Um, no offense, but, frankly, does it matter what we call it? Does it make any any difference if we took a vote and decided to call the Ilve someting else, say, "Euro Style," rather than "pro-style?"

I see you've posted about other stoves, and apparently are considering the DCS and the AR Performer. What does "pro-style" mean to you? Are you planning to cook mostly with bigger pans (say, 10" and 12" diameter) . Do you frequently need ultra high heat and often have four big pans going at a time? Is that what pro-style means to you? Or, are you mainly interested in the kitchen design aspects? Not saying that is a bad thing, just that it involves different considerations. I see you also are stuck with some kind of recirculating hood or OTR. That, in turn, suggests an entirely diffferent set of considerations.

Please don't take this as a flame. We all know how all the marketing bloviations when appliance shopping can leave a person floundering in trying sort through all the choices. I'm guessing you've something more specific in mind than style categories. Can we help you towards defining what you want?

Yes, what does "pro style" mean to you? For a lot of people it means a fat handle. :) For others it means all stainless, rather than black with stainless appliqués. The Ilve is styled more as a "Euro" or heritage look.

With ranges, it usually refers to the power and grates, as JW said.

Frankly, while BlueStar, for instance, makes a 30" version of a mighty pro-style range, in general, I don't think of 30" as "pro-style". Nothing about the 30" Ilve, not the burners, nor the power, nor the styling, looks "pro-style" to me. It's a nice looking range, and has more power than old fashioned home ranges, but not "pro".

What do you want out of a range?

If pro style is about looks, no--Ilve is too pretty. (If it's about performance I have no idea as I've only admired their looks!)

Thanks for helping me define things... Here's what i am getting at... and I am probably using misnomers - by "pro style" I meant more powerful burners than the old-school ranges people used to have before Viking and Wolf became de rigueur. My cookware is the old heavy le Creuset. I used the regular sized skillet so often the bottom cracked. (I guess I was MISusing it.) I had an entry level Viking with 4 burners and often wished I had 5. Since I have moved to a different place which will require the OTR (e.g Viking mw), I am a bit stuck about what to get. In terms of cooking I do more with the burners than I do with the oven. Not enough voltage for induction so I'm in a quandary about an all gas range. Would the 2015 kitchenaid or Bosch suit my needs? Or will I find the burners lacking? Maybe Bertazzoni?

Get in touch with Le Creuset about your skillet. It's probably covered by their warranty. It's worth a try, anyway.

I can't recommend a specific range. As you've learned a lot of ranges are bumping up their power. The old standard, I think, was 9600 btu. Would you be happy with the Ilve you asked about, with two smaller and two hotter? I get the feeling that the one in the middle is for a big pot and doesn't really give you room for any other big pots, but it might be better in person. Squeezing a fifth burner into 30" is a real trick, however, and the Ilve seems to have a solution, so it might suit you well.

I don't want to pounce on you about the OTR if you're committed to it, but reaching across such powerful burners, especially with multiple pots steaming away, is dangerous. It was even on the cheap old coil range with OTR I had in an apartment. Too easy to be scalded or catch a sleeve on fire!

Have you considered a powerful recirculating vent? It seems your style of cooking trends towards high powered burners. A microwave can be put elsewhere like under the counter, attached to the base of any other wall cabinet, in a pantry, etc. OTR tend to be ergonomically difficult to use and I am 5'6". I hate using them at family members homes and in a multi user kitchen, they create a choke point in the kitchen with one person trying to use the microwave while the other is at the stove.

Please don't take thus the wrong way but I have read all your threads and I am still unclear about your situation. Can you give some more details?

1. Why can't you vent outside in your home? Are these apartments in NYC?
2. Have you inquired about adding 220v to your unit? Do you have a washer dryer in your unit? I am making an assumption that this is an apartment/condo in a dense city center.
3. Do you have a large appliance showroom in your city where you can see stoves with the configuration you are looking for.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I own an induction cooktop and a single gas burner. Beyond wok cooking and the occasional power outage, I rarely use the gas burner anymore. I also prefer a four burner set up. I have a 30" induction cooktop and chose it over the 36" 5 burner because the burner configuration is better and allows more space for my pans. I rarely use more than 2 burners at a time and cook from scratch. YMMV.

If you have a local showroom, I would consider taking my pans and simulating my cooking habits on the different options.

Everyone who has answered so far is trying to help you find the best solution.

Good luck!

Thank you so much. Yes I am in NYC, and in a co-op which means ridiculous rules and approvals. I don't know anyone with induction here. People barely cook here! They put in their Vikings, and order take out. And then they sell the place for $4million LOL. I did inquire about the 220v and contractor said no way. My apt reno is almost done, just waiting for appliances to be put in. Can't deal with more self-induced delays. ;-) Basically I need a very good cooktop and the oven would be used less often. The microwave and oven would rarely be used at the same time. I hate the idea of the OTR too but I can't find anywhere else to put it.

pemfan,

I know you are trying to get the remodel done. I have family in the City and I know many of them in co-ops have electric stoves. Actually, many were not allowed to put in gas for insurance reasons. Do you have a dryer in your apartment? I ask this because an electric condensation dryer usually is 240V.

If I were in your situation, I would not spend a huge amount of money on the appliances. Here are my choices:

Electrolux 4 Burner gas Stove - I think the stove represents good value for the money. There is a model without the wave touch.

Sharp Over the Counter Microwave - Cheap and space saving unit.

I would pick any one of these slide out recirculating units for my home in your scenario.

Good luck with your hunt!

I can appreciate your situation, Pemfan.

There are some "better" recirculating hoods --- not just more powerful as homepro notes but also with better capture area. The biggest problem with OTRs is that they mostly just cover the back burners. Not a whole lot of benefit to them in recirculating mode. That said, I've seen NYC kitchens that were smaller than the small antique bathrooms in my century+ year-old house. If you got somewhere to hang or stash a MW, do it. If you don't, .... well, I know folks who used window fans and other stop gaps. We work with the kitchens we have.

As for "more powerful" burners, I have to ask about how you cook. Bigger burners are best for larger pans -- ones with bases of at least 10 inches in diameter and sometimes 12 or more. How many and how often do you figure on working with four big pots at a time? Or five, if you get a five burner range? If you are going to be using two big pans on the front, (say a 12" diameter LC fry pan and a 5 to 7 quart LC oven/casserole/pot) s what will you be using in the back. Maybe a couple of smaller pans (say. a 3 quart and 2 quart LeCrueset sauce pan?) If the latter, then you actually could be better off with the typically smaller back burners of major brand ranges.

Another thought to consider: one of the advantages of most pro-style rangetops is that the burners tend to be spaced wider apart so it is easier to run four large pots at once. Major brand ranges generally have the burners on 9" centers (front to back) where that distance will be 11 inches apart, or wider, on pro-style ranges. YOu may want to check that on the Ilve if you are still considering it. IIRC, the burner spacer on the Ilve stove is even narrower per the Euro-style standards.

Finally, as has been suggested here recently in some other threads, you'd probably find it a lot more convenient to get a four burner stove and find a place to stash a 120v portable induction cooktop (say a Duxtop 9100 or Max Burton 6400) which you could pull out and use on those times you need five burners.

Still, if you have your heart set on a five burner unit, a fried of mine recently got a very good deal on a "ding-n-bing" GE Cafe range. (I almost bought one myself three ago when I was stove shopping, but I got outbid and wound up with an NXR from Costco, instead). I know a number of people who are happily using five-burner models from the GE Profile line, or the Frigidaire Gallery line. Somebody above suggested an Electrolux range which also might work well for you but I would check the owner's/user's guide to be sure you can light the burners manually in the event of a power outage. Some E'lux and Whirlpool Corp. products run all controls through an electronic control panel which means you can't light the top burners manually.

For four burner units, I;d suggest the same brands plus Bosch. (IIRC, some Bosch gas ranges are made under subcontract with Elux/Frigidaire to somewhat different specs.) A couple friends have has Bosch ranges and been pleased.

Thank you so much everyone. I am not married to 5 burners. 4 is fine! I was all set to "give up" and go with the Bosch, which has a 385cfm OTR mw which is hideously long (17.5"). But then I learned that the Bosch is slide-in and therefore will stick out about 3 inches from my counter (25.5" deep). GE Cafe is also deep. Should I only be looking for free standing? I probably would not be using 4 burners at a time anyway. I will look at the Electrolux. Thanks for that recommendation. I think the Ilve salespeople would refuse me on the basis of aesthetics, lol - i.e. an OTR over an Ilve would be ruinously ugly (but I might consider it anyway if it were worth the $!) I am concerned about service for an underused brand. I am about ready to give in and go with a Bertazzoni... but the reviews here have really turned me off. They include an OTR but it is probably junk! Thinking about Viking 3 series - seems like it has less btus and they make the OTR.....thanks again for your support!

I don't think Viking has been long enough into the change of ownership to be considered reliable.

Most ranges are deep enough to stick out a little, at least in the handle. Is there a functional problem with that (too tight an aisle?) or do you just want sleek?

Have you looked at the Thermador 30"? It's about the same price as the Viking with a better reputation. It's annoying that each burner has a different power rating, but the oven should be good. I know people with the 48" Thermador who like cooking on it. Service in NYC shouldn't be an issue. The listed depth is under 25" (I don't know if that includes the handle), though, obviously, it can't be 100% flush against the wall. I've heard that there are ways of locating the gas nipple, etc., that make ranges stick out less.

Very very helpful thank you

And possibly the last 30" consideration which can take an OTR... The Smeg 30". Looks like 5 very decent burners, at a decent price. But is this something that would be impossible to get fixed? Reputation of this brand?? I feel like throwing in the towel and getting that Berta or even that Electrolux IQ freestanding. Ugly and electronic, but the dimensions work and a comparative steal.