Compare Bosch & GE Cafe

Bosch Appliance Lineup

• Bosch's line of home appliances encompasses ranges, cooktops, refrigerators, microwaves, warming drawers, small appliances, ventilation systems, clothes washers, dryers, and built-in wall ovens and dishwashers. While GE separates its offerings into named product lines such as Profile and Cafe, Bosch classifies its products by number, with high-numbered products –- such a the 700 series of freestanding ranges -– representing its highest-end offerings. In Bosch's lineup, these high-numbered appliances compete most directly with GE's upscale Cafe line.

GE Cafe Appliance Lineup

• The GE Cafe line focuses on precision simmering and sauteing and efficient meal preparation via the company's “speedcook” feature. This product line includes gas, electric and dual-fuel ranges, microwaves, gas cooktops, electric cooktops, dishwashers, speedcook ovens, vent hoods, wall ovens and refrigerators. Focused squarely on the kitchen, the Cafe line does not include any clothes washers or dryers, nor does it include warming drawers or small appliances other than microwave ovens. GE's Cafe lineup does not encompass the entirety of its appliance offerings; like Bosch, the company also offers low- and mid-range appliances with fewer features at a lower price.

General Comparison

• For a general comparison, you can turn to the core of the kitchen – the oven and refrigerator. Bosch's highest-end freestanding electric range, model 700, and the GE Cafe electric range both feature 30-inch, radiant range cooktops, though the Cafe has five cooking surfaces to the 700's four. Each features a stainless steel finish and cooking drawer, though the Cafe outclasses the Bosch in oven capacity by about 2 cubic feet. Both lineups feature counter-depth, side-by-side refrigerators with stainless steel finishes, though Bosch's has a capacity of 21.7 cubic feet while the GE Cafe models come in 24.6- and 25.4-cubic-foot options.

Availability and Pricing

• National chain retailers such as the Home Depot, Lowe's, Sears and Best Buy consistently carry both Bosch and GE appliances. In general, the GE Cafe line comes with a higher price tag than Bosch's high-end offerings. At the time of publication, Cafe appliances typically cost about $500 to $700 more than their Bosch counterparts.