I have a 30 inch Kenmore gas range with middle oblong burner - i keep the griddle that came with the range there at all times. We didn't buy it; it came with the house. I honestly never used the middle griddle for the first 2 years we lived here. Then one day, it finally occurred to me to try it for pancakes. Now I use it every weekend instead of busting out my electric griddle (which i need to keep in the basement because of lack of space in kitchen). I use it for grilled cheese too. Right now my children are toddlers, but i can see it being too small once the kids get older. My only other gripe with the center burner is that i can't center large pans on the outside burners. Otherwise, I like it just fine. I guess it all depends on your intended use and perhaps, family size.