That is one beautiful oven. :)

I bought a Viking range for our new home (started using it in February) and, well, this is the first time I have admitted it, I really wish I had bought something else. Looked at other models. Wasn't fixated on "having a Viking".

Don't tell my husband, he will have a fit! ;)

I've always wanted a Viking range. I cook and bake a lot, and it seemed perfect for my new kitchen-- 4 burners, grill, single oven. But, despite 2 visits from the service tech, the oven continues to overheat (currently, I have to set it at about 30 degrees lower than the temperature the recipe calls ). There is no low simmer setting, which I would use a lot. When I turn the burner knob to simmer, the electronic ignition continually "clicks". I do like the grill, and the range darn pretty in my kitchen. But if I could go back a year...

Anyway, tell your sister to look at more options. It's way too easy, when faced with all of the decisions entailed in buying another set of appliances, to just go with the pretty ones, the upscale name brands, the one you've always wanted... I wish I had looked at more manufacturers and had kept a more open mind.

Thanks for the feedback foodfiend! Just curious what model range do you have? The only reason I ask is Viking is currently transitioning to new models, one of them being this new double oven, and I wonder whether you have one of the newer or older generation ranges. I'm trying what the difference in quality is, if any.

Unfortunately the one requirement my sister has for looks is that the oven has to be pro style, which limits options. It seems like most of the consistently recommended and well reviewed ovens here are NOT pro style. There does seem to be one exception, Electrolux Icon. I will try to push an E30EW85GPS model. And I'll also have her consider a JennAir JJW3830WP since I have a Jenn-Air range at a vacation rental property that I really like. I think it's going to be between those and Viking. If she decides to stick with Viking, I will be sure to report back here with how it works and holds up over time. Though someone may have to bump this thread to remind me :)

This post was edited by hvtech42 on Mon, Jul 7, 14 at 0:21

It seems silly to me that someone would turn up her nose at Gaggenau or Wolf because of the styling, but if that's the case, and seeing that she likes the French doors, has she looked at American Range? They're an actual pro company that also makes residential products, like Wolf, but not so fancied up. They have a very similar design to the Viking available in all gas, all electric, or half and half. I don't know much about their reputation, but there isn't the big knock against them that Viking has, as far as I know. If you search the forum, you can find more info about them (and of course, the rest of the 'net too...)

I've read all about problems with Viking in the past, I know it doesn't have the greatest of reputations. I guess I was trying to figure out if anyone knew anything about the latest generation of Viking appliances since Middleby took over.

I'm with you 100%. If I were spending over $7000 on a wall oven I would get Gaggenau. I would never buy Wolf until they sort out their porcelain issues which they have seemingly known about ever since they started selling ovens with blue interiors, and have done nothing.

I don't think the French doors are a must for her, she just really liked the look of this particular oven. I think if she doesn't go Viking she would be best served by saving some $$$ and going Electrolux Icon prostyle.

This post was edited by hvtech42 on Mon, Jul 7, 14 at 10:31

My Viking is model #VGSC5364QSSLP. I like it, I just wish I loved it! And I think that when Christmas baking starts, I will be even more disappointed. Oh well, live and learn. :rolleyes:

hv -- the question to answer about this new Viking oven is how different it is from the old ones. Yes, a new company has taken over and the response has improved but issues remain.

Past Viking ovens worked by temperture averaging. Does the new one? The oven exhaust was located directly below the control panel. That became too hot to touch and, eventually, the electronics were fried. Where's the exhaust on this one? Does this new oven have a sensor or just the little old-fashioned coil?

Another issue in the past with Viking was the disconnect between what was actually going on in the appliance vs the schematics. I stood there with a tech trying to use the diagram to fix something and finding nothing inside that oven resembled the diagram. When he called the company for guidance, no one in the factory could sort it out. Is this oven made in the same factory as past ovens?

Also, I'd suggest she go to the appliance store, open the oven, and see if she can handle the weight of the oven racks. The ones on my old oven were so heavy they were a complete PITA to remove and clean.

Recently, my fridge was recalled for the second time. The door hinge had broken and it was a dangerous situation. It took 2 for the "new" Viking to get the hinge kit sent out. The first call was ignored. Nothing happened -- this is the new service company. They did not send one of their company-trained techs to make the repair -- those have been fired in our area.

During the course of my query about what might be wrong with the door I thought I might need a part for a crisper drawer. They were very prompt in helping me try to order it and sent me a diagram of the drawer. The diagram was so bad it really was impossible to know what I might/might not have been ordering. And the parts people could not help me as they didn't know the appliances well enough.

These days, I know opinions/beliefs/desires often overpower facts. You tell someone why something is not a good idea but they want it anyway. Hope for your sake that's not the case here and she will listen.

Thanks for the input rococogurl. Wow, what a joke of an oven you had. Unfortunately, it's too late. She ordered the Viking french double oven. I guess sales like this that happened despite multiple warnings (from me and a friend who owned Viking appliances in the past) are a prime example of why they are still in business.

I'm not sure what you mean by temperature averaging. Like averaging the temperature between multiple sensors? Not sure what else that could mean but I don't see how that's such a bad thing? Every oven I've ever seen only have one sensor. I would be willing to bet you that even though this oven has knobs to set these temperatures and modes, those functions are all electronic. No clue what the racks are like or where it exhausts, but to be fair, I have an oven and slide in range (neither are Viking) that both exhaust under the control panel and no problems in several years. I have heard that the new owner Middleby has been taking a lot of production out of the original Viking factory and moving it to their other divisions, which I would be a lot more comfortable with quality-wise since they're actually made for commercial applications. But I'm not sure whether that applies to this particular oven or not. For example, I would feel a lot better about the Viking Turbochef speed oven since it's actually made by TurboChef.

Of course, a lot of these questions could be answered if I could even find just a basic parts diagram online. But Viking keeps that stuff all locked up, making life harder for the customer AND any service technician that tries to work on it who's not a Viking authorized servicer.

I will test the oven out myself extensively as well as get feedback from my sister and post back here about both performance and reliability over time.

By temperature averaging I mean there wasn't a sensor like my Miele has. Just an old fashioned coil. Oven turned itself off and on. Hopefully, she will get a new design from a different factory.

Well, the oven has been installed for a while now. She loves it. Seems well built, good fit/finish. Bakes evenly. The swing action of the french doors is great, with both doors having handles but only one hand needed to open both at once. Each of the knobs has an LED ring around it, and they pulse on/off while that oven is preheating, looks pretty cool. Despite the deceiving look of the control panel, I'm sure this thing is loaded with electronics, so we'll see how it holds up over time.

Only con so far is that the top oven does not self clean. When she asked the salesman about this before buying, he responded that the Viking rep told him that it was technically impossible to self clean a french door oven. I find this very funny, because GE Monogram is coming out with a french door single oven soon that does have self clean.

This post was edited by hvtech42 on Sun, Nov 16, 14 at 22:26