<p>I MUST replace my dying cooktop immediately. It has now gotten to the point that I have to go down cellar and flip the breaker in order to use it. Although I would really, really love to remodel the kitchen, and was trying to hold out, that is absolutely out for the foreseeable future. My kitchen is designed in such a way that it is almost impossible to change any element without being forced to rip out and replace/reconfigure a lot more stuff, which means that a new range (what I really want) is out of the question. A 48" rangetop/cooktop is also out of the question.</p>
<p>That leaves me with either another 36" cooktop, or, with a bit more finagling including the loss of two drawers, a 36" rangetop. I plan to switch to LP gas. (I absolute DO NOT want induction or smoothtop electric.) I need something as close to “professional” as possible. I plan to pair this with a new hood with as powerful a fan as I can afford, and I absolutely no not want any kind of downdraft, which would be totally inadequate to the kind of cooking I do. (Lots of wok cooking, grilling, boiling of huge pots of stock for hours, using 4 or more burners at once, etc.)</p>
<p>I spent a lot of time researching this yesterday, and it would appear that the top 36" drop in contender is a 5-burner BlueStar, with Dacor as a possible runner-up. There are a variety of rangetop alternatives. It gets really confusing. Ideally, all 5 or 6 burners would be adjustable from a very, very low simmer to 18000BTU or more. I don’t care about sealed burners. (Hence the BlueStar.) I need to accommodate everything from delicate sauces and chocolate melting to wok cooking.</p>
<p>Is there anyone here who can cast light on the rangetop vs cooktop issue? I’m attracted by the apparent increased cooking space: is it real, and worth the additional $$? Is there anyone who has the type of heavy-duty cooktop/rangetop I’m talking about and does the kind of cooking I’ve described, and how do you find it?</p>
<p>Does anyone have a Capital Culinarian rangetop?</p>
<p>We have a Dacor cooktop ----great company, great high quality product.
[Dacor</a> Kitchen Appliances: Gas Cooktops - Distinctive Style](<a href=“http://www.dacor.com/Our-Products/Cooktops/Distinctive-Gas-Cooktops.aspx]Dacor”>http://www.dacor.com/Our-Products/Cooktops/Distinctive-Gas-Cooktops.aspx)</p>
<p>As someone who used to cook professionally, I find that it has PLENTY of power and adaptability. Really easy to clean and I have no complaints whatsoever.</p>
<p>I don’t even know the difference between a rangetop and a cooktop - but I wanted to say that I have a range with the different burner types and really hate it. I hate that I can only use two of my burners on essentially low. I pretty much just use the front two burners and not the back two at all - so it is a two burner range. Pointless.</p>
<p>musica, that Dacor is indeed the other one I was considering. I like the layout a lot. </p>
<p>PhotoOp, that’s why I would <em>prefer</em> to buy something where ALL of the burners go from the lowest setting to the very highest. Unfortunately, they seem to be expensive. :)</p>
<p>BTW, to explain the difference, a cooktop usually drops in and is surrounded by counter on all four sides. The control knobs are on the top and take away from the potential cooking area. A rangetop usually slides in, is significantly deeper, and has the knobs on the front, so that the entire top is devoted to cooking space. There is no counter in front of the rangetop.</p>
<p>There is a lot of discussion of Capital Culinarian and BlueStar over on GardenWeb; you’ve probably read it. I used to cook professionally, do everything you list, and manage on an “unprofessional” cooktop. Is there no way you could get by with something less until you can do the whole project?</p>
<p>My only issue with the cooktop V range would be the placement of the knobs. My Dacor was purchased just before the new model came out with the knobs in front. (our knobs are on the right hand side.) I would think that it MIGHT be a problem sliding off a large pot. I would hate to have something knock the knobs out of whack.</p>
<p>1moremom, H is now strongly opposed to doing any remodeling in favor of paying off our mortgage, so I can’t see it happening unless I win the lottery. We are not in the financial position we would wish for at this age, due to a decade plus of financial hardship from which we have only recently emerged. We have a lot to make up for, so $40K for a kitchen redo is not in the cards.</p>
<p>I have seen the GardenWeb info, but it sounds like the Culinarian is very expensive. Haven’t been able to get a price yet. The BlueStar is well under $2K</p>
<p>Musica, there is another Dacor model with the knobs in the right front corner. I think it is their “better” model, with more of the better burners. Good point about pots…</p>