We just have the Monogram all gas range and electric oven. Got a free drawer microwave with factory incentive and in addition, local retailer had discounted pricing. So, you are right, Monogram is just slightly more $ than CAFE. Performance has been great. So has reliability. I think you will enjoy cooking with the Monogram and I would select the exact same appliances again given the choice.

I have the Monogram range top, speed oven and electric wall oven. Love all of them, especially the speed oven. My fridge is a Subzero and dishwasher a Bosch. I wouldn't go near a GE fridge--they always have problems. I know they are very expensive, so the Kitchen Aid counter depth fridge is a nice compromise at a better price. Love the Bosch DW also--it's very quiet and cleans even stuck on food.

If you need a package, then maybe Thermador offers a better one. But if you can find the best appliances for your needs, then don't get a package. See if you can get what you want in your price range.

IMo the Bosch DW still out classes the rest. I have the frdegadair all fridge/ all freezer coluumns wiyh the builtin kit. I do catering and we have 2 international students both boys so i cook alot and do not find the counter depth too small the Electrolux ones are a lot nicer inside than my old ones and still under 3K for both. As for the range I have an all gas Bertazzoni with convectionmine has the wok burner since I do a lot of stir frys and I have KA double all electric walls ovens with convection I like some things baked in a gas oven like bread, pizza . I will always steer my clients away from appliance pkgs. there is IMHO no maker that makes everthing well buy appliances for how you cook get them all in stainlessthey all look good together.BTW I vent=a hood for venting.

The only way you're getting a 42" Thermador refrigerator is with the columns (24 + 18). Have you ever had a side-by-side? I think you'll find the freezer stupidly narrow, speaking from experience here. I adore the sleekness of the Thermador products, but I've never actually owned any. My remodel hasn't begun yet. My needs are different from yours, but I found the Thermador package pricing very hard to beat. I'm getting the 30" Pro Harmony. I loved how the burners responded. They lit instantly rather than annoying clicking that some models I tested out had. When I turned the knob the adjust the flames, the flames responded. Perhaps it was due to other models lacking some fine-tuning, but a slow to respond burner was a non-starter for me.

Have you actually tried out the Monogram range? I loved the look of it but couldn't get past the fact that it was a GE.

Good luck with your decision. We've all been there. :)

Thanks for the input, all!

homechef59: My existing 30" wall oven is a microwave and wall oven combo so I do need the 2nd oven provided by the range.

Patricia Colwell Consulting: The Electrolux columns only come in 30" right? So, 60" for both?

zmith: What did you choose for refrigeration? I haven't used the Monogram range, but I like the fact that it's deeper. I, too, am a bit stuck on it being a GE.

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Good to know about the GE refrigerators.

You all raise good points about the side-by-side freezer being narrow. I have a 36" SubZero now w/ the freezer on the bottom and I don't really like the freezer drawer. I have a free standing freezer in the garage and an extra refrigerator with freezer, too. But, it's on another level of the house and it's sort of "out of sight out of mind". And, I am adding a 24" beverage refrigerator in the kitchen. Maybe I need to revisit the 36" SubZero again!

The Thermador fridge columns are nice (I have a 30+24) but 42" is going to be a 24+18 which is really pretty small on the interior. It's no bigger than a 36" integrated french door fridge and probably less functional given the minimal width layout, particularly on the freezer side. It is also more expensive. It would be hard for me to stomach a five figure fridge/freezer that's so small.

Melissa, I chose the 30" Thermador bottom freezer. As I said before, my needs are much different from yours. My decision boiled down to either the Thermador or the Miele. The package pricing was too good to pass up.

Right now I have a 36" SxS, counterdepth. I hate, hate, hate the freezer section with the ice maker taking up 1/3 of the space. The refrigerator side is not so bad with more than ample shelf and produce drawer space for me.

ETA: I will also have a separate beverage refrigerator.

Yes sorray abou that but I sure love mine anyway and just designed my kitchen around them

If doing gas, I agree about the Blustar. My sister has the 36" Thermador range top and says it's so-so. I wouldn't trust GE anymore as they're now made by Haier.

My other sister had the Thermador 36" integrated FD and was happy with it. I have the Bosch version of the Thermador integrated and except for the ice maker not shutting off, I love it. Love the dual condensers that keep food fresh much longer.

However, if I had it to do over, I probably would have bitten the bullet and gone with the SZ 36" FD.

Now, to everyone recommending the BlueStar... I assume the RCS series is sufficient, right? Only $4500?

Talk to me about open vs. sealed burners.

Agree on avoiding GE fridges, particularly the built-ins. They have A LOT of issues with control boards and inverters. We experienced no-cooling failures every 12-18 months with our 48" Monogram and had several neighbors and friends with similar issues on their 36" Monogram units. Most common failure was the inverter board, followed by the control board.

I also wouldn't go with a package of all the same brand appliances. As many will recommend here, buy the best you are comfortable with in each category. Bosch and Miele make MUCH better dishwashers than GE. Thermador is a snazzed-up Bosch. GE does a very good job with cooking appliances but not refrigerators or dishwashers.

BTW, if you can do a regular-depth 36" fridge, it will have much more capacity than a 42" built-in AND will be lower cost.

For $15K this is what we got:

Rachiele 42" copper sink

Bluestar wall oven

Wolf Induction cooktop

Vent-A-Hood hood.

Miele dishwasher

We didn't replace the Bosch fridge

The Bluestar RNB is the sweet spot in their product line. But the RCS should be fine. If you feel comfortable messing with your appliances, you can always buy spare parts aftermarket and upgrade one of the burners to more power. Bluestar won't sell you parts from other product lines, but search the archives for how you can make these adjustments.

Having said that, even the "low powered" burners in the RCS are not bad at all compared to any of the competitor's offerings. The open burners are a breeze to keep clean. If cleanability is your highest priority, get induction. If it is just high on the list, but you are willing to compromise a little bit, then get a Bluestar with open burners. Once the grates have been seasoned, it's a quick wipe with a damp cloth after each use, and cleaning of the drip trays maybe two or three times a year.

If you have a big family, you should seriously consider buying a round-bottom wok. The Bluestar has a built-in wok burner insert and the tall walls of a wok are great at reducing splatter -- and you really can't beat the capacity. Once properly seasoned, a carbon steel wok is super easy to maintain and keep clean.

On to a different topic. We have a SubZero all fridge column and some undercabinet freezer drawers. This combination works great for us. But of course things are different for each household. I also am extremely pleased with our True all-fridge in the garage. It is much cheaper than a SubZero column, but has all of the benefits of an all-fridge (I guess, they also make all-freezers). I called around and haggled with my local dealer. Got a great price including delivery. It's not suitable for kitchens as it is a little too loud for that. But in the garage it's perfect. We actually built a small wall around it. We now have an "integrated" fridge that we can unload into straight from the trunk.

If you are considering a Bluestar gas range AND you are interested in convection, research and understand the issues they are having (safety recall) with convection. They are having to respond/modify existing models so the convection fan can't run when the gas burner is on.

Does anyone have experience with the new JennAire Rise line or ranges?