MaryAnn, what sort of things do you like to cook/bake?

If you cannot upgrade the venting, what about a Wolf 36" induction range? https://www.subzero-wolf.com/wolf/ranges/induction-range/36-inch-professional-induction-range

I'd add a Miele combi steam oven for a second oven as long as you're okay with appliances not matching.

Oh, and if you can go to a larger range but no upgrade the venting, AGA makes a 48" induction range that looks pretty awesome.

https://www.aga-ranges.com/products/aga-designer-ranges/aga-mercury-induction-range/

beckysharp and Kristin, thank you for responding so quickly!

beckysharp, I do not do a lot of baking, mostly work on top of the range and use the oven for roasting/braising. I currently have a very old (from the good ole'days!) 48 inch Viking all gas range with 15,000 BTU burners that I LOVE.

Kristin, I have no idea how to cook on an induction range. Is the learning curve steep? Also, does induction lower the requirement for MUA? I tried to look this up and wasn't sure...

Many thanks again!

With Gaggenau, I believe it would be a cooktop and wall oven, rather than a range.

There isn't any way 400 will be adequate. The builder is avoiding MUA. That's the only possible explanation. Induction needs less because there isn't the waste heat from all those btus. /But 400 is still not a logical choice. Investigate induction for the quicker response to heat changes, the safety and the easy of cleanup.

https://blog.yaleappliance.com/wolf-vs-la-cornue-cornufe-ranges

https://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/84238/the-5-best-luxury-appliance-brands-reviews-ratings

and this is an older forum post,

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/range-issue-wolf-or-cornufe-dsvw-vd~2259085[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/range-issue-wolf-or-cornufe-dsvw-vd~2259085)

I'd check the Kitchen and Appliance forum archives for Gaggenau induction cooktops.

Thank you Dan, becky, and Kristin!

Dan, that is the thing---the builder does not want to put in MUA, though I think a 300 cfm hood for that Wolf 36 inch range is nuts. Maybe they think that no one in the building cooks? And no one will want a bigger range? I think that they will run into push-back, as the building is very high end and getting a lot of attention where I live. Can't imagine that other buyers who are spending many $$$$$$$ more than we are will not want what they want.

I'll look into induction.

Do you all have any recommendations for best induction range? Am not sure that we have room for separate rangetop and oven. And I really wanted two ovens. I use my two on my Viking all the time...

Many thanks again!

Don't sign anything until you get what you want in writing. Or as many changes you can get them to agree to in writing. Once you sign you will have no leverage at all ... even if they agreed to something verbally.

He who has the gold makes the rules (some of them at least!) and you have it till you sign!

It is a misunderstanding that an induction cooktop requires fewer cfms than a gas cooktop. If you cook a hamburger, fry fish, brown chicken, or sear steak, the grease and smoke will be the same whether cooked on induction or gas. While a gas cooktop will have some of the effluent from cooking composed of the gas itself, that amount is very small compared to the effluent composed of smoke, steam and grease.

Kristin S - while your expectations about induction may be fulfilled and you will love your induction cooktop, you will not need fewer cfms than you have before, unless you switch your cooking and diet to all vegetarian. If you plan to cook similarly to what you have been, you will need the same cfms as you did previously. Or, if you end up cooking more frequently or more adventurously as some people do with a new range, you might need more cfms than you did before.

chispa, thank you! Yes, we are aware that it all needs to be in our contract specifically.

M Miller, thank you. I had looked previously about CFM requirements for induction but got varied information---what you say makes sense. Thanks again.

Oh, don't worry about me - I'm putting in 1200 cfm with my induction cooktop. That said, I probably wouldn't be comfortable cooking with a gas cooktop at all with 300 - 400 cfm, whereas I would with induction. I wouldn't like it, but it wouldn't be an absolute, don't buy the condo deal breaker.

As you can see, Kristin and I both like the info at Yale Appliance : ) ,

https://blog.yaleappliance.com/bid/98554/the-most-reliable-induction-cooktops-reviews-ratings

As for induction, look at the GE Café ranges. They are very pretty, and functional both. They seem to only be making the dual oven variety now in white with brass hardware or black with stainless (or at least that is the look). We just got a SS single oven version and I love it. I love the knobs that make it feel much more like cooking on gas and it feels as though you have more control as it is instantly responsive to temp changes (the exact amount of time depends on the cookware though -eg: SS vs Cast Iron).

What I am really looking forward to is being able to put paper towels or a silpat down under a pan when I cook to make cleanup a breeze. I've cooked with gas, and I've cooked with coil electric and so far I really like the induction. You don't have the visual cues of the flame to judge by, so there is a bit of learning curve to determine how hot the pan is, but it is not too bad.

Joy, thank you, but sadly it looks like they aren't being made anymore. I couldn't find them on the GE website.

I just checked too, looks like they are only doing gas/ dual fuel ranges, and only doing induction for cook tops. :(

M Miller is wrong. A high power gas range creates more waste heat than the an induction range performing the same task. This is in the form of air movement. Hot air rising. Add in the difference in efficiency for even more waste products from the use of gas burners. This amount of difference will require more cfms to exhaust those additions. He is correct about the steam and smoke being the same. But these are mixed with quite a lot of waste heat air movement and combustion products times the inefficiency. . . . . . That total mixed together stuff can more easily overwhelm an underpowered exhaust fan and flow out into your kitchen instead. Picture sitting around a camp fire watching stuff rise.. It's just simple physics. 400 won't be enough for say 50% of the things you cook with induction. 400 won't be enough for 75% of those same things cooked with gas. . . . . . The 30" Bosch 800 or Benchmark ranges are good products with 17 levels of control for the induction hobs and timers. Miele and Bosch make good 36" cooktops. Because an induction cooktop is very thin and requires a small amount of clearance underneath(check installation manuals) you can install a wall oven under a cooktop or to the side under counter if no space is available for wall ovens. AJ Madison has a good site for comparing with pdf files of manuals.

You could talk to the project architect about mua. Someone is sidestepping their responsibilities.

If you enjoy cooking, do a lot of it, and don't enjoy the odors of meals past (nor want your guests to enjoy them) then you'll need a better exhaust hood and MUA.

More: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5161173/hood-faq

Both M Miller and dan1888 are relatively correct. Removal of odor and particulate containing effluent is exactly the same for gas or induction. Removal of the excess heat and gas combustion byproducts of gas simply goes along for the ride - it does not necessarily create a need for greater exhaust capability.

HOWEVER, if you have really anemic exhaust capability then you begin getting in to increasingly dangerous territory. While not removing all of the odors and steam isn't good, it also won't likely harm you very much other than friends not liking to visit. If too much from gas combustion isn't exhausted then you could, possibly, maybe be harmed.

Keep in mind that most consumer hoods only remove about 50% of effluent (odors, steam, gas combustion byproducts, heat etc.) at best anyway.

Also, all hoods perform less well without MUA since the lack of MUA increases static pressure on the supply side and thus reduces the blower performance as it tries to overcome this.

If it were me I would certainly not want only a 300 CFM hood whether gas or induction nor would I want the further penalty of no MUA. I think I'd fight for 900 cfm for both hood and MUA as a minimum.

Thank you, opaone. I read on the vent-a-hood website that their 300cfm liner is equivalent to a 450 one but it's still not enough. I honestly do not know what the builders are thinking as I think they will be liable for problems for the first two years. I will push for the hood and MUA in the contract.

300 CFM is 300 CFM. Be careful of marketing material. We have a VAH and will never have another. It's loud, a PITA to clean (and it requires it frequently to operate halfway well) and does not perform that well from an exhaust standpoint.

Thank you, opaone. Will keep this in mind.

Thank you, Henry!

MaryAnn I would also look up what code is in your area. In many areas code dictates the size of the CFM needed for a hood. Especially in a high rise!

I have the Bosch 800 36" induction cooktop and I LOVE it. Will NEVER willingly go back to gas. Yes there was a slight learning curve, as things heat up instantly, but so much easier, safer and cleaner. Nothing bakes on. And when it's time to clean up, a paper towel and Windex are all that are needed.

I would avoid the GE's as I believe they are now owned by Haier.

Bosch for upper mid level is what I'd look into. Miele and Wolf are what I'd look into for higher end appliances. Thermador is also good.

Here is the GE Café slide-in dual oven induction range.

GE Cafe dual oven induction range

Thank you both, boba1 and cpartist! Really appreciate your thoughts.

I don't have any comments about the ranges, but wanted to share I understand your disappointment. Just going the same with the purchase of my condo, but with choice of cabinet finish. :(