Thanks, Design Girl….I’ll be thinking about it some more. We did find out Wolf will take at least 6 mos to get, but no biggie, really.

Our Sofia dual fuel range still looking and working beautifully after nearly 6 years of nearly daily use in a household of 5. It’s our favorite kitchen appliance.

Thank you, Fridge….that is good to hear! We did go ahead and order one, so I’m

hoping for a good one, as well!

hey y all...I m thinking about using the self clean on my Sofia dual fuel range...have any of u had issues when using this function...I m particularly concerned about the circuit module...I had to replace it a couple of years ago and am concerned it may blow it again...thanx merry xmas

We purchased a 36 in FM Rangetop 6 weeks ago. So far, we really like it!

@fred brill while self-clean ovens are designed to withstand the extremes of a self-clean cycle if there was any concern about a failure I would definitely wait until after a holiday if I was planning some big meals. On the small chance that it doesn't survive the self clean you'll have a very difficult time getting it repaired before Christmas at this point. A buddy of mine who owns a service company says that pre-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas is crazy for cooking equipment service requests because so many people either do a self-clean right before the holiday or they've been putting off that repair or pesky issue until right before the holiday when they want to use the appliance. I also have the FM dual fuel...going on 6 years now and I've only self-cleaned it twice. Both times though it went without issue and it did a brilliant job of it I might add. The cooling fan kicks up to a higher speed at some point during the self-clean to protect the circuitry. Hope this helps.

thanx fridge magnate...ya a technician told me the self clean can be hard on the electrical components.....think I ll just give it some elbow grease insted...merry xmas

I’m no expert, but after doing some research into ranges recently I saw that apparently self-cleaning is hard on most, or all, ovens. In fact, we recently had our own problems with our old Kenmore range. It was repaired (at least I was able to use the oven for our Thanksgiving 🦃), but the self-clean function is officially dead. A friend of mine has (I believe) a Thermador oven, and she had the same problem. We recently leaned with Easy-Off, and it worked great. I think we’ll skip the self-clean in the future with our (on order) Sofia.

I purchased a FM Sofia series in April 2021. 36”. All went great and was loving it until 3 months ago when our oven stopped working. It would not lit up some days. Service came out twice and of course the times they were out here it worked. Finally about 5 weeks ago it just stopped working. I had to go through a lot to get my stove replaced. I had not done any research on this brand and wish I had. Love the look and the power of the stove but once I experienced issues with the oven I found so many reviews reporting oven issues. Many Which keep repeating even after parts are replaced. I am waiting for my replacement stove and pray this one is good. I really love the look of the stove. I paid $5400 but that price included a zephyr hood which I also love. Hoping you have great luck with yours and praying my replacement is a good one with no oven issues. I do have one question regarding the crates. How do you clean them? I clean mine once a week but the grease won’t come off. And don’t want to scratch them or use chemicals. Amy suggestions??? Also pls share cleaning products you use for oven. Thank you so much

Good luck with the replacement Olga! It’s nice to see Fulgor Milano is standing behind their product. Sounds like an ordeal leading up to it though. Hopefully all’s well that ends well in this case. There’s a cleaning video on YouTube. I use the same techniques and my Sofia still looks great. The grates are porcelain coated cast iron so they’re pretty durable. I only use soap and water but I use that nylon pot scrubber seen in the video and it works great. If you use stainless or aluminum pans you might see some white or silvery residue show up on the grates…it’s from the pots, not the grate wearing down…I’ve removed these marks pretty easily with a steel wool…doesn’t take much effort.

Oh, no, Olga….I hate that for you! (And of course I hope ours will be a reliable Tue-Thu fabricated piece😉). Is your oven gas or electric? We did order the 48” dual fuel, so fingers crossed….it’s always a bit nerve-racking when spending a lot of money on an appliance, at least for me. I’m not sure why our salesperson suggested FM, as we were prepared to pay for a Wolf, but I’m guessing it has something to do with availability, and Wolf had a 6 month+ lead time. Since our kitchen won’t even be installed until (most likely) at least early July now, it seems we had plenty of time. Well, here’s hoping for the best, and good luck with your replacement!

@coray - I ordered my appliances in late June of 2021 - My Wolf double ovens were the first to come in February, so 8 months. The SZ fridge came in next (9 months), as did the Bosch Dishwasher. The last to come in (have not yet received) is my FM induction range top. Not expected until the end of March. That's funny as it was in stock when I ordered it 9 months ago. Geez, a baby can be born before we can get appliances.

This is good info. We purchased a FM 36 inch rangetop last Oct21. Hopefully we won’t have problems. Currently clean it with Dawn dish detergent and water, but would like to know how to clean brass rings on burners. Does anyone know how?

Barkeeper’s Friend does a great job on the brass rings. https://youtu.be/sXRGDQ-2k4o

@Design Girl: That’s funny, yet so true! Our FM 48” Sofia actually shipped late December and is waiting at the appliance store, ca. 90 min from here. We’re still waiting for the FM mic/speed/convection oven and the Zephyr undercounter bev fridge. (Not to mention our new sofa, ottoman and a pouf, which allegedly shipped Feb 1, fabricated in the same town as the appliance store, 90 min from here!😉) Yes, it’s a different world, isn’t it? Fingers crossed….if all goes well we hope to have all the big pieces (windows, cabinets m countertops, tile) done by August.

Has anyone had any experience with the Sofia 36” gas range getting very hot on your backsplash behind while using the oven. We’ve had our range for 6 months and I’ve just noticed this. I’m concerned it’s changing the colour of our quartz backsplash behind it. I know you can purchase different back guards for it, not sure if this will help. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry, @croots, can’t help you there (just got our 48” Sofia yesterday), but I’ll certainly keep my eye on that! It hasn’t been the easiest install: just converting the burners from NG to LP took forever (fiddly work for small hands), and upon finally pushing it back into its tight spot hubby noticed that the gas hook-up is in the way of the rear, middle leg (which I could see from a mile away, voiced openly, but, in the words of Gus Portokalos, “nobody listen to me!”😉), so out she must come again (no easy feat), home’s gas must be disconnected and the hook-up must be changed! It’s never easy, I guess, but needs must, as they say…..I can say Sofia is looking good and sturdy, well-made from what DH could see, so fingers crossed that she’ll perform well, too!!

@croots I dont have gas but in my experience i didnt think it was a good idea to put a quartz backsplash behind any stove for the reason you are talking about it is not heat safe

How about clay tile??

@coray - I know regular tile is ok, but I would reach out to the manufacturer to check on heat resistance. There are many pics on this site of scorched quartz behind a gas stove.

Oh, gee…..I had no idea! Thank goodness we didn’t go that route. Our last oven vented at the top so we never had any heat issues, or maybe we just didn’t notice….the old range had that odd part coming up 8”-10” in the back. This one is flat so we might notice it more….we shall see.

Only the all gas gets hot at the back vent, not the dual fuel. It's where the exhaust from the oven burners exits.

Okay, that’s good then….ours is dual fuel.

Any reports on the 30” induction range that some here are getting or thinking about? I am looking at 30” induction range options.

enduring - Same here. I just brought a 30 in duel fuel and want to put a 30 in induction beside it. Hopefully, the contractor is right and it won’t be a problem. However, all I’ve found in stock so far are the 36 in- which are a little more than I want to pay honestly.

@enduring if I ever replace my dual fuel I would get the Sofia induction version because I'd like to try cooking with induction now...plus cleanup will likely be quicker.

I bought the Sofia and it has been working great. The only thing I don't like about it is that the knobs are easy to accedently turn on with the hips if you lean on the front. My kitchen is very small so that happens a lot. I also got the back splash in hopes that stove top cooking accedents don't flow into the grill at the back. But the back spash isn't sealed at the junction of the stove top so liquids can still get in to the back grill. I see that most stove tops have these grill slits in the back. Anyway, I think I'll get a little silicone caulking for high temps and caulk the junction.

Agreed….our knobs do the same thing. We usually don’t have a problem with this because we are aware, but when we still had contractors working in the kitchen they constantly tried to turn on my oven. Overall, though, we are very pleased with our Sofia. We have the 48” dual fuel, and the smaller oven is spacious enough to be our primary oven; we only use the right side oven for large items (turkey, cookie sheets etc).

@enduring maybe reach out to Fulgor Milano service to see if there's something they can do to give the knobs more resistance?

I bought a 36'Sofia induction range and hood and a FM dishwasher, for my new house but have not moved in yet. I read some terrible reviews about Sofia electric oven. Does any one else have oven condensation collecting under the glass surface?

@Rubina Khan you can read terrible reviews for any product out there. Most people don't rush to the internet to declare their product has no issues. So, an induction range has a glass cooktop surface and a 4 pane glass door. Where specifically is condensation purportedly collecting? If you're referring to reviews on Amazon then it sounds like the owner dripped some liquid into the vents at the top of the door. The vents are necessary for the active cooling feature that keeps the door glass safe to touch. This is important for people with young children but yes, if you're not careful you could end up dripping something into the vent like if you're basting a turkey for instance on the full extension rack....

No oven issues here, and no condensation. One thing I read several times is that the (admittedly wonderful) self-cleaning function kills electric ovens. (I had issues with my last 2 ovens but don’t know why.) With this oven (now 18 mos old) we have decided not to self-clean anymore.😭 Looking at Fridge Magnate’s range photos I think I need to clean my burner area more often😬😬 . It’s actually hubby’s job, but he is slack, so it falls to me….guess I’m slack, too too😩.

Fridge Magnate - You are an awesome resource for this group. I have been reading for a few years now and when ready will still consider Sophia due to your very practical answers and assurances about this product - thank you! I have evolved to considering induction range top from gas over time, which would also have a less invasive vent required, I think. What quick pro/con list do you have to offer between these two range top choices?

@snowwhitegehrig - I don't have the Sophia, but do have the FM induction rangetop. I've had it for about 2 years and have not had any issues. I love it.

No issues with my range, except that the knobs are accidentally turn on when I brush by them in my tiny kitchen.

@enduring which model do you have? Did you go with the induction range? Did you reach out to service to see if they have a solution for your too-easy-to-spin knobs as I suggested?

@snowwhitegehrig that's great to hear. It's Sofia by the way rather than Sophia...Thanks for the kudos. I personally have had the dual fuel range since 2016 and love it and fortunately have not had any issues with it. This was my first range that had a gas cooktop so it took some adjusting but I really fell in love with the fact that all the burners were the same spec and could do full power or low simmer on each allowing me to cook what I want, how I want, where I want. It's also my partner's favorite piece in our kitchen. However, if I were to replace it, I would definitely want to try induction next. There's something visceral and primal about cooking over an open flame however I anticipate that the move to induction would garner, a) quicker, easier cleanup and less smelliness if something spills over, b) more instantaneous control over temperature, c) way more power available (boiling in seconds rather than minutes). The one drawback I would see is that a gas cooktop will stand up to more abuse...a pot dropped too hard or maybe even a spice bottle dropped at the right angle could damage the glass. But, I'm always up for trying something new. Induction is the way of the future I suspect...many areas / states are starting to ban gas in new construction so...

@Enduring, how would you rate the noise level of the ovens when the fans are running? We are considering a 48” Sofia induction range for our new to us house, in place of the Viking gas range that is there now, but haven't been able to see a working range yet.

@Fridge Magnate, thank you for the response. Wondering if youk have or anyone has comments on the difference in vent for gas vs. induction. I am assuming vent for induction could have different requirements. Less invasive to install perhaps, smaller, less power required etc.?

@snowwhitegehrig - I Don't know exact specs but induction cooktops need much less venting than gas as there is no gas fumes to remove. After 2 years, I've used my vent maybe twice.

With gas you always want to be running the vent because, well, you’re burning a fuel in your house that produces carbon monoxide. I recall reading somewhere that you should have 100cfm for every 10,000btus of gas power. For my 30” dual fuel that would be 72,000btus total on max for all 4 burners but my hood is only 500cfm but manages just fine. With induction, I suppose your main concern is odors, smoke and steam. If you had one of the Sofia 48” induction ranges with the griddle you might be searing meat on high temps and that can produce a lot of smoke…I think you’ll still want to have a decent vent hood. Down drafts are nice but are borderline useless in my opinion and should never be used with gas cooktops. I have read that in some cases the steam from induction will condense on your hood because there’s no residual or excessive heat to heat the surfaces of the hood like you get with gas or radiant…

does anyone have the FM sofia “48 oven and induction stove top? If so how long have hiu owned it? im looking for reviews from someone that has owned it for a longer period of time. I’m really considering getting one, but i can’t find reveiws from people that have owned it longer than 3 months. Also im worried about finding a repair man that will know how to fix it if needed.

@HU-618225133 - I can only speak for the induction portion of this as I have the 36 inch Sophia Range Top and Wolf double wall ovens. I LOVE the Induction. It is super responsive, solidly built, pretty to look at, and a breeze to clean. I've had it for over 2 years ( and I cook every day) and have had no issues with it.

@designgirl I too am looking at the 48” induction rangetop from Fulgor Milano, since you have had it two years, any words of wisdom…pros/cons… I have free gas and a current gas cooktop, but with a large family, its a pain to keep clean! I was looking at the Wolf double ovens, but a killer deal on a cafe french door double oven, so thinking i may get a wolf steam oven too (instead of microwave. Thank you for any guidance!

@Boxer Momma - As stated, I have the 36 inch range top and I love it. It cleans off with windex and the build quality is substantial. I will say that it is fairly deep so it sticks out about 4 1/4 inches past the base cabinets, and 3 1/4 inches past the countertop. I'm short (5'1") so it is more difficult for me to reach the back burners, but I can still get to them. If I had known, I may have made my lower cabinets an inch or two deeper to compensate, but honestly it's fine. Just something to consider if you are ripping out an entire kitchen, or you're short like me. Other than that, I find the build quality great and the knob controls are a breeze to use. I actually find it more responsive than gas. Picture for reference.

@designgirl Thank you so much! Beautiful kitchen! Me too 5’2”… I am tearing out old cabinets, so I will make a note for the cabinet maker. I am looking at the 48 inch cooktop as I have run out of room on my 36” gas, although the knobs were on the top…do you feel you have plenty of room with the five burner? I do use a griddle frequently, so wasnt sure if the burners on the 36” would work for a griddle.

@Boxer Momma - Thank you. I should note that I do have marble as a backsplash so that may contribute a bit to the depth of the range top, but not much. However, if ripping out the cabinets, I may ask the cabinet maker to make those cabinets a bit deeper than the 24 inch standard. Of course, you must also consider whether you have enough room on the opposite side. All Range tops stick out a bit, so I would think that an inch or inch and a half deeper cabinets would be all you'd need. It would also be wise to check out your local appliance showroom to see how much the other brands protrude from the counters. I find I have plenty of room on my 36 inch, but I don't often use a griddle. My kids are grown now and out of the house, and although I do cook every day, I usually use a smaller griddle, the grill out back, or do things like bacon, eggs, etc in the oven if I'm cooking for a crowd. Pay attention to the burner layout as well. I like that the 36 inch has the two larger burners in the front, the very large one in the center and the two smaller ones (which I use infrequently) in the back. I am very very happy with FM, and just love the knobs as it only takes a second to turn down a burner if it's too high and it reponds immediately. I also have to say that I love the Wolf double ovens. I too was considering the GE as I had had GE before and they worked pretty well for almost 30 years. I do notice a difference in the Wolf, especially with baking. I was a bit leary of GE and Cafe when the company was bought out by Haier (a Chinese company) and just wasn't sure how that would affect the brand. I also loved the service I got from Wolf and Subzero, when my appliance store ordered the wrong fridge and after waiting 11 months would do nothing about it. I called Subzero and had a new fridge in 3 weeks. Good luck, All these decisions are not easy.

@Design Girl can I just have your kitchen? It is beautiful and your choices are so thoughtful and harmonious. Did you ever post a reveal thread? I’d love to read it.

@eam44 - Thank you. I never did post a reveal thread, but if anyone wants the info, I have it in my head. How is your space coming along?

Slowly. Since we last chatted I had to replace my HVAC system and replace my car🤑🤑. It’s frustrating, but I’m gaining steam again. Yesterday I installed a universal remote system in my garage to overcome the annoyance that my garage door remotes stop working in temps over 70 degrees. It’s not a kitchen, but at least I fixed something that was broken. I am rebuilding my cabinet wish list because my birthday is coming and my siblings want to know what to get me 😂