Consumer Reports says there is no advantage to dual fuel. It used to be that electric ovens were a lot more accurate than gas. That's not true any more because gas ovens are now electronically controlled are are as accurate as electric. We bought a Bosch gas range about 2 years ago after living with electric for more years than we can count. We switched to gas because we wanted to be able to use the cooktops when there a power failure -- in North Carolina they happen sometimes when there's an ice storm. You can use the gas tops when there is no power -- just light with a match. But you cannot use the oven because it is electronically controlled. But at least you can boil water, thaw out something in the freezer or whatever. The Boaxh gas ranges have self-cleaning ovens with convection option, which is nice when you want to roast something -- it comes out nice is crispy. And the broiler is terrific. And you close the over door when you broil -- you do not leave is ajar like in electric.

We really like the Bosch. When our installer looked at the oven gas jets he said, "Wow. I never saw that before except in a commercial oven."

There are other good brands besides Bosch. But don't be afraid to go all gas.

I'm in somewhat the same boat and the advice I've received is it all depends on the type of cooking that you do.

For your cooktop, gas is the way to go if you're already piped for it. Better heat, better control, less wait to come up to temperature, unless you consider an induction heater. IMHO, I'd not go to electric from an existing gas cooktop/rangetop.

For the oven, you have a different animal. I agree with the previous poster that says gas ovens have made great strides in temperature control, and both do a great job cooking nowadays with all the brains and chips that help you. However the difference is in type of cooking -- if you do a lot of baking, pastry, etc. then definitely go with an electric oven. Electric ovens provide more of a dry heat than gas ovens, which makes for much better baking conditions.

If you do more roasting and baking of casseroles, etc. then you want to go with gas, which is a more "wet" heat.

Not to say a roast in an electric oven will be too dry or cookies baked in a gas oven will be soggy, but if you want optimal conditions for baking you'd want dual fuel.

With modern convection options, I'm told the heat flow in a gas convection oven isn't as even as an electric convection oven, as the elements in a gas oven are in the top and bottom while electric has top, bottom, and behind the fan.

Just what I've learned -- we are also in the same boat of looking at high end consumer ranges, but I believe we have decided to go with a Jenn-Air slide in (all gas), just barely ahead of the Electrolux (all gas). Of the brands you named, I would go with the Electrolux, for the gliding shelves. :o)

And yes, there are self-cleaning gas ovens. Another feature we would not want to do without.

Thanks for the updates. The blue porcelain, fade on/off halogen lights and the trick shelves on the Electrolux are certainly beguiling.

I do a lot of wok cooking, so I wonder if I will be constantly cleaning those knobs and control panel of the grease spatter. Hopefully a 27 inch 600 cfm min hood will help take care of that...otherwise the whole house smells for hours after.

Don't know who invented downdraft exhaust, but they do not work! I think that is why I discounted Jenn Air, but I will take a look at that also.

Thanks for the tip on the AJ Madison website. It makes it handy to compare different options.

Funny, we do a lot of wok cooking as well. The burners on both the Electrolux and the Jenn-Air seem to have the center burner so there's no "dead spot" as we currently have. You're fortunate you have a real hood -- we have to make do with a combination microwave/hood. :-(

WRTO Downdraft on the Jenn-Air, we are not considering the models with downdraft. The highest model without downdraft seems to have most of the features we want, so that is where we are leaning right now. Until purchase time, however, anything is subject to change!

BTW, the GE Cafe has sealed burners, so that would have the dead spot on the center of your wok -- definitely consider that in your choice. I'd go with either an open burner or something that has the min-2-max type multi-burner that both the Electrolux and Jenn-Air have.

Thanks stomsf. Now let me ask a stupid question. What do you mean by dead spot?

Chas2rl-not a stupid question, I was wondering the same thing. Stomsf-Do you mean where the sealed burner is, so it would be on the bottom in the middle of the wok?
Haus_proud-So good to hear about the Bosch. It was on my short list and I took it off b/c I haven't been able to find feedback on it.

Despite the price difference I'm still leaning toward that dual fuel for two reasons. I'm a little afraid of gas ovens from my younger days. Also DD2 has been working with a pastry chef (read: friend of family who is trained) and she still prefers the electric oven although her cooktop is gas.

Not a stupid question at all. A sealed burner basically is a ring of fire around the burner. Unfortunately a larger output sealed burner means a larger circumference circle, which means there's less heat in the center.

So if you're heating a wok on a large sealed burner, your heat is focused on the ring all around the center of the wok. The best heat for a wok and stir fry is concentrated heat in the center so the ingredients can cook quickly in the center and be moved about the outsides where it's not as hot to cool or to cook with less intense heat.

A sealed burner (like on our existing Frigidaire Gallery) won't let you get heat into the center except for by conduction. The Electrolux and Jenn-Air have sealed burners but have a stacked/multi-burner design that has a small secondary burner that ignites in the center. On the Electrolux website you can watch a video of the burner and see what I mean.

Good luck!