Gas Cooktops

Gas cooktops offer good control, but at a higher cost

For those who have the right hookup, a gas cooktop can be a solid choice. Reviewers say these appliances provide good temperature control, and many consumers say they prefer the visual confirmation of a gas flame. That said, gas cooktops do not perform as consistently in reviews, at both high and low heat settings, as electric smoothtop cooktops. Most gas cooktops are 36 inches wide but some manufactures make smaller 30-inch and professional style 48-inch-wide models as well.

We found good reviews for several different brands of gas cooktops. Best-rated overall is the Thermador SGSX365FS (*Est. $1,900) , which is the top performer in one recent independent test. It has five burners topped with continuous cast-iron grates, allowing users to slide a pot from burner to burner without lifting it. Its five sealed burners -- ranging in power from 9,100 to 18,000 Btu -- have a distinctive star shape, which Thermador claims provides better heat distribution without cold spots. The control knobs light up to indicate when they are set to the 200-Btu ExtraLow setting, which cycles on and off to maintain a precise temperature for simmering. Its other features include single-point ignition (which delivers a spark only to the burner being lit, rather than to all burners at once) and automatic re-ignition, which turns the flame back on if it is accidentally blown out. The cooktop is backed by a one-year warranty.

In professional testing, the Thermador SGSX365FS cooktop is very quick at boiling water and offers superior temperature control for melting chocolate and simmering sauces. The dozen or so user reviews that we found on Google Shopping support these results. Owners are equally enthusiastic about this cooktop's quick heating and high-power burners and about the ExtraLow setting and precise controls. Several users particularly like the performance of the signature star burners. Users disagree about how easy this cooktop is to clean: four users say cleanup is easy, while an equal number say that it is difficult (especially since precautions are needed to avoid scratching the stainless surface). We also saw a couple of complaints that the 18,000-Btu central burner is underpowered, though we did not find any other gas cooktops with more powerful burners than this one.

The Electrolux EW36GC55GS (*Est. $1,100) also fares well in both professional tests and user reviews. Like the Thermador cooktop, this Electrolux gas cooktop measures 36 inches across and has five sealed burners; the large center burner has a dual flame that can adjust from 18,000 Btu for quick boiling to 450 Btu for delicate simmering. It also has three continuous, cast-iron grates that are dishwasher-safe for easier cleanup, and deep wells below the burners to contain spills. Its five control knobs are located on the top front of the cooktop. The Electrolux EW36GC55GS has a stainless-steel surface, but the same cooktop is also available in white and black. All three models have a one-year warranty.

The Electrolux EW36GC55GS does not fare quite as well as the Thermador cooktop in professional tests. It achieves excellent results on low heat, but its speed at bringing water to a boil is only middling. Consumers' opinions do not match up to the professional testing results. The user reviews we found on Google Shopping are mostly enthusiastic, praising this cooktop's looks, performance and versatility. Owners especially like the control knobs, which they say offer good temperature control. One user notes, "It is also the safest around families because the knobs are on the top and must be pressed down to turn the flame on." We found only one truly negative review for this cooktop, but it is an alarming one. The user reports a series of malfunctions over the first year, culminating in a "violent explosion" that literally blew the cooktop apart. The user also complains that Electrolux's customer service was very unhelpful during this crisis, first failing to fix the cooktop and then taking over seven weeks to replace it, and that the replacement cooktop is "just as shoddy as the blown up unit."

Another good performer in this price range is the Bosch NGM8654UC (*Est. $1,275) . This 36-inch cooktop has five sealed burners, ranging in power from 5,500 to 18,000 Btu; its OptiSim setting allows it to be turned down as low as 400 Btu for simmering. It also offers useful features, such as continuous cast-iron grates, automatic re-ignition and a power light. The five metal-plated control knobs are located front and center on the top of the cooktop. This gas cooktop has a one-year warranty.

The Bosch NGM8654UC gets good but not outstanding results in professional tests. It does very well at simmering, but only moderately well at boiling water quickly. The reviews we found on Google's shopping site, however, are overwhelmingly positive. Users rave about this 36-inch gas cooktop's quick heating, simple and responsive controls and easy cleanup. We also saw praise for the cooktop's layout. As one user puts it, "You can use all five burners at once without banging pots together or maneuvering." In roughly 15 reviews, we did not see one serious complaint about this cooktop.

We didn't see reviews for many gas cooktops costing less than $1,000, but the Whirlpool GLS3064R ($850) gets good comments from both professional reviewers and users. This cooktop is smaller than most gas models -- only 30 inches wide -- and has only four burners, ranging in power from 9,000 to 15,000 Btus. However, it does include several features found on higher-priced cooktops, such as continuous cast-iron grates and automatic re-ignition. The burners are sealed and the control knobs lift off for easy cleaning. The cooktop has a standard one-year warranty.

In a 2007 review, ConsumerGuide.com names this cooktop a Best Buy, giving it 4 points out of 5 overall and 5 out of 5 for value. The reviewer says that the burner layout is "versatile enough to satisfy even a picky cook" and praises the cooktop's "clean, appealing design," easy cleanup and modest price tag. The only downside cited is the lack of a simmer setting. Users on Google Shopping also say this cooktop offers plenty of power and cooking space, with precise and easy-to-use controls. Approximately five users add that it is easy to clean, but others complain that it is difficult, especially for the burner caps. We also saw one complaint about this cooktop's reliability: The user said the igniters quit working after 15 months, necessitating a $400 repair.