Contents
- 1 The Best Electric Cooktop – Our Top 11 Picks
- 1.1 TOP 5 Best Electric Cooktop
- 1.2 TOP 6 Best Portable Electric Cooktop
- 1.2.1 6# CUSIMAX Ceramic Electric Hot Plate for Cooking – Amazon’s Choice
- 1.2.2 7# Cusimax Hot Plate Electric Burner – Amazon’s Choice
- 1.2.3 8# Elite Gourmet Countertop Electric Hot Burner – Amazon’s Choice
- 1.2.4 9# Amazon Basics Portable Induction Cooktop Burner
- 1.2.5 10# WISECONN 2 Burners Electric Induction Cooktop
- 1.2.6 11# NutriChef Double Induction Cooktop
- 1.3 Best Downdraft Electric Cooktop Features
- 1.4 Conclusion
Do you want to update your cooktop and don’t know where to start? I strive to make things easier for you. The best electric cooktop, like the rest of the built-in appliances, appeared in our kitchens relatively recently and immediately gained high popularity.
The Best Electric Cooktop – Our Top 11 Picks
By freeing ourselves from a bulky oven, an independent cooktop allowed us to use space much more efficiently. But how to choose the best electric cooktop so that the purchase leaves a pleasant impression on itself, and the surface lasts for more than one year? You will find out in this review!
TOP 5 Best Electric Cooktop
To make it as easy as possible for you to determine which stove is right for you, I will introduce you to the different types of electric cooktop and inform you about their strengths and weaknesses.
1# Thermomate Electric Cooktop – Amazon’s Choice
The built-in cooktop fits perfectly into the concept of a modern kitchen with a single worktop. It does not break the continuity of the lines, which is not only beautiful but also hygienic. Glass ceramics are durable and hardy. The smooth glass-ceramic surface is easy to clean and provides a stylish look. Among electric cooktops, glass ceramics dominate. The main advantage of such a hob is low thermal inertia. That is, the hob heats up in seconds and cools down for a long time. This model has nine power levels and is equipped with a timer from 1 to 99 minutes Five burners with different capacities provide plenty of cooking space, ideal for large families.
2# Frigidaire Electric Smoothtop Style Cooktop – Amazon’s Choice
It is an easy-to-use stylish 4-burner cooktop. The hob has a residual heat identification, so there is no need to worry about possible burns. Glass-ceramic conducts heat in a directed manner: not the entire surface is heated, but only the area above the heating element. The panel itself maintains room temperature, does not heat the air and does not consume unnecessary energy. It won’t take you long to install this electric cooktop.
3# ECOTOUCH Electric Cooktop – Amazon’s Choice
Decorate your kitchen with an elegant and sophisticated hob. Cook with pleasure – it will only make your food tastier! A slight movement of the hand – and the surface shines. The glass-ceramic coating is easy to clean, making it easy to remove even large stains. The sleek, ergonomic design allows you to remove stains and grease from the surface with one stroke of a soft cloth. In addition, the ceramic coating heats up significantly less than other electrical panels, which prevents stains from burning. Thus, cleaning this stove is much easier than dirty dishes! The convenience of cooking! This glass-ceramic hob is equipped with four hotplates with powerful heating surfaces for cooking and convenient touch control. All hotplates heat up very quickly thanks to the Euro heating elements.
4# thermomate Electric Cooktop
The key to preparing an excellent dish is the correct choice of the required settings and the accuracy of setting their parameters. This cooktop is equipped with all the tools you need to do this. You have instant access to the hob controls, allowing you to quickly and accurately set the desired cooking level with the touch of your finger. This model is equipped with 5 hotplates of different power. This model offers you 9 power levels for precise heating. This allows you to use different types of cooking such as stewing, roasting, and so on. The timer of this cooktop allows you to use resources more efficiently. You set the cooking time on the hob, and the timer calculates when to turn off the hob in order to finish cooking using the residual heat. What is the result? Same high-quality food plus reduced electricity bill.
5# GE Profile Downdraft Electric Cooktop
GE is the best 30-inch electric cooktop. It is a traditional recessed panel, equipped with everything you need for everyday convenience and safe use. This is an excellent value for money. Timing is everything – especially when it comes to cooking. With the help of the timer with which this hob is equipped, you can more accurately control the cooking process. The timer counts down from zero and continues until it is stopped or reset. This allows you to accurately determine the timing of each cooking step.
TOP 6 Best Portable Electric Cooktop
A good friend of mine just bought a mobile home to travel in the summer and I was helping him look at options for the best portable electric cooktop. If you, like my friend, are looking for an electric cooktop that you can easily take with you on your travels, then this section is for you. In this guide, I’ll walk you through six of the best portable electric cookers.
6# CUSIMAX Ceramic Electric Hot Plate for Cooking – Amazon’s Choice
This model is made of ceramic which, due to its composition and processing characteristics, provides high strength, heat resistance, and environmental friendliness. This model is equipped with 2 burners which will be enough for traveling. Its compact size allows you to easily take this device wherever you go. Strong, stable, and durable heating zones quickly reach their maximum temperature and retain heat for a long time, so you can easily plunge into the world of culinary adventures. The temperature is controlled by a thermostat, and the device also has an automatic shutdown for your safety.
7# Cusimax Hot Plate Electric Burner – Amazon’s Choice
This model has the most optimal heating levels to make cooking your meals easy and intuitive. Choose from heating, light heat, or intense frying or boiling, and enjoy a flawless meal. This model has 1 burner and is small in size. This device is easy to take with you and can also be used in confined spaces. The hotplate can be used with any type of cookware.
8# Elite Gourmet Countertop Electric Hot Burner – Amazon’s Choice
The convenient Elite Gourmet cooktop is made of glass-ceramic, which has a set of excellent properties: high mechanical strength, wear resistance, good electrical insulation characteristics. Convenient switches on the front control panel activate the cast-iron elements as easily as possible. Return the control knob to the desired position and enjoy your delicious treats. The device offers a power of 1500 W which ensures fast and even cooking of any food.
9# Amazon Basics Portable Induction Cooktop Burner
Amazon Basics induction cooktop for confined spaces. Induction is a method of transferring heat with the optimal use of electricity. Its most important feature is precise and fast heating control. The boiling time will be almost as short as on a gas stove. The magnetic field generates heat directly in the bottom of the cookware, but the hob itself heats up very slightly, and the contents of the pan spilt on it cannot be burned. When cooking on an induction hob, only the bottom of the pot or pan is heated, then on the same hotplate, you can use pots or pans of different sizes. In this case, the induction system automatically detects the diameter of the bottom of the pan and only heats it. If you remove the pan from the hob during operation, the hotplate switches off automatically.
10# WISECONN 2 Burners Electric Induction Cooktop
This cooktop will highlight your taste and bring the very best modern design to your kitchen. Induction heating technology is the most advanced and efficient cooking method today. Convenient touch control makes the process of working with the surface easy and intuitive. The timer allows you to program the cooking time of the dish. When the set time has elapsed, an acoustic signal sounds and the cooking zone is automatically switched off.
11# NutriChef Double Induction Cooktop
An intuitive control panel allows you to easily select the power level you want. This model has two cooking zones. This touch-controlled cooktop simplifies operation to a minimum. Using the sensors, you can control the operation of the burners, turn on a special safety lock, which prevents unauthorized switching on of the device, for example, by children, or set the timer function.
Best Downdraft Electric Cooktop Features
Built-in appliances are usually more expensive than freestanding ones, but they provide much more opportunities for improving the design. This also applies to an electric cooktop, so the closest attention should be paid to the color of the panel, whether it will fit the interior of the kitchen, whether it will spoil the design with sharp contrast.
Pay attention also to the dimensions of the panel and how it fits into the worktop and the kitchen as a whole. If the high-power burners on the hob are located on the side of the wall, move the hob away from the wall, otherwise, the heat will spread to the kitchen baseboard. If the baseboard is plastic, then when you turn on a nearby burner at full power, it can deform and even catch fire.
Decide on the height of the panel. The electric cooktop itself is usually less than a centimeter high, but there are various electrical elements underneath and the total hob height can exceed 10 cm. Make sure there is enough space under the hob.
The number of burners depends on the family composition, on the frequency of cooking, and on the variety of dishes prepared at the same time. The hob with two burners can be recommended for small families. For a small kitchen, this is the best option. They are inexpensive and take up little space on the countertop.
The hob with three burners is a compromise option when the kitchen worktop is small, but two burners are no longer enough for preparing dinner. It can have a width of 10-15 cm less than four-burners, and be the best option for a family of 2-4 people.
The four-burner hob is the most common and most familiar option to us. But think about it: how often have you seen 4 burners working simultaneously on the stove? We usually use a maximum of 2-3, and the rest are used at best as coasters for ready meals.
Some four-burner hobs can combine adjacent cooking zones into one large oval cooking zone and this also increases functionality.
You can also consider the option with different types of burners – 2 induction and 2 thermal burners on one stove will allow you to enjoy the advantages of both types of cookware.
Five- and six-burner electric cooktops are suitable for large kitchens with spacious worktops. Five-burner electric cooktops usually have one high-power burner, six-burner burners can be paired into large oval zones. Such panels are suitable for cooking large amounts of food in large pots and irregularly shaped dishes.
Control Regulator Type
When buying an electric cooktop, you need to pay attention to what type of control regulators:
- If the switches are located above the surface, then due to the evaporating liquids, splashing oil, they will become very quickly dirty. These regulators will be cleaned more frequently and the process will become more time-consuming.
- Recessed switches (rotary). The panel starts functioning when rotated.
- Touch control is one of the most convenient options due to the icon that responds to a light touch.
- Remote control panels are the most expensive type of panels and require a remote control.
The controls can be located in front of the main panel or to the side of it. The second option is much preferable since it excludes the possibility of accidentally pressing the lever or sensor and turning on the stove.
Electric Cooktop Form
The shape of the cooktop will play an important role when choosing it. Today, manufacturers present a lot of variations of electric cooktop – round, oval, standard square or rectangular, in the form of a semicircle.
Type of Material
The material used to make the electric cooktop is also very important:
- The enamelled electric cooktop is relatively inexpensive but very sensitive to the effects of various agents or rough materials. It is quite difficult to clean it from dirt, and there is always a risk of damaging the enamel. The main advantage of enameled surfaces is a fairly wide range of color shades, among which you can choose the option that is most suitable for a kitchen set or wall colors.
- The steel panel is much easier to maintain than the previous one. However, you will have to buy special products for cleaning, since traces will remain from ordinary detergents.
- Glass-ceramics are more expensive than others, but many like them very much because of their exquisite look, touch panel, and increased strength. The downside of such an electric cooktop is its high sensitivity to shocks and scratches, it is easy to ruin it if handled carelessly. However, the negative aspects do not diminish the advantages of glass ceramics over enamel and steel surfaces. Utensils for such a surface must be made of special materials. Do not place copper or cast iron pots on ceramics, they will leave indelible marks.
Heating Element Type
When choosing an electric cooktop, it is worth taking into account the types of heating elements on it:
- Cast iron. The cheapest option that does not require some effort when leaving. Any type of cookware can be placed on such heating elements, except for plastic. However, cast iron stoves heat up for a long time up to 7 minutes, which entails additional electricity costs. They cool down at about the same time.
- Halogen ones consist of a spiral and a halogen lamp, which heats the burner in a second.
- Hi-Light systems are a very popular type, consisting of tape-shaped heating elements. Unpretentious in care.
- Induction. Not so long ago they came to the market, but the popularity of such cooktops is growing more and more. They are safe because they only heat up when the cookware touches the burner. However, it is better to buy special pots and pans that correspond to this type of heating element. Although the “smart” induction cooker simply will not turn on if the wrong cookware is placed on it.
Conclusion
Built-in appliances ensure the rational use of kitchen space, significantly saving space. The most common installations are electric cooktops, ovens, refrigerators, microwave ovens. If you are in search of the best electric cooktop with downdraft, then you have come to the right place. In my review, I talked about the 11 best models, dividing them into two categories. However, if you do not know what to choose, then I advise you to pay attention to these models 1# Thermomate Electric Cooktop – Amazon’s Choice and 6# CUSIMAX Ceramic Electric Hot Plate for Cooking – Amazon’s Choice.
Tags: #best electric cooktop / #best electric cooktop with downdraft / #best 30 inch electric cooktop / #best downdraft electric cooktop
