Thermador SGSX365FS

The 36-inch Thermador SGSX365FS is an excellent gas cooktop, earning high ratings from both expert reviewers and owners. Both in the test kitchen and in owners' homes, it delivers quick heating and superb temperature control. Its signature star-shaped burners are designed to offer better heat distribution. The cooktop has five burners, ranging in power from 9,100 to 18,000 Btu, topped with continuous cast-iron grates -- a useful feature that makes it easier to move pans from one burner to another. Special features include single-point ignition (only the burner being lit receives a spark) and automatic re-ignition, in case a burner blows out. The surface is made of stainless steel, which users like for style and dislike for durability: it scratches easily and can be difficult to keep clean. This cooktop is pricey so those with limited budgets may prefer the Whirlpool GLS3064R (*Est. $850) , which offers good overall performance for less than half the price.

The Thermador SGSX365FS is included in the latest round of cooktop tests at ConsumerReports.org. Each model is tested on a variety of kitchen tasks: boiling water, melting chocolate and holding tomato sauce at a steady simmer. We also found more than a dozen user reviews for this cooktop through Google's shopping search engine, which compiles product reviews from various sites across the web.