I've always had separate, but now I have a 48" range and double ovens. Works so much better for me. I'm short so pulling sizzling heavy lasagna pans at face level wasn't ideal.

My first two homes had ranges, and then I moved into a home with a wall oven....I swore I'd never go back to a range. It's just so much easier to look and check progress, not to mention pulling out items, without practically getting on your knees. We lived there over 20 years so that was long enough to know we wanted a wall oven/separate cooktop in the home we built to be our last. The plan we adapted to our preferences actually called for a range, and we changed it. We have a large island across from our cooktop and I think opening an oven door in that space would've been too intrusive, even though there's plenty of space to move around. The wall oven with microwave above it are to the left on the same wall as the cook top but beyond the end of the island. It could be because they got used to it but my kids have wall ovens and separate cooktops in their own homes now as well.

I have not had a wall oven since the house I grew up in. I have always had a range, but I saw wall ovens in Parade Homes which were lower than face level, but higher than a range and I liked that. I am short too so understand Suzyq's concern, but my broiler is at the bottom of my range which means getting down to the floor to broil. I did like the microwave over the wall oven in the Parade Homes because it was lower than when over the range or on a cabinet shelf. If you go with a wall oven situation, just be sure the height the ovens are installed works for you.

thanks all for your feedback! based on that and taking to folks around the office I think we will go with the cooktop plus wall oven/convection microwave combination, as we have the room.

I currently have a range, it's a big one, but I've also had a cooktop and double wall ovens before. If I had the space I would go with the wall ovens again! We didn't do it in this kitchen simply because it would've looked too crowded to add such a large vertical piece of cabinetry, I have a big kitchen, but very little wall space because it's just a large L that's very open to an irregular space full of windows. ;)

I've had both a range and a double oven in 27" and wider 33". Won't go back to a range since it lacks functionality. Double oven in 27" is a royal pain to use for cookie sheets, etc. Just too darn narrow. Wider double oven is perfect. Also with a range, the oven part can become uncomfortably hot when both are in use.

Due to the expense you might consider a drop in range with a built in oven and microwave stacked to the cooks comfort height? Make one unit electric and one gas. Do make sure your built in oven is the wider size unit. Consider a warming drawer also. They are awesome! Kitchen heaven : D The drop in range is the feature of a cooktop with the bonus of an oven less costly than a solo built in oven.if you can spare the lower storage below as cooktop.