I suggested on another thread of yours that you hire a kitchen designer and the comment by your architect on stovetop size seems to reinforce that maybe he's not the best for this task. When you increase the stovetop size, you increase the stove's BTUs. This increases the size and power of the ventilation hood, which in turn increases the possibility that you will need MUA (make up air.) This is one example on why it's not a good idea to over-appliance yourself. Because you are a baker, I suggest you take your favorite baking sheets and pans and whatnot to an appliance store and try them on for size, so to speak. You wouldn't BELIEVE how many people find that even though their new oven is the same size as their old, their sheet pans etc. no longer fit. Lastly, most people have the dilemma of size and combos of stovetops and ovens. The thing is, everyone's cooking habits are different, so everyone's choices are different. By the way, a microwave/vent option is useless. You will need a real ventilation hood. A good ventilation hood to cover a 36" stovetop can easily be a fourth of your budget ($1000) alone.

I have had the Elux Icon Speed oven for 8 years now. It has been trouble free, except for a screw that came loose that holds on the handle, (was easy to fix). As you mentioned, it does not broil, most of the time we do that outside, but I can use the broiler in my regular Elux oven. We like potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams here, and it sure is nice to be able to do them in 14 minutes (including preheat), compared to the regular oven which takes 45-60 minutes). The Elux "defaults" to the microwave mode, just enter time and push start, and we have used it a lot as a mircrowave in the 8 years we've had it. We could do just about anything (except broil), that we could do in our regular oven, and I've baked turkey thighs, stuffed tomatoes, meatloaf, desserts~~~you name it. It came in handy as a "2nd oven" during "Thanksgiving", (for some of the "side dishes"). I've found that for reheating poultry and fish, as well as French fries, that these "Somewhat tricky to reheat" items come out best when reheated in the speed oven using "Speed Cook"~~~they don't get soggy like they would if you just nuked them or tried to reheat in a regular oven. You can watch "The Great Potato Race" on UTube, to see a comparison, (well actually a contest) baking potatoes using the Miele and Electrolux Speed Ovens. The Elux was easier to use as I just chose potatoes, entered how many and the Speed oven did the rest. With the Miele, the user had to enter preheat time, (alto he did not use preheat), He had to enter temp, cooking time with convection, cooking time using microwave, etc etc. The Miele Speed ovens do enjoy a good reputation here in Garden Web~~~~but~~~~~I would invite you to google "Miele Speed Oven Reviews" before forming any opinions about the Miele. (Likewise do the same for "Electrolux Speed Oven). Wife still likes her large oven, so it does get some use(Large oven), alto there have been very few times in the 8 years that we've had the speed oven that which we cook would not fit in it! Anyway, to "Sum It Up", My Speed oven is one appliance I will never be without, ( I even do my toast in it)~~~We don't eat enough toast to merit buying a toaster, and the toast comes out great~~~You just have to "Flip it"! The other appliance I could never do without??????? My Elux Icon Induction Cook Top~~~~~We love that cook top!!!! Gary

I have a Miele Speed Oven. Before our reno, we had two 27" wall ovens & a countertop microwave. We've never used a toaster oven. We never had enough oven space on the holidays so our goal was to add a 3rd oven with a microwave/convection oven. We thought the Miele would be a good option for us because we are empty nesters & DH has an irregular work schedule. I have about 20 minutes notice that he is on his way home & it is often 8-9 pm. It was also the only microwave/convection oven that fit our space-all the others were too big. I haven't used the Miele much as we are just completing our reno & I haven't done much cooking. It does heat up pretty fast & I have cooked a casserole in about half the time as a regular oven. In our case, this oven wouldn't be big enough to function as a second oven on the holidays, but is a great third oven & microwave.

I have a 30" BS RNB and a Miele speed oven (6700 in the new series). The only other combinations we considered were a 36" BS and we were initially just going for a built in microwave. When we learned about the speed oven, we jumped at the chance to also get rid of our toaster oven. There are only two of us, we don't entertain large groups, and we've never had multiple ovens, just to give a point of reference. The only cons I can say about the speed oven is the rack-changing can be a little annoying and it's a bit too small to fit a couple things I'd hoped to bake in it. There are many things that I, by nature, would do in a microwave and DH would do stove top (melting butter, heating soup or beans). Our microwave was in a back bedroom for a few months, so I've tried to develop the non-microwave habit. Therefore, most of what we tend to use it for is the toaster oven end of things. We leave it set up like that. If you plan to go back and forth between use a lot, it could be a bother. I've only tried a master chef setting once. Seemed to work okay. Just made corn muffins. There are so many different 'manual' settings, we're still getting used to that. I did make toast in it the other day. It would get easier with time. I had to baby sit it and flip it (I basically broiled it and flipped it). For as often as I have toast, it's great. And I have an old toaster in the cupboard if I wasn't in the mood. The BS oven and broiler, I love. It's HUGE for a 30". Yes, the door gets hot. No, I haven't had it on while cooking at the range, but it would be hot. Yes, it would be nice if the broiler was bigger, but for what it is, it's great. The oven DOES take forever to heat up. Feel free to ask any further questions.