Westtoeast, I posted earlier in this thread months ago when I was considering this range for myself. I have now owned and been using the GE Cafe range since late May. I have been very pleased with it. I have not had any problems with the burners going out on the simmer setting, nor have my knobs gotten hot while the oven is in use. There were complaints when the range first came out about knobs melting, but the knobs were replaced on newer models. I've fortunately not experienced this problem with mine. I have yet to use the lower oven so I can't attest to how that works. I will probably be testing it out at Thanksgiving - on second thought, I'll probably give it a test run before! I have used the griddle quite a bit and love having that feature. I've only used it for things like pancakes, french toast and grilled cheese. The only real complaint I have about the range is that the burners on the front both have higher BTUs. You can't simmer on either of them. I had a large pot of chili on the front burner and had it on the lowest setting and it still was boiling. I wish they had swapped out the burners so that they had one of the powerboil burners on back and simmer on front. When I'm making a pasta dish, I like to boil pasta on the back burner out of the way while preparing sauce on one of the front burners. Makes it less crowded. Plus, if I'm making something that needs to simmer, yet needs constant attention, like making a roux for homemade mac and cheese, I have to be very careful. The front burner is almost too hot at the lowest setting but the back burner is inconvenient - reaching to the back to regularly stir/whisk is a pain. That said, I would still buy this range if I were to make the decision again, but it would be nice if GE redesigned the burners. Very easy to keep clean and maintain and looks appealing. All in all, I've been very happy with this range so far.

Do not buy the GE Cafe Stove/Range!!! Nothing but problems..... I bought the GE Cafe all gas range in May. First time I used the oven, it shut off automatically. No error code displayed - just the digital clock was illuminated. This same problem occurred over and over again - at 350, 375, 400, and 425 degrees. Sometimes it would shut off in the pre-heat cycle, but mostly while I was baking or cooking dinner. Incredibly frustrating and a few baking recipes were ruined. Repair Technican came out - said needed new control panel. But the panel was back ordered. GE replaced the stove under warranty at the end of June. We were away for all of July and August. Started using the new range beginning of September. This 2nd GE Cafe stove is even worse than the first one - this range has 5 problems. 1) This oven also shuts off automatically while trying to bake something in the oven. Cancel button has not been touched - often goes off when I am out of the room - so I know it wasn't accidentally stopped. 2) All six knobs across the front have melted - they all need to be replaced. But I wonder if the replacements will melt as well in the future??? I have never broiled - and GE thought I had this problem because I had broiled something. Realistically - I should be able to broil without the knobs melting! 3) One of the burner knobs turns on whenever you touch it - you don't have to push it in to ignite the pilot - it turns on with a mere touch - very dangerous as it can be turned on without you realizing it. 4) The oven door does not line up properly - there is a larger gap on one side compared to the other 5) Gas leaks out of one of the top burners - even when the indicator knob is in the 'Off' position! So we now have the stove disconnected because we don't want gas leaking into the kitchen and house. GE wants to repair all the problems. But the Control Panel is still on back order and won't be here until the middle of November - it was ordered on Sept. 17th. So I don't have a working oven until the middle of November and that is only if it arrives on time - they won't guarantee arrival of the back ordered part. The valve to stop the gas leak is supposed to arrive at the end of next week - so another week without a stove or cooktop. Can't run the gas because it leaks until new valve is installed. I wish I had never bought this piece of junk. And I am not the only person experiencing these problems - many others have documented the same issues. Why doesn't GE fix this before they keep selling this defective model to unsuspecting customers???

weissman & francoise47, I appreciate both of your opinions with I value. I have not seen the backguard in person. I will wait to get more opinions and then make my decision but I am not sure what I will be doing with the backsplash yet so maybe I should wait. If I don't do a backsplash until next spring, would it be OK to only have the stove against the drywall in my kitchen that is painted with no backguard or tile backsplash if I paint behind the stove in a semi-gloss?

If your designer says you can fit a 48” range, then you can fit a 36” rangetop and 30” double wall ovens. Note I said *rangetop*, not range and not cooktop. You‘d get everything you need. A 36” wide rangetop will give you 6 burners, yet not need the enormous exhaust and upper wall space of a 48” range. (You’ll still need a good exhaust though, don’t overlook that whatever you do). You’d get your 2 ovens. And they won’t be cavernous 36” ovens that take a while to heat up. And you put your pots and pans in the deep drawers directly under the rangetop (see pic) for great convenience and efficient use of space. And you won’t have to bend down for that low range oven either. Win, win, win, win. Here comes that Thanksgiving turkey or that roast, imagine basting while standing straight. Here are some photos of rangetops in case you aren’t familiar. (P.S. your rangetop and separate double 30” wall ovens do not have to be the same brand.)