Bertazzoni uses a thermocoupler to ignite the gas. This means that to ignite the burner, you press down the knob as you turn it, then hold it for a couple of seconds (literally, that's all) after ignition. After a couple of days, you don't even think about it.
I don't know how the Viking works, but I'm perfectly happy with my Bertazzoni cooktop. I've also used the same system in the UK before. It's just something you get used to. I'm not quite sure why some people have such an issue with it. (On the other hand, I really dislike touch-control systems, so we're all different)

I am also thinking about this cooktop.....

sara the brit, which hood do you have - and what size. Thanks!

I have a 40" hood from an Italian company my sister (in London) recommended - actually manufactured in Italy (although when I posted about it once before, I got shot down in flames by another poster who claimed this was impossible. However, I've seen the packaging and manual, and my sister has too - they're more well-known in the UK, and country of origin labelling is very strict in the EU).
They sell in the US through Rangehoodstore.com, who are based in Brooklyn NY. Service was excellent, and my GC - who has done many really high-end installations - thought it was good quality.

It has 3 speeds, filters that go in the dishwasher, and is quiet. 40" seems to work well with the 36" cooktop.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rangehoodstore.com - Luxair hoods

do you think a 36" hood is too small for the Berta 36" rangetops? Their combined BTU's are just over 40k, so 400 CFM should be enough. Does the width actually help?

Also, I have a thermador at the moment, and it's electronic ignition drives me nuts - click click click - granted, it's old, but if the thermal ignition eliminates that problem, then even better.

I think the Bertazzoni is sounding better all the time

I think that a 36in would work well, as long as for high-heat frying you use the center burners and have the fan on at least mid-speed.

To go a little OT here: we have a 36in DCS gas range and have a 36in Sirius SU23 hood over it, and the only time we have an issue is when we do high-heat searing on an outside burner and do not have the fan on at least mid-high. There can be some smoke leakage up and around the outside of the hood. That being said, we deal with it and LOVE the "minimalist Italian design" look that would be marred by having a wider hood over top, we felt.

Here's a pic...

Sirius makes some aweosme hoods, all from Italy and take a few weeks for delivery. The quality is excellent, the fan speeds very efficient and quiet, and the filters eassily removeable and dishwaher safe.

Their distributor site is here:
http://www.siriuscappe.com/ing/products_sirius_hoods.htm

Many online places carry them -- see below. And, by the way, if Bertazzoni was available in mid-2005, when we were making our house-build-buy decisions, we would have bought one in a New York minute - they are gorgeous!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sirius range hoods

I got the 40" because I had the room for it - if not, I'd have been content with the 36". I will say though that the 40" makes it easy to pick up the steam from boiling pasta etc even on the lowest setting (which is obviously the quietest). I wonder whether the 36" would mean you'd have to use a higher, louder setting? I don't actually know the answer to that.

The thermocouple system does click too, but maybe slower?

One of the key reasons I went with Bertazzoni was the configuration:
1. I wanted knobs, not touch controls
2. I didn't want the knobs at the front - tried some other styles out and felt I would be hitting my fingers on hot pans, as I used the controls, or catching a pan of boiling water on the knobs, as I lifted it.
3. I liked the arrangement of the two higher powered burners at opposite ends.

I'd originally planned on getting a 5 burner Dacor, but loved the Bertazzoni when I found it - plus it was significantly cheaper.

I'm really enjoying my Berta. I also didn't need a gzillion BTUs, and I wanted something that didn't look so "industrial" or "professional." Of all the items in my kitchen, it's the range that gets the most comments. People really love its looks. I wouldn't worry about problems with lighting the burners. If you absolutely cannot stand the thought of changing how you turn on a burner, then don't buy it. But if you are willing to do something that takes an extra second or two, and in a week you don't even think about doing it differently, then go for it. It also seems to me that over the last few months, the burners and oven light more quickly than when the range was first installed.

Best of luck.

Does anyone have any experience with the Electrolux or Fratelli Onofri 36" dual fuel range? It seems the Electrolux is much larger inside but I like the look of the Fratelli better. I also am not sure it can self clean. If not my second choice is the Bertazzoni. Anyone have any advice? Too many choices!

I'm not sure about the Electrolux, but we were seriously considering the Fratelli. I recently found a couple of reviews about problems with customer service/repairs which has stopped me from making a purchase. I also like the berta but have also read many reviews on poor customer service.

We need a 36" range that is affordable, but I am completely torn on what brand to purchase. It seems every brand has good & bad reviews. It's so hard to make a decision.

Bertas may be Italian, but they are more Fiat than Ferrari. ;)

We have a 36 inch 5 burner Bertazzoni in our new kitchen. We have had it since January. It is really beautiful! We get compliments about it all the time from our guests.

However .....
1. The oven is still tricky to light. Even though I have done it many times, I still have only about 75% success on the first try. Either I get impatient and don't hold the thermocouple bypass in long enough (while the igniters tick repeatedly), or I close the door too rapidly which blows out the flame. It is not easy to see the flame, so one has to check in a minute with a thermometer if the oven is heating up, or peer into the small hole where the flame is visible if the sun isn't shining into the oven.

2. It is tricky to clean the top without bumping the burner caps. When they get bumped they come off of center or just get knocked off completely. They are held on by gravity alone. When they aren't centered correctly, the flame is lopsided or only comes out of half the burner. It is quite easy to bump them with a rag or paper towel when cleaning around them.

3. The oven really does get the kitchen quite hot. I don't know if it's because it's bigger or that there's less insulation in it, but the amount of heat coming out of it at 350 F is about double our old 24 inch oven. We live in Oregon, so more heat in the kitchen isn't a problem most of the year.

We did have one service call -- the spark tip for the broiler developed a hairline crack in the ceramic insulator after we heated it up to bake off any factory residue. As a result, the broiler wouldn't light without a match. The repair was successful and I don't see this as an inherent design flaw with it.

If I were to redesign this range, I'd put a "twist lock" on the burner caps, add insulation to the oven, and make it so you didn't have to hold the oven igniter in for a whole thirty seconds. The igniters go tick tick tick tick tick repeatedly while you are holding it in.

Overall, it seems like a quality piece of gear. I don't have any experience with other high end ranges, and we are happy with our purchase.