We have a Viking range and the functionality is great, but the
reliability stinks and the customer service is much worse. They
originally provided knobs that broke in normal use and thought it was
completely reasonable that a knob should only last two years and that I
should happily pay $35 each for replacements. (They finally changed the
design, but no free replacement parts for the suckers who bought the
defective ones.) The igniters for the oven run several hundred bucks a
pop and according to the customer (non)service reps have an expected
service life of 2-3 years. We've had several welds break in the frame
and are just living with it because repairs will run into the thousands.
Several of the welds on the oven racks have recetly let go. Viking of
course denies that there is any possibility of a manufacturing issue
there. Makes me yearn for my 60 year old Caloric.

Avoid Viking like the plague.

Roger

GB wrote:
My wife and I have finally (we think) narrowed our choice for a new
range between two. Making choices is foreign to us. So, would any of
you kindly give us some advice?

- Viking VGIC (or SC)36-6B: the six burner Viking range, maybe
self-cleaning, maybe not.
- Thermador PRG366US: Six round (not star).