"Does paint grade wood give better results than my existing stained oak wood?" 100%, the heavy grain of the oak is very tough to cover completely. "Also, the painter said the process will take a lot of prepping, sanding, using oil based primer, again sanding and paint spraying." Sounds correct or close to it.

Eversebz We plan on painting the kitchen walls white ( BM Simply White ) along with the rest of our home 😊 But yes, I agree if we weren’t , white subway tile might make the walls look dingy

JuneKnow...When I clean them with a damp sponge, moisture collects in the crevice between the trim and the door face. But the paint is also coming off too easily and there are a few places where it has chipped off. I stripped the stain off and painted my old cabinets, and didn't have this problem.

My first priority would go to function. Replace the Ceran range with induction. Ikea has a Electrolux product with a 5 year warranty for $1040. Link. Or you could choose a slide-in from Bosch. The difference in response and performance is night and day. And cleanup is a simple wipe.