1. Some reassurance -- almost all 30" ranges are actually 29 7/8" --- which translates to 29.875" --- and only a few 30" ranges are actually a true 30" wide. It has been the industry standard for decades. Only a few ranges (mostly pro-style beasts) are actually a true 30" wide. (So, no NXR range for you without some surgery on your countertops but, then, you were not considering one of those, anyway).
2. For carpenters and cabinet makers, the standard width for stove cut-outs in countertops is supposed to be 30 1/8" but that is a rule of thumb. Seems like the previous homeowners decided they wanted a really tight fit to limit crumbs etc. that can leak/fall down there. Slide-in ranges often have cooktop lips to overhang those gaps (which is why you often see slide-ins listed with widths of 31¼" -- that's just the lip above the countertops, the actual stove is still only 29 7/8".
3. Have you looked into how expensive it would be to get a garnite company to shave the edges back a skoonch, then polish and seal them? (Might or might not be expensive. Don't know. Maybe worth checking because a little more space would make it muuuccchhhh easier to extract the old range and install the new one.)
4. "my only hesitation is whether it is super prone to problems/repair..." Neither GE nor Samsung induction ranges are unusualiy prone to problems, much less "super prone." Other than the annual membership surveys published by Consumer Reports, there does not seem to hard reliability data figures out there for us consumers to find. From the CR data, it looks like most brands (including GE and Samsung) run about 6% to 9% defect rate in the first five years of ownership. IIRC, GE runs about 6% and Samsung around 9%, but CR says that differences of 3 points or less are statistically insignificant. The electric ranges to avoid, apparently, are those by the LG and Whirlpools premium brands (KitchenAid and JennAir). The KA and JA electric ranges (IIRC) have been running defect rates of around 16%.

5. None of the ranges have been around for more than a few years, so we really can't say much about true long term durability. GE has had a pretty good market share and there have been some long running threads about the current free-standing and slide in models (PHB920 and PHS920) the similar predecessors (PHB925 and PHS925). Very few reports of serious problems, so far. Samsung has a smaller market share and there have not been many postings here about their induction ranges. Might want to search on chowhound (cookware forum) and e-gullett (kitchen consumer forum).

1. 1. We've had several threads here over the years where gardenwebbers have mostly reported their induction ranages and cooktops have held up pretty well.
2. Actually, the big deals are not about durability but about parts, service and support for if and when something does go wrong. There are a couple of big deals to consider. First, if you do wind up needing a repair, induction parts are very expensive (especially the multiple micro-processor driven digital control boards). The basic problem is the same one we run into with all the rest of the increasing-microprocessor driven appliances -- the failure of one board can cascade to others. The high cost of parts applies across the board for all makers. Second, GE has been pretty good about service and support and making available information like parts diagrams. Electrolux/Frigidaire, which will be acquiring GE's appliance division, also has a pretty good reputation in that regard. Samsung has gotten some hostile press for not-so-great service and support, for problems with parts availablity, and for not making parts diagrams and repair information available.
3. Now, a question for you. Are you looking at freestanding induction ranges (i.e., ones with the controls mounted on a thick backsplash/vent/panel at the back of the stove) or slide-ins (i.e., similar to the freestanding ranges but with no backsplash and all the controls at the front of the stove)?
4. Slide-ins tend to be $800 to $1200 more than the freestanding versions except for the very newly released Frigidiare induction slide-in which lists for around $2300 but often seems to be on offer for around $1500. When you think about safety with kids cooking with you, then you might be more comfortable with having all controls down front where the kids won't have to reach over pots to controls on the backsplash. But, maybe, you take care of all the controls and the kids just stir pots, add ingredients, flip pancakes etc.? OTOH, the Frigidaire Gallery slide in (FGIS3065) vents at the front of the range and oven is a bit smaller and not as deep as the ones on the GE and Samsung ranges. That may or may not make a difference to you.

ETA 5/23/15 -- sorry about the odd paragraph numbering. It is supposed to be sequential. No matter how many times I edit to try to fix this, I find the formatting is again goofy the next time I come back to this thread. Seems to be something in the Houzz system.

Wow, thank you for such an in-depth reply! It is reassuring to hear about the industry standard. We did call around and find someone who can shave the countertops, but I am hesitant to do so because it is very messy and takes several days for the dust to settle. I am not keen on having the kiddos breath in silica dust, even for a limited time. Slide-ins were my first choice, but I discovered that our countertops sit too low to make them a good option for us (35 1/4). That leaves us with freestanding. I would love the open back to show our backsplash, but that is a pretty small sacrifice if we end up with a range that we really like function-wise. I will look at the spec sheet on the Frigidaire, though, just to make sure it isn't out for us. It would be great to find a manufacturer that puts adjustable feet with a broader range so the slide-ins might fit a wider range of spaces. The data you posted is very helpful, and I think it will give us some good talking points as we make our decision.

I have been using my GE Profile slide in induction range for close to 2 years now. At this point I love it and it does everything I want it to. The convection is supposedly 'true' convection. I never had convection so I can't really compare it. But it works great for cookies and muffins etc. and I never have to rotate pans or anything. The induction is a real treat. I did need new pots and pans but got some that I like and didn't break the bank doing it. If you live in the U.S. you are lucky enough to be able to get Tramontina at Walmart. Our Walmarts in Canada don't carry them. I researched and looked at all the regular brands, which included Samsung, Electolux, Kenmore (which was made by Electrolux), Kitchen Aid, and based on reviews and features, I chose the GE. I have used the self clean but only once. I always wanted self clean and didn't have it before. But now I am afraid to use it because there is so much talk of the high heat blowing circuit boards. At least on my oven you can choose whether you use it for just 3 hours or the full 5. I did use 5 hours but will try a shorter time next time. It worked perfectly and there were no problems but I am still afraid to use it. I haven't heard of GE ranges having lots of problems with that, just all modern self clean ranges in general. One feature the GE has on the induction part is a centre back burner that is non induction, just electric for warming. I find I use it often to warm the plate I will be serving the meat on or just to keep a casserole dish a bit warm before I am ready to serve. I also didn't think I would use the warming drawer, but have found it handy on several occasions.

I measured our counter top to the floor and it is 361/4 inches. The range does have adjustable feet for height adjustment and levelling but you would need to check the specs to see how low it can go.

I hope that helps or I can answer any other questions you think of.

I should add, my girlfriend had a Kitchen Aid induction range for a year and had nothing but problems with it. Kitchen Aid (Whirlpool) admitted they had a problem and she wasn't the only person with it. But they couldn't resolve it. they took a long time before they finally agreed to re-imburse her for the range and let her buy a different brand. She bought a Samsung and loves it and thinks it is better quality than the KA. Hers only has steam clean tho.

Thank you! I'm with you on the cleaning cycles. High heat and electronics don't seem to mix well, and I also hope to keep my self-clean feature use limited. We have some All-Clad, but some of our favorite pans (the ebelskiver Nordicware that my kids begged me to buy) won't work if we get induction. I did see that I can purchase metal plates that will transfer heat, so maybe I would be able to make it work. We have some Tramontina non-stick pans, but it is good to know they have some that are induction friendly, as well. We live in the desert and it is about to get VERY hot in the next couple of weeks, so the thought of a cooler cooktop is very appealing, even if we do have to replace some cookware. It is good to know that you seem trouble free after 2 years. I never thought to warm plates on the warming center....good idea. I think I am leaning toward induction :) Thanks for the heads up on Kitchen Aid, as well.

silken1:

AFAIK It is only the Whirlpool branded induction ranges (which includes your
girlfriend's former KitchenAid) that are limited to the
steam-clean oven self-cleaning function, a/k/a "Aqualift." Your girlfriend may want to re-check the user guide for her new stove because Samsung induction ranges have both steam-clean and standard (high-heat) self-clean options.

As do the current GE induction ranges, the freestanding PHB920 and the slide-in PHS920. That is one of the differences from the previous models, the PHS925 and PHB925.

You can still do steam self-cleaning on the older models, if you choose. You just do not have a specific control setting. You do what we used to do when I was working commercial kitchens when in college in a galaxy far, far way, a long, long time ago . . . Anyway, you preheat the oven to 200°F. Put a big pot of boiling water on the bottom rack and heat-safe bowl of ammonia (say, 1 cup) on the top rack. Turn off the oven. Close the door and leave it overnight. (Obviously, in that long ago galaxy, we shut off the pilot lights in gas ovens before putting the bowl of ammonia in, but we're talking electric ovens here.)

desertdwelleraz

On the height of slide-ins and gaps between the top and the countertop, there have been some creative filler strips discussed for the GE slide-in.
http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2321834/ge-profile-slide-in-induction-range-phs925stss
Unfortunately, the photos do not seem to have made it over in the conversion from gardenweb to houzz.

For new pots and pans:

Nordicware also makes some very reasonably priced commercial induction cookware with both non-stick and stainless surfaces. I got a set of the non-stick induction frypans from Costco and the non-stick finish lasted almost a decade.

Costco currently carries a set of very nice Wearever Circulon Premier Pro pans (annodized aluminum non-stick bodies with induction bases) for under $200. Sometimes it goes down to $150 with coupon sales. I've had a set for three years and have had no complaints about their performance on both gas and induction burners and the nonstick surface had held up well even with occasional runs through the dishwasher.

Vollrath's commercial "Tribute" line also includes both stainless and non-stick induction capable commerical cookware which is also very well thought-of. Price range is a bit less than as All-Clad factory irregulars from the likes of Cookware&More. Something like the pricing for Cusinart Multi-clad which also gets pretty good reviews.

Literally dozens of choices out there.

Adapter disks

Very much a mixed bag. When Cooks Illustrated tested adapter disks a couple of years ago, the only one they found workable was the Max Burton # 6010, 8" "interface disk." That's mostly useful for larger fry-pans. Otherwise, you don't really need an adapter disk for any of your non-induction pans that will fit on or inside one of your induction pans, For example, you might have a 3 quart saucepan that will sit inside 12" cast-iron skillet or sit on a cast iron pancake griddle. (Our local hardware store sells 12"-square Lodge griddles for $22, which is less than half the cost of the Max Burton disk).

Ebelskiver pans may be a special case because of their size and concave base. For the cast-iron versions (mostly what I've used), the concave base is not necessarily a problem with induction --- except possibly with the Samsung ranges. They seem to have more aggressive pan-detection settings than others do and may not see enough magnetic mass for the burner to propertly heat the pan. Seems to me that I saw this comments about Samsung in some postings a couple of years ago about abelskiver/ebelskiver recipes. Unfortunately, I can't find a link at the moment.

For those who don't know, ebelskivers (abelskivers to us Swedes) are kind of a cross between pancakes and popovers. They look like a large doughnut-hole or a small jelly doughnut. The pans typically have six to ten rounded cup-like depressions into which you pour batter. As the batter puffs into a ball, you use wooden skewers or chopsticks to slowly rotate the balls to get them evenly browned. They can be sweet or savory, filled or not.

Anyway, the Nordicware version is cast-aluminum and, IIRC. about 9½" in diameter. That is bigger than any adapter disk I know of. Might take a long time to fully preheat over an adapter disk and might not heat evenly. One of those 12" square Lodge cast-iron griddle pans might work but the abelskiver pan's concave base may make preheating a verrryyyy slow process. You might find yourself needing to preheat the Nordicware ebelskiver pan in the oven. (IIRC, Nordicware makes versions of the pan with stainless steel handles and versions with phenolic handles that, I think, can take up to 375° in an oven.)

Just to chime in, we purchased the GE induction slide in and have been using it for about two months. Love it! We also love the convection oven. It was only after a lot of research and reading many of jwvideo's wonderfully detailed comments about induction, that that I felt comfortable enough to a) go with induction in the first place and b) go with GE specifically. So far, so good. And most of the cookware we had (even my mom's from the 1950s) works on it just fine; I made very few new purchases.

Thanks jwvideo. I may have misunderstood my friend but she will know what her oven does for cleaning options. She is a great cook who has even published her own cook book and looks into her cooking gear quite thoroughly. It was from her that I found out about induction and am so glad I did. Nearly 2 years later and I am still almost like a kid on Christmas when I am using it :) Sounds stupid but it is true!

I did try the steam clean method with ammonia and water and leaving it overnight. It helped but I wouldn't want steam clean as my only cleaning method. The self clean left my oven spotless and like new. Maybe the built in steam clean features work better, than just doing it the old fashion way, but I don't really see how.

Have had the free standing GE induction range for two years. It cooks wonderfully, cleans even better (that alone makes it worth every penny), and produces very little warming in the kitchen. The oven is not the greatest, as in baking cakes. They simply do not rise evenly! I bake lots of bread however, and that does great.

kitykat, I am surprised your GE oven is not baking cakes evenly. Have you had it checked? I bake a lot and everything comes out great. DH has repeatedly commented that things are even better since I got the new oven. I do rotate pans when I am baking things with any mass to them. And I prefer regular baking for roasts or bread or anything large. But I bake cookies and muffins on convection and never turn or move a pan, even when the rack is right full.

>>>"Maybe the built in steam clean features work better, than just doing it the old fashion way, but I don't really see how."<<<

You got it. I think of Whirlpool's Aqualift as "myself cleaning ovens" --- like all steam cleaning techniques, it just makes it easier to do old fashioned manual oven cleaning.

Thanks for the feedback! I think I am ready to give induction a try, and all of this information is so helpful. I hadn't thought of placing a non-induction pan inside one that works with induction. We don't let the kids have ebelskivers all of the time, but they sure do love them! I may be able to use a single-burner electric plug-in unit on the occasions that we make those. I will look into all of the cookware mentioned, and hopefully we can find some individual pieces at reasonable prices. As for the induction cooktop, I have read that they can scratch easily. One reviewer recommended sanding down the base of cast iron before using it on the stovetop. Have you ever had a typical lodge pan scratch the cooktop of your GE?

Induction stove and cooktop manufacturers (including GE) all use "Ceran" surfaces made by Schott. GE does too, so it won't be any better or worse than other brands. (Inexpensive portable countertop induction burners are a different matter, but we're not talking about them.)

As for polishing your Lodge cast iron pans, most folks will tell you not to bother. If you have not already seen all the prior discussions of the "scratching" topic, this one may be helpful and it has links to earlier threads on this topic, as well:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2346300/causing-scratches-breakages-on-induction

Thank you. That link gave me all of the information I need.

Me too. I have been cooking for 40 years and I don't scrape and slide my pans around. My cooktop looks like new so far (just under 2 yrs). And I use spatulas or other utensils to flip and move food around. The induction shouldn't scratch any worse than the electric smooth top ones.