There is no 30" range that gives you a cooktop with more than 30" of space.

To get two full size pans/pots next to each other you will need 36". You can put three 12" pans/pots next to each other on the 36". Bigger than that they will also encroach on one another.

What your photo shows is a "free-standing" range, and therefore it has a backguard where the controls are. That backguard cuts into your 30" of usable space by several inches. You could get a 30" "slide-in" range, which does not have a backguard, and thereby gain a few inches front to back. I'll link a thread below that has excellent photos from Live_wire_oak which illustrate what I mean. You will only gain a few more inches with a slide-in, but it will be an improvement over what you have now. Measure how thick is your range's backguard from the wall, and that is the amount of cooktop inches you will gain by changing to a slide-in range. If you are looking for a lot more cooktop space, you could choose a 36" range, or, a 36" rangetop plus 30" wall oven.

Note that if you go with a 36" range, your oven will also be 36" which some people find a bit large, though it's not a big deal. You will have to alter your base cabinetry and countertop from what you show in your photo in order to fit a 36" range.

Another alternative is to install a 36" rangetop and a separate 30" wall oven. A "rangetop" is a range without the oven, it's just the top part. This option would be quite an expenditure of money, and it is also assuming you have the wall space for a wall oven. But I wanted to mention it.

**You should go to an good appliance store with slide-in ranges, rangetops and wall ovens on display. Bring your large fry pans/pots with you to see how they fit. Don't be embarrassed to do this; people do it all the time.**

Thread with Pics of Freestanding Range vs. Slide-in Range

Bertazzoni 36" rangetop

This post was edited by shannonplus2 on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 19:48

I think shannonplus has given you some good suggestions, but I think the stove selection is a little more complicated . As shannonplus suggested you condier slide-in type stoves, which do not have the space-constraining thick backsplash found on many freestanding ranges. Some slide-ins will offer more cooktop space, but some of them are as much or more spacially constrained as freestanding ranges.

There are also the so-called ""pro-style" ranges. "Pro-style " ranges give more room by combining more widely spaced burners --- the burners are on 11-inch centers (front to back) rather than 9-inch centers that are standard on major brand ranges --- with thin and short backguard-vent-risers that increase room to the back. This combination allows you put four large pots on a 30" stove cooking surface. For example, tonight, when I was making eggplant parmesan on my "pro-style"range, ,I had two large skillets on the front burners with a a dutch oven on a rear burner. One fry pan was 12.5", the other was 12" in diameter and the dutch oven was 11" in diameter. The dutch oven and the 12" fry pan were on the right side burners and were slightly off-center, but everything cooked fine.

The least expensive pro-style range that I know of is the NXR ($2k from Costco and several other national vendors.) Above that, you are looking at Viking's D3 ranges (around $3200), and American Range and Blue Star (upwards of of $3400.)

This post was edited by JWVideo on Sun, Jul 28, 13 at 21:39

Thanks for the responses! I think you're right that a slide-in range may solve my problem.

I don't think a 36" range would help at all because as you can see in my own picture, my problem is front-to-back, not side-to-side. I can't believe I didn't see that myself!

JWVideo: I'm looking at a picture of an NXR range but I don't understand how it gives more space front-to-back than a regular range since it's still cabinet-depth. Is it that the backsplash is narrower than on a traditional range?

Here's the one I'm looking at: http://www.appliancesconnection.com/nxr-drgb3001-i135216.html?ref=pricegrabbermain

I certainly believe you that multiple 12" pots fit, I'm just having trouble picturing it.

here's a photo, I think. (we will see if it posts; might be blocked by my system security settings.

NS fry pan on the right is 12" diameter, SS pan on left is 12.5", blue dutch oven on back right burner 11" in diameter.

JW, that looks great! Thanks so much for taking the time to do a picture. What range do you have?

Do a 30" slide in or pro-style, and then perhaps get a standalone induction burner for overflow situations. Just be sure that the electrical system is configured to allow you to pull that many amps without popping the breaker. As in you might want a dedicated circuit for it.

It appears Costco is no longer carrying the 30" NXR range, just the 36" and 48".

cevamal asked "What range do you have?"

NXR DRGB3001 (the current 30" inch model). Got mine from Costco.com. The center-stovetop grate (seen in the photo) was a separate accessory purchased elsewhere.

Hollysprings suggested: "get a standalone induction burner for overflow situations . . . be sure that the electrical system is configured to allow you to pull that many amps . .. you might want a dedicated circuit for it."

To expand a little, these are 120 volt units that are also called "portable" induction cooktops and "countertop" induction burners. They are rated variously between 1300 watts and 1800 watts. In theory, an appliance drawing 1800 watts is pulling 15 amps when run at their highest settings. So, with a standard 15 amp household circuit, an 1800 watt induction burner is right at maximum capacity for the breaker for the circuit. Some kitchens are wired with 20 amp circuits, but you still can be drawing a lot of current when a portable induction burner is run at max heating power. So, if you planned to have the portable induction burner permanently plugged in, then a dedicated circuit would be a good idea, which is why Hollysprings suggested it. But, if this were something you would just pull out occasionally, a standard circuit is fine. Just don't have anything else running on that circuit at the same time that you plan on running the induction unit at a high heat (max amp) setting.

Frazestart noted: "It appears Costco is no longer carrying the 30" NXR range, just the 36" and 48""

MIght be discontined but my local Costco told me that the 30" models are just temporarily out of stock. IIRC from other threads, this has happened a couple of times with the $2400 30" Blue Star ranges sold through Costco-Canada.

This post was edited by JWVideo on Mon, Jul 29, 13 at 12:42