Some prefer the look of 48" pro ranges, and I have to say that is probably the main reason most buy them. Another advantage is that your oven(s) are under the hood.

However, I personally think that there are more advantages to going with wall ovens. You get to pick the best components in your price range - no need to compromise on a range with good ovens and a bad cooktop as you did with your KA, or vice versa. If either component turns out to be complete junk and you want to replace - you'll be out less than replacing a 48" pro range. And of course - wall ovens require less bending than a range.

Besides the Whirlpool brands (WP/KA/MT) GE and Frigidaire have 30" double oven ranges. This can be a daunting process though so before we get into specific products and brands you should take this step by step and figure out an appliance configuration first, because a 30" double oven range is a completely different beast from a 48" pro, both looks and price wise.

Some other things to consider:

Might you want to go with induction instead of gas?

If you go gas, do you want open burners?

If you go with a 48" range, would you want all gas or dual fuel?

If you go with wall ovens, would you rather go with a stacked steam/single or speed/single instead of a double?

Thanks for the reply.

I'm feeling kind of at sea. This new space is big enough that I could pretty much do anything I want. But how do I begin to narrow down what I want? I don't mean to sound coy...I honestly don't know.

Like I don't even know what a stacked steam/single vs a speed/single is!

And fwiw, I think I do love the look of the 48 inchers...

Recently speed ovens and combi-steam ovens have become popular. A speed oven uses a combination of microwaves, convection, and halogen or radiant heat to cook stuff fast like a microwave but with better results. You can also use it as a microwave only or convection oven only. Combi-steam ovens cook with a combination of convection and steam. The steam can either come from a plumbed connection or from a tank you fill. Some of the things you can do include baking bread with moisture, low temperature roasting, steaming vegetables, excellent reheating, and again you can just use it as a convection oven. I recommend searching the forum as there have been many discussions about these types of ovens in the past.

As you can see these ovens are very versatile. Many who have them find that they use them as their primary oven, despite them being smaller than a full sized oven. A common configuration is to stack one of them over a regular wall oven which can handle those few times like Thanksgiving when you actually need a big oven and/or multiple ovens.

To make it less daunting, try eliminating options you know you won't want. For example, I generally consider 30" double oven ranges to make the most sense in retrofit situations, or if you want two ovens but are limited by space and budget. It certainly doesn't sound like you are limited by space, and since you're talking about 48" pro ranges and double wall ovens it doesn't sound like you would be forced into a 30" range by budget either. So if I were you I probably wouldn't bother considering one.

One thing that would help is if you can figure out a budget for appliances and post it here. The products you have mentioned so far range from under $2000 to near $8000 - I don't really have a sense of how much you're actually planning on spending. Have you already decided on a dishwasher, fridge, etc?

I responded to your post on the Kitchens Forum.

Thanks so much.

Not really at the budget making stage yet; everything is still evolving in the concept phase. (We're renovating the house from top to bottom, so the kitchen is one of many line items on a still-fluid list.) But I thought if I had a strong sense of what I wanted this time around, I could convey that to the architect and start to get a sense of priorities; he's just getting started. Meaning if I knew I absolutely had to have a 48 inch range this time, I might be willing to cut back elsewhere.

I really appreciate the feedback and it will start me asking all the right questions.

So here's a specific question: it seems most of the double wall ovens are either two full-sized ovens or one full-sized oven and a smaller microwave. Does anyone make wall ovens that are like what I have in my KA range -- a full oven and a small oven (not microwave)?

(And to answer one of your earlier questions, we LOOOOOVE our fridge and will totally re-buy it for the new house. Can't recommend it highly enough. KitchenAid KFXS25RYMS, with the French doors and extra drawer.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Our KA fridge

>Does anyone make wall ovens that are like what I have in my KA range -- a full oven and a small oven (not microwave)?

Yup - GE has one. There are complaints that it is way too easy to accidentally spill stuff into the upper oven's door, which would fry the electronics due to their location. They seem great for smaller kitchens or retrofits but if you have a lot of space, I would opt for something else. Also, you have to keep in mind that the "big oven" on this will be smaller than the "big oven" on a range, since the small oven on a 30" range will take the place of the storage drawer that would be there otherwise, making the full size oven the same size as it would be on a non-double oven range. Single wall ovens don't have storage drawers, so this GE has much less space to work with.

Here is a link that might be useful: GE Single Double oven

Thank you so much, hvtech.

I guess taking a giant step back, the question is, how does someone in my position begin to zero in on what I want? Right now I'm only certain I do NOT want a crowded cooktop like my current one. And I would like two ovens. We do not have a limitless budget by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it will be fairly generous.

Are there checklists or articles or anything to help me figure it out? I realize it's a good problem to have, but there are so many options it's daunting!

If I had the space I would do a 30 or 36 inch all gas range and a built in electric oven. I broil fish fairly often and I sure appreciate my infra red broiler under my vent hood.

There is a lot you can learn from the internet, but there is also a lot you can't. It is great for getting answers to specific questions, but if you don't know what to do with all that information it isn't helpful at all. Have you been to a showroom yet? If not I suggest you go. Look at and touch the appliances. Bring some of your cookware and see how it fits. If you're lucky you may even come across live units you can turn on and test out. Ask the salesmen questions, but take their recommendations with a grain of salt due to the fact they will get higher commissions on some brands/products than others.