I'm only getting the hood, wall oven and induction, but I'll tell you what I got.

Hoods: You've obviously read all the threads, so you know which brands people like here. I got a Kobe undercabinet from ventingdirect.com. It was the best price I could find, free ship, no tax, and it came in just fine. Many people would suggest that you get a 42" hood for the 36" cooktop. Just make sure the one you pick doesn't require 10" ducts.

Ovens: Elux was the conclusion I came to, as well. You probably only need the single wall oven, right?I got regular, not Icon. I got Wave Touch, where the control panel fades to black when not in use. It costs a little more, but it was worth it for the position of the oven in my kitchen.

Cooktop: After reading the latest thread on induction, I called my appliance store and bought the 30" KA with bridge elements. I was all set to get the Miele, but then I reread the owner's manual and saw that you aren't supposed to have a drawer under it (don't know how I missed that before.) I need the drawer, and the KA doesn't have that requirement. I also saved $1200 from the Miele cost. If the drawer doesn't matter to you,the Miele is definitely reliable and has large burners and nice features. You can also get the 36" zone-free AEG from Canada. morgne has two and loves them.

Hope that helps. You've done your homework, so you won't go wrong, whatever you decide.

I'm going through the exact same search for appliances right now. Let me address the cooktop question.

In my opinion the Miele may be an excellent unit but is not necessarily the clear front runner here. Everyone seems to agree that all the current induction units work very well so it really comes down to asthetics, features, and price. For me there are two features that stand above the rest.

1) I want direct access to power levels rather than +/- controls. I found a cooktop at a store that was actually plugged in and used +/- to adjust the power levels so I was able to try it out. I think I would tire of that very quickly. The Miele drops off my list based on this. The Bosch 500 and 800 series units offer the direct access controls though. Other brands have this too but fail at the next feature...

2) I want a cooktop without a frame around it for easier cleaning and a clean look. My current cooktop is like this and I really like it. Bosch does frameless in the 300 series but for some reason they think the frameless design makes it a lower end model and thus it has the +/- controls. The Miele does look nice with the wrapped edge but there's a groove between the edge of the glass and the metal band that I think would collect crumbs. Other brands tend to have either a big frame or +/- controls or both. The Bosch 500/800 are a compromise with a metal band only across the top and bottom.

I think I'm going to have to compromise on the Bosch 500 to get the controls I want with only partial framing. That it has real timers too is just a bonus.

I have the 36" Miele with the wrapped edge. I can attest that it does NOT catch crumbs or anything else, and it wipes clean as easily as the rest of the cooktop does. This is not a concern, I assure you. It was one of my top priorities as I lived with a crumb catching edge for years. It drove me nuts.

As to putting in a drawer under the unit, Ginny20, I'd like to know where you read that you couldn't. I see where the manual says that it is "not recommended" due to heat radiated, but "not recommended" is not "you can't". There was one under the cooktop at the Miele showroom, and the owners manual I have discusses what may or may not be kept in a drawer beneath the cooktop (nothing that would melt, nothing small and light that would get sucked into the cooling fan). There needs to be 4.5 inches from the protective base to the top of the counter for ventilation. An oven may be placed beneath it as well, as long as it has a built in cooling fan. (per the manual). I've seen it posted here more than once that you can't put a drawer under a Miele, so I wanted to address that--it's hard enough to make a decision without having misinformation to deal with. :-) I haven't looked at the manuals from other brands lately, but I'd guess that there are the same/similar rules for all of them.

As the the +/- controls, I'd have preferred direct access as well, but at the time, this was not an option without getting a 'crumb catching frame' so I made that concession. For me, crumbs and crud were the bigger annoyance. My Miele turns on at power level 6, and I don't find it annoying to go up or down to my desired level. I can change the default to another setting if I want to. I use the shut off timers frequently, so this has been a feature that's worked out as I'd hoped it would.

That said, if you're looking to save money, I am not sure that the Miele works "better" than any other induction cooktop. Most folks that have induction love it no matter which brand they've chosen. I chose the Miele based on the size and configuration of the burners, the power, and the feature set, as well as their reputation for quality and reliability. I wanted it, so I shoehorned it into my budget by finding stellar deals on some of the other appliances. :-) Others may make a different choice.

Cj

Hi cj47, this is what I read in the manual I found online:

"Because of the heat radiated it is not recommended to install the cooktop above a drawer. It should be installed above a cabinet with a dummy drawer front. A protective base should also be installed between the dummy drawer and the cooktop. There must be a minimum 4 1/2" between the top of the countertop and the top of the protective base to ensure proper ventilation."

I think we are each reading this differently. I did say "aren't supposed to have a drawer" not "can't have a drawer." (This is a distinction. For instance, I believe unmarried 14-year-old girls aren't supposed to get pregnant, but they generally can.)I interpreted the manual to mean that you shouldn't, i.e., it is better not to, have a utensil drawer immediately under the cooktop, as I have now, and as I will have with the KA. You're right, it is only a recommendation, except the last sentence, which includes the word "must."

Perhaps I misinterpreted the "protective base." I thought it was something else that you needed to install, because the manual specifies installing "a protective base" but you referred to "the protective base." I thought they meant a separate thing, but you seem to mean that it is part of the unit itself. If that is the case, why does the manual mention installing it at all? Is this just a semantic misunderstanding?

I don't actually think there is any real danger from heat under these. I'm just comparing installation manuals, and no, they don't all have similar rules. Some are more restrictive and some are less. Space is my biggest constraint - along with money - so I focused on the installation space requirements. People who have more flexibility can look for other features. For instance, if I had room for 36", I'd have liked the zone-free AEG from Canada. It looks way cool.

I did order the KA without the stainless frame. Fewer edges to clean.

Thanks for all the opinions....

I also believe the getting the crud out of the steel trim can be an issue. Also reading up on the different installation requirements is also taking time... who knew everything would be so different. Also layout is something i'll have to look into more as i read on another post. most likely will have to go and measure out my fav pots and pans again on the bottom.

Any opinion on the dishwasher / microwave issue?

THANKS