It's not too big for any kitchen if it's what you want. If you'll use it all, often, and cook your hearts out, it's worth it. If you have no other use for 12" of cabinet space and wouldn't otherwise have a second oven, it might be worth it too. There was a picture floating around here about four years ago of a tiny kitchen, smaller than many closets, in an NYC apartment. It was basically a fridge, a sink, and a massive range. I think it was a 36" professional range, so deeper than normal. There was also a picture of an NYC apartment where the kitchen was basically a wet bar with an induction hot plate built into a drawer. It just depends on how much room you think you need for the actual business of cooking.

There are several options that are all related. Smeg, Bertazzoni, Fisher Paykel and Verona are all built in northern italy and will share many features and even some components. I happen to like the Smeg since it is 6 burners and the door feels a little heavier on our floor model. They will cook pretty well, but many of the burners are on the small side. The burners also use a Thermocouple, meaning you will have to hold the knob in for 1-3 seconds when you light it to make sure the thermocouple hits temperature. Otherwise the valve will close and you will have to start over! The over budget choice would be the Capital MCR366. That unit should come in around $3999 and it is a Pro range (all large burners, infrared broiler, etc). Depending on where you are located you may be able to get a discount on it as well.

If you have not already read them, you might find it helpful to review these threads on American Range stoves: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4413373/american-range-36inch-gas-or-miele-36inch-dual-fuel http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2343973/american-range-performer-experiences-of-recent-buyers With Miele, are you located where the company has factory service? Again, if you have not already read it, you might find this thread on Miele DF stoves helpful: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2812367/new-miele-dual-fuel-gas-range-experience

HU-207928320: The Bluestar RCS and RNB gas range ovens do not have a cooling fan. The only fan that they have is a convection fan that you can manually turn on with a switch on the front panel. So, if you do not turn on the convection fan, the only sounds while baking are the occasional click of a relay that turns the burner on and off to regulate oven temperature and the quiet whooshing sound of the gas burner itself. It is essentially silent during baking unless you choose to have the convection fan running. Edited for accuracy: As M correctly points out, the Bluestar Platinum series of gas range ovens have a "European style" convection fan that is automatically controlled and can not be turned off separately from the burner in the rear wall of the oven. The RCS and RNB series all have manually controlled convection fans.