I have read hundreds of raves on the Miele oven compared to a few people with a problem. Just because a thread has a lot of posts, doesn't mean there are that many complaints...It's important to note how many times the information is repeated by how many/how few different people. And like you say, it's easier to note a few complaints, since the people who are happy are busy baking, not writing! ;-) As far as which induction cooktop, both being good companies with great reputations for appliance quality as well as customer service, I'd choose by burner configuration, looks, and price. For me, for example, I would choose Miele, because of the way the large burners, which I would use most, are spread out across the cooktop. On the Wolf the 2 medium burners (on which I would probably place (9" or 10" pots) seem kind of crowded with the smaller ones. Was there more than 1 person with the porcelain flaking in their Electrolux oven? I have a Fisher & Paykel oven with chipping and pitting porcelain in the bottom...According to the repair tech it is probably because on this particular oven the metal wasn't hot enough when the porcelain was applied, so that they didn't adhere to each other properly. He has seen this also in a Wolf oven. My experience wouldn't keep me from recommending Fisher & Paykel ovens and I don't expect I'll have the problem the new one they're giving me to replace the flawed one. I am impressed with how they've handled the situation for me. Any appliance can have an occasional problem, and any manufacturer can send out a unit with a flaw...which is why I think it's important to buy from those with great customer service and who stand behind their products. Seems like you're on the right track with Miele or Wolf.

We currently have a 30" cooktop plus double ovens and a separate countertop microwave. We are also at the beginning of our remodel (finalizing layout) and about to change it completely. IF I HAD THE ROOM, I would absolutely, keep a cooktop and separate double ovens. However, I am now planning for a 30" range, plus a 30" combo micro/oven. Here are some details why I love what I have today: 1. The height of a double oven stack is wonderful. I am never bending down very far even for the lower oven. The height of the top oven isn't too high for me either (I am 5'5"). 2. I like that I don't have heat coming out of the oven while I am standing over the cooktop with other food. I am very nervous about this in the new setup; however, I am taking a chance given our space constraints and other feedback I have received. Here is why I am willing to change: 1. There are many options in the 30" range category that more than cover my needs both from a cooktop and oven capability perspective. 2. While I use my 2nd oven 2-3x per month, that isn't enough to justify giving up the space for that and a microwave. Therefore, I am combining the oven and microwave to save space all around while at the same time, having enough capacity for the cooking needs in our home. A few final thoughts: - Are you sure you want to give up your pantry space? Even though it may be too deep / things get lost, there are many rev-a-shelf or other brand accessories that can help with this problem. I currently struggle with going into our finished basement storage to get cooking appliances instead of having them at arms reach in the kitchen. - Could you retrofit your pantry cabinet to house a countertop microwave incl electrical outlet. This may not be a huge deal and you may enjoy having it hidden. :)

What exists currently is a fire hazard and needs to be changed regardless of anything else that you do. You cannot have wood directly above a cooking zone unless it's at least 30" above it. Overhead venting is always superior to downdraft. Especially if you want to convert to gas. A strong wind right at a gas flame tends to do funny things to it. Like suck it out. Overhead venting captures naturally rising steam, grease, smoke, and odors, and if you can have the correct ductwork added, gets all of those nasty things outside of your home. Because all of that stuff rises upwards and outwards, vent hoods always work better if they are at least 6" larger than the cooktop that they are covering below, If you move to a 36" cooktop, you would ideally have a 42" vent above it. And at least 27" deep. For your wall oven, if you want to replace it, your cabinet needs to be the right size to accept a modern oven size. That standard has become 30" ovens, which usually take at least a 31" cabinet in custom cabinets, and a 33" cabinet in standard dimensioned cabinets. It looks like a 24" oven in maybe a 25" cabinet? You also need to check the spot where the fridge is, and measure it. It too may not be a standard size to work with today's appliance sizes. A regular free standing refrigerator needs 36" of width and 70"-72" of height. I'm also not seeing any drawer stacks in the picture that you posted. Many older cabinets didn't see the usefulness of drawers, so all you got was a single one on top of doors rather than a whole stack of drawers. Are there any roll outs below, or is there just a half shelf? Site built continuous cabinets with no internal divisions? If everything works currently, other than taking down that shelf immediately above the cooktop, I think I would just live with it for as long as it took to accumulate the funding to address the rest of the 30 year old issues that the kitchen has, not just the appliances. One other approach that you may not have considered if you decide to keep the cabinets and just retrofit them is a 48" actual range where the cooktop is, with an actual hood above. That will give you two ovens. Where the oven is located now could be retrofitted by a good cabinet maker to accept a MW on a shelf so that one could get off of the counter. Maybe you could do something like a cutting board/baking sheet rack similar to a plate rack with the leftover space from the oven cabinet.

I totally agree with GreenDesigns. I saw a GE Advantium at a Home Show and was really impressed. They hd just come on the market and most people didn't know what they were. I was planning and designing our new kitchen and decided I would definitely get the Advantium. It arrived in 1999 to be installed in our recently remodeled home. After a couple of days of using it, it would shut off after running for 5 or 6 seconds. Called GE repair and a smug little jerk came out and said, "let me show you how to operate this oven". I gave him a potato and pricked it with a fork and said "show me" It shut off after 5 or six seconds. He said Hmmmm!. Of course he couldn't fix it but did order some part. Fast forward 2015. I use the microwave function for reheating and defrosting and the speed cook for everything else. It serves as my second oven during holidays since I only have a single wall oven. In other words while I cook with my other appliances this oven has been used a lot and it is still going without any problems. When it fails, shhhhhh, I will get another Advantium. Cleaning it is a breeze. Razor blade is used to scrape the upper glass where the halogen lights come on. The stainless interior wipes clean in no time and the trays clean up with soap and water or in the dishwasher. Of all the expensive appliances I have purchased, this one has been the most trouble free. My theory is most electric appliances either work or not and generally keep on working for a very long time. Example, I purchased a microwave oven to take with us to France in 1976 and ran it on a transformer which nullified the warranty. Used it for three years in France as my second oven and installed it in our new house stateside. When we sold the house 25 years later, it was still humming. I don't know much about the new and improved speed ovens but I recommend the Advantium. Inga