This is a basic gas range with good ignition, excellent even heat, excellent simmer (even the highest-output burner has a 2-ring set up). It's elegant, but it's a rock. It's made in Italy so it's not geared to the American market at all, either in styling or the way it operates. No self-clean, f.ex.

It has electric ignition -- you open burners all the way up to light, then turn them down.

The oven has convection -- the fan runs when it's on just like every other convection oven -- which kept the front of the range cool when I cooked my turkey at Thanksgiving. The oven light is excellent. Unlike other ovens, this one does not heat average -- it's very steady. Heats up quickly.

All the oven racks and stovetop racks are very heavy duty.

Two things to know: the lowest oven setting is 275. There's no digital readout for the oven so it requires a good oven thermometer to verify the temperature. Once you set it though, it does that wonderful old-fashioned gas oven thing -- it cooks like a dream. But the dial does not allow for precision.

I was in the same price range and looked at the GE Cafe, Fisher & Paykel and Electrolux. I had issues with each of those. I'd also look at the American Range (good reports), which might be a tick up in price. Some here tout the nxr, a Chinese-made range which wasn't anywhere I looked (cannot imagine what service would be like) while the Berta was sold by all the Wolf and Viking dealers as the quality lower end choice.

I don't find the oven too small for anything I'm going to cook -- 2 chickens, pizza, bread, cakes, cookies, lasagna, leg of lamb etc.

Yes, I have the 30" and I most definitely cooked a turkey in there and it did a fabulous job. The oven also is not 4" off the floor as it is on other ranges, which I especially appreciated when lifting the turkey in and out. It has a storage compartment below.

Most European ranges including those which cost even 10 times the price of the Berta -- Lacanche, La Cornue, Aga -- have European sized ovens which tend to be smaller than ovens geared to the American market. Some are smaller than the Berta's and do not have oven lights (the Berta does) and yet don't get the "oven is too small" rap. Berta is not comparable to high-end pro style ranges. It's a beauty, a European style very basic range, well done.

The pro-style ranges have larger ovens but then you get complaint that it takes too long for them to preheat. Or, you encounter things like the same size oven burner used in a 30" oven and a 36" -- so the bigger range takes even longer to come to temperature or return after the door is open (30% of the heat is lost when the door is open).

My point is that it's not a cheaper version of a Wolf or Bluestar etc., which is what the nxr appeal would be and that range has had good reports here (there's an old thread that's still quite active).

I'd also kick the tires on the American Range. I have looked at it up close several times (drooling a bit) and think it has many attributes in the pro-style column if the price works.

Berta has dual control -- not necessary to use the convection at all (another thing never noted). Optional convection might be something to check for.

The issue with convection oven venting and ranges is where the oven vents. It can vent across the top, or somewhere around the door. (Berta vents above the door).

This is more often discussed with wall ovens -- some complain about those fans blowing hot air into the kitchen or that the fans run for a long time after the oven is turned off and they are noisy.

Much less discussed is convection-oven venting on ranges. But it's important if it's a convection-only range. Perhaps that's because vent hoods required for high BTU pro ranges tend to be quite powerful and actually pull the heat up and out. So, a good vent hood should help with that issue.

My pet peeve is fully electronic ovens that vent hot air below the electronic boards -- not so great for the electronics. So where they vent is always something I double-check.

This usually doesn't become an issue until Thanksgiving when the oven is going for hours and someone discovers the control knobs are suddenly scary.

As for the other, having and using are often mutually exclusive when it comes to kitchens. LOL.

There are actually two fans. There's a fan on the front of the oven that turns on when the oven is turned on, always runs as long as the oven is heating. I find it a nice safety feature as I'll never forget to turn the oven off! There is a convection fan inside the oven that turns on only when you turn on the convection. The really hot part vents out of the back of the oven, where the backsplash is. I can attest personally that that part of the oven does get very hot. :o)

We don't find that the oven makes the kitchen hot. I think overall that this is the best priced and most attractive option with the most features currently on the market (yes, of course I'm biased). We have not tried to cook a turkey yet in ours but yes, I'd say the oven compartment is a little smaller than our old range (A Frigidaire which I hated). Noticable but hasn't restricted us too much. Some of the features mentioned (digital thermometer, self clean) would be nice but can be addressed by either being careful or just getting more into the "art" of cooking.

I did glance at the new models (with the temperature dial) and as I recall the trade off was the storage drawer in the bottom.

Good luck!!

I do use my wok on it (I know you weren't worried about that) and I use the simmer burner, and the inner ring of the high powered burner as well, as I frequently need two things on very low heat at the same time.

I shopped around alot - bog box stores, specialty high-end appliance stores, and read countless threads here on GW. Thanks to all those posters and lots of info and pics from Rococogurl - I chose the 30", basic Berta. It cost around $2500.
I ordered it from AusTex appliance.
They have the NXR and the Bertazzoni. They delivered it for free (100 miles from their store) and gave me a discount for paying with a check rather than credit card.

I used to have a Kenmore - for 15 years - and it was terrible. This oven is a dream. It did take a little getting used to how it functions, but with info from previous threads I figured it out.

One thing - the complaints about it heating up your kitchen is so false. In fact, for some reason, when you open the oven I don't get a face full of heat? So dramatically different that when we first hooked it up I thought it wasn't heating up properly and called for a repair. Bertazzoni sent someone out right away. Embarrassingly they checked the temperature and it was right on. I wasn't charged for the needless service call, by the way.

The biggest concern I had was the oven not having self-clean. I could imagine family members having a "told-you-so" look on their face when I had a mess on my hands.
That has turned into the biggest surprise. For some reason everything just wipes right off with a micro-fiber cloth. I mean everything - baked on gunk in the oven, forgotten spills and overflow on the top. Also, I love having it up off the floor and being able to vacuum crumbs and dust from under it easily.
I have only had my oven for a couple months but would buy it again in a heart-beat.
I do not have the fancier one that Rococogurl has. Mine does not have the lower drawer nor the silver knobs. Mine are black. I do love the look of mine.

Berta definitely does not offer the same sort of precision setting and control as an electric wall oven, but it is a great range that looks fantastic while working reliably.

Def a great value for the money!

Echo hollishenry on the difference between high performance precision and response of an electric wall oven I experience with my Miele. Gas ovens are a different animal. Berta doesn't have the range or responsiveness but is very, very steady. No cycling. Holds the set temp like a charm.

Top works wonderfully. I had my cast iron griddle over two burners to do fried eggs and got great control. I have a simmer video somewhere which I'll be happy to put up against much more expensive burners.

An interesting development. I went into the kitchen after about 20 minutes and the air was warm--not hot, but not room temp, either. I realized my hood wasn't on. The salespeople at the appliance store said a good habit to get into is to turn the hood on (low) right before cooking. I forgot this time and maybe that was the difference. I turned it on low, left the kitchen for about 5 minutes and really noticed the difference when I came back in. It was that fast.

Designnov, I don't have the most powerful, high-end hood, but it's pretty fancy! If you turn it on low, it's sensor will detect if it needs to go to a higher level and do so automatically. I don't believe my Berta ever gets HOT, or even warm, but I DO believe my hood (Broan, QP3 Series http://www.broan.com/display/router.asp?ProductID=100765) keeps things nice in my tiny (8 x 10) kitchen. The cfms have been sufficient even with all 6 burners going. It has only kicked up to Boost mode once. I paid about $360.
(End post)
Hope this helps. My husband & I loooove this new range AND the hood. I have emailed Bertazzoni and called their Customer Care number a few times before and after purchase (research and some specific questions) and I have been impressed with their quick and helpful responses.

i don't really have a space for a microwave any place else in this kitchen and my counter space is at a minimum.

does anyone who owns a berta have a microwave over it? has anyone else heard that this should not be done? helps!

Celinahex - I havent really compared the btus, but the GE Cafe range has similar BTUs, I think, and you can put a microwave over it - there is an over the range microwave in the GE Cafe line. Again, I havent compared the two, but I think they should be similar. Its worth checking out.

I don't understand why your salesperson would say you can't use any decent venting microwave over the Bertazzoni. Maybe he's thinking because it's categorized as a pro-style range, it has more power than it does. The 30" Bertazzoni's total BTU output is only 36,000. The GE Cafe's is 56,000. If a microwave can be used over the GE, it should be fine over the Berta.

By the way, the recommendation is to have 10 to 15 cfm (cubic feet per minute) of air evacuation ability in your vent blower per 1000 BTU's of range power, so you'd need 360 - 540 cfm to vent your Bertazzoni properly. A number of venting microwaves, even a Kenmore, offer a 600cfm blower. I'd say the important thing is to get a decent cfm capacity. The over-the-range microwave Bertazzoni makes is designed for use with their stoves, but it only has 300cfm. I think they're figuring you're never going to have all the burners on at full blast at once, but I'd still aim for a 400 - 600 cfm model microwave to be on the safe side.

Bertazzoni owners: I'm helping my Mom decide whether to get a 30" Bertazzoni. Our only worry is the tininess of the oven. At 2.9 cubic feet, it's SO small. Any comments on that would be of great help to us. Also, how inconvenient is it to use a separate oven thermometer if we go with one of the models that don't have a temperature gauge?

Thank you.
Nabq

This is a 30 in dual fuel with self-cleaning oven.

Nabq: what type of cooking does your Mother typically do? Has she looked at the Bertazzoni oven size or are you doing the research for her? Make sure you bring your most commonly used pan to the dealer and see how it fits before you buy one.
Ours is in our summer place on Cape Cod and I have no complaints given the way I cook when we're there. However, at our main home I roast a ton all winter. I roast a 10lb chicken once a week, and I once did this on the Cape and noticed I couldn't fit another pan in at the same time. It was not the width, but the height. For example, a lot of times I'll roast the chicken and when it has about 20 minutes left I'll throw something else in on the rack below it. This wasn't possible when I tried it with the Berta. However, my solution for this is to get a Breville Smart Oven for down there. I have one in our home now and in addition to it being our toaster, I use it for roasting veggies all of the time. I won't get into to how much I love the Smart Oven :-) Anyhow, that is my experience and my only complaint is with doing my big chickens and something else at the same time :-) but if you don't cook like that it wouldn't be a problem and I otherwise love it.

So I guess I should call Bertazonni for a repair option.

Oh and I had the cabinets set up with a custom shelf etc for my Breville so I'm with you on the versatility of that oven.

So that's how this ends. I'm hoping something really goes wrong with it so that I can get service to hear the fan.

Much appreciated may need to has electrician back

Celinahex: I was originally planning on getting an otr microwave for my 30" Bertazonni but happily, my plans have changed. There should not be a problem with any of them since they are all made to withstand the heat of a gas range, as per Consumer Reports Kitchen Issue. They also state that higher cfm's do not necessarily translate to better ventilation. A fan should have two speeds and more than three speeds is unnecessary. However, OTR Microwaves and down draft ventilation both lack in perfomance to dedicated vent hoods. That being said, I liked the looks of the Fridgidaire Professional OTR Microwave, it's all silver...has only about 340 cfm's I believe.

MaggieM: The fan in the door is noticeably loud for us given that our previous oven had no such feature. I was quite surprised. It is not louder than our range hood but the two running together makes quite a hum. I'm sure we'll get used to it but there may not be anything wrong with yours.

The surprise was the heat of the cooking surface, especially the area behind the rear burners and the back vent which I found unbelievably hot. I could not put my finger on it for more than a second or two and it would definitely burn if left more than that. Has anyone else experienced this ? I am wondering if we did some wrong when installing the rear backsplash. We can feel air coming from the front of the door but it is not hot so I am wondering if the hot air is not routing correctly and just going up the back or something.

Thanks for any ideas. I don't the range is safe to have in the house if this is normal but I don't want to go through the hassle of returns etc.

I also noticed that the salesman did not advise to me to order the duct cover and it appears that I should have. We are mounting the hood below our cabinet.

Any suggestions?

The plug on the electrical cord is a straight-on plug. If your plug is directly behind the range, you won't be able to push the range all the way to the wall.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my hood is the Broan, QP3 Series (http://www.broan.com/display/router.asp?ProductID=100765) which is absolutely fantastic! I have gotten into the habit of turning it on low when ever I'm using a couple of burners or the oven. Maybe it keeps the heat to a minimum? I highly recommend.

As far as the plug goes, I am able to push mine all the way against the wall. I can't remember, but I think mine had a recessed portion in the back that allowed for that. I have it attached to the wall with the brackets so I can't pull it out that easily.

The other thing I love (and never considered before) was having a range with legs. I never need to pull it out. I love being able to vacuum and sweep under it.

I am utterly thrilled almost a year later! Now I need to find a good dishwasher...