We chose Advantium due to the versatility and because it matched our Monogram oven beautifully. I first used the Advantium at my folks house, and I know what you mean about the button punching: I just wanted to heat something up, and it seemed too complicated to me. However, my "best friend" became the EXPRESS button - punch it once for 30 seconds (instant on), twice for 60, three for 90 seconds, etc. Once I figured this out, I was less intimidated. I got more adventurous when our Advantium arrived, and I caught on in a few days to some of the more advanced functions - especially microwave. Because I rarely use the full extent of this oven's capabilities, I still sometimes have to look at the handy quick reference guide. It does make sense after some experience, so I'm having to use the "cheat sheet" much less after 3 months. I'm still experimenting with it's presets, our experience is it tends to overcook some things, so if there is something rather delicate that we don't want to overheat, we go manually in steps. We use our mostly as a microwave. My wife speedcooks sometimes (uses the halogen lights to brown chicken/turkey), and when entertaining, I use it as a 2nd convection oven, or a food warmer (has moist or dry warmer setting), or even a simple dinner plate warmer while I use our main oven for cooking. I could cook almost everything in the Advantium, and use the main oven for warming food/plates, but I still like to use the main oven for higher temperatures (e.g. bread) and roasting - especially larger items. In the case of bread baking, I use the Advantium as proof oven - it's perfect in that function. I can toast with the Advantium, but I prefer a toaster oven we have nearby on a countertop as it's simple and does a better job. Also,the little toaster oven does the best job reheating things like pizza slices, and I can keep the Advantium available for microwaving/heating other things quickly. I would always recommend an Advantium in any new or remodeled kitchen over a basic microwave, double ovens, or extra warmers. -DH of gracesantacruz

You did a great job....and great lesson learned to yourself about perfection and expectations. And thanks for sharing your experience with everyone. When are you going to remodel another kitchen? What will you do differently? Sometimes when I get clients that over obsess about selections, I try to refer them to a color specialist interior designer to NOT MAKE their decisions, but to have someone HELP them make their decisions. The small money spent for hourly help on this can be well worth it!!! I once had a client like you...I referred her to a color specialist and they helped her with the paint colors. She was thrilled and said she NEVER would have thought of the color he picked for her walls. Before she hired him, she bought like 10 quarts of paint and made her husband paint cardboard and hang them around the room. I think it just confused her more. Hiring interior design help is like having a personal shopper. My husband can shop for me better than I can for clothes! hahaha. Another job I did, the homeowner wanted white. The brand I carry had a half dozen whites to choose from, but it still wasn't that perfect white that she wanted. She then decided to do a custom color which added 30% to her kitchen. I thought it was crazy. In the end, she didn't love the Sherwin Williams white color she picked. She didn't hate it, but it wasn't exactly the perfect white. Her kitchen was gorgeous....and I hope she let that go and enjoyed it.

It's uncool, but my motion sense faucet is phenomenal. Everyone said who needs that? Well, I do! Egg on my hands? No problem! I can also save water while washing my hands without getting the handle soapy, and no more water running off my fingers forming a puddle on the counter as I turn off the faucet. I love it. Budget was an issue, so I went with Moen (you'd hate the look) but also because their sensor is set up so that it is always ready to go (a competitor you had to turn the handle first). The sensor in front of the spout went off too easily but you can turn it off. The sensor on top of the spout is the way to go. It could use a little more range but when three unrelated people each observed, "are you happy with anything in this renovation?" I said my faucet! If budget isn't an issue maybe live with a cheap (ugly) one for a while and see if you like that feature?

I think there's a learning curve to any new or different cooktop, and there's a learning curve to different cookware. Scanpan cooks differently from Greenpan cooks differently from Analon and Caphalon and they all cook very differently from plain AllClad and Demeyere, which will also have their nuances, and cast iron is yet another animal. So yes, there will be a learning curve, but it will come as much from the provided cookware as it will the cooktop, and it will be present regardless of whether you choose induction, gas, or electric. I think no matter what type of cooktop you choose, you're never going to make everyone happy. Gas and electric both tend to be love-hate. Many people hate on electric, but it's not unexpected for a short term rental; those who love gas may be slightly disappointed, but it's unlikely to get you bad reviews so long as it works. Those who love electric will likely be relieved to see an electric stove, and yes, there will be some who dislike a gas stove, but again, it is unlikely to affect reviews. (Personally, if I were stuck with a gas stove while on vacation, I'd either suck it up, just not cook every day, or bring my own portable cooktop. I'm sure those who prefer gas would do the same with electric.) Induction will have a fewer rabid fans, but it probably doesn't have many who are diametrically opposed to it. Given that you'll be providing all the cookware, it takes away a lot of the downside many people see in induction (not being able to use the pans they want). As for the safety concern with an electric stove top, yes, the burner retains heat, but so does a pan you just took out of the oven ... I think everyone knows that, and yet, we still manage to bump those and end up with a hand under running water or holding an icepack. If we're truly concerned about hazards, gas should be out, too, as a dishcloth could get into the flame and catch on fire ... but we have to assume somewhere along the way that those cooking can use common sense and/or notice when a wooden spoon has gotten too close to the burner and is slowly turning black ... Induction does remove some of these concerns, but the pan still gets hot, so someone, somewhere, can still manage to burn themselves, and someone will manage to start a fire microwaving leftovers ... If we take away all potential dangers, there isn't much of a kitchen left. If you want the safest, induction is probably the best choice, but there is no idiot-proof option. Get the stove you like ... whether it be for cleaning, looks, price, or just your use preference ... the renters will make do; so long as it functions properly, it'll be fine.