Don't buy a 36". In your situation it'd be a waste of money that would go into the builder's and the appliance salesman's pockets.

I know you didn't ask this, but the placement of your fridge is questionable. Why is it so far from the sink and stove? Have you considered the implications of going for a midnight snack or morning cereal or ice and having to trudge through the whole room to get to the fridge? You're going to microwave your popcorn then walk to the other side of the house for your movie?

Here's what I would do: fridge on the left, top corner. Combine the two windows on the left into one larger one and put the sink there. Put the stove on the back (bottom) wall where you've got the sink, adjusting the windows accordingly.

I agree with lindsey sounds like a better plan

Lindsey's got a good idea.

Thank you all!

@lindsey - I appreciate the feedback, but this home is being built in a historic district where window placement/size is restricted. We did the best we could. Changing any windows now would require several months of setback. I guess we'll be getting extra exercise before eating anything! Also there's only upper cabinets along the one wall, where the stove is. Those are counter-height small windows.

Ok, I get it. Just one more thing though. If you ever need a mobility device, the fridge will be nearly impossible to access. Could you move it to the wall by the sink? Easier to plumb a line for water/ice that way too.

Now I'll leave you alone to enjoy your build :)

I might fight someone to the death over my 36" range top. If I were to do a complete redesign I'd go 48-60" for 4or6 burners and a 24" grill. BUT, for how you describe your needs, a 30" is perfect. Plus, if you go 36", you're also up-sizing your hood, your exhaust vent diameter, potential make-up-air solutions... Don't introduce challenges and expenses unless you plan on enjoying reason for the extra work and cost.

Ditto on the Fridge placement. Think about even your morning routine, milk for the coffee, jam when the toast pops up, grabbing an egg for the fry pan... It's so far away from everything.

I like to cook a lot. So, I am with @stevep2005 and in principle I would really like to have a bigger cooking area. I don't think I'd need 48+", but 36" is definitely my sweet spot. Having said that, in our kitchen we ultimately decided to go with 30". I do have the space for 36", but the loss in cabinet space would have been noticeable. Also, I don't actually want a 36" oven. It takes too long to preheat, and I don't actually ever need more than 30" for my oven. A 36" range top might have been an option, but it didn't work too well for our layout.

This is all just to demonstrate to you that there are a lot of different factors to consider. And in the end, 30" is quite OK for most home chefs -- even if more would on occasion be nice.

I find, most of the things that I think I need a separate burner for, I really should be using an oven for. So, an additional wall (steam) oven is actually more valuable to me.

I recommend you save the money that the bigger stove would cost, and instead you get a better quality stove, or an additional (steam) oven. Depending on what you think you'll value more. Check the archives. There are plenty of recommendations for brands and models that people are happy with.

I love my 36" with griddle, and if had the room would go for a 48" 4 burner with 24" griddle. I've never needed more than 4 burners at a time.

Having said that, from your cooking description, you should be fine with a 30"...

I have a 30" at our getaway place, and have cooked some mighty fine meals on that stove! One thing nice about the 30" is the oven takes a lot less time to preheat :)

30 inch is fine, I would not however get a 30inch stove with five burners, 4 is perfect.

cookncarpenter/M - I think some of what I appreciate about 6 burner 36", I would get with a 48" 4 burner and grill (or griddle) - the extra room to move pans in transition, hold at temp etc. Also elbow room for other pans when cooking with a couple of 11/12" fry pans or using the woks. Granted, this is off-topic from the OP, sorry. To the OP - even in a 30" you can outpace that 4-$6K on a range, and it honestly does not sound like you need to be in a Wolf, Bluestar, or, for fun look up the Lacanche Rully, to be happy.

A 36" can provide two benefits; larger oven and a griddle/flat-top.

Besides typical griddle use like pancakes, it can also serve as a warming plate for sauces or other things or even as a burner itself. If you think you'll never ever need it then stick with 30" but you could be sorry down the road if you do. I'd think carefully before limiting yourself.

My 30" Bluestar oven can hold several full size cookie sheets. I think I have had up to six residential-style sheets in there at one time. I have a hard time envisioning ever needing more.

@opaone The 30" we have selected has a griddle pan. It was one of my requirements!

All great suggestions here, but I'm wondering if you are comparing apples to apples? Going from a 30" to a 36" does not usually cost 4 to 6k extra. Just for fun, I went onto Bluestars website and see the difference between their 30" and 36" RCS is $500. Their 36" proline hood is $50 more than their 30". Depending on the blower and makeup air system you've chosen, there is a good chance you wouldn't need to upsize either just for 1 square foot of extra hood area. Now is going to be the absolute cheapest time to get a 36" range in.

The 30" we have selected has a griddle pan. It was one of my requirements!

There's a huge difference in a griddle placed over burners and a proper thermostatic griddle that maintains a more even temp. Not to mention the burner top then takes up two burners. The 30" may be perfect for you, everyone's needs/desires are different, but it'd be a problem for us, particularly when entertaining.

Given your cooking style/needs/frequency, it sounds like a 30" will be fine for you. Also, since you plan to stay in your house 20+ years, the kitchen will likely be fully renovated by the next owner, who can do whatever they want. I don't know what's typical for your area or home value, but I've been seeing a lot of homes for sale in my area in the $900k+ range with the nicer 30-inch Samsung and LG ranges.

I think you will be fine with a 30" range.

There are advantages to an overlay griddle too and it can be just as "proper" as a built in. It just depends on how you use your griddle. Griddles built in or add ons are basically big cookware.

Advantages to an add on

-allows your burners to be flexible in their use which is very important on a 30" range

-add on griddles come in different materials so you can change them out for different uses. bare aluminum for great heat conduction and are lighter weight. Steel or cast iron is great for high heat These will season like cast iron or there are aluminum griddles that are coated to be nonstick. -

-add ons can be bigger than one that is fixed and still just cover two burners

-you can take the griddle off to wash it.

-you can very often get more heat if needed with an overlay 2x15K BTUs or whatever you have vs most built ins are limited to 15K total

-add ons are cheap

I have no problem adjusting my burners to keep a constant temperature but with a thermostatically controlled griddle, you can turn it to a certain heat and it will always be the same . Eveness of heat is more dependent on the material the griddle is made of, aluminum being the best of the commonly available materials. Steel notoriously hot spots. But some people cook on the hotter part and hold on the cooler part. Wolf attempts to address this by using its gas infrared heat source and there are some built ins that are made of aluminum with electric elements. Another consideration is the thickness of the material used in the griddle. Some built ins are thick so require longer to preheat and adjust.

There is nothing wrong with a plug in electric add on griddle either. It's not so chefy looking but can be great for certain applications.