How to find the best cooktop for your kitchen

How to choose the best cooktop for your kitchen
By Rudi Xeno

Standing here in my kitchen, scanning the beauty of all our stainless steel appliances, the depth of our dark speckled granite counters and the sleek look of our black glass ceramic cooktop, I think of this room as a showplace.  To be sure it's a utilitarian room, but a showcase nonetheless.

Kitchens as showplaces are common today, but this wasn't always the case.  Growing up during the 1950's and 1960's, our kitchen was fundamentally a utility room for our house.  It's not that it wasn't attractive, it's just that it wasn't attractive by design.  It was where the serious business of cooking and daily family dining took place.  Keep in mind that appliances such as dishwashers and microwaves were a decade or two in the future.

Today, our kitchens remain a central room in our lives and most of us enjoy them as much for their beauty as we do for their utility.  They are our showcases.

With the Holiday Season fast approaching what better time is there for us to improve our kitchens?  With families getting together for the holidays it's hard to resist the call for upgrading our showcase.

And, if any further rationale is needed, ask any realtor. No investment in home improvement yields a better return on investment than a dollar spent upgrading your kitchen.

If we're going to improve our kitchen, let's concentrate on where most of the action takes place, your cooktop.  Whether you prefer a gas cooktop, a conventional electric cooktop, or one of the newest variants, the induction cooktop, this is where most of action takes place.

Things to Consider When Selecting Your New Cooktop

Whenever I'm asked for recommendations for new kitchen appliances the ancient adage of "know thyself" immediately comes to mind.  When it comes to cooktops the SIX key questions I always ask are:

• How serious a cook are you, or do you aspire to be? 
  
  For as long as I can remember, the terms "serious cook" and "gas cooktop" (or stove) were like hand and glove.  Regardless of the amount of money spent, the ability to instantaneously raise or lower cooking temperatures is one of the inherent strengths of a gas cooktop.  This remains true today.  Gas cooktops are still a preferred choice of serious cooks.  They also enjoy the benefit of having one of the widest ranges of price. A Kenmore Bisque 30 in. Gas Cooktop, can cost as little as $279.  At the mid-price level ($519.99) you can move up to power cooking with the Kenmore Stainless Steel 30 in. Sealed Gas Cooktop that features four burners ranging from 5,000BTU's (simmer) to a 14,200 BTU Power Burner for quick boiling. Professional grade gas cooktops costing northwards of $3000 are also available.
  
  Among the other advantages of cooking with gas is operating economy.  Natural gas is still the cheapest source of power for cooking. But of course gas cooking also has its drawbacks.  First is you must have a source of gas.  Here in South Florida homes with natural gas are rare and stored Liquid Propane (LP) is not permitted in many communities.
  
  Then there is the issue of clean-up.  Although modern gas cooktops often feature sealed burners for ease of clean-up (in relative terms), they still require the most effort to keep clean. Finally, there is the open flame issue.  Many consumers, particularly those with young children prefer alternatives to the gas cooktop.
  
  Fortunately for us serious cooks, there is an alternative to the gas cooktop that requires no sacrifice in cooking performance and even offers a few advantages.  In recent years Induction Cooktops powered by electricity to create an electromagnetic field have gained both in terms of availability and popularity in the US.  Unlike conventional electric cooktops that produce radiant heat (hot surface), the new induction units produce electromagnetic energy that is transferred directly to the compatible pot or pan.  Changes in heat settings are immediately effective allowing you to go from a full boil to a simmer virtually instantly.  All the while, the cooktop remains cool to the touch, making it safer and incredibly easy to clean since there's no burnt on food fouling your cooktop. 
  
  For the casual or occasional cook, the best cooktop replacement is usually a replacement in kind.  If you presently use gas or electric, replacement with an updated version of a similar cooktop makes the most sense and is usually the most cost effective.  Glass ceramic electrics are an ideal replacement for the older individual Coil units and will be much easier to maintain.
  
  Similarly a basic four burner gas cooktop will make the most sense when replacing an older gas cooktop.  The newer gas cooktops even in the economy class often offer ceramic tops and sealed burners for relative ease of clean-up.  Most cooktops come in 30" and 36" models.  Staying with the same size will minimize installation cost or effort.

• How much money is in the cooktop buying budget?
  
  Looking at the initial purchase price, gas cooktops and conventional electric cooktops (both coil and glass/ceramic) have a clear edge in the economy range with units starting at about $300.  Superior gas and electric models are easily found in the $600 range.  And of course units with advanced features such as grills, griddles and downdraft vents can work the purchase price up to $3,000 or more.
  
  Induction Cooktops generally start at about $1500 and can reach $3,000 for a really tricked out unit. While you can spend more or less I think a budget range, including installation, of between $1,000 - $2,500 is realistic. And, potentially a little more if you need more bells and whistles... or have a lot of mouths to feed!

• Which brings me to...how many people do you cook for?
  
  Has your family grown?  Do you frequently cook for larger groups or for special occasions?  If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then it's probably time to abandon the traditional 4 burner configuration and consider either a 5 or 6 burner model.  Fortunately, these days such models can be found in a 36" configuration that can be accommodated by most kitchens.  But, expect to spend more.
  
  Ideally, when looking at electric models choose those with multiple-zone elements and bridge-burners that offer you versatility in the size and shape of cooking vessels you can employ.  Two particularly attractive alternatives are offered by Electrolux.  The Electrolux ICON 5 Element 36" Electric Cooktop offers 3 large multi-zone burners, while the Electrolux ICON 6 Element 36" Electric Cooktop provides 2 large multi-zone elements in addition to a handy bridge burner.  These units range in price from $1599 - $1799.
  
  In gas cooktops (staying with the common 36" configuration) two models stand out. GE Appliances Stainless Steel w/Black 36 in. Built-In Gas Cooktop ($1376.99) offers 5 burners with a continuous grate for easy movement of pans between burners, while the KitchenAid Stainless with Black 36 in. Gas ArchitectTM Series Classic Commerical Style Cooktop w/Sealed Burners offers a continuous grate and a dedicated simmer burner ($2465.99).
  
  In induction cooktops, a 5 element cooktop is recommended here.  Remember, induction units cook appreciably faster than either conventional electric or gas.  My pick here for the busy cook is the Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 36 in. Electric Induction Cooktop ($1799.99).

• How important is ease of maintenance (keeping it clean)?
  
  For ease of maintenance and clean-up there's nothing that can compare with Induction Cooktops.  Since only ingredients contained in magnetic cookware will be heated, spills and spatters won't scorch on the cool cooktop surface and can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth.
  
  Electric glass/ceramic radiant cooktops are next easiest to maintain.  The smooth surface makes spills and spatters easy to get to.  Scorched food may take some scraping and elbow grease to remove, but it is still a relatively easy cooktop to clean.
  
  Although the design of gas units has improved steadily over the years with ceramic surfaces and dishwasher friendly grates, they along with electric coil units remain the most time consuming to keep clean.

• How important are your cooktop aesthetics?
  
  This of course is highly subjective.  To my eye, the clean smooth surfaces of both glass/ceramic electric and electric induction cooktops are hard to beat.  Others may find the industrial look of a high-end gas cooktop irresistible.  Here there is no one right answer.  Which do you prefer?
  
  When it comes to colors, the three predominant colors these days are black, white or stainless steel although some manufacturers offer additional colors by special order.  My preference is black, followed by stainless steel.  A precaution when it comes to designer colors.  White, black and stainless tend to be timeless colors.  Cooktops last a considerable number of years.  Avocado Green was once a wildly popular designer color.  Need I say more?

• What kind of cooktop do you use now?
  
  Although there are usually no absolute constraints, staying in kind is the most economical solution.  If you currently use electric to power your cooktop, replacing it with either another conventional electric or induction cooktop would generally be more straight-forward.  Converting to natural gas or LP could be problematic.
  
  Usually conversion from gas to electric is more easily accomplished, but will still require adequate electric circuits and usually the need for a skilled electrician.

So what is the best cooktop for you?  Based on the SIX key questions, you now probably have a sense of whether you should buy a gas cooktop, electric cooktop or induction cooktop. So, let's find the best cooktop model for you. Here are my recommendations by cooktop type.

• For Electric Cooktops, I like the totally smooth Bosch Black w/ Stainless Trim 30 in. Electric Cooktop ($1088.99). The touch controls make clean-up a breeze and the unit features AutoChef sensor cooking and a PowerStart function, which provides a burst of max. power when started then settles to a pre-selected temperature to help you save time and avoid spill overs.
• In Gas Cooktops my clear favorite is the highly rated Kenmore Black 36 in. Sealed Gas Cooktop With five sealed burners and a continuous dishwasher friendly grate, this is about as versatile and easy to maintain a gas cooktop as you'll find. A particularly nice feature of this unit is its moderate price ($519.99). At this price-point, this cooktop is a find for power cooks.
• In Induction Cooktops, I particularly like the Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 36 in. Electric Induction Cooktop ($1799.99). Its five cooking element design and smooth cooking surface gives you great cooking performance and great looks in an easy to maintain unit. Keep in mind that although an induction cooktop relies on costly electric for its power source, it uses it so efficiently that it rivals gas cooktops for low cost of operation honors.

Rudi's Bottom Line on Cooktops

In the past, if I had my druthers, I'd have gone with a gas cooktop.  It's hard to argue with the cooking versatility, familiarity and performance of gas cooking.  But, living in my part of South Florida, gas is not an option.  Today however, with the availability of Induction Cooktops offering virtually all of the benefits of gas cooktops in addition to benefits unique to its own technology, I'd choose an Induction Cooktop.  This is particularly true for households like my own with young children.  If you were to guess that the Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 36 in. Electric Induction Cooktop was on our shopping list for this season, you'd have guessed right.

Quick Links

• Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 36 in. Electric Induction Cooktop ($1799.99).
• Electrolux ICON 5 Element 36" Electric Cooktop ($1599)
• Kenmore Black 36 in. Sealed Gas Cooktop ($519.99)
• Bosch Black w/ Stainless Trim 30 in. Electric Cooktop ($1088.99)
• KitchenAid Stainless with Black 36 in. Gas ArchitectTM Series Classic Commerical Style Cooktop w/Sealed Burners ($2465.99)
• GE Appliances Stainless Steel w/Black 36 in. Built-In Gas Cooktop ($1376.99)
• Kenmore Stainless Steel 30 in. Sealed Gas Cooktop ($519.99)
• Kenmore Bisque 30 in. Gas Cooktop ($279)
  
  

Rudi Xeno resides in Boca Raton, Florida with his wife and 11 year-old daughter.  Following a rewarding 25 year career in International and Corporate Financial Management with one of the largest (and healthiest) financial institutions in the US, he now runs a small specialty chemical company that produces high efficiency cleaning products and has interests in the coin laundry industry.

He is a hard core do-it-yourselfer and his hobbies include:  Cooking, photography, writing and soap-making. He is a featured writer in Home & Garden as well as Electronics Topics on a number of Internet web-sites. When not at work or writing he takes delight at tutoring his daughter, Jenna, on how the Universe operates and all related issues.