Feedback Please Bertazzoni D36600X 6-Burner Range Top

CastIronCook2 · #1 10-04-2009, 04:16 PM

Has anyone had experience with Bertazzoni's "Professional Series" 36" 6-burner gas cooktop? We are terminally dissatisfied with our present all-show-no-go gas cooktop and are looking for a more heavy-duty replacement. Space constraints prevent our using a rangetop or a free-standing range. We've researched both Wolf and Viking (thanks for the thread that discusses Viking repair problems), but Bertazzoni just popped up on our radar screen and other than a few reviews on A.J. Madison, we can't get much info on it. Input, anyone?

ryan.brosseau1 · #2 10-04-2009, 05:16 PM

I apologize that i do not no anything about the bertazzoni specifcally, but i would like to suggest that you make sure you can get the unit serviced locally before you buy it. The Wolf unit may be the better choice just because i'll bet Sub-Zero/ Wolf has a servicer in your area, and parts can be had quicker and cheaper.

Admittedly this has no bearing on how each unit performs when working properly, but a good stove with easy repairs is better than a great stove with no parts.

CastIronCook2 · #3 10-04-2009, 05:34 PM

Ryan, thanks for the response. You raise a very good point.

Actually, our local dealer sells and services Viking, not Wolf. The nearest Wolf dealer is about 4 hours away. And after reading in this forum about Viking service issues, we're a little wary.

I guess what we're looking for is anyone who knows the reliability track record of Bertazzoni. We've already learned that installation-wise there's a small challenge because of some ambiguous metric vs. American plumbing issues. But how well does this unit perform, and how well does it hold up, are questions we'd like to get a line on.

ryan.brosseau1 · #4 10-04-2009, 10:45 PM

Have you considered DCS or Dacor, not make your decision harder, but both companies offer products similar to the Wolf/ Bertazonni. As a bonus, both companies are based in California. I'm not sure of your exact location but a lot of these brands have live kitchens that you can check out and actually use the appliances before buying. You could probably call Bertazzoni or any of the others to find one of these live kitchens in your general area.

DCS is now a subsidiary of Fisher and Paykel if it makes any difference to you.

I used to be a servicer and I can tell you that the DCS and Dacor stuff is comparable to the wolf and viking as far as features and price are concerned.
Wolf was always the best customer service and reliability of the brands i dealt with. Viking was always the worst and DCS improved 1000% after the were bought by Fisher and Paykel. I didn't do a lot of Dacor stuff but it seemed quite nice.

The biggest issues that i ran into with all of these big ranges were top burner ignition related. I found Wolf to be the best at resolving design flaws, updating parts and making the customer happy in general. They also had the best build quality of all the stuff i worked with. No stripped screws, bent legs missing pieces etc. DCS and Wolf also had the best prices for replacement parts.

The other brand i did a lot of was Thermador, and I do not recommend them at all. They were repair prone like the Viking in my opinion. Again if it is of importance they are built by Bosch Appliances

Hope I'm helping and not making it worse!

CastIronCook2 · #5 10-05-2009, 09:35 AM

Went to the Dacor website. Fell in love with the site and the product. Did an Internet search for "Dacor cooktop". Found a multiple-page listing of consumer complaints about Dacor. Can't post you the URL because I've not yet made 5 posts, but it's Consumer Affairs Dot Com.

Back to the drawing boards.

DuckFat · #6 10-05-2009, 10:17 AM

I have no experience with the brand you asked about but those I have spoken to with that product seem to really like it. I'll echo what some one else said about checking on service availability before you buy. IIR that range is a lot more of a Euro style than the more common commercial style range like Wolf, Viking etc.

CastIronCook2 · #7 10-05-2009, 10:44 AM

DuckFat, I appreciate your input. Servicing is a legitimate concern; so is reliability and durability. Local knowledge trumps show-room pitch, that's fer shure.

So far, based on customer input, we've eliminated Viking and Dacor. DCS and Wolf are still in the running, as is Bertazzoni. Still looking for some hard-core first-hand knowledge about the Bertazzoni.

DuckFat · #8 10-05-2009, 11:01 AM

Opinion on the Internet can be a bit jaded so be sure to take them with a grain of salt.
Last year for example Viking was rated very high by consumers reports in their appliance eddition. I've been very pleased with the Viking I've had in my home for the last ten years. I'm not crazy about DCS or Dacor. Wolf is a still a nice product.
Best of luck with what ever you chose.
You may want to try Garden Web or Chow Hound for feedback on the brand you are asking about.

CastIronCook2 · #9 10-05-2009, 11:44 AM

Good advice, DuckFat. Thanks.