We have the GE 30" Profile, with the ss frame. Purchased in summer 2008. At the time, the specs were exactly the same between the profile and the monogram, and the profile was a few hundred less (via the induction site). We did think the stainless/mirrored monogram looked really cool, but the black controls on it were funny looking, so decided to stick to all black. Got the framed version because we were worried about cracking an exposed glass corner without it. Performance is excellent. The large burder is quite large and very powerful. Overall, great control, great power and a good price. Cleaning up is easy and no noticeable scratches or other issues after 9 months. Only small quibbles--it does hum (not enough to bother us, but usually it is noticeable), more so with some cookware than others. Wish the larger burner were centered so as to provide better capture of smoke when stir-frying (we have it in a peninsula). Clearance requirements underneath are high--meant we used pullout shelves instead of more efficient drawers under it. On balance, happy and would recommend.

I may have been the poster you remember saying how much the GE Monogram stainless metallic fits with their kitchen. We have a luce di luna quartz counter top and a black glass cooktop would have looked terrible with it IMO. The reflective stainless makes it look just like it all blends together from a distance. Because with induction nothing bakes on or gets really hot it is easy to wipe up any spills so after months of use we don't notice any problem with clean up of the trim or food getting stuck under any edges. Right now I'm a few hundred miles away so I can't inspect it to make sure my memory is accurate but I would say you shouldn't worry about clean up. Can you post a picture of your granite. From the name, Venetian gold, it sounds as if it is a lighter stone that a stark black glass cooktop may not blend with very well but I'm only guessing here. As you can tell, I'm very happy with the appearance of metallic stainless so you need to balance that out with your misgivings about the utilitarian considerations but, I'm also happy with how that is working out although I initially had the same worries as you about the cleaning. Generally, I consider myself a function over form person but I really did fall in love with the metallic stainless appearance and I'm still in love. HTH.

I have the GE Profile 30 inch induction cook-top and I love it. Clean-up is a breeze and the control is amazing. The burner configuration is good for my purposes as well. Yes, there is a 12-inch recommendation between the bottom of the cook-top and any combustible surface, but what I have below the top is two 15-inch pan drawers. That has worked out very well. (Nothing in the drawer directly below the cook-top ever seems to get hot, by the way. But I guess GE is just super cautious.) I was told that the Monogram and the Profile Induction Cook-tops are the same as far as the workings--they just differ in trim and price. Whether that is true, I don't know. But I wanted the one with-out any stainless trim anyway.

I got the Tramontina TriPly Clad online at walmart.com. I researched this a lot, on the Cookware Forum and at Cooks Illustrated. This set had better sizes and a lower price than the ones I found at BB&B. I don't usually buy from Walmart, but this was the best I could find.