Cooktops Buying Guide

Induction

Fast heat, precise control, households with young children

A magnetic field heats the pan and not the surface. Fastest to boil, most precise to control, and the glass around the pan stays cool. Requires induction-compatible cookware - a fridge magnet that sticks to the base is the test. 204 of the 429 models we list, at a median $2,799.

Gas

Visible flame control, wok cooking, existing gas kitchens

Instant heat response and a flame you can read at a glance. Works with every pan you own, including round-bottomed woks. 140 of the models we list, at a median $2,390. But consider: combustion happens in your kitchen, so extraction matters more here than with any other type.

Ceramic

Budgets, rentals, straightforward replacement

Radiant electric elements under a flat glass surface. Cheapest of the three at a median $1,549 across the 61 models we list, and the easiest swap into an existing electric cut-out. Slower to heat and slower to cool than induction, and the surface stays hot after you turn it off.

Vented induction

Islands and open-plan kitchens with nowhere to hang a hood

Induction with a downdraft extractor built into the middle of the surface, pulling steam down instead of up. 10 of the models we list. Solves the sightline problem on an island bench, at a price well above a separate cooktop and hood.