If price isn't the deciding factor, then def get the 22. I wish all my burners were 22k. Not only do they have incredibly high heat, they also simmer superbly.

Just note that if you get the RCS, you will not be able to upgrade the burners (any of them) down the line. Bluestar has an iron grip on the parts required and even online parts sellers will not sell you the goods without an RNB serial number.

As far as use goes, I use the 22k all the time. I have three 22k burners all in the front row of my 6 burner RNB (I added an extra 22k), so I use them daily. If I don't need the full blast of heat, I just turn down the knob.

I use my 15ks, all in the back row, very sparingly and pretty much when I only want to literally "back burner" something that doesn't need that much attention.

I have the 36RNB with griddle, here's how my stovetop use goes... I use my griddle by far the most, followed by the two front 22k burners. Next would be the simmer burner, (9k?) which works great for those all afternoon soups, stews, and sauces, It's also handy for small diameter saucepans.
I only use the one right rear (15k burner), when all three others are being used, which is rare to never.

Same here. I use the 22k burners the most. Also, the oven on the RCS is different than the RNB. Interior porcelain and racks are not as nice.

Same here. I use the 22k burners the most. Also, the oven on the RCS is different than the RNB. Interior porcelain and racks are not as nice.

It might be helpful to the OP to know specifically what you cook that requires the full heat of the 22k burner to see if they are the same things that would be important to her. To me it would seem faster heating of pots of water and being able to do larger quantities of stir fry. How else do you use the 22k at full heat?

Thanks wekick, I was going to ask that same thing :-) I should have been more specific in my first post. So, what do you all use those 22K burners for at full or close to full heat? Inquiring minds (and minds hoping to convince skeptical partners) want to know!

I use the 22k all the time too. Brings a pot of water to a boil much faster. Great for searing, whether with a wok or a cast iron skillet. It's true that it's so powerful that you have to relearn how to set your burner, but once you get used to it it's great. Remember, you can always turn down the heat, but you can't go beyond maximum.

Our highest BTU burner is 18k (we do not have a BS) and it gives us (avid home cooks) plenty of power, though 'enough power' is a purely subjective thing.

The great thing about the 22k burners is the flame coverage on the bottom of the pot/pan. I can't remember if the 15k has the same flame pattern as the 22k but the 22k is great for large bottom pans due to the having flames all the way to the tips of the star. I even like to simmer on the 22k's better as they heat the bottom of the pan more evenly. I usually only use the 8k if I'm using a really small pan and saucing. I LOVE searing meat on 22K Hi, cranking up the 1200 cfm fan and watching the smoke roll, it's a site to behold. Also I'm an avid woker, sometimes I pull the grate sometime I don't. If I want to move the pan a lot I leave the grate on, if I'm just going to stir I'll take it out, it's hard to shake the pan when it's in the well below the grate. 15k is my overflow burner, I also have a griddle and like ctycdm, it's covers probably 50% of our usage, it's great for keeping sauces warm and can be used like a FT if needed.