Vital to your kitchen, your cooktop allows you to boil, sear, simmer, and pan-fry meals for your family. While it is not the flashiest staple in your kitchen, a great cooktop is pivotal to the success of your meals. Like any kitchen appliance, a cooktop comes in many models from many brands. We’ve compiled our top 8 best cooktops to help you shop.
At a Glance:
Best Overall: KitchenAid 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (KCGS356ESS)
Best Budget: Whirlpool 30” White Electric Cooktop (WCC31430AW)
Best Luxury: Monogram 30” Silver Induction Cooktop (ZHU30RSPSS)
Best 30 Inch Induction: Beko Black Glass Built In Induction Cooktop (BCTI30410)
Best 30 Inch Electric: Frigidaire Gallery 30” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop (FGEC3068US)
Best 30 Inch Gas: GE Profile 30” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (PGP9030SLSS)
Best Compact: Miele CombiSet 11.31” Stainless Steel Double Gas Cooktop (CS 1012-1 G)
Best Cooktop with 6 Burners: JennAir 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (JGC7636BS)
1. Best Overall: KitchenAid 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (KCGS356ESS)
Our pick for the best cooktop is the KitchenAid 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (KCGS356ESS). This gas cooktop features five burners in a stainless-steel finish and cast-iron grates. The grates are continuous across the whole cooktop, allowing you to move pots and pans as needed. You’ll have ample room for cooking, boiling, searing, and simmering on this large 36-inch stove.
The design is topped off with centralized metal control knobs for the burners. These are front and center, making them easy to reach, even with a full stove. At a great mid-range price, you’ll find amazing features on this appliance without a hefty price tag.
Features:
- 19,000-BTU Multiflame burner
- 5,000-BTU Even-Heat™ simmer burner
- Electronic ignition
- Full-width cast-iron grates
- Multi-finish knobs
Size: 36”
Finish: Stainless steel
Price: $1,449 (MSRP)
2. Best Budget: Whirlpool 30” White Electric Cooktop (WCC31430AW)
Our pick for the best budget cooktop is the Whirlpool 30” White Electric Cooktop (WCC31430AW). Coming in well under $1,000, you’ll find all the features you need in this stove without breaking the bank. This electric cooktop features a porcelain SpillGuard finish to help you keep your kitchen looking brand new. You’ll also find dishwasher-safe knobs, further streamlining the cleaning process. These knobs are located on the right side of the cooktop for quick and easy access.
Features:
- Dishwasher-safe knobs
- Hot surface indicator light
- Chrome drip bowls
Size: 30”
Finish: Black or white
Price: $599 (MSRP)
3. Best Luxury: Monogram 30” Silver Induction Cooktop (ZHU30RSPSS)
Our pick for best luxury cooktop is the Monogram 30” Silver Induction Cooktop (ZHU30RSPSS). You won’t find a cooktop that is more sleek, modern, or clean-looking than this induction stove. Complete with flat, knob-less controls, you’ll instantly upgrade your kitchen with this Monogram model.
Beyond just exuding good looks, this cooktop provides a slew of features to instantly elevate your food. You’ll find rapid boil options, a melt setting, and a lock control to prevent accidental activation. This stove also heats the burner precisely to the size of the pan and will automatically shut off if no pan is present. This splurge-worthy cooktop also has an arsenal of accessories available for purchase, giving you options like internal food temperature control and flush mounting.
Features:
- Glide touch controls
- Four induction cooking elements
- 11” 3700W induction element
- SyncBurners
- Melt setting
- Control lock capability
- White LED display with patterned silver glass surface
- Gourmet Guided Cooking
- Custom settings
- Pan presence and size sensors
- Flush-mount capable
- Precision cooking
Size: 30”
Finish: Silver or black
Price: $2,900 (MSRP)
4. Best 30 Inch Induction: Beko Black Glass Built In Induction Cooktop (BCTI30410)
Our pick for the best 30 induction cooktop is the Beko Black Glass Built In Induction Cooktop (BCTI30410). This cooktop is made to be built into your counter. Pairing the flush mount with flat slide touch controls gives you a clean look with no protruding knobs. This smoothtop stove also features superior technology that allows you to cook foods faster. Internal magnetic coils and iron atoms work together with steel cookware to create heat.
Beko is dedicated to bringing a healthier lifestyle to your home. The sustainable brand ensures you have a great kitchen experience while remaining environmentally conscious with over 60 years of ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year awards. Their energy efficiency is evident in this stovetop with automatic pan recognition, heating only the portion of the burner that is in contact with a pan. Heating automatically stops when the pan is removed from contact, which is a great safety feature to have if you have young sous chefs.
Features:
- Induction cooking zones
- 12” XL cooking zone
- Residual heat indicator
- ADA compliant
Finish: Black
Price: $1,799 (MSRP)
5. Best 30 Inch Electric: Frigidaire Gallery 30” Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop (FGEC3068US)
Our pick for the best 30 electric cooktop is the Frigidaire Gallery Stainless Steel Electric Cooktop (FGEC3068US). This five-burner stove features varying burner sizes, so you’ll have the perfect fit for your pan. Heating capabilities allow you to go from warm to boil, giving you the temperature range you need to get the perfect cook on every meal.
Safety features include a hot surface indicator, letting you know when your stove is hot to touch. This feature can help keep your family safe from burns and melted objected. You’ll also find that this cooktop fits above most wall ovens, emulating the look of a range if you would like to create a focal point in your kitchen. Coming in at the second lowest price point on our list, this robust electric cooktop is compatible with most budgets.
Features:
- Fits-More cooktop
- SpaceWise® expandable elements
- Easy-to-use front controls
- Ceramic glass cooktop
- Approved for installation over Frigidaire electric wall ovens
- Quick Boil option
- Frigidaire® Fit Promise
- Express-Select® controls
- Hot surface indicator
Finish: Black or stainless steel
Price: $999 (MSRP)
6. Best 30 Inch Gas: GE Profile 30” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (PGP9030SLSS)
Our pick for the best 30 gas cooktop is the GE Profile Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (PGP9030SLSS). This five-burner gas cooktop features heavy-cast, edge-to-edge grates in durable cast iron. This finish offers lasting performance and allows easy movement of pans between burners. The grates are also dishwasher safe, allowing for easy clean-up of spills and other residues.
This range has an optional extra-large, integrated cooktop griddle. This add-on will eliminate the need for extra cookware and allow you to enjoy an optional built-in cooking surface for pancakes, grilled cheeses, and other family favorites.
Features:
- 5 sealed burners
- 18,000-BTU power boil burner
- White LED backlit heavy-duty knobs
- Precise simmer burner
- Control lock capability
- Sealed cooktop burners
- Heavy-duty, dishwasher-safe grates
Finish: Stainless steel
Price: $1,665 (MSRP)
7. Best Compact: Miele CombiSet 11.31” Stainless Steel Double Gas Cooktop (CS 1012-1 G)
Our pick for the best compact cooktop is the Miele CombiSet 11.31” Stainless Steel Double Gas Cooktop (CS 1012-1 G). This smaller two-burner cooktop is great for small spaces where counter space is sacred. Just 11.31 inches wide, you’ll get a versatile medium and large burner combo with great performance in a small bundle. Electronic controls help you switch the burners on, eliminating the need to press and hold for ignition.
Safety features on this compact model include an in-operation and a residual heat indicator, which help prevent you from touching a hot surface. You’ll also find a GasStop and Restart function. The Restart will automatically re-ignite after flame failure. GasStop will switch the gas supply off immediately if reignition is unsuccessful, preventing gas from leaking from your stovetop.
Features:
- Safety Turn Off
- Quickstart
- Available in natural or LP gas configurations
- Electric spark ignition
- Grate design allows easy movement of pots and pans
- Cast iron grate
- Enameled burner components and pot rests
- Rapid ignition
- Automatic re-ignition
- Gas tap shut-off after unsuccessful re-ignition attempts
Size: 11.31”
Finish: Stainless steel
Price: $1,299 (MSRP)
8. Best Cooktop with 6 Burners: JennAir 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (JGC7636BS)
Our pick for the best six-burner cooktop is the JennAir 36” Stainless Steel Gas Cooktop (JGC7636BS). With an 18,000-BTU PowerBurner among five, sealed brass burners, this luxury Jenn-Air gas cooktop offers robust power that is perfectly equipped for precision cooking. An extremely low profile allows for a near-flush countertop installation. This will give you a minimal look, combined with a modern stainless-steel aesthetic. This large six-burner stove will be a classic addition to your kitchen.
The performance of this model is unbeatable. You’ll be able to melt chocolate and butter or simmer sauces just below boiling with a high-precision burner that offers a wide range of power. Robust heat from the PowerBurner gives you the ability to cook with high-powered techniques such as searing, stir-frying, and rapidly boiling water. The brass burner also allows you to meet special cooking needs like sauteing and braising.
This cooktop offers a range of safety features as well. A white indicator light glows to indicate when a burner is on, providing a modern look and a convenient reminder. Additionally, single-point electronic ignition ensures that when you turn on a burner, the electric spark ignites only for that burner. Finally, these gas burners light reliably every time. If a draft blows the flames out, they are automatically re-ignited.
Features:
- Low-profile design
- White LED burner indicator
- Euro-style stainless design
- Single-point electronic ignition
- Electronic ignition and Flame-Sensing™ re-ignition
- Infinite burner control settings
- Built-in oven compatible
- 9,000-, 15,000-, and 12,000-BTU brass burner
- 6,000-BTU simmer burner
- 18,000-BTU PowerBurner
Size: 36”
Finish: Stainless steel
Price: $2,199 (MSRP)
Shop Cooking Appliances at Don’s Appliances
At Don’s Appliances, you’ll find exceptional brands with great features at reasonable prices. You can shop the best cooking appliances online today, or visit us at one of our locations in and around Pittsburgh, PA.
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