Looks pretty thoughtful to me.

I am also doing the Vent-a-hood- think they are the "best" - but I'd also like to spend less $$$

I'd go combisteam if you are a bread baker, from what I have read.

I don't have warming drawer now, but I am adding one. Even if it's just to throw some plates in there to warm them. ;-)

And, IMO, skip the built in griddle. It's possible that I am a moron, but I have been unable to season mine decently and I think that because it has some "sides" on it there's crud in the edges and it looks crappy. Then - since it's kinda recessed, it's harder to get a spatula in there to do anything. A separate griddle to place on top of the burners, IMO, is a more usable thing.

There are some threads on the pros and cons of a built in vs a overlay griddle.

I would be inclined to have 2 regular ovens plus the combi oven maybe and I would probably not get the warming drawer. My wall oven has a warming function.

Don't forget after the kids go to school, they come back!! We have extended family with kids the same age so the holiday parties have gotten bigger and before long we were having life event parties at our house--wedding showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, baptism parties and first birthdays etc. I'm a scratch cook too and I like to entertain at home. On Independence Day we had 65 and my 36" and 30" ovens were full with some things double stacked.

I definitely recommend a combi steam not only for bread (I'm just learning and have already got some pretty good results) but just for the fact that it is a great size for the 2 of us on a daily basis. Looks are deceiving, it holds a lot, and heats up so quickly.

I have the Miele 30" fridge. Love it. Agree with everything you said. :)

If you have been reading the boards (and I know you have) I will just add my recommendation to consider induction.

No comment on your choices as I don't own any of the ones you have chosen. But, my Lacanche range does have a warming oven and I absolutely love it. I can't imagine living without one now. It's great for keeping things warm and for slow cooking too. We entertain a lot and now everything that should be hot is actually hot when it's served. I also have a portable grill plate which I like because it allows for a more flexible use of my range since I can use the burners for other purposes too.

I would second getting induction in the mix. It seems your budget is at a good amount, so having a mixed induction and gas could be to your benefit. Perhaps 30" Capital Culinarian and 15" induction domino if you would still prefer gas for most of the cooking, or a 24" induction and another gas domino if you are convinced that induction is the way to go forward.

Miele combi steam oven is a very good choice. I love mine, a plumbed version. It is very versatile, and still a great size even cooking for four.

Another vote for the combi-steam.

All of your choices look fine. They're all well reviewed. Do make sure that you like the controls on the Miele ovens.

Re the warming drawer, it doesn't hurt to match the ovens, but you shouldn't put it in the same stack. It won't be convenient. The best place is either under/next to the rangetop, or on the way to the eating area. Most people who have larger than postage stamp sized kitchens find under the ovens too awkward to both using much.

As to looks, you can get a panelled/integrated warming drawer to match your cabinets. I also prefer an old fashioned on/off lo/med/hi to an electronic warming drawer. With the latter you can more precisely control the temperature, so for some uses (mainly kosher sabbath and slow cooking) they're useful, but they can also make a simple machine into an overcomplicated one. That said, there's nothing wrong with the Miele.

On warming drawer location. If there is space for ovens to sit side by side on a wall at bench top height, putting a warming drawer under a combi is a great location. A combi is only 18" height, and main oven is just 28". Stacking warming drawer underneath a combi, will make the two columns similar in height at around 28"

I do agree with pllog that if it is way down below, it would be awkward to use.

Looks like a lot of good choices. Just make sure all of your choices can be serviced locally.

my 11 yr old warming drawer is in an inconvenient spot and is rarely used. If I get another one in our planned build, it will be in a better spot.

Oh my goodness! You are all so generous with your time and thoughts! Thank you so much for taking the time to give me your input. I definitely see a Combi-Steam in my future!

• jannicone -- Thank you for your thoughts on the grunge factor in the corners of the griddle. That might very well bother me over time. I'm okay with seasoned (e.g. on cast iron or carbon steel), not so much with grunge. :-)
• wekick -- thank you for the heads up on threads re pros and cons of griddles -- I will take a closer look for those. Great point on the kids coming back! They are currently claiming to want to live in colder climates, but that may not last. I hope, I hope, I hope. I already debate with my mother (who lives in town) about who gets to host events and on any given holiday both of my ovens are full. I'm drawn the idea of a double oven and a Combi-Steam and skipping the warming drawer. Thank you.
• sherri1058 and Chanop - you are so sweet, thank you. I can't bring myself to go the induction route en toto -- I fear I've been looking at flames in order to judge heat for too many years to change now. :-) But as Chanop suggests, I will consider adding induction elements to the mix. Having a few induction burners and a smaller range top is something I hadn't thought of. And this is why I ask the advice of those more experienced that I!
• Corie Hall -- the Lacanche ranges are absolutely beautiful, but I have my heart set on open burners and separate wall ovens so have to forgo the beauty. But gracious, those are absolutely beautiful ranges! Great to hear that the warming drawers are well used -- the Miele ovens have a warming mode as well, that might be enough if I have double Miele's and Combi-Steam.
• plllog -- the Miele controls are reminiscent of OSx controls to me so seem intuitive. Am I correct in recalling that you have a Gagg? What do you prefer about the controls? You seem like a person with well thought out reasons for their choices, so I appreciate your insights on the differences. I have looked at both in the store and didn't have a strong reaction to either. -- re: placement of warming drawer: excellent point! Thank you. We are designing around the appliances rather than trying to fit appliances into a design, so that is a choice we can make now. I admit that I haven't done much research on warming drawers. I better get on that! Simple on/off lo/med/hi is probably sufficient for my needs.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to share your wisdom and experience. This is really a special place and I appreciate your kindness.

Julie aka LeftyLou

I fear I've been looking at flames in order to judge heat for too many years to change now. :-)

Trust me, you haven't. :) I am about the same place as you in life, and one of the reasons I went with induction was for the safety factor (of course the ease of cleaning was a draw as well). The "conversion" was so easy, and now I'm having fun with the real ability to control heat instantly and the use of timers to mind my pots (think rice or pressure cooker as an example). And if you are in a warm climate, all the more reason to look at induction.

I don't mean to be pushy...... I'm just very excited about my new cooktop!

I had a warming drawer in my last house and it was used 2x because it was at the very bottom of the island. Franky, I would forget we had one! What I've learned here is when it comes to warming drawers and their usefulness, it's 'location, location, location'. As Plllog suggests, in our new house, I'll be putting one either next to the cooktop or in the island (directly under the counter!). I'm planning on a Miele fridge too and can hardly wait :) I'm also an induction fan and couldn't agree with Sherri1058 more about their safety features when aging in place.

My 2 cents on the dishwashers. Love my Miele but are as you are an from scratch cook and love to entertain. Have thought about 2 dishwashers but the space isnt there. So next machine wil be an semipro Miele.

Proline PG8080i or Proline PG8083scvi. The difference is the cutlery tray and I think the 8083 has the bigger cavity.

Markb here has the 8080 I think, check his posts on his dishwasher.

This way you will have a faster turnround, save space for something else. I know it is expensive but I really do belive it ia worth it.

Yes, I have Gaggenau ovens. I've read that a few people find the controls complicated and confusing, but that leaves me scratching my head in wonder, like a cartoon character, because they seem to straightforward and easy to use to me--one knob for temperature and one for mode, plus a tabbed touch display that you never have to use, but which can do fancy things like memory programs and countdown timers. OTOH, some people have been very put off by the controls on Miele and Wolf. There are modes where you have to program a sequence to get what you want. If you've look through what you have to do to achieve basic cooking in your most used modes, and it seems right and intuitive to you, that's all that's needed.

Re dishwashers, I may have missed if someone said it, but it's also important to make sure your dishes fit. My flatware doesn't fit in the holders on the Miele third rack while others have found that their dinner plates and pots don't fit in the bottom, and the upper rack of the KA doesn't suit me at all. Those are the best liked machines in their zones (Euro and American), so if those are your favorites, check your dishes. :)

Julie, it is funny how you mentioned OSX and Miele interface being similar. For M-touch oven, I feel that it is very intuitive and easy to use. One really good feature of it is called "My Miele" where favourite oven functions and user program can be assigned to "My Miele" page. It can be set as a start up page when the oven is turned on.

For my most regularly used functions, reheating, it takes just a few touch: touch reheat button, set the time, the press "Ok" for the most basic. Default settings for Reheating temperature and humidity level can be adjusted. Here, I just used scrolling to adjust time.

For simple convection mode, Fan Plus (or Convection in US), once Fan Plus is chosen, set temperature, and press "Ok".

For steaming, it is as easy, choose "Steam cooking", set timing, and press "Ok"

For combi cooking, however, it takes quite a few more steps to get going. Once "Combi mode" is selected, there will be an option for three heating types: Convection (Fan Plus), Bake (Convectional Heat), and Broil (Grill).

For Convection and Bake, user will have to choose either "Cooking by time" or "Cooking using thermometer probe".

For "Cooking by time" option, here is the same page for basic setting. And for "Cooking with thermometer", it will ask for "Core temperature".

Then, it will ask if user needs more cooking stage or not (repeat a few steps above again). Once finished, it will show cooking stages user had entered. And will ask again, if user wants to start the program now or later.

It does sound like a pain using "Combi mode". However, user can save their settings as "User program" and only need to choose when the program start.

OMG!!!! Gaggenau, both big oven and combi-steam, you just turn a couple of knobs and you're cooking. Touch a key and the + - keys for timer.

Lefty Lou - just about your hood question - there are a number of hoods that are less expensive than VAH. Also, while the consensus is mostly that VAH makes a good hood, there have been complaints about the difficulty of cleaning it, due to its squirrel cage set up, as opposed to a hood with baffles that are easier to take out and put in the DW.

For bargains, Costco has some really great buys on baffle-filter hoods, though they come and go, so you have to check into the Costco website often to catch them.

But if you are looking to save money on the hood, you should choose the 36" rangetop instead of the 48" rangetop. A hood for a 48" rangetop needs to be 48-54" wide, and will be more expensive than the 36-42" hood for a 36" rangetop.

Also make sure your exhaust duct diameter from the hood is 8" or 10".

plllog, thank you, my thoughts exactly!

Thank you all — more food for thought.

• sherri1058, Building for the CATS, cpartist — Honestly, I’ve not bothered to look at induction, it has never interested me. I may give it a test-cook and see how I like it. I love all of your enthusiasm for your cooktops.
• Building for the CATS — Your screen name makes me giggle. :-) It’s heartening to see you didn’t give up on the idea of a warming drawer, but concluded that the location was the problem - not the drawer itself. On the Miele, I know it’s just a refrigerator, but . . . SO elegant.
• cpartist — I think I’ve been in the fun years all my life — every decade gets better. :-) I will definitely post my kitchen plan for input.
• linus2003 — Thank you. I will compare those models. My mother just ordered one of the proline models (I don’t yet know which) to replace her 20 year old Miele. I think the price of one of those is about equal to the price of two of the 6165s, so it it may come down to space for me.
• plllog — I laughed out loud, literally, at your cartoon character comment. I am going to walk into the showroom and pretend I’m baking some of my everyday items and see which I prefer. I’ll take my dishes as well. :-) Great advice. Thank you!
• Chanop — Thank you so much of taking the time to post all those pictures and the detailed steps. I can certainly see why some people may see that as complicated for combi cooking. Oddly, however, it actually looks like fun to me. I know, I’m an odd duck. I can see myself setting up user programs for baguettes, boules, roasted [insert veggie here], etc. I gather custom programs are also available on the Gaggenau, however. This weekend I am going to an appliance store that has both the Gaggenau and the Miele. I will put both through their paces and decide from there.
• friedajune — All good points. Clearly, I need to do more research on hoods. Costco — good idea! GardenWeb forums, here I come!

To misquote Blanche DuBois, I am deeply thankful for the kindness of strangers.

Julie aka Lefty Lou

Julie, given that Chanop's controls look fun to you (I will say that I considered coding in Assembler fun well before OSx was born), I'm pretty sure the programming feature is better on the Miele. On the Gaggenau it feels more like a me-too add on and has some limitations. The difference is the Gaggenau is so easy to set you don't need a program.

Julie, cheers for feeling deterred from Miele combi mode tedious programming. It is designed such that you can save at the end as a user program. Directly programming option through User Program page offers more options. A program can be a mix of many heating types: steaming to start, broil to finish for example.

When I use combi mode manually nowadays, I just set temperature, and humidity level to desired values, and set time to a large value, more than a dish required, then observe and change temperature and humidity as needed, as well as taking a dish out when it is done.

There are a couple of things that I have programmed as it is very routine such as bread, and also because it comprises several steps.

For Miele M-touch oven, basic mode interface is the same as combi. Their Moisture Plus function involves extra steps to tell oven when to release moisture. A bit easier to comprehend compared with combi mode programming.

plllog, you know what, when I see modern V-Zug combi interface with large knob (compared with Wolf older version) and TFT display, I wish Miele could be as simple. V-Zug interface is very clean and simple. Gag's interface is nice too from videos that I have seen.

Another vote for induction. There are many old threads here on the virtues of gas v. Induction. I have gas in our beach house and induction in our 2011 remodel. No way would I ever go back to gas. Never want to lift a greasy grate to clean. I just spray some non ammonia winded and swish. 30 seconds and it's all clean. That's just one virtue.

also I find that fast preheat on Bosch double ovens is invaluable. I don't know which currently available ovens have fast preheat but it's a desirable feature.