Your cooktop is the cornerstone of your kitchen. It’s what you’ll use the most to prepare your meals. Many people use their cooktop to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are a few varieties of cooktops that you can choose from, and they all have pros and cons. Here are the different types of cooktops for your kitchen.
Gas Cooktops
A favorite of chefs who cook at home, gas cooktops can provide some serious heat. They can obtain very high temperatures and feature controls that are easy to adjust. However, it can be difficult to achieve consistency with a gas cooktop’s knob controls. Some defining features of a gas stovetop include:
- An open flame heat source
- A gas hookup required for installation
- Power burners for high-temperature cooking
- Simmer burners for slow cooking rice and other foods
While gas cooktops are popular, they do require a gas line hookup. If your home or apartment doesn’t have a gas line, you won’t be able to use these cooktops.
Electric Cooktops
As the name implies, electric cooktops use electricity as their source of heat. You won’t need a gas connection, so electric cooktops are ideal for homes without gas. These cooktops are also easier to install than gas cooktops, in part because they don’t require a working gas line.
Older electric cooktops have coil-style burners. More modern versions feature burners that are smooth on top. However, you’ll have to wait a bit longer for electric cooktops to heat up—some homeowners may find this frustrating.
Induction Cooktop
An induction cooktop is a premium type of electric cooktop. It offers superior temperature control, consistency, and quick heat-up times. Induction cooktops operate using a magnetic field within the cooktop that will only react if it contacts cookware. Compatible types of cookware include iron, steel, and magnetic steel. Because the cooktop will generate no heat unless it meets this cookware, an induction cooktop has a significantly lower fire risk than other types. Induction cooktops are incredibly robust, sophisticated appliances, but they tend to be a bit pricier than typical cooktops.
Each of the different types of cooktops for your kitchen is a worthy investment. Your decision will come down mainly to personal taste and budget.