Not all rangetops are the same, but for years, they have been touted for style, precision, and heat. Rangetops are popular because of their temperature control, high heat output, and heavy-duty construction. There is no compromise when it comes to sautéing, searing, melting, or frying over a gas burner, and you can certainly add a sense of drama to any dish you prepare.
You'll quickly discover there is a wealth of rangetop options available — some that are high-end and feature-rich, and others that are budget-friendly and lighter on features. So, if you’re wondering how to choose the best rangetop, that’s where our team at Don’s Appliances comes in.
At a Glance
Best Luxury Gas Rangetop: BlueStar RNB Series Liquid Propane Gas Rangetop (RGTNB606FTV2LPLT)
Best 30 Inch Gas Rangetop: KitchenAid 30 Inch Stainless Steel Gas Rangetop (KCGC500JSS)
Best 40 Inch Gas Rangetop: Café 48 Inch Matte Black Gas Rangetop (CGU486P3TD1)
We created this in-depth guide to showcase some of the best rangetops available online and in-store, as well as what makes a rangetop a worthy investment. Read on for our recommendations.
Rangetops 101
Rangetops are like cooktops in that they often have similar dimensions as a full-size range and can be installed just above the range on the kitchen counter. They are often preferred by professional chefs and recommended for commercial-style kitchens at home because they have greater power and higher heat than their cooktop counterparts.
Electric cooking elements need time to heat up, whereas a gas rangetop instantly enables changes in heat while cooking. They can help save time in your cooking routine, and their front-control knobs provide a smooth design with greater temperature control.
Rangetop Buying Considerations
Before we dive into our list of the best rangetops, it’s important to examine what makes this appliance great. The stainless-steel finish and shiny knobs are certainly easy on the eyes, but you don’t want to be fooled by what you find under the hood. Keep these factors in mind when shopping for a new rangetop.
Cooking Power: The number one priority of a rangetop is its ability to cook. Cooking power is measured in BTUs, which determine how high of a heat output each burner can manage. As important as strength is, you don’t need 20,000 BTUs for every meal. Handling small and delicate output levels is equally important for simmering and melting. The best rangetops feature a range of power levels that can quickly respond from high to low heat.
Reliability: The reliability of your rangetop is crucial. You want to know your appliance will operate properly and be able to accurately adjust heat output long-term. The best appliance manufacturers will offer warranties to cover much of the rangetop for a certain number of years. This ensures you’re covered in any major issue were to occur, but it also gives you confidence in the product’s power and effectiveness.
Features: Not all rangetops are created equal, and the number of time-saving features can sway your decision one way or another. From WiFi connectivity to auto-shutoff, consider how feature-forward you want your appliance to be. The best rangetops go well beyond cooking ability and transport you to a place where world-class cuisine is made easy.
Design: You use your rangetop to cook, but you spend even more time looking at it every time you walk past the kitchen. They can take up a great deal of real estate, so it’s vital that your appliance features a visually appealing design that you can proudly show off in your home. You also want to be sure the rangetop you select fits with your other kitchen appliances. If it looks too bulky or out of place, it can throw off the entire aesthetic of your kitchen.
The Best Gas Rangetops
Now that you know a little more about the world of rangetops, let’s turn up the heat and explore a few of our favorite models.
Best Overall Gas Rangetop: Bosch 800 Series Industrial Style Slide In Natural Gas Rangetop (RGM8658UC)
With commercial-inspired style, high-power burners, and Bosch quality, the new industrial-style rangetop is designed to perform. The six high-efficiency burners on the 36-inch rangetop create optimal cooking capabilities. The powerful dual-flame ring burner technology goes from a dual flame for faster boiling to one small flame for precise simmering.
The OptiSim burner cap is wider and thicker, offering more flame control at the lowest settings for precise simmering and melting, and heavy-duty metal control knobs and bezels offer a professional, commercial-quality look with 20 percent more cooking surface.
Why we like it:
- Three 12K BTU large burners
- Two 18K BTU Dual-Flame Ring Power Burner
- 5K BTU OptiSim Simmer Burner – Reduces to 900 BTUs
- Continuous Surface with Heavy-Duty Dishwasher Safe Grates
Best Luxury Gas Rangetop: BlueStar RNB Series Liquid Propane Gas Rangetop (RGTNB606FTV2LPLT)
The all-new RNB Rangetop Series featuring restaurant-quality performance and near unlimited customization options has been updated with cleaner lines and improved features. BlueStar’s most dynamic line, the liquid propane rangetop is available with integrated griddles, charbroilers, and French tops.
The UltraNova burner provides 22,000 BTUs of cooking power, perfect for a rapid boil, high-heat sear, or a perfect saute. The precise 130-degree simmer burner easily melts chocolate and can gently warm delicate soups and sauces. Integrated wok cooking is available on any burner, plus BlueStar burners and full-motion grates are porcelain-coated cast iron for the ultimate durability.
Why we like it:
- Integrated wok cooking
- Removable, dishwasher-safe stainless steel drip trays
- Full motion grates
- Includes standard island trim backguard
- Available in Natural or LP gas
- Customizable trim, dial, and finish options
Best 30 Inch Gas Rangetop: KitchenAid 30 Inch Stainless Steel Gas Rangetop (KCGC500JSS)
Empower your creativity with a 30-inch KitchenAid Commercial Style Rangetop with four burners. This gas KitchenAid rangetop offers power and precision to successfully sear, simmer, stir-fry, or sauté. It features two 20,000 BTU Ultra Power Dual-Flame Burners for high- and low-heat cooking, a 5,000 BTU Simmer & Melt Burner perfect for small saucepans, and three 15,000 BTU burners.
Plus, Three-Level Convertible Grates with removable inserts match the heat to your technique. Leave the insert level for high-heat searing, flip it over to lift your pan above the flame to simmer and melt, or remove it to nestle a round-bottom wok in the flame for stir-fry.
Why we like it:
- Flame-Sensing Re-ignition
- Sealed burners
- Porcelain-coated cooking surface
Best 36 Inch Gas Rangetop: Bertazzoni Professional Series 36" Stainless Steel Natural Gas Rangetop (PROF366RTBXT)
Bertazzoni signature rangetops put Italian design and precision at the heart of your kitchen. As stunning as they are practical, they sit flush with countertops and cabinets. The combination of six Monobloc brass burners and cast-iron contour grates let you cook like a professional.
The grates are designed for maximum space to fit pots and pans of different sizes with ease. The extra-powerful 19,000-BTU power burners boil water faster than any burner in their class. Sear meat or stir fry with a wok on the two power burners with dual ring flame, or delicately melt chocolate or warm cream on the simmer burner.
Cleaning up afterward is easy, thanks to the seamless one-piece stainless worktop with no gaps, joints, or fasteners, and safety is guaranteed with the 100 percent fail-safe thermocouple technology that instantly shuts off the gas if the flame goes out, offering peace of mind and protection for your family and home.
Why we like it:
- 2-year parts and labor warranty
- Manufactured in Italy
- Automatic ignition
Best 40 Inch Gas Rangetop: Café 48 Inch Matte Black Gas Rangetop (CGU486P3TD1)
Meet your kitchen’s piece de resistance — the Café 48-inch gas rangetop. A lineup of eight burners includes the industry-exclusive Inspiral Burner and a built-in griddle, so you have superb heat performance for every dish. This versatile Café rangetop features an entire arsenal of burners that give you the right amount of heat and control to perfectly cook anything from delicate sauces to expertly seared meats.
A versatile burner offers different-sized flame rings on a single burner element, so it's like having multiple burners in one. You can quickly boil water with two 18,000-BTU Power Boil burners that give you more cooking power, and the Inspiral burner swirls the cooktop flame under cookware to more evenly spread heat from the center to the edges, which is also designed to contour to different shapes to fit specialty cookware like woks.
Why we like it:
- Multi-Ring burner
- Porcelain Enamel cook surface
- Continuous grates
Pros and Cons of Rangetops
A rangetop is certainly a versatile and dynamic cooking appliance, but it might not be right for every user. Let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons.
Rangetop Pros:
• Heavy-duty and built for frequent cooking
• Extra-wide cooking space that can fit large pans
• Front knobs make it easier to manage different temperatures and multiple pots or pans
• High-end, professional features
Rangetop Cons:
• Can be too large for certain kitchen layouts
• Installing a rangetop is more challenging than that of a cooktop
• The front-facing controls and dials can be dangerous for households with young children
• More expensive than similar cooktop models.
Are Rangetops or Cooktops Better?
Cooktops are more common in smaller households, but a rangetop will serve a greater purpose in professional or high-end kitchens. Typically, a rangetop will have better cooking power, a greater display of features, and better reliability than a common cooktop, but they also require an equally powerful ventilation unit to keep the air in your kitchen clean.
If you’re an enthusiastic home chef or you want a commercial-grade kitchen, then go for a rangetop, but ultimately, it comes down to your kitchen space, cooking needs, safety concerns, and design preferences.
Shop the Best Rangetops in Pittsburgh
The luxury design of a gas rangetop is evolving the way we cook. If you’re ready to enhance your kitchen and your meals, Don’s Appliances is your home for the best rangetops. With the largest selection of cooking appliances in the greater Pittsburgh region, you’re bound to find rangetops with the features you need to conquer any meal.
Shop with us online, give us a call at your preferred store location, or visit one of the 10 Don’s Appliances locations near you to find the refrigerator you’ve been searching for.