Miele KM 3475 G 36-inch Gas Cooktop Review

We put its five burners through their paces during our scientific testing process and discovered a few quirks when it comes to speed and temperature. However, those who take time to learn the KM 3475 G's intricacies will get the best performance. For instance, each burner is to be fine-tuned for specific tasks, so some get hotter or boil water more quickly than others.

Overall, it's better at searing than most gas cooktops, and two of the burners are great for low-heat cooking. And you won't find a more attractive cooktop for under $1,700. With its attractive looks and great performance, the KM 3475G could be a welcome upgrade for your kitchen.

Design

Minimalist enough for any kitchen aesthetic

Unlike many high-end gas cooktops, the KM 3475 G’s minimalist style doesn’t strongly evoke the feel of a commercial kitchen. The pared-down design would look at home in transitional or modern kitchens alike.

The KM 3475 G fits five sealed burners amidst a wide expanse of matte stainless steel. Like most cooktops, it doesn’t sit flush with the countertop—but it's close. It also features Miele's excellent fingerprint-resistant CleanSteel finish.

The cooktop is spacious, but thanks to the layout—big burners in the front, less-powerful ones in the back row—you may still struggle to fit the right cookware in the right spots. Pots and pans sit on three continuous cast iron grates, which are surprisingly light and easy to move. They're capped with rubber feet to avoid unsightly scratches on the stainless cooking surface.

The control panel is located towards the front of the cooktop, between the two front burners. We weren’t terribly enamored with this placement, as it brings the user's hands fairly close to the flames when the cooktop is in use. However, we liked the feel of the weighted stainless steel knobs, which are simple to use. The singular knobs that control the two dual-ring burners do take a little getting used to—they require lots of pushing and turning to access the multiple settings crammed on a single dial.

The two front burners are capable of outputting between 620 and 15,300 BTUs. The center rear burner is good for up to 12,000 BTUs, while the left and right rear burners can each output up to 9,000 BTUs.

While Miele doesn’t offer much in the way of customization options, the cooktop does come with an included wok ring—a boon for any serious stir-fry fans. If a different look is what you're after, you can also purchase the very similar Miele KM 3474 G, which has hexagonal, rather than linear, grates.

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Performance

Different burners have different strengths

Our extensive testing process measured mixed results from this Miele, and that mixture is reflected in its overall score. But if you're patient enough to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of its individual burners, you’ll be able to coax better performance from this cooktop.

For example, in contrast to many quality gas cooktops, the KM3475 G struggles to reach low temperatures. The front inner ring simmer burners are the only ones that were able to dip below 200°F, hitting 165°F on the left and 161°F on the right—okay for sauces and soups, but less ideal for melting. The three remaining burners could drop no lower than 222°F, with the especially too-warm center burner giving up at 238°F.

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On the other hand, this cooktop was better at reaching high temperatures than most other gas cooktops, making every burner a valid choice for high-heat tasks like searing or stir-frying. Still, some burners got hotter than the others: The left rear burner reached 502°F, while the right rear burner maxed out at 492°F. The right front burner wasn’t far below with a high temp of 442°F, and the left front burner hit its highest temp at 403°F. In fact, the only burner that couldn’t rise above 400°F was the center burner, which got as high as 390°F.

As far as speed goes, we measured pretty good boiling times for multiple burners on this cooktop. The front burners led the pack, boiling 6 cups of water in 4:47 on the right and 5:03 on the left—outstanding for a gas cooktop.

The problem that you'll notice is that the front burners are the best at both high and low temperatures. So, you'll have to choose one or the other if you've got multiple items cooking at once. {{ photo_gallery name="New Charts" }}

Warranty

One-year limited

Miele offers a 1-year limited warranty for this cooktop. If you purchased the cooktop from a certified seller and had it installed in the U.S. by a certified installer, any defects are covered by the warranty if reported within a year of purchase. However, the warranty does not cover regular wear and tear, or any damage caused by a non-certified repair person's attempt to fix the cooktop.

Why We Like It

Takes some getting used to

We spent a great deal of time running extensive scientific tests on this cooktop and getting a hands-on feel for what it’s like to interact with it, but at the end of the day, buying a cooktop is about personal preference.

If you want a cooktop that excels at low heat cooking all across the board, skip the Miele KM 3475 G and take the Viking VGSU5366BS gas cooktop under consideration.

But if you don't mind some of its odd ergonomics and crave high heat, give it a look. None of the burners are slow to boil, but some are faster than others. There’s a bit of character to be had there, even though the cooktop sports a minimalist design and easy-to-use control knobs.

If that’s your cup of tea, by all means—take a sip. After all, the Miele KM 3475 G gas cooktop can get a kettle boiling in no time.

Photos captured at Hudson Appliance in Hudson, MA._