suzanne, the pilot light... My DH and I had this conversation a while back when we had to replace our oven ignitor.... An option is a true commercial range with a pilot in the oven.... (are you allowed to do that?) If you are set on a pilot oven, I would look into it. Most modern gas ovens use a ceramic glow plug type of ignitor. These will burn out after so many cycles of lighting. (There are only so many variations on these parts and they are similar in performance. There are no ignitors that last forever. I replaced my Viking ignitor with el cheapo after marker part and it works fine.) If you or the spouse is DIY sort, then you can replace these for about $50 to $100 (Viking part would have cost me $300, yikes!). If not, you gotta call the service guy, which is always a few hundred dollars please... This is what makes owning "all gas oven" expensive this day and age. (your gas furnace will have the similar repair record if you switch to efficient pilotless furnace.) There goes your savings from the efficiency that "compounded" for a few years. So for your total pocket book cost, there is absolutely no savings from the increased efficiency. Some brands may have a better "performance" on this part than others but you will have to deal with it in decades of owning the oven eventually. They simply don't make ovens with pilot light anymore, as were the vintage ranges. Even the "new" vintage looking gas ranges don't have a pilot light. Pilot lights are much simpler way of dealing with ignition. The electronic ignitor is the same part (all of them look almost identical) that turns on your gas furnace, gas BBQ etc. (Maybe this is a reason to stick to a true vintage range with pilot light... Hm) all gas ranges are just about the simplest thing there is. You have an ignitor plus a flame adjustor, which is often a mechanical valve for letting more gas to the burner. Even if you don't have electricity, you can use a match to cook. All new gas cooktops come with electronic clicky starter. Even if that goes out, you can just use a match and start the coktop. My partner has an ancient Wolf gas cooktop that has burned out the electronic starter many years ago and he uses matches.... Cheaper than calling in the dude to fix it. Prostyle ranges such as Viking and Bluestar come in many tens of colors. They also come in 24 inch, which may help your tiny kitchen remodel. (not sure about Wolf) I would NOT say that your only option is SS. Yes, there is that issue of "cost". For example, if you can find an all gas pro style range used, it should last you a long time.... Again, the infrared gas broiler uses a similar type of ignitor with a mesh of ceramic that heats up instead of a burner. There are no electronics per se to break down but there is that ignitor once again will go out.... Then, there is a fan for convection. Electrical motors are rather sturdy beasts and do not go out too often.... Even if the convection fan went, out you CAN still bake without it. I used to have a gas range with the control behind the stove. That range needed to have the computer panel replaced after a few years, which we did ourselves... They are ugly and impractical. You already seem to know the limitations. I suggest getting open burners(which I agree with Amcook but that is another story) and with something that has minimal electronics.... Viking, Wolf and Bluestar are options. My "colored" Viking all gas range with open burners practically has NOTHING built in it. There simply is not much to break.... No self clean. No temp probe. No timer etc etc. I am keeping it at 10 year mark even though I am remodeling and spending many $ for the entire kitchen. There is nothing wrong with it. I can't see myself doing better at this point.... I think I would have replaced it if it was SS.

I have a Heartland stove 9200 that is about 26 yrs old. Bought it for the look. No problems for 19 yrs. Then the burner knobs started getting difficult to turn. Paid for appliance repair to come out but they were unable to repair. Situation worsened, called Aga Marvel and bought some repair parts. They never supported my efforts. Called Thompson Appliance in Tacoma, Wa. My experience with them leads me to to say never call them. The stove new was almost $5,00. delivered and installed. Thompson came out said I needed to have it taken into the shop, polished up and rehauled. They reportedly went to a recent seminar on the stove at Aga Marvel. I paid 2,500 with the parts and after a few months, same problem. They are a dishonorable team of father and son (son being the worst). I lived with one working burner for about 2 yrs. until I found an excellent repair person on Vashon Is, Wa. Issue with these burners: careful to not get water spilled down into the burners. Rust develops. I believe that was the only problem. Heartland was bought out by Aga Marvel and now have some stove parts but phasing out. Good luck.

One big problem that has not really been is service and parts. Imagine being without a range for a month, while you wait for a part? How about finding someone to actually diagnose and repair the thing? Please keep these probable after-install problems in mind. Remember, everything breaks, eventually. As to more specifics, there is no reason to import a European DW. Most of the big European (Bosch, Miele, Asko and one other that escapes me) brands are already available here. A refrigerator I would not import under any circumstance, as the power differences (voltage and cycles) would affect it the most. It is trivial to get 240 Volt power for a fridge, but getting 50 Hz (older name is cycles per second) is very difficult, expensive, and inefficient. Running motors (compressors) on AC power they were not designed for (60 Hz instead of 50Hz) will probably do no harm to the motor, but it will screw up the efficiency of the system, meaning the fridge may cost several times the usual cost of operation to run. This leaves the range. You can get AGA ranges, and several French ranges in the USA today. However, getting another type in is probably a real headache, from an insurance point-of-view, if nothing else. If an appliance you install is not UL or CSA listed, particularly a heat-producing appliance, your insurance company might disavow any claims you make, EVEN IF THE APPLIANCE IS NOT AT FAULT. That's right, if you have a flood, and the insurance inspector finds a non-approved range in your kitchen, the insurance company can disavow the claim, period. If you really want a non-standard range, I would get, in writing from your insurance companies main office, a signed letter, on their letter head, stating they would cover it the same as any American-made range. Then save that letter in a safe deposit box. In addition, be aware that clocks (for sure) and timers will probably not operate correctly, and you may have problems with any other on-board electronics. Gaggeneau makes an oven you might like, and so might Bluestar (see link), which offers 190 colors. Lastly, one other disadvantage of European appliances: Size. Most European appliances will be slightly too small or slightly too large to fit in 'holes' made for American inch-size appliances. If you need a replacement for a product when it dies or cannot be repaired, what are you going to put in it's place? Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestar ovens

Hi Marthavila and Bufflotina. Thank you so much for your advice. I went out yesterday to pick up the following: Quooker faucet/Tap - bought for E699/about $750. Its the polished chrome basic design one. No more kettle. These , and their insinkerator cousin (which produces hot but not boiling water) and a similar ZipHydro are everywhere. The fact that this produces BOILING water makes it the best I think. You turn the tap on (child safety on this one - not on some of the other brands - that why I chose quooker) and TADA!! Boiling water comes out all bubbly and spluttery. Its going to save me a whole lot of time. I boil the kettle once an hour. I can make tea without a kettle. In case you're wondering what I'm talking about please see: http://www.quooker.com/07_uk/site.html (the one I got is the "basic" model PRO3 VaQ- it was on sale and would normally cost at least 1000 dollars/ 899 euro. Here is a review: http://honestcooking.com/2011/04/12/testing-the-quooker/. Garbage disposal - I got a viking one - they were on sale at a good price for Europe. VCFW750 Viking 3/4 HP Continuous Feed Food Waste Disposer was E450/$550 (I know its really really expensive here but the hassle of changing plugs and electrics for such a small item isnt worth it so I bought here instead of US). This is for my prep sink in the island. I'm going to get an insinkerator model 1HP one for my sink beside the dishwasher. I got the Viking one for the prep sink because I love the viking logo on the rim - it just looks nice. I am afraid of Viking products since I saw one of their fridge freezers recently in a showrrom here. It was actually rusting in the freezer compartment - and its only about two years old. Either the dealers abused it or its a bad product. But this is a small item so ......fingers crossed it works ok. I've been picking up bargains for the past few months: I have the following: BlancoMaster-S Baby Faucet/Tap http://www.tapsaver.co.uk/tap_1506.asp which is gorgeous in real life and the professional spray is really forceful cos I have a good pressurised water system. I think its called a Blanco Gourmet Professional in the US. I didnt like the full sized Blancomaster - Its too big - about three foot high and it would dominate the kitchen. This one has all the pro features and function and blends in. However it means my other faucets/taps have to be polished chrome. I was going to go for polished nickel but...... the Blancomaster baby was picked up half price - E350 ($420) so it was an absolute steal so i dont mind. Polished chrome is ok. I've also got a blanco tap/faucet with pro spray for my utility room see: http://www.blanco.co.uk/products/tap/blancotubetwist I picked it up for E200 /$270 last week. Again half price or less. Gaggenau: 24"Combi-Steam and convection Oven http://www.gaggenau.com/GB_en/products/product-detail.do?contentId=08bc3306-c804-4796-983e-58cb2b13f810&family=SteamOven - bought for E2000 ($2700). Ok I paid the full price (not like me at all) but I HAD to have it. They TOLD me that it was 700 euro off but when I got home and checked the price I could have gotten it anywhere for that. But I wanted it and was overcome by impulse and had to have it. Cant wait to crank it up once the kitchen is in (about 8 weeks from now) Gaggenau Coffee Maker http://www.gaggenau.com/US_en/products/coffeemakers-overview/product-detail.do?contentId=3f015e54-a127-4cc9-959f-9d8d2af07820&family=Coffeemaker. I LOVE IT. I picked it up ex display for E500 (about 600 dollars). The price makes the coffee taste sweeter! (having said that the way you put the coffee and water in is a little bit of a nuisance. If I hadnt picked this up for a song I would have gone for the Miele one which has much more convenient way to fill etc) I have had a good look at the Falcon rangecookers. YOU WERE RIGHT. The cooktop is the same as the La Cornufe but the burners arent brass and the grid of iron is enamelled whereas the la cornufe is not I think. The La Cornufe grid (what is the name of that - escapes me right now so i'm calling it a grid) is not shiny whereas the Falcon one is shiny black. Anyhow they are THE SAME SHAPE. Clearly from the same designer and same machine. The door hinges on the falcon are identical to the La cornufe. But the Falcon doesnt have the easy clean system whereby you take out the sides and top of the oven. However the Falcon does have the additional grill. So I am decided. The Falcon retails for about E5000/$6000. THe La Cornufe for about E6200/7500. I have been offered one ex display for less than the Falcon retail price. Its ok that the hinges etc are the same. Its ok that its not a real La Cornufe (who was I kidding at that price). I like it. I am going to go and buy it and I'm going to pick up a neff or miele or siemens 24 inch induction cooktop(hob) to go to the left of it and I'll get a 24 inch butchers block for the other side of it. It'll look good. I'll get a nice pot filler tap and some fired earth tiles (http://www.firedearth.com/)for behind it and I will be set. I will still have a look at the Mercury but from the pics i've seen its the wrong look. I saw a really nice Fisher & Paykel three door (french door) fridge freezer yesterday. http://fisherpaykel.com/product/refrigeration/refrigerators/index.cfm?productuid=A11C44C2-EAF3-81BC-9B6A6087173AA8A9 Only 2K as opposed to 8-10K for the Miele.http://www.appliancist.com/refrigerators/miele-refrigeration-line-mastercool-control-system.html (You think the Miele looks good in these pictures. You ought to see it in real life. It is lovely. THe F&P is a good bit smaller but so is the price.... I am torn. I saw a Miele dishwasher ex display a little while ago. Based on the almost unanimous good opnion of same on here I think I will just go and buy it. Hope its still there. Thanks so much for your help. I had another look at the Aga Legacys/rangemaster induction cooktops yesterday and decided definitely that they are too cheap looking for my new kitchen. The induction top is surrounded by rubbery looking plastic stuff. I don't know what material it is...I only know its unattractive. The falcon and ilve (called brittania in UK called Ilve in US and Ireland) ones have steel surrounds around the induction tops which are much nicer, and stop spills falling onto the floor. I did check out a Bertazzoni but they are a little lightweight compared to their rival Wolf so it was a no. So Hopefully by this time tomorrow I shall be a proud La Cornufe owner. See pics of product here: http://www.thestylishhouse.net/2009/04/in-my-dreams.html I have a laundry room upstairs and i have bosch washer and dryer for there. i fancy putting another washer/dryer into mmy utility room for towels and dishcloths etc. i've been offered a kupperbusch integrated w/d and i'm thinking i'll take it. I still need fridge freezer - I love the Miele but it super pricey microwave Probably Gaggenau Warming drawer - probably gaggenau winecooler: something small and unobtrusive. Its not the look I want really i might integrate one into a nook in the dining room. small dishwasher for island (a little drawer one) refrigerated drawers for fresh meat. my husband keeps mixing raw and cooked meats in the fridge so i'm buying drawers for the meat now and keeping the big fridge raw meat free! faucet/tap for island - I'll have to go with blanco to make everything match. The polished chrome quooker will be beside it. prep sink for island - I wanted the kohler http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?from=thumb&frm=null&module=Kitchen+Sinks&item=337202&prod_num=6588§ion=1&category=5&resultPage=0--1543372007 but i mightgo for the Shaws of Darwen model which is half the price with all of the good looks. See: - http://www.shawsofdarwen.com/classic-sinks/10-round-sink.html Its the undermounted I like. I will get a shaws of Darwen 36 inch (900cms) double for my kitchen and 36 inch (900cms) single for my utility room. A 36 inch wide single sink will be able to accommodate my bbq burners and grills which is what I need. http://www.shawsofdarwen.com/6-classic-sinks I had been stuck on the franke big one made for villeroy & boch http://www.appliance-world.co.uk/Franke_VBK771_Belfast+Sink.html but in my kitchen that might be a dirt gatherer. Too many nooks and crannies. What do you think? I'll be back with photos of kitchen space soon. Dippy P.s. My flooring is from Mandarin Stone - the Jerusalem grey gold Ramon see http://www.mandarinstone.com/products/limestone/classic_jerusalem_ramon_tumbled It is beautiful. I have no regrets whatsoever. Even my Mother in law likes it. Its a first.