Bosch Serie 2 HBF134EB0A

Some problems with ours mar an otherwise good value proposition – We purchased this Bosch Serie 2 60cm Built-in oven to match the Bosch Serie 2 60cm Ceramic cooktop we bought at the same time, going with the stylish ‘black glass’ look to update our kitchen. We like Bosch-branded products because they carry a reputation for German precision and quality. Whilst that cooktop has been a stellar performer; the oven… Read more ·  1

being reviewed here works okay but has had some disappointing issues for us. Within the first week of use, the oven light bulb upped and died. Yes, it’s a small problem that is easily remedied with a replacement bulb but we’d barely cooked anything in it when the lightbulb failed. In addition, some bean-counters over at Bosch cheaped-out in providing only one shelf with this oven, along with an encouragement for the customer to buy extra shelving from Bosch if so desired. Not at $60 for what is probably a $10 part! We're on a strict budget and have managed well enough without it.

After a year-and-a-half of almost daily use, the red LED display and associated touch-controls for the digital timer and child-lock began playing-up. Whilst cooking, the oven will randomly beep for no apparent reason and the timer will freeze and become unresponsive to all attempts at resetting; the display reverting to its stand-by “clock” function. The only solution we’ve found is to turn the oven off completely at the wall switch – to cut the power supply – and it will reset when powered-up again. Apart from the timer issues, the oven works great and performs at least as well as any oven we’ve used, heating-up quickly and cooking our meals beautifully. We don’t see any need to look up-market for anything ‘better’ and reckon this oven represents good value, provided the timer works on your example.

We’re particularly fond of the “3-D Hot Air” fan-forced, air-fryer-like oven function for its even temperature distribution but there are four other functions, including two grilling options. The two-knobs on the face of the oven are push-button retractable for easy cleaning of the oven face and to prevent clothes snagging in the kitchen. The oven’s interior surfaces have a special coating and there’s some self-cleaning wizardry Bosch have put in there that seems to really make it quite easy to wipe down and clean. Overall, this oven would be great if the digital componentry on ours wasn’t so flakey. Though we’re glad to see others aren’t experiencing this problem, based on our example we have to lop off a star for that, and lock it down for the missing rack and quick-dying lightbulb ... but we think the oven is quite good overall.