Having had both at various times, I used to be of the opinion that either set-up had certain advantages. Now, however, having surpassed the age where AARP is continually hounding me to join up...I vote for a cooktop and wall oven. It's far more convenient to be able to look into the oven at eye-level to see what's going on. It's also much easier to clean the oven or wipe out spills, when I don't need to get down on my hands and knees.

I have a single wall oven with a matching warming drawer below. If I had thought I needed double ovens (which I don't), I would have put them side-by-side, so that they were both at eye-level, rather than as a stacked unit.

My last 2 kitchens I selected a range because I want the broiler under the vent. I broil fish fairly often and don't want to smell it.

We went for BOTH a range and a wall oven (actually two of them, a 27" convection oven & a combi-steam). We were going to get just a 36" all burner rangetop, and decided on a range instead to have a extra big oven for entertaining. It is a DCS which also provides us with an infrared broiler and doubles as a large warming oven. We don't use the range oven as much as the wall oven, but it is invaluable for large projects & can hold full size sheet pans. The range is all gas & the wall ovens electric, so we have the best of both worlds.

Unless you are going for a certain look with one of those high end ranges, like LaCanche, I can't think of a benefit to a range over cooktop & oven, other than price.

First of all, will it really get used? I have a friend of mine (whom I love dearly) who went all out on her kitchen and honestly needs GPS to find her kitchen in her house. She never uses it. Her range is drop dead, to die for....and FOR WHAT? She stores cereal in the oven.
DH has back problems and I hated standing on my head (I'm 5'9") to see what was in it. I also worried about the children when they were smaller standing near it or opening it in that split second that you turn your head.
My vote is range top or cook top and wall ovens....

Depending on how you cook and if budget is unlimited, AG range and elec wall oven(s). As gizmonike said above, broiler is nearer capture area of hood, and if it's a gas range you'll have an IR broiler. Hood can also capture range heat, especially when there's a lot of oven cooking going on. If you live where the AC runs often, a low running hood can help exhaust hot air that otherwise must be cooled. We finish pan broiling in the oven and it's much easier (and safer) to just move the hot pan right into the range oven below the burners rather than carrying it across the kitchen (setting off all the smoke detectors), and conversely the range top makes a safe landing zone for large, hot oven pans.

my reasons for getting a cooktop and separate ovens

1. I wanted 36 inch cooktop, induction, with minimum of 5 hobs, but I didn't want to heat up a big 36" oven every time I wanted to bake

2. in relation to #1 above, I wanted induction and wasn't excited about any of the induction ranges when I made my choices

3. I have work zones and wanted the two ovens at different locations - 1 under the cooktop for when I'm preparing meals and moving things from cooktop into the oven; the other oven for baking (at least that was the plan but it doesn't always work that way when I'm baking)

4. not that this weighed much in my decision, but if my oven breaks down and needs replaced, it's just the oven, not the entire range

5. not as limited to brands - just because the cooktop is a certain brand doesn't necessarily mean that you have to buy the same brand oven (unless of course you plan to put the oven under the cooktop, then it may become an issue)

The biggest advantage to a cootop/wall oven setup is the ability to customize the individual parts to your specifications, such as a higher countertop height or gas cooktop/electric wall ovens. The biggest drawback is the expense of doing so. It is usually a lot more expensive, especially when you factor in the cabinetry that has to house the cooktop and wall oven. No such cabinetry needs to exist for a range. THere is also the expense factor of separate power/gas supplies. A secondary drawback is that such a setup invariably takes up more space in a kitchen than does a range. YOu can't beat the space saving combination of a range in a small kitchen.

If budget and space are no object, then the ergonomics and convenience of a cooktop and wall oven can't be beat.

If money were no object and there was plenty of space I'd go for a range and wall ovens :-)

Cooktop and wall oven because:
- oven is not at little child height
- I can store all my pans under the cooktop
- loading/unloading and cleaning oven is easier
- there was no induction range when I remodelled

There was no induction range when I purchased my appliances-well, Diva range at $9,000. I spent about half that on a 36'' induction cooktop and double ovens.
-30''double ovens were a must-can't get that with a range.
-as LWO said, limitations of features and brands of a range was trumped by flexibility and feature choices of individual appliances.
-DO and cooktop install at a customized height (neither are standard height)
-Much more flexibility in kitchen design.
---DO and cooktop are in different rooms.
---Ergonomics of pot/pan and utensil storage are better with a cooktop
---Access to oven is easier when using cooktop. Also two people can be doing tasks (cooking and baking) at the same time without infringing on the other's work space.

We had the following reasons for selecting a range, after having two kitchens with cooktops and wall ovens.

1) The primary reason is that wall ovens diminish available countertop space and create a visual mass in the room design.

2) We use our range a lot, both surface and ovens. The vented hood captures all the steam, smoke and smells coming from the oven since it is directly above. Previously the separate units were across the room, where the hood was of no help.

3) Our last wall oven was in a combo unit with a microwave. When the MW became unrepairable, we had to replace both appliances, even though the oven still worked. A waste.

4) The footprint is very efficient for a range and gives back drawer, counter and cabinet space.

5) We cook with gas on top. Our last gas cooktop had a downdraft vent which sucked out the flame as it pulled out the smoke.

We are very happy with our double oven, dual fuel range. Because the two ovens are smaller, their doors are smaller and not too heavy to open and close at all.