Hi Jenny - I know this post is old so I wanted to ask you which you decided to go with and how you like it?

Save your money. Unless you are in a market where "Viking" appliances have name recognition and are pretty much demanded as a status symbol, then you are wasting money by doing even GE Profile appliances. The days of putting in a 50K kitchen that "increases" your home's equity by 60K are over. You'll never get more than about 70-80% of your money spent on a kitchen remodel back in this market. That means you lose 20-30% of they money you spend on this project. So, either do the remodel with the intention of pleasing you in the meantime (with standard appliance sizes that you can replace with lower grade ones and take the nice ones with you) or skip doing the remodel at all and give a 10K allowance when you go to sell. In the year's time, use that saved money to paint every surface in the home, including the existing cabinets, and scrub everything to within an inch of it's life. If something shows wear due to delayed maintainence, then replace it, but don't put a lot of money into it. In other words, DO replace the worn carpet with the red wine stains that won't come out, but only with an inexpensive grade carpet. DON'T replace the perfectly good condition tile floors in the kitchen, even if you don't like them. Now, if you'll be reselling further down the road than a year, put in whatever pleases you, because the word "new" and "updated" lose their reality after about a year.

Ben37, I ended up ordering a Faber 30" synthesis. Haven't seen it yet, I hope it looks good! Any pictures you have would be appreciated (but there's no turning back for me now!).

Nope. I mean, sure, it won't melt the microwave, but as has been said before, OTR microwaves are dangerous just from being OTR and have woefully insufficient vents, especially if they're recirculating. And that's the good ones. :) What free means is that they have to give them away to get rid of them. :) To be fair, it is also possible that it's just a way of stimulating sales by giving a freebie, the way Thermador gives away dishwashers. Easier than doing a price reduction. People are a lot less sensitive to the end of a giveaway promotion than a return to regular price.