Dear DonaO and Tbieb.... a co-NYCer in a 1960's apt bldg- turned-WVillage-desireable coop sharing views: It helps to see a sketch of the space but perhaps layout is less your issue and more a qu of functionability. For backgd, in our case it is a hve a lg apt w/ a modest kitchen in terms of overall counter length etc. it works well b/c it is set up galley style with wide openings at each end... and it is wider across (counter to counter) than most. So several (3, maybe 4 efficient folks, can work simultaneously) This renov was done 13 yrs ago so PLEASE factor in that more choices xst now We went with a cooktop, 5 burner (Thermador gas) black glass. Hate the glass top, love the layout, BTUs are so-so. But DEFINITELY would do a cooktop again. we LOVE LOVE LOVE havign the drawers underneath and being able to separate access to the oven from someone working at cooktop. (Think Thanksgiving) What RayNag sent you is great option altho, will be a different kind of pain to clean re: spillovers. I would always vote cooktop and find one that suits your style. We placed it in a 3 drawer cabinet (and blocked the top narrow drawer)... and that top drawer COULD accomodate knobs and a front panel. Our cooktop is gas... not just b/c I like cookg on gas but b/c Coop pays all gas in the bldg. Since few Manhattan places permit vents to outside (cant vent if there is a window within 5 or 7 ft or something like that), we put in an above stove thin profile fan with charcoal filters. Of course it isnt a vent in full but it works better than nothing. NOISY tho. We shudda gone higher end on that. Gaggenau used to make a ventless. Anyway, this one uses a little of the upper cab space for the motor etc etc Incidentally, since i am not tall (5'2") we dont have raised cabintry above the cooktop. Instead, I lowered the cooktop 2" and the cabs above are same height as all others. It works fine for me and I cook alot. We wanted the even loook and we needed to max every inch of storage Oven a diff story. We needed to preserve counter space so a double oven or wall oven was out. Ours is undercounter Thermador electric 36" with convection. Overall since am not a baker, it is fine and i love the size. Neither Thermador has been a problem. Neither send me to the moon either. To complete the picture, we went with counter depth Refrig (Subzero... has been completely problem free) and house an upright freezer a few feet away behind a closet like door (essentially there was a nearby full closet that is now all built in shelves/cabinets for a pantry plus freezer); and we went with TWO sinks... a smaller one for vegetables or drink prep and a large single bowl one near d/washer. The counters are all custom stainless steel (including the sinks were manufactured into the counter so no places to trap dirt or water and they are the thing we love most. We went with mid range cabinetry (Brookhaven... the low end of WoodMode) and made sure that pantry/closet was done to match. Kitchen opens into a dining area with double pocket doors. Same on the other end and flooring was done to match rest of space so there are no thresholds and it all looks contiguous. Oh, we went with ASCO d/washer over Miele at that time, b/c of quiet. Very quiet! Let us know how it turns out!

I just spent a month in an English rental house, with an induction cooktop - definitely NOT high end appliances, just considered standard, basic. However, I found it immensely frustrating to use, compared to gas, because of the controls (which - along with cost - was the reason I didn't want one in my US kitchen). Gas: simple knob: I can watch the flame as I adjust the knob, and know precisely how it's doing. All the induction cooktops I saw, including this rental one, use touch-sensitive controls. For me, they just aren't 'sensitive' enough. They automatically powerered on to '5' (or '9' on some models) and you then have to 'touch' them up or down to wherever you want. So, I have to watch the stupid light display, instead of my cooking. And if I overshoot, I have to fiddle around all over again. I had wondered whether I'd get better at it with practice, but after a month, cooking daily, it was still a pain for me (and my DH) to use. I love the idea of induction, and if I had to go back to electric, I would have one - provided it had knobs (I think the Viking one does). With a gas supply - there's no contest. Gas every time. (Incidentally, natural gas in parts of Europe is fairly cheap. It's because natural gas is found in the North Sea and piped to both the UK and Scandanavia. Not dependent on Eastern Europe at all.)

This thread is ten years old already. I’ll go ahead and comment for the benefit of others who may still need the insight. I can comment knowledgeably on a Wolf gas cooktop. But I’ve only had a Miele electric induction cooktop. Customer service-wise HANDS DOWN Wolf wins. Miele is notoriously lacking in this regard. Call Miele, you get an uniformed agent answering at an offshore call center. Call Wolf, you get a person in Wisconsin—where the unit is MADE. As for help with any malfunctions, I’ve had my Wolf for less than a year, so it‘s hard to say. It‘s been working beautifully. In my research Wolf’s largest burner had the most BTUs of any among its competitors, yet it also allows for gentle simmering. In fact, one half of the dial is dedicated to simmering. My Miele was plagued with issues. Of the four Miele appliances purchased for my last home, I had consistent issues with two. I can only assume Miele dependability is a toss-up. Wolf 3 burner gas cooktop

Do NOT buy the Bertazonni. I bought the 36" professional stove in February 2015. I must admit that I was looking for a professional style stove at a bargain price for my 2nd home. Bertazonni was most definitely less expensive--but with this stove you get what you pay for. The burners are very temperamental, Even after you get the hang of lighting them, it's a crap shoot as to whether or not they catch on. The stove is even worse. The oven knobs are difficult to turn to the on position, and there is no way of knowing if the stove is really lit without opening the door and looking for a flame. There is no temp gauge, and the oven has significant hot and cold spots that make baking extremely uneven. Last but not least, the stainless cooktop is poor quality, easily stained and impossible to clean--no matter what kind of stainless cleaner or soft cloth you use. My suggestion is spend a lot less or dig into your pocket for another $1000 and get a Wolf, Blue Star or Capital.