I am also looking for the same advice. I have been reading the posts and either a person is a devotee to one or the other but it seems that these comments are by people who only have experience with the one they like. Has anyone actually tried both that could say there is a real difference for someone who likes to cook but isn't a top chef?

I don't know anyone who has used both extensively. Perhaps a private chef on Chowhound? Also, with LaCornue, are you talking about the estate ranges or the CornuFe? The CornuFe is very different, and more of a heads up competitor to a similar sized Lacanche.

Things to consider:

Customizability. Do you want a variety of cooking surfaces on a large range? A choice of oven configurations? Extra comparments like cupboards, drawers and warmers?

Power: Burner size and configuration.

Plating rail: Either you love 'em or hate 'em or just think they look cool.

Color: Are you looking for a custom match or a standard choice?

Weight: I haven't looked recently, but the traditional estate ranges from LaCornu were as heavy as they were large, required a riser to sit on, and needed proper support.

Availability: How long will your custom range take to be fabricated and shipped?

Price: Duh.

I'm sure there are a lot of other considerations as well. If you take a deep look at each, even if you're in the CornuFe/Lacanche equivalent end, you should get a good idea of which one just seems right to you. Try doing configurations for each--ignoring the competitor--and seeing what you like, then try getting them as close to equivalent as possible, and seeing what you don't like/had to give up, etc. Could be illuminating.

I'll just add one thing to pillog's very good comments: the CornuFe is not a direct competitor to Lacanche, despite some similarities in the available configurations in the 40"-44" sizes. For those who haven't yet, I would invite you to compare the build quality of each and decide for yourself.

The CornuFe is a good consumer-grade, mass-produced and ready-to-ship Rangemaster unit with great looks, no question. One model does feature the signature vaulted oven that has made the reputation of the Chateau line.

Each Lacanche range on the other hand is still assembled by hand, made-to-order and based on a professional line used extensively in Europe. If you take a close look to details like the grates, burner caps, knobs, trim pieces, weight / feel of the oven doors, etc, you should be able to see the differences for yourself. And, as mentioned, Lacanche offers much more in terms of customization.

As you long as you know what to expect and you are comfortable with your choice, that's the most important!

Good luck in your decision,

Patrick - The French Barn

Yes. I meant that the estate ranges of both lines are more broadly different, not that the smaller ones were actually similar in substance. The biggest difference for the cook is the La Cornue domed roasting ovens, which are small and limited by American expectations and require a very different mindset on how to use an oven. The people I know who have chateau ranges also have a bank of wall ovens, primarily for baking and for the caterers.

La Corune also makes smaller handmade ranges in the Chateau line, but I think the ovens set them apart. They also don't have an induction top, which rumor has it will soon be available on the Lacanche. Lacanche has an optional plancha (flattop, griddle, teppanyaki equivalent), and the option for a big power burner, wok style, instead of the French top. La Cornue has an option for a single width French top (most are double), a pair of electric hobs, and a double sized square power burner with drip tray, not so well configured for a wok. Both have grills: The La Cornue is gas with lava rocks. I'm not sure about Lacanche but it reads like it's electric. Lacanches burner pairs are equal sized and come in 11K and 15K. La Cornue's are one high and one low, 17K and 7.5K.

There are a few models of CornueFe, which have some options, but aren't built to order. You can get the vaulted gas oven on the new model.

Pillog,

I think the Chateau line (with the original vaulted oven) starts with a 75cm (30") model. I agree that these are quite different from what most consumers (and caterers!) are used to here.

Lacanche does offer a gas grill, as well as 4 different burners sizes (5k, 11k, 15k and 18k BTU), and the layout of the burners can be customized on most of our models. The rumor is correct, induction will be coming to North America (no definite timeline at this stage though).

I don't think you can go wrong with either a Chateau or a Lacanche range, as long as it fits your needs, style and budget. Both are excellent options!

I considered both when I was in the market for a range. I purchased a Lacanche for all the reasons stated above by Patrick at the French Barn and more.

I did extensive research on these two ranges others as well. The Lacanche seemed to always come out ahead. There are thousands of positive reviews going back years by owners who come back to this forum (Gardenweb) and sing the praises of their ranges. And many are not new owners like me, many have owned their ranges for years; this was a huge selling point for me.

The personal service that Lacanche provides is stellar. Elisa in their New York office was very knowledgable and patient with me. She answered my endless questions and provided excellent guidance about the different ranges and configurations for over 1 1/2 years while I decided which range was best for me. This service has continued through delivery and installation.

The two local stores that sell La Cornue locally couldn't answer many of my questions about the range and either one knew that the business had been bought out by the English company, Rangemaster.

I've had mine for just over 5 weeks and I couldn't be more pleased with it. No regrets.

Thanks, Patrick. They only showed the two burner sizes on the USA website. After I posted, it occurred to me that I thought someone had mentioned a simmer burner.

Villaevic, there are lots of different considerations, and both have pluses and minuses, but the coming induction option puts a big plus on the Lacanche side. You get the beautiful custom range and induction, too. Plus all that flamey stuff for when you want to get hot. :) (I have dual cooktops, induction and gas, and use the induction way more.) If you do go for the induction, consider getting the power burner rather than the French top. You don't really need a French top if you have induction, unless you have lots of tiny pots with different sauces and confections in them. What induction isn't so good at is woks and oversized (diameter) pots, which makes pairing with the power burner ideal.

Thanks for all the great info! I am sorry I was not more clear in my first question. I had originally been looking to get a 36" Wolf Range/Oven with an additional Wolf Wall Oven and the Wolf Wall Convection Steamer Oven. I do a lot of cooking from scratch including making lots of Broth but I still didn't see my self using more then 6 burners and honestly did not want the hassle of cleanup with the grille and I don't really use a griddle. So the 36' size worked for me.

Then I started looking at the LaCornue line out of curiosity and was surprised to see the CornuFe line seemed to be in the similar price range of the Wolf. I had concerns about the oven size but with my wall oven its wasn't huge. However, I did go see the Chateau line and the CornuFe line in person and really the quality seemed very different. The Chateau line seemed more robust and the quality of the handles and grates much heavier and studier.

I am going to look at the Chateau 90 again this week, but the price is way way higher then the CornFe so I am not sure I want to spend the money. It is more for the beauty of the piece. Then I read about Lacanche and the 5 burner models seem to be in the price range, but again the oven is small..

At any rate I appreciate everyone's feedback!

Just a quick suggestion for you, @jlangfo . If you can bump up your range size to 40" (39-3/8" to be exact!), our Volnay / Vougeot models do have 5 burners, a warming cupboard and a large oven. The oven size on Vougeot would be close to that of the Chateau 90.

As discussed above, the Chateau and CornuFe are in a completely different league, and their prices reflect that. For slightly more than a CornuFe however, Lacanche would give you a much, much better product.

Good luck with your decision, please keep us updated!

Patrick

Thanks again for the information and recommendation on the Lacanche!

I live in Chicago so unfortunately I would have to contact them to see if I could go look at it at a current owner's house. That is really the biggest draw back for me, but probably worth the time to try to set it up. Thanks again! Cute pic!

Huruta, I never get tired of looking at that picture!

My wife and I plan to get a La Cornue Chateau 150 for the new house we are building. Our house is in the French Provincial style, so we expect the range to fit in well.

One thing to consider for the Chateau is that La Cornue just introduced their new G4 generation of ranges in Europe. You can see them on the French website. The G4 has an improved oven design. I am informed by a U.S. rep that the G4 cannot be ordered in the U.S. until June 2016 at the earliest.

jlangfo, I would bet there is someone in Chicago who would be more than happy to show you their range. It's definitely worth a call the Lacanche show room in NY or Seattle to see what they can do for you. I live in Ann Arbor, MI and I worked with the New York show room, Elisa. She arranged for my husband and I to see a Sully 1400 about an hour from here. Or, if you are ever in Ann Arbor, I'd be happy to show you my range!