In 2005, we undertook a huge to-the-studs kitchen remodel of a 400 sq ft kitchen. I had been a member of the Southern Living message boards and heard about garden web through a member on that site. My husband and I had already purchased a Dacor 36" cooktop as I'd had one previously and I found the Lacanche. Fell in love from the good people here. Got some amazing information here, especially from momto4kids. Purchased sight unseen, as I said previously. I had the Sully which I loved more than anything I'd ever owned. My dh let me have it and we sold the Dacor. We ended up moving to another house and I was faced with another purchase for MY personal cooking style. I had constraints on time and on space. My Sully wouldn't fit here, even if I could have brought it. And I did hours of research on the two ranges. This range is NOT a piece of junk as alluded to previously. I only gave my experience to the OP since I have owned both ranges within the last 7 years after I joined this site. My Sully was great but the right door was completely warped and never closed correctly. Couldn't be fixed. We had numerous ignition problems and had to have repairs. I haven't complained once on this site. Art Culinaire answered my questions without fail and in no way am I complaining. The Cornufe has been great as well, certainly equally as good in my eyes as my Sully. Just a different look and color, solid as a rock. I give thanks to all who posted here helping me previously, and I won't be back. This is why I'm always hesitant to post here. I've seen many a post by so many Lacanche owners here, including chef marty, marcolo, clinresga, joeboldt, momto4kids, claire de luna, pirula, and many others. I read the posts all day and night. I don't regret that purchase and I don't regret my Cornufe. Thanks for a great time and lots of great information.

Hi NewHome2015, Although I have ordered the Cluny 1400, I won't receive it till April and it won't be installed in my new home till most likely June, so I can't be of much help. However, I would suggest that you also post this question on the Lacanche Part 45 post. I know I received more responses to my question there than when I created a separate Lacanche post. Good luck! Corie This post was edited by Cori4137 on Wed, Jan 7, 15 at 15:55

Hi Maggie, You are welcome! I sauté meat, chicken and fish on my 11,000. I cook dishes like jambalaya, bolognese sauce, curries, etc. on it. I cook everything from the onions, garlic, other vegetables to the meats needed for these dishes on these burners. I then keep the dish on this burner while the more liquid ingredients are added and until the dish is fully cooked. I use cast iron Dutch ovens most of the time for these dishes and move them to the portable French Plate with the 15,000BTU burner to keep it at temperature until needed. I have stainless steel cookware, but I rarely use it anymore because I find most things burn or stick to the bottom fairly quickly. I do use my stainless steel stock pots to boil water though. We also cook scrambled and fried eggs and bacon on the 11,000. We basically use it for just about everything. You can boil water on it, I boil water for poched eggs on this burner. But, if I'm boiling a large pot for potatoes or pasta, I usually will use the 18,000 Classique burner which I also use for stir fry. We aren't big steak eaters, but I have seared meats on the 15,000 BTU burner before I have put them in the oven. It's normal to agonize over this decision. It's a big purchase and you want to get it right! If I could do it again the only thing I would do differently with the burners is change the configuration. Both my husband and I cook and we sometimes cook together. It would be great to have had one set of the 11,000BTU burners on the other end of the range so we could each have our own side.

so... I *just* bought a used Lacanche which was being sold because it was all manual ignition (including the oven). It's 20 years old. I haven't had it installed yet (everyone I've called is two weeks out, but one is trying to squeeze me in). I will say however that I have taken the range somewhat apart (undid the top stainless plate and removed some of the covers over the gas and electric element) and I simply CANNOT BELIEVE the condition it's in. It looks like it's 2 years old, not twenty. (I have seriously said "I can't believe this thing is 20 years old about 20 times today, lol) The lines have zero corrosion, the enamel has NO scratches (there is one dull patch where someone touched something corrosive to the surface, and now two more on the side where i mistakenly attempted to use the wrong cleaning agent, barkeepers friend, on the enamel :( but they're thankfully on an invisible side), the gas lines are perfect, the seals look great. The stainless top has some use scratches but it cleans up so nicely. There was who knows how many years of grease splatter on the side of the enamel (between the range and counters) and i cleaned it with a soft sponge and soap and water and THATS IT. I put the stainless vents and oven racks in the dishwasher and they are almost new looking. Not all stainless cleans up the same way I have found. I could check my makeup in the warming cupboard mirrored surface if i wanted to. The quality of the materials used is superb. I am beyond amazed. I fully expect this will last us another 20 years. The continuous stainless top plate was super easy to clean, and when I lifted it up, I was able to get to the rest of it fairly easily. There is some dusty greasy accumulation in crevices and corners, but most of it wipes out fairly easily. The person who bought the range originally was very much a home chef, so it was undoubtedly well used until the second owners got it a few years ago. I can't wait to have it installed and use it, but I can say for sure that they clean up well.