So you are buying a professional range? You are probably comparing features like grills, griddles, and convection profiles of each product. Then you are comparing price and rebates as many of these brands offer free dishwashers and hoods.
Then you check Yelp, Google Reviews, and the Better Business Bureau to decide which store would be the best to purchase from. All these steps are expected (and encouraged, by the way).
But how about reliability?
Consumer Reports is a good magazine for features, and maybe initial quality. However, they cannot tell you how these products perform in the field. There is a much better way. We will talk about the methodology and the statistics then show you the most reliable brands.
Methodology
We now have 23 service technicians performing 8-10 service calls per day Monday through Friday with 110 on Saturday. We simply tabulate service percentages by service calls divided by sales for a percentage.
A service call is recorded for any reason are called to your house. We do not count installation issues, damage or problems solved by phone.
We only count the first year, because we offer free warranty service for the first year. After that, it is hard to know what percentage use us for service.
So let’s look at the most reliable professional gas ranges (we will calculate dual fuel in a different post). The average service rate for appliances is 11.04%, and the average service rate for the category is about 28%.
Most Reliable Professional Gas Ranges
| Brand | Units Sold | Units Serviced | Service rate |
| Jenn-Air | 133 | 28 | 21.05 % |
| Thermador | 263 | 67 | 25.48 % |
| Miele | 21 | 6 | 28.57 % |
| Wolf | 164 | 54 | 32.93 % |
| Capital | 24 | 8 | 33.33 % |
| Bertazzoni | 19 | 8 | 42.11 % |
This figure is actually way lower than previous years, mostly because we stopped selling problematic brands. Viking, for example, was well over 50% in 2013. You probably think 21% is still too high. However, more expensive appliances seem to have more calls.
You will be paying $3,000 - $10,000 for a professional style range, so you do have a right to call for assistance on problems you might not for a $500 range.
The 36 and 48 inch ranges also have more burners, larger ovens and other features. In other words, there is more to actually break.
Which Should You Consider?
The two most reliable premium brands, Miele and Wolf are the two most serviced brands here. I still think they are the two best ranges sold in terms of performance.
However, the average of a pro range is now 28%, and the average of a refrigerator is about 30%. Throw in a dishwasher at about 10% for about 70% chance of service in those three appliances just in the first year.
After checking prices and features, you should inquire about who will fix your new appliances.
With more dealers not offering any service, it could be a big problem in the future.
Most Reliable Appliances Series
- Most Reliable Top Load Washers
- Most Reliable Electric Ranges for 2016
- Most Reliable Freestanding Gas Ranges
- Most Reliable Dual Fuel Professional Ranges
- Most Reliable Wall Ovens
- Most Reliable Compact and Regular Front Load Washers
- Most Reliable Dishwashers for 2016
Additional Resources
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