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???

I can sympathize- I had the same dilemma because I needed a 24" Range. I bought the Bluestar, because I wanted something better than a Hotpoint or the cheaper Avanti's but I did not trust the Delonghi after looking at it. The Bluestar, American, and Capital all have bigger ovens. BTW, the Viking is not very good and expensive. Ask Plumorchard about the Berta, but I believe it's got an oven button that has to be held down till the thermopile warms up. This would drive me crazy- like lighting a furnace or gas water heater -where you hold down the pilot button until the thermal-couple warms. No thanks. Also some of these euro-ranges have a different ignition on the top burners as well. If it was looks and price, I might deal with the problems on the Elba, (and loose the convection, IR broiler).. But if it was between a Berta or Delonghi and I had to do it again, I would still get the Bluestar or maybe the American if you like sealed burners. Personally, I love my Bluestar. My friend's American 24" is prettier, with more lites in the oven and on the controls, but the Bluestar seems like it's easier to get to internal stuff- if you have to have it worked on. And I wouldn't want to give up the top burners. Finally, what I wished I could have done,(but could not), is find an additional 6" of room in your kitchen, and buy a reliable mid-range major appliance company range that's 30".

I have a 1200 cfm hood over a 60inch Wolf range, and I too was very concerned about the noise level. I did not use the vent in my previous kitchen because it was too loud.We had to make 3 turns (yes 3) before a 10 ft run to the outside wall. The blower is mounted outside. I am happy to report that the noise is minimal. As a matter of fact, i sometimes forget to turn it off because i dont hear it anymore. I use in on medium most f the time. It is louder on high, but I only turn it on high when I am trying to clear smoke or frying fish, and even then it is not unbearable. It is truly one of my favorite things in my new kitchen. The baffles are easy to clean and it does an incredible job venting!

I wok a lot on my capital range top. Since it is range top, noise does not apply. When I wok, I run my hood at maximum. Most hot air from the burner is extracted out of the house. One sign is that I don't get much smell from the cooking. I don't run hood when I am simmering thing. In both cases, I don't feel that the kitchen is being heated in the summer. Theoretically, the temp may go up a little bit because the hot make up air from outside enters the house, the it is still much cooler than the air extracted. IMO, the key for a gas range not heating the kitchen is to move the hot air out of house fast.