I have the Wolf 6-burner rangetop and I love it. I've had gas cooktops many times before and I have never had a problem keeping them clean. I wipe up spills when they happen and remove the grates and clean well underneath them a few times a week (It takes a few minutes). I love to cook and have used this rangetop on a daily basis in the few months I've had it. It still looks like brand new.

If it were me I wouldn't make the decision based on how the unit cleans but on how it cooks for your purposes. I love cooking with gas. There's just something about a flame! The Wolf rangetop does not have stainless steel under the grates and I can't remember from looking a few months ago whether the Thermador has SS or not. I don't think I would be as thrilled with SS but that is just my opinion. I've seen posts from many people on here who say they love the SS on their cooktops. Good luck with your choice.

Wondering why your friends recommended against induction? I've been reading this board and the kitchen board regularly for almost a year now, and have not seen many negative remarks about induction, especially by those that know what they're talking about. The valid arguments for gas over induction that I recall are the ability to cook if the power goes out, the ability to use really large pots (canning), and the fact that special cookware is not required. I also think there are some kitchen styles where a gas cooktop or range would just fit in better.

I would do some reading here as there are quite a few threads dealing with the induction v. gas debate. And I've heard that many restaurants are switching over from gas to induction, if that tells you anything.

Personally, I'm planning to switch to induction. The only downside I see for me is that I may have to purchase some new cookware. But different people have different opinions on the matter (e.g., check out some of the opinions in the thread below).

Here is a link that might be useful: Induction vs. gas range

as far as I can tell the whole thing is stainless except for the grates and the knob area. Is that a problem? Anyone with stainless gas cooktop?

There is some reality and some overworrying. A lot depends on what kind of cooktop you were thinking of, and how hard, and how often, you want to clean it. Also, depends on how messy a cook you are.

Stainless can stain. Silly, given the name, huh? Acids can make spots, for instance. So can aluminum, I think. Any kind of gunk left on can discolor it. If you do up the dishes then clean off the stove, you're fine. If you want it to be sparkling and only clean it once a week, you'd better be careful about what you spill. There is stainless steel cleaner, but generally a little dishsoap and water should be fine. Give it a quick wipe dry with a rag.

Lifting the grates can be a hassel. They're heavy and clumsy. They're easy to clean with a nylon scrubbie, though. You can also burn off the gunk by turning the flames on them.

Open burner rangetops are harder to clean because they have to be taken apart and have more pieces, but I don't think you were talking about that, right?

Is cleaning up induction easier? Heck yes! Wipe, wipe with a damp sponge to remove any spills. Wipe, wipe with a clean towel to remove smears. When you do your regular wash down of the counters just include the cooktop. Plus, you can wipe up as you cook and spill. I've even lifted a pot to wipe under it. The surface gets hot, but not too hot. (Don't put the pot down on a wet surface. That could lead to a crack. If you wipe wet, dry before you put the pot back).

If you're frying or making spaghetti sauce or some other really yuckily splattery thing, you can put newspaper or parchment paper under your pot to catch the splatters and throw it away.

I have both. Both are great. Cleaning the gas isn't hard. Though my previous gas cooktops were enamel...and I don't use the new stainless one that often (except as a fantastic trivet!) because I'm usually using the induction.

Plumberry, I wonder if your friends actually are thinking about induction and not just regular ol' smooth top electric ranges? I ask, not to be patronizing, but because I live in a very "foodie" town in NJ where many of my friends have recently renovated their kitchens, own shares in the local organic farm, organize trips to rural PA to buy grass fed beef, subscribe to Cook's Illustrated, have informed knowledge of the difference between Miel and Bosch dishwashers, etc. and still, none of them have heard of induction.

I have a stainless top on my DCS gas range and I spend less time cleaning it than I did my ceran top Thermodor.

Totally agree with you francoise47. I'm heading the induction route soon and, in one of my discussions, one of my friends was vehemently against it. A little more questioning on my part revealed that my friend was talking about the old electric smoothtops. After I walked him through the concept of induction, his eyes lit up and you could see he was rethinking the whole situation.

QUOTE FROM ABOVE:
"Plumberry, I wonder if your friends actually are thinking about induction and not just regular ol' smooth top electric ranges? "

I get this all the time when people see my induction. They are thinking smooth top electric. I explain the difference, but they don't really understand unless they are in the kitchen cooking along side me. For me, the speed of heat up/ cool down rivals if not surpasses gas; the fact that you can clean up as you go along - heck you can even place parchment right next to the pan to catch the spills if you want. Spills don't bake on as there really is not much residual heat on the cooktop, sure the cooktop gets hot, but not bake on hot). The ease of clean up described above coupled with extra counter space when not using all the burners, burners that turn themselves off if the pan is removed all led me to induction. I love it.

Thanks all for your messages. Now I'm even more confused which way to go, but that's not your fault. ugh!
Actually, I have a friend who works at appliance store says don't go induction eluding to that it's a trend. Another friend whose a cordon bleu chef said don't go induction, gas is better -restaurants use gas. Lastly, without me expressing an opinion either way on induction -no appliance salesman has ever suggested it and when I have asked about it still not much interest in selling it.

"Interesting "Trend" since they have been using induction in Europe for many many years. They do not have as affordable natural gas and electricty as we do and I suspect they have more laws dealing with the efficiency of appliances, lighting, and autos. I know in Holland many of their cars are Dual fuel in order to cut down on petroleum imports.

Of course California is trying to catch up with them, we already have laws here and more in 2012 and 2014 that due to "Energy legislation" written into them, We will eventually Kiss Incandescant lights (including Halogen and Xenon) goodbye.

I suspect eventually they will not only go after Electric Appliances that gulp a lotta electricity but eventually they will get around to gas and propane--who knows how long but I would not put anything past our "Idiots" here.

And other States will be copying Calif's examples---you can bank on it.

We watch The Food and the Cooking channel a lot, more and more of those shows are going to induction cooktops.

So, I don't think it's a Fad or a passing Trend. I think it is the future, I can understand ones fancy for the "Old Stuff" I have 2 Dodges, a 59 and a 64 and I have a blast with them, but for everyday driving, efficiency, safety etc etc, We drive the Honda.

As folks have mentioned, you won't just be paying for the gas, you will be paying for removing the heat it throws into the kitchen at least in the hotter months--now maybe you get some of that back in the winter?

Anyway, I think the correct view of Induction is, "It is the future" not a passing trend or fad. The fact that your appliance people aren't "Hip" to it or some "Chefs" (other Chef's are) should not weight all that heavily in your purchasing decision.

Old saying (yea another one), "You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks" but we learned a new "Trick" Induction. We Love it, Fast (nothing can beat it boiling) controllable, efficient and last but not least, nothing comes close to it in "Ease of Cleaning"

(Woff Woff Woff) no not that one GARY!!!!

Another perspective, may-be a little out of left field: I have wondered why I'm not really interested in induction, since being able to keep it clean is really important to me. I think I decided that it was most important to really like the range -- the experience of cooking on it, the way it looks, the design, even just the personality of it. If I really like it-- either because of what it is or what it lets me do, then I don't mind so much taking care of it, including cleaning it (within reason, that is).

Sayde has a good point! I wonder if I went to such lengths to get the Gaggenau with the airhockey paddle knob because it gave the Jetsons stove more character? Nothing is going to beat the romance of cooking on a Cornue range. I flirted with it for awhile but couldn't do the ovens, then flirted with the Lacanche for a week. But as beautiful as they are and as romantic as all those brass valves are, I just don't like cooking on a range.

The knob is the only thing that makes the Gagg fun, romantic or interesting (not so romantic). But the actual cooking? Love that! If I really want romance and fire I'll get one of those tiled kamodo grills.

I mentioned in another thread that I made fritters in my wok the other night and the halogen lights on the hood were hotter than the cooking.

For romance, an open burner rangetop at the very least. For fritters in high Summer, induction.

Plllog, your post reminded me of something my home inspector said when we first bought our house. Commenting on our wood fireplaces, he said that they're a very romantic notion -- until the damp smoke smell starts permeating the room. Couple that with the safety hazard, cleaning, energy inefficiency, etc. etc. ...... just get a gas insert.

I think the analogy translates relatively well to cooktops. :)