SAs induction cooktops become more popular in the market, they have grown to become one of the most preferred cooktops in the world of home appliances.
The induction system does not use hot heat or a direct flame to heat the cookware but instead heats the cookware electrically using magnetic induction (hence its name). Due to their increasing popularity, many appliance manufacturers have created several lines of cooktops, each line claiming the top spot among consumers.
Two major appliance companies, Miele and Wolf, have released 36″ cooktops that seem relatively similar in style and function – but are they really the same? Although both units are the same size and have the same number of rings/burners, each unit comes with its own set of pros and cons.
So, between the Miele KM 6370 and the Wolf CI365T/S cooking unit available, which one is worth your hard-earned dollars?
Before we do a quick comparison and comparison between the products, let’s introduce both cookers and put some product features in each model.
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Miele’s induction cooktop is a 5-ring model with EasyClean ceramic glass and an impressive spread of safety features. Two of the five available rings are PowerFlex capable, and two connected rings combine into one (9 x 15”) when the PowerFlex setting is activated. This feature is said to be intended for use with larger cookware as it makes it easier to heat very large pots and pans ‘quickly and easily’ (according to the website).
Miele’s 36″ induction cooktop, KM 6370
The Miele KM 6370 also has a keep warm function that allows you to maintain a low temperature to prevent burning or overcooking of dishes that are not ready to be served – perfect for the preparation of many meals. In this same sense, there is the Stop&Go setting, which automatically sets the desired zone to one power level with the ability to restore the zone to the previous power setting with the touch of another button.
This setting comes in handy if it is necessary to leave the cooking area for a while, although it is recommended not to exceed a few minutes, which helps to avoid the need to turn off the burner or remove the pan from the heat while you are away.
The 36″ Wolf cooktop is also equipped with 5 burners, four different medium-sized burners, and one large burner. However, this model is designed with five bridge assembly options, giving the consumer, in total, 10 different cooking methods to choose from with a possible 17″ x 17″ cooking area.
Wolf’s Latest Induction Cooktop – CI365T/S
This feature is ideal for kitchens where a larger cooking tool such as a griddle or grill is used frequently – even to provide enough space to use these items on the cooking surface at the same time.
Melting chocolate in desserts? Cheese fondue? Wolf has a setting for that. The impressive ‘defrost’ feature converts the power level on one burner to the correct temperature required to melt (and not burn!) the food and keep it at the melting temperature as long as the setting is active. Need to keep a dish at a low temperature for a long time? Use the ‘real boil’ feature to maintain a low temperature, ideal for making soups or stews that require low heat for a long time.
Wolf Induction Cooktop shown with matching DD36 Downdraft unit
Design
Both models are equipped with ceramic surfaces designed to prevent scratching and scratching and to reduce the effects of normal wear and tear.
Touch settings for Miele’s KM 6375
Black in color, Wolf and Miele both boast simple, streamlined designs and allow for seamless, flexible installation on counters. Each unit allows for a separate, independent installation of the oven, giving consumers more flexibility when planning their kitchen spaces.
Standard cook tops are made with cookware detection capabilities, meaning that once a pan is placed on the ring there is automatic size detection. The main difference in aesthetic design?
The Miele KM 6370 contains areas of different sizes – the smallest acquisition area is about 6″ and the largest is 9×15″ (where the two elements combine to form the PowerFlex area as mentioned earlier).
The design of Wolf’s CI365T/S leaves each element separate from the other – there are four separate 8″ rings with the largest ring being 10.5″. Both sets of 8″ rings can be linked together, and when bridge mode is activated, the controls of one will be automatically synced to the other.
We found the Wolf control panel to be the easiest to use, both in its speed and the accuracy of the finger touches.
We found the Wolf Control Panel to be our best design.
Safety
There are at least five major safety features in the KM 6370 – including overheating protection and a safety shutdown feature.
Safety features allow the use of non-flammable materials on the cooking surface without fear of causing damage
The residual heat indicator alerts users to prevent injury from hot-to-touch surfaces and prevent accidental burns from non-hot items. Both units have a control key or safety shut-off feature that allows the cooking zone to be locked until the setting is terminated.
This is especially useful in households with children as it prevents accidental or unauthorized activation of the cooking chamber. As with all imported cookers, no unit can be used without the correct cookware, which helps prevent damage from misuse of the units.
This feature addresses the inherent safety feature of all induction cooktops – only certain cookware (usually cast iron or magnetic stainless steel) can react with the magnetic coils used in induction technology. In comparison, both models carry standard safety features, however, Miele’s marketing of these features is superior.
Speed and performance
Another similarity between the units is their ability to redirect energy from other burners to ‘power up’ the stronger burner being used. This is a common feature among induction cooktops, however, this setting is usually only available on one burner at a time (and sometimes only available on one burner or ring on the cooktop), with power being drawn from the other one burner for more power.
The Miele KM 6370 is a solidly built, ultra-slim cooktop.
Deviating from the norm, the Miele induction cooktop can pull on two burners at once (a 9″ x 15″ PowerFlex bridge burner) offering an impressive 7,700 watts of power – more than double the 3,700 watts of power available on the Wolf cooktop. This creates a clear difference between the power available from Miele and Wolf with the KM 6370 outperforming the Wolf unit in terms of power output and efficiency.
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To its credit, unlike the Miele unit, the Wolf CI365T/S has three burners for increased power compared to the two found in the KM 6370.
In addition, the Wolf model uses four small induction coils for each burner, while the Miele unit only uses one large induction coil for each burner.
This allows the Wolf unit to spread the heat distribution more evenly across the pans, with each burner able to boil at low heat and one burner at the “Defrost” setting.
The warranty period is different for each, and Wolf is ahead of Miele in this regard.
The Miele comes with a full 1-year warranty out of the box, while the Wolf unit comes with a 2-year Full warranty, with a 5-year limited warranty on certain parts after that.
Another difference between these two units is their price.
The Miele unit retails for $3,399. while the Wolf unit retails for around $2,900. So the Wolf model is currently slightly cheaper, saving $500 over the Miele.
Both the Miele and Wolf units come out on top in a number of key areas, with the Wolf outperforming the Miele in exterior design, control space, and warranty – with the Miele outperforming the Wolf in heat output and more effective safety features.
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One problem common to both units (and capacitive touch glass in general) is that their controls are sensitive to moisture and can change settings when they come into contact with water or a wet towel.
Many home cooks like to use a damp towel to remove hot pans from the oven, then work them over the cooking surface.
If the wet tower runs into the control area, you can activate the controls, change the setting or turn off the burners – to the chef’s dismay.
Overall, for us it’s Wolf’s CI365T/S unit it just comes out KM 6370 in the battle of induction cookers, the main deciding factor is the price of operation.
What you get for the money at Wolf makes it one of the best import deals in the area of high-end electronics.
Verdict: Wolf, by hair.