What about your exhaust hood? You'll need a powerful one for that 48" rangetop with griddle. You may also want to look into an inline blower or external/remote blower for the hood, to minimize the noise of the powerful hood you'll need. Search the forum for those topics. I'll link a thread to get you started.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about Inline/Remote Blowers

I just noticed that you mentioned a warming drawer under the double ovens. Warming drawers are great, BUT NOT in that location. Don't put it there! It will be too low. Really, you'll regret putting the warming drawer under the double ovens. The best location is directly under the counter or under the rangetop. If it can also be next to the wall ovens, so much the better.

I'll link a thread on this subject. Buehl explains it better on that thread than I can.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about Warming Drawers

Wow! I wish I had your "problem" :-0. We have have also put off our kitchen remodel for Years. But space is still a limiting factor for me. Good luck with your plans. I've read some posts that say a built in griddle is somewhat of a waste, since you can always use a separate griddle plate that will span 2 burners. Maybe a french top instead? It looks more versatile. Hopefully someone who has one can chime in with their experience.

AK- definitely good thought on the hood will be over the island & thanks for your input on the warming drawer.

fun2- not sure i love the french top...maybe 36" or 8 burners??

Interested in peoples thoughts on "top of the line brands" if they didnt have a hard budget or space to worry about.

Thanks all keep the input coming!!

I love my integrated griddle ... it works way better than the one we put over the burners. Maybe that one wasn't the best, but the heating just wasn't as even.

We are trying to plan the dream kitchen without just throwing money out the window & look forward to all responses
Range top: 48" wolf w 6 burners & griddle, considered theramadore too, didnt know much about Blue star till this forum

If you are building the dream kitchen and not just throwing money out the window why not a Bluestar or Culinarian rangetop? Wolf is for looks Bluestar/Culinarian for cooks.

double wall ovens: Wolf L series w warming drawer below: didnt love the look on the gags although saw the reviews here, looked at GE , Miele, thermadore....most confused here

1) Gaggenau
2) Miele
3) Wolf

Fridge: 48" subzero
undercounter fridge & or wine cooler: undecided

1)Liebherr
2)Subzero

Ice maker 15" under counter: GE or KA

1)Scotsman

Dishwasher: KA or miele ( will have 2 dishwashers current KA is 4 yrs old so will keep & the size issue with Miele might not matter as well have 2 in our plans)

Get the Miele and give us a compare and contast report a year from now.

J/K LOL

>>>Wolf is for looks Bluestar/Culinarian for cooks.

This is nonsense. One can cook excellent meals on Wolf, DCS, GE Monogram and many other ranges. In fact a good chef can cook excellent meals on lower end ranges as well. It's true that Bluestar and Capital have outstanding open burners but Bluestar has reliability issues and the Capital Culinarian has not been released yet. To imply that Wolf is just for show kitchens and is throwing money out the window is ridiculous.

Are you set on having the rangetop in the island? It's not ideal. For one thing, exhausting your grease and smoke is more difficult because there is open air all around it for the grease and smoke to go. If you have the rangetop against a wall, some of that grease and smoke is contained by the wall, and it makes the hood's job easier. An island hood needs to be 6" larger than the rangetop, so we are talking about a 54" hood. Also, a large hood for the rangetop over the island could look really cool, or it could be a sightline block, or mammoth elephant--it depends on your setup, your decor, layout, etc.

People have the romantic idea of cooking on an island with people sitting at the island while they're doing so. The reality is that while you're cooking, you're mostly looking down at your pans, not at your friends and family. Also, you'll need a lot of space for people to sit at an island but not be touched by the smoke, steam and splatter. Also, you need a certain amount of counterspace on either side of a rangetop; will your island be big enough for a 48" rangetop and counters on either side? Will walking around an island of that size end up being a PITA or a roadblock to the rest of your kitchen?

You could also try posting your layout on the Gardenweb Kitchens Forum. There are a bunch of experts there who could help you get the most userfriendly and efficient kitchen. They'll see things you never thought of. Make sure if you post your layout that it's clear and easy to read, though not gargantuan so people will need to scroll their screen endlessly to take it in.

I agree with akchicago. My last house had a beautiful, high-end kitchen. The original owner owned an appliance store, and he spared no expense in equipping the kitchen. I thought the island cook top would be so very cool, and so entertaining friendly. It was a huge island, with lots of storage, seating around the counter, etc. Looked absolutely fabulous.

As I lived with the house, I was surprised to learn that I did not like it. And I never felt that the externally vented pop-up vent did as good a job as I had expected in venting cooking or grilling smells.

So, when I moved to my current (and final) home, and remodeled the kitchen, I made sure that I put the range on the perimeter of the kitchen. (Although my sink & Fisher-Paykel dish drawers are in the island ....and I LOVE this configuration!)

I also totally agree with weissman. I have a Wolf 30-inch, DF range, which I absolutely love. Contrary to what some will write on this forum, Wolf ranges are excellent products, and "real" cooks can produce fabulous food from these products. My Wolf range looks good, it performs consistently and flawlessly with no special maintenance, and it has no "issues". I've had my range for 5 years without a single problem...and I cook daily, and entertain several times each month. I'm very happy with the performance of my Wolf range.

I also have a SZ 650 fridge, which is just fabulous. Proper storing of fresh fruit & vegetables is very important to me, and this refrigerator is just magical at how well, and for how long, the food can be stored, and stay as crisp and fresh as the day it was purchased. I couldn't be more pleased with this product. Again, this was new with my remodel in 2005, and it has performed flawlessly for 5 years.

Finally, I have the F-P DDs. My last house (the one with the huge island) had F-P DDs, and I really enjoyed using those machines the 4 years I lived in the house. When I moved into this home and remodeled the kitchen, I installed the F-P 603 DDs. And my excellent experience with this brand continues. Never a problem, easy to use, and lots of wonderful features about them.

Have fun sorting out your appliance options. I wish you a great outcome in your long-awaited remodel, and I hope you are as happy with your results as I have been.

sportsrx,
Good OP.

I'll add a few remarks.
1. First off, ditto to all the above remarks.

2. "Are we missing anything? we are trying to plan the dream kitchen without just throwing money out the window...

I would get some passive freezing and passive refrigeration, in addition to a small or medium size "all purpose" fridge-only or fridge-freezer. Passive means there is no freezer burn, and no dehydrating produce in the fridge. Look at a Vestfrost or a Summit Cp171 or a chest freezer. Passive is a great way to go, for many things. Not frost-free for all. There are fantastic fridges that do a fantastic job, for almost no money. Passive cooling keeps moist air in the fridge. Now, I'll admit that looks weird if you aren't expecting it. Restaurants have it. Europeans have it. Why not you?

This spreads out the load over 2 or 3 appliances instead of getting one to do everything.

Hey guys,

Thanks a ton...lets see how I can go thru this:

1) I do like the wolf/ subzero look & if its close in quality ( some said better) to the bluestar, & didnt love the looks of the gag( kinda quirky)...was aware of the combo money off promo....just didnt want to lock into Wolf/Subzero & "pay for a name badge"...want the looks & the quality for that money....we cook alot but are far from gourmets.

2) I have a huge space but with very little wall space. We have had at least 4 respected kitchen designer cabinet makers who have come to our home & were intimidated abit by some of the irregularity of the space, so I dont think the range against the wall will work...but will try posting in the kitchen forums. Hey we cant have EVERYTHING , right ? :)

3)Daidrol- didnt know anything about passive refridgeration will definitely explore.

4)Ak if I get the Miele I promise to report back

Still considering all brands mentioned above, still leaving toward W/SZ but will give Miele, gag, & BS another look :)

APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK

Are you actually a serious cook or just looking to build a show kitchen.

My Bosch dishwasher is 13 years old, silent and never a repair. Don't even consider a 2 drawer Fisher-Paykel dishwasher they have terrible repair record.

Sub Zero has one of the worst repair records in the industry.

The finest rerfridgerator I've ever owned is my French Door Samsung. Temeperature holding is absolutely perfect both refridgerator and freezer. They even make a thin wall 29 cu ft model

Skip the counter depth refridgerators and the side-by-side ones. Storage is not good, particularly if you do a lot of entertaining. Want counter depth look then have your contractor do the following.

On the wall where your refridgerator will go, have the base cabinets pulled out i.e. installed away from the wall. Not only will your countertop cover this, it will allow you to have a variety of appliance garages and still have full depth set downs.

If you are a serious cook consider a commercial size undermount single sink. Mine will hold a 20 quart stock pot and standing just a few feet away it isn't even visable.

Don't bank all you major appliances together. You should have set down space both left and right of stove, sink, ovens, refridgerator, etc.

Forget the cooktop pot filler. It's a total waste. Sure you can fill the pot at the cooktop. but you're still going to have to carry the full pot to the sink. Better to plan your sink and cooktop so that you can simply drag a full pot to the sink.

You might want to consider the BX 280 - 30" double convection oven the doors open like a cupboard door rather than drop down

Seriously consider a Magnetic Induction cooktop. Cooks like gas but is electric.

Or consider a fivestar cooktop with 21,000 btu burners. Just make sure to order the matching backsplash, and vent hood to match. This last piece of advice applies to all commercial type cooktop/ranges

Cooktop placement - if you are a serious cook then you want to place it on an outside wall for maximum ventilation. And your vent hood filters should be able to go into the dishwasher for cleaning.

Kitchen Island - make sure you have electric outlets placed conveniently. If you do lots of baking a lift up appliance shelf will hold your KitchenAid mixer and easily lift up when needed. Also as applies to baking, consider have your island several inches lower than your counter tops. Easier for kneeding and rolling out and you won't need special chairs to accomodate higher counter tops

Hope you find some of this helful

Kat

Kat,

Appreciate your thoughts....Can I say I want a show kitchen that still can kick some a$$ LOL?

As i stated before, we cook alot, large family, lots of company etc....Not gourmet chefs, although we like to try, experiment etc....

Would like to hear some more about our plans from the forum regulars as I know they dont all see eye to eye :)

case in point weissman & deeageaux in this posting here on the diff of BS, culinarian & wolf being simply for show??

Thank you all, we are still deciding- going back to the appliance store again this week.

This is nonsense. One can cook excellent meals on Wolf, DCS, GE Monogram and many other ranges. In fact a good chef can cook excellent meals on lower end ranges as well. It's true that Bluestar and Capital have outstanding open burners but Bluestar has reliability issues and the Capital Culinarian has not been released yet. To imply that Wolf is just for show kitchens and is throwing money out the window is ridiculous.

This is asinine

One can cook excellent meals on any range or rangetop.
One can get better results for some meals and get a higher percentage of hits vs misses on higher end ranges and rangetops.

We are here to discuss what is BEST or better.

If not then what is the point?

Just get whatever.

No need to do research.

Wolf is to impress friends and real estate agents.

If you are spending that money to get the BEST cooking appliance you are better off buying something else.

BTW Bluestar has issues with its ovens.

The rangetops have no more serious issues than Wolf or anyone else.

It has ignitors than can crack and it can be replaced for $7 and two minutes of your time. Hardly an issue for a serious home chef.

deeageaux - I don't plan to get into a p*ssing contest with you, but there's a big difference between saying that Bluestar and Culinaire have better burners than Wolf, and saying that buying Wolf is just for show and is like throwing money out the window.

Hi sportsrx

I was in the same position as you. We are just finishing our new kitchen, and my appliances were installed last week. I am in heaven - I love everything I got!
Range: 48" BlueStar - works perfectly!!! 4 burners and french top, with double ovens
Fridge: Liebherr french door, integrated cabinet fronts
extra upright freezer in garage
Dishwashers: Fisher&Paykel tall double dish drawer, and single tall dish drawer in island, all integrated cabinet fronts
Hood: Modern Air PS1010-048 in Brushed Copper, with Abbaka 1400CFM remote blower.

I will take pictures soon and post.

Good luck, and have fun!

deeageaux- I appreciate your opinions & agree I am spending alot of time , research to find out whats best, that said why is wolf soo loved by some respected people yet so disliked by others ( equally respected?)

Weissman & Dancing- I appreciate your thoughts as well, I guess my question/concern is this_ is there a place for considering looks &"show" in the process...Forexmaple....why wife simply doesnt like the frnchdoor look & wants a side by side....If she Loves the red knobs & wolf is still an excellent product is that bad....I am not saying buy a piece of crap for $4k for the red knobs, YES THAT WOULD BE ASININE :)

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE's INPUT....At times more confusing but in the end I feel I will make an INFORMED decision which is most important, right ?

Thanks much

Yes, form and function play a role in kitchen design. Most of us on this forum will generally pick function over form but there are always tradeoffs involved. There's no one best appliance in any category. You're absolutely right that you wouldn't want to spend a lot of money on a good looking piece of junk but the Wolf hardly falls into that category.

Until recently, this forum has contained a lot of Bluestar snobs alhtough many of them have now jumped ship to Capital Culinaire sight unseen :-). Bluestar is certainly a good product but it does have fit and finish issues and problems with oven doors and ignitors and people who have had those problems and have not gotten good service have not been happy campers. It's important to do research but then make the decision that's right for you.

Hi again,

I definitely consider both quality and looks! My range is bright, deep orange and goes perfectly with the granite counters. BlueStar is available in 290+ colors, so you can really be choosy. I had bad experiences with Viking and heard that Wolf had similar problems - including from our local store/repair center that sells both BlueStar & Wolf. Our place is very rural, so I wanted stuff that would be extremely reliable.

Don't stress about over researching. I researched for MONTHS, and even tried out the range - cooked several items including pies! After all that, I am sooo happy. Hopefully you both will be too!

sportsrx it is about that time now, when you proclaim your new criteria.
A revised set.

This will keep the thread on track to serve you.

Davidrol,

Not sure I understand...this is my first post here...would welcome anything to " keep us on track" not sure what you mean by proclaiming my new criteria & a revised set, clarification would be great

Thanks

We are also in the process of researching appliances and asking many of the same questions here. My wife and I tend to value function over form/looks. But, if something doesn't look good to us, we don't want it. We will be unhappy looking at something day after day that we don't like.

This is more of an issue for ovens than ranges (we happen to like the way Bluestars look). Some ovens look like airplane control centers. We don't want a lot of electronic controls. We want a very simple look. We're leaning towards a DCS double oven because it seems to be the best combination of looks and function (and about at the upper end of our price range).

weissman,

There is a big difference between saying that Wolf has better fit and finish than Bluestar and saying there is no difference in cooking performance.

The facts contradict that.

Ergo, the Wolf is not purchased with cooking as the number one criteria.

On the Culinarian it comes down to do you trust Trevor and his test.

Capital has a very good record regarding reliability.

BTW "Bluestar snobs?" LOL.

Wolf is the epitamy of the Kitchen Magazine snob.

ddeageaux - one last time - I never said there was no difference in cooking performance between the Wolf and Bluestar. The original poster asked if their appliance choices were reasonable given a large budget or were they wasting money? They never said cooking was their number one criteria. You proceeded to tell them that a Wolf would be throwing money out the window - which is what I took exception to. I think they'd be very pleased with Wolf as are many other owners. Anyway, I'm done.

deeageaux

thanks for info on dependability (or lack thereof) about bluestar

Kat

Well Tell me this Guys, Will any of them, (Wolf, Blue Star or Capital) boil 8 cups of water in 4 mins, or simmer at 119 degrees F (Largest burner 10 inches) or is it as easy to clean as "This":

sportsrx, to explain: this is your first thread, and in the thread that you opened you can "post" several times. To ensure that this thread (which you opened) remains about you, I gave you a nudge to post (i.e. write) about your needs as you see them now, o help direct attention to the core subject, you. Otherwise, this thread like any thread can degenerate into a back and forth discussion between two people who are not discussing the main subject, you. It's all good information. But you can certainly influence where this thread goes next. You started this discussion thread. What do you see now as your needs or desires? What do you want to know more about?

The post above seems to be about induction cooktops. Do you want to know why induction is better than gas? Do you want to know what other people have said, after switching from gas to induction? Until you post again, nobody knows what your current thinking is. Give a penny or two.

Ok davidrol-I think I got ya

Let's recap....seeking opinions on high end appliances on dream kitchen.form & function BOTH matter!

Fridge 48" side by side:
Leaning toward sub zero over liebherr if for no other reason to support american workers. I believe quality is very comparable

Rangetop 48"
Now considering adding a small 15" induction top (overkill??)in addition to:
Was leaning toward wolf w 6 burner & griddle
Lots of strong opinion for blue star & capital culi.

Double ovens 30"

Wolf vs miele- if comparable why not go wolf & get the $1k off sz/wolf promo?

Heard about gagganeau just feel too quirky a look for us

Warming draw-excellent advice from akchicago on location

Undercounted fridge,ice maker

Perlick,sz,ka all in play scotsman for icemake

DW
Ka vs mile

Hood-knew nothing about this 2 days ago
Q Thinking best 54" & vent a hood need to learn about blowers more

I welcome users pros & cons for all our considerations & any ommissions

Thanks so much to all of you-davidrol- did I do what I was supposed to? :)

Our 3 year old Kitchen Aid dishwasher is a piece of junk. It replaced a KA that worked every day, all day for 15 years. Turns out, according to one of the 3 repair guys we've had in, that the motor was ruined by broken glass. Seems like a dishwasher should be designed to protect the motor against this very common event. Kitchen Aid no longer means quality.

I'm with weissman. It's a bit excessive to tout an appliance that does not yet exist as if it did. That poster is drinking the marketing kool aid (who knows why) and while the Capital Culinarian may turn out to be da bomb, it simply won't be known for a while.

All the most reliable brands have been mentioned. You say the Gags look "funny". I'd say take another look. They are very highly regarded and offer many things the other brand simply don't offer, especially in terms of modularity.

If you want a gas range I'd suggest a 2-burner induction particularly if you are serious about a Wolf or other higher output gas range. My DD has a 48" Wolf and it gets very hot when it's going full tilt. I also believe a high end kitchen today should have a mix of technologies.

As for gas ranges, I'd evaluate Lacanche and La Cornue. Those offer a different style but also different features and sizes and are highly customizable. La Cornue isn't a favorite here (cost) but it has very high output burners, ovens that are high performers and other attributes -- I had a long talk with the top KD in the country about it and asked why he used them so often. Evidently, they are extra special in terms of what they do and handsome.

SZ is a high-quality standard. I've been extremely happy with our Liebherr. I'd also look at the Miele fridge which has a fine layout (though the SZs are very versatile now).

As for double ovens, Gagg or Miele. I had a warming drawer once and didn't replace it. Double ovens have a warming feature or proof setting that does the same thing.

However, I'd take a close look at the Turbochef pair which has an amazing speed oven with new technology on top and a standard oven below. You must see this oven in action.

Would rather get modular on below-counter fridge and freezer drawers in auxiliary places in the kitchen.

I really appreciate our wine cooler and would get one. For us, the 24" under counter model has been great. We have GE as a money saver -- it's a one zone. SZ has a 2 zone which would be ideal.

For dw Miele, no contest but I've had excellent experience with 2 machines over 5 years and never a service call or even a hiccup. Just quiet performance.

While you're at it, everyone focuses on the big pieces but I would do a built in Miele coffee system, also get a water filter under the sink which has been fabulous for us.

Some people have indoor wood-burning beehive pizza ovens. I've had those and wood grills in Italy and it's great.

I also like a really great laundry room. Front loaders, a rotary iron and plenty of storage and a large space for spreading and folding -- also sewing if it can be worked in.

As for an odd shaped kitchen, a gas range on an island is a barrier island. A good architect can solve those issues and is worth employing for that purpose IMO.

Good luck!

Roccogurl-great insights thanks so much for your detailed insightful suggestions & experiences. Much appreciated

davidro1....guess i did not redirect well, oh well :)

Thanks to all for their input, still working thru some choices including an advantium undercounter? instead of microwave?

I'm with weissman. It's a bit excessive to tout an appliance that does not yet exist as if it did. That poster is drinking the marketing kool aid (who knows why) and while the Capital Culinarian may turn out to be da bomb, it simply won't be known for a while.

Someone is drinking the hatoraid.

It is not marketing kool aid but observable and repeatable test by a trusted dealer.

If you chose to ignore a long history here with said dealer why trust any advice posted on this forum?

Somebody been drinking from the marketing hype created by the Kitchen Magazines.

I fully believe the results of the tests Trevor did on the PROTOTYPE that he has and I think the results are very encouraging. On the other hand, there are a number of steps involved from prototype to production model and things often get delayed at that stage. Also, early production units sometimes have problems. I think that's all we're saying.

Indeed weissman, that's all. However, some choose to take it otherwise.

Dealers are trusted for selling and marketing. Caveat emptor. There is a huge range of opinion in the industry as well as a huge range of advice on this forum in many areas. For me, that's its strength. Some of us know and trust more than than one dealer and have access to more than one opinion. Dealers have different opinions. Not everyone agrees on brands, except mostly about Wolf and SZ. And, of course, they tend to like and believe in what they can sell. DUH.

That said, everyone hopes to find a great, affordable range that really does it for those who want high output open burners.If the Culinarian turns out to be all it's said to be that's terrific.

However, that doesn't negate the value of sealed burner ranges or make them inferior as is often stated here. It depends on the design and personal preference.

Let's not forget that Surgit Kalsi, who now makes Capital ranges, made DCS ranges -- famous for excellent sealer burners -- which were very highly regarded throughout the entire industry. I believe several people on this forum still have DCS ranges and adore them.

It depends on what someone wants and hopefully there will be independent thought and close examination -- as amcook did. We're not smurfs. Some of us like to see it before we believe it. That's not hatoraid. It's common sense.

I think we should understand what i mean by prototype. the body of the unit is from existing capital lines.

The burners are from the Thermo tek commercial ranges, which the Mr Kalsi owns.

This is a marriage of two existing ranges, the only items added to the current offering from Capital are the burner assembly and burner heads which are tried and tested via another company. So while I call it a prototype it is the finished item with the exception of the drip pan and the new enameled burner heads.

What remains the same as the capital Precision

Body
Modules
Sparkers
Electrics
Ovens
Broiler
Hinges
Rack
Self Clean
Grill
Griddle
Fit and Finish
Knobs
Plus other stuff i forget :)

While I agree with weissman about changes and delays, NO changes have been made to this unit since approval was granted, so its just a case of putting the culinarian into the capital build schedule and then we are off and running. Target date of Mid Aug - early Sept is still good.

I don't think a 48" counter depth fridge is big enough for you unless you have a secondary fridge somewhere else. We have 3 kids (all boys) and will likely get a 36" fridge only (SubZero 736). We go through LOTS of food and buy milk 6 gallons at a time a couple of times a week. When you go integrated you lose SO much space. I think you have to go up to the 36" inch fridge only to surpass the cubic feet in a standard side by side fridge, which is waaaaayyyy too small for my family

As far as the dishwashers go, I would want them to match. We will have two also on either side of the sink. The KA won't be integrated and if paneled would stick out. The Meile won't.

Just a couple of thoughts!

Momof3

Good thoughts, thank you...we have a 24" under counter fridge in our plans or beverage center plus "the old ge profile side by side" going in the garage till it dies...re the dw I hear ya but the ss ka we have is only 4 yrs old & working great...2 mile dw @ $3k+ seems like it could be better spent elsewhere...maybe when the KA dies then we make them identical buying a 2nd mile dw?

More to consider I suppose, thanks

Regarding Athensmomof3's comment about the KA dishwasher's panelling sticking out...one reason it sticks out is because the KA DW is roomier inside than the Miele. But in any case, what we are doing is taking the standard 24" deep base cabinets and pulling them away from the wall 3". That way we get 27" deep counters, i.e. lots of counter work space. This topic of deeper-than-standard counters has been discussed on the Kitchens Forum if the OP wants to check it out. Anyway, our KA DW, which will be panelled, will not stick out due to our deeper counters. Since the OP is still in the planning stages, it may be something for him/her to think about.

Another option, which is likely less expensive (because when you pull cabinets out you buy more countertops, which could make up the difference in cost depending on cabinet run length), is to pull out the two dishwashers and the sink, and then do the rest of the cabinets on that run at a normal depth. This works particularly well when you can do windows all above the bump out - it looks fantastic (better than a straight run I think). If you do that, save your money and buy another KA. Great dishwasher, holds a ton, and much better priced than the Meile.

The below link is done with two farm sinks but if you google images you can find other examples. . .

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1423114}}

Integrated griddle works better

Much thanks to all who offered their thoughts. Pretty well set on range top, dbl wall ovens & fridge

Still laboring over mw vs speed oven (under counter)
As well as undercounted :15" ice maker, 24" wine fridge '24" fridge,48-54" hood ( most clueless here :) )

Any help on those 5 items is GREATLY appreciated

Why choose between gas or electric.

Look into a Magnetic Induction cooktop. Cooks like very powerful gas, flush fitting, cool surface, only heats the food. :)

With a commercial type gas cook top you must place against an outside wall so the vent hood will work at maximum efficiency.

Don't plan on being able to pop a Miele dw in where the KA once was. I believe the Miele's require a slightly smaller opening and you'll have a noisy machine if you don't get it right.

Re the hood. Depends on the range size and power and the design of the kitchen.

You likely know but a wine fridge has a different temp range than a regular under counter fridge so that would be a factor in the choice.