What to Look For in a Kitchen Cooktop

April 29, 2021

Many decisions go into planning a renovation with your kitchen supplier in Sydney, some of which you may never have thought of before! One such decision is the kind of cooktop you want, and it’s an important one.

The first part of deciding which cooktop to incorporate is working out which style will work best for your kitchen – gas, ceramic or induction.

Each style of cooktop has its benefits and drawbacks, depending on how you like to cook and the design style you’ve chosen for your kitchen.

Let’s dive a bit deeper into what to look for in a kitchen cooktop.

Gas

Perhaps the most common option, gas cooktops are operated by an electric ignition system. When the knob is pressed (creating the well known ‘clicking’ sound), a spark is created that ignites the gas released by the burner. The higher you turn the knob, the more gas gets released.

Gas cooktops are easy to cook with, in that you have a visual reference for how much heat is being distributed. Your kitchen specialists can help to customise your burners based on how you like to cook (for example, a larger burner to accommodate woks or grill plates), and gas cooktops also come in a myriad of designs.

To install a gas cooktop, you’ll need to confirm that there is a gas connection to your property. The gas burners can also be difficult to clean in comparison to some of the other cooktop options.

Gas cooktops look great in industrial-style kitchens and are usually a feature element of traditional Hamptons style kitchens or country design. They’re great for families and frequent entertainers.

Ceramic

In terms of stylish and low-maintenance options, ceramic cooktops hide all of the heating elements beneath a sleek glass panel which is incredibly easy to clean.

Electronically heated, ceramic cooktops are quick to come to temperature and are perfect for low and slow cooking. Their low profile means that ceramic cooktops are often as much an aesthetic choice as they are a functional one.

While cleaning is much easier thanks to the lack of traps and divots on its surface, a ceramic cooktop can be more prone to scratching. If spills aren’t wiped up quickly, they can bake onto the surface and be much more difficult to remove.

If you have young children in the house, a ceramic cooktop can make it harder to determine if the cooktop is hot – and ceramic models can hold residual heat after being turned off, as well. Raise this with your kitchen supplier in Sydney if you have safety concerns, though most models will come with heat warning indicators.

Induction

The most innovative of cooktop options, induction models offer a formidable combination of performance, style and safety.

Induction is the method by which an electromagnetic field is generated, basically turning your cookware into the heating element. The stovetop remains cool while cooking, while heat is generated and cooks the food through the base of your cookware.

These cooktops heat quickly and are more responsive to temperature changes than ceramic models. And as the surface itself doesn’t heat up as a ceramic cooktop does, this lessens the likelihood that spills will bake onto the surface.

With all this innovation comes a higher price tag – induction cooktops are the most expensive of the three styles. The process also only works with certain types of cookware, so you may need to replace your current pots and pans in order to cook with induction.

The sleek profile of induction cooktops makes them a great addition to most modern kitchen design styles. The clean lines of minimalist kitchens are mirrored by induction panels, making them a great pairing.

Need more help choosing the right style of cooktop for your kitchen? Visit one of our showrooms to see an example of each style, and let our team of kitchen specialists walk you through these cooktop options in more detail.

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