The 5 or 6 burner question...the way I cook, 5 is more than enough. I don't have 6 pots small enough to all go in a 36" cooktop at once!

But I do prefer the space of a 36" to a 30.

I have the 6 burner Bertazzoni - almost 4 years now - and I really do like it. I've never used all 6 burners at once, but it's great to have the space to move pots around. I had originally intended getting a 5 burner Dacor, but the Bertazzoni was a much better price and I don't regret it for a moment.

thank you sara, it's helpful to know that the product works well and that you are happy. I'm sure I'll not use all 6 burners at once either, but you are right, having the space to shift pots/pans around is great! My GC is also an appliance expert and he likes the cooktop as well. I also like Gaggenau products and am hoping to get some feedback on it too!

I must also add that I like the Bertazzoni because the two center burners are of equal capacity and I like the Gaggenau because the power/wok burner is in the center. I guess in the end it will come down to a trade off...

I can't speak of the newer Gaggenau cooktops, but FWIW, I have a 27 year old Gaggenau cooktop that continues to perform flawlessly with daily use. I've never had a service issue with it. Gaggenau has a reputation for putting out quality products. Good luck with your decision...many good choices out there.

We're just starting our remodel, but we bought the Dacor 6 burner 36" rangetop. When we did our research, we took our biggest normally used soup pots and 14" skillet to the showroom and tried them out to see what we liked best.
Go to the link to see the one we bought; and it's made in the USA too.
They also make a higher end one with a few more bells and whistles.

Now just have to find a range hood...

Here is a link that might be useful: Dacor Range