Consider Wolf, DCS, and Capital - I really think pricewise they're in the same ballpark as Thermador and Viking.

I'm in the same boat - have been scouring this website for several years - getting close to starting a kitchen reno and have saved a lot of money to start buying appliances. It seems like a crapshoot - Viking or Thermador. Wolf, DCS, Fivestar, Electrolux, Miele....it's really overwhelming. I'm in the same boat as campbell 914 - would really love the heavens to open and the gods of kitchen appliances to shine down and state clearly that "this" is the best proline range you can buy....along with fridge, dishwasher and wall oven!! I really appreciate reading all of your opinions/comments...but also feel frustrated that after all these years of searching, I still am not sure of what to purchase!

campbell, you should be able to get a DCS or Capital for a comparable price. When I was appliance shopping, the shop owner (friend of dh) said "I can give you a great price on a Viking. Especially a floor model. But ..." and the message was clear.

ashtangagirl, I think we all get caught up in the "what is the BEST??" conundrum, but it comes down to what works for YOU? What configuration, what heat source, how many burners and ovens, etc. Any one of the brands you mentioned (Wolf, DCS, Fivestar, Electrolux, Miele) is going to work VERY well.

I like the quote by Mario Batalli, "I can make almost any dish in my restaurants on four crummy electric burners with a regular oven  as can just about anyone else who cares to."

Go with what you want, sales people will push you in a direction that offers better commissions or what is better for the house, consumers only give bad reviews when they have a service problem and they feel they are not being treated properly. The customers who are satisfied are seldom heard from. Both Viking and Thermador sell tons of product and have been successful for years.

Capital!!! It even has a heavy duty rotisserie!!! Can't wait to get to use that! And the rolling racks....love it.

Our Viking range (gas) has worked fine - we have it for five years.

I think an important aspect is that there is competent service available for what ever product you purchase. Buying from a store a long distance away, or getting it shipped, you may find there is not a lot of support.

we've had our viking 6 burner rangetop for 5 years. No problems encountered

Camp
I feel your frustration with the complexity of appliance shopping - and trying to get the facts seem to be impossible. When you peel beneath the layer of the incoming information, most of it has no scientific basis

I went through the same 3 yrs ago - after many visits/hrs in my local appliance showroom that had working ranges - I visited the Viking delearship in Ct - that helped a lot - to see the Viking in action side by side to the competition -

I purchased a 36" AG range - and an extended warranty (not really a fan of them but I thought w/the size of the investment it was worth it)i think that was $100 - I had a few minor issues that were quickly addressed - I'd purchase the same again if I had to remodel

Good luck in your search

I've had both the Viking gas range open burner (6) and the Thermador cooktop (LP) sealed burner (6) both 36 in. I prefer the Viking but I understand they are not making the open burners any more. I have one retailer looking for one for me because I'm replacing the Thermador (It died after 2+ years in a lightning strike). But (not to throw a monkey wrench into the mix) I think I'm gonna spend the extra money and get the Bluestar (because it has the open burners that I prefer).

The Thermador had problems with the low simmer feature from the day I got it. The burner would shut off automatically even when on high or medium. Very frustrating. Its actually more difficult to clean than the open burner viking I had.
And even the low simmer feature couldn't get low enough to simmer stock properly (my Kenmore gas grill burner did a better job). And if you have a problem with thermador, their customer service is lousy (Had the freedom fridge/freezer columns with mult repairs never really fixed).
The Viking open burners I had in my old house for 7+ years NEVER had any problems. The range had a problem with the ignition ( the door would blow open because the unit would fill up with too much gas before sparking) It was fixed in short order (2or 3 days if I remember) and I never had another problem with it.
Good luck with your decision!

I prefer the Viking but I understand they are not making the open burners any more.

Ubbazmom - on the Viking website, they are showing two 36" ranges with open burners, the #VGIC and the #VGRC.

I bought a $5900 (at that time) Thermador 36" stove with a grill (a dream since I live in a NYC apartment). It worked for five years then the grill stopped working. The service guy said the wires had melted (how does that happen on a high end stove???) AND that it created an explosion hazard. The parts are backordered for FOUR months. Very frustrated with horrible customer service at Thermador: four months is totally unacceptable. I have a family and we cook at home every night. They scoffed at replacing my stove and literally laughed in my face at the idea of compensating me for eating out for all that time.

I will never buy another Thermador again. I can deal with a problem (even a scary one like explosion hazard). But I can't deal with completely uninterested customer service on so serious an issue.