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.

Good question and some think I thought long and hard about when we replaced our appliances (the first time) 10 years ago. Here's what I came up with: Advantages of separate cooktop/rangetop and oven is that, as you said, you can get best of class. Good oven brand is not necessarily a good cooking surface brand. Also, if you want dual fuel, I think you might actually find the cost to be the same if not lower. Some other things include oven height which, if you bake a lot and/or have a bad back, this might be critical. Selection of oven features is usually better with wall ovens which. Most range ovens don't come with the fancy computerized controls that wall ovens have standard. Just depends if that matters to you. Strangely enough, options for cooktop/rangetop tend to be more limited with separates. With a full range, there's a wide variety of optional tops that are often unavailable with either a rangetop or a cooktop. Most companies today do offer a full complement of rangtop options that parallels their ranges but 10 years ago, that was not the case. For cooktops (drop-in), forget it! Options go down drastically especially for gas. Electric (radiant or induction) are an exception to this rule. They tend to offer more options if anything in the cooktop format. Advantages to an integrated range can be extrapolated form above but there is also the added convenience of a single unit. This can be either a pro or a con for servicing. I've heard dual fuel ranges are a bear to service due to access and the combination of plumbing and electronics in one unit. All gas units tend to be very easy to service since there are very few complex parts. Installation is also easier with a range. Fitting a wall oven so that it looks integrated might take some cabinet work and must meet certain space requirements. Range sizes tend to be more standard than wall oven dimensions. Some wall ovens require more depth or height than others for the same width so a 24" or 30" wall oven won't necessarily replace an existing oven of the same advertised size. Plus a range that sticks out an inch or two won't look too bad but can't have that with a wall oven. When we replaced our wall oven, we barely made the depth but had to increase the opening height a bit. Luckily, woodworking is a hobby of mine so I was able to refit things without too much trouble by taking away some of the cabinet space underneath. Our installer simply said cabinet work was not his thing and we'd have to hire a carpenter or cabinetry guy to do it. The venting advantage to an integrated range is one that I had not heard before but certainly very valid.

Wow, thank you all for your thoughtful comments! I'll try to give you better information to work with here without boring you to tears... I should have mentioned that the 10k budget does not include the flooring, which I've already set aside, but has to cover all of the cooking appliances and countertops. I started this journey desperately wanting new countertops since I spend my life cleaning grout to no avail. I hadn't considered doing the appliances first and waiting on the countertops, but will give that some serious thought. I do already have an estimate for Cambria Torquay for $4900,tax and a decent ss sink included. If we do the countertop demo ourselves, and pay in cash, we could shave off an additional $700. I did look into some laminates and corian, but was shocked to discover that they are not significantly less expensive once you factor installation in, so I ruled them out. As for granite...It's the standard in our area, but the lower priced groups just don't sing to me. I've seen beautiful white quartzites, but can't find them anywhere around here and have been told that they are far more expensive, so it comes back to Cambria vs butcherblock. The Cambria would eat up half of the kitchen budget, but if I shopped wisely for the cooking appliances, might be doable. BB from Ikea would not be as durable, but significantly cheaper if I can get somebody to cut it for a reasonable price. EAM44, to the left of the fridge (as you look into the kitchen from the nook/family room) is a bank of 4 cabs about 8 feet tall by 4 feet wide, where I currently store pantry items and small appliances. Attached to that, flanking the nook, is an integrated desk and upper cabs about 6 feet long. Wish I could throw a diagram up here, but I am hopeless in that area. Here is a bad shot that I just took: I Have thought of removing the wall oven and putting it with a speed oven or micro in those perimeter cabs, and then mofifying the cabinet under the cooktop to hold appliances. Of course, this would require a 2 stage reface to restock the funds, but definitely worth consideration. herbflavor, you are right! I never realized how many cabinets this small space has, and how top heavy they make it look. I like your idea of doing two paint colors to break it up a bit. Thinking white on top, and perhaps something like BM edgecomb grey on the bottoms and perimeter/pantry cabs. The backsplash is indeed a bit shortened ~17'. I envision white subway tile for the bs, although we'd have to see what that looks like with the countertop choice. No butcherblock around the sink, even if waterloxed? I do worry that with the mounds of wet dishes I seem to constantly generate, that I will quickly hate bb., but I've read here that people don't seem to have problems. Looking into induction ranges, dan188! beekeperswife, your kitchen is one of my inspiration kitchens, never a bore. Thanks for the painting instructions. I feel confident that I could do it reasonably well. I'll stop rambling now :) Thanks to all.

I can't speak from actual experience, but we just ordered a cooktop and wall oven for our kitchen reno. Like Weedmeister says, you have more options. I didn't like the configuration of the tops on the ranges in my price point, and I found that it was easier to find the induction cooktop that appears to meet my needs by going with separates. Also, it looks like it will work with my small kitchen better. It made it easier to actually set up zones.