I have a Miele 36 inch unit and the clearance is 5 3/4 from the top of the cooktop and the bottom of the top drawer. I do not have a blank but a 15 ich top drawer and 2 sets of drawers below. The install instructions wanted 5 7/8. The back 6 inch of the unit has about 15 inch to the next drawer and it leaves the fans open to the area. I have had 3 burners going at once with no problems.

I have a utensil drawer directly beneath my dedeitrich, no blank.

This was okay with my unit so long as it was ventilated properly. The hob extends only a couple of inches, probably less, below the surface of the counter, so that utensil drawer is perfectly aligned with my other top drawers.

It's a fabulous set-up.

I put in a tilt out (like for a sink) to hold ceramic cleaner, etc in lieu of the top skinny drawer, instead of a blank. It is very important to make sure there is enough circulation for the warm air or you will shorten the life of the electronics. I have heard of people not heeding this manufacturers instruction and then they want to know why the unit goes into error mode a lot (hint: it's because it's over heating). If you do not have proper circulation, heat will build up and eventually destroy the unit. Your unit may function great for now, it may not happen for a while, but it will happen over time.

The other two drawers under the top one will be fine as that provides space for good ventilation. As a precaution, if I have something cooking for a long time or multiple hobs going for a while, I crack one of the drawers open about two inches.

Please be absolutely sure that you have the correct electric supply to the unit. This includes a dedicated breaker and the right line to the unit. At the very least, if it is not powered correctly, you will not be getting the full benefit from the cooktop and will never know it. Worst case, fire.

If this is your first foray with induction, you are going to love it.

Get the best cookware, made for induction not just compatible, that you can. It makes a tremendous difference and you'll get the full potential from the unit. It's worth the extra money.

The key is ventilation. These units are electronic, and need to vent heat somewhere to prevent overheating and premature failure. Heat is the # 2 killer of electronics (in studies done by Bell Labs and others). My hob is installed over a open-base cabinet, and I need to crack the door open to prevent overheating and error codes, if it is going to be on for more than 2-3 minutes. I am considering adding a small fan or at least vent holes in the cabinet.

Not to hijack this thread but Canuck how do you like the cook top. We have had one order here in the states for 3 months. Miele keeps pushing back the arrival date was supposed to be 8/26 now they say 9/5. Incredible they were saying 7/14 now it is almost two months later. I sure hope it is worth the wait.

thanks

Well simple answer is the Miele unit is great.

the US unit is slightly different than the Canadian version. Burners are slightly different and there is a double boast on the big burner. The install is slightly different. a little more space for the US (likely due to slightly higher output. I have 122 volts on my line in the house so I'm sure I have 240+ volts to the unit so the power rating are normally for 230 Volts. So I have lots of power.

Why is it great. All the items you have read about are true, quick have your most stuff prepared in advance. It takes a few mins/secs to heat the pan. Turn down to stop or slow the cooing process is very quick so you have lots of control. The individual timers are great. Example making a sauce and pasta with a vegtable side. Get sauce going and focus and getting most ingrediants in and cooking. Fill pot for water and get it boiling (mins to get going). Place pasta in pot set "timer" for.... 3-4 mins for fresh and 7-8 for dried. Turn down sauce to keep warm set timer for 1-2 mins more than pasta time. Place some water in pot for vegtables (steam quantity) come to a boil 1 min, place vegables into pot close cover and set power and timer for xxxx depending on type of vegtable.

Should have 3 mins before all timers are complete....time to pour wine and set table.

The first number of times of use will have to get the feel for what power setting give what results but after that it is very predictable. The timer use will come after a few uses and now that you have the capability you will use it. Timing use for rice is great.

The ability to add more to the pan/pot and hit the up button and what seems like a few secs get a result and then set it back down is great.

Initially I had just the 12 levels programmed. I have sinced added the 1/2 steps to get 23 levels to get that low end control and it is great.

If you need to simmer a sauce/soup down over an hour you can set the control till you are happy and set the timer for 60 mins and go work on something else.

OK enough I hope you get the point. Try doing that with gas. No offense to the gas people. I'm just describing what I have done and like some things the real thing is better than the dream. I wil not talk about cleanup but imagine cleanup like cleaning/polishing a 2x3 window. (short/sweet)

Hi canuck,
I too am a canuck and am expecting my miel induction to be installed in the next 3 weeks. Is it obvious, or are there instructions as to how to programme more levels. What do you mean when you say that the install is different? Did you have your electrician or a miele service person put it in? I live in London Ont.

Thanks,
judy

Yol,

The level adjust is in the instructions along with a number of other choices. The install I mentioned is the difference in the US version vs the Canadian version. The electrician set up a box and I wired the connection. I had a 60 amp breaker from an downdraft Jennair top/stove so I have lots of power available. The granite was cut very exact to have the unit slide in. I also have a downdraft Dacor with a blower outside and just the rise/fall inside. (very narrow)

thanks, canuck.
judy

thanks a lot. Now I hope the Sept 5 date holds I have been disappointed before and it stinks not having a cooktop.

I guess the steam oven will have to do for a while longer:).

I have an induction cooktop with a blank and then two large drawers under it. The top of the first drawer is about 8" under the counter. The contractor/installer insisted on doing it this way and it has worked fine close to 3 yrs.

Canuck,

I still can't visualize how you have the drawers under your Miele. You write 15 ich, with 5 3/4 from the top of the cooktop to the bottom of the top drawer. Is your top drawer 1.5" high? Or 15" deep, leaving space behind the top drawer for the fans?

We're getting European (Leicht) cabinets, with a 65 cm island cabinet to hold the Miele and a Dacor downdraft behind it. So I'm trying to figure out if we can safely have a shallow drawer under the cooktop.

If we could do a drawer that isn't as deep as the cabinet (say 40cm deep), that would be a great solution! Still could be a nice place to store the metal spatulas, ladles etc. which currently stand in a canister next to our range.

Yes the 15 in is to have the fans clear. The distance is 5 1/2 and the inside of the drawer is 3 inch deep. It is a frameless design to above the the drawer is just a support for the granite at 3/4 thick. The drawers stores all the parts to cook and serve etc. 3 deep is quite deep.

Thanks Canuck.

The thing I'm still puzzled about is, if the large elements are in the front, as are the electronics, then it seems like the front would get the hottest, ... and also be the most heat sensitive. So I'd think the fans need to send cool air to that front area. It's a shame that it's so hard to see the Miele cooktops in real life... and the online sites don't show what's underneath.

So what do you all think of this:

I really like the idea of a utensil drawer there. So what about a 15" deep, short utensil drawer like what Canuck describes -- plus a set of ventilation holes in the back of the cabinet, on both sides of the Dacor ERV36 downdraft (we'll have counter seating on the other area, so it's open). And, as a last resort, if it gets too hot below the front, we could simply replace the drawer by a the drawer's front as a blank front.

I'll also be mindful of what bearman says, and order the cooktop soon, so we won't have a countertop guy waiting for it to arrive so he can take measurements and manufacture the countertop.

Thanks everyone!