if I compare a 36in 600 CFM hood and an identical 42in 600cfm hood, even though the CFM is the same, the larger one may be closer to a 36in 900 CFM? Intuitively, I'd lean towards the larger capture area as being more effective, although I can't say how much more effective. If you watch steam and smoke rise from rangetop to the hood perimeter, it's clear that the column rises as sort of an expanding funnel and the hood has a relatively small draw area at the front and front sides. But once the "effluent" is more than an inch or so away from the sides, the hood draw is much weaker and it rises above the hood--about 1.5" seems to be a max. On mine the draw around the front lip literally rolls and then is drawn into the hood space. From what I've seen, the extra 3" of hood with a 27" deep would give somewhat of an advantage. Also, I used to work in restaurants and if you look how line hoods are designed, capture area is maximized to cover all cooking surfaces and often extending a few feet beyond (some even have air flow devices to handle makeup air and maximize the upward flow to the hood). Perhaps someone who paid more attention in physics and fluid dymanics classes could weigh in . . .

Maybe it's the way or what I cook, but I've never needed more than four burners at a time in over 40 years of cooking. I've had my 36 RNB now for about 2 1/2 years, and the built in griddle ranks right up there with the cast iron open burners as my favorite things about this range. I use the griddle daily, and often two or three times, sometimes more so than the burners. Keep in mind the Platinum griddle is not built in, but simply an accessory over two burners, which would be a deal breaker for me, so I'd go either the RNB or the Wolf as far as the griddle goes. Not familiar with Miele's griddle, or if it even is available with one? so can't comment.

I'm on the side of open burner gas. I think the optimal arrangement is a range top and separate wall ovens. If you have to have a range, I suggest the BlueStar due to the burners. You use those more than anything else on a regular basis. To answer your question about open versus closed burner, open wins hands down every time. It's not difficult to clean. In my past, I've had open burner Wolf, Viking and BlueStar in a residential setting. My closed burner experience was with Thermador. It's been quite the adjustment moving from a BlueStar range top with open, star-shaped burners to much lower power Viking round open burners. I miss the BlueStar. I will also opine that while power is important, the shape of the burner is the most important feature. I don't like using the griddle in a residential setting. I find myself pulling out my old griddle pan. I go out side to the grill. Both features make a big mess inside and I don't like having to clean them up. Grease gets everywhere. That's my personal preference. You have to make that decision for yourself. Most people only see one of these in the showroom when it's shiny and new. Use it for a few years and see how they hold up. I do use the griddle burner for a warming tray. So, it does have a use. I don't think you need to dedicate a burner side for a grill or griddle. But, that is just me. I loved my BlueStar and I miss it.

@Rachel Lindy Brady BlueStar star burners are great for cast iron unless you mean a 16” pan. Cast iron doesn’t conduct heat as well so the star disperses the heat. There are other choices for an overlay griddle if you don’t like the aluminum. As I mentioned Chef King is steel and it comes in a 4 burner, 23x23” Or 2 burner. It is much heavier. The aluminum and steel are the same thickness.. https://www.dvorsons.com/ChefKing/Griddles.htm There are some brands that are a little more fitted so smaller. There have been people who have ordered the griddle in a customized position In the past on an RNB and the burners are customizable too. Call BlueStar directly to check how it works. @B Carey These are the materials that the various brands are made of. Wolf built in-rolled Steel BlueStar RNB built in- rolled steel, per Trevor Lawson who used to sell them and was well known on this forum. The cover is stainless steel. If this has changed, one of the benefits which is the ability to season is gone. I doubt that it has because the user manual gives instructions about how to season it to avoid rust. BlueStar Platinum which is an add on, cast iron This explains the advantages of the thermodynamics of aluminum vs cast iron or steel. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/120/Common-Materials-of-Cookware Each person has to weigh benefits vs risk for themselves though and these are my thoughts. Usually the thing that gets you is something you never thought about. Most people are worried about aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease. As far as safety, once it has seasoned a little, your food isn’t really in contact with the aluminum. This is also true of aluminum bakeware. You build up a layer of polymerized or carbonized oil that gets in the pores and surface of the metal like cast iron. I mix materials in my cookware/bakeware because you can find something that could be toxic about any of it except pyroceram. It is pretty inert but horrible cookware. Cast iron? New ones are made from recycled materials which can be old engine blocks. Some people think stainless leaches toxic metals out. Have you ever seen pitting in a stainless pan? Where did that metal go? Do you know how to hopefully avoid it? I try to buy cookware from the US or Europe and avoid it from China. I have a lot of vintage cookware. Aside from that I’m a nurse so very interested in the safety of cookware. I’ve read quite a few papers on this and they can show that Alzheimer’s patients have more aluminum in their brains but cannot show why. They are really looking at many other things. . This is from the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada. People who have a high intake of Aluminum don’t have an increased incidence of Alzheimer’s. https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home/About-dementia/Alzheimer-s-disease/Risk-factors/Aluminum The Alzheimer’s Association is even more dismissive. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers/myths There are known risk factors and some are modifiable. https://alzheimersprevention.org/alzheimers- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20350447 I look at these and try to control what I can with these.