chloenkitty: It seems to me that, being a novice to this, you probably didn't realize that there are longstanding discussions and debates that get reflected in posts here. You stumble across one of those tripwires and and then find people debating issues as though you were not even in the room. That about how it feels? First, I would say "not to worry." It happens to everybody who spends much time here. Conversations wander and you get lots of opinions on debates that may seem off "your" topic. For every post like Deeageaux's, Wekick's or bmorepanic's that addresses specific concerns of yours, there will be several others debating issues you did not even know you were raising. When you run into this debating society, some of what you may hear will inevitably go over your head, at first, or seem intimidating or even snarky to you. Because the conversation is in writing from folks whose are passionate about their preferences, what gets written may come across with unintended inflections and intonations. As you have discovered, if you say something about it, most folks will be clear that they did not intend anything hurtful or personal. And that is what I saw happening here. Conversations do wander. And when they do, I am again reminded that this forum is a kind of debating society where some of us have been participating for a decade or more. We have well honed opinions which novices may mistake for dogma and factual assertions and direct or indirect assaults on intelligence or integrity. All that has happened here is that you've stirred up a debtate you did not know existed and did not know that somebody might think important. It whizzed by you leaving you in the dust but was not personal. Beyond that, I've got some suggestions for you about focucsing on your developing preferences and proceeding with your choices. First, there is never going to be a right answer or even a consensus on what will be the best choice for you, as Wekick already pointed out. Frankly, every stove represents engineering compromises and design tradeoffs. Different mixes of theses will appeal to different folks and your preferences may change over time. That's one reason there are so many choices. Second, you have developed some specific preferences about design aesthetics. That's part of the package and, for the money, can be important. You do not need to defend those preferences from those who do not share them. In other words, you can get a Mercedes if you want one and others' preference are for a Subaru (or, like me, a used Subaru!). But what I like about hearing these varying voices that that they may help better figure out my own preferences. Third, you asked about getting a "grill" if you got a Viking 30" range but I think you meant "griddle." It is a vocabulary thing. Generally, around here, the term "grill" refers to something with open flame/heat beneath a metal grate, rather like what you see on a bbq grill. A "griddle" on the other hand, is a solid (often thick) piece of flat metal for cooking pancakes and the like. You might be able to order a custom design from Viking with two gas burners on one side and a built in griddle on the other. That would be expensive and, to my thinking, impractical on a 30" wide stove. I think it would be far more practical to buy a separate griddle which (a) will likely have a larger cooking surface; (b) can be stashed out of the way when you are not using it (giving you all four burners for other cooking),; and (c) will be a lot easier to keep clean. Brands that have been recommended here include Vollrath (even-heating aluminum griddle) and Chef King (traditional carbon steel -- can also be used on induction and other electric surfaces, too.) Fourth, Viking can seem an attractive looking choice particularly since they now have three year warranties as standard. (Most ranges have one-year warranties and require you to buy an extended warranty if you want longer coverage.) However, searching on VIking will turn up a history of not-so-great quality control and uneven warranty service for a significant percentage of customers. Also, the company was acquired by the Middleby congolmerate last year and the effects of that acquisition are still uncertain. Fifth, if you are looking at a Viking all gas range, you also might want to consider Dacor products, too. Right now, Dacor's pricing is significantly lower than Viking's and, to all appearances, the current Dacor 30" all-gas ranges seem like a better value. When it comes to electronics and electric ovens, Dacor has had the same kinds of issues that Viking did, but the all gas versions skip most of the electronics and seem inherently more reliable. Some poeple like the looks of the Dacor a lot more, too. Bmorepanic has just bought one and it should be due for installation shortly if it is not already installed. Hopefully, we'll get a report. Sixth, most "pro-style" ranges (such as Dacor and Viking) can be had with or without a riser in the back. (Note that "pro-style" refers to a design style and should not be confused with true commercial ranges of the sort that would be used in restaurants.) They all need a trim piece in the back for the oven to vent properly, but you have choices from "island trim" (about 1" high) on up to a tall-stainless sheet riser topped with a shelf. The island trim gives you what you would be calling a "slide-in." Technically and narrowly, however, the term "slide-in" is usually used for ranges that (a) do not have the thick backsplash/vent/control panel that is characteristic of typical of most "freestanding" ranges from major brands; and (b) also have a cooktop "overhang" on either side (kind of like the brim of an upside down hat.) The overhang is intended to to cover the gaps between sides of the stove and the adjoing cabintes and countertops. Seventh, the GE Cafe ranges are called "free-standing" ranges --- even though they do not have thick backsplashes/vent/risers --- because their cooktops do not overhang the gap between stove and counter. I've sometimes seen them referred to as a "semi-pro" style. EIghth, the electronics in major brand stoves (as with the GE Cafe) give you a lot of conveniences including self-cleaning oven functions. Some folks will not consider a range without self-cleaning functions, some think self-cleaning is undesireable for its potential adverse effect on the electronics, and others have health issues (the fumes can be irritating for those with lung problems, for example.) Ninth, you mentioned having had health issues. I don't know if those include lung problems but, if so, you might want to avoid a gas range and go with a magnetic induction range, instead. Magnetic induction basically makes the pan heat itself (which is different than other electric heating burners which glow like a fire and throw heat that way.) Since you are pretty much starting out fresh, and (I assume) will be getting cookware anyway, you would just need to look for cookware with magnetic metal in the base. You might want to have a look at the new GE PHS920 slide-in model. (There's an active thread on this range right now.) Tenth, if you are looking for a wall oven, I would definitely recommend going with electric wall ovens. More choices and, generally speaking, easier to install. "More choices" is probably not what you want to hear at this point, though. ;>)

The *box* says to use a 4 quart dish? OK, is this something like a Betty Crocker box potatoes? Whenever I've made the box potatoes I use either a 9"x9" or 8"x10" pan. A Pyrex 9"x13" pan is 3 quarts, others will vary a bit depending on the depth and putting a box into a larger pan would have them almost in a single layer I would think. I've made 2 boxes in a 9x13 pan before. When you think about it, many slow cookers are 4 quarts and there's no way a single box would fill that up. For the ham, it really depends on the type of ham. If it's pre-cooked, all you need to do is warm it up and try to keep it from drying out from too much heat. I doubt a conventional butt or shank portion ham wouldn't fit in a slow cooker so I'm guessing you're thinking of something like a Cure81 type? I wouldn't cook it on low for a long time. Scalloped potatoes and ham *does* sound good. Haven't had that in a long time.

There are a lot of variables in freezing. If they're cold and dry and you can pack them air tight (preferably vacuum sealed), and if you have a good, stand alone (or dual compressor/evaporator) freezer that doesn't run self-defrost (either evaporator or manual), they might freeze very well. The biggest enemy of vegetables in freezing is water migration, so chill in the coolest part of the fridge overnight to make them freeze fastest. Thaw in the fridge as well. They might lose some crispness or tooth, but should be okay. In that case, they should keep well for several months at least. Thrown into a box and put into a freezer that shares equipment with a fridge, they might only last a week, or might not freeze well at all. There are all kinds of variables in between. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, try a zip bag, pushing/sucking out all the air. If they're delicate, cover a piece of cardboard with parchment or waxed paper to hold them in the bag, or use a little tray. Good luck! They sound good. :)

Don't be taken by the fifth burner. At 30", you'll likely never be able to use more than 4 at a time. Also, you mention a new hood. Do you have a ventilation system with make-up air? If not, there is a limit to how many BTUs you want to have. The Jenn Air 30" Pro-Style dual fuel range with multi mode convection has a lot of what you are looking for and is under budget. The Wolf, well the Wolf is like the adult version of the Jenn Air. All of its burners are dual stacked 20K burners and the broiler is IR. It is over budget, and there were issues at one time with the blue porcelain interiors chipping. I don't know how those were resolved, or whether they are ongoing. These are sealed burners whereas the BS and CC are not. This one will definitely need a hood with MUA. I used to research this stuff until I was blue in the face, hoping to find the best option, trying to figure out which would be the best one for me. Half of the meals I've cooked in my life were in rental apartments or in friends' homes. The truth is that a great range makes life easier than a crappy one, but OK appliances are usually just fine. You don't want one that needs to be repaired often. In my case, I don't want one that will need a ventilation system with MUA. My sincerest advice is not to break your budget, but to find something that is reliable and close enough. You're not choosing a spouse (something I also haven't done).