Picking the Best Cooktop for Your Kitchen
Factors to Consider
Size
Most cooktops are 30 or 36 inches wide, so that’s what we test. But they can be as small as 12 inches and as large as 48 inches, too. Many have five or six burners, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have room to use them all at once. Generally, most 30-inch cooktops have four or five burners, and most 36-inch cooktops have five or six.
Fuel
For cooktops, both electric and gas are capable of delivering decent performance. But with gas, you may find it easier to judge heat by appearance of the gas flame. And when you turn the knob from high to medium on a gas model, the pot and the food in it experience that change in temperature almost immediately.
Electric elements tend to heat faster and maintain low heat better than gas burners. But burners need time to react, so pots and pans take longer to adjust to changes in temperature.
Induction cooktops use the same hookup as a regular electric model, but they use an electromagnetic field to directly heat pans, offering quick response and control. In our tests, induction tends to be the fastest to heat water and the best at maintaining a steady simmer. But you’ll need magnetic cookware for the induction elements to work.
If you qualify, the Inflation Reduction Act might save you some money on an electric cooktop, including an induction model. Eligibility for rebates depends on how much you earn and where you live.
Cooktop Types
Choose from electric smoothtop, electric induction smoothtop, and gas. Each has its advantages.
Electric Smoothtop Cooktop
Electric radiant smoothtops are more popular than induction, largely because they cost less. All the models in our ratings have at least one high-power burner. Most have expandable dual or triple elements that let you switch from a large, high-power element to a small, low-power element within it.
These cooktops produce lots of residual heat, so when you reduce the heat, it can take a few minutes to settle at the lower setting. Smoothtops make it easy to clean up spills, but they require a special cleaner, and dropped pots can crack the glass surface, while sugary spills can stain the cooktop permanently.
Induction Cooktop
Electric induction cooktops use magnetic coils below the ceramic glass surface to quickly generate heat directly in the pan, offering precise simmering and control.
Magnetic cookware is needed for induction to work. If a magnet strongly sticks to the bottom of a pot, the pot will work with an induction cooktop. Some stainless steel cookware is induction-capable, and some isn’t. As a group, induction cooktops are the fastest ones to heat and the best at maintaining a steady simmer.
Prices have dropped in the past few years. And the Inflation Reduction Act—providing incentives for electric cooktops and ranges, including induction—can make this option more wallet-friendly for eligible buyers.
Gas Cooktops
If you prefer cooking with gas, we get it. The flame makes it easier to judge the heat, to get a feel for it, and to quickly move from a high setting to a low one.
Response time is particularly quick, especially when compared with a smoothtop. When you turn the knob from high to medium on a gas cooktop, the pot and the food in it experience that change almost immediately.
And you can strike a match to light most gas burners when your power is out. Of course, you’ll need natural gas or propane service at your house if you want to install a gas cooktop.
Features Worth Considering
Some features really do boost safety and convenience.
Expandable Elements, a Bridge, and an Oval Burner
On gas cooktops, oval burners (shown above) accommodate griddles and elongated pans. Most smoothtops have an expandable burner that lets you adjust its size to best match a pot’s diameter. Some cooktops have an elongated bridge element that spans two burners to accommodate rectangular or odd-shaped cookware, such as a griddle. (In some, one knob or touch control then operates both.)
Photo: GE
Hot-Surface Warning Lights
These are an important safety feature for smoothtops because these surfaces can remain hot long after an element has been turned off. Many smoothtops have at least one warning light. Ideally, each element will have a separate warning light.
Photo: GE
WiFi Connectivity
Most WiFi-connected cooktops work with an app on your smartphone. The app will let you check the status of burners, or even turn them off from afar. Some brands also use WiFi to pair cooktops with compatible range hoods, allowing the hood to turn on automatically, and adjust fan speed, based on how many burners you’re using.
Photo: GE
Expandable Elements, a Bridge, and an Oval Burner
On gas cooktops, oval burners (shown above) accommodate griddles and elongated pans. Most smoothtops have an expandable burner that lets you adjust its size to best match a pot’s diameter. Some cooktops have an elongated bridge element that spans two burners to accommodate rectangular or odd-shaped cookware, such as a griddle. (In some, one knob or touch control then operates both.)
Photo: GE
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