Are you considering a cook top, drops into countertop with knobs on top, or a range top, slides into/on top of cabinet with knobs in front? Subtle, but big difference.

I have a little (15") Wolf gas cooktop module which I like very much. There are a lot of power queens in this forum, but I have a medium and a small burner (12K and 9.6K) and they seem perfectly fine to me. I do use induction most of the time, however, and it does have more power. For me, however, cookware makes a bigger difference than heat source. The dual stacked burners are very nice. Some other ranges with more powerful burners have trouble simmering, or simmering nicely, because they don't have simmer burners (less power per flame size so you get a good distribution that's cool enough). For me, being able to cook low is probably even more important as being able to cook fast.

Summary: Wolf makes very nice cooktops.

Homechef, I was mainly considering the cooktop (because it's a safe choice), but I do like the look of the rangetop. Is there a difference in quality or performance between them?

dfb_jlw, we do use an electric griddle pretty much every weekend for breakfast. I hadn't considered that option of an integrated griddle. Thanks for a new idea!

We put in the Wolf 6-burner rangetop after weighing the pros/cons of it and the cooktop. The reasons we picked the rangetop was because it had (5) 18,000 BTU burners and one 9200 BTU burner, and the knobs are on the face and not on the top of the cooktop (just a personal preference). The cooktop does have a higher BTU burner (I want to say it's 18K?).

I really, really like the rangetop and recommend it highly if you are not in need of a cooktop with 20,000+BTUs.

hsw_sc, thank you! Is there a reason you prefere the knobs on the face vs. the top? Is bumping knobs an issue either way, or is it just a look preference?

I've had the 36 inch 5 burner cooktop for nine years and I still love it. It's been trouble free. I didn't need scorch your eyebrows high BTU burners but I wanted good simmer which this has.

gibby thank you. I make homemade chicken stock all the time and the simmer is an issue and sticking point with me. Do you think there is a quality difference nowadays? Also do you know your BTUs so I can compare to current models? Probably not, I wouldn't remember after 9 yrs! :)

No bumping into knobs :) There is a nice metal projection over the knobs that keeps you from bumping into them, like a metal "awning" of a sort. As for knob position, it's just a personal preference. I think the 36" 5 burner like gibby has is a gorgeous cooktop. I really just think it boils down to how many burners you'll actually use and how often, and price. We went cheaper on some other things to be able to get the rangetop to fit into our budget. I think that you'll be pleased with either top you go with.

I have the Wolf rangetop with griddle and like it very much. (Older incarnation with 15K burners x 4 with infrared center griddle.)

Knobs on the front under the 'awning' stay clean--no bacon grease spatters. Knobs on the deck, like in a cooktop, get dirty very easily and they take up cooker space. I wanted the rangetop because big pots and pans fit better than on a cooktop.

That's a good point about cleaning the knobs, ci_lantro. I haven't had to clean mine yet. The top? Every night. Nothing that a microfiber cloth can't handle, though.

Can you put a downdraft fan behind a rangetop like you could a cooktop? I do not have the option of an overhead ventilation system, On the Wolf, have you had any problem with the lower burners getting clogged? Are they hard to keep clean? Thanks for any information on this!