Dear Gardenwebbers, I haven't posted in a while but have been following every single word you have all typed-I've turning into a stove stalker ROFLOL! Of all the threads I've read over the past year regarding stoves, this is the only one whose posters have actually taken the time to break down the decision-making into the critical components. Not just reviews or opinion, but usage, wear, cost, BTUs, options,even the way the stove sticks out from the walls and integrates into the space. Well done!!You have no idea how helpful you've been! I still haven't made a decision, but I'm inching closer. Like a few of you, I took a step back and asked what I really needed/had to have. One of you rightly pointed out that deciding whether one is a stove top or oven cooker could help out. My ovens are super important to me, and have been the big sticking point in my choices (more on that in a minute) but I do most of my cooking on the stovetop.I REALLY want a coup de feu.If I pick the two burner one coup combination offered by Molteni or Gullo, I'll have to really up my cooking game and plan a bit more ahead (you have to allow the plaque to come to temperature to really use it effectively. So I was concerned I wouldn't have enough "regular" burners.But then, like you all advised, I took a step back and paid attention to what I was really doing "most" days-turns out I'm usually only turning on two burners anyway. When i move to more burners, that's when I could use a million more, so the coup definitely could work out then. I'm still kind of intimidated by it-the Molteni and the others I'm considering are very powerful, but I think that's just lack of self confidence. Burner strength/BTU's were very important to me as well. I currently have an old Wolf Gourmet line-they were better made than the current offering, heavier and more powerful.The max burner is 18K, but it loses power when the other ones are turned on, and then I can't get that nice carmelized sear on the food. I love the oven though. It's gas with a broiler and a (very noisy) convection fan, and sticky racks. Don't love the noise and the stick, but the size is pretty good, and it works well. All the units I'm considering are more powerful, but some more than others.Like everyone has noted, the ovens seem to be what pose the most dilemmas. I worry about cleanability. My current stove is a PITA to clean.The Rorgue has a neat water bath under the burners to rinse out spills-cool!It's also the least expensive of my three choices (So far. Am waiting on the cost of the UL listing fee, plus I have to add in taxes and VAT) but I can have every little gadget I had lusted for(of course, I'm now really rethinking everything). But it's the least pretty/french range looking of the batch. It does come in colors though. I'm nervous that if i select a range with two ovens that I won't be able to use them for what I occasionally need-larger sheets and pans, so I'm really leaning towards one gas oven in the range, and a Miele Masterchef 30" in the wall, which is 6" bigger than my current oven (I have a few pans that I really have to grease up the sides of the oven to squeeze in). I'm going to a Gaggenau cooking demo at Purcell-Murray this weekend and check out their ovens too. Anybody have some feedback on those? I'm also considering getting a smaller range and adding in two induction burners into the counter for quickie cooking for the kids (I have five). I could have had them built into a bespoke range, but the electric components have to be kept far away from a high heat source, which screwed up the size of the unit massively Our quotes from the contractors are coming-scary! I just wanted to thank everyone for all the input-every single comment has been so helpful. Oh, on a side note, there's a ROCKIN' Morice stove for sale that I found on the internet. It's not the right color for em (it's blue and silver) but maybe it would work out for you. It's got 3/4 burners (one is a single grate but with two burners under it-is that one or two?LOL) and a coup de feu. The oven is electric. I've (hopefully!) included the link. Parts are still available for the Morices. If it had been a different color, I would have jumped on it-great price. well, I'll be continuing to follow everybody's stove progress, and hope to have a stove too. Soon... Here is a link that might be useful: Sea Sales Morice cooker

Perhaps I'm just stubborn: I can identify with krobson's comments about the ovens, but would probably buy the range again, just because I love how it looks, am delighted by the stove top and all its possibilities and because I'm not bothered by 1/unreliable oven temperatures; and 2/difficulties in turning a turkey or a big brisket pan. This situation doesn't arise more than 10 times a year--I can live with that, and I don't have trouble turning a 12 inch cake pan. I've learned how best to use the ovens, but am not baking a great deal these days so I would approach something delicate like meringues with trepidation--or, at the very least, do a practice run. On the other hand, I lived in Russia for some years, and learned how to bake in their On-Off ovens, using a wooden spoon to hold the door open to adjust the temperature. You get to know the Lacanche ovens, and I've got to say that having a gas oven is wonderful--great bread, great meats. Variations in temperature are not as critical with this type of cooking as in baking cakes in the electric oven. I'm still happy with mine, and I don't imagine I'll ever have another stove--I expect this to last forever.

I have the RNB30, as there wasn't more space in our kitchen. I would kill for a 48", but that will have to wait until we remodel the kitchen, assuming that ever happens. I reconfigured the burners so that we have two 22kBTU and two 15kBTU burners. I find that I personally don't use simmer burners very often. I use a single 22kBTU burner about 50% of the time. Two 22kBTU burners 30% of the time. And three or all four burners the remaining 20% of the time. Every once in a while, I cook larger dinners, and I really would like to have more burners, though. I can leave a stew or a soup on the 22kBTU burner to simmer slowly, and I can even make things such as sauce hollandaise without setting up a double boiler. But the latter does require a little bit of skill. So, your personal preference might be different and maybe you'll really like the simmer burner. If I was fortunate enough to have a six burner range, I probably wouldn't have bothered about replacing the simmer burner, but as is, I am very happy with our configuration. We've had it for about five years now, and it replaced a Viking that came with the house -- what an unbelievable step up! The 22kBTU burners are awesome. Food cooked in the wok finally feels fried and not just steamed. It still doesn't get quite the same "burned" taste that restaurants manage, but I think that requires a lot more BTU than can be installed in a residential kitchen. Also, I have a couple of pots/pans that kind of require that I heat them up to full heat once, before I can start cooking (e.g. my rolled carbon steel skillet and my cast iron pots). With the 22kBTU that happens in no time and I don't even need to think about it anymore. I use the full size oven all the time. If I had two ovens, I probably would find good use for the smaller oven, but as is I have gotten used to needing a minimum 20min pre heat time; it just requires planning ahead.

Corie Hall, thanks for your reply. I learned so much on these forums and finally ordered my Cluny 1400 last week. For anyone considering a purchase be aware they are running 8 to 9 months out for delivery! The rest of my remodel will be complete but I think it will be worth the wait.