You will have to do quite a bit of work to change from cook top to free standing stove. You will have to re-work your cabinets and counter top to make room for a free standing.

I would assume that you also have a built in oven that you wouldn’t need and you will have to decide what to do in its place. I put in additional cabinets or a pantry in the case of double ovens

I do this a lot primarily because free standing is cheaper and I don’t have to buy a cook top and an oven. I am already replacing countertops and remodeling anyway but like I said it involves a lot of work and maybe out of the skill level of most DIY home owners

Cheap? Guess it’s a matter of opinion. A top quality range/oven is hardly something that would cheapen a kitchen. However, a cooktop with a separate oven looks more built-in and is often found in custom kitchens, so maybe your husband is thinking along those lines. If you opt for a cooktop, make sure you have the space to park an oven somewhere else.

To spice up your debate, here’s a glimpse of the new kitchen appliances we found at the 2008 International Builders’ Show. Maybe you’ll see something you both can agree on:
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And here’s a brief recent history of appliance development so you can put the whole debate into perspective:
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