Neff - New 2015 Ovens

Geoff_W

Neff - New 2015 Ovens

Been looking recently to update my kitchen and have noticed the new 2015 range of ovens from Neff. As I already have a 10 year old Neff oven, I took a look at the new ones. Shock, horror! What on Earth have they done to the control system? The previous ranges' simple, intuitive combination of display, push-buttons and rotary controls have been replaced by an overly complex system of touch controls. On the top-of-the-range Premium Collection 1, the touch-control system is called FullTouchControl and is ridiculously unresponsive. First, a touch-button powers up the oven from standby, then you use tablet-like 'swipes' to select the oven mode. First problem - swiping usually sends the oven modes speeding rapidly across the display and not stopping where you want it - solution appears to be to keep your finger on the display and drag it slowly left or right. That's not too bad if the oven mode and default oven temperature is OK, you simply touch the Start button. But if you need to adjust the temperature setting, then you have to swipe down from the mode display to access the temperature bar and then drag along the bar until you reach the right value, then touch Start. I suppose one would get used to it eventually, but it gets worse....

The time functions are indescribably laborious. To set any time function, (Timer, Cooking Duration or End Time), you have to select the appropriate function, which presents you with a timeline. You then have to swipe this timeline to reach the value you want. So even for a simple timer of, say, four minutes you have to scroll through 59 seconds to reach the first minute and then carry on in minute steps until you reach the fourth minute. You will of course have overshot the fourth minute, so you now have to drag the timeline back to where you want it. Want to set a Cooking Duration of, say, 6 Hours? Select Cooking Duration, then scroll though 59 seconds, then 59 minutes and then another 5 hours! And during all this palaver the sensitivity of the touch screen is so variable that sometimes it doesn't respond at all, and at other times it zooms off at an incredible speed leaving all options in its wake.

The next model levels down, Premium Collections 2 and 3, are a little better to operate as they have a system called ShiftControl which uses a physical 4-way button to navigate around the menus. However, I'm not sure of the long-term reliability or wear-ability of this control (I'm sure it would be very expensive to replace).

I raised my concerns with a salesman in the store, who at first thought I must be doing something wrong with the touch screen. After struggling for around 15 minutes he too, could not properly operate the oven. I will not be buying one of these dreadful machines. Shame on you, Neff, it's time to go back to the drawing board!

PS My wife says the control system must have been designed by a man who has never used an oven in his life, only a smartphone and tablet!

EssexExile

Yup, that's progress. I have an alarm clock/radio that takes about 8 actions to switch the alarm on to the same time it was on yesterday. Luckily the wife has an old one that just requires the flick of a switch.

ryder72

Second that. As a Neff, Siemens and Miele retailer, I think Neff has tied to be too smart with their interface which I dont like at all.

Neff has always to a ore customer base for its simplicity no nonsense approach to ovens. It was always about 2 or 3 step cooking, always easy to understand.

The new system is pants, unnecessarily complicated, alienating to its core clients. THey want to appeal to a younger client base and I think its a mistake.

Davesnave

Whoops! Grey consumer here.....just about to buy two Neff ovens, but hate that type of thing. My DW is even more averse to tecchie innovations,

What are the alternatives?

< Thinks: "Upside is that they will probably be cheaper!" >

ryder72

There is still some old stock out there. Quick, snap it up or repent at leisure

Doc_N

I'd be delighted if Neff could actually make an oven that works properly - having had a series of problems with them, including a complete replacement.

They have something of a reputation for not heating up properly - not perhaps noticeable if you're just reheating food, but certainly very obvious to a serious cook (the wife!). The problem's mainly (but not exclusively) when you have the temerity to use both parts of the double oven at once - it's a design fault known to the Neff technicians in Germany, and it's only on the UK models.

Miele as a replacement, perhaps?

cddc

Another reason to try appliances before you buy. Some touch control ovens are quite intuitive and easy to use. Others, as Ryder eloquently puts it, are pants. Sometimes different models by the same manufacturer go from one extreme to the other!

Zandoni

I recently bought a Bosch self cleaning oven and I'm very pleased with it. It does have a few touch buttons for the timer and temperature but everything else is on one dial.


http://www.johnlewis.com/bosch-classixx-hba64b251b-single-electric-oven-brushed-steel/p759375?sku=232564491&kpid=232564491&s_kenid=584ddeed-04dd-ace8-130a-00006d5590e6&s_kwcid=402x25610&tmad=c&tmcampid=73&kpid=232564491

diadeb

I've just had a Neff combination microwave oven installed and have started trying out the controls. We were unable to see and try one anywhere, so we bought it sight unseen. The only advice we were able to get was from a saleswoman who had been to the Milton Keynes Head office on a demonstration.

I'm seriously considering whether I can live with the most awful touch controls I've ever used. As has been said, the touch sensitivity is very variable. The primary function we want it for is a microwave and having to scroll through the seconds and minutes up to several minutes for example is just unbelievably hit and miss. I've had a touch control microwave for many years, but its a keypad function with options of typing in the time you want. No hit and miss, get exactly what you want every time. I have a smartphone, a tablet etc, so although I may be the older generation, I have no issue with WELL DESIGNED touch controls.

It's a seriously large amount of money we've spent on an unbelievably badly designed control. What were the designers thinking of and how did it ever get past user testing to the market? I'm now looking into my rights at rejecting it and seeing what else I could buy to fill the specially created hole in my brand new kitchen.

Davesnave

Davesnave wrote: »

Whoops! Grey consumer here.....just about to buy two Neff ovens, but hate that type of thing. My DW is even more averse to tecchie innovations,

What are the alternatives?

< Thinks: "Upside is that they will probably be cheaper!" >

Update. We bought the ovens. Both have the touch controls. I can't say I mind them, but it's apparent that they do nothing the old style rotary controls would do, probably a bit quicker.

I'd rather Neff had spent more money on the fan, which emits a high pitched whine while the oven is cooling. It's the same with both ovens.

diadeb

Do yours have the full touch control or the TFT with shift control, out of interest?

After much debate, we decided to quit whilst we had the option to do so. They have been uninstalled and are being collected on Friday. Thank you John Lewis for getting us out of the issue of buying sight unseen.

I'm very fed up that I now won't have the appliances for Christmas cooking, but the controls were really stressing me and so hit and miss; not worthy of a place in my new kitchen which should be pleasurable rather than stressful.

Finding an alternative to fit the exact hole left, including a large warming drawer is not easy, especially as it's very difficult to find models to look at and try. Smeg seems top of the list so far, but I'm not finding much that's good about them on the net.