Bosch against Neff

It's not common knowledge but Bosch and Neff are part of the same group of companies, BSH Home Appliances. In fact many of the models on offer from both companies are the same machines underneath.

I often get people on the sales line asking me which is the better brand and which performs better. It's a tough question to answer because, specification levels aside, it's just the facia and badge which seperates them.

Another point is the pricing level, as both manufacturers are pitched in at different sectors of the market, Neff do tend to be a bit pricier....

About Bosch

I have previously written quite a few posts about Bosch appliances, their features and specifications, but today I thought I would take some time to let you know some of the UK history of the company. 

Bosch has been active in the United Kingdom since 1898, which is quite a lot longer than most kitchen manufacturers have been running altogether. Robert Bosch opened his first overseas office in London and later moved to Oxford Street. Today the UK headquarters can be found in Buckinghamshire.

Bosch UK employs aound five thousand staff and is now one of the UK's largest European investors.

Bosch for Quality

I was chatting to one of my friends who is still at university today. He told me that his landlord had travelled up from Colchester this weekend to replace the washing machine in his shared house. His landlord replaced the old washer with a Bosch Classixx (the most basic range available from Bosch). According to my friend, this is the first time since he started uni that his clothes have actually been clean! He was raving about it.

Performance Solutions From Bosch Appliances. Increasing the Washing Capacity Without Effecting the Environment

The new SoftSurge™ drum system for better cleaning results - asymmetric paddles and 'rain-drop' drum surface provides power for heavy-duty jobs, while being gentle on your clothes. The advanced Water Flow system distributes water and detergents more efficiently through the Wash, reducing soaking time. The new door design guides your laundry towards the centre of the drum, avoiding snagging of small items. This is a first for Bosch washing machines
Main features include:
Sensitive programme - excellent for allergy sufferers
Aqua Plus option for best rinsing results
Wash Plus system for A-class wash performance
Freshen Up programme
Delicates Silk programme
Handwash programme for wool
15 'Clothes Care' programmes
Safeguard monitoring system adjusts load distribution and programme settings to protect clothes
Cold fill with Performance Enhance to assist with stain removal
Very quiet noise level
Cold fill - saves energy by heating only what it needs
Extra large drum up to 8kg
Super Quick 15 for light loads (2kg) packs a wash, two rinse cycles and improved rinse spinning into only 15 minutes
Power Wash 60 programme gives an A-class perfomance wash within 60 minutes (5kg loads)
LED display with programme status by icon
Express Wash system with up to 40% faster programme times
Time delay 1-24 hours
Pause option to open door early in the programme to add or remove washing
Mixed load programme
Reduced ironing - reduces creasing for easier ironing
Extra large porthole door with 180° opening makes laoding and unloading exceptionally easy
Clear text and symbols on the fascia to ensure ease of use
Sensor electronics monitor and adjust for optimised wash performance, which means you get a great wash every time
Perfect-rinse detergent drawer - Bosch jet-inlet sprays in every corner of the specially shaped detergent drawer thoroughly rinse away detergent - so no more sludgy residue in the drawer at the end of the wash.

Bosch Logixx Washing Machines

The 8kg and 10kg wash load capacities in Bosch Logixx washers means that larger loads can be done in fewer washes. The larger drums can also handle bigger items like rugs, blankets and duvets.
Many of the washing machines in this range are rated as A class for energy efficiency. This is the best rating available under the EU award scheme, and is supported by HM Government. Some models go further and include A Plus Energy Efficiency which uses 10% less energy than A-class energy efficient products. All the washing machines in the Bosch Logixx range have A-rated wash performance and either A or B- rated spin drying class. Many of the appliances in this range also have a ‘very quiet’ operation to help keep the atmosphere in the kitchen as relaxed as possible and minimise the clatter.
Apart from being energy efficient and environmentally friendly, there are also a few features and different programmes that could help to make laundry a little bit easier. Aqua Plus removes detergent residues but does so within the normal wash and rinse cycle. Another programme available in the Bosch Logixx range is the express wash system, which is ideal for lightly-soiled clothes and reduces wash programme times by 30-40%. There is a Freshen up cycle, which is a light wash for clothes tat are not really dirty but may have been worn a couple of times. It does not use detergent and only lasts for twenty minutes.
Bosch Logixx’s hand wash and wool programme is a real time- saver. The gentle programme runs at just 27 rpm, has a soft wash action and special spin phase and takes the inconvenience out of hand washing delicate clothes and knitwear. Another time- saving programme available in the Bosch Logixx range is the mixed load cycle, which allows you to wash mixed fabrics and colours in the same wash, taking the inconvenience of sorting laundry into different washes. It can handle up to 3kg of washing so is better for a quick wash, rather than a full laundry load.
All Bosch Logixx laundry appliances also have reduced ironing settings to help keep creases out of clothes. And all of these appliances in this range have a highly pressure- resistant water supply hose and systems in place to prevent overflow. They also all have an electronic lock to prevent the washer being opened in the middle of a wash.
These are some of the features that all Bosch Logixx washing machines include, but there are other features and programmes available in some of the more expensive Logixx washers than the standard ones such as the sports wash option specifically designed to wash gym, cycling and jogging kit. The silk hand wash programme is a gentle wash cycle that will not ruin delicate silk items of clothing. One feature that I found particularly interesting due to the many skin problems that I have is the sensitive programme. This programme prolongs the maximum washing temperature, increases the water level and adds an extra rinse to minimise irritation to sensitive skin.

Bosch Cooker Hoods- Whatever Your Taste

A cooker hood means that a kitchen can remain ventilated constantly- whatever the weather is like and whatever the shape and size of the room that it is ventilating.
There are six styles of Bosch cooker hood to choose from. They are the Chimney, the Island Chimney, the Canopy, the Slimline, the Integrated and the Conventional. Each has its advantages and they all do the job as well as each other. It is mainly an aesthetic preference that will determine which cooker hood is the right one for you.
The Chimney cooker hood is designed to be mounted on the wall. It has a brushed steel chimney section and a glass canopy. It has a 90cm wide chimney extractor hood, is suitable only for ducted extraction and has three halogen lights installed with a dimming function to create an ambient setting.
The Island Chimney Bosch cooker hood is also 90cm wide, but is designed to hang over a larger island kitchen design. This cooker hood also has a glass canopy and ducted extraction. The real difference between the Chimney hood and the Island Chimney hood is the way that it is mounted. Their specifications are very similar in terms of their efficiency and their ability to get the job done. The deciding factor is which will fit in better with the kitchen in question.
There are two Bosch cooker hoods to choose between in the Canopy range but they are very similar. They are both only 60cm wide so are 30cm smaller than both the Chimney and Island Chimney models. Both the Canopy cooker hoods have a reduced installation height and they are both the same colour: silver grey metallic. The DHL545SGB has a slightly better specification than the DHL535BGB as it has an intensive speed option, higher watt lights and a metal grease filter cassette. Aside from this, they look very similar. Bosch canopy hoods fit into the base of a wall cupboard and operate from below. The mechanics of the hood can be hidden behind a standard cupboard door so it is not obtrusive.
The Slimline telescopic hood is small and discreet at 60cm wide. It is silver grey metallic in colour and is suitable for ducted or re-circulated extraction.
Integrated Bosch cooker hoods can be integrated into a furniture door and are suitable for ducted or re-circulating extraction. It is also 60cm wide like the Slimline and Canopy cooker hoods and is silver grey metallic in colour.
Suitable for mounting directly to the wall or suspended beneath a reduced height wall cupboard, the conventional Bosch cooker hoods keep the loss of storage space to a minimum. A change of colour for the Conventional model to white, this slimline conventional hood is again 60cm wide, is suitable for ducted and re-circulating extraction and features a glass visor and one 40W light.
So, deciding factors when choosing a Bosch cooker hood are going to be mainly preference of style and availability of space in the kitchen. If the preference is to have the cooker hood on display as a feature in the kitchen then the Chimney and Island Chimney models are best, but for a hidden extractor that works just as well, but takes up less space, the Integrated and Canopy models are the best choice.

Bosch Microwaves

Microwave ovens have been readily available since around the 1950s and are generally used for time efficiency in both industrial applications such as restaurants and at home, rather than for cooking quality. Although some modern recipes using microwave ovens rival recipes using traditional ovens and stoves, professional chefs as well as domestic cooks generally find microwave ovens to be of limited usefulness because browning and caramelization cannot occur due to the limited temperature range. However, a benefit of microwaves is that people who want fast cooking times can use microwaves to prepare food or to reheat stored food or specially prepared frozen ready meals in only a few minutes. Popcorn is a particularly popular microwave food.
There have been concerns over whether microwave ovens are safe to use and whether the vitamins and nutrients in certain foods are diminished by cooking them in a microwave, but studies have shown that foods such as Spinach retain nearly all its folate when cooked in a microwave, but loses about 77 per cent when boiled on a stove. More than that, bacon cooked by microwave has been found to contain significantly lower levels of cancer causing nitrosamines than conventionally cooked bacon.
For the busy lifestyle, microwaves mean that healthy food can be served up quickly and conveniently. Some Bosch microwaves have Innowave technology, which allow for a 35% bigger interior than usual and improved performance. Bosch microwaves have improved markedly over the last few years and provide five cooking functions to choose from and a wire shelf which now has a 49% larger surface than previous Bosch microwaves. This particular oven can be installed straight into a 60cm wide unit and does not have a trim so it can fit into cosier spaces.
There are six Bosch microwaves to choose from. Amongst them are freestanding microwaves, freestanding microwaves with integral grills and a built in microwave oven. The built in microwave oven has a 27 litre capacity, has five power levels, has a maximum power level of 1000 W and comes in black. This Bosch microwave includes Innowave technology, which allows for a larger oven capacity, improved performance and lower power consumption. As well as the basic functions, this model also has weight automatic programmes for cooking and defrosting. And there are two recipe memory settings and a grey glass door finish.
One of the two freestanding microwaves with integral 1000 W quartz grill has a 17 litre capacity and three microwave/ grill combination programmes. It also has a recipe memory function that enables the user to store recipe instructions and then press the memo button to repeat the sequence at any time.
The freestanding option of Bosch microwave is available in black, white and brushed steel. It has a 17 litre capacity and five power levels: 90 / 180 / 360 / 600 / 800 W. The freestanding microwave is convenient in that it can be installed directly under a kitchen wall cabinet so that worktop space can be preserved and the microwave itself can be accessed conveniently.

Bosch Gas Hobs

Bosch's four and five-burner gas hobs include features such as electronic ignition, wok-style burners and flame failure devices, which detect when there is no flame and automatically turn the gas off, taking the worry of safety out of cooking with gas. Several of these models are also available with fashionable and stylish tempered hard glass bases.
Bosch gas hobs are flush fitting and are available in the two sizes of 60cm and 70cm. There are six gas hobs to choose from altogether made up of three different styles but a choice of size for each.
The 70cm Bosch gas hobs are five- burner hobs, four generic hobs in each corner and then a wok- style burner in the middle. The power of the gas burners on each of the 70cm hobs are the same with the central burner being a high speed 3.6kW three way burner, one larger high speed 3.0kW burner at the back right of the hob, two standard 1.7kW burners at the back left and front right of the hob and one economy 1kW burner at the front left. All three models have the controls mounted at the front of the hob to make them easy to reach and use. The one hand electronic ignition is also mounted on the front via the control knobs and all three gas hobs have LPG jets included. The 60cm hobs have the same four specification burners minus the central burner.
Despite the many similarities, there are subtle style differences that distinguish them from each other. All three Bosch gas hobs do have a tempered black hard glass base, but the PHL106CEU and PHL106FEU models are frameless. The front trim on the hob that is not frameless- the PHL206MEU is brushed steel, which will fit well into a kitchen that already has a lot of brushed steel incorporated into it or with an oven that also has a brushed steel trim. The frameless gas hobs will fit in with any style of oven as long as it is the same overall colour. Another small design difference is the pan supports. The PHL206MEU and the PHL106FEU models both have cat iron pan supports whereas the other has standard black enamelled pan supports. Cast iron tends to be better and it is often used in professional kitchens because of how durable it is. All three hobs come with a cradle with convex bases for pans included.
The company, Bosch, was founded over one hundred years ago by Robert Bosch, who sadly died in 1942. With all the recent press footage concerning the environment and the devastating effects of global warming, many manufacturers of large appliances have been making a large effort to keep their products as energy efficient as they can and produce as little waste as possible. This is true of Bosch, who try to keep their products as economical as possible not only because of their responsibility to the environment but also in an attempt to save consumers money on their energy bills.

Bosch Induction Hobs

Induction hobs work by a powerful electromagnetic field inducing a current that generates instant heat inside the pan. This can cause a little bit of an inconvenience if your pans are not the right type though. Only pans made of ferrous metal are suitable for use on this hob - simply test your pans with a magnet - if it sticks to the base then they are suitable for induction cooking. If not, then you may have to buy new pans… or go for a different type of hob.
Bosch’s range of three and four induction zone hobs mainly come in size 60cm, but out of the six Bosch induction hobs available; there are two models that are extra wide 80cm induction hobs.
The only difference between the two extra wide induction hobs is that one has a brushed steel frame and the other has no frame at all. This difference has no real practical advantage or disadvantage, but is more of a personal preference as to which you think looks the best and will fit in with the kitchen. The extra wide hobs both have four induction zones on black ceramic glass. There is a slight difference in dimensions, in that one is 2mm deeper than the other, but in terms of key features, they are almost the same.
Bosch induction hobs are packed full of features and functions that are designed to make cooking easier and less stressful. The hobs have boost settings for all zones, which mean that the power output of the selected zone is increased by 50%, by borrowing power from one of the other cooking zones, which then cannot be used. This function is particularly useful for stir frying with a wok, or making toffee or anything that requires a particularly high heat.
A clever feature that saves time and particularly energy is the automatic pan recognition where the hob realises how big the pan is that is being used and only heats up the base of the pan and not the whole cooking zone. The keep warm function allows a cooking zone to be set to operate at minimum power so that you can keep food warm on the hob or for things need to be melted slowly such as butter or chocolate.
The anti-overflow protection means that if liquid overflows onto the control panel whilst you are boiling something, the hob will automatically switch off so that the hob does not get damaged and you have the opportunity to clean up.
There are also a number of safety devices in place to prevent accidents in the kitchen. Bosch induction hobs are available with small utensil detection so that if you leave an item of cutlery over a zone when it is turned on, the hob will not recognise it as being a cooking utensil that you would normally use on the hob and will automatically switch off. Given the heat that some of the hobs get to, this can only be a good thing to avoid melted and deformed cutlery being a new addition to your kitchen.
Many of the Bosch induction hobs also have an automatic shut off feature for when the hob has been left unattended for a certain period of time and some, but not all, models have child locks for added protection.
Bosch Induction Hobs

Bosch Appliance Blog

Having owned many Bosch Appliances throughout my life, I figured I'd start a blog about my experiences. Feel free to post comments about Bosch appliances that you have owned.

The Bosch models I have now are a dryer, the WTL6508GB and a dishwasher, the SGV53E03GB. I have not had any problems with either machine, and they are both very easy to use and efficient.