How To Choose The Best Cooktop For Your Kitchen

By Larry J. Reaves

Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen, building a new one or just replacing an outdated appliance, you need to carefully choose the cooktop that best fits your lifestyle and your cooking needs. You get more flexibility in a new build, but obviously have to consider space and kitchen layout if you’re remodeling. Then there are always price considerations.

The first question to ask yourself is, what’s your cooking style?

There are three main varieties of cooktops available: electric, gas and induction.

Gas cooktops are energy efficient and can give greater control over heat levels. But an open flame can be dangerous, especially if there are young children around. But your first consideration here is do you have a gas hookup? Is it even an available option? You need to have your gas line professionally installed.

Electric cooktops are more economical, but far less versatile. However, they are generally easier to clean. Electric cooktops connect to existing outlets. But if you get nervous around an open flame, you’ll most likely want to consider electric. Keep in mind though, that sometimes electric stoves can have a slow reaction time. Those are important things to consider when you need something to simmer or you’re waiting for water to boil. In electric models you can choose solid disk or radiant cooktop ranges, but the electric coil is the most power-efficient of the electric versions.

Induction cooktop’s are gaining more recognition. This has a flat-surfaced cooktop that uses magnetic fields to heat up just the cookware itself. The benefit is that the elements heat up quickly, but the surface remains cool. Cleaning is a breeze with this version. But, keep in mind, that for an induction cooktop, you’ll have to have magnetic cookware for it to work properly. That adds the cost of replacing your current cookware. Induction cooktops also use no fuel. Instead magnetic fields induce the heat in the cookware. They heat up and cool down more quickly. As an added bonus, if you walk away and your pot boils dry, induction technology can sense this and turn off the element. Likewise, if you don’t have the proper cookware, the technology won’t work.

Are you looking for a standard four burner cooktop? If you do a lot of cooking you may want to look at one with the option of five or six burners. Keep in mind your available space. Your existing cabinetry may not allow you that much space, so if you must have those extra burners, keep in mind you may have to have your cabinetry rebuilt to fit. Your cabinetry will also determine whether you can purchase a free-standing, drop-in or slide-in model.

When you’re pricing your cooktop, you’ll find that the most economical choices are either gas or conventional models like coil or glass. And if you want all the bells and whistles with your cooktop, you’re going to end up paying more.

How to keep your cooktop clean is another major consideration. The induction cooktop offers the easiest no-frills cleanup. You can wipe spills away with a wet cloth because the actual cooktop will not be heated, only the cookware.

Electric glass or ceramic stovetops are also easier to clean. The smooth surface helps to wipe up spills but you have to wait for the eye to cool and food that is burnt to the surface will take some additional cleaning. Make sure you follow the manufacturers’ instructions so you won’t scratch your cooktop surface.

While you may prefer gas or electric coils, just keep in mind they’re the most difficult to keep clean.

Once you’ve done your research and considered all your options, the final decision rests with you. What will meet your cooking needs? What will give you the look you want in your kitchen? What will fit your budget?

All cooks are going to have different needs and wishes when it comes to cooktops. With a little bit of research and planning, you can make the best choice for you and your kitchen.

About the Author: Written by Lawrence Reaves. Visit HamiltonBeach.com, the leader in quality kitchen appliances, to learn more about buying appliances for your kitchen such as

can openers

and

Hamilton Beach slow cookers

.

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