In a previous post clinresga wrote: "We can debate the technical attributes of a LC versus a BS endlessly, but if the exposed screws and sharp metal edges don't bother you, the "generic" look of a pro-style range works fine for you, and you don't feel your heart pound when you look at a picture of "your" LC range, then I'd agree totally that it is not a purchase that makes sense for you." I agree that the look of the Lacanche is incredible and certainly timeless. It did indeed make my heart pound with that "got to have it" pang at first sight. However, cooking performance is ultimately more important to me than looks (within reason of course). The few times I actually did get to talk to Art Culinaire, I engaged them in an indepth interview focused heavily on performance and they, in substance, spent a lot of time rationalizing as to how the average peformance of the LC cook surface was compensated for by look and design. I was seriously considering the then SULLY 2+2 so much so that its rough deminsions were the initial ones provided to the cabinet shop during the layout stages. As I was early in the game, BS was not even in my sights yet but, as mentioned on another post, I could never get the folks at AC to send me the info packages and color samples they promised on numerous occasions even after repeated emails and phone calls. In the interim, Bluestar did enter the picture. While certainly no match for the classic beauty of Lacanche, it became over whelmingly evident that Lacanche was, by an equal margin, no match for Bluestar's performance. My first upper end range was a Wolf with 16K burners. While it performed well enough, I was at times disappointed in its top end performance and power (once I got used to it) and Lacanche's delivered range top performance was marginally comparable with Wolf but its beauty was indeed breath taking making it a true contender. However, the LC was no match for the exceptional power delivered by Bluestar once it entered the picture so looks started to lose its luster a bit. Similar to your comments regarding the predisposed genes necessary to justify the look of Lacanche, if you do not have the same predisposition for cooking performance, then Bluestar may not be your cup of tea in that venue. My perfect solution would be Bluestar performance with Lancanche (or LeCornue for that matter) looks and styling. However, that was not available. IMHO, my Bluestar and its peer group are a handsome enough bunch and not rudimentary hunks of sheet metal. I guess in the end what turns my crank more at the end of a meal I have labored over is to hear "That was an exceptionally exquisite and perfectly prepared meal and you have a very nice range" as opposed to "That was a very nice meal and your range is exceptionally exquisite and perfect to look at." And for some of the dishes I prepare, it takes all of the power BS can deliver to achieve the results I am looking for in that dish.

cinamom: I had never noticed the sharp edges you mentioned but just went and looked. I assume it's the top of the two brackets that hold the front panel onto the drawer base. Gasket might work. Crude solution: take some vice grips and bend the top corner so that the "point" rests against the front panel. Haven't done it but seems like it would work. We went around and around the oven issue as well. We had initially spec'd a 48'' range, and wanted a warming cabinet. That left only a few options and we ended up with the 55'' Cluny 1400. The ovens are indeed small, though prior discussions on earlier threads certainly show that you can get more into them than you might think. Still, I hedged our bets as you did, and installed a single Miele convection oven. I love the Miele. It's kind of the diametric opposite of the Lacanche--ultra high tech, with touch screen, Magic Chef, sensor probe, built in rotisserie, etc. It's spacious and cooks well. I honestly use it as our primary oven: it's big, it has a light (!), and the touch screens are very easy to navigate. Also, it's self cleaning and I'm totally lazy and would rather run that every month or two than attack the Lacanche with a can of Easy Off. To me it's the best of all worlds: a big convection for the turkey, and two small ovens so that for those big occasions (like the upcoming Thanksgiving cookathon) I'll be able to bake in all three. I would in all honesty be less than totally satisfied if all I had were the two LC ovens, mainly for the lack of convection and the inability to cook multiple sheets of cookies etc. Overall I love the LC and it has not yet failed to draw admiring comments from those who've seen it. It cooks wonderfully and I am very happy we decided on this splurge. Hope you take the leap too.

I have one of each and I appreciate having both. I use my ovens as you describe (roasting/baking in gas; all other in electric). I have the convection/electric oven. This oven is all-time convection. You can't go back and forth between whether you want convection or just conventional. I bake cookies in that oven. As to the Cluny oven sizes, I've heard people say the convection electric oven is too small for their cookie sheets and they've had to find new sheets. The fan cuts some depth off. I have the Sully convection, so I don't feel the difference. If I bought another Lacanche, I would not order a convection again. I don't use it as much as I did when the kids were younger. If I needed an oven where I could do major convection baking, I'd just find a spot to put a single convection oven and stick with the Cluny or Sully. Just my 2 cents!

Unless you're cooking moose, It's entirely unlikely that you'd ever need an oven bigger than the ovens on a Cluny range. The proverbial 25 pound turkey will fit into a Cluny with room to spare. (Do you actually know anyone who has ever cooked a 25 pound turkey?) But if you're really worried about it, you might also consider the Lacanche Volnay or Vougeot models. Both have larger ovens in the same footprint as the Cluny.