I used a 24" range for years in an apartment. If you own your home, I think resale might be the biggest concern - especially if the new owners would have to rip-out cabinetry and countertops if they want to upgrade to a larger stove.

I worry less about what's on top than what's down below... when I was contemplating how to create more space in my itsy bitsy kitchen, I opted not to go for the tiny stove mostly because I couldn't imagine being stuck with such a tiny oven. That said, I sympathize with yearning for more counter space... If the bulk of your cooking takes place on a burner, maybe it would be worth it?

I agree about the oven. Roasting a big turkey might be a big problem. And if you do a lot of big batch baking, it might take longer.

I had a 24" range in an apartment, Cooking with all four burners was often quite a challenge, depending on the size of the pans. Also, alot of the larger baking sheets/roasting pans/ etc. don't fit in the oven and those that do don't really get good airflow in the oven so the baking tended towards uneven.
And God forbid you have to cook a Thanksgiving dinner!

I had a 24" range (with corresponding oven) for a while and a big problem was that the oven wouldn't hold heat very well (it was gas, not electric). My no-knead bread would never develop a brown crust. I don't know if that's because of the particular model or if it's due to the small size. Another problem with the small oven was that it wouldn't accommodate normal-sized baking sheets, pizza stones, etc. The range itself wasn't such a big deal; I never really felt like there wasn't enough space up top.

can u fit a 1/2 banking sheet in a 24" range?

what about going with a larger cooktop, so you 'd still have cabinets underneath and a full size wall oven someplace else. I've even seen wall ovens placed under the counter, which I always thought was cool, especially if you don't have the wall space for it.
I'd be concerned about fitting things into the oven and space on the cooktop...24 inches is really small, especially if you use large pots

Well as you know, it's smaller. So really it's just a matter of knowing if your cooking style and behaviors can fit with that small of an oven; but the only difference between that and a normal sized oven is the size itself.

If you want to use all four burners at the same time, be well aware of what is next to the stove. I live in an apartment where the stove is directly next to the refrigerator and sometimes there is no where for the pan handles to go.

I had a 24" range in an apartment for years and cooked lots of meals very successfully but it was a challenge at times. As others have mentioned, the oven won't fit standard baking sheets - I ended up buying half sheet and muffin pans. And I used my convection toaster oven for most baking and to supplement for big meals like Thanksgiving as it was actually a better oven and my small pans fit in it as well. I did squeeze a whole turkey into the oven one year but I had to take all of the racks out and rest the pan on the glides for the rack - and it took forever to cook since a) the oven wasn't that powerful to begin with and b) it was so jammed full of turkey.

The main day-to-day downside is that I couldn't fit 4 pots on the stovetop at the same time. If I had a large pot (like for pasta water) and a skillet on the stovetop, none of my other pans would also fit on the remaining two burners.

You might try laying it out with paper circles or something to see if your pans will all fit on the smaller stovetop.

Our home we bought almost 2 years ago has a 24 inch range. If you want to cook using all four burners, you have to be creative. And I don't imagine cooking a turkey anytime soon, but it probably not work well in that tiny oven.

I'm currently remodeling my kitchen and had this same dilemma. I opted to forgo my current 24" range in favor of a 30".

There were times when trying to use all four burners was challenging, and the oven only has one rack, but I never really had any issues with baking though or fitting anything in the oven. (Caveat: I live alone and usually only cook for two at the most.)

The biggest factor in moving up in size was that I was adding about eight square feet of counter space by way of a peninsula - so "losing" those six inches wasn't that big of a deal. Also, I think it will just add to the kitchen when it comes time to sell. But that's just an added bonus.

I recommend you put down tape to approximate the cooking space and put the pots you often use in the space, to see if you can make it work. I preserve a lot and water bath can. A 24" range would never work for me. It's tight on a full size range.

I had a wall oven under the counter in an apartment and found that it was even harder to get to the bottom back than with a freestanding range. The door and low elevation made for a long reach.

I have a 27 inch oven and find it challenging. I can't imagine using a 24 inch oven.

I also have a 36 inch cooktop and just this weekend had several really big pots going on it. They only just fit.

I suggest you take all the pans you would normally use to your appliance store and see just what you can fit on the range you are considering. I demo in a large appliance store and many people bring in wine glasses and large pans to see if they fit in a dishwasher---the same goes for a range. Would be worth the time and energy I think.

@CCP MBD is right - each range is going to vary. people that had one years ago should check out newer ones - things progress! a swank 24" viking range (like a client of mine has) has burners that take up the full cooktop surface. and the oven is very roomy and he's had no trouble baking big elaborate dishes.

I agree with what many people have said-- can't fit a full baking sheet, using all four burners is difficult (especially if you have a large dutch oven!). The oven constraint is most frustrating. But, with that said, I found that the 24" in my rental heated up much faster for oven and broiler use, which is nice.

Also, I'd rethink the issue of counter space-- how much would you actually use 6 extra inches? It's annoying to have none, but I've found that most people i know end up chopping or using blender in the same 12" by 12" space on the counter out of habit!

I had a tiny oven/stove in my last apartment, and it worked out fine for me for the most part. My issues were fitting things, specifically my cast iron pan that lived on the stovetop, while trying to cook multiple things, and the opposite of decogirl, my oven ran super super hot (I wondered if it was just the oven or the fact that it was a much smaller place). I also only had one rack in the oven, which was less than convenient. On the stovetop, I only had one larger burner and three smaller ones, so one got a ton of use, while the others were just backup.

One more thing that's hard to bake properly in a tiny oven: pizza! I've been stuck with tiny apartment ovens for years, and the lack of circulation has meant a lot more effort to make sure things brown (and don't burn) on all sides. Also, even if you're not using all four burners, managing things on a small stovetop can get dicey at times. You might have something cooling on one burner while you're using two skillets (for meat and vegetable recipes, let's say). Cabinet and counter space can be improvised elsewhere, but if the stove is inadequate, it will be an annoyance every time you cook.

I agree with the above comments. My 24" range was the primary thing I was moving away from when I moved apartments this fall. Take your pans to the store--being unable to fit a cookie sheet in the oven, or use my normal frying pans beside each other (or eat the entire surface, not just the center!) was a real pain.

I have a small stove (I don't know if it's 27" or 24") and I don't have much trouble with the stove itself, but the oven is super frustrating. I can't fit a full-size cookie pan in, and some of my casserole dishes are a tight squeeze. I often forget what fits and doesn't fit, and then have to switch dishes at the last minute. So frustrating!

The space crunch is annoying, but the thing that irked me the most was how there was no room between the elements for a spoon rest. Who knew that having that dedicated space for implements was so crucial to my 'cooking flow'?

If you cook a lot, esp for large groups, I imagine it's going to be a pain, but I'd be more worried about resale if you own as cbreynolds said above. If your concern is counterspace, I've seen vintage stoves with lift top lids, so mabe you could fashion something like that to place over the stove when not in use, providing you with extra counterspace for prep. Here, I googled stovetop cover and came up with these:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&q=stove+cover&gs_upl=5812l7109l0l7281l11l8l0l0l0l0l172l844l6.2l8l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1680&bih=853&wrapid=tlif131956274075611&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=1343105087675067181&sa=X&ei=Au6mTtCQIqzKsQKbn9jIDw&ved=0CGYQ8wIwAA#

http://www.stovetopcover.com/stovetop-cover/gallery.php

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-43554-Black-Universal-Stove/dp/B000EDSSMA

thekitchn even has a post on these:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/kitchen-design/small-kitchen-solution-cover-the-stove-top-for-more-counter-space-091624

I rent an apartment with a 24" range and it's a huge pain. I had to replace my 12" cast iron skillet with a 10" because the larger one wouldn't heat evenly. I can't use any large pots or pans. Cooking with all four burners is also a real challenge. The oven is even more annoying. I can't roast anything large and I had ti get quarter sheet pans instead of my old half sheets. And I can't use my baguette pan because it won't fit. Honestly, if I had a choice, I'd never, ever choose such a thing.

My apartment came with a 24" gas range and oven, and it was a huge adjustment for me (both the size and the gas heating). Now I don't even think about it; I have small cookie sheets, and since it's just the two of us I don't have any problem heating everything I need to heat. When we have company I just plan ahead.

I will echo cremedela, though--my pizza stone is a tight squeeze, and sometimes it doesn't cook evenly.

In addition to what's already been said, I would add that for me, a stove isn't just for cooking, it's a landing pad for hot pans of all kinds. I've lived in so many apartments where the stove was the ONLY heatproof counter to set hot things. I think if you do choose to have a small range, put in tile or something heatproof around it so you can move hot pans on and off easily.

I have a 24" cooker and a half-sheet pan doesn't fit by just a little bit. :(