Choosing a cooktop can be a complicated process with many brands, designs and features to consider. Kitchen layouts, number of people in the household and design style are other factors in the decision making process. Please use this handy buyer's guide from Goedeker's to educate yourself on all the different choices we have to offer when purchasing a new cook top.

Types of Cooktops:

Electric Cooktop

The Electric Cooktop uses electricity as its power source and usually has a less expensive purchase price. These types of cooktops come in two basic designs:

Coil Element - uses coiled metal to heat the surface

Smooth Top - great for cleaning with a contemporary appearance

Gas Cooktop

The Gas Cooktop is available in open burner and closed burner models and a gas hookup must be available in your kitchen before installing. The cooking surface can be heat up in an instant for quicker cook times and fast results.

Style & Look:

Smooth Top

Only available on the electric range and has a smooth glass heating area. Smooth top ranges are easy to clean and have a modern look.

Coil Element

Only available on the electric range and uses a “coiled” metal element to provide heat.

Open Burner

Only available on the gas range and has a wide opening in the cook top for the burner.

Closed Burner

Only available on the gas range and has recessed burners below the surface of the cook top.

Features & Issues to Consider When Shopping:

Grates

This is the metal coverings of the coil element or gas burner where the pot or pan is placed.

Warming Element on Cook top

This feature allows for low heat to keep food warm without over cooking.

Simmer Burners

Provides less heat than standard burners to avoid overcooking food.

High Watt Coil Burners

These use more energy and heat up faster than standard coil elements.

Bridge Element

Connects two burners to increase cooking surface for larger pots and pans.

Hot surface indicator lights

Lets you know when the surface of the cook top is still hot to the touch.

Drip Bowls

Collects food drippings on cooking surface and burners to make cleaning easier.

Downdraft Venting

Option to allow ventilation to go down through the oven instead of through a range hood.

Dual-size Heating Elements

These have two size settings so they can be used to heat both small and large pots and pans without wasting energy.

Halogen Burner Elements

Heat up quickly and cool down quickly for energy savings.

Induction Cooking

Uses electromagnetic energy to “induce” heat into the cooking surface such as a pot or pan.

Removable Elements

Heating elements that can be removed for easy cleaning.

Touchpad Controls

Replaces the dial controls on cook tops for a fresh, modern look.

Ventilation

A hood typically accompanies the cook top to remove smoke and exhaust. There are also cook tops that have downward ventilation to cancel need for hood.

Electronic temperature controls

The give you the ability to maximize cooking temperature and time for best results and replaces the dial controls.

Electronic Ignition

Feature to start gas burner automatically with electric spark, standard on gas cook tops today.

Frameless Design

Smooth cook top surface that can be mounted flush with the surface of the countertop.

Pan Presence Sensor

Detects when a pot or pan has left surface to turn on/off burners and elements.

Pan Size Sensor

Detects size of pot or pan and matches heating size for maximum heating and energy efficiency.

Ribbon Heating Elements

This is the heating element on smooth/glass cook tops.