Thermador Gas Cooktop: Is it Really a Thermador Masterpiece?
Thermador Masterpiece: The Thermador Gas Cooktop
Thermador Masterpiece is a brand long associated with high-end quality. But what about the Thermador gas cooktop? Is it worthy of the Thermador Masterpiece nameplate? This review examines the pros, cons and features of the Thermador gas cooktop.
If You’re Thinking of Buying
You might want to check out HomeEverything or AJMadison. Both of these websites appear to have impeccable security. I know that, as of this writing, HomeEverything is always no sales tax and no shipping fees, while that is usually the case with AJMadison. HomeEverything also has a price-match guarantee. Perhaps most important, both of these companies deliver when they say they will. Here is HomeEverything’s top-of-the-line 36″ Thermador gas cooktop and their 30″ Thermador gas cooktop, while here is AJ Madison’s 36″ Thermador Masterpiece and their 30″ Thermador.
Pros
- Appearance. I just LOVE the beefy, brawny look of the stainless steel Thermador, the big, tough die-cast knobs, and the bold, strong grates. This is a cooktop that doesn’t mess around.
Cool Knobs
- Illuminated Control Panel with Die Cast Metal Knobs. With this optional feature, the metal knobs have blue progressive illumination that adjusts to indicate whether the burner is on regular or extra-low simmer settings. (Described below) This just adds to the good looks of the Thermador gas cooktop.
- Star Burners. The Thermador gas cooktop doesn’t have your typical round burners-its burners are shaped like stars. Thermador claims that the shape creates a perimeter 56% longer with more flame ports than a comparable round burner. The result is a burner with
Star Burner
superior flame spread and a reduced cold spot that delivers faster and more even heating. That sounds good in theory to me, but frankly, it also looks really cool, not like the boring old circles.
- Easy to Clean. Sealed burners are indeed easy to clean, but I have a feeling that the star shape might be a little more difficult than circular burners.
- Enough fire to heat a small town. The Thermador gas cooktop cranks out enough BTUs to heat a mansion. Maximum output is 18,000 BTU/hr, and a new porting pattern increases burner durability and performance. (Note: If you’re into searing, 18,000 is GREAT for that.)
- Simmer Down! The two highest end versions come with a special, ultra low simmer flame setting, for you gourmet cooks. This is a Thermador Masterpiece exclusive setting that cycles the burner on and off to maintain 200 BTU/hr, the lowest simmering on the market. Thermador states that this mode is ‘perfect for melting chocolate and heating delicate sauces’.
- Accessorize. You can get a Wok Ring for your Chinese cooking and a griddle plate for your pancakes.
- Burners. All Thermador gas cooktops come with 5 star burners, except for the most inexpensive 30″ Thermador gas cooktop, which comes with four burners.
- One Year Warranty. Always good when a company backs up its product with a warranty.
Cons
- Price. Definitely not for the cost-conscious, but if you’ve read this far, price is probably not an issue anyway. The 30″ Thermador gas cooktop prices are $1,199, $1,399 and $1,699 for the most feature-heavy version, while the 36″ Thermador Masterpieces are $1,599 and $1,899 respectively.
- Warranty. I would like to see a longer warranty than one year, but I’m probably being nit-picky, since I can’t find anything else to complain about. My sister-in-law has had a Thermador gas cooktop for years and years, and she swears by it, and has never had a problem with it.
Conclusion
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better cooktop than the Thermador Masterpiece gas cooktop. Not only is a great-looking piece of work, but Thermador has an outstanding track record of reliability and quality. The Thermador gets a ‘strong buy’ vote from me.
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