Before choosing a gas stove, consider doing some research. I just read somewhere that using gas appliances and heating systems substantially increases the likelihood children will have asthma.

http://www.asthmaed.com/journal/2014/11/21/do-gas-appliances-impact-asthma

You mentioned rice: There are rice maker countertop appliances -- my sister in law really liked hers. There are also crock pots for long simmering dishes.

I've had both gas stoves (2) and electric stoves (2) .

The primary benefit of a gas stove ( from my own use ) is instant heat control: both turning it off and on, as well as more control over the heat, higher and lower. There is, however, a smell with gas stoves -- even new gas stove -- because of the time between turning the knob and the pilot light actually lighting the gas, I don't like it.

A relative with pine paneling throughout the house blamed the gas stove for the "film" and discoloration/darkening of the pine paneling in the country kitchen -- kitchen and dining -- that accumulated over an extended time -- insisted she didn't have that film with the electric stove she'd used before.

My two year old Thermador Pro Harmony range is all gas ( burners and oven). Two of the burners have the XLO ( extra low) feature. It is lower than the regular simmer. The other four burners have a regular simmer, but I find it too high for the true simmer we want for sauces, stews, and soups. The XLO feature literally turns the simmer off and on and some people here have mentioned that the clicking off and on bothers them. I have the attitude that it doesn’t burn oatmeal, cream soups, or anything else so I don’t mind the little bit of noise-it means it’s doing its job! Before we bought ours we visited a showroom in CA that sole many brands, enabling us to compare working Wolf to Thermador ranges. Thermador brags about the paper plate and chocolate chip demo! In addition, I love the gas oven. It preheats very quickly (12 minutes to 400 degrees) as opposed to my 2014 Kitchen Aid electric oven which took so long, I was out of the mood to bake!

I have a 36” 6 burner (one a wok burner ) Bertazzon all gas range. I also have double all electric KA wall ovens . I like gas for some things like pizza , bread and some pastries. Mine has a simmer burner that works well but I run a catering biz from my home and so for very delicate sauces I use a portable induction burner that i love for sauces and melting chocolate. As for the asthma thing I doubt that very much if you have proper venting there is no problem Wolf has been IMO always over priced .BTW I do stews and soups in the oven no need to check or stir.

Thank you so much for taking time to respond. Real info! The wolf dual stacked burner sounds wonderful in the store and so does the Miele but the price tag is daunting. I like the Thermador range but I'm afraid the clicking would be annoying to both me and my DH. Our home is typical florida open plan.

Any thoughts on best hood insert? Quiet and effective would be a wonderful improvement over the useless microwave fan. I will be adding an exterior duct so I'm hoping to install the motor in-line for noise reduction.

Suggest looking for a gas range that has a very small burner for gravies and sauces and the next size up (see below) is good for simmering stews, etc. We also use a double boiler for even more control.

You could always get a portable induction burner for a low simmer (similar to what patricia suggested). I have a 30" whirlpool gas range - nothing fancy - and my simmer burner is too low for rice. The only thing I do on that burner is melt butter. So I think if your criteria is just making rice, virtually any range should work for you. I bought a portable induction burner just to expand my range capability and have used it to melt chocolate, make rice, and boil pasta.

I like vent -a-hood for good venting they are not the cheapest but I have used them for myself and for many clients with great success.

I have Wolf dual stacked burners and it is great for simmering on the small pot burner and the regular burners.

I haven’t used a double boiler since I’ve had it. To compare simmers look at the BTUs on the low end. The high end is easy to find but you usually have to hunt to find the low end. I think Monogram has the dual stacked burners but not sure of the BTU rating. Thermador is low but works by cycling the burner on and off. Wolf‘s burner works continuously.

I don't understand why the manufacturers like to boast about the high BTU's but hide the low end. I really don't want to spend all this on a new appliance and then have to use a countertop appliance instead.

@wekick, do you have any suggestions on keeping the wolf clean- exterior and interior?

In addition to different size burners, our Dacor gas cooktop has several burners that have a big outer and small inner flame. The outer flame can be turned off (or down very low) while the inner flame stays on, for very slow simmer or keeping things warm. It is one of the things I love about it. I totally agree with commenter who recommended rice cooker. Once you try one, you will have perfect rice every time that stays hot till you are ready to serve it. You will never even think about going back to using a pan on the stove.

My Hallman (dual fuel) range has 2 double ring burners, fantastic! Full power boils water so fast, just keep turning the same knob and use the inner ring only for simmering rice. My previous range (dual fuel also) didn't have this burner, I don't want to live without one now :)

I took a pic to show you the difference in the flame size.

I would never buy something this expensive without seeing one in working order at a good appliance dealer showroom. There you can see and try out the various features for yourself. Of course, I don’t buy shoes without trying them on, buy a car without test driving it, or buy a house I haven’t walked through myself. (My son said he thinks the most creative people in the world are the photographers who work for the online real estate posts!). I never understand buying chairs and sofas online, comfort and the fabric feel being too important to our life. Obviously with the current covid problem you might need to make an appointment instead of dropping by the dealer, but you will not have nearly so many unwelcome surprises after purchase.

I’ve had VentaHood and it never had good enough venting for me. In our new build I went with a Best hood with a custom cover. It is just great! Does the job well and is quieter than the VentaHood which sounded like a jet engine.

Vent-a-Hood owner here...it's great, nothing gets past it. I can watch the steam, smoke, etc., rising and being captured by the hood with no escaping out into the rest of the room. It's nice not smelling stale food odors the next morning. You also cannot smell the odors during meal time. (Now if only I had the same for my double ovens!)

I think the key to effectiveness of any hood is to be sure to size it appropriately. It should be:

• At least 6" wider than the cooking appliance (36" range means a hood at least 42" wide)
• 24" deep (27" deep if on an island or peninsula)
• CFMs should be at least 600, with more better
• Duct diameter at least 10" (quieter than 8")
• If you have a remote blower, it'll be quieter
• The stronger the fan, the lower the setting you'll need to use on a daily basis and the quieter it will be when in use

BTW...I also recommend looking into induction. My mom used gas all her life but when she had replace her range three years ago, I talked her into induction. She was skeptical, but she loves it! She'll never go back to gas.