

I hope this helps you. You just have to get the oven that works best for you. If you want a oven with a zillion cooking modes, go that way, just get what you want not what this or that person has. I'm sure that they all work very well as ovens, since that is what they are.

Jrhodus

Saw them both yesterday. The Monogram was not fully wired up and so only the control panel was working. I'm not sure if it fully functioned. Unlike many others, I actually preferred the look of the Monogram ovens. I liked the text around the dials, as it makes it easy to know where to turn the knob to "bake". On the FP, you have to turn it one click at a time until the display shows you what you want. Very unintuitive! So score one for the Monogram.

I didn't care for the hard-to-cancel timer. (FP now even)

I don't like the unused temperature display, either, though I wonder if it's really unused. I thought maybe it was just because only the control panel was working and maybe the other display was for the actual oven temperature or something. Can anyone with access to a real working model confirm this (or a picture of one which is really working)? I really prefer the pro knobs. (FP maybe up 1 at this point)

I didn't like the racks on the monogram, as I found them very difficult to take them in and out (for moving to different positions), though the ball-bearing glides were nice. (FP still up by one point)

They seem a wash as far as price goes, so I feel quite conflicted. The FP has a more flexible warming function (175-degree plates are too hot to hold!), though the Monograms have their "proof" mode, which I guess is around 95 degrees, so that's also a wash.

Hmmm. What to do?

I am getting my Monogram ovens and rangetop installed tomorrow, but we won't be able to use it for another month. I will let check in and report within a few months.

According to the manual, on the Pro series, that "other" temp display is just used for the probe set temperature. At least it's not entirely prehensile!

Went back to the store this morning. Indeed, the second temperature display is not unused - it's dedicated to the probe temperature. So I'm not worried about that any more.

HOWEVER, DW decided that the Pro was just too chisled in appearance. She much prefers the lines of the FP. The Monogram Eurostyle version is better, but I think she still likes the look of the FP more.

The full-extension racks are nice, and I prefer the labels clearly telling me where I need to turn the knob to get to bake or to 325, but those are probably minor issues.

I would love to hear how all of you like your Monogram ovens now. Noisy? How is the convection bake? Any repair issues? How were they handled?

Thanks,
Suzanne

I've had my single Monogram pro-style oven in use since February and have nothing but positive things to say about it. The fan is very quiet as far as fans go - much quieter than my previous KA Architect or the one on my Wolf AG range. The rolling racks are very nice and I've already used the self-clean which worked perfectly. Temps seem to be very even and accurate. I love the knob functions - they are so simple and intuitive to use that I have yet to open the manual. My baked goods come out perfectly and evenly browned using the convection bake. No repairs, no problems. This oven preheats quickly and does such a beautiful job that I use it on a daily basis with my Wolf range's oven as the backup. No regrets here - a great oven.

I've been using my Monogram ovens since April and I LOVE them. They provide consistent (though not perfect) temperature control and are super quiet. (A HUGE improvement over my previous Bosch convection ovens.) The preheat time is fast, and accurate. The rolling racks are amazing! (Even when I've got a super-heavy Le Creuset filled with liquid that would normally spill and splatter everywhere.) They are easy to understand, easy to use and the probe feature, which I didn't have previously, is totally cool. (One thing to use it on that I hadn't thought of beforehand--yeast bread. Works awesome.)

The one tiny downside is that I've noticed there's up to a 25 degree flux over long cooking times, but I've heard that's considered "normal" and acceptable on a residential oven. A small hack ... On the Monogram, you can always change the temp, and then change it back, at any point in the cooking process, to see the actual temperature on the display--which, when I've double-checked that reading by other means seems highly accurate. It will also reheat to the "set" temp if you change (e.g. cooking at 325, change the dial to 350 and then back to 325 and it will show the actual temp--for instance 312--and reheat to 325).

-Susan W.

I've had my Monogram ovens since April and they are wonderful! Very quiet and extremely fast preheat times. So fast that most times, I will still be mixing my cookie/cake batter and it's already preheated.

You will not regret getting these ovens.

One question - I've been looking at DCS ovens (which are made by FP)and at Monogram. But the Monograms I've seen all have the "hat" in the back where the fan is and they don't have the full-extension racks that some of the other ovens do. Are these not current models in the stores?

What are the differences in fan noises, etc. between the FP and the Monogram? Any DCS/FP raves out there from owners?
I need 27" ovens and assume the features are the same as in the 30" ovens.

DCS is owned by F&P, but the ovens are definitely different. I can't remember exact details of why I ruled out DCS ovens, but I think it was price and cooking modes...maybe interior size. I know that I felt like I'd get better value for my money with the F&P, even though the DCS had the extension racks.

The Monograms with the hatbox definitely are older versions, and made by Bosch, I believe. I still see them in some stores, too. They were reported as having loud fans, unlike what I read here about the Monograms that came out in 2006. The newer ones don't have the hatbox and have WONderful, full-extension racks that stay in during self-clean...They're porcelain coated.

Raynag- I noticed that too when I was at Expo yesterday. I asked the guy "Is this the old Monogram oven" and he said "No", then I went and looked at another Monogram oven and it did have the full extention rolling racks. The difference is that Monogram makes 3 different ovens. The one that does not have the rolling full extention racks is called Trivection, it has a touch pad control panel. The other two Monogram ovens have the cool knobs and rolling, full extention racks. One has a skinny handle and is more modern looking, the other has a chunky handle and is more commercial kitchen looking. These are the two ovens you often hear people talking about here. The Trivection oven does not seem as popular.

Hope this helps

Mel, it DOES help, since I need a 27" oven and the PRO doesn't come in 27. I shall have to find an EXPO to look at it since I haven't yet seen the new one installed in even the fancy appliance stores near me. Thanks. Frankly, the knobs are less prone to problems than the electronic control panels, too.

AARRGGH, I finally saw the Monogram - not the Pro - the regular Monogram ZET 2 with the full extension racks, fell in love,and then discovered they do NOT make it in 27" - they only make the noisy 958 (no extension racks) in 27". I looked at the DCS ovens, which do come in 27" but they are about $800 more...so either I go back to the design drawing board or suck it up and get another brand besides Monogram.

It reminds me of when I was shopping 15 years ago for a Japanese car - a stick shift with all the bells and whistles. Nope. In those days, either I got automatic with bells and whistles or a stripped-down stick. I got the automatic and gave up driving a stick.

Raytag posted that knobs are better than electronic control pads.

I am switching from an 1988 nondigital GE oven. I spoke to a dealer yesterday regarding the Monogram "Pro" style with knobs vs the standard with touchpad. He said they are both digital, both electronic ,and subject to the same issues. He said is is purely esthetics. What do you think?

That dealer is right; the knobs on these are all electronic. I preferred the knobs because those shiny touchpads are ALWAYS covered with fingerprints no matter how often you wipe them down.

I like the knobs too. I had a touchpad on my last range and I hated it. It ALWAYS looks gross and greasy no matter how often you clean it or what you use to clean it with.

I love the knobs on my new F&P oven.

We haven't installed our oven yet. When we tested it at the store, it was so quiet you could not even hear the fan. Do most of you who have F&P ovens find that to be so?

If so, it will be a great improvement over our last range. The fan would run on and on long after the oven was turned off. It used to drive me insane - was so loud!

Yes, our FP's fan is very, very quiet. The cooling fan does run after it's turned off, but it's so quiet that it's not an issue. They're great ovens and we're really pleased with them.

The Monogram's fan is also quiet - I tried it in the store. And yes, the salesman I am buying from told me also that the knobs are also electronic - it's aesthetic. But it's fine with me - I also like the look. I am getting a single oven under cooktop and an Advantium 120 at counter height, elsewhere in the kitchen.

I still wonder about knobs being the same, electronically. We had a JennAir range once with a touch pad that kept burning out (oven vented right under it...bad design). Its problem was the tiny wiring that operated the flat, smooth touch pad...Not well protected, and too easily heated and otherwise damaged. I'd think the use of knobs have advantages...Less exposure for the wiring? Besides, I HATE the fingerprints on black touchpads, too. One reason I'm glad I decided to go F&P instead of Miele. (Not that I would have given up quality or function to avoid the fingerprints)

Raynag, we are also doing single oven under cooktop. Which cooktop did you choose? We decided on the 30" Windcrest induction.

Can't wait to have a working kitchen!! Hopefully this weekend, I'll get at least one appliance up and running. Yippee.

Kailleanm - I am planning to order the Caldera 30" gas cooktop with 5 burners. So far, we're still in the planning stage and waiting for the contractor to get back with a price. I'm left-handed and the Caldera is the only cooktop I've found with the high burner on the right, which is what I need because the cooktop will be on my left. I did see the Windcrest but the high burner was in the wrong place for me, if I remember correctly. So far, still dealing with the old disgusting, non-working appliances. How exciting for you to finally be getting a working kitchen!

I am looking at 27" ovens and decided on GE Monogram - but found out by reading this forum that the newer Monogram with the extension racks and quiet fan is not available in the 27" size. Raynag - what did you end up buying instead?

kailleanm,
I know it's been a couple months since your last post on this thread. I am considering a Windcrest induction (36") above an single wall oven. Did you go with the Fisher and Paykels? If not what... and are you happy with your choice. Please share details.

Dacor, F&P, DCS, if cost is (mostly) irrelevant is there a clear winner - or one that I haven't mentioned that satnds head&shoulders above the rest?

We finally ended up going with the Electrolux Icon double ovens. They were cheaper, looked modern, had a very nice window and lighting, and are ALWAYS cool to the touch.

However, I totally regret the choice. The touch controls show fingerprints so easily, the ovens are slow to preheat and give no sense of how close you are to the right temp, the control panel is very poorly designed and suffers many usability problems, and the time display is so blindingly bright it lights up our great room.

Doing it again, I'd pick the monograms.

We have an 8 yr. old GE Spectra gas range. To replace a broken piece of plastic on the upper right hand side it cost $40.50!!! The appliance repair store person said that GE typically charges several arms & legs for replacement parts. Anyone else have a similar experience? Makes me leery of getting another GE product. . . (but I did succomb to a 120 Advantium in S&D for $335! Couldn't resist the bargain.)