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Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
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This easy-to-use cooktop comes with five different heating elements that heat up your pots and pens quickly and precisely. Read More
This cooktop can boil water quickly, control the temperature on your cookware, and reviewers say it’s easy to install and use. Read More
This cooktop comes with a “melt” setting, a keep-warm option, a hot-surface signal, a timer, and a high-tech fast-boiling feature. Read More
This system offers more than 500 recipes, and there are 12 different cooking functions to choose from, including slow cooking, candy making, and more. Read More
Many pros might swear by gas, but electric—and especially induction—affords a host of advantages that simply can't be denied. Impressively wide temperature ranges and even heating are just a couple of these.
If you're looking to melt chocolate for a tasty dessert or sear the heck out of a sous vide steak, these best of the best cooktops can get it done. And rest assured, we've looked into enough models to know exactly what separates the best cooktop features from the worst. In this review, we’ve included cooktops that are 30 inches and 36 inches wide in order to fit standard-size surfaces.
Heats up cookware quickly
Easy to operate
Cool to the touch around elements
Expensive
Fast boiling feature
Easy to install and use
Affordable
None that we can find
Hot surface signal
Easy-to-use glide touch controls
Control-lock safety feature
Expensive
Easy to clean and use
Heats up quickly
Compact size
None that we could find
Although they resemble smooth top electric cooktop burners, induction cooktops don't have actual burners underneath their surface. Induction cooking uses electromagnetic energy to heat pots and pans directly. In comparison, electric and gas cooktops heat indirectly, using flames or a heating element to pass radiant energy through your cookware to your food.
Induction cooktops can achieve a wider range of temperatures than other cooking methods, and they take far less time to boil than their electric or gas counterparts. In addition, the cooktop surface itself stays cool, so you don't have to worry about burning your hand. It's even possible to wipe down the surface during cooking. Just remember, the cooktop doesn't get hot, but the pan does.
Because induction relies on electromagnetism, only pots with magnetic bottoms—steel and iron—can transfer heat. The winners of our best stainless steel skillets roundup are induction-friendly. But that doesn’t mean you need to buy all-new cookware. If a magnet sticks to the bottom, your pots and pans will work with induction.
Aside from covering all things sleep, James moonlights as an educational theatre practitioner, amateur home chef, and weekend hiker.
Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.
Camryn Rabideau is a full-time freelance writer and product tester with eight years of experience. She's been lucky enough to test hundreds of products firsthand, and her specialties include bedding and pet products, which often require help from her two dogs, three cats, and flock of rambunctious chickens.
Lily Hartman
Staff Writer, Search
Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
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