The Berta has a unique feature on at least some of their gas ovens. The oven burner for normal cooking is designed like a cooktop burner so it controls the temp with great precision and without using an on-off thermostat type system. This simple, reliable, feature does have one drawback: the oven must be set to run at 275 degrees or warmer for it to function at all. Your style of oven cooking would decide if this is a great idea or not.

Search the link with 275 as your search word to get right to this item of info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Berta Gas Oven Burner Design

Have you considered the NXR all gas range? I just bought one in December and I am very impressed. Four 15K burners, 16K infrared broiler, great convection oven, no electronics, all stainless construction. The only thing I want that I don't have yet is the center filler grate, which is backordered. It was under $2000 delivered.

I did see the Bertazzoni in a local store. Took a 1/2 pan along and realized you had to insert it sideways in order to fit. That concerns me as I do not want to purchase something I will end up disliking. I almost never cook anything below 275 so that isn't something that would bother me.

I have read good reviews, mostly, about NXR. Not sure I can buy something this big site unseen. I do wonder about repairs. Most of the reviews are from people who just received the range or have had it for only a few months.

I'm running on information overload right now. I love to cook and try new things but definitely not a chef. I bake maybe once a month. So the oven will mostly be used for meats, etc. Will use the burners more than anything.

Thank you all for the responses. I have a few weeks before the kitchen cabinets arrive. I want a gas range purchase by then so coordinating the installation of everything goes as smoothly as possible.

I have roughly the same budget and am considering the same ranges. Im leaning toward the Cafe, because it seems like the safest bet. The bottom oven is a plus, too. Let me know if you find anything better!
I checked a Fisher Paykel 36 inch, but cant find very many good reviews.

designnov - I am also looking at the GE Profile PGS975SEPSS. I am not finding a lot of reviews on this range but that could be a good thing. People tend to complain if something is bad but not when things are good. The cafe has the lower oven which I don't care about and a couple of the burners have higher BTUs. I am not sure there is enough to the Cafe to warrant a $900 price difference. I asked all my friends who are great cooks what they have in their kitchens. One spent less than $1000 on his range and loves it. Another loved her GE Profile that she had at her last condo. Another loves her Wolf but has a large home and kitchen. My kitchen is 15' x 12' so do not want something that overwhelms the kitchen. I have narrowed down my dishwasher choice to Bosch or Asko. Have read great reviews on both brands.

We have just ordered a larger, open-burner range, but I've found our GE Profile gas range to be dependable for more than a dozen years of use. This, obviously, is not the current model, or the one before that, or . . .

Zero issues on installation and zero since. I'd say that it has performed well. There are ranges that offer you higher output and other advantages -- and I've finally ordered one -- but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that this is not a good range for most cooking needs (or that you'll necessarily be happier with any random closed burner alternative with beefier construction and a pro-ish look to it). I'm not criticizing other options on your list -- I have no experience with them. I'm just suggesting that the profile should not be dismissed because of its common availability (an advantage, really) or its relatively prosaic appearance. The old one has been a good range - I bet the new one is pretty good too.

I am trying to decide between the ge cafe and the 30 in. Blue star. Any experience/comparisons would be helpful. I am not a huge baker, and have a small family. I used to be a professional cook and like the fact that the blue star seems to have good burner control plus an infra red oven which would be great for broiling. On the other hand, I've read some horror stories about blue star in various posts, while ge cafe seems to have more consistent reviews. Any thoughts?

Diana -- in keeping with Internet tradition, I'd like to post an extensive review of the BS RNB range that I've ordered but not yet received, but I"m not sure what to say, because, well . . .

I ended up ordering a 36" RNB, but one thing that struck me about the 30" BlueStar, that may matter to you, is the spacing of the burners on the top of the range. Things can get crowded on a 30" top if you have several large pans going at once. I felt that this would be less of a problem with the BlueStar, just because of the geometry of the burners -- they're further apart than most. If this sounds like something that might matter to you, you might want to bring a couple of your pans to the showroom. Everybody will have pans for you to try, but some dealers seem to lack a selection of larger pots and pans.

I am not sure how useful this will be. I replaced an electric smoothtop (I hate them!) in my house in Oregon with an Electrolux Wavetouch 5 burner dual fuel LP range. I only lived there full time for about a year with the range before relocating to Maine.

Am not sure what the fascination with smooth tops, but I ended up with another one in the place I have purchased in Maine, its dual burner died after 4 months of use. I decided to replace it with the 30" all LP Berta range and am taking advantage of the hood promotion (BTW, they retail for $1,200). My place is heated with an LP based European type hydronic radiant heat units and a LP fireplace, so adding cooking should not tax my 300 gallon LP tank, LOL!

I was looking for a range that is decidedly "manual" without an electronic interface due to the wind and subsequent power outages that are to common in this part of the state. I was also advised of service problems with the electronic interfaces on the Electroluxes, even though my range in Oregon has not had a service problem as of yet, knock on wood (am a reluctant landlord). Initially, I planned to purchase an Electrolux dual fuel floor model but could not pass up the hood promotion Bertazzoni is currently offering.

I am only hoping when the range is installed, the oven temp will be adequately calibrated.

I previously owned a Viking, but really did not want to spend the extra money for what I thought would be of marginal benefit. I also do not miss cleaning the Viking grates which were an exercise in weightlifting too!

I visited friends of mine a few years ago in Europe and I believe they have a Berta (the knobs are pretty distinctive).

I do about 70% rangetop and 30% oven cooking. My old Viking had gas convection and an infrared broiler and I really liked the oven and understand that the Berta is similar, though I believe the heat control is different (regulated by flame instead of on and off).

To ideagirl2, how are you liking the Fratelli Onofri? I started my search thinking I wanted a 36" with double-oven, and that was one of the only ones out there. But I think they are now marketed as Verona, at least that's where the website takes you. Anyway, how are you dealing with the lack of digital readouts and timer, or is that not an issue for you? Thanks so much!

I will second the NXR, better than the 3 listed and cheaper to boot.

IF you want simple, look at Bluestar. No fancy electronics or anything. Just 22k BTU.