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While DCS has the appearance of "professional" ranges it is really more of an style thing than performance -- which if you want a dishwashing drawer from parent Fisher & Pygals I suppose has some merit.
The top performing ranges / cooktops are from Bluestar, basically they took the old Garland ranges which were standard in most resturants and did as little as needed to make them safe enough for home kitchens.
The other brands that make true professional ranges for home use are also of the open burner design.
Can't offer a strong opinion on higher end brands, since I have not yet used one, but check with the retailers (usually smaller/ regional appliance stores) and see what rebates they are offering on higher end brands. That may narrow your choices down a bit and make otherwise expensive brands competitive with "lower" branded ones.
Trust me, a rebate is not going to drop the price of appliance that are typically over $5000 into the price range of "regular" ranges...
DCS was the contract supplier to GE when they were offering a "pro-look" range in their Monogram line. If you are shopping performance the consensus among both wise shoppers and honest appliance retailers is that a "best of breed" strategy is smart -- get fridge from SubZero or Northland, range from Bluestar, dishwasher from Miele , etc... In lower priced homes buyers expect to see "matchy-matchy" appliance of a single brand but the savvy higher end buyers tend to realize that is not the smartest way to go. Getting a microwave with trim that says "Viking" is really a way for Viking to charge about $1000 more than if that same "built by Sharp" microwave was marketed by a less "prestige" brand... Of course the big mark-up is why the "prestige " brands can do things like offer a "free microwave when you buy three other appliances"...
Slow down guys:>)
I really need a cook top (no way for a slide in) and a wall oven/micro (micro is hardly ever in use, had a dorm version hidden away for years - no such option now). I cook and bake. Currently 30 inch, can go to 36 inch. Need space for at least three pots/pans. Need gas. Try to not go overboard - 2 people during the week, 2-20 on the weekend to cook for. Dishwasher/fridge are a year old and fine.
The comments I made about Bluestar vs DCS defiantly apply. If you have an existing countertop / cabinet configuration that will only a drop-in cooktop there are lots of options. If you have checked all the dimensions and like the looks / are OK with the performance then I guess the question what other brands / models you've cross shopped? 30" inch cooktops are quite numerous though some appliance stores only have one or two on the floor. If you check the specs I would be surprised if the DCS option is the best value ...
The comments I made about Bluestar vs DCS defiantly apply. If you have an existing countertop / cabinet configuration that will only a drop-in cooktop there are lots of options. If you have checked all the dimensions and like the looks / are OK with the performance then I guess the question what other brands / models you've cross shopped? 30" inch cooktops are quite numerous though some appliance stores only have one or two on the floor. If you check the specs I would be surprised if the DCS option is the best value ...
I went from Whirlpool to Wolf. Every sales person has his/her product to push. That is why I am asking questions. 30 inch is probably not an option; 36 inch is more like it.
Wolf is part of the SubZero offerings so that they have a more "complete line" to offer for folks that fall for the "free with whole kitchen" pitch.
There are better values, but if your Wolf cooktop is working I don't see why you'd be shopping for something new.
36" cooktops with high output burners often require high performance exhaust hoods, that tends to drive up costs.
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