This range and Viking in general are very different indeed. TurboChef cooking technology was on the market and then withdrawn after lackluster sales. Viking is now owned by Middleby, a commercial manufacturer and owner of the TurboChef technology.
Viking Range was founded in the 80’s by Fred Carl and has long been recognized as a premier brand of appliances. They pretty much invented the commercial style range for residential use in 1986. Their line has grown to include cooking products, dishwashers, and full size and under counter refrigeration.
With new leadership comes some changes to the Viking line, as they are trying to reclaim their place at the top of the residential appliance heap.
TurboChef
TurboChef technology is used mostly in commercial applications. It uses a combination of radiant, convection, and microwave cooking modes to significantly decrease cooking times. Foods will brown on the outside and cook on the inside much faster than in a conventional oven.
The breakfast sandwich you pick up in the morning, or that toasted sandwich for lunch may very well be cooked using a TurboChef product. The first residential models were available in a double oven configuration, with a single convection oven below with the TurboChef oven above.
New Viking TurboChef
The Viking version will be a 30 inch double oven model. The lower oven will be a standard convection oven with the TurboChef features on top. The upper oven will offer 7 high speed modes, including toast and dehydrate. It will cook up to 15 times faster than a conventional oven, while retaining moisture and locking in flavors. There are 450 predetermined cooking modes with room to store recipes in the Favorites setting, and you will still have a fully functioning microwave.
The lower oven has 9 cooking modes and a temperature probe, great for roasts and poultry. All controls are touch sensitive and both ovens are self cleaning.
Should You Buy?
I think Middleby and their manufacturing expertise will be good for Viking….eventually. The product works commercially, but never seemed to residentially. It's amazing how one product can be so different. I would take a wait and see approach.
Hopefully, if it works, you will see this technology in more products.
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