We are buying our first new construction home. We're not sure what to choose in regards to the oven for the house. The current plan package includes a Whirlpool Gold 30" electric double wall oven. My wife is really set that she wants a gas oven, but we just found out that Whirlpool doesn't make a gas double wall oven. To work with the builder, we need to use Whirlpool or buy one ourselves. The only options I see for gas double wall ovens are either really low-cost (Frigidaire, Maytag around $600 - $800 ... and only 24") or VERY high cost (over $5,000 for a Bluestar, for example).

All our previous experience with electric ovens have been with pretty basic models under $500 new, so our experience has been that electric has major problems with cooking unevenly, inconsistently, and heating up slowly. Since this is her first chance to pick something out for herself, my wife really does not want to "settle" in regards to the oven. (We already added in her 36" 5-burner cooktop).

We really want to stay with a solid mid-high end appliance, but not break the bank (ie, over $3,000). My questions are:

1. Is our anti-electric bias no longer meaningful on higher end appliances? Would the Whirpool in question make the electric vs. gas issue irrelevant?

2. How good is the Whirlpool in our current plan? Since it's around $2,000, does that mean that it will cook as good or better than the low-cost gas ovens?

3. Are there any good, mid-high end gas double wall ovens that stay under $3,000?

Any other thoughts?

Thanks!