Thermador Masterpiece vs Professional is mostly a question of style and of the product families each collection covers, not of one being a better appliance. Masterpiece is the sleek, clean-lined collection of wall ovens, cooktops, hoods and wine and ice products. Professional is the commercial-style collection with bold knobs, heavy handles and the large ranges, grills and 48-inch hoods. Freedom is the built-in refrigeration line, and Pro Harmony and Pro Grand are the range lines.
What does Thermador Masterpiece mean?
Masterpiece is the collection built around a smooth, contemporary look. On our model list it covers the single and double wall ovens such as the MED301WS and MED302WS, the MEDS301WS steam oven, the MC30WS speed oven, the 30-inch and 36-inch gas, radiant and induction cooktops, the wall, island and under-cabinet hoods and the under-counter wine coolers and ice makers. A Masterpiece appliance is designed to look the same as the products beside it, so it suits a kitchen where the goal is a quiet, continuous line of stainless steel and glass.
Masterpiece does not mean a lesser product. The ovens use True Convection and the cooktops use the same Star Burner technology as the other collections. The collection name is mostly a guide to the look and the product families, so check the specification sheet for the exact model rather than judging by the name alone.
What does Thermador Professional mean?
Professional is the collection with the commercial-kitchen look: heavy knobs, bold handles and larger formats. It includes the POD single, double and triple wall ovens, the PODM301W combination oven with an upper speed oven and the PODS301W steam oven, the 30-inch and 36-inch PRG ranges, the professional-style gas cooktops, the built-in grills and the 36-inch and 48-inch Professional hoods. It also includes the large French door and bottom-freezer refrigerators. Our guide to planning a complete Thermador kitchen shows how the collections combine.
The common mix-up is to ask whether Professional is a higher grade than Masterpiece. It is better described as a different style and size range. A kitchen with a large Pro Grand range and a Professional hood is a statement kitchen; a kitchen with Masterpiece ovens and a Freedom refrigerator column is a flush, integrated one.
What does Thermador Freedom mean?
Freedom is the built-in refrigeration collection. It includes the refrigerator, freezer, wine and ice columns in 18, 24, 30 and 36-inch widths, the 36-inch French door models and the 42-inch side-by-side, and it also includes the full-surface induction cooktops such as the CIT367YGS and the CIT367TMS with integrated downdraft. The columns are panel-ready, so they take a custom front that matches your cabinets. If you are comparing sizes, our guide to Thermador Freedom column refrigeration explains how the columns pair.
What are Pro Harmony and Pro Grand?
Pro Harmony and Pro Grand are the range families. Pro Harmony ranges are described on our model list as flush-mount designs that sit level with the countertop, available in all-gas and dual fuel versions in 30, 36 and 48-inch widths. Pro Grand ranges are the largest, with six or eight Star Burners, griddles and dual ovens, including the 48-inch PRG486WDG and PRD486WDGU and the 60-inch PRD606WESG. The model letters help: PRG marks an all-gas range and PRD marks a dual fuel range. Our Pro Grand guide and range buying guide go deeper.
What are Sapphire, Emerald and Star Sapphire dishwashers?
Thermador dishwashers use tier names instead of collection names. On our model list, the DWHD550WFP and DWHD560WFP are Sapphire, the DWHD650WFP, DWHD651WFP and DWHD660WFP are Emerald with CrystalDry drying and a flexible third rack, and the DWHD760WFP, DWHD770WFP and DWHD771WFP are Star Sapphire, topped by the StarSpeed cycle on the DWHD771WFP. The Professional DWHD870WFP sits above them with a maximum-capacity third rack. The name tells you the feature tier; the number tells you the exact model. Our Thermador dishwasher buying guide compares the tiers.
Which collection should you choose for a new kitchen?
Choose by look and by the largest appliance you want, then fill in the rest. If you want a large range with a griddle, you are in Pro Grand and Professional territory, and a matching hood follows. If you want the refrigerator to disappear behind panels, you are in Freedom. Mixing collections is common and works well, because Thermador designs the lines to sit together; the visible difference is usually in the handles, knobs and trim. Whatever you choose, confirm the cutout sizes before the cabinets are built, since a fraction of an inch of error costs far more to fix than to prevent.
How do you tell which collection your appliance belongs to?
Look at the rating plate, which lists the model number, and read the specification sheet for that number. The first letters give the product type, and the collection is stated in the description. For example, a model beginning with MED is a Masterpiece wall oven, one beginning with POD is a Professional wall oven and one beginning with T followed by two digits and an I is usually a built-in column. Our Thermador model number guide explains the pattern, and it is the best starting point if your appliance is old and the name has changed.
