Bosch PKM875DP1A

Bosch Customer Support - persistence required – We have a 2018 unit. It has developed long surface cracks. We use this unit several times a day, so the cracks might be simply due to heat stress. The cooktop keeps working though. I'm now looking at getting a replacement cooktop from Bosch, same model. To check our installation, I called Bosch Customer Support, and asked what is the vertical clearance needed, between the cooktop and the rangehood above.

I explained that the rangehood itself has a clearance requirement, and I was asking what clearance does the cooktop itself require.

To my surprise, Bosch refused to answer my question. Customer Support also refused to to put me in touch with a technical person with more product knowledge.

So I drafted a review, here, outlining the above, and put it into mediation. Bosch emailed me with an answer, and confirmed my understanding when I asked for clarification. My thanks to Bosch. This is the updated review.

For the benefit of other customers, this is what Bosch explicitly confirmed about this cooktop:

*- the PKM875DP1A cooktop itself does not specify a particular vertical clearance; *- the vertical clearance needed for the PKM875DP1A is set by what the rangehood specifies; *- if the rangehood does not specify that clearance, then it is set by Australian standards.

Horrible service – We purchased this item from the good guys in February arrived and picked up mid march to be installed in a new kitchen, product was installed in April. Work perfect the first day but halfway through its second use all lights started flashing and burners turned off. After contacting good guys we were told unfortunately bosch have too contact us and would likey just repair it. After bosch contacted us five days later we were gruffly told she could send a contractor but if it was deemed not a fault we would be charged. This was the week of Easter.

Service guy arrived 22nd of April and deemed it a fault and should have the part within the next week. Fair enough will cop that to get it running. Well a week past and no contact so we contacted bosch to find out whats happening. We were told no report has been submitted but parts are ordered from Germany and generally take 3 or more weeks lady will find out and call us back. Well that never happened (and still hasnt happened) so we waited another week and contacted them again but still was told the same thing no report has been logged so just be patient and wait.

Well screw that, we aren't a family that eats take out and generally use the stove top 6 nights a week, after contacting good guys (who have been great) they said they would gladly refund it or swap it but they have no units in Australia. Unfortunately it is an odd size cook top and have had the stone cut to size so a different unit wont work, bosch is a nightmare to deal who couldn't care less about the customer with no communication and a not our problem attitude. When told we would like a replacement we were told sorry the contractors we use don't like to do that, well sorry it's not your contractor who has gone without cooktop for over 8 weeks now (including kitchen install)

Maybe people will think I'm just complaining but we paid full price for a new item, and after one use it's going to be a refurbished unit, I if I wanted refurbished I would of paid a hell of alot less, I could understand if it was 6 months old but one use come on, disgusting service.