Hey LiveWire - thanks for the note-

• I wasn't suggesting we would put in a restaurant range, just funny how the stoves needed for "real work" are so much less expensive. We were just there for pans :)
• Venting: We don't have venting, but I've found a way to run it out of the house... so we will. Not planning on going over 400 cfm. Unfortunately our kitchen was designed... stupidly. (We're not the first owners). We have enough room to go from a 30" range to a 36". No room for wall ovens, I think. Not sure of the impact that would have on our budget, either. We had wall ovens growing up and I loved them, though. Since you mention them, though... hm...
• Kitchenaid: maybe a good brand, but ours certainly doesn't have enough room for basic cooking. I'm not exaggerating. Functionally it's held up well.
• I didn't say I wouldn't buy another Kitchenaid and in fact generally like ours - - but the design requirements noted above (cooktop space, equally-sized burners) must be met.
• Cosmetics: Yeah, we'll see the use reflected in the contact materials. Between all of us (currently in the house, of course) we use the stove 4-6 times a day, and it's been a workhorse. Just noting that putting stainless directly in harm's way on such a visible surface is not a great industrial engineering choice.

So: Any suggestions for which ranges to look at?

Is a 36" range an option, or do you plan on sliding your new range into the same space?
We are gutting our kitchen an ended up ordering a Bertazzoni. It will be months before it arrives, but did a lot of research. Kitchenaide also made the short list, but not the final cut.

Hi @Sharon Moore - We are putting in new cabinetry, so will be able to put a 36" range in. I'll look at Bertazzoni, we haven't heard of them & are just starting our homework... :)

Hi @User -

First - we cook nearly every day. Our stove is in heavy use by multiple people. Will be fewer people after the summer when our kids are at college, but when they're home between, we are all cooking a LOT.

"Why do you need more than 2 large pots on the cooktop at once?"

We don't - however, nearly every day, we have use for (at least) two large frying pans at the same time. Can't fit 'em without them banging into each other & the medium pans that are regularly next to them, and off-center-flame.

Ever make four large two-egg omelettes at the same time? We haven't. Can't even do two over equal heat, unless it's over the smallest burners. And I'm not interested in 15-minute omelettes that won't cook evenly.

"But a 36” oven cavity is HUGE. Way too much space for normal everyday usage."

Great point. We use the oven a lot, but typically don't run out of room. Sometimes, but it's usually with multiple sheets of stuff we're baking. Can't justify an oversized oven, though.

Regarding budget - this isn't a showpiece, as noted. It's a practical consideration because, simply put, we can't currently cook with large pans and have everything stay centered over the heat. The reason we're interested in having multiple burners being the same is because we want to be able to use two pans on medium at the same time without using the boiler, and we can't use a griddle (which we would often use) and have it heat evenly.

I have a few things to add.

My last kitchen had a 30" range. I hated how small it was. I had the same issues as you.

My current kitchen has a 30" range with a different burner set up. It's amazing how much bigger it feels.

Go to an appliance store and look at the different ranges that are available, and where their high output burners are. My current 30" range is in our apartment and has 5 burners. The center burner makes the range feel so much bigger. I have 2 high output burners in the front, and they're far enough away from each other that I can have a pot of boiling water on one and a saute pan on the other and it's plenty of space.

HOWEVER. In my new build I'm getting a 36" range top and double wall ovens. If you really want a 36" width, see if your kitchen will fit with wall ovens instead. That way you can get 1 or 2 regular sized ovens (heat up faster, use less energy). If you do have space for wall ovens, you could also look at induction cooktops. The thermador freedom lets you put pans anywhere and control the heat wherever they are. Definitely not cheap, but super cool.

If I were redoing my kitchen in my last house, I probably would have looked at a GE Cafe induction double oven range, FWIW.

Thanks @mdln - I love the idea of induction. However, I've read it's essentially impossible to use them "normally" without scratching up the surface. I've read that some people put something down on the cooktop first, but I dunno.

I don't mind a few scratches but it seems like maybe they should use some kind of matte finish to reduce what may end up looking like an eyesore.

The main thing I like is the exact temperature control. I've tried a portable one and it was great.

Do you use one?

I have a 30" GE Cafe range with a wide-spaced burner arrangement that allows me to use several large pans simultaneously and I love it. A 36" would be nice, but when I bought the Cafe it was replacing a crappy old Kitchenaid 30" so I couldn't change the size, and now that I have the Cafe I don't feel the need for a 36". Check out the Cafe (and any other brands with wide-spaced burners) - you really will be amazed at how much more room you have.

Induction was a game changer for me. The speed, the precision, and the 2 minute clean-up are priceless. I will never have clunky, hard-to-clean gas again. We have twice installed Bosch 30” cooktops and they have been more than sufficient for us, but most folks do a 36” and sounds like you’d need one. We have never scratched a cooktop, nor known anyone who did, so I’m not sure where that rumor came from. However, on those rare occasions when we are using our (massive) antique cast iron skillet — especially if we will be shaking it — we first lay down a thin silicone mat. Our modern Staub cast iron doesn’t require it, and normal cookware certainly doesn’t.

@biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley) - thanks - good to know. We recently got a Cafe fridge and like it. We'll take a look... maybe bring some pans with us!

@MizLizzie - thanks to you too - after reading your comment and the others regarding induction, I jumped online & looked again. I really like it, but my main fear is that someone will, certainly, saute something (or move a heavy pan) without lifting it, or with some contact on the way down. Everything I've read notes this as an issue, but I honestly don't feel like putting a protective layer of anything on top as is also frequently recommended.

As far as it being a rumor, the articles are everywhere, including here, so I doubt it's a rumor.

I am not a careful cook. i have had induction for 8 years and it’s a game changer! No scratches and I’‘ve never dropped anything on it nor do I keep it covered with mats. lf you decide to go with induction you’ll be ever so grateful that you did!

Induction is great for a lot of people but not all. We do a lot of things that cannot be done easily or at all on induction so have a gas range. It really depends on the people using it and what their needs are - neither is right for everyone.

Some countertop induction hobs are much more accurate than anything available in a range/rangetop. Something to keep in mind.

More: https://bamasotan.us/the-kitchen/

@opaone - thanks - besides toasting marshmallows or making certain breads, what else can't be done on gas? Just curious!

Induction is great. But your options for a 36” induction range are quite limited and significantly more expensive than 30”. We just looked for one and ended up going with separate cooktop and wall ovens since i was hell bent on a 36” top and we don’t have gas in this neighborhood. in my city kitchen, we have a 36” Blue Star range which i love to pieces, but the oven takes forever to heat up so a second oven is preferable with that setup.