HOD Builder's Brief: Thermador is an established name in luxury household appliances, but it’s a wise decision to check out the up-and-coming brand, ZLINE, which also offers appliances with high quality, luxury features, and similar specs to its competitor at a fraction of the price.
Kitchen appliances have changed a lot over the years, especially recently with the rapid advancements in technology. Luxury appliances that were once only found in the homes of the rich and famous are now making their way into more of our kitchens, and the high-end features are as exciting and beautiful as they are functional.
When new types of high-end appliances first come out, the prices are often way out of the budget of the average consumer. Today, luxury high-end appliances are being introduced at more affordable, budget friendly prices. Which is great news if you’re looking to upgrade a single piece or complete an entire kitchen remodel. Because with a luxury appliance investment, you’ll enjoy greater durability and higher quality, so you can enjoy these appliances for many years to come.
It is important to do research and comparison shop luxury appliance companies. With so many products to choose from with a variety of different options, it’s helpful to have a guide that can break down all of these details for you. That’s why here we take a detailed look at two popular luxury appliance brands, comparing features, specs, and prices, so you will feel ready to make the best decision for you. Now, let’s check out a bit more about Thermador and ZLINE.
An Overview of ZLINE and Thermador
Thermador is an appliance brand that has been in business for over 100 years. They are well-known for their cooktops, ranges, rangetops, and wall ovens, but the company also makes refrigerators, range hoods, dishwashers, and microwaves. Thermador innovated the Pedestal Star Burner, which is used on gas burners to produce an even heating surface by causing the flame to spread more easily and by reducing cold spots.
ZLINE is a company known for its kitchen and bathroom appliances. Their focus is on “attainable luxury” to enhance not only your home but also your lifestyle. ZLINE designs all of their products with everyday use in mind and to impress, knowing that aesthetics and functionality are both important in kitchen and bathroom appliances.
ZLINE is headquartered near Lake Tahoe and takes inspiration from the gorgeous area when designing their elegant luxury products. Quality is incredibly important to this company, and their appliances withstand the test of time.
Now that you know more about these two appliance companies, let’s explore and compare some kitchen appliances by category to see which of Thermador’s and ZLINE’s top-selling products surpass the other in performance and value.
Comparing ZLINE Ranges to Thermador Ranges
Luxury ranges are products in which both ZLINE and Thermador excel. Home cooks rely on the culinary power and professional performance in these beautiful appliances. Their features often include durable grill configurations, high-powered burners, extra large capacity, and precise and even heating for optimal results. Home ranges are often broken down into the following categories:
- Electric
- Gas
- Dual Fuel (Gas cooktop and electric oven)
Electric Ranges
Both Thermador and ZLINE are meeting the demand for induction ranges. If you’ve been hearing a lot about this new-ish cooking technology but still have questions, it’s actually a pretty straightforward innovation. Induction cooking uses an electromagnetic field that, when paired with magnetic cookware, creates heat. This means it’s much safer and cooler to the touch than traditional electric ranges.
As far as induction ranges go, the ZLINE 36” Induction Range is quite similar to the Thermador 30” Liberty Induction Pro Harmony. Both models are luxury ranges with outstanding features like induction heating for energy savings and a quicker boil. The Thermador electric range has four 8.5 x 7.5 inch induction burners, with flexiplus burners built in to accommodate larger cookware, while the ZLINE model also has four 7-inch wide induction elements for cooking foods quickly and evenly. The Thermador range has a 4.4 cu.ft. oven capacity, while the ZLINE range has a similar size at 4.0 cu.ft.
The ZLINE electric range features a triple glass oven to keep the kitchen cool and the food hot, stay-put Italian-imported hinges, blue LED illuminated knobs that indicate the range is in use for added convenience and safety, and multiple smooth slide ball-bearing oven racks, compared to the Thermador range’s one.
With its luxury features, convenience, and safety features, the ZLINE 36” Induction Range in stainless steel is under half the price of the comparable Thermador induction range, while being six inches bigger in width. This model offers quality and durability that consumers look for in a luxury induction range, but at a surprisingly affordable price.
Gas Ranges
A top reason why people love gas ranges is the ability to use cooking styles on the stovetop that are specific to an open flame, like grilling, charring, high-heat sauteing, and stir-frying. Both the Thermador Gas Pro Grand Range and the ZLINE 36'' Stainless Steel Gas Range/Gas Oven can whip up a stir-fry in no time. ZLINE’s wok burner delivers 18,000 BTUs, and the Thermador model ‘s extra-high star burner brings 22,000 BTUs. These “power” burners are pretty comparable, especially when you consider the cost savings. The ZLINE model will save you a whopping $5000.
There is more to compare than just BTUs with these luxury gas ranges which carry the same power as many professional ranges. Both models have a porcelain stovetop for easy cleanup. Both oven models provide a convection oven with a large capacity. The ZLINE boasts a 4.6 cu. ft oven capacity which will fit pans up to 27 inches. The Thermador offers just a bit more space with a 5.7 cu. ft. oven.
One important note on the ZLINE model, it features handcrafted Italian burners and imported Italian hinges with a stay-put, weighted feel that you expect in a high-quality luxury range. The Thermador range lacks this Italian-made quality, but it offers hinges that have a hydraulic soft close to prevent slamming and give an ultra-smooth closing. Finally, as far as aesthetics go, the Thermador range also lacks the customized choice that ZLINE gives you to choose the color of your knobs, with choices including gold and matte black to pair perfectly with your decor.
Dual Fuel
A dual fuel range comes with the convenience and versatility of a gas cooktop coupled with the even baking of an electric oven. With so much cooking and baking flexibility, it’s no wonder that these ranges are so popular with home chefs. However, they can come with a hefty price tag. That is evident with Thermador’s $14,000+ price point. ZLINE offers a comparable product at a much more accommodating price, coming in at a price far below even half of Thermador’s cost. With a savings of nearly $9,000, let’s see how Thermador stacks up in terms of features compared to the ZLINE model.
The ZLINE Stainless Steel Dual Fuel Range holds its weight when compared to Thermador. The Thermador dual fuel range offers a gas range with six burners and an electric griddle, while the ZLINE offers seven burners, including two dual wok burners with 18,000 BTUs each and a grill burner with 12,500 BTUs. Both are 48-inches wide and each brand’s dual fuel range comes with two convection ovens, allowing for the convenience of cooking at the same time as baking or heating dishes at different temperatures. Just think of the Thanksgiving dinner possibilities!
It’s worth pointing out that the ZLINE model also has handcrafted Italian burners, triple layer glass on the oven door to increase efficiency while keeping the kitchen cool, and a choice of three range body covers and four knob hues.
ZLINE |
Thermador |
|
Gas Range |
$3,299.00 |
$8,599.00 |
Electric Range |
$3,649.00 |
$8,399.00 |
Dual Fuel Range |
$5,399.00 |
$14,299.00 |
ZLINE vs. Thermador: Cooktops
Cooktops enable you to utilize your kitchen space in a way that works for you, whether it is to omit the oven in favor of extra cabinet space or add an extra cooking surface on an island or countertop. They open up the possibilities on how you can customize your kitchen to your needs. Both Thermador and ZLINE offer several cooktop models, including:
- Rangetops
- Drop-In Gas Cooktops
- Drop-In Induction Cooktops
Rangetops
Rangetops occupy a small countertop space in the kitchen wherever it is most convenient to cook. Both the ZLINE rangetop and the Thermador rangetop feature a selection of options with striking similarity, from six cooktop burners with cast iron grates to 18,000 BTU “power” burners. The ZLINE 36” Gas Rangetop offers special, handcrafted burners imported from Italy. These two rangetops have so much in common that the price is the biggest difference, with over $3,000 in savings when choosing the ZLINE rangetop.
Drop-In Gas Cooktops
Looking at the ZLINE 36” Drop-In Gas Cooktop compared to the Thermador Gas Cooktop, both offer the same 36” cooktop space, easy clean up, a solid piece of cast iron grill for effortless movement of pans, and an 18,000 BTU “power” burner for rapid boiling and high-heat searing. The ZLINE cooktop has six burners, while the Thermador only has five. Not only that, ZLINE features handcrafted Italian imported burners, the ultimate in high-end quality. With both cooktops having similar features and a few extras that ZLINE is known for, it is astonishing to find Thermador’s price tag at more than triple that of ZLINE.
Drop-In Induction Cooktops
To finish comparing cooktops, let’s look at induction drop-in cooktops by Thermador and ZLINE. Both brands feature induction cooking here, which is becoming increasingly popular because it heats quickly and safely without flames or direct heat. Induction cooking is also more efficient, more sustainable, and induction cooktops are a breeze to clean. The Thermador Freedom Induction cooktop and the ZLINE 36” Induction Cooktop have similar features, including the same cooktop space, power boost mode, and power transfer across the cooktop. The Thermador offers six cooktop burners. ZLINE offers five, but additionally features a German-made glass top for high quality that is easy to clean.
The Thermador has 3,500 watt elements which increase to 5,500 watts when in boost mode. ZLINE has two 3,700 watt elements, a 3,200 watt, a 2,400 watt, and a 2,000 watt element, and also offers power boost. This side-by-side comparison shows that these two induction cooktops are quite similar, and their main difference is the price point. The Thermador model is more than five times the price of the comparable ZLINE induction cooktop.
Thermador |
ZLINE |
|
36-Inch Rangetop |
$4,499.00 |
$1,399.00 |
36-Inch Drop-In Gas Cooktop |
$2,899.00 |
$899.00 |
36-Inch Drop-In Induction Cooktop |
$6,099.00 |
$1,199.00 |
Thermador and ZLINE Refrigerators
Freestanding Refrigerator
A luxury refrigerator is an exciting addition to a kitchen. Not only does it chill and freeze perishable foods and drinks, it has special features that vary between models and companies. It is therefore advisable to analyze these differences before deciding on the perfect refrigerator for you. As an example, while the Thermador 36'' French-Door Refrigerator with bottom freezer includes an interior water dispenser, the ZLINE 36” French-Door Refrigerator with internal ice maker allows for more space. It boasts a 22.5 cu.ft. capacity compared to Thermador’s 20.8 cu.ft. The ZLINE refrigerator also has two full-width freezer drawers for better organization, compared to the single drawer on the Thermador refrigerator.
Both refrigerators have many features in common, such as LED lighting, energy saving modes, high efficiency cooling, fingerprint resistant stainless steel, and internal ice makers. Beside the few added benefits that ZLINE offers, the most obvious difference is the price. The ZLINE model comes in at $1000 less than the competitor Thermador.
If a consumer is already attached to the convenience of a water and ice dispenser on the outside of the refrigerator, ZLINE offers that option, too. The ZLINE 36” French Door Refrigerator with Water and Ice Dispenser also has a less expensive price tag than the Thermador French door refrigerator.
Built-In Refrigerators
Built-in refrigerators provide the ultimate in luxury and class. For a streamlined look in the kitchen, both Thermador and ZLINE offer built-in models that are comparable in many ways. The Thermador Built-In French Door Refrigerator with bottom freeze and the ZLINE Built-In Four Door Refrigerator are alike in that they both offer LED lighting, adjustable shelves, soft-close doors, internal water and ice dispensers, and a modern style that looks built right into the kitchen cabinets.
The Thermador refrigerator fits spaces 42 to 48 inches and has 25.7 cu.ft. of space. However, the ZLINE features a 60-inch unit with 32.2 cu.ft. of space to store large quantities of food and drinks. The ZLINE refrigerator is available in three additional colors– DuraSnow Stainless, matte white and black stainless. The customization can continue with ZLINE’s four trim color options. Amazingly, with those extra features, the ZLINE is still offered at a lower price than their competitor– well over $2,000 in savings.
Comparing Range Hoods: Thermador vs. ZLINE
Range hoods are a necessity in every kitchen to keep the air clean and smelling fresh. The Thermador 36” Masterpiece Pyramid Chimney Wall Hood and the ZLINE 36” Stainless Steel Wall Mount Hood both deliver luxury features and function. This includes noise control, a four-speed fan, auto timer with delay shut off, LED lights, and a contemporary feel.
The ZLINE additionally features an easy-to-clean hood with stainless steel baffles that can be easily removed and are dishwasher safe. The max CFM for the ZLINE is 400 cu.ft. CFM, while the Thermador’s model offers 600 cu.ft. max CFM. There is very little setting these two products apart, except for the price. The ZLINE is an obvious choice with a savings of $2,000+ over the competitor.
Comparing Thermador vs. ZLINE Dishwashers
With dishwashers, consumers are typically looking for machines that are quiet and efficient. The Thermador 24” Star Sapphire Dishwasher and the ZLINE 24” Tallac Dishwasher fulfill those desires and much more.
Both the Thermador and ZLINE models have stainless steel tubs, include a third utensil rack, and are 24 inches wide. They each feature adjustable racks and an LCD control panel on top of the door to maintain a sleek, streamlined, modern look. Both models are also quiet, with Thermador at 42 decibels and ZLINE at 51 decibels.
The ZLINE dishwasher offers eight different wash cycles whereas the Thermador has only seven. The ZLINE model is also ENERGY STAR certified, has multiple filter technology to get dishes clean while staying environmentally friendly, can accommodate 15 place settings, and comes in a choice of 11 colors.
With the ZLINE having so many great additional features, it’s a wonder that the price is over $1,000 less than its comparable competition.
Microwave Drawer Comparison: Thermador vs. ZLINE
In today’s world, microwaves are used more frequently in households than stoves and ovens due to their convenience and safety. A microwave drawer is a new type of microwave that acts as a drawer, which you can open, place your food or drink it from the top, close, and microwave as normal. The top access design of the microwave drawer prevents spills and makes it easier to move hot dishes. The appliance can be installed wherever it is easily accessible in your kitchen. Here, we will look at microwave drawers from two competing brands.
The Thermador 24” MicroDrawer microwave and the ZLINE 24” Zune microwave drawer are two similar appliances, with the same width and the same 1.2 cu.ft. large capacity size. They have nearly identical wattage too. Thermador’s model is 950 watts, while ZLINE’s microwave drawer is a bit more powerful at 1,000 watts of cooking power.
ZLINE has some extra features too, like their 11 power levels; Thermador falls short by one. ZLINE can fit seven mugs and dishes up to 16x16 inches, compared to Thermador’s 9x13 casserole capacity. ZLINE even offers a 45 degree intuitive control panel so you can see it no matter where you have it mounted.
Between the similarities of these two models and ZLINE’s extra features, it is surprising that the ZLINE model is actually the cheaper of the two. ZLINE is the obvious winner here, with a savings of nearly $1,000 compared to the Thermador model.
Built-in Convection Microwave Oven Comparison: Thermador vs. ZLINE
Wondering what the difference is between a drawer microwave and a built-in model? It’s a fairly straightforward difference. A built-in microwave is set at eye level height usually and built into a wall, similar to how a built-in oven is installed. A drawer microwave in contrast is typically set into an island and is lower in height. Think of it more like a cabinet drawer that slides out to place dishes inside.
Microwave ovens are a staple in kitchens everywhere today. Most families find it difficult to function without one. Thermador and ZLINE offer microwave oven models that feature the necessities of everyday convenience combined with the luxury of high-end appliances. The Thermador 30” professional built-in microwave has a great deal in common with the ZLINE 30” built-in convection microwave oven.
The two appliances have a 30” width, 1.6 cu.ft. capacity, 10 power levels, sensor cooking, auto defrost, a child lock safety feature, and built-in capability for a smooth and sleek finish to a kitchen.
The ZLINE offers a bit more power with 1,000 watts versus the Thermador’s 950 watts. ZLINE’s model also features the cooking versatility of convection, standard, or broil, as well as rapid preheating, and a reversible wire rack, where you can grill on one side, or bake and roast on the other side. With all of these extras, ZLINE wins this comparison and saves the consumer $800.
Thermador vs. ZLINE Appliance Package Comparison
Source: Thermador and ZLINE
As you can see ZLINE and Thermador feature appliances such as ranges, hoods, dishwashers and refrigerators that together deliver the full luxury culinary experience. With generous proportions, the latest technology and precision construction, both brands offer appliance packages to suit the most discriminating tastes. It’s striking that the ZLINE appliance suite offers all of this high-end luxury for half the price of Thermador.
Final Thoughts on Thermador versus ZLINE Kitchen Appliances
If you want the high-quality and user-friendly features that come along with luxury appliances but you don’t want to spend the high prices, ZLINE kitchen appliances offers exactly that with an affordable price tag compared to its competitor, Thermador.
Home Outlet Direct is the perfect place to shop online for your high-end luxury kitchen appliances at affordable prices. It is easy to find just what you need with this preferred dealer of ZLINE appliances, which provide great quality and brands you can trust at exciting low prices.
Extra discounts are given to builders and military personnel, as well as financing with our Affirm payment program, so you can enjoy your appliances right away and pay as you go.
Home Outlet Direct is ready to help you today. Don’t let high price tags stop you from starting your dream remodeling job right now. You have options to do the upgrades your family deserves. Call us today or chat online with one of our expert team members to get help with your order, and enjoy your shopping experience.