So maybe my theory about the island trim being poorly designed is plausible..... That slight difference in the angle/direction of the vent holes could mean the difference between the thing working in applications like ours (agains the wall) or not, no? The woman we've been dealing with at Wolf and the senior tech both told us we should NOT NEED to use the hood in order for the burners to work, but never said we couldn't use it (they all still feel it's a good idea to use the hood when using any part of the range; oven or burners as per Wolf's directions in the manual), just that it's NOT NECESSARY to use the hood for good burner performance during pre-heat or any other time. The svce guys (except for the svce mgr) all seem to feel that using the hood (and on high no less!) IS necessary in order for the burners to function while the oven is preheating (and maybe even while in use, period). No wonder we're confused, huh plum? One person tells me one thing, another tells you something else, and yet another tells us both something different, and then Dave gets another story entirely. Between the range issues we've had (both the Jade and the Wolf), our pot filler faucet parts popping off all over the place, and fridge doors that keep on developing pinging noises while opening/closing them...is it any wonder I keep telling people we're only 99.9% done with our kitchen reno (and am afraid to begin the bathrooms reno planning)?!?!

Ha! We would be empty nesters but...we have had a few extras in the way of nieces and nephews and friends living with us due to transitions in their lives and now my son is back to town from school and looking for a job. In July we had a full house between semi-permanent guests and short term guests. I also cook meals that go out to my dad and sometimes others. When I watch the grandkids, I try to have dinner when the parents return so they don't have to cook. All this means I am generally cooking for 10--rarely just 2. If it is just the two of us, sometimes we just eat out :-))(date night!). I do use my wall oven the most but I am so glad to have the range oven and there are times that I almost could use another oven, more for a different temperature than capacity. On the other hand, I cooked for all these years with a 30 inch oven. The key for me to look effortless is having things made ahead. We have had "flying plates" dinners for 35, that consist of multiple mini courses that come out one after the other. Everything is premade on half sheets and the ovens got a workout for that. It seems like the family gatherings just get bigger- weddings and babies. Our extended family can be 30-40 and we have several parties a year for 60 or so. I also have had many wedding and baby showers, milestone birthdays and funeral dinners that range from 35-70 people. We also had rehearsal dinners but semi catered them. We didn't go with a warming drawer because the ovens go low enough to function that way and sometimes I use the rangetop. We had large disposable catering trays of pasta for a family dinner a few months ago and they kept warm on the simmer burners without scorching. I think one of the benefits of the warming drawer is that it keeps the humidity in the food so with the steam oven, you might not need it. If you haven't had convection, I think you will love it but it isn't for everything. I look at it as a tool and only use it when it will be a benefit to what I am cooking. I am still learning about it. I think your modes on the steam oven are different than on the regular oven. There is a slow roast vs a roast and convection roast. I would read the use and care manuals on all the appliances to better understand how they work. I don't agree with all of Wolf's recommendations for convection baking though. Convection is not the optimum thing for cakes or anything that needs to rise at least in the first part of the cooking cycle.

A few thoughts: - In addition to pancakes, steaks, and other griddle things we use ours as a warming plate and pseudo french top. This works great for both cooking and keeping things like sauces warm. We've currently a Wolf 36" AG w/ 12" griddle + 4 burners that we've been very happy with. Will likely do a 48" AG BS w/ 24" griddle + 4 burners in new house. - A built-in thermostatically controlled griddle is massively easier to use than a plate on top of burners. - We've not found cleaning a problem. After use we scrape it with a spatula and then wipe some peanut oil on after it cools but is still warm. This has worked well for 15 or so years. It's a bit of a splotchy bronze patina but works great. My wife will sometimes put the SS cover on it. - If a second oven is the key driver then think about an AG range + separate electric oven. Gas and electric cook different and we're glad we have both. The wall mount oven is also at a more convenient height that lessens stooping. - I am very much function over form. Our kitchen is primarily a workshop. Bad functionality will frustrate us far more than bad aesthetics. OTOH, a kitchen that looks like it functions good and is well used has it's own aesthetic appeal.

In picking out your cooking appliances, there is no one appliance that is best at everything. Cooks are a diverse lot and a very individualized assessment should be made looking at how you cook and what other needs might be considered. There are many threads on this very subject Wolf vs BS if you search back on this forum. These ranges are on opposite ends of the range spectrum. These are some of the physical differences that do not require someone using the oven to know about. BlueStar burners BTUs are higher, but unable to compare simmers because BS rated theirs by temperature, which is meaningless uncapped burners- if you wok, this feature allows the flame to go straight up, more to the middle. This allows more heat to the middle of the wok. The cap on Wolf causes more flare on the highest heat. star shape burner- burner ports are dispersed over greater area open burner tray with pull out underneath -some people have strong opinions about which is easier to clean. BlueStar oven gas oven- although moisture is released as a product of combustion, the oven requires more ventilation so that moisture and moisture from what is cooking along with more heat go out of the oven into the kitchen. Because this removes more moisture superficially from whatever is cooking it promote the Maillard and other reactions that produce browning. convection is simple, on and off no other cooking modes much bigger oven, holds a full commercial baking sheet or 2 half sheets infrared broiler-hot but smaller Wolf Ring burners-dual stacked so it allows for a different range of heat on each burner. This keeps the spread of a sealed burner down. sealed burner tray-again strong opinions about which is easier to clean black enamel capped burner, more spread than BS but not as much as something like 5star The cap and sealed tray were developed to make burners easier to clean in the 1980s but not everyone thinks it easier to clean less BTUs on the top rating, but very low simmer If you are wanting a built in griddle Wolf's infrared heat source is superior because it provides even heat to the griddle which is rolled steel and will tend to hot spot. Wolf oven Electric oven-More of a closed system so holds onto the moisture from what you are baking. This can give a longer rise for what you are baking but if you have been using a gas oven, you might not notice this as much. Computer boards are necessary to control direction of heat from top, bottom or back(called true or Euro convection) elements. The oven cycles through all of them but more from the bottom from baking and more from the top for roasting . There are also two fan speeds. Not everyone likes having all of the electronics. The oven is much smaller. The broiler is much bigger. Sad to say this and any blue enamel lined Wolf product has the problem of chipping from to time. It has been going on for 10 years and there are a few class action lawsuits going on. That last one reported here was about a month ago on a range about a month old. I have the Wolf DF and I did like the oven until it chipped. The burners worked for me because the flare was just right for bigger pans and I have very heat conductive pans (aluminum and copper) so don't need the star burner. I would love to replace this but have not found any dual fuel ranges that I have confidence in. I have used real commercial ranges, one with star burners. It had no simmer and BS users report the simmer to be good. If I were buying now, I would buy a rangetop and separate wall ovens. You can pick what is best in each. I would pick electric because I do bake a lot. I can use the fan to have that evaporative loss you have in a gas oven. You would most likely be better served with BS burners and the gas oven would be good for what you bake and roast, except cakes so aside from ergonomic issues with a wall vs range oven, the range would work for you.