If you read through the messages in the forum you'll find a lot of discussion of various induction cooktops. Most of us who have them absolutely love them, and those who don't usually want to have flames of gas. Induction is highly responsive, efficient, easy to clean, and fun to use. There aren't huge differences in quality between the various makers. The differences are in power, element size and layout, and how the controls work. The makers all have their own controls. Besides the physical controls, there are differences in included features, like "true timers", which, when included, let you set a time for the element to stay on and turns off at the end. The downside is that you need cookware which has an iron content (inc. steel) and is flat on the bottom, and your cookware will handle differently, so there's a little learning curve. You can see if your pans will work by trying to stick a magnet to the bottom. If it doesn't stick but the pan is stainless it might still work, but if it does stick it'll almost certainly work. My own preference is for venting up. It just works better because of the physics involved. And I love my induction. :)

Your analogy seems to fit my vibe about the BlueStar (Top Gear fan?) - powerful enough and OMG fun, but a little rough around the edges, vs. solid, polished and expensive (Mercedes/Viking, maybe?). My Jenn-Air is more like my old beat up VW Rabbit -- which was also prone to spontaneously bursting into flame. It got me from point A to point B . . . eventually. But I hated it. Which now has me thinking of the last just-good-enough compromise, practical car we bought. Which I still hate to drive. It's not a bad car, it's just not *my* car. (Of course now I'm getting too far into the metaphor -- I just traded my beloved VW Passat in for a Mazda CX9, 'cause I needed the AWD and more seats -- it's not as nice of a car, it's not as powerful, but it has most of what the 'ssat did plus the things I needed at a good price, without sacrificing *all* the fun. And it won't cost $$$ every time something breaks, which was increasingly common. What does that say about my stove preferences? It's not that I couldn't afford a Mercedes, I just don't see the point.) I do find the BlueStar *really* attractive -- DH and I dig the cast iron, the open burners (because I spill stuff everywhere when I cook), the low simmer, etc. -- and the thought of having a range with an oven I could actually bake in makes me positively giddy -- even if I do have to build a new island. DH got a nice grill last year that gets wicked hot; we're now prone to all-season use -- in *Seattle* -- because the only other choice is to do without little things like "searing" and "roasting" and "broiling". But maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that the extra money is really worth the ride ;-) (BTW, does that make Lacanche the Rolls? So gorgeous, but wah!)

I currently have a Jenn-Air 4-burner electric downdraft cooktop in my island, and I hate it. It is old, came with the house, don't have model number. One large burner heats to cherry red on high and burns the pot and contents. One small burner does not get hot on low. I have to turn it to med high and then down. And remember to turn it to low and wait. Grrr. Since I am finally getting a gas line, but have limited wall and counter space, I was considering a range or a cooktop and double wall oven. Thought I would look at gas downdraft units, only found a KA Architect with an integrated downdraft and 4 burners. I want 5 or 6, 4 is inadequate for my needs. I was surprised to find that several downdraft cooktops were quite cheap, then discovered that you have to buy the pop-up downdraft hood separately, and they are $1000 and up! So you are still looking at $2000+. I don't want a hood over the island as I have a huge custom pot rack there, and don't want the expense of venting to the outside. UGH. Good luck to the OP--how did your choice turn out?

If you're just worried about selling the house, buy the cheapest. Pull the knobs to clean around them.