I am not sure how useful this will be. I replaced an electric smoothtop (I hate them!) in my house in Oregon with an Electrolux Wavetouch 5 burner dual fuel LP range. I only lived there full time for about a year with the range before relocating to Maine. Am not sure what the fascination with smooth tops, but I ended up with another one in the place I have purchased in Maine, its dual burner died after 4 months of use. I decided to replace it with the 30" all LP Berta range and am taking advantage of the hood promotion (BTW, they retail for $1,200). My place is heated with an LP based European type hydronic radiant heat units and a LP fireplace, so adding cooking should not tax my 300 gallon LP tank, LOL! I was looking for a range that is decidedly "manual" without an electronic interface due to the wind and subsequent power outages that are to common in this part of the state. I was also advised of service problems with the electronic interfaces on the Electroluxes, even though my range in Oregon has not had a service problem as of yet, knock on wood (am a reluctant landlord). Initially, I planned to purchase an Electrolux dual fuel floor model but could not pass up the hood promotion Bertazzoni is currently offering. I am only hoping when the range is installed, the oven temp will be adequately calibrated. I previously owned a Viking, but really did not want to spend the extra money for what I thought would be of marginal benefit. I also do not miss cleaning the Viking grates which were an exercise in weightlifting too! I visited friends of mine a few years ago in Europe and I believe they have a Berta (the knobs are pretty distinctive). I do about 70% rangetop and 30% oven cooking. My old Viking had gas convection and an infrared broiler and I really liked the oven and understand that the Berta is similar, though I believe the heat control is different (regulated by flame instead of on and off).

I have a GE Profile convection. I've not done a lot of "critical"-type baking with the convection function, but I have used it several times and it seems to work well. I have no basis for comparison to other ranges as this is the first convection unit I've owned. Note that on my unit, the "Multi-Rack" convection selection runs the fan and "third" circular element that's located around the fan. The "1-Rack" selection runs the fan with the lower bake element at full power and the upper element (NOT the circular element) at reduced power. "Convection Roast" runs the fan and the upper bake element at full power.

The short answer - No The long answer....here's what I just posted on another thread about OTR MWs...in particular, item 3! They're too high for safe use unless you're well over 6' tall (I'd say closer to 6'6" or more) - you're removing hot food/fluids at a height that if it spills, it will spill on your face, arms, chest, etc. (Plus, you can't see inside to check the food b/c it's too high) They're located such that: If someone wants to use the MW while someone else is cooking, the cook must get out of the way at least 2x (once for putting the food in and again to take it out; if you need to stir or check the food, the cook needs to get out of the way a third or more times) If you have any food cooking on the range, you will be using the MW over the intense heat as well as things like splattering grease or clouds of steam from boiling liquids - all of it bathing your arms, hands, and face. Oh, and beware loose clothing if you use flame to cook - more than one person here has described a sweater or shirt catching fire when reaching up into an OTR MW with a gas range. They're lousy hoods - loud and inefficient. They don't cover the front burners so they're pretty useless for any cooking on the front burners. Even for the back burners, they don't work well. They're generally the most expensive MW out there! Post your layout - let the gurus here see what they can come up with - you may be pleasantly surprised at the results!

dbear -- is the idea to use that OTR convection-MW model over the counter (suspended from the upper cabinets) somewhere other than over your range/cooktop? That can be done. However, what I found when I looked into this some year ago was that GE's OTR models were three to four inches taller than the freestanding ones, and about three inches deeper (front to back). Basically, the freestanding version was a better match to the upper cabinets and left more usable counter space below it. Also, it was much less expensive than the OTR version. When I bought my GE Profile, it came with a kit for hanging it from the upper cabinets. GE may include that kit or may offer it as an accessory for current models. Worth checking on.. Like HB, I've also never gotten around to using the convection feature, so cannot comment on how well it does or does not work. (I just happened to find a deal on an open-box-return that made it less expensive than the non-convection models I looked at.) Sorry, that I do not have any first hand experience with the PVM9179EKES model you are looking at but maybe somebody else here can comment on how well it work as an oven and a MW?