Miele's specs are those generally advised here. There are not excessive at all.

It's for safety reasons and it's also good kitchen design. The current trend is no wall cabinets on either side of a range.

If it's not possible/desirable to adhere to Miele specs then I'd suggest going with a different range, one that better meets your needs.

If you get a comparable range (also gas, same size, same BTUs) then it will need the same kind of venting as the Miele. There is nothing peculiar to Miele that would mean it has different overhead venting/vent hood needs than another brand with comparable BTUs. If similar Wolf, Thermador ranges have different vent hood specs doesn't necessarily mean they operate any differently. Just that they've put different things on their spec sheets.

Hey Ben I found some threads on similar topics (not Miele specs but on hoods and ranges and cabs) that you might find interesting:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2701767/hood-wider-than-range-ok-with-upper-cabinets?n=15

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2456332/upper-cabinets-vs-range-hood-help?n=28

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-choose-the-right-hood-fan-for-your-kitchen-stsetivw-vs~10957714

Other people, namely me, have not given up upper cabs next to the range. Previous home, had a 48" range and 48" hood. Current home, have a 48" range and 48" hood. Upper cabinets flanking both sides in both homes. No issues. I very much prefer the look.

I currently have a 48" hood over a 48" range, and I do not think it is sufficient. In my remodel I will be putting a 54" hood over a 48" range, adding 3" on each side. I wish I could give up upper cabinets, but cannot give up the storage.

It is really ironic that all of the high-end manufacturers recommend a larger hood but typically depict the hood and the range in the same size. That being said, I don't think you were reading the spec correctly. The spec is not about ventilation it says 6 inches to any flammable surface. Ventilation is a different concept.

It's CYA by the manufactures.

We sell about 75% of hoods the same size as a range, despite our recommendation to oversize. That is a decision driven by design and designers more often than not!

If you can handle the size you should oversize by 3" per side or more. Especially with a chimney style hood with a low capture area!

When I look at the spec sheets for comparable 30" gas ranges I find the following:

Brand, BTUs, min clearance btwn upper cabinets

Thermador 72,000 30"

Wolf 54,200 30"

Viking 60,000 30"

Miele 71,000 42"

My concern is that if I buy the Miele and ignore the 42" recommendation that the building inspector will make me remove the upper cabinets.

When I see a post that says someone cannot give up storage I think that it's time for them to do some editing in their kitchen.

@ben_berkeley -- the building inspector would be right. But the real issue is safety. With a powerful range you have a fire hazard with cabinets that close in. Not worth the risk for 6 inches more cabinet on each side.

Make the cabinet surface non-combustable.

I doubt the building inspector reads the install manual on your range when doing a final. That being said Miele has an exceptional 30" induction range. The installation diagram shows a 30" hood with upper cabinets on either side extending down within 18" of the edge of the range cooking surface. No note is included relating to combustible materials construction as is done for the gas ranges. Induction doesn't create the large amount of waste btus you get with a gas burner.

HV Tech, the Miele diagram does not show that the upper cabinets are eliminated, it shows the minimum distance from surface to cabinet is 18" see page 5 of the specs Link to specs

Ben linked the most recent version of the specs in the first post. It clearly shows "B" (distance between upper cabinets above range) to be "A" (distance between lower cabinets) plus 6" on either side.

Our kitchen designer called around and found out that Miele knows that they have a problem with being out of step with all the other range manufacturers. The current Miele model requires 42" wide opening / hood but they will be coming up with reduced burner output kit next month (Nov 2015) so that the range can be installed with a standard 30" hood. Probably 15,000 BTU per burner.

Now that's really what someone who's buying a high powered range wants -- reduced power output to accommodate a hood.

You can't make this stuff up.

This doesn't make any sense to me. What's so special about this range that it needs that kind of spacing between the upper cabinets? Take a look at the spec sheet for the Capital Culinarian. More powerful than the Miele and no such requirements. This is just one example - I could pull up many others.

http://www.capital-cooking.com/product/documents/Culinarian_30_Self-CleanRange_SellSheet.pdf

This kind of thing would steer me away from Miele...

Given a gas rangetop of significant BTU/hr capability, and a desire to err on the side of safety by the manufacturer, I see only four options: Use a wider hood, which is the correct ventilation solution in any case, or do not put cabinets into the prohibited space, or "armor" the cabinet side and base of an 18-inch high base cabinet with some metal matching the hood, usually stainless steel, or use side cabinets at hood height and armor them underneath. If the steel is gapped from the wood it would take a while for even direct impingement by the rising heat from all your burners on full power or from an unplanned flambé to start a fire. However, adopting either of the armor options would be technically non-compliant.

There have been many examples in the kitchen forum and finished kitchens blog where the hood is relatively stand-alone with a decorative wall covering (typically tile) framing the hood. When one pours enough money into a kitchen renovation, one starts to think about what it will look like long term, and whether aesthetic upgrade 'x' would be possible as a result of some other modification -- in this case living without a foot of cabinet width. (There is nearly always insufficient cabinet space no matter how one plans and executes a kitchen.)

kas

Well it's a good thing I haven't ordered my hood yet! I was planning on a 54" hood over 48" range, but thanks to this thread I understand that per Miele I need to go with 60" (which seems huge and excessive). I could go with 54" and leave 3" between the hood and the adjacent cabinets, but I think it will look weird. The biggest problem is that the upper cabinets on each side of the range are 25" with 2 doors. Going 3" smaller will make them 22" wide, which will make 2 doors too skinny and 1 door rather large. They are framed inset, so maybe 1 door will be ok.

We were getting ready to purchase a 36" Miele DF Range for an upcoming remodel. Given the size of our kitchen, I really don't want to lose 12" of upper cabinets. Maybe time to rethink our choice. A quick scan of the Wolf DF366 looks like it doesn't require this. In fact, the main picture of the range (at the top of the website below) is pretty much exactly what our installation will look like... Glad I read this post!

Wolf DF366

Don't buy the Wolf DF. They have been knowingly selling this defective oven design for years and FINALLY they're being taken to court. Read past posts on this forum for details.

Again, other brands that are more powerful than Miele do not have this requirement. This thing is not going to set your cabinets on fire.

I agree with hvtech that Miele is being overly cautious in its specifications. The Miele installs shown on the sites and in other pictures don't adhere to this standard. I would not let that chase me away from a range. Many on this site recommend you get a bigger hood than your cooktop anyway for better effluent capture.

Good luck!

We may look at getting the 48" hood, giving up on the extra cabinet or rethinking what we install. Funny, but on the Miele website for their ranges, they show the 48" DF with the 48" hood with a shelf right next to it. This would make it out of alignment with their own requirements (unless the shelf is metal which it doesn't look like).. If we put in a 36" hood and flanked it with 6" of tile on the sides, does that mean I couldn't have a cabinet ON TOP of the hood? Not sure flames are going to travel that high...

I think cabinets are well protected on top of the hood. At that location they are at least 36 inches from the flame and also effectively armored on the bottom. For belt and suspenders safety, the duct can be enclosed in fire-code sheet rock within the cabinet.

Thanks. One other range we are looking at is the Dacor DYRP36D. A quick look at the specs and it looks like it doesn't require the extra flanking 6"s that the Miele requires.

Dacor is not even close to being in the same league as Miele. Search this forum for details of problems.

On this model (DF Range)? Couldn't find anything specific, but will keep searching.. Thanks.

Dacor in general

Well, after looking at some options, we are likely just going to give up the space to get the Miele 36" DF Range. Probably comprise and get a 42" hood and allow an additional 6" (3" on each side) around the outside of the hood to meet the requirement. Per Miele, they offer two options for this stove starting in November. You can lower the BTU of the 5 burners to around 15,000 (6th lower power burner is also reduced) to not have the additional (6+6) requirement. Also, if you don't get a 24" depth hood, they recommend to lower the output again to something like 12,000. I think the main issue is that 5 of the 6 burners are rated to 19,600. The last burner is rated at 12,500. I think some other manufactures have different outputs across which results in a lower total BTU. Example, Wolf 36 DF has 1 - 9,200,2 - 15,000.2 - 18,000.1 - 20,000. The person I spoke to said they were concerned about the various cabinets customers are installing and want to make things safe based upon the total output of this range which is 110,000 BTU. Guess we can all agree or disagree with them. Whatever the reasons, we really like this range and will try and change the design of the cabinets to fit it in. I also agree with everyone that having a larger hood is probably a good idea anyway.

Been reading this thread with interest, as am interested in the Miele range when we get around to new kitchen. Steven will you pretty please come back and report on your experience with the range once you've got it in your kitchen?

I had read all of the forum posts on this matter, but decided to go with the Miele 36 range and a 36" hood because of design constraints(cabinets on the side). My last kitchen had the exact same design with a 36" Wolf and we ran the situation by the kitchen designer (a Wolf dealer as well) and he did not want to sacrifice the cabinet space. I might have gone up to a 42" hood, but I think a 48" hood would look too big. I will say that the 36" range looks great, and cannot wait for it to be hooked up next week :)

I hate my Miele Range. I was wondering what you think of yours?

So sorry Julia! I do wish more would come back with feedback, I've been reading about this range and looking for reviews ever since it came out. I was so sure I would buy one. I love Miele appliances and have been happily living for 13 years or so with Miele W/D, DW, vacuum, oven, cooktop (well, less than thrilled with cooktop due to ignitors actually). Was going to go with a Miele range, but we've scrapped that idea now--too risky and Miele couldn't care less to sell to us. Still will stick with W/D and DW that I can't live without, though. But sadly no range for us in the new kitchen. Too many problems too many unknowns. Not sure other brands are exactly better...but at least cheaper. In a few years, probably would be better, more evolved version of the range.

I realize this is an old thread but if anyone is following do you know if there is a clearance requirement between the back of the rangetop and the wall? I see where the specs state 10" to a combustible surface, but the arrows show this to be a side cabinet or wall. I would think a back wall would pose the same problem but the cabinet cut out does not require the extra space. We are 4 months into our remodel and the cabinets have been installed and the Miele appliances are being installed on 11/30/18.