This cooker replaced my 10 year old AEG which had a completely glass top and digital controls - no knobs. I loved it - very easy to clean with a quick wipe. Whoever thought it a good idea to put big ugly plastic knobs on the top front obviously doesn't cook anything that makes a mess. I have to take care to lift pans over the knobs. When frying food (even with care) the knobs, hob, surround and clock window, get covered in splatters of grease which make it a nightmare to clean. The recessed display is very difficult to clean and also any wiping starts some functions flashing. At one point there was condensation under the glass viewing window which did clear but I am sure it shouldn't be there (only boiling a pan, not cleaning). I tried putting foil over the knobs to deflect some of the mess but this was not practical . Steam comes out of the vents at the back which goes into the back of an adjacent microwave and up the wall. The main oven has a circular indentation for water, but this too is very difficult to clean when fat overflows and bakes on because the base is not flat (not catalyctic so not self clean) The oven grids have a raised front which makes sliding pans in and out difficult - I have now purchased a more suitable grid. The grill pan is huge and unwieldy and will not fit into a sink to wash, plus to grill you have to raise or lower the pan to adjust heat. I have yet to try the grill anyway, but have resorted to buying a smaller grill pan for ease.
The fan is very noisy. it runs on for about 10 minutes after switch off. There is no way you can just have the oven light in the main oven (again to aid cleaning and changing bulb etc. so I will have to use a torch or have the fan blasting at me. Top oven has light only function. The cooker is lower than my old one but I was able to adjust the height a little to line up with worktops - although still on a plinth.
On the plus side - the build of the cooker is solid, the ceramic rings are decent sizes and heat up well. The timer functions are straightforward to set, but do override the time of day display when in use. The oven heats up quickly and cooks the way I am used to - not used steam function and probably never will! Apart from the naff knobs the cooker looks smart and I hope it will last another 10 years. AEG are more expensive than other makes but you pay for German quality and reliability - not style! Hopefully this means I won't have to try to contact their service centre ever again.... I would recommend the cooker for cooking but not for design.
