Can't comment on griddle (I have the charboiler), but the broiler is IR and it is great. We broil chicken about 6-7" below the element and it crisps beautifully. As for steaks, we usually pan sear and then finish in fast oven, but broiler will sear very well, especially if you move rack up closer to the element. If you're used to regular electric or gas non-IR broilers, the IR gas in the Wolf and other home proranges is significantly hotter.

The reason people usually complain about the griddle is because they don't realize that the griddle on these ranges is just like a restaurant griddle. It's always going to look oily and a bit dirty, and it should. That's what keeps the food from sticking and the surface smooth. When you buy it, it looks perfect, silver and clean and sleek, but once you use it it starts to turn a more yellowish brown, and that is exactly how it should (and will) look for its life. Unfortunately most people just don't realize this and they think the griddle is dirty and can never get clean.

If that would bother you, you should stay away from the griddle. Besides you can always order a griddle plate that can site ontop of the gas burners, which you can remove when you're done using it.

To answer your other questions the broiler on the wolf is very good, you will have no issues, it can be used to sear steaks without a skipping a beat.

Hope that helps.

Anthony
Appliance Buyer's Guide

Thanks for the feedback. Really appreciate it.

Cessnabmw - a more flexible option is to get a separate accessory griddle. That way, you have the option of having all 6 burners available when you need them, or using the griddle when you need it. You can also buy 2 accessory griddles if you are, say, making pancakes for a big crowd. You can just put them away when you are not using them. Furthermore, an accessory griddle is easier to clean than a built-in since you can just bring it to the sink. People have complained before on this forum that the built-in griddles look dirty after a while, as mentioned in the post above. Also, I wonder what is the cost for the Wolf built-in griddle vs., say, $50-60 for the accessory griddle.

Some people say the built-in griddle will provide a more even heat. But if you get a good accessory griddle, it shouldn't be a problem. I am linking below to the winner of the Cook's Illustrated testing of stovetop griddles. I myself have the classic Lodge cast iron griddle that fits across my burners (the LPG13), and I'm not sure I recommend it--it's a great size, but t takes a long time to heat, and then if you need it to be cooler quickly (e.g. the pancakes are browning too quickly), the Lodge cast iron is not quick to cool. It is also heavy and therefore harder to clean. One reason why Cook's Illustrated liked the Anolon Griddle I am linking below is because they found that Anodized Aluminum griddles were superior in having even heating across the griddle. While it's heavy enough to maintain an even heat, it's definitely not nearly as heavy as a cast iron griddle.

One more suggestion - you could get an electric griddle. Those provide even more flexibility because you can still have all the 6 burners available on your range, and have the electric griddle working on the counter, or wherever. I am linking an expensive one and a less expensive one, both good choices.

Anolon Advanced 18-by-10-Inch Griddle

Broil King Pro Electric Griddle

Presto Electric Griddle

It depends on your cooking needs. I have a 48" 4 burner, grill and griddle. The griddle is by far our favorite feature. We use it for breakfast foods and dinner- tepan, hamburgers etc. we are a family of five and eat most of our meals at home. We wish we would have bought a larger griddle and forgone the grill.

As far as cleaning its a breeze. I don't know why that would be a complaint from anyone. You treat as a cast iron pan. Just rinse off and keep it oiled. After a little use it becomes nicely seasoned and nonstick. If you don't like the lived in look they offer a stainless steel cover (which we bought, but stopped using after a couple of weeks.

Before our new home I used the pan that covers the burners by lodge and also an electric griddle. There is no comparison to the built-in griddle.

The broiler temp on the top rack is about 361 degrees