I would be interested in how people feel about cleaning a stainless cooktop. I cook a lot and spill a lot.

I am used to cooking over gas - growing up and as an adult. I really don't like induction cooking. And, like I said I cook complicated meals daily.

Based on my experience, I would not buy another 30" gas range from Samsung. The knobs on mine slide nto u-shaped axles, and grease tends to get into the U and clog the control valve. Our griddle control is no longer operable and it is difficult and expensive to get service on a Samsung where we are.

Thanks, Isaac. I am not considering Samsung even though Consumer Reports rates some of their models high. I had a Samsung washer that exploded in the basement (luckily it is an unfinished space) and I will not buy a Samsung appliance again.

Regarding cleaning a stainless cooktop, I have one and don't think it is difficult to clean at all.

One time I got a small grease stain on it and a small amount of baking soda on a dishrag removed it.

It wipes up nicely and I like the way the stainless brightens up the kitchen.

I have that GE Profile model mentioned above. Love it. And it was $1750 at a a local appliance store's President's Day sale in 2019. That was $350 less that Lowe's and HD "sale" prices at the same time.

It's a lovely range, the baking is very even and I did hundreds of cookies this year and a dozen batches pf brownies, pus several cakes. I like the front control panel being on the vertical, and the horizontal piece is plain.. I get that messy enough without dribbling all over the controls.

I have a GE Cafe too, 6 burner with stainless top. Burners lift off and stainless wipes clean easily. It is pretty spendy, though, you'd have to look for current prices and availability. There have been issues getting them because of COVID, I think. We were limited to the 30" space, too, and this is the best option we found.

Architectural Notice - what I am about to ask is not in any way meant to be snarky. I cleaned my stove top (an much older GE Profile) during the day on New Year's Eve. It is already covered in black, caked on "mess." I made Mark Bittman's Chicken in Vinegar tonight and the grease flew, so it is even worse now. I won't be able to give it a thorough cleaning until the weekend. That involves taking the stove top trays out and cleaning the four grates separately. It can take me several hours to soak the 6 parts (plus 4 burner plates) and then scrub with steel wool (it can take 1-2 hours of scrubbing to get everything really clean). I don't want to continue to live like this anymore! (lol) If anyone can tell me the GE Profile or Cafe is easier to keep clean, I will buy it and wait as long as I have to for it (Covid is impacting everything - have you noticed how much the price of wood has increased?). I was leaning toward the GE Profile, but my husband started asking questions and that has lead me to asking all of you for your opinions, which I greatly appreciate!

I think you should look for an option that has sealed burners. I have a Thermador gas cooktop and it's super easy to clean. Check out Bosch (owned by the same company) for a range option that has sealed burners. Good value for the money. I recommend them often for clients who want good, but not extravagant, appliances.

Bluestar is great, but they are above your price range, and they don't have sealed burners. (Or at least they didn't last I checked. Would be worth a look see.)

Another question: do people like the GE Cafe better than the GE Profile? I have looked at purchasing the GE Cafe Double Oven (and, yes there are no deals to be had and, in fact, I may be waiting a while to get one). In fact, when I started on this journey, i was hoping to buy a double oven 30" range. Again, I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

I had a GE Profile in my previous home, a 2007 model with black top. It was a good range, but I felt like the black top was more difficult to keep clean, partially because it hid messes until they were so caked on they were impossible to remove. With the stainless top, I see them immediately and can clean them more promptly.

It looks like current Profile models have a stainless top as well, so there's probably little difference in cleaning between the Cafe and Profile. One thing to note is that the stainless does scratch fairly easily - mine has lots of scratches from moving the grates, cleaning, etc. I don't mind the patina but if that bothers you, you might want to look elsewhere.

@biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley) I am planning to buy the GE Cafe dual fuel 30" range for my new house but I'm waffling between the single and the double oven models. Is the lower oven large enough to cook a large turkey? We are the go-to house for Christmas dinner so I need to have the space for a large turkey.

Frigidaire has an affordable induction range. It has been a great sanity-booster at our house during COVID. Love, love, love.

@mscsangel Yes, the lower oven is approximately the same size as the main oven on every other range I have ever had - maybe a few inches shorter, but still plenty large enough for a big turkey. The smaller top oven is more or less the same size as the warming drawer that most ranges have below the main oven.

That large lower oven is also almost at floor level. Consider that when you lift out a very hot 20# turkey and roasting pan.

I have the GE Cafe double oven slide in range and love it. I have induction not gas and aside from being healthier than having gas in your kitchen, it is incredibly responsive and SO easy to clean. Nothing has ever burnt onto my cooktop because it can't. Only the pan is heated (through magnetism or some magic like that lol) not the cooktop surface. You should try it out and see for yourself. It's just as responsive as gas truly. It is nothing like electric at all.

C'mon guys! Induction is MUCH more responsive than gas! Don't sell it short! :P

We replaced a glass topped GE Profile with a stainless steel topped one. I was surprised to discover that the new one is easier to clean.

I'm curious to know how loud the fan is for the induction cooking. Fan noises (and buzzing noises) drive me crazy, and this is a main reason I am leaning towards gas over induction.

There is no fan. The fans are in the convection oven. I can hear a very faint hum when the induction burner is on but no one else in my family can hear it.

+1 on the GE Cafe double oven. I've had the all-gas model for over a year and love it. I use all 6 burners (not at the same time) and both ovens. You can fit most turkeys into the bottom oven, but I'm sure you could find a huge turkey that would not fit - there's not a ton of extra room. You can bake two racks of cookies at once though.

As far as keeping it clean, I agree that it's easy to see when there's a mess and clean it up. We cook daily, and when we cook with oil, it's HOT and messy! (A good hood helps.) Every few days I remove the cooktop grates and burner caps, and then use a homemade cleaner (vinegar + water + a tiny bit of Mrs Meyers for fragrance + a tiny bit of soap) with a microfiber towel, and it keeps it looking great.

We mostly use the upper oven for heating things fast and as a warming drawer while we make dinner each night. The double ovens are well worth it, even though the lower one is quite low.