We went through this same thought process and concluded that a cooktop and wall ovens works better for us. In addition to the reasons mentioned, I didn't like the idea of standing in front of the oven to cook (especially when it's hot) if both are in use at once. Also, it is not uncommon for one of us to be cooking something on the stove while the other is getting something out of the oven, which would be more difficult with a range. Wall ovens and a cooktop seem to be better for multiple cooks. Finally, we wanted a 36" induction cooktop, and the only range options that were available were significantly more expensive than a good induction cooktop and wall oven.

Kristin S....We also want a 36 inch cook top. What size wall oven did you do?

Another configuration is a range, like a Bosch Benchmark induction and a separate Combi/steam oven. It can be under counter if necessary. Sharp has one and Miele has a plumbed unit at the higher end.

I also have both a full range and wall oven. I like the wall oven for nearly daily use, the range oven is much bigger and gas and is better for holidays breads and pizzas

Marissa - we're going with the 36" Miele induction cooktop, a 30" Miele convection oven, and a 24" Miele Combi-Steam oven that will be trimmed out to 30" to match the convection oven.

Wolf makes a 36" induction range, bu it's significantly more expensive (nearly $10,000 list) for just the single oven.

greenfish1234, mine are also gas range/oven & electric/convection/micro. I love the versatility!! And not having to stand in front of the hot oven unless in need the extra space. When you need it is invaluable!

I was also going to do the cooktop - wall oven thing, and then my hubby randomly bought a scratch & dent gas range oven. When I realized I could get double ovens, and put the microwave in the wall too, I was sold. :)

I'm sorry Marissa, I didn't mean to side track the conversation! I will say though, that I thought I wanted a walk-in pantry, until I started really drawing it. Then we went to a long reach in with double doors. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. Best thing I ever did.

I just played a little here, it's rough, and I'm sure you have professionals involved, but I'm bored. LOL

I’m not a great cook...I have a 36” gas range simply bc I love the way it looks! Pathetic, right? :) I think big, beefy ranges are a very nice focal point in a kitchen. Cooktops don’t have the same presence. Real cooks probably don’t care about that, and the standing in front of the warm oven makes sense, although in winter that is a bonus for me.

" The whole wall over/separate cooktop vs. range debate comes down to two things

-personal preference

-and space/layout"

And cost! A wall oven makes sense for those with mobility/flexibility concerns, but that set up is significantly more expensive. It just was never worth considering for me.

nini804 - Yeah I'm totally in love with the 36 inch ranges....and if we do go that route, we would probably opt for one.

Lori Wagerman_Walker - thank you for the new design option, especially the pantry layout. I think I am ok having my sink in the island....tend to be a bit fanatical about getting my dishes done...and if not, I can shove them in the dishwasher...LOL

You are welcome, and better woman than I!! Dishes are my least fav thing in the world, well somewhere along with landscaping. I've seen many an island sink that work, I'm just not that person!!

Good luck with all these decisions! :)

Yeah forgot to mention my standard line: I prefer to face my guests doing glamorous work like sautéeing, I like to look out the window while doing the messy work (dishes!). I love my island range!! No matter what dirty dishes will accumulate on your island and I am guessing you don't have kids yet??

I don't cook so I can't comment on that portion but when I bake I usually bake a lot and it is super helpful to have both wall ovens going at once. I will say that my husband (the cook) loved them in our last house; particularly around the holidays.

No kids yet. Have given some thought to the cooktop on the island and I don’t think fiancé was a big fan of that idea. Not much of a baker either but didn’t know if the wall ovens would work better for entertaining.

Island cooktops are dangerous with kiddos, and notoriously hard to vent correctly. They look cool, but no very practical. YMMV. ;)

Have to respectfully disagree Lori-have had an island stove my entire 16 year parenting career and can't even begin to imagine what that means. Maybe some people have tiny islands so toddlers can reach over from their island seat and knock over a pot of boiling pasta-idk. We first had one in a work island (no extra depth for seating) and now on a very deep island w seating, no issues. We have a very good hood so that isn't a problem either, our old downdraft was ok but had its limitations-we are a hard cooking family :)

When cooking, particularly when entertaining or for family events/holidays, I don't think I could stand at an oven. They are so hot that I would have a melt down. Separate wall oven definitely.

I have also had my cooktop in an island for 30 years now and I love it. Island is large enough that no one could stand or be seated on the opposite side and reach the cooktop - much less come in contact with it accidentally. Much prefer not to face the wall when cooking.

Wall ovens are easier ergonomically due to height. The combo looks prettier though on a nice unit IMO.

I don't think you have a ton of counterspace so I'd skip the wall ovens in that kitchen. And keep the sink on the island

I switched out wall ovens for a range/oven combo. I did this in my last house and now in my current reno. It is 100% because of the way I cook and want to use my space. It was a tough choice because I do love the look of 2 wall ovens with a separate cook top/range under a hood but I am a simple cook with simple needs. A single range/oven works great for me.

I always recommend / design for clients a double oven convection wall ovens (and if there is room either a warmer or for your newer kitchens a "steam convection oven") and then a separate range with large drawers underneath for the fry pays, roasters, etc. Everyone seems to be very happy with this design.

I have agreed with the advice of the majority on GW about two-level islands (a big no-no with most) and also the idea that a cooktop in an island was also a big no-no.

I have now changed my mind after watching a few recent episodes of Grand Designs on Netflix. I saw several two-level islands with cooktops in them and I think they make a great deal of since. It's far safer if children are sitting at the island, and it hides the cooking "stuff" and clutter from the rest of the open room.

I don't have an open concept kitchen and doubt I ever will, but if I were advising a client and it worked best for her to have the cooktop in the island, I would definitely suggest a 2-level one, both for safety and appearance.

We are putting in a 36" range and a wall oven. We also have a sink in our island across from the range. It will be amazing and force us to keep the dishes done LOL. We have tons of space between the range and the island.

I would avoid glass cooktops, because they are known to break, scratch, and stain.

I have had both. I think wall ovens work better if you need two ovens, a range if you only need one. I have not noticed an excess of heat while using the oven and cooking on the range top at the same time. The heat comes out the vent in the top, where you already have heat.

Whatever you do keep the walk in pantry! It is so much better in my experience. I would especially avoid a pantry that opens up to a walkway.

"I would avoid glass cooktops, because they are known to break, scratch, and stain."

That's true with radiant electric, but with induction, the cooktop barely heats up, so food stains don't bake on, and it doesn't have the radical heat/cool changes that a radiant electric stove (which heats the surface). Of course, they will break if you drop something heavy on them ;)

Even radiant glass cooktops don't break. They are incredibly difficult to keep clean. But induction is a simple wipe with a cloth and spray cleaner.

I have double wall ovens with a gas cooktop, and I wouldn't have anything else. I can't stand cooking on oven/range with the oven on, and it's difficult to get large things out of that low oven for me. I think it just boils down to personal preference, but I can't think of any advantages of a oven/range combo other than the space saving aspect.

It is interesting how people have absolutes and such strong opinions about all this.

We cook a lot. First kitchen reno - double wall ovens. Built 2 houses - both with ranges. It is generally my wife's choice but I will sum up her reasons.

- When things come out of the oven, it is really convenient to put in on the cooktop - in other words, a range makes sense as an indestructible landing area from the oven.

- Wall ovens are more visible close up, oven doors are not perfectly clean (and shouldn't be).

- High end ranges are sexy

Now I have glass top ranges in vacation and current rental. They don't break very often (because I have never broken one) and they are not that hard to keep clean. IMO - they are easier than most. But - every one has different standards about keeping things clean.

A gas cooktop on an island I think is the real concern with kids.

Well duh... the two level top would make the cooktop/sink issue better.

People are so smart around here! :) Such a great place to "talk" these things out!!

I would avoid glass cooktops, because they are known to break, scratch, and stain.

Yes if you:

Drop a heavy object on the cooktop.

Leave a hot lid on the cooktop because air can be trapped between the lid and the cooktop. When the lid is removed the glass could break but even still the chances of this happening are miniscule.

On a radiant cooktop, not induction, if you leave spills on for too long they can cause pitting. Won't happen on induction because induction doesn't heat up!

Frankly, I'd take induction over gas any day!

To answer the OP. Right now I have both as I rent a place in NY and built a new home in FL. My home in FL has the separate oven and cooktop.

I would take a separate cooktop and wall oven over a combo oven/range any day!

Besides the heat that is generated by an oven, the other main reason is that if I'm cooking on the cooktop and DH has something in the oven, it means when he needs to check on it, I have to move to the side so he can open the oven door. Trying to reach around him to continue to stir something while he's checking what's in the oven is not fun.

Now about cooktops in the island. The majority of our time in the kitchen isn't spent cleaning dishes or actually standing at the cooktop cooking food. The majority of the time is spent prepping food which needs a water source.

One other thought for your kitchen is to have a prep sink on the island and move the dishwasher and cleanup sink to the area by the pantry. Cleaning dishes nowadays with dishwashers takes maybe 10% of the time we spend in the kitchen.

This would also allow for lots more storage drawers in the island and give you lots more prep space.

I personally was skeptical about having a prep sink and a cleanup sink but put one in my new house and I love it. Now I can be prepping while DH is cleaning up my dishes. Or I can be prepping at one sink and DH can be helping by working at the other sink.

cpartist - I have always loved cooking with gas...we have an electric stove now and I can't stand it. The new house will actually have propane. Can you tell me why you prefer induction over gas? I'd love to know more!

I have a gas jenn air downdraft in the island, with an upper level bar about 4 inches above. the entire island is 4'X10' with 2X10 butcher block on the cook side and 2X10 granite on the elevated side. I can talk with guests while cooking, you wold have to reach pretty damn far to reach the hot side. Have electric combo wall oven/micro in another area.

Induction is NOT electric. It is totally different and more precise than gas. Much more precise. Like you, I can't stand electric. Hate it with a passion! LOL.

The surface does not get hot. Only the pot.

Induction is more responsive. Meaning you can boil water in 90 seconds and then turn down the hob to simmer and it's immediate. No waiting for anything to cool down. It automatically cools down. So you can go immediately from boil to keep warm.

If you spill something on the cooktop, all you need to do is wipe it up with a wipe of a wet paper towel, or if it's grease, some soap and water. Cleanup is a breeze.

It's safer if you ever have kids since the surface doesn't heat up.

I love that my son visited and made bacon. I had him put paper towels down on the cooktop including under the pot so when he was done, all I had to do was pick up the paper towels.

It's cooler in that it doesn't heat up the kitchen.

It's more environmentally friendly.

Cpartist, surely they use electricity!

Yes they use electricity but they heat with magnets. Big difference. Do some research.

No thank you I am not in the market, I was just surprised by your misstatement.

As for the hot pants supposedly suffered by range users? That is a new one for me. I will admit that I don't like to use either oven in the summer if he AC isn't on, but long holidays standing at the range have never made my knees sweat! I often bake bread at 500 and this is just not a problem.

I prefer the look of a single wall oven with warmer and/or microwave underneath, either in the wall or in some configuration within lower cabinets. I do not care for a microwave over the range/cooktop.

Marissa, CP has just touched on some of the reasons to love induction. There are a lot of discussions about induction over on the appliance forum, some of them spanning years! You really should do a search (Here is one to get you started) Most people that have induction really love it. Easy cleanup is one reason, responsiveness is another. Most people will talk about how fast you can boil water, but I appreciate the low end.... melting chocolate without a double boiler for example. My cooktop has timers which will shut the burner down.... really nice when using my pressure cooker, or making rice, though not really an advantage if you have an instant pot!

check the specifications for gas range or cooktop and propane.... propane isnt the same as natural gas piped to your house *so i've been told and read*.

Greenfish - what kind of hood do you have over your island, and how high is your ceiling? I also want my cooktop in the island and have just started researching hoods.

I have a 36” Wolf gas range and an Electrolux microwave & electric wall oven. We use the wall oven 99% of the time but have both going and 6 burners on holidays . Love it all

I also have a range in my island, and my ceiling is 9' in the kitchen. I have a Kobe Island hood that has a fairly minimal look, and I love cooking on my island.

Hi Michael-we did the thermadore 1-2-free program and have mostly thermadore appliances. I think we got the hood and DW free? Can't exactly remember but the hood is great. Ceilings are kind of low since we did a 2nd story on a ranch, 94".

Thank you both - I appreciate it!

I would switch the oven with ref. Milk/drinks next to table.

Oh and I like my toaster and micro near ref.

Worth checking the insulation on wall ovens. A big difference between ovens. Higher end wall ovens are very, very insulated and ‘hot knees’ not an issue when mounted below the cooktop even here in the subtropics. I’m now 14 years into the same induction cooktop (Neff). Superb to cook on and still looking fabulous (it , not me!). Ditto the oven below the countertop. No crumb catching space between a range and countertop. And if one bit conks out, you aren’t replacing a two in one appliance.

The problem with an oven below the cooktop is the oven is actually lower than an oven in a range. Fine if you have no issues at all bending down to reach into the oven but more difficult if you have any issues like back for example.

I have 18" of useful 'real estate' between my cooktop and wall ovens -- one of which is a microwave. Under the 18" is a drawer and cabinet. Under the cooktop are three deep drawers for pots and pans. Over the ovens are baking sheets. Under the ovens is a tall drawer.