Consider several factors before making a final decision about which cooktop is right for your home. We suggest you focus on the type of heating technology (induction vs. electric vs. gas), the size of the cooktop and number of burners, the available warranty(s) and cost of maintenance and any smart features you may want to benefit from.
Induction vs. Electric vs. Gas
When choosing the right cooktop for your home, the first choice to make is among the types of heating technologies available. “Cooktop” generally refers to a flat, countertop cooking element and does not usually include gas ranges, but gas burners are also available separate from full ranges (with ovens included) and may be a consideration when looking to install a new cooking surface during your kitchen renovation.
Gas burners allow fine control over heat level, which makes them popular among professional chefs. They can also be used even if the power goes out, which may be helpful for those in locations prone to power emergencies. With a gas burner, heating starts immediately and can be adjusted in precise increments with the changed heat level responding instantaneously. But gas cooktops are also more dangerous because of open flames. They can also be much messier and harder to clean because of protective grates and other more intricately-shaped burner designs.
Electric cooktops, sometimes called radiant electric, most often present a sleek, smooth and attractively designed surface that’s relatively easy to clean. The heating elements can reach a higher temperature than gas ranges and are the most affordable type of cooktop for those on a budget. Radiant electric cooktops take time to heat up and cool down, which makes maintaining fine control over the temperature difficult to achieve.
Induction cooktops are often considered the best because they are the most efficient in terms of energy, time and safety. Because induction cooktops heat only the pot or pan, minimal energy loss is achievable. This makes induction cooktops friendlier to the environment and your electricity bill. The process is more efficient in terms of cooking too, with induction cooktops boasting half the time for boiling water. As the heat is only transferred to your cookware, the cooktop surface can be safe to touch.
Induction cooktops are, however, significantly more expensive than gas or electric and only work with ferromagnetic cookware (cast iron, stainless steel and a few other types) and will not work with copper pan, ceramic or glass cookware.
Size and Number of Burners
The next determination to make when choosing the best cooktop for your home relates to the size and number of burners (or heating elements) you want. Most cooktops featured on our list are either 30 or 36 inches—the most common standard sizes—but cooktops come in a wide variety of sizes to suit your home.
The number of burners may be a key consideration, as well. Most cooktops feature four or five burners but five burners may actually be less-desirable on a smaller cooktop because the space around the burners can be severely cramped. Pay attention to burner size in relation to the cookware that you have, or want, and consider extra features, like the ability for two burners to be connected into one super-burner for griddles or other long pots/pans.
Warranty and Maintenance
Warranties and maintenance may not seem important when you’re browsing shiny new cooktops, but when something breaks and you spend 13 hours on hold with customer support, you’ll feel differently. Pay attention to what kinds of warranties are provided with the products you’re considering, and think about what sort of maintenance your future cooktop will need.
Gas burners will inevitably require more cleanup effort than electric or induction cooktops because spills fall below the grate and are harder to easily wipe up or clean out. Spills on radiant electric cooktop surfaces can burn and stick because electric cooktops are hot all over, while induction cooktops only heat the pots and pans, so spills can be wiped up instantly. Repair maintenance for electric and induction cooktops can incur a much higher cost than gas ranges because replacing the electric parts sealed into the unit can be much more expensive than swapping a part in a gas burner.
In terms of warranties, most companies will offer a limited 12-month warranty but some, including many featured on our list above, offer longer warranties and/or offer additional parts protection plans for keeping your cooktops in great shape despite any possible burnout.
Smart Features
One final consideration to make when choosing among cooktop options involves extra features. Many modern cooktops come loaded with smart features—especially electric and induction cooktops. These features can include automatic pot detection, auto-turn-off, burner re-sizing and special low or high temperature settings. While these options should not be your first focus when weighing the options between different cooktops, knowing what smart features you want may help you choose among the final options.
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