First thing is that you very probably would have no defects with an NXR if you got one but they really are not for everybody. No more so than manual-transmission-with-low-range, 4-wheel-drive, manual-hub trucks are the vehicle everybody should drive. Second, to find out from whom Sears sourced those two Kenmore gas stoves have a look at this link which tells you how to translate the model numbers to identify the manufacturer. http://www.appliance411.com/purchase/sears.shtml You will need to get the full model number. I'm not sure if Sears still posts that on the sales website but I think you can take the product number from the sales web-site and find the full number on Sears Parts Direct. Third, according to Consumer Reports's membership surveys, Frigidaire and Kenmore single-oven gas ranges are among the most reliable. The CR product testers did not test either of your models but gave other, similar Kenmores decent to pretty good marks in most stovetop and oven categories except for the gas broilers which they rate as so-so. Apparently the gas Kenmores mostly do a decent job with oven self-cleaning (a function that the NXR does not have, btw.) Fourth, since you like to cook with heavy iron pots, have you considered getting an induction range? Iron is great on induction. But, I have to ask this: how were those coils breaking? Did you mean that the use of heavy CI pans wore on the burners so they stopped working or did you, maybe, drop big fryers and dutch ovens a few too many times and actually break the elements? If it was just from use, you likely would have little problem with induction. If the other, well --- the ceram surfaces are pretty tough but dropping a CI dutch oven from two feet up can crack them just as they can break a coil There is a Frigidaire induction model (also sold as a Kenmore Model: 95073) which runs about $1500. I've seen it on holiday weekend sales for down around $1300. (Might also look for it on the Sears Outlet sites, too.) A bit more than the Kenmore gas ranges you were looking at but worth considering if you otherwise would have to pay to add gas plumbing and a 120v outlet for a gas range. Fifth, your mentioning ease of cleanup also suggests considering induction. Most folks (though not all) find that induction ranges are hard to beat for ease of cleaning. This post was edited by JWVideo on Tue, Mar 25, 14 at 14:04

Wolf owner here, and I disagree with the statement about quality suffering after its merge with SZ. Wolf stands behind its products, and if something were to go wrong, the response is immediate and decisive. On this forum, you will rarely read about repeated problems with a Wolf range or oven. Do a search on this website and you'll get lots of input on the attributes or disadvantages of a Wolf range v other brands. Only you can decide how you'll cook, what you want in a range, etc. Most people are really happy with what they've purchased (regardless of brand) because they spent so much time doing research. Good luck figuring it out.

I found a 30" Wolf DF on ebay for $4K. It's in immaculate condition. I was a little over a yr old & looked like it hadn't been used once. The story is the woman hurt her back & couldn't bend down to get into the oven so they were remodeling w/ wall ovens & a cooktop. They went w/ Wolf again, so they were obviously happy w/ the one I bought from them. All of this being said, you really need to do your due diligence when buying something online in this price range. You'll have to pay for shipping & make sure you have insurance on the item. My homeowners covered any problems if it was damaged in shipping, so I didn't have that cost. I was also lucky that the owners wrapped it better than a store would have & I found a great moving co that put it in it's own box. Shipping ended up costing $400 +/-, so I could have bought a gas only for the same I pd for this used DF. My advice....don't buy emotionally! If you pay thru Paypal, you have insurance w/ them, as well as, ebay. You do need to do your due diligence in buying such an expensive item online. I saved a few thousand on a DF & it turned out great. I've read others have bought on ebay, as well, so there are good things to come from there. There are a lot of appliance co's that sell floor models or refurb w/ the full original warranties, on ebay, as well. Most of them ship free, but make sure to inspect before letting the shipping co. drive off. Any dents, scratches, etc, reject & send it back. You can possibly find floor models cheaper than regular price. Call around to see if any stores in your area have any they would be willing to sell. I believe Wolf is coming out w/ new models in January - I could be wrong on that, but I think that's what I heard. If I'm correct, your odds of finding a floor model might be good. And, you can bargain w/ the stores. They all want your service! Good luck!

I've had a similar Kenmore gas range for several years now. It has been utterly dependable. My only complaints are 1) the 17.5K BTU burner has spoiled me for all of the other burners, and 2) the design of the backguard (not sure if your range is the same) makes it difficult to have two larger pots or pans back-to-back on the burners. My dream range would have no backguard, and would offer the same high heat-to-simmer capability on all burners. I will say that I rarely use all five burners. It's too hard to squeeze five different pans on there at the same time, unless you're using very small pans. The oven and broiler work well, and I haven't had any issues with the control panel (then again, I don't run the self-cleaning feature either). I often forget about the warming drawer, but when I remember to use it, I like it, and vow to use it more.