Building new garage for Ferrari...........

Depends on what you are looking for... I can get some nice ranges from france for (relatively) cheap(er).

High end stuff, direct from the manufactuar is usually best.

 

Lacanche

 

We researched them all. Narrowed it down to Wolf, Viking and Thermador. Each has advantages and disadvantages. If you want all of your appliances to match, Viking is your choice. Wolf gas ovens are not self-cleaning, but they have two convection fans. Thermador's burner design is superior, but the burner trays are stainless steel, not enamel. The French stoves are very pretty, but function seems to be compromised and they cost WAY more....unless Ben can swing you a deal We are getting a 48" Thermador...all gas. Head to your nearest high-end store. Standards of Excellence in San Rafael was very helpful to us. Purcell Murray has an excellent wholesale showroom in Burlingame. I think that you can gain access by appointment.

 

You've done your research! We just installed a 36", 6-burner Thermador and love it. The burner design is the best and yes, the stainless trays will scratch... especially as you try to clean between the star burners.

I do love the way those Lacanche ranges look though...

Frank

 

We have the 48" Thermador Pro with 6 burners, Grill and 2 ovens. It's a beast!

If you are like me and you RESEARCH everything before purchase then you should check out this appliance trend blog http://www.appliancist.com/ They show all the latest and greatest appliances. We're building a custom house for my dad and got a lot of cool ideas from there like the new top loading microwave ovens.

Vik

 

One word: VIKING

Best in performance, warranty, and looks, IMHO.

Just installed one of these:
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There's not much to those anymore, but I do have a contractor's lic, feel free to PM me.

The Lacanche are really really nice, but are about 1.5x the cost of the equivilent Wolf. Another consideration is that they are all custom made, in France (takes anywhere from 2-4 months.) The results are really nice though, their flames look nothing like the wolf, they're much tighter & whiter and the degree of precision in the heat is incredible. Think of a jet engine vs a fire pit.

 

hey there... i am in the process of pimping my garage out too, so i been doing A LOT of research. so far the best (and price reflects it) place i found for garage gear is:

http://www.showroomgarage.com/

chad (who runs the company) is great and very helpful. i just bought fluorescent light fixtures from them (over $1K worth). i would also get their floor system if i knew i'd be staying in my current house for a while, but will probably go with racedeck tile. for cabinets i am debating between their line and griot's garage (to save some money)

 

When I did my kitchen remodel last year,I ordered everything Thermador.The 48" range was backordered for 6-10 weeks.couldn't wait that long because of contractor scheduling and needed to have a functional kitchen.Switched to a Wolf 48" all gas with grille.Fantastic range,didn't regret the switch.Used Thermador hoods and roof mounted fan motors(pro series with 1700cfm motors).

 

I do like their flooring systems!

 

We have Decor. They aren't professional standard but they look better(not just a hulking metal beast), work very well, and clean up nicely. Their line of appliances is fairly comprehensive too

 

I used Viking at my last house and did not miss a beat. As a matter of fact am getting ready to replace all the one's in my present home with the big V. But there has to be someplace that one can get a better price.

 

Yeah, the "It Fell off the Truck" store. Great deals, but impossible to get a full set of matching appliances.

 

Only problem is you have to wear thermo gloves because they are so hot.

 

Thermador is very nice! I just installed a Thermador 36" stove top and love it (actually bought it off ebay). The star burners are great! I have the model which will turn two of the burners on/off in order to do an ultra low simmer (you can adjust the delay between cycles).

I also looked into wolf, viking, etc. but in the end I decided to go with the Thermador. Their full size ranges are super nice as well. Here's a photo of mine. I installed it myself and also converted the unit from NG to Propane with a kit that I bought on-line.

Ray
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+1

Another one to check out is La Cornue - very nice old style looking ranges.

Ray