I bought two Jenn-Air ranges and put them side by side (60")... cheaper than the imitation commercial ranges with more burners and two full-sized ovens.

I bought the Thermador after much research but in the kitchen forum there is a lot of conversation about bluestar...good luck!

That is a really great idea mightyanvil. Can I ask what you did for a hood over the two cooktops? Did you need to go with a 60+" model?

There is a downdraft exhaust in each range and a brick wall behind them that my wife insists on cluttering up with antique junk.

Thanks for the information mightyanvil. I think this is a really interesting idea which I am going to explore, if I can give up that much cabinet space...

krislrob,

If the 5* has the BTU's I think it does (21K or 22K) make sure you have the proper ventilation for it. It's going to take more than your average Viking or Dacor. And, I'm not sure about this, but I remember hearing something about high BTU's and backsplash or wall requirements when permitting (for the high heat). Research this because even at a great price the 5* might not be worth the extra cost it could take to "house" it if your not a serious cook!

Before you get too excited about those Jennair units with the built-in ventilation, you might try doing a search in the Appliances and the Kitchens Forums. The quality of the ventilation is seriously weak, the design of the surface mounted down draft is poor, and the burners aren't enough for most cooks who would consider any of the other ranges mentioned. Then you have the (still existing) question of Maytag/JennAir reliability or lack thereof, even tho the company has been sold to Whirlpool.

fairegold Thanks for the words of caution. They are all valid points. Based on my family's cooking style (HOT! my husband was a short order cook for years), I actually wouldn't consider the downdraft ventilation. In our current kitchen plan we have planned for a 36" Five Star range with a 36" hood and then a separate built in micro convection (for those times when we need the second oven). However, mightanvil's post is a different idea and I'm always trying to break the mold on my kitchen ideas to try and get the best configuration possible. I did a little checking into a 60" hood today to see if that would balance the cost savings achieved by using the two 30" ranges, but I don't have an answer yet.

Like fairegold said, the Jennair is seriously lacking in down draft. I've had two. Hated the first that was installed in our home 20 years ago by a GC. We didn't want to reconfig the kitchen so I went with my second thinking they had improved. That was about 3 years ago. To be perfectly honest, I hate them both. Both were/are electric and neither had good heat. Both were/are hard to clean (can't get a short arm in that far down) and the vents are all but useless.

Kats, thank you. The 5 Star does have 21k BTU. I will look into the specifications of the wall and venting and see if it's an option. I have looked all over the net and haven't been able to get the information I'm looking for. Thanks again!!

The 5 Star is one of the best ranges on the market for serious cooks. I would consider it to be at least as good as the Thermador or the Dacor, and in a lot of cases, superior to both. However, the looks of the new Dacor are fabulous! I love the blue lights. It has become very expensive though. When I priced the 36" vs. the Wolf DF (which I ultimately purchased...I'm a sucker for the red knobs!), it was more expensive by several hundred. I do not like the idea of two smaller ranges side by side. Yes, you might save money, but if we are talking about the size of the ovens, you really are not gaining anything over the 60" units...they generally have 2 equal ovens. The other thing to examine is the features that are available in 30" models...can you purchase a grill/griddle combo with them? (I don't know...just throwing out potential issues.) Also, do these smaller units offer the special simmer burners? In addition to how you cook, think about what you want your kitchen to look like...this is a very unusual approach, so consider the aesthetics. The 48" 5 Star is a great unit...right now it is on sale at us-appliance for $6279 (all gas), regularly $7540. Does your price quote come close to that? Also, if you were considering a 48", do you really want to jump to a 60" (even if the price is right!)? Your hood would be enormous (at least 60" but really you should go bigger), you'll lose upper and lower cabinet space, and it will totally change the feel of the kitchen. I love the looks of the real 60" professional style ranges, but it has to be in the right room.

I have a price that's about $1k less than that for the 48" dual fuel 5 star range. I too like the red and blue knobs, but I like saving $4k over the Thermador, Dacor, etc. The new Dacor has a porcelain surface and for cleaning purposes, the Dacor would be safer (from my cleaning lady) than the stainless surfaces. However, again it's not worth thousands. I want flooring too!! I don't really have room for a 60" and I like the way the 48" looks.....THANK YOU AGAIN for your help!!