Bosch PKE645C14A / PKE645C17A

Very disappointed – The main element has failed and to fix it will be over $400. Advice from my electrician is to buy a whole new cooktop. Such a waste and letdown- lift your game Bosch.

very disappointing its s – we bought a PKE645C14A Bosch cooktop less than 5 years ago 1 element went about 2yrs ago and another element has gone, I made enquires and the cost of 2 elements cost $473 plus installation, its ridiculous, I am going to buy a new cooktop cheaper, not Bosch. I don't think they make this model anymore. Show details

Great quality, looks very sleek! love cooking with this – I bought this appliance over 6 months ago and not a single issue. It heats up very quickly and I like the safety feature of the lights staying on until it's completely cool. A bit fiddly to clean around the knobs sometimes, but otherwise very happy with this purchase, overall.  Show details ·  2

How disappointing - this used to be such a high end brand and so reliable – I have had the Bosch PKE645C14A cooktop installed in my new house for 3 years and the largest element has just stopped working. The Bosch oven that was installed at the same time also had a fault 1 year ago - the cooling fan would keep running and not stop unless switched off at the mains. The minimum cost to get the cooktop repaired by Bosch will… Read more

be $500. It is very disappointing that such a supposedly high end brand now appears to have more regular faults in its appliances - these products should last for at least 10 years without needing repair and a customer should have peace of mind that they have bought a great quality brand such as Bosch. The repair of one element may almost cost me half the price of buying a new cooktop.

I expected better from Bosch. This is just not good enough! – We bought this Bosch ceramic hotplate, PKE645C14A less than 5 years ago. We chose Bosch because we thought it was a good brand. It was made in Germany. There's only the two of us now, we are elderly and I don't even cook much. Not like I overused the hotplate. 2 years ago 1 plate died and I have been managing just with 3 plates. Now the 2nd… Read more

plate has gone too, making it a bit awkward cooking a meal.

I have used various hotplates in my time but I have never come across one with such a short life span.

It would be almost cheaper to buy our food already cooked than to pay the cost of a new cooktop every few years.

Good cook top – Bought this cooktop 2 weeks ago, installed 1week ago. So far so good. Took a bit of getting used to after using a single induction hot plate for 3 months( that's how long it took me to buy a new cooktop after my old chef one gave in). I have noticed it does mark very easily. After reading other reviews I hope to purchase the cerapol ceramic… Read more ·  1

cleaner tomorrow and we will see how it goes. Lay out of hot plates more practical than they look. However have discovered the 2 med/large hot plates require very large not just medium sized bottoms on your pots. My cheaper saucepans have a better size base than my expensive ones, that is a bit disappointing. If the base doesn't cover the entire hot plate and I mean entire you will loose heat around the base, therefore wasting energy.

How disappointing - I expected better ! – Our Bosch PKE645C14A cooktop is exactly 4 years old, and the quote to repair it is more than the cost of buying a new one. Very disappointing ! This is the first time I have ever had to throw out a cooktop. This is a major appliance and should last at least 10- 15 years.  Show details

Good! – I bought Bosch PKF645D17A when I moved into new house. Before I used gas cook top and people said gas is better and fast to boil water but I don't think so. when boiling the water it's faster than gas cook top. I really like this cooktop and also made in Germany.  Show details ·  1

Not Worth The Price! – Ceramic cooktop is very hard to clean. I seldom cook, but when I do, I always make sure to clean the cooktop with damp soft cloth to gently remove the residue. But, it does not matter, it is just so hard to get rid of it Not only that, but under the 2 year warranty, my stove started to beep and the setting changed from low to high, the stove top… Read more

was very hot to touch and the digital reading went from '2', 'F', 'off' and 'H' consecutively for 5-10 minutes. I have tried to contact Bosch customer service several times today - waiting for awhile and got cut-off several times. Non-existing customer service - NOT happy at all and very disappointed!

Bosch thought I was buying a product that would last – We purchased Bosch thinking good brand and it will last a long time, but we only got 5 years out of this cooktop and are very disappointed with it overall. Easily marks, hard to clean and now the element is gone in one burner (the one we use the least) and cant repair. Purchased in oct 2011  Show details

Expensive to repair – Thinking Bosch was top of the range we purchased this model of cooktop for my daughter four years ago. No one expects things to last for ever, but surely four years is ridiculous. It will now cost more to repair the cooktop than to purchase another. The next cooktop will DEFINITELY NOT be a Bosch

This Bosch cooktop cannot last longer than 3 years, very expensive to repair – When I bought this cooktop (PKE645C14A) 3 years ago (2 years 11 months to be accurate), I have very high expectations because a lot of ppl saying Bosch is very reliable brand. The cooktop works okay, but just about to hit the 3 years mark (warranty is 2 years), one hotplate is dead. It cost me more than $350 to have a minimum fix. Yes, minimum.… Read more

According to Bosch authorised repair technician, if replacing everything "needs to be replaced", the total cost will be equal to buy a brand new one (PKE645C17A). Are you kidding? Just fix one out of four hotplates, and it costs the same as a new cooktop??? I already paid the callout fee, I have no choice but to have a minimum fix (instead of paid 100 bucks with empty hand at the end). Bosch, this is your so called German technology??? I had enough. If it breaks up again, I will throw it in the bin straight away and go and buy other brands.

Timed failure? – Bought a small new flat just over 3 years ago and it had BOSCH PKE645C14A installed by the builder. Just over 3 years later, it's out of warranty and two elements are no longer working. It's so close in cost to have them repaired and replacing the entire cooktop that I may as well replace it, but it won't be with a Bosch.....

Bosch service1 star, appliances online 5 stars! – Am a BOSCH fan (have new double wall oven and food mixer) and after reading all the marvellous reviews about this cook top, purchased one from Appliancesonline to replace my old SMEG one (still working perfectly after about 20 years, just looked old). Delivered the next day, beautiful looking item, made in Germany, dropped exactly into my kitchen… Read more

top where the old SMEG had been fitted and it was simply a case of the electrician disconnecting 3 wires from the SMEG and reattaching to the Bosch.

Switched on the back two rings and they heated up with amazing speed. Tried the front two- nothing! Checked the wiring, fuses etc all perfect. The manual is useless and nowhere could I find a problem solving site on Google.Spoke to Bosch service who said "switch it back on and wait 30 minutes, if nothing happens call back and we'll arrange for a service next week". Explained it was a brand new item that had never ever been used and was therefore dead on arrival so no need for service, just send a replacement - their response "speak to the retailer".

Spoke to Appliancesonline, they were most helpful and said they could deal with Bosch service for me or give me an immediate replacement. I opted for the latter.

So well done Appliancesonline, Bosch service.....what can I say?

PS Most retailers websites say this model has Child lock protection, it doesn't.

Just what we wanted – We recently decided to update our 20 yr old Blanco cooktop because only one element has been working for the 5 yrs we have owned the property. Having purchased a Bosch dishwasher six months ago we decided we wanted Bosch for our oven and cooktop too. We purchased the PKE645C17A and couldn't be happier. It heats very quickly and doesn't boil over. Is a nice looking cooktop as well! Perfect for the price!  Show reply

Best product for the price – I have had this cooktop for 6 months. When I first bought it, like the reviewer below I was concerned by the marks. But using the correct cleaning products ( cerapol - available in supermarkets ) and a bit of determined buffing with that product - all marks have come off. I bought this cooktop as it was the cheapest Bosch cooktop and we were on a… Read more ·  1

tight budget. It has EXCEEDED all expectations.

The dial is extremely accurate and 8 or 9 will give you a rapid boil to almost rival a kettle.

The huge PLUS where this has it all over a GAS cooktop is that a pot on 2 can be left for hours. It will cook a casserole to perfection with no burning, and you can melt chocolate in a pan without a double boiler on level 2. It also makes a superb Béchamel. There is not that level of control with gas. Also if a pot boils over, unlike some induction, it does not shut off.

I also like that it has knobs not silly finger sliding controls. They are simple to use and hopefully less likely to stop working.

This is a great value cooktop for an amazing price.

Like the product. Bought it couple of weeks ago. But disappointed with discolouration marks appearin – SO far I like everything about that cooktop. However after using the same two hotplates I noticed discolouration spots straight after using them. I followed the Manual and always lifted pans rather than sliding them. Also used only a wet cloth to clean them. I hope there is a way to get rid of them. I only used the cooktop a handful of times… Read more ·  1

and am worried what happens to its look after I use it more often. :( I like the look of the cooktop, the speed with which the hotplates warm up. Also multiple selections on teh knobs. Discolourations spots which appeared straight after the first use.

Very good; clever use of cooktop space – Our cooktop carked it recently, and we needed a new one fast! Of the many, we liked the look of this one because of the way the burners were laid out. You could use a large and small pot in the back easily. We also have a Bosch dishwasher and are very happy with it. Agree it heats quickly; we also like the old fashioned knobs. Most now have… Read more ·  1

"touch" interfaces, which seem gimmicky and and inefficient way to control temperature. We do a lot of cooking and want quick, precise control. Not to mention the cost to replace touch controls if they fail. Layout of burners makes good use of the space; knob controls.

Love this cooktop! – Heats fast, good control over level of heat, easy to clean, smart looking and knobs come off so easy to clean around them. Very quick to heat up! Does everything I want it to do. Does mark easily, but this is the second ceramic cooktop I have had and it appears that is the case with this surface anyway. Show 3 replies