Cooktops: Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentChoice magazine is the Australian equivalent of ConsumerReports.org. Its testing methods are nearly as rigorous, although they don't test as many cooktops. This report covers 17 gas cooktops in a wide range of prices, and while the results are no doubt extremely useful for Australian consumers, none of the tested models is available in the U.S.

Our AssessmentMore than 4,300 consumers participated in a survey about ranges, cooktops and ovens conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. Brands (but not individual models) are rated in four categories: overall satisfaction, style, performance and ease of use. High-end manufacturer Wolf is the top-rated brand, earning top marks in all categories. LG comes in second, with top scores in two categories and above-average scores in the others. Amana and Hotpoint are the worst performers, with below-average scores in every category. Although the ratings are helpful, there's no distinction among ranges, cooktops and ovens.

Our AssessmentBuzzillions.com is an online review site that compiles ratings from several online retailers, and owners can also post reviews directly on the site. Because individual sites often include only one or two owner reviews for each model, the compiled reviews here make it easier to get an idea of which cooktops owners seem to like best. Sorting through the reviews is a little tricky, since many of the items listed here are not cooktops but other accessories for the kitchen, such as dish drainers. The way reviews are sorted is also confusing; some cooktops with many comments and high overall ratings appear much farther down the list than cooktops with only one or two reviews. Another problem is that model numbers aren't always listed, so it isn't always clear just which cooktop is being reviewed. On the plus side, the site provides a handy list of the most commonly cited pros and cons for each cooktop, as well as the most helpful positive and negative reviews.

Our AssessmentThe Home Depot's selection of cooktops is somewhat limited (about 65 models altogether), and few of the cooktops sold on the site have received any reviews from users. However, we did find two electric cooktops, one from LG and one from GE, with a respectable number of comments and high average ratings. Reviews on this site are generally brief and not very detailed. The reviews from HomeDepot.com are generally duplicated at Buzzillions.com.

Our AssessmentSears.com carries more than 500 cooktops on its website, but only about 75 of them have received any reviews from users. Of those, most cooktops have just one or two ratings, and the reviews themselves are often very brief. Only the Kenmore 42739 electric cooktop (a black version of the 42732) receives more than 10 comments with a high overall rating.

Our AssessmentViewpoints.com is another review site that lets consumers comment and rate the products they buy. More than 100 cooktops are listed on the site, but none attract enough reviews to draw any conclusions. In addition, model numbers are not listed for all the cooktops. However, this site is somewhat useful for seeing how owners like different brands in general.

Our AssessmentConsumerDemocracy.com is a product-review site that includes some feedback for cooktops. Unfortunately, most reviews are only a line or two, and the model numbers are not listed. The reviews cover a wide variety of brands, but there seems to be no clear favorite.

Our Assessment3Luxe.com's motto is: "Simply find the best of everything." In this article, the editors have chosen their top three picks for the best cooktops: one each from Thermador, Viking and Gaggenau. Two of three are induction cooktops. Each cooktop's features are detailed, but it's not clear how the reviewers chose these models as their top picks or whether any testing was performed. Moreover, this site hasn't been updated in at least two years, and two of the three recommended cooktops are no longer available.