Wolf E-Series Transitional DO30TE/S/TH 30-Inch Electric Double Wall Oven Review

The E-Series we tested—a new Transitional model, to be specific—didn't just look good. With superb baking and roasting performance in our lab tests, it proved itself to be one of the best wall ovens we've ever had the pleasure of cooking with.

In fact, our only complaint is that only the top oven features convection. Features-wise, that puts it behind similar offerings from Viking and Miele.

Design

A match for every kitchen

After more than a decade with the same design, the E-series is now available in three different styles, each with its own unique look. In any guise, E-Series wall ovens can be installed flush with cabinetry, or not.

The stainless steel Professional model comes equipped with sturdy, thick handles, and looks like what most consumers would picture when they think of a Wolf wall oven.

The new Contemporary look features the same insides, but with a black glass front, towel-bar door handles, and standard-size oven windows. We got to spend some time with the new Transitional model, which resembles the Professional model in many ways, but carries over the towel-bar handles from the Contemporary model.

Wolf has enhanced the sleek look even further by replacing a standard control panel with a unique stainless steel touch control panel. At first glance the panel looks like etched writing on a plain stainless surface. Look more closely, and you'll see that each word is a touch sensitive button.

We're torn about this choice: The new buttons sure do look great, but they also got covered in fingerprints and were somewhat hard to use.

For instance, the pressure-sensitive area of each button is fairly small, so it took our fingers about two or three tries to actually press a button. There's also no visual or physical feedback—only a loud beep.

Additionally, with two ovens, there's no way of knowing which settings work with which oven cavity until after you've pressed the button.

Users select features by first choosing the oven cavity, followed by the cooking method, followed by the temperature and time. The process is fairly straightforward, but if you try to select an option that doesn't exist—like convection in the lower oven—you'll get an extremely obnoxious beeping sound. The setup is clearly designed to prevent major cooking mishaps, but ovens that cost thousands less only show relevant options to the user.

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Customizability

The E-series line of double wall ovens is comprised of three separate models designed to fit into the three dominant kitchen styles. The model we reviewed, the DO30TE/S/TH is the transitional model and features towel rod door handle and a modern oven window. Traditionalists should look to the DO30PE/S/PH which features a thick door handle as well as a regular oven window. Finally, the all-black DO30CE/B/TH is designed to fit contemporary kitchens and also features a towel rod door handle.

Appearances aside, all three products offer the same core features and settings and are available at the same price point.

Baking

A baker's best friend

Any concerns about the control panel fell away once we started cooking with the DO30TE. It features two 4.5 cu. ft. oven cavities, and both are fashioned in a delightful cobalt blue that's Wolf's trademark. Yes, both oven cavities took a while to heat up—12 minute preheat times are about 4 minutes longer than what we like to see. Conversely, both broilers kept pace with five minute preheat speeds.

The upper cavity is where you'll want to do most of the heavy lifting. It has Bake, Roast, Broil, Stone, Proof, Clean, Convection Bake, Convection Roast, Convection Broil, Convection, and Dehydrate settings. On the other hand, the lower cavity lacks any convection function, and settings are limited to only Bake, Roast, Broil, and Clean.

Overall the oven performed admirably in our baking tests, in which we make multiple cakes and several sheets of cookies, then measure their doneness and evenness. We found that the Convection Bake setting was the best choice when it came to thinner baked goods. Cookies baked using the standard Bake setting in both cavities did not fare as well, however our test cakes baked using the standard setting were pretty much perfect.

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The convection setting did much to improve the state of our test cookies, however it had an adverse effect on our test cakes. Our suggestion: Spend some time getting used to both settings before you host your next dinner party.

Regardless of which setting works best for your recipes, this Wolf is one of the best wall ovens we've ever baked with. Every dish was cooked the same way every time, and that means you'll be able to count on this Wolf turning out consistent results.

Roasting

Succulent and divine, but convection can dry things out a bit

To test the roasting capabilities of the Wolf DO30TE we cooked three pork loins: One for each oven, plus a third for the upper oven's Convection Roast setting.

First the good news: Fans of perfectly browned, juicy cuts of meat are in for a treat with this oven, provided they stick to the standard roast setting. We measured even browning across all parts of the pork, and noticed very little moisture loss. It was one of the best ovens we've ever roasted in.

This leads us to the not-as-good news: While it sped up the cooking process, the DO30TE's Convection Roast left meat drier and insufficiently browned compared to conventional cooking.

Even so, the E-Series' Convection Roast proved better at roasting meat than a lot of other ovens. If you're in a hurry, your guests likely won't notice the difference.

Why We Love It

A welcome addition to any upscale kitchen

We really like the Wolf E-Series double wall oven, and we think you will, too.

Thanks to a redesign, there are three new reasons to buy one of the best wall ovens we've ever tested. Whether you choose the traditional Professional look, the forward-thinking Transitional design, or the ultra-sleek Contemporary finish, there's an exterior that will fit any kitchen.

The E-Series wasn't perfect. We had some issues with the oven's control scheme, missed having two ovens with convection, and wanted for faster preheat times, but the E-series did so well in our roasting and baking tests that we could forgive its minor shortcomings.

If you're a serious cook and want an oven that can keep up with any recipe, check out this Wolf.

Product photographs taken at Boston Appliance in Woburn, MA