It’s easy to be dazzled by the beauty and brawn of a pro-style range—until you look at the price. Ranges from brands like Thermador, Viking, and Wolf can easily set you back $6,000 to $10,000 or more.

Q: My wife and I enjoy entertaining and cooking large meals, so we are considering getting a professional gas range. Will the big burners waste a lot of gas? What features are most important to ...