Viking Ranges

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
1

Do you have one…thoughts etc…

2

Yes. I like.

3

There’s been quite a bit of buzz for the last couple of years about reliability with Viking. If I were buying one, and I’m not, I’d certainly look at them along with Wolf, Dacor and Thermador.

4

We had a 36" Viking range in our SoCal home for several years. We were very happy with it, and had no problems. When we moved full time to our Santa Fe home five years ago, we replaced the old GE electric stove with a 30" dual-fuel Viking stove. We had had no problems and I enjoy cooking on it.

5

I love Viking’s industrial look and those cute little feet. We were in the early planning stages of a big kitchen remodel when the housing market tanked, but after chatting with our designer (who’d done hundreds of kitchens with a local company called Neil Kelly) and with the staff of a local appliance store that carries both lines, we planned to go with a 48" Wolf instead of Viking. When (if?) the housing market rebounds and our property value can support the kind of kitchen we want, we’ll go with Wolf.

Dacor is what we have now, and I’d never buy one or recommend the brand to anyone. Our 30" dual-fuel range is like a blind, three-legged dog. I’ve never had a major appliance with more problems.

6

Melissa…anything specific push you to Wolf over Viking?

7

I like the red knobs.

8

Michael, this was tough for me because the main point of my remodel was aesthetic. Our kitchen is large, relatively contemporary, and functional. It’s just not my taste. I had a very specific picture in my mind, and I was 100% set on the Viking aesthetic. I also liked that Viking is more mechanical, with fewer electronic component to break.

Two things swayed me-- reliability and control. No appliance is perfect, but Viking seems to have a lot of issues. Also, Wolf (supposedly) lets you maintain more control at the lowest flame than Viking. Even with a heat diffuser on my Dacor, I can’t maintain a gentle enough simmer at times.

9

I’ll add to the control comment on Wolf, for whom I have a personal preference that goes beyond the red knobs, but I haven’t researched it well enough to make a concrete recommendation. The local Wolf and Sub-Zero distributor, where I’ve done some classes, has a kitchen area with every Wolf cooking component available installed and operating. One of the things they do is put some chocolate in a saucepan over the lowest heat possible on one of the gas cooktops, then they leave it for days. It never seizes and always stays perfectly melted.

10

I had a Viking in our old house and it was fine-very nice, no problems.

When we build 3 years ago one of my friends who sold both for several years told me to go with Wolf. I asked the guy selling it to me and he said that they were both great appliances but that Viking, at that time, was having supply issues w/parts. We have a Wolf and we like it at least as much as the Viking if not more.

John

11

They are great cooking appliances. I just signed my yearly contract with Viking today for the Scottsdale Culinary Festival I run. ( http://www.scottsdaleculinaryfestival.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ) They supply all the equipment at the Festival and a pay 10K donation fee, nice. All of the Chefs who do our demos (including the Top Chef guys)ask for Viking but what do they know? [smack.gif]
As an aside, I got Jonata Wines to commit to two dinners on April 18th and 19th today. Yowsa.

12

My parents always had a Viking and went for a Wolf with a grill this time. The low level flame control is simple amazing for simmering, etc. I’ve never seen such a low flame not blow out

13

A lot, clearly, but they’re not necessarily looking for the same things in an appliance they’ll use for six days at a festival as I’m looking for in an appliance I will use in my home every day for fifteen years. I’m sure they know their stuff, but their criteria may be very different based on what they’re cooking… and the fact that they don’t have to pay for any sort of maintenance or repairs. I have no personal experience yet with either range, but I do know that what works best in a professional kitchen doesn’t always work with how we cook at home.

14

How do they like the grill? We loved the idea of it, but we figured it would be nightmarish to keep it clean.

15

Don’t get the grill. Hot spots and cold spots make for a usable surface that’s about half the actual area and I’m speaking from personal experience here. Get the griddle instead if your kids like pancakes and that kind of stuff, otherwise two extra burners.

16

My ex put Gagenau in my kitchen when I built the house 18 years ago and it also has a very low flame minimum. My middle double grill is not gas but electric and is very efficient for an 18 year old system. You can also put the griddle attachment on top and voila it’s a griddle.
I still will probably go for a Viking when I redo the kitchen one day.
I love the high flame. It is necessary for Wok cooking that is my staple.

17

Bless you, sir. I’ve always thought the grill was a great concept, poorly executed.

Frankly, I think the smaller 4 burner rangetop is the way to go, regardless of manufacturer. But we have still some negotiating to do on that topic. [whistle2.gif]

18

Four burners-- [rofl.gif] [rofl.gif] [rofl.gif]

19

That’s for the appetizer portion of the cooktop, right, Steve?

20

I have looked into Viking Ranges myself and chose…Wolf for my revamp.